Tuesday Morning.
It’s a gloomy day and drizzling.
After spending two days with Aunt Xuan in Beijing, Dong Xuebing drove his Cayenne back to Yan Tai County.
Dong Xuebing purposely drove on the roads with poor conditions and large puddles on the mountain roads. His new SUV did not disappoint him, and it was not bumpy compared to his Mercedes MPV. It can climb up slopes and go through potholes with ease. It is worth its price.
The rain stopped when Dong Xuebing was about to reach the County’s City.
Dong Xuebing was thinking about his work while driving. He had been too high profile and should stay low for a while. But he should not stop getting investment. The Agency has only gotten around 50 million RMB worth of investments, and even he includes Park Yongxi’s 100 million RMB, he is still far from the 500 million RMB target. He has settled the scores and needs to start thinking of how to achieve the target.
This is his top priority.
But where can he find the remaining 350 million RMB investments?
It is almost May, and almost half the year is gone. There’s no more time.
Twenty minutes later, the Cayenne turned into the Investment Promotion Agency. It is noon, and many staff members are walking towards the cafeteria for lunch. They are not surprised to see a Porsche Cayenne parked there. It might belong to one of the investors. But some of them noticed the registration plate. Eh? Beijing 9999? Isn’t that Chief Dong’s registration plate?
Dong Xuebing alighted from his car with his bag.
Many staff was stunned.
Luo Haiting and Lin Pingping, who had just walked out of the building, saw Dong Xuebing and quickly walked over. “Chief, you… changed your car?”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “The MPV is not as good as an SUV for some roads.”
Luo Haiting knows Dong Xuebing is friendly after knowing him for some time. “Is this Porsche Cayenne? It’s beautiful. I had seen this car at the City’s car show. But it was last year’s model.” Normal Cayenne costs around 1 million RMB, and it is about the same price as a Mercedes MPV. But the Cayenne in front of them is the top-tier version and costs at least 2.5 million.
Dong Xuebing is changing cars annually and felt Mercedes is not good enough.
Luo Haiting and Lin Pingping are speechless. Chief Dong is wealthy.
But Dong Xuebing is not in the mood to discuss cars. He smiles. “Director Luo, Xiao Lin, come over to my office after your lunch.”
Seeing Chief Dong is not going to have lunch, Luo Haiting said. “Then I will go now…”
“Have your lunch first.” Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Food is more important, and it’s a sin to stop you all from eating. Haha… we can discuss after lunch.”
“Ok.”
Dong Xuebing is not hungry and returned to his office.
Many staff is admiring and discussing the black Porsche. They are surprised to see Dong Xuebing changing to a Porsche after driving Mercedes. But many of them knew Chief Dong had won a few million from lotteries several times, and the Commission for Discipline Inspection could not find anything wrong with him. Also, nothing had happened to Chief Dong after he created so many problems. This should have something to do with his capability. He can always save the day and is the only one who can do it. No one in the County can be compared to him. That’s why the leaders turned a blind eye to what he is doing.
Agency’s Chief Office.
Dong Xuebing saw Guo Panwei preparing tea the moment he stepped into his office. He must have seen him returning from upstairs.
“Panwei.” Dong Xuebing smiles. “Go and have your lunch first.”
“It’s alright. I am not hungry.” Guo Panwei poured tea for Dong Xuebing and took out the work documents for Dong Xuebing. These are Dong Xuebing’s work when he is not around.
“Alright. Go and have lunch even if you are not hungry. I still need your help after you are done. Go now.”
“Ok… just call me if you need me.”
Dong Xuebing is in a good mood. “You need to eat more. You had lost some weight. Is it because of the sudden change in the environment? Health should come first, and you should go for a checkup at the hospital.”
Guo Panwei is touched. He had lost a lot of weight because he is not used to the environment and also because of work stress. He did not expect Dong Xuebing to notice this, and this means Chief Dong values him.
After Guo Panwei left, Dong Xuebing lit a cigarette.
Knock… knock…
“Come in.” Luo Haiting entered the office. She is wearing a blue dress and make-up.
Dong Xuebing looks at her. “Sister Luo, didn’t I ask you to go for lunch?”
Luo Haiting smiles and walks over with two lunch boxes. “I brought an additional packet for you because you have not taken your lunch.” Luo Haiting places a lunch box and chopsticks on the table like a loving wife.
Dong Xuebing still thinks that his subordinates are better. “Have you eaten?”
“No.” Luo Haiting points to the other lunchbox. “I will have it in my office.”
Dong Xuebing waved his hand. “Sit. We will have lunch here together. I am feeling slightly hungry now after seeing food in front of me. Haha… Thank you. Here, we can chat while eating.”
Luo Haiting did not reject and sat opposite him.
Dong Xuebing opens the lunchbox and could smell the delicious food. He took a bite and said. “Hmm… the food seems to be better recently. Did you ask the cafeteria staff to prepare this especially for the leaders?”
“No.” Luo Haiting quickly replied. “Everyone has the same dishes. I saw our Agency is doing well recently and asked the cafeteria to add a few more dishes.”
Dong Xuebing nodded. “Good. We must not let our people be hungry. Eh, start eating. Why are you looking at me eating?”
“Ok.” Luo Haiting picked up her chopsticks and ate slowly.
Dong Xuebing asked while eating. “Did we get any new projects recently?”
“We have some investors who had signed the Intention to Investment Letter but still have not signed the official contract.”
“We only have 50 million RMB worth of investments. Although this is better than last year, it is far from our target of 500 million.” Dong Xuebing swallowed a mouthful of spinach. “Director Luo, you have been with the Investment Promotion Agency for some time. Do you have any good suggestions?”
Luo Haiting doesn’t dare to make suggestions. “I have been doing administrative work and doesn’t know about getting investors…”
“Just speak your mind.”
This is a difficult question. Luo Haiting thought for a while. She is afraid her suggestion is not in line with Chief Dong’s direction and offended him. Showing off in front of the leader is taboo. She cautiously said. “Some successful Counties had used investment fairs to attract investors. For example, Da Feng County’s investment fair last year had gotten 200 million RMB worth of investments.”
Dong Xuebing thought for a while. “Investment fair? Did we organize last year?”
Luo Haiting smiled wearily. “No. We stopped after the year before because our County’s economy is not good, and not many investors are willing to come.”
Investment fair.
Dong Xuebing had seen the situation in Da Feng County and felt this is a good idea.
Dong Xuebing said. “Director Luo, prepare a report on our past investment fairs after lunch. I want all the details.”
“Alright. Do you need the information of other Counties’ investment fairs?”
“Yes. Give me everything you have.”
At this time, Lin Pingping knocked and entered the office. She is impressed when she saw Luo Haiting having lunch with Chief Dong in the office. Director Luo might always be dolling herself up and lazing around in the Office Department, but she is good at building relationships. No wonder she had left the cafeteria in a rush earlier.
“Chief, Director.” Lin Pingping closed the door behind her.
Dong Xuebing points to the sofa. “You are here at the right time. Have a seat. I was talking to Director Luo about investment fairs. Do you have any suggestions?”
“Investment fair?” Lin Pingping replied bitterly. “This…”
“Just say it.”
Lin Pingping’s reaction is different from Luo Haiting when being asked the same question. Luo Haiting is not ambitious and wants to remain status-quo. That’s why she gave a neutral answer, which is what most government officials will do. But Lin Pingping is young and is eager to impress the leader. She can’t wait to express her views.
Lin Pingping said. “Although our County did not hold any investment fair since the year before and attracted some investors through small-scale project presentations, I think we should still hold an investment fair. It will be advantageous to promoting our County and is much better than project presentations.”
Lin Pingping continued to express her views eagerly.
Project presentations are targeting a small audience and focus on the project. This has little effect in promoting Yan Tai County to the investors. But an investment fair is different. Although their previous fairs are not successful and had gotten lesser investments than project presentations, it will benefit the County in the long run. They should not be focusing only on signing contracts and getting higher investments.
Dong Xuebing nodded after hearing Lin Pingping’s views. He got a better understanding of why the County’s previous investment fairs failed.
