Sun Jiwei got up from his chair and stopped beside the sewage treatment equipment we had just installed. He glanced at it briefly and said, "You bought this equipment from a factory in Wuxi, right?"
I nodded and replied, "Yes."
How much did it cost?
"A little over 80,000."
"It's not expensive. This equipment would cost at least 120,000 yuan on the market!"
Sun Jiwei's words made me realize the importance of the White Dew solar term once again. She really did a great job for the inn this time. The 40,000 yuan she saved is enough to completely update and upgrade the inn's bedding.
I asked Sun Jiwei, "Do you know the owner of this factory? You seem to be very familiar with their products."
Sun Jiwei smiled and replied, "I work at the Environmental Protection Bureau and frequently deal with manufacturers of wastewater treatment equipment. The product your inn chose is considered top-of-the-line in China… I know the factory owner; he studied abroad for many years, specializing in environmental engineering. Therefore, he brought back the most cutting-edge technology in the industry, making him a valuable technical talent who has contributed to the country."
After a brief pause, he asked again, "You must have pulled some strings to buy his equipment, right? Even if our environmental protection bureau were to negotiate, we might not be able to get this price."
Because Bai Lu held a position at the Tourism Bureau, her identity was rather sensitive, so I vaguely replied, "A friend helped with this, and I don't know the specifics."
Sun Jiwei didn't press further. After a brief silence, he changed the subject, saying, "In November, the 'government' will select a small number of licensed seaside guesthouses to resume operations. It's a good thing you have this sewage treatment equipment..."
I replied with a smile, "Our inn has all the necessary permits and licenses. We spent so much money to buy this equipment so that we can reopen in November."
Sun Jiwei nodded at first, then said to us with a less optimistic tone, "Currently, there are several hundred guesthouses with complete licenses along Erhai Lake... To be honest, your guesthouse is a bit small, so the outlook isn't particularly optimistic."
He paused briefly, then continued, "During the period when all seaside guesthouses were closed, tourists expressed strong dissatisfaction because they felt their need to stay in seaside accommodations was not respected by the 'government,' resulting in a very high complaint rate... Since the 'government' intends to allow some seaside guesthouses to reopen, it will definitely prioritize large hotels with strong capacity. This will alleviate the supply-demand imbalance in the market to some extent, and reduce the pressure on them significantly."
"Is there really no hope for our inn?"
Sun Jiwei didn't answer directly; instead, he asked, "You must have invested a lot of money in this inn, right?"
"Yes, we took it over from someone else. A few of us friends invested all the money we could."
Sun Jiwei frowned, and after a long pause, replied, "The work of evaluating and assessing the guesthouses is not my responsibility. Even if it were, I couldn't go against the instructions from above... I really want to help you, but this matter is indeed difficult to handle..." He paused slightly, then continued, "Let me put it this way: 26 large seaside hotels have already been pre-selected for the quota. These large seaside hotels have made significant contributions to Dali's tourism industry, so they have good relationships with the 'government' and are trusted by the 'government'... In fact, this so-called investigation and evaluation is just a formality. After all, there are only 4 quotas left, but the number of seaside guesthouses waiting to resume operations is frightening!"
A surge of anger welled up inside me, but more than that, I felt helpless and resigned... because this news was truly devastating. I should have expected this outcome, but I just couldn't accept it.
I sat back down on the stone bench, feeling utterly dejected, and lit a cigarette…
Sun Jiwei walked back to my side, patted my shoulder gently, and said, "Don't be too disappointed. I've actually come up with a way that might help you get this done, but I need your cooperation."
"Tell me what you think...!"
Sun Jiwei nodded and continued, "Recently, an extremely egregious incident occurred in Lijiang where a female tourist was beaten and disfigured. After this incident was exposed online, it had a very negative impact on the tourism image of the entire Yunnan province. Many media outlets used this incident to target the frequent occurrence of unlicensed tour guides forcing tourists in Yunnan in recent years, and carried out concentrated reporting and criticism... In order to salvage the tourism image, the government has carried out such a strong crackdown on the tourism market..."
I think I understand Sun Jiwei's intentions a little. He continued, "Here's what I'm thinking: since the reputation of tourism can be destroyed by human intervention, it can also be rebuilt... So, I'm planning to have a friend who works at a TV station do a special interview with you tomorrow. You, as the owner of a guesthouse in Dali, will share your motivation and experience of saving people with the public, thereby spreading positive energy... If it generates buzz and attracts the attention of the 'government,' then even if they don't want your guesthouse to reopen, public opinion probably won't allow it... Also, I'll have a colleague deliver a certificate tomorrow proving that your sewage discharge meets standards. This will give you another bargaining chip, and it's something I can do within my authority."
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