Next day.
Morning.
The Xin Hua reporters are scheduled to arrive in Yan Tai County at 9.30 am. Dong Xuebing woke up early to have his breakfast before rushing to the Investment Promotion Agency. He held a meeting with his subordinates to remind them not to offend those reporters before rushing out to the County Government building in his Camry. Zhao Xinglong and the other County Government staff are ready. When Dong Xuebing reached, Zhao Xinglong asked his men to prepare the cars. At the same time, he went to Deputy Party Secretary Cao Xupeng’s office with Dong Xuebing.
10 minutes later.
Zhao Xinglong looked at his watch. “It’s 9.30 am, and they should be arriving.” Cao Xupeng looked at Dong Xuebing. “Xiao Dong, is the itinerary prepared?” Dong Xuebing took out the itinerary he prepared. “Don’t worry. There should be no problems. We had contacted the few projects we will be visiting, and everything is prepared.”
Ring… ring… ring… Zhao Xinglong’s phone rang.
Zhao Xinglong answered. “Hello, it’s me… What is it? What? Where did they go?” He is looking terrible. “Where is their location? What time will they arrive? Ok… Alright. I know.” After hanging up, Zhao Xinglong looked at Cao Xupeng. “I had just received news that the Xin Hua reporters are not coming to the County Government Building. They went straight to the pork processing plant once they reached. That project had just started construction. What’s there to see?” Cao Xupeng frowned. “How can they go there without informing us?”
“I have the feeling that they are here with ill intentions.” Zhao Xinglong replied.
Dong Xuebing is also pissed as he did not expect these reporters to ignore the local leaders and do whatever they like. “This group of people thinks too highly of themselves. Are they expecting us to go out to receive them? Do they think they are leaders from the Central Government?” Cao Xupeng stood up. “Let’s go. They are being too arrogant and look down on our County.”
Zhao Xinglong and Dong Xuebing followed Party Secretary Cao downstairs.
Dong Xuebing knows this is not the issue of putting on airs or not. This is basic courtesy. Even if the Provincial Xin Hua Agency branch had informed the County Government about the interview, the reporters should be accompanied by local leaders. If not, they might as well don’t inform and do whatever they want. Despite informing the County Government about their visit, they still go to the project sites independently. This is not respecting the local authorities.
Along the way.
Dong Xuebing called the boss of the pork processing plant, Liang Zeyuan. “Hello, Mr. Liang. I’m Dong Xuebing.” “Oh, Chief Dong. I was just about to call you.” Liang Zeyuan replied. “Where are there a few reporters from Xin Hua Agency at the factory? I had just arrived. I rushed here after my workers informed me. Those three reporters are interviewing my workers and stopping them from working. I wonder what are they up to? Is this arranged by the Investment Promotion Agency? If you are the one who arranged for these reporters’ visit, I will be glad to receive them. Haha…”
Dong Xuebing briefly explained the situation to Liang Zeyuan.
Liang Zeyuan frowned. “That means these people had come here on their own accord?! They are delaying the construction.” Dong Xuebing replied. “I’m sorry, Mr. Liang. We are not aware of their visit. I will have informed you in advance if I know they will be visiting your plant.”
“It’s ok. What’s there to be sorry about? I will ask my workers to be more cooperative and just say nice things. Hahaha… I understand…” Since Dong Xuebing “finished” three bottles of Maotai, Liang Zeyuan drank with him again. Both of them became friends, and Liang Zeyuan will definitely help Dong Xuebing.
10.00 am.
The cars from the County arrived at the pork processing plant site.
The fund was just in, and the workers had just started building the cold storage foundation. The area is bare, and only some construction materials are placed in a corner.
After alighting, Cao Xupeng walks over with Zhao Xinglong and Dong Xuebing.
Liang Zeyuan saw them and went over to greet him. “Mayor Zhao, Chief Dong.” Dong Xuebing introduced. “This is Party Secretary Cao.”
Liang Zeyuan quickly greeted Cao Xupeng and shook their hands.
Those few people, who were speaking to a construction worker, turned and looked at Cao Xupeng, Zhao Xinglong, and Dong Xuebing.
Dong Xuebing looked at those two women and one man. They are around 27 or 28, and those two Xin Hua Agency women were wearing their reporter passes on their chest. One of them is called Wang Na, and the other is Wang Ting. They are from the Provincial Xin Hua Agency branch. That man is not wearing his reporter pass, and he should be the reporter from Xin Hua Agency head office. He is here because he is accompanying his former classmate while on his way to his hometown.
Cao Xupeng extended his hand. “I represent Yan Tai County to welcome you all.” Wang Na and Wang Ting shook his hand. “Thank you, Secretary Cao.”
After the introduction, Dong Xuebing knew that man is called Li Shengbing. He is a news editorial reporter with Xin Hua News agency. He is good looking, but Dong Xuebing noticed him giving him a stare during their introductions. That look in his eyes made him uncomfortable.
Although Zhao Xinglong is unhappy with these reporters, he did not show it. “Where will you all be focusing your interviews on?” Wang Na replied. “We are just walking around and will not be focusing on certain areas. We passed by this area this morning and stopped for a short interview. We understand attracting investment is tough, and that’s why we did not want to trouble you all and go to the County Government. I’m sorry to make you all come all the way here to receive us.”
Cao Xupeng laughed. “It’s alright. We are all doing our jobs.”
After a short chat, Zhao Xinglong told the reporters. “Chief Dong is in charge of this pork processing plant. You all can ask him any questions about this project.”
Wang Ting is holding a camera and a notebook, and she seems to be the one in charge of taking pictures and recording notes.
Wang Na is the leader of the group. She looks at Dong Xuebing. “Ok. I was about to ask you all. I heard from the workers earlier that this plant is a new project, right? Has the construction been approved?” Her first sentence was still fine, but her question made Cao Xupeng and Zhao Xinglong frowned. They sense that these reporters were not here for interviews and are more like nitpicking on them.
Li Shengbing narrowed his eyes and asked. “Starting the construction without approval is not according to the procedures.” Dong Xuebing glanced at him, and calmly replied. “The land has been approved, and the construction approval is still in process. This is nothing special as most of the projects will start construction while waiting for approval. It is also considered a form of benefit for the investor. If we wait for the approval, it might take one or two months. The investors cannot afford to wait so long.”
Li Shengbing looked at Dong Xuebing and asked. “Chief Dong, are you complaining about the approval department’s efficiency?” Dong Xuebing’s face changed. “Reporter Li, I did not say that.” Damn! This guy is finding trouble.
Li Shengbing looked at Wang Ting, and she quickly wrote it into her notebook.
Dong Xuebing is furious. “Is there a need to record this?”
Li Shengbing laughed. “We are just asking and don’t mean anything.” Dong Xuebing is about to explode as he looks at Wang Ting scribbling in her notebook. Li Shengbing’s status is different, but this interview should be conducted by the Provincial Xin Hua Agency Branch. He is from the head agency and is just accompanying his classmate… He has no right to interfere. The Investment Promotion Agency had worked hard to get this investor, and Li Shengbing is trying to screw everything up with just a few words. What’s the meaning of this?
The reporters walked around the site. They asked several sensitive questions and did not ask or record anything positive about this project.
Dong Xuebing’s face is looking more terrible.
After the interview is completed, everyone boarded their cars.
Before they left, Liang Zeyuan pulled Dong Xuebing aside. “Brother Dong, is there any trouble? My workers and materials are all prepared. If that group of Xin Hua reporters reported about my project, will the construction be delayed? I had invested all my money into this project, and any delays will cause massive losses to me.”
Dong Xuebing assured him. “Old Liang, don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
Liang Zeyuan stared at the reporters’ car coldly. “This group of people will surely mess things up if they reported on this project!”
Back in the car, Dong Xuebing took a deep breath. “Secretary Cao, Mayor Zhao, is this still consider an interview? It’s more like an inspection by the leaders! Especially that Li Shengbing. What has this got to do with him, and why is he interfering? He had made the investor worried, and how are we going to work if they continue? It would be a miracle if they did not chase away our investors.” Zhao Xinglong reminded. “Lower down.” Cao Xupeng is also looking terrible. “These few reporters are unreasonable. The reporters in the past are not like this. I think our County might have offended someone, and they are here to cause problems for us.”
Zhao Xinglong clenched his fist. “I think so too.” Cao Xupeng sensed something was wrong when the reporters went to the project site suddenly. He felt he must report this to Party Secretary Xiang about these reporters’ attitude. If not, they might be in trouble if this negative news were reported in the papers. Which investors will dare to invest in Yan Tai County in the future?!
