The growth of crops depends on water; without water, crops cannot survive.
In the Ningyun Desert, people and vehicles have been constantly coming and going lately. Large quantities of building materials have been transported into the desert, and comfortable buildings are rising up one after another. This place is no longer uninhabitable; instead, it has become a unique destination, a place for the wealthy to experience.
Here, power transmission lines are no longer used; instead, solar and thermal energy are used extensively, enabling self-sufficiency. This is the most crucial aspect.
Besides, there's the construction of water cellars by the owners of each sandy plot. Some of these underground water cellars even occupy a third of their own land area.
Water is the most indispensable element for crops and people to survive here.
So a month after construction began, more water tankers arrived, and truckloads of clean water and river water were separately transported into the water cellars and stored.
Lot 1.
On this day, all the "owners of the desert" were summoned to welcome the leaders of the municipal party committee and government. Wang Yunyi, the municipal party secretary, along with a standing committee member and vice mayor, the director of the municipal party committee office and secretary-general, the director of the land bureau, the director of the forestry bureau, the director of the agriculture bureau, the director of the water resources bureau, the secretary of the Ningyun County party committee, the county magistrate, and other relevant leaders, personally inspected the construction situation of various plots of land in the Ningyun desert.
Under the blazing sun, a group of dozens of people were in the living room of a desert villa on plot number one. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, they could clearly see the scene outside.
As the host, Zhao Qingshan set aside his status and personally accompanied the guests with neither arrogance nor servility. This time, the Zhao family invested ten million yuan in this plot of land. This included the construction of "Desert Villa," various sand-based facilities, and even an eighty-square-meter swimming pool next to the desert villa, which was quite luxurious.
Zhang Guodong was also summoned this time without any other choice.
He was initially reluctant to come, but since the host was Fatty's father, he, as a junior, had to give him some face. However, once he arrived, he could only stand at the back of the line. Those in front of him, in front of Secretary Wang, were all prominent business owners; he, a small-time self-employed individual, couldn't even squeeze in.
Of course, he didn't want to squeeze in either.
After inspecting several selected sandy areas, Zhang Guodong arrived at Sandy Area No. 1, the second stop on the list, and witnessed the determination of these businessmen.
Of all these sandy areas, Zhang Guodong probably invested the least. The others, even those with minimal investment, have all invested over a million!
"These people probably don't see this sandy land as an experimental field, but rather as desert villas, right?"
The buildings and water conservancy facilities were increasingly luxurious and grand, some even featuring reflective glass canopies erected entirely on their sandy land, effectively covering what were originally sandy fields. This significantly reduced sunlight exposure and moisture loss. Overall, it was effective in the initial stages.
Some people used the inexhaustible sand in the desert, mixed it with cement, and actually built long cement walls to isolate the sand dunes from the outside and enclose the sand fields.
In short, these bosses all went to great lengths and invested heavily, all in an effort to leave a good impression on Du Yunyi.
According to Fatty, the municipal party committee and government will select a few sites as "initial demonstration fields," and will invite the owners of the sand fields to meet with the secretary face-to-face, which is a great opportunity to make connections.
Now it seems these bosses are indeed willing to invest heavily and are very proactive.
Unfortunately, Zhang Guodong's slogan site was also selected as one of the sandy areas to be inspected, and it became the last stop. He was the only individual contractor there. It was the site that Secretary Wang specifically requested to be inspected.
"Boss Zhang, Boss Zhang, what are you doing here? Hurry up and go inside, Secretary Wang wants to speak." Zhang Guodong stood outside Zhao Qingshan's villa, seemingly stunned. Just then, a chubby guy came out, saw Zhang Guodong at a glance, and immediately said.
This person is a section chief in the Municipal Party Committee Office, surnamed Tian. Here, he belongs to the category of people who run errands.
Section Chief Tian was overweight, covered in sweat, and his face was a bit pale. He was clearly not used to this desert expedition and was showing signs of heatstroke.
However, Section Chief Tian could only endure it, while also keeping an eye on Zhang Guodong, thinking to himself, "This boss Zhang is truly unconventional. Everyone inside wants to get close to Secretary Wang, but this guy is actually out here sunbathing?"
That's impressive! They're not even afraid of offending their superiors.
"Oh? Let's go in then!" Zhang Guodong snapped out of his daze, surprised for a moment, and nodded as he entered the villa with Section Chief Tian. "Old Tian, you're probably about to get heatstroke, you'd better take some heatstroke medicine."
Old Tian?
Section Chief Tian's face darkened; he was speechless. Although he was only a section chief in the Municipal Party Committee Office, according to the administrative rank system within the Municipal Party Committee, he was equivalent to a deputy division chief.
Even some bureau chiefs would have to address Section Chief Tian politely, because he works in the Municipal Party Committee Office and who knows when he might become a follower of the Municipal Party Committee leaders?
Therefore, it's best not to offend the people here.
"Hmph!" Section Chief Tian snorted unhappily, but when he looked at Zhang Guodong again, he was already far away.
As soon as he took a step, he felt dizzy, and Section Chief Tian's face turned even paler.
Zhang Guodong's words were too harsh; he probably suffered from heatstroke!
Being poisoned in the desert is extremely dangerous for a fat man. Section Chief Tian gritted his teeth and walked towards the living room.
The large living room was now packed with people, all gathered around a middle-aged man—Wang Yunyi. At that moment, Secretary Wang was chatting and laughing with everyone. The meeting hadn't officially started yet.
"Bang!"
Just then, a loud bang came from behind them.
"Oh no! It's Section Chief Tian! Section Chief Tian has fainted!"
"What's wrong? What's wrong?"
Wang Yunyi also stood up and quickly parted the crowd.
There was a doctor accompanying him, and Dr. Song quickly examined Section Chief Tian and immediately said with certainty, "It's heatstroke!"
"Is he alright? Get him to Ningyun County Hospital immediately!" Wang Yunyi asked.
Although preparations were made beforehand, some people still suffered from heatstroke, which marred his inspection. In fact, some privately criticized the inspection as a waste of resources and manpower, a mere formality. After all, the desert is unlike any other place; it's arid and hot, with no shade. Conducting an inspection there is often inappropriate, and those who go only suffer alongside the inspector.
However, Wang Yunyi was determined. Utilizing the desert and preventing its expansion is a long-term project that benefits the people and has profound significance, so it is not just a show project.
It was for this reason that he made the decision to go.
"Secretary Wang, we have heatstroke prevention medicine on hand!" a leader said at this moment.
"Secretary Wang, we need to deliver it immediately. Section Chief Tian is overweight; if he gets heatstroke, the danger will be even greater!" Dr. Song said. "Heatstroke prevention medicine won't be very effective now."
"Then send it there quickly, and get a car ready. Dr. Song should go too!" Wang Yunyi said.
"Secretary Wang, this won't do. Dr. Song should stay with you. Let Xiao Zhao go; she's a nurse. She can handle it." Immediately, the leader beside him advised.
Dr. Song is a woman in her thirties. She is the medical director who regularly conducts physical examinations for the members of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee, and naturally, she had to accompany the Party Secretary on this trip.
Of course, Dr. Song was there mainly to take care of Secretary Wang, as everyone was worried that something might happen to him.
Come
Wang Yunyi sighed and said, "It's settled then. Dr. Song will come along, and the Empress will go directly to the back." The inspection will end quickly; there's no need for so many people to suffer along!
Once the Party Secretary made the decision, everyone else had no choice but to accept it.
This kind of flattery isn't something you can do with just anyone, at any time.
After Section Chief Tian and Dr. Song left, the meeting proceeded as scheduled.
"The attempt to privately contract out the desert in Ningyun County is an attempt that has withstood enormous pressure from above. The Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial Government are also paying close attention to this attempt and are filled with concerns. However, I can reiterate to all investors that the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government are determined to involve the entire population, and this will not change. As long as it is conducive to controlling the expansion of desertification and to the output of the 'desert economy'—two indispensable conditions—the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government can give you the green light!" Wang Yunyi said.
"I was randomly selected to inspect a few sandy areas this time, and overall I am satisfied. Everyone has invested a lot of money in the initial construction. As the saying goes, to get rich, build roads first. This saying is equally applicable here. To put it slightly differently, to try something, you must first build. Construction is the first step, the preparation. Now it seems that everyone's preparation is sufficient, which makes me very pleased. This shows that everyone's enthusiasm is very high and they are willing to contribute their efforts to the country's desertification control!"
Smiles appeared on everyone's faces. The initial investment was considerable, but it was worth it. With this impression, they could easily build the relationship through future activities.
Furthermore, although this place is intended as an experimental site, it can also serve as a desert villa. While the environment here is vastly different from some coastal desert villas in the Middle East, the sheer number of wealthy individuals gathered here could be substantial, and it's entirely possible to transform it.
Because there are no villa complexes like this in the entire country!
This place is definitely worth renovating!
"However, the most crucial aspect is how to plant crops in the sandy fields to green the desert. This is the most critical link, and everyone still has a long way to go. I hope that all investors will put more effort into this. If we achieve results, we can definitely develop it into an industry. This is an industry related to national strategy and security, and the municipal party committee and government will strongly support it!"
Wang Yunyi's speech was brief, but it revealed several key points, which excited the business owners present. They hadn't paid much attention to this desert before.
Now, after a little guidance, I feel there's definitely something I can work on. Desertification control is related to national security. If we can achieve real benefits and results with minimal investment, not only will the municipal and provincial governments be involved, but the provincial and even central governments will be involved, and we'll receive key national support.
Even if we disregard the overall picture and ultimately fail to produce any results, it's still worthwhile to have it attract the attention of the municipal party committee leaders.
This attempt was a success. Although the businessmen invested a lot of money in the early stages, overall it was all beneficial and without any harm, as the government gave them too many concessions.
However, the contract also includes a clause stipulating that if a contractor fails to deliver satisfactory and progressive results for three consecutive years, the municipal party committee and government have the right to terminate the cooperation with that contractor. This serves as a form of encouragement and discipline.
After the meeting, Zhao Qingshan, as the host, invited everyone to dine at the villa. This time, the Zhao family also hired a chef to entertain everyone.
The atmosphere was harmonious and lively. The villa was powered entirely by solar energy, so the air conditioning was almost always on, and you couldn't feel any heat at all.
After the meal, everyone rested there for an hour and a half before heading out to the slogan site again!
The moment the slogan was mentioned, everyone's eyes turned to Zhang Guodong with a strange expression. They had all witnessed the feud between Zhu Lifu and Zhang Guodong. In that fight, Zhu Lifu had lost face big time. More than a dozen bodyguards were all seriously injured and hospitalized. He himself had also been beaten up.
In the end, Zhu Lifu withdrew, and he had to swallow all the bitterness.
This time, Zhu Lifu only sent a representative. He himself still did not appear in person.
Therefore, those present maintained a certain distance from Zhang Guodong. They didn't know his true character, so they neither offended him nor got too close.
"Where's Xiao Zhang from the slogan area? Let him get in my car!" Just as he was getting into the car, Wang Yunyi suddenly said to Zhu Mi, the director and standing committee member of the municipal party committee office.
"Secretary Wang, I'll call Boss Zhang right away!" Secretary-General Zhu was startled; Secretary Wang valued Zhang Guodong highly!
Secretary-General Zhu is no stranger to Zhang Guodong now; because of the Zhu Lifu incident, Zhang Guodong's reputation among the municipal party committee leadership is not yet...
But that's nothing.
Although he had seen the fat man and Zhang Guodong together before, he knew that once someone rose to the position of provincial party secretary, appearances could not be taken too seriously. Wang Kang's friendships were his own business and generally wouldn't affect his father, Wang Yunyi. Yet, he was making an exception and allowing Zhang Guodong to ride in the car, something no other investor had done before.
"Just who is Zhang Guodong?"
Among everyone, Li Fuyuan's feelings were the most complicated. He had originally established connections with Zhang Guodong and Wang Kang. However, due to the hospital incident, Dean Dong was given a major demerit for his rude behavior, leaving Li Fuyuan in an awkward position.
No matter what, Vice Dean Dong was his old classmate. This connection was unavoidable.
Now it seems that, putting aside Secretary Wang, the top official of the township, even Zhang Guodong is no simple character. The fact that he got into the secretary's car clearly indicates a complex relationship.
“Old Li, Zhang Guodong seems to be hiding his true abilities; we’ve met before. After this matter is over, why don’t you invite him to have a chat?” Boss Huang, one of the main figures in the hospital scandal, said to Li Fuyuan with a bright look in his eyes.
Boss Wei was also present; the three of them were quite close friends.
“I think it’s a good idea! Making friends with some young talents will definitely benefit us out-of-town investors!” Boss Wei agreed.
Upon hearing this, Li Fuyuan was also tempted. Although there had been some unpleasantness before, it wasn't a conflict with Zhang Guodong's god-sister, but rather with her bedside nurse. How much could that relationship possibly have?
Zhang Guodong was about to head to his "Desert Prince," a car he had bought more than a month ago before heading to the desert, when someone called out to him.
"Boss Zhang, Secretary Wang has something to say to you. He wants you to get in his car! You can have Xiao Chu take this car," Secretary Zhu said with a smile and a touch of curiosity as he shook hands with Zhang Guodong.
Very young!
Thinking back to the relatives of the provincial and municipal party committee leaders, it seemed that none of them had the surname Zhang, and there was no one named Zhang Guodong.
Zhang Guodong was surprised, but when he heard the fat man's father call out, he nodded and handed the car keys to Xiao Chu.
"Secretary-General Zhu, what brings Secretary Wang to see me?" Zhang Guodong asked casually.
Seeing the envious and jealous looks on everyone's faces, Zhang Guodong found it amusing. These investors and bosses actually valued this honor of sharing a ride so much?
Or perhaps his fat father was trying to elevate his social standing? But whatever the guess, it didn't matter to Zhang Guodong. He was simply curious.
Secretary Zhu: "I can't guess that. Secretary Wang probably has something important to discuss with you. But this is a good thing; it shows how much he values you and the participation of individual business owners in the Shatin contracting! Xiao Zhang, Secretary Wang and the municipal leaders take the Guangyun Shatin contracting very seriously. You, Di Gechuan, and Xiao Liu, give Boss Zhang my phone number. If there are any problems with this matter in the future, I'll help you resolve them if I can!"
Secretary-General Zhu's secretary, Xiao Liu, immediately gave Zhang Guodong a business card with only "Zhu Qingchun" and a mobile phone number on it. This was a personal business card, different from an office phone number.
"Thank you, Secretary-General Zhu. I'll be troubling you a lot in the future!" Zhang Guodong was surprised, but then understood. He politely thanked him and accepted the item.
"Okay, do a good job!" He shook hands with Zhang Guodong again, and then they parted ways.
Zhang Guodong walked to Wang Yunyi's car, and the driver quickly opened the door. Zhang Guodong thanked him and got in.
"Uncle Wang!"
Wang Yunyi was resting, and after Zhang Guodong got into the car, he made a sound, appearing rather casual.
"Well, I heard from Xiao Kang that you've been in the desert for over a month? Have you encountered any difficulties?" Wang Yunyi asked with a kind smile.
The driver, upon hearing this, showed no surprise. He simply started the car and drove towards the location of the slogan.
Zhang Guodong smiled sheepishly before saying, "Well, it's been fifty days. We've been experimenting with transplanting seedlings in a slogan-like manner, but there hasn't been much progress. Seedlings of ordinary northern crops die in less than ten minutes in this desert. The final result is that we've only increased the survival time of the seedlings to one hour. After an hour, they still die!"
"Oh? Ten minutes to an hour?" Wang Yunyi said, moved.
Zhang Guodong had high expectations for the results of the experiment. While survival rates of ten minutes and one hour represented progress, he was not satisfied.
However, this result sounded quite different to Wang Yunyi.
Scientific experiments can sometimes improve performance by even a second. That's incredibly impressive data. And this has only been going on for a little over a month, less than two months. While others are busy with construction, Zhang Guodong has already been conducting experiments. This spirit greatly pleased Wang Yunyi. There are so few young people these days who can do this!
Besides, how difficult is it to transplant tender and fragile seedlings in the desert?
Zhang Guodong nodded and said, "It's a pity. It can only survive for an hour now. It would be good if it could fully adapt to this dry, hot desert environment!"
"The next step is to find ways to preserve these crops that can survive in sandy fields for a long time, and after they mature, preserve the seeds for further selection of better ones!"
"This is a remarkable advancement! I absolutely must see the field trial later! Xiao Zhang, I'd like to have experts from the Agricultural University follow up and participate in your transplanting. What do you think?" Wang Yunyi said with interest, on a whim. "If possible, let's concentrate our efforts on researching this technology!"
The first attempt yielded unexpected results, which greatly surprised Wang Yunyi. How much time had passed? Less than two days! Such remarkable achievements in such a short time. If given more time, could a solution to the desert greening problem be found?
Publishing these findings would be a huge help for my promotion! Desertification control is a headache for generations, from central leaders to local leaders—many people in total!
"Uncle Wang, isn't this a bit too high-profile? You've already made a lot of people jealous just by letting me get on the bus. If you start a technology tracking and research project on top of that, how will I be able to keep my slogans in check?" Zhang Guodong said with a wry smile.
Zhang Guodong was reluctant to see the tranquility of the slogan-filled place broken. How would he continue his cultivation then? Wouldn't so many secrets be exposed?
“Your idea is unacceptable. If this research yields results, it will not only benefit humanity but also be extremely important to the country’s strategy and security! It will also greatly improve your political status and economic conditions. I heard from Xiao Kang that Zheng Le is now the director of the personnel department of the provincial propaganda department. Even if you don’t need this political position, you should think about your family. If you agree to the experts’ follow-up research, I will try to find a way for Zheng Le to get some experience in different departments of the provincial party committee!” Wang Yunyi said, half-rebuking and half-tempting.
Zhang Guodong felt dizzy.
How could Fatty's dad say something like that?! He's a real old fox!
However, while Zhang Guodong was both amused and exasperated, something stirred his heart.
Zheng Le has now served in the Personnel Department of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department for a full year. A move to a different department could only be a good thing; with Wang Yunyi, a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, guaranteeing him a promotion, or at least a more powerful position, he might be promoted. Just as Fatty's father said, he has to consider his family, who are still just ordinary people.
Zhang Guodong's heart skipped a beat, and he said, "Uncle Wang, the leadership transition is about to begin, you..."
"This matter cannot be discussed lightly; the organization has considered it!" Wang Yunyi's face was stern as he uttered a curt remark. However, he seemed to be in a good mood, clearly indicating that his chances of advancing to the next level were very high.
A casual exchange made Wang Yunyi even more satisfied with Zhang Guodong.
He was eager to see the results of the transplanting experiment on the seedlings of crops grown in the northern climate. Zhang Guodong said, "We can conduct the experiment on the spot, but everyone will have to wait in the sun."
Wang Yunyi said that as long as there are results, it doesn't matter how long it takes!
Zhao Qingshan's slogan was near Zhang Guodong's. It was just a few sand dunes away.
When everyone saw how rudimentary the construction was at Zhang Guodong's place, they were immediately disheartened.
In this desert, most investments exceed one million, and the places built are all quite impressive.
There are only three stone houses and a makeshift sunshade. How are we supposed to stay here? It'll take a while. Won't we all die of heat?
"Secretary Wang, Deputy Chief Xiang, Secretary-General Zhu, and all leaders and business owners, welcome to Shatin, the land of slogans!" Zhang Guodong got out of the car, this time acting as the host, and began with polite words. "I'm sorry," he said, "my place is rather simple, I'm sorry to trouble you all to come and visit!"
"Mr. Zhang, you're too kind."
Despite being extremely annoyed, they still had to say the polite words, since the leaders were all around. Many people broke out in a sweat as soon as they got off the bus.
"Xiao Zhang, the infrastructure is already quite good. Is that a water cellar? How big is it? Is it full of water?" Vice Mayor Xiang said. "Secretary Wang, Secretary-General Zhu, everyone, shall we take a look at that water cellar first? It looks like... Xiao Zhang's water cellar is very traditional in style!"
This is a female deputy mayor on the Standing Committee, named Xiang Hongli, who is nearly fifty years old.
"Hehe, let's go take a look!" Wang Yunyi said with a smile. Inside, however, he was surprised. Compared to the others, Zhang Guodong's place was truly rudimentary. Even the stone house was built of huge stones; the cost wasn't actually high. However, compared to the level of construction, he would much rather see Zhang Guodong's research materials.
fruit.
This comparison seemed to have overshadowed everyone else. "Everyone, please!" Zhang Guodong said politely with a smile, introducing himself to everyone as he walked.
Notice: I had a headache yesterday and didn't go online. So I didn't write any announcements, and I apologize to everyone. I announced it in the group today, and it will be updated tonight.
Six thousand words of main text, and that's all I've written so far. I'm going to stop recommending it now, please give me some recommendation votes, don't let this book suffer too much.
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