Chapter 196
Lei Tingjun received a call from Lao Cui, the brick factory owner in Honghe Township, asking him to come over to discuss the acquisition of the brick factory.
Lei Tingjun then took the 10,000 yuan savings book with him and drove to Honghe Township again.
The building materials contract with Hongxing Factory has been signed. In the future, we can use this channel to open up more engineering building materials supply. We can take over the brick factory, use our own transportation team to transport bricks, and even negotiate some construction sites with less transportation distance.
Thinking of going back to pick up Ji Wanmei on the 7th, Lei Tingjun had been rushing to finish his work these past few days, so he wanted to free up half a day.
Upon arriving in Honghe Township, Lei Tingjun met Lao Cui.
As soon as Old Cui saw him, he became enthusiastic, a complete 180-degree turn in attitude compared to the last time he came.
"Hey, you're Lei Tingjun, right? I've heard of you. I even saw you when you were a kid, though you probably don't remember." Old Cui chuckled as he stepped forward, pulled a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes from his pocket, and offered one to Lei Tingjun.
Lei Tingjun took the cigarette, lit it, and took a puff: "Take me to see your director."
"Okay, I'll wait in the township committee office," Old Cui said, pointing to the other end.
Upon arriving at the township committee office, Lei Tingjun met with the township director of Honghe Township.
The township head was wearing a dark blue Zhongshan work shirt and thick black-rimmed glasses. He was over fifty years old, with dark skin and wrinkles around his eyes, but he looked kind and serious.
After glancing at Lei Tingjun, he asked him to sit down in the office and had Lao Cui pour him a cup of eagle tea.
Then he slowly began to get to the point: "Little Lei, I'll just call you that, you don't mind, do you?"
"Why do you want to acquire our brick factory? I'd like to know the reason," the township head asked.
Lei Tingjun glanced at the township committee office. The yellow paint on the wooden desk had almost completely peeled off. The items on the cabinets and bookshelves against the wall were also very old, clearly not replaced for several years. Even the thermos flasks had rusted bases and worn-out corks.
Lei Tingjun could easily see that the township cooperative in Honghe Township actually didn't have much money.
If even the township committee is broke, the villages in the township will only become poorer.
Lei Tingjun's hometown, Xiahe Village, is the poorest in Honghe Township, but that doesn't mean the other villages are any better off.
It was still the same impoverished and desolate place, with tiled roofs and earthen houses. The villagers were still using the most primitive water buffalo and iron plows to cultivate the land, and hoes and sickles to plant vegetables and harvest crops.
They live at the mercy of the weather; all their harvest and income depend entirely on the yield from their small plot of land.
If a year of disaster occurs, the villagers will have to tighten their belts and suffer for the entire year.
Such a life, like that of people in cities today, is far too passive and backward.
Lei Tingjun felt that he had gained some knowledge and knew that the main difference between cities and rural areas was not people, but the means of production and tools.
To put it simply, it's the difference between industry and agriculture.
If you move the same group of people to a place with industry and machinery, most of the farmers can do the same things.
If you're not a decision-maker or manager, the workers who do the work don't necessarily need to have a junior high or high school education.
Of course, there is a difference between educated workers and uneducated workers.
Therefore, Lei Tingjun gradually realized that while literacy was important for the people at the bottom of society, their living environment was actually more important.
If he could acquire the brick factory in Honghe Township and establish building material cooperation between several construction sites, it would at least bring some changes to Honghe Township.
Lei Tingjun wouldn't dare say this change was earth-shattering, but it was certainly enough to stir up a stagnant pool.
With the increase in income in the township, even if the county doesn't plan to build cement roads in Honghe Township for the time being, it will at least be given priority consideration.
Lei Tingjun had thought a lot, but when he spoke to the township head, he only said, "I have my own transportation team, so I don't find transporting goods troublesome. Acquiring a brick factory would make it easier for me to open up other businesses. The main reason I chose the Honghe Township brick factory is because it's my hometown."
Old Cui chimed in from the side, "Xiao Lei is truly grateful to those who helped him; even after he's become successful, he hasn't forgotten his fellow villagers!"
“Okay, if you put it that way, I can accept it,” the township head said. “Then see what price you can offer.”
The township head took a document out of his drawer: "I have a report on our brick factory for the past ten years here. I summarized it last night and gave you a rough price estimate. See if it's acceptable?"
Lei Tingjun said, "You speak."
"Fifty thousand yuan," the township head said. "Our Honghe Township brick factory is famous for its high-quality red clay, known far and wide. It's surrounded by mountains, and there's the Honghe River at the foot of the mountains. If you buy this brick factory, you'll have a continuous supply of materials. It's like giving you a treasure trove for free. I think this purchase price of fifty thousand yuan is very reasonable."
Lei Tingjun was genuinely surprised that this seemingly kind-hearted township head would actually dare to ask him for such a thing.
Lei Tingjun held the sterling silver lighter in his hand, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "Director, do you know that if I take five thousand yuan to buy a set of the latest equipment, I can open another new brick factory on my own?"
“How can it be the same as our Honghe Brick Factory?” the township head said. “If you go and build any brick factory, do you have as much inexhaustible red clay as we have around Honghe Township?”
Lei Tingjun put away the lighter and sighed silently.
He thought he had come with sincerity, but he didn't expect that the township head was not as he seemed and had his own agenda.
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