Zhao Xini did not answer imdiately but instead began slowly tidying up her clothes.
Just as she took a deep breath, ready to speak, the boatman’s voice suddenly ca from outside.
"Boss, ti’s up! Rember to bring all your belongings when you disembark!"
Zhao Xini turned her head to look out the window and realized, unknowingly, they had reached the shore.
She picked up the child and calmly said to Chen Bin.
"We’ll talk about this matter another ti."
After disembarking, the two of them took a cab ho together.
After washing up and removing the bouncing egg, they embraced and fell asleep, gradually slipping into dreamland.
Before they knew it, the harvest season had arrived.
Although Dragon Mountain County didn’t have much farmland, the climate was favorable, and the crops grew well.
Especially the experintal fields that Chen Bin advocated for, which were remarkably successful.
The city and provincial newspapers even conducted comprehensive coverage of the achievents.
Not only that, but the cow frog breeding venture was also highly successful.
Lu Huisheng was overjoyed at this mont, feeling that his opportunity for a coback had arrived.
So he hurried to find Ye Hong. "Secretary Ye, I’ve successfully raised cow frogs. Surely now you’ll give a better position, right?"
However, Ye Hong replied with a blank expression.
"Raising them successfully is one thing, but you have to sell them too. Otherwise, it’s still a failure."
"So many—how am I supposed to sell them?!"
Lu Huisheng had assud that successfully raising the cow frogs was enough and had completely neglected the issue of selling them.
"Figure it out yourself. As long as you can sell them and turn them into cash, I’ll find a way to make you the top leader of Qinghe Town."
Hearing this, Lu Huisheng was stunned.
"You’re not deceiving , are you?"
"Why would I deceive you? If I wanted to promote you, it’s just a matter of saying the word. But you need to give a reason to promote you."
The reason Ye Hong was doing this was, in fact, to save face for himself.
After all, everyone in Dragon Mountain County knew that the cow frog farming initiative was backed by him.
Now, with the food factory suffering serious losses, the cow frog farming venture couldn’t afford any problems.
Otherwise, he, as the secretary of the County Committee, wouldn’t know where to put his dignity.
On the way back to Qinghe Town, Lu Huisheng was extrely excited.
Even though he hadn’t yet beco the top leader in Qinghe Town, his mind was already daydreaming about it.
After all, that was the position he had yearned for the most.
Upon returning to his office, Lu Huisheng imdiately contacted the person who taught him how to raise cow frogs, hoping to find a way to sell them.
However, no matter what he said, the other person refused to agree.
Eventually, after Lu Huisheng annoyed him with repeated calls, the other party told him that currently, cow frogs were oversupplied in the market, which was nearly saturated, and no one wanted them.
Just as Lu Huisheng was at a loss for what to do, the farrs raising cow frogs ca to the town governnt to ask him when the frogs could be sold and turned into cash.
With no other option, he told them to wait another week, claiming that soone would co to the town to collect them.
After appeasing the villagers, Lu Huisheng began searching everywhere in the city for buyers.
However, many cow frog businesses already had stable suppliers, and recent years had seen many people profit from farming cow frogs.
Many places were trying to emulate the success, and there simply weren’t any buyers.
One week later, those farrs ca to the town governnt again.
With no choice left, Lu Huisheng told them that a big boss in the city was willing to purchase the frogs.
But the price was only three yuan per pound.
As soon as the words were spoken, the crowd erupted.
"Three yuan? Are you kidding?"
"Exactly, it’s less than our costs. Might as well give them away for free!"
"We can’t accept this!"
Looking at the villagers, all talking over each other, Lu Huisheng’s face turned grim.
He responded impatiently, "If you think three yuan is too little, then figure out a way yourselves. Selling them is better than letting them rot in your hands."
These words instantly sparked uproarious anger.
An elder known for his reputation stood up and said.
"Mayor Lu, when we started raising cow frogs, you promised that if the town couldn’t sell them, it would cover the costs. Profits were ours, and losses were the town’s. You can’t backtrack on your words now, can you?"
Lu Huisheng’s face darkened as he coldly retorted.
"Then what exactly do you want?"
"Raise the price! You have to give us a satisfactory offer!"
If it were only one or two villagers, Lu Huisheng could privately pay them off. But there were too many of them, and he couldn’t afford it.
He could only say again, "How about this? On top of three yuan, I’ll add fifty cents more. Is that enough?"
"No way, at least raise it by two yuan. Even at five yuan, we’d only be breaking even."
Frustrated, Lu Huisheng slamd the table and raised his voice.
"I’ll say it once and for all—three yuan fifty cents! Sell if you want; if not, then keep them for yourselves and eat them!"
These words led to even greater outrage.
So even tried to rush forward to beat him, but fortunately, other villagers held them back.
"Lu, you just wait—there’s no way you can shirk this responsibility!"
Unfazed, Lu Huisheng replied, "What? Are you going to take my life?"
"Nobody’s going to take your life. But we’ll report you to the County Committee. If they don’t act, we’ll go to the city or the province. There has to be soone listening to the people!"
After the villagers left with angry curses, Lu Huisheng collapsed weakly into his chair.
He knew that if the cow frogs couldn’t be sold, his dream of promotion would likely be shattered.
But he was powerless over the current situation.
A few days later, those villagers returned to the town governnt again.
Having received advance notice, Lu Huisheng had the police surround the town governnt building.
The distraught villagers were both furious and anxious. So won even sat on the ground crying.
Chen Bin also knew that at this mont, Lu Huisheng had reached the end of his rope.
The villagers’ hatred for him had also peaked.
Now was the perfect mont to intervene!
Heading downstairs, Chen Bin asked the police to clear a path.
He said to the villagers, "Hello everyone, I’m Chen Bin, the town’s Party Secretary. I understand how you feel. I now solemnly promise that I will properly resolve your issues, alright?"
At that mont, soone loudly shouted.
"Not only should the town governnt help us sell the cow frogs, but they must also fire Lu Huisheng. He goes back on his word—he’s unfit to be mayor!"
Chen Bin quickly responded, "I’ll report all your demands to the county leaders. You don’t need to go to the city. I guarantee I’ll provide all of you with a satisfactory resolution!"
Although Chen Bin hadn’t been in Qinghe Town for long, his reliable actions had earned him considerable respect among the people.
So, the villagers nodded and chose to trust him.
As Chen Bin walked out of the crowd and headed to the County Committee, a villager suddenly called out.
"Secretary Chen, out of all the town’s leaders, you’re the only one we trust. Don’t let us down!"
Chen Bin smiled and nodded before leaving.
When he arrived at the county, he knocked on Ye Hong’s office door.
After informing Ye Hong about the situation in town, Ye Hong asked, "What’s your view on this matter?"
Chen Bin replied, "Since Lu Huisheng made promises that the town governnt would handle the sales issue, he should follow through. This is now a matter of governnt credibility and must be taken seriously!"
Nodding, Ye Hong asked again.
"What’s your opinion on the villagers wanting to remove him from his position?"
"I believe that Lu Huisheng has tarnished Qinghe Town’s reputation. If higher authorities investigate, it will reflect poorly on our leadership capabilities. At that point, it will be disastrous for the entire political landscape of Dragon Mountain County."
Although Ye Hong disliked Chen Bin, he listened attentively when matters involved his own career prospects.
Finally, staring intently at Chen Bin, he asked, "So you think Lu Huisheng is too old and should be given a less demanding role, while the position of mayor should go to a more capable official. Is that correct?"
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