Qi Tongwei: Can I be young again?

"Go to the provincial capital to receive praise!"

Indeed, the changes in Chunxi Village have drawn high praise from the province, and Li Dakang, as the top leader, has also received much praise at the executive meeting.

Li Dakang was overjoyed.

However, the happier he was at the executive meeting, the more troubled he is now, as he dares not even breathe loudly in the face of the villagers' condemnation.

"Tongwei, you need to think of a solution quickly. If this continues, we'll both be in trouble."

Qi Tongwei sneered, "That's not right, Secretary Dakang. When it came to reaping the rewards, you were ruthless! And when the province held the commendation meeting, you were even more enthusiastic! What? Now that there's a problem, you want to shirk responsibility? Have some decency!"

"Tongwei, stop making sarcastic remarks! Besides, I haven't forgotten your contributions at the provincial commendation conference; I mentioned your name multiple times."

"Then I should thank you?"

"No need for thanks. Helping me settle things with these villagers is the greatest way to thank me."

"How do we resolve this?" Qi Tongwei spread his hands. "Secretary Dakang, as you know, these villagers have a simple request: they all want to join Chunfeng Agricultural Trade Company. But there's only so much meat. If they all join, no one will have enough to eat."

"Then let's take out a piece of meat first and appease the villagers."

"Nonsense!" Qi Tongwei said bluntly, "Chunxi Village's tea plantation can currently only support a maximum of 300 people. Under these circumstances, Xu Chunfeng is the one who gets the meat, while the villagers of Chunxi Village are left with the soup! But once people from other villages get involved, this pot of rice will become unusable! The most crucial point is that if Xu Chunfeng doesn't make any money, what will happen to the subsequent investments?"

Li Dakang thought for a moment, nodded, and then let out a long sigh of relief. "You're right. It seems that if we want everyone to be able to eat meat, we can only expand our business and contract out the other tea mountains."

“I’ve talked to Xu Chunfeng about this, but he doesn’t have that many orders on hand, and the off-season is approaching. If he wants to contract a tea plantation, he’ll have to wait at least another year.”

"If Xu Chunfeng can't eat it, others might be able to."

"You want to replicate Chunfeng Agricultural Trade Company?" Qi Tongwei raised an eyebrow, sensing that something bad was going to happen.

“That’s right.” Li Dakang nodded greedily. “There are many agricultural entrepreneurs in this world besides Xu Chunfeng. Your village’s pilot program is very successful. With this model, are you worried about not finding the next investor?”

“Secretary Dakang, things aren’t that simple. Don’t forget, Xu Chunfeng came to Jinshan County with orders. Moreover, we agreed that if our village’s pilot project was successful, the rest of the tea plantations would be contracted to Xu Chunfeng in two years. Now you’re going to find other investors, aren’t you going back on your word?”

Li Dakang put his hands behind his back, sneered, "I'll face a thousand pointing fingers with a cold eye, but I'll bow my head and serve the people like an ox. For the sake of the people of Jinshan County, I'm going back on my word!"

"You're not doing this for the people; you're doing it for your political achievements."

"Say what you will." Li Dakang flicked his sleeve. "Tongwei, you don't need to worry about this. Once I find new investors, all you need to do is sign the papers. When it's time to reap the rewards, you'll get a piece of the pie."

After saying that, he turned and left.

Seeing him make such a desperate gamble, Qi Tongwei really wanted to slap him to bring him to his senses.

What made Chunxi Village prosperous was never the tea plantations, but Xu Chunfeng himself.

Without Xu Chunfeng, the villagers would still be toiling in the fields, barely making any money.

Li Dakang couldn't possibly be unaware of such a simple and easy-to-understand principle.

However, after receiving commendation from the province, this guy was blinded by his achievements and forgot that haste makes waste.

Of course, Qi Tongwei couldn't accompany Li Dakang when he went crazy; he didn't want to get himself into trouble.

But Li Dakang didn't think so.

That evening, he brought the investors and Ouyang Qing to find Qi Tongwei.

Qi Tongwei was taken aback when he met the investors.

"Miss Pei."

"County Chief Qi, we meet again." Pei Jing greeted him with her signature smile.

"What are you here for?"

"Let's play!"

Pei Jing stepped aside, and a middle-aged bald man walked out from behind her.

Upon seeing Qi Tongwei, the man immediately extended both hands and said with a smile, "My name is Liu Tao, chairman of Dahe Agricultural Trade Company. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Qi Tongwei didn't reach out, but continued to stare at Pei Jing. "What does this mean?"

"County Chief Qi, don't overthink it. Mr. Liu and I are just friends." Pei Jing still smiled. "It's mainly because Secretary Dakang came to me and asked me to introduce a powerful investor, so I brought in Mr. Liu. You guys handle the business; I don't get involved. Whether we make a profit or a loss, it has nothing to do with me."

"Heh." Qi Tongwei snorted coldly, "It's just about distancing themselves, just like with Zhao Ruihu back then. After the incident, they just dusted themselves off and left."

"Tongwei, don't be so rude," Li Dakang said unhappily. "President Liu and Miss Pei are both my honored guests. They're here to discuss the contracting of the Wangcun tea plantation."

"I disagree."

"Why should I?" Ouyang Qing asked anxiously. "Qi Tongwei, when Xu Chunfeng wanted to contract the tea plantation, Dakang and I both gave our full support. Now that President Liu wants to contract the tea plantation, why don't you agree?"

"If you agree, the contract fee will be paid in full upfront, no loan required. Mr. Liu, can you do that?"

"Oh dear, County Chief Qi is joking! How could a project worth hundreds of millions not require a loan!"

"No loan for now!" Qi Tongwei packed up his things, then glanced at Pei Jing. "You vixen, stay away from me from now on. Seeing you brings bad luck and misfortune."

Li Dakang, Liu Tao, Pei Jing, and Ouyang Qing were all stunned for a moment.

By the time they realized what was happening, Qi Tongwei was already far away.

"What should we do?" Liu Tao rubbed his hands together, looking at Pei Jing with pleading eyes.

"Why are you looking at me? I'm just introducing you to someone as Secretary Zhao suggested. The rest is none of my business." As she spoke, Pei Jing's gaze fell on Li Dakang. "Besides, Secretary Dakang can make the decision on his own. He doesn't necessarily need Qi Tongwei's approval."

"Nonsense!" Li Dakang's expression immediately changed. "Qi Tongwei and I work together. If he doesn't agree, I will never make a decision on my own."

"I understand, I understand. If something goes wrong, someone has to take the blame." Pei Jing smiled gently.

Li Dakang's face turned bright red.

"Mr. Liu, don't rush," Ouyang Qing said. "Qi Tongwei didn't agree because he didn't get any benefits. Here's what we'll do: bring what you need tonight, and we'll go to his house."

"Don't do anything rash," Li Dakang warned. "Qi Tongwei is stubborn and won't listen to reason."

"Hmph." Ouyang Qing snorted coldly, "In this world, there is nothing that money cannot accomplish. If there is, it's because there isn't enough money."

Chapter Ninety-Nine: Li Dakang Shifting the Blame

"You want to bribe Qi Tongwei?" Li Dakang turned to Ouyang Qing and warned, "I'll say it again, Qi Tongwei is different from others. Don't do the opposite of what you want."

"Don't worry about it!"

“I am the county party secretary, the top leader of Jinshan County, and I am determined to take charge.”

"Li Dakang, you think you're so capable? If you're so capable, then sign the document for me right now!"

"Don't dream! I've said it before, I won't sign until Qi Tongwei signs."

"Coward!" Ouyang sneered. "You just want someone to take the blame, don't you! But let's make this clear: once Qi Tongwei agrees, don't cause any more trouble!"

"Are you threatening me?"

"I'm threatening you. As the top official in Jinshan County, you can't even control a deputy county head! You're always afraid of taking the blame. I've never seen such a cowardly man as you."

"..."

The two argued more and more fiercely, but in the end, Li Dakang gave in.

However, he also said so.

The matter of bribing Qi Tongwei has nothing to do with him. If anything goes wrong, Ouyang Qing will take the blame himself.

"Useless man!"

Ouyang Qing stomped away in her high heels, fuming.

Liu Tao immediately followed.

Only Pei Jing remained. She raised an eyebrow at Li Dakang and said with a half-smile, "Secretary Dakang, do you have some kind of leverage over Ms. Ouyang?"

"Nonsense!" Li Dakang jumped up and down. "How could someone as upright as me have any dirt on me?"

"Don't get agitated, I was just asking casually."

……

May.

evening.

Bathed in the fiery glow of the sunset, the villagers seemed to work even harder, picking tea leaves until their hands were sore and counting money until their hands were sore too.

Qi Tongwei moved a small stool, sat at the door, and gazed at the tea mountain, lost in thought.

Originally, he planned to develop Chunxi Village first, and then use this village as a model to encourage Xu Chunfeng to increase investment and contract the other five tea mountains together.

Reality always delivers a harsh slap in the face.

Li Dakang's introduction of other investors at this time is undoubtedly counterproductive.

Liu Tao, with his fat head and big ears, is definitely not a good person.

It is not advisable to judge people by their appearance.

Having been given a second chance at life, Qi Tongwei's judgment was never wrong. If he really lent that guy the money, it would definitely be a waste.

"Beep beep..."

Just as I was lost in thought, my phone rang.

"Tongwei, your village is famous now."