Chapter 101: The snack stalls have revitalized this wasteland.
The number of tourists visiting Sanyue Mountain has increased exponentially, driven by Su Yingxue's kangmo (a type of flatbread) stall. Zhou You stood on the scenic area's viewing platform, looking at the densely packed cars in the winding parking lot below, while the tourist statistics on his phone kept breaking new records.
"It's packed with tourists! The tourism trending list on Douyin is soaring! It's exploded! My goodness! When has our March Mountain ever been this lively? It's amazing!"
"The average daily number of tourists has exceeded 50,000, a tenfold increase compared to the same period last year," Zhou You reported to the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau on the other end of the phone. "But Director, we've encountered a new problem..."
A static crackled on the other end of the phone, followed by the anxious voice of the director of the Culture and Tourism Bureau: "What's the problem? Isn't more tourists a good thing?"
"There are just too many tourists lately!" Zhou You explained with a wry smile. "The scenic area is already at capacity, but tourists still want to explore further. March Mountain is indeed too small. Especially that wasteland in front of Su Yingxue's stall—everyone wants to go see it, but there's nothing there, which actually detracts from the overall experience."
The bureau chief was silent for a few seconds, then suddenly became excited: "Actually, this is an opportunity! I saw Comrade Hou Defa next to Su Yingxue. Wasn't he looking for investment? I remember he's the chairman of Hou Tu Group! He's a nationally renowned investor..."
Shen Yu and He Qianyu were busy filming again, taking a lot of semi-finished mutton flatbread with them when they left. They said they wanted to share it with the other friends on the set. Thanks to them, business has been booming lately. The scenic area, which is popular with celebrities during the March 3rd festival, has been doing very well. Their fans keep coming to take photos, boosting sales significantly.
Su Yingxue has been selling mutton flatbread at Sanyue Mountain for some time now, and business is still booming even after the food festival has ended.
Meanwhile, Hou Defa was sitting on a stone bench next to Su Yingxue's stall, holding a cup of hot tea, gazing absently at a patch of overgrown wasteland in the distance below the mountain. This plot of land, covering twenty acres, had been left idle due to its remote location, but had now become a "mysterious area" in the eyes of tourists.
The abandoned building across the former wasteland has been renovated and is becoming more and more popular. Su Yingxue's stall is getting busier and busier, and she no longer has to worry about walking at night.
"Old Hou, what are you thinking about?" Su Yingxue came over with two cups of hot tea and handed him one.
Hou Defa took the tea, pointed to the wasteland, and said, "I was thinking, what if we could make use of this land..."
"Grandpa said he wants to build some kind of recreational area on this land." Hou Yiming slowly walked over, holding a snack he had just bought. "He said he wants to build a hotel, an amusement park, and plant flowers!"
Su Yingxue's eyes lit up: "That's a great idea! With so many tourists now, we definitely need more supporting facilities."
Just then, a black minivan slowly drove into the scenic area and stopped at the entrance of the visitor center. The door opened, and an elderly man with white hair stepped out. Following closely behind him was a boy of about ten years old, Zhang Yuechao.
"Old squad leader!" Hou Defa recognized his old friend whom he hadn't seen for many years at a glance and stood up excitedly.
Zhang Yi turned around and was startled to see Hou Defa, then broke into a delighted smile: "Old Hou! It really is you!"
The two elderly men shook hands firmly, while curious tourists watched their reunion. Zhang Yizhou introduced them to the crowd: "This is Hou Defa, my old classmate from university. He's now the chairman of Houtu Group, specializing in business investments."
"I've only set up a food stall so far," Hou Defa said with a smile, pointing to Su Yingxue's stall. "But I'm thinking about developing the wasteland behind it."
Zhang Yi's eyes lit up: "What a coincidence! I brought Yue Chao here this time to see if there are any suitable investment projects. I happen to have some spare cash and have been looking for a good project..."
Zhang Yue nodded shyly, but his eyes kept glancing at Su Yingxue's stall, clearly attracted by the fragrant baked buns.
That evening, the temporary conference room in the scenic area was brightly lit. Zhou You convened Su Yingxue, Hou Defa, Zhang Yizhou, and others to discuss the wasteland development plan.
The projector displayed a satellite map of the wasteland. Zhou You pointed to the screen and said, "Although this land looks inconspicuous now, it has an excellent location. It is right in front of the core area of the scenic spot, with a wide view, high green coverage, and a beautiful view of the entire March Mountain."
Hou Defa pulled out a thick planning document: "I've come up with a few preliminary plans. One is to build distinctive homestays, the second is to create a food street, and the third is to build a small theme park. But how exactly to do it depends on everyone's opinions."
Hou Yiming adjusted his glasses and pondered, "I think it could be more systematic. I've done some research..."
He took a stack of documents from his briefcase. "What March Mountain lacks now is not individual attractions, but a complete tourism experience. I suggest creating an integrated complex combining 'food + culture + leisure.'"
Su Yingxue's eyes lit up: "I have an idea! We can build a 'March Mountain Food Culture Experience Hall' over there, so that tourists can not only eat, but also make their own food and learn about the production process."
"Great idea!" Zhang Yizhou exclaimed approvingly. "We can divide this land into several functional zones: boutique guesthouses on the east side, a food and culture area on the west side, and leave open space in the middle for a leisure plaza with some recreational facilities. We can also plant some local flowers and trees..."
Zhang Yuechao suddenly raised his hand: "I have an idea! Could we build a 'celebrity kitchen'? And have Sister Su Yingxue and the others teach everyone how to cook!"
A burst of laughter erupted in the conference room, and Su Yingxue couldn't help but chuckle as well: "I don't have that kind of ability, but I could organize a food festival or something regularly..."
Zhang Yizhou seemed thoughtful: "Actually, we can do even bigger. I know a few friends who work in cultural tourism real estate, and they've been looking for similar projects recently. If planned well, it can not only serve local tourists but also attract tourists from other parts of the country and even abroad."
Zhou You excitedly jotted down notes in his notebook: "Yes! We can apply for government funding for cultural tourism and then bring in private capital. Once this land is developed, it will not only solve the problem of the scenic area's capacity but also create jobs in the surrounding area..."
Su Yingxue thought of her friends and the truck drivers she knew, hoping they could help her find more work.
Hou Defa watched his old friends' enthusiastic discussion and was filled with emotion. He recalled the time he and Zhang Yizhou had talked about their ideals on campus many years ago. He never imagined that many years later, they would be planning such a grand project on the barren land of such a small town.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Hou Defa stood up and said solemnly, "I have decided to invest in this project. Not only because I am optimistic about its prospects, but also because...this place reminds me of my dreams from my youth."
Zhang Yizhou patted him on the shoulder: "Old buddy, I'll work with you!"
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