Chapter 1908
Zhongxin Park.
In front of the stage.
After exchanging words and complaining, Director Sun didnât get the hoped-for response and walked away in frustration. Without actors, he could only vent his frustration in other areas. He raised his voice even louder, reprimanding the crew setting up the stage. Despite his complaints, Director Sun was indeed one of the top stage directors in the industry, with proven ability. Under his command, the stage setup over the past few days was nearly flawless. Everyone could see why Dong Xuebing had brought Director Sun in to help; he was a professional, an expert in his field, something the others couldnât compare. Originally, some leaders thought hiring a director was unnecessary, but after seeing Sunâs work, they no longer complained. Thatâs also why Sun could rant and rave, and the county leaders would turn a blind eye. The man truly had the goodsâthis was his domain. For outsiders like them, it was best not to meddle.
The stage setup was well-organized.
Now, all that was left were the actors and the audience.
âOld Meng,â Dong Xuebing looked around for him.
Hearing his name, Meng Han-Mei, who was still giving instructions to his subordinates, immediately stepped forward with large strides. âSecretary, Iâm here.â
Dong Xuebing asked, âHowâs it going with the guests? How many have confirmed? We need to get a headcount and leave tickets accordingly. This needs to be prepared in advance. After all, we only have so many seats. The investors and guest leaders need reserved spots.â Since this evening was almost their first grand cultural event in Jiao Lin County, how could they not have an audience? It couldnât just be for the investors to perform. Besides, many stalls in the park had already been rented outâselling crafts, local specialties, and food. Dong Xuebingâs original intention was to create a cultural atmosphere for the festival involving the locals. If the locals came, they couldnât just stand to watch the evening show, right? They needed some degree of ticket sales. Symbolic, to start with. So, how many tickets to release would depend on how many guests there were.
Meng Han-Mei replied, âThe county government is responsible for liaising with the investors. Since the numbers arenât confirmed, I donât have an exact figure.â
Nearby, a county government official said, âSecretary Dong, this canât be confirmed yet. Many investors have accepted the invitation, but it is still uncertain whether they can make it. We need to wait until they arrive to know. However, based on past experiences, we estimate that about half of those who accepted the invitation will attendâaround ninety to one hundred and twenty people.â
Around a hundred people.
No surprise, Jiao Lin Countyâs attractiveness still held somewhat, even within the province. Compared to the conditions in the counties Dong Xuebing had worked in before, it was worlds apart. Aside from Dong Xuebingâs connections and the investment bureau begging everyone they could think of, they managed to attract only a dozen or so investors, which was pitiful. In comparison, Jiao Lin Countyâs overall strength was clear. Dong Xuebing believed there would be more than a hundred investors. He had absolute confidence in his proposed cultural evening. He believed that once the positive effect started, the number of investors visiting would double. If it werenât for this effect, Dong Xuebing wouldnât have gone all out to organize it like this. Last year, Jiao Lin Countyâs total investment was around two billion, so for this cultural festival, Dong Xuebing figured he had to attract at least ten billion.
âWhat about the guests from the leaders?â Dong Xuebing asked.
Meng Han-Mei gave a bitter smile upon hearing this, âOur investment cultural festival was reported to the city for approval, but there hasnât been any reaction. I went ahead and invited a few city leaders myself, but none of them had the time or gave a clear response. The provincial sideâŠâ
Zhang Dongfang furrowed his brows. âNot even one leader?â
Meng Han-Mei sighed. âNo, not a single one.â
A city government official explained, âWe also contacted the relevant city officials responsible for the sector, but just like Director Meng, there was no progress. Itâs not that they arenât coming, but they just said theyâre unsure of their schedules or havenât given a definitive answer yet. The sentiment is a bitâŠâ
Upon hearing this, everyoneâs faces turned sour.
They put so much effort into this festival, which was almost unprecedented in Jiao Lin Countyâs history. Surely, the city should offer some support, even if not meaningfulâhaving a few provincial or city officials attending would have provided a symbolic boost and given investors some confidence. But now, with no leaders willing to attend, it was a serious blow to their morale. At major investment events like this, having leaders appear was almost a given, yet none showed face for Jiao Lin County. How could they maintain a positive attitude? Everyone knew that following the recent investigation of Secretary Dong by the Discipline Inspection Commission, the relationship between the city and Jiao Lin County had soured. Mayor Fang had suppressed the issue, but it was not the choice of the local city leaders. It was evident that many in the province and city had negative views of Jiao Lin Countyâs leadership. Otherwise, they wouldnât withhold even minimal support and encouragement like this.
âSecretary Dong, County Mayor ZhangâŠâ Meng Han-Mei looked at the two of them.
Zhang Dongfang thought for a moment and said, âIâll give it a try. Without leaders as guests, that definitely wonât work. The investors will notice, which will hinder our investment efforts.â Zhang Dongfang took this investment very seriously. Regardless of himself or Secretary Dong, successfully hosting this cultural festival was a win-win situation. He couldnât afford to care.
But Dong Xuebing had a different stance. âOld Zhang, forget it. There's no need for you to go beg them personally. We donât need to push too hard on this. If leaders come, we welcome them; if they donât, they donât. Letâs focus on what we need to do.â Only someone like County Party Secretary Dong would dare to say such a sensitive and controversial thing. No one else would have the guts to speak like that.
The others glanced at each other but didnât react much.
They didnât agree with Dong Xuebingâs words; they were just used to his straightforward manner and outspoken style.
Dong Xuebing knew very well that not having leaders as guests would impact their investment efforts, but he was confident.
If they donât come, fine.
If they want to come, let them.
When the celebrity team weâre pulling in arrives, it will be their turn to beg us for tickets to the evening show in Jiao Lin County.
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