Lei Tingjun actually dislikes these kinds of social engagements, and even if they are sincere, he avoids them if possible.

Besides, his main purpose in returning this time was to take Ji Wanmei back to pay respects to her parents, so there was no need to cause any unnecessary trouble.

Starting from Honghe Township, the road to Xiahe Village is no longer paved; it's still the same old bumpy, dilapidated road. The Santana is not easy to drive and is very bumpy.

Lei Tingjun was worried that Ji Wanmei would be uncomfortable in the car, so he deliberately drove slower.

"The lives of villagers in Honghe Township have begun to improve, but it is still difficult for the villagers in Xiahe Village to go to the city."

Upon hearing his words, Ji Wanmei understood his thoughts. After three or four years, their understanding of each other had almost reached a tacit level.

She looked at him: "You want to pay for the construction of a road for Xiahe Village yourself?"

After all, the government's agreement to build a highway connecting Honghe Township to Pingdong City and the provincial highway was only reached after Lei Tingjun personally negotiated the deal.

The government saw that Lei Tingjun could bring economic benefits to the village, and that repairing the road would allow the government to recover its investment costs quickly and improve the lives of local people. Therefore, the government was willing to approve the funding and use public funds to repair the road.

If it weren't for Lei Tingjun's intervention, given Honghe Township's remote location and low administrative level, it might have been impossible for the road repair funds to be allocated here within ten years.

Not to mention, they built roads for Xiahe Village, which is located deep in the mountains.

Now, if Lei Tingjun wants to build a road for the villagers in his hometown, he can only do so at his own expense.

"Do you agree?" Lei Tingjun asked Ji Wanmei for her opinion.

Ji Wanmei replied without hesitation, "I agree."

“This is a good thing to give back to the people, how could I not agree?” Ji Wanmei thought for a moment, then had an idea and said, “How about this, you go and talk to the mayor of Honghe Township and ask him to contract the public mountain land in Xiahe Village to you. You can develop Xiahe Village into a tourist attraction.”

"In this way, not only can we build roads for the villagers of Xiahe Village and boost the economic development of your hometown, but we can also get the government to approve land for you and use that land to get bank loans."

Ji Wanmei is also very astute in business acumen.

She felt that since Lei Tingjun wanted to do this, they could work together to make it a success.

What's the point of just building a road?

At most, it will reduce the time villagers spend going to the city market and taking a bus by an hour. For poor villagers, time is not valuable.

What they lack are job opportunities.

Ji Wanmei's suggestion was by no means a sudden whim. In fact, the first time she went to Lei Tingjun's hometown, Xiahe Village, she was amazed by the natural scenery and tranquility there.

The mountain that Lei Tingjun took her to had wild mushrooms, wild ginseng, and many wild animals. The mountain had steep cliffs, towering trees, majestic peaks, hanging waterfalls, and streams.

There are still old Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries on the mountain.

The whole mountain is a treasure.

It's simply a gift from nature.

Moreover, the terraced fields and farmlands of Shanghe Village and Xiahe Village, along with the shepherds and cattle, create a rustic and charming landscape.

Once you enter Xiahe Village, it's about ten degrees cooler than outside.

In the sweltering summer heat of Pingdong and Huadong City, even wearing a short-sleeved shirt feels hot and leaves you drenched in sweat. But in Xiahe Village, the same weather is pleasantly cool, and you even need a jacket in the mornings and evenings to avoid catching a chill.

Ji Wanmei thought that such a uniquely beautiful landscape could actually be developed into a large-scale forest resort.

It's specifically designed for wealthy people in big cities to use for vacations.

Come to escape the summer heat and come to see the snow in winter.

Just like the place Ji Wanmei went to with her father in Kunming, Yunnan last time, the locals adapted to the local conditions and built their homes on the mountainside, making the local ethnic minorities a unique feature.

Of course, in 1923, Ji Wanmei's concept was still very advanced.

No one would have imagined that a hidden mountain could generate such tourism economic value.

Ji Wanmei briefly explained her idea to Lei Tingjun and asked him, "What do you think of my idea? Is it feasible?"