"Miss Cheng, please don't think that way. Others are others, and I am me. We cannot generalize."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"How do you say that?"
Cheng Lu asked excitedly.
"If I go to Liangfang Town and boost its economy, won't I be promoted?"
Chen Feng replied unhurriedly.
"Chen Feng, that's the logic. But it's very difficult to implement. Most of Liangfang Town is mountainous, so it's hard to develop. Otherwise, do you think those who were transferred to Liangfang Town are stuck there for life? The natural environment is too harsh, and no matter how hard they try, they can't achieve anything."
"Miss Cheng, I know all of that. However, I have another idea. The harsher the environment, the more it can temper me. Honestly, in a good environment, anyone who isn't an idiot can develop the economy. The real test is whether the economy can be developed in a harsh environment. To be honest, I'm quite looking forward to it."
Chen Feng said with a relaxed air.
"Really?"
Cheng Lu was stunned.
Her first thought was whether Chen Feng had been driven mad by Jia Mingting and his group.
"Of course it's true. Didn't I tell you before? If I want to climb up, I can't miss any experience at the grassroots level. If I can't adapt to the power struggles at this level, how can I climb higher in the future?"
Hearing Chen Feng say this, Cheng Lu felt a little better.
At the same time, she admired Chen Feng even more.
Normally, after being repeatedly attacked, one's confidence would be shattered.
But Chen Feng was different; his fighting spirit grew even stronger after being suppressed.
With this kind of spirit, success was only a matter of time.
"By the way, I'll go to Liangfang Town with you, so I can look after you."
Cheng Lu said with concern, looking at Chen Feng.
"Please don't."
Chen Feng declined immediately.
"Why?"
Cheng Lu asked, puzzled.
"I'm not going to Liangfang Town forever. It won't take long before I return. If you come with me, I'll have to find a way to bring you back later, which will add another layer of difficulty. Therefore, your staying in Mingshan Town with Qin Yan is the greatest support for me. I won't have to worry about you and can focus entirely on developing the economy in Liangfang Town."
Chen Feng explained patiently.
Cheng Lu found his reasoning quite sound.
Thus, Chen Feng went to Liangfang Town alone.
Upon arriving at the Liangfang Town office building, Chen Feng's heart sank.
It was far worse than he had imagined. The office building of an entire town was more dilapidated than the office building of a village on the outskirts of Mingshan Town.
Jia Mingting and his group clearly intended for him to be stuck in this dilapidated mountain town forever.
"Town Chief Chen, we've finally been waiting for you."
As Chen Feng was lost in thought, Deputy Town Chief Zhou greeted him with excitement.
"Where are the others?"
Chen Feng asked as a matter of course.
"Town Chief Chen, you might not know, but our Liangfang Town is like any other town, with five deputy town chiefs and one town chief. However, everyone dislikes the poverty of Liangfang Town and tries to leave. To leave, they would rather be clerks in other towns than deputy town chiefs in Liangfang Town. As for the previous town chief, he couldn't stand the poverty and couldn't be transferred back, so he paid to go abroad. I originally thought you, Town Chief Chen, would find an excuse not to come to Liangfang Town, but I didn't expect you to actually come."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou said excitedly.
"Everyone wants to leave, why don't you?"
Chen Feng asked.
"Town Chief Chen, to be honest, I want to leave too. I'm not an idiot. How could I be willing to stay in such a dilapidated and poor mountain town for my entire life? But the problem is, my wife is from here, and my children are studying here. If I leave, I have to take my wife and children with me. Thinking about it, I decided against it. Maybe a miracle will happen if I stay. I never expected that a miracle would actually come."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou said excitedly.
Chen Feng's reputation in Yongming County was absolutely outstanding.
Developing the economy was what Chen Feng was best at.
"Deputy Town Chief Zhou, since you've spoken to me with complete honesty, I'll also speak to you with complete honesty. I'm here, and I'm 100% determined to develop Liangfang Town, and I will definitely succeed."
Chen Feng said excitedly.
"Really? Can such a poor and dilapidated mountain town like Liangfang Town really develop?"
Deputy Town Chief Zhou asked curiously.
"Of course. China has promoted a slogan in recent years, you should know it. 'Golden mountains and silver mountains are not as good as green waters and green mountains.' The highest authorities have set this tone and direction. Liangfang Town has so much green water and green mountains, why worry about not getting rich?"
Chen Feng explained calmly.
"Town Chief Chen, you truly live up to your reputation as a skilled economic developer. You've already cleared the economic clouds for Liangfang Town upon your arrival."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou said with utmost admiration.
"I'm just saying that in passing. Implementing it will still be difficult. The urgent task now is to bring in a group of talented people. Without talent, with just the two of us, we can't accomplish anything."
Chen Feng stated directly.
"Town Chief Chen, attracting talent might be a bit difficult. As you know, Liangfang Town is a poor, dilapidated mountain town with almost no financial resources. Without money, we can't offer high salaries, and without high salaries, talented people certainly won't come."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou replied with a dejected expression.
"If there's no money, then we'll get a loan."
Chen Feng replied without thinking.
Deputy Town Chief Zhou was completely stunned.
Borrowing money to pay salaries? This was truly an unprecedented and bizarre idea.
"Town Chief Chen, are you serious?"
Deputy Town Chief Zhou asked cautiously.
"Of course, I'm serious. I know Liangfang Town's finances are lacking, even if you don't say it. Without money, let alone talent, even the existing grassroots staff will gradually leave. If this continues, Liangfang Town will only become poorer forever. Poverty breeds change, so we must get a loan to bolster Liangfang Town's finances. Once we have talent, developing Liangfang Town will just be a matter of time."
Chen Feng replied calmly and composedly.
"That logic makes sense, but paying salaries with loans is unheard of. Will the higher authorities approve of this?"
Deputy Town Chief Zhou probed.
"Don't worry, the higher authorities won't bother with such minor matters as long as we reach an agreement. Of course, Liangfang Town's economy must develop. Otherwise, if this matter of borrowing money to pay salaries is discovered later, we will still be held accountable."
Chen Feng said calmly.
"In that case, I completely agree."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou said with a smile.
Chen Feng was indeed extraordinary. His first move as the new official was a groundbreaking and unprecedented display of boldness.
"Alright, I will personally handle the loan matters. As for you, spend the next few days thoroughly surveying the entire Liangfang Town and take detailed photos of Liangfang Town's forest resources to compile into a report for me to review."
Chen Feng instructed.
"Don't worry, Town Chief Chen. Since you trust me so much, I guarantee I will complete the task."
Deputy Town Chief Zhou said with conviction.
Chen Feng did not hesitate and immediately went to the town's only bank, the Rural Commercial Bank.
"Town Chief Chen, did I hear that correctly? The purpose of the loan for Liangfang Town is to pay salaries?"
The manager of Liangfang Town Rural Commercial Bank looked at Chen Feng in utter astonishment.