Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
âI know what you are saying, but is there a place in the county that sells cars? No matter what, I have to get around.â
âThe department owns a Willing Hongguang?. If you donât mind, drive that. Regardless, try to minimize driving around the county as much as possible.â
âI understand.â Lin Yi said.
âIâm not picky. Anything is fine as long as it comes with wheels.â
Li Qingkai took the car keys and handed them to Lin Yi.
âIâll drive this for the time being.â
âAlright.â
âSure thing.â
Li Qinghai looked at his watch and said, âItâs noon. The two of you should go and have lunch. You can do your own research in the afternoon. After you understand the situation here, weâll continue the meeting and plan how to get out of poverty.â
âOkay.â
After saying goodbye, the two of them packed their things and walked downstairs.
âThereâs a restaurant across the street. It looks pretty good. Letâs go there and have a bite,â Lin Yi said.
âIâm not going,â Li Sijin turned around and said.
âDid I offend you? Why are you throwing a tantrum at me?â
âBecause of you, I almost lost my job. Why would I be happy?â
Li Sijin was not a shrewd person. She spoke her thoughts honestly.
âWhat does that have to do with me?â
âYou framed us on purpose. If it werenât for Tingtingâs family, I would have been arrested and lost my job.â
âThis has nothing to do with me. Your friendâs IQ wasnât high enough. She was racing in the city and didnât even keep an eye out for traffic police. How can you blame me?â
âThen Iâm not going with you.â
âSuit yourself.â
Lin Yi walked straight to the restaurant opposite while Li Sijin went to the noodle shop next door.
There were not many people in the restaurant. There were only two tables with guests.
Lin Yi asked the lady boss to make a random dish and ordered two portions of rice. This would be his lunch.
During the meal, Ji Qingyan even sent him a WeChat video call.
âDirector Lin, howâs the work today?â
Ji Qingyan was also having lunch in her office as she asked about Lin Yiâs situation.
âLetâs not talk about it. I feel that the GDP of this county in a year is not even comparable to half a year of Lingyun Groupâs revenue.â
âIs it that bad?â
âThatâs a conservative estimate.â
âThereâs nothing we can do about it. Some regions simply face uneven development,â said Ji Qingyan.
âI think you should target the strengths of the local industry. Otherwise, you wonât attract anyone at all.â
âIâve thought about that too, but I donât have any strengths. Thatâs the problem.â
âWhen 1 was free in the morning, 1 checked the map and realized that Dongsan County is at the intersection of three cities. In theory, the road network should be well-developed, so why does it look like this?â
âHuh?â
Ji Qingyanâs words were a reminder to Lin Yi. As the saying went, if you wanted to be rich, you had to first build a road.
A strong road network was a huge advantage.
âYour idea is not bad. As expected of our President Ji. Youâre really smart and quick-witted.â
Ji Qingyan smiled smugly. âThat depends on who youâre comparing me to. Iâm very smart compared to you.â
âBut when I say youâre fat, you start yelling.â
âDonât push it.â
During lunch time, the two of them chatted casually. After about half an hour, Lin Yi hung up the video call after eating. Then, he went to the front desk to pay the bill, spending a total of 23 yuan.
Lin Yi pursed his lips when he saw the number on WeChat.
If it was in Zhonghai, the same meal would cost at least 50 yuan.
After sighing for a while, Lin Yi went to the noodle shop beside and saw Li Sijin eating noodles in small bites.
When she saw Lin Yi, she quickly stopped what she was doing.
âIâm done. Letâs go now.â
âThereâs still a bit. Thereâs no hurry. Just continue eating.â
âIâm full.â
Li Sijin walked to the bar counter to pay. Her bowl of noodles cost six yuan.
The low price of goods exceeded Lin Yiâs imagination.
Even so, Li Sijin was the only one in the noodle shop at noon.
Ring ring ring!
Just as Li Sijin paid the bill and was about to leave, her phone rang.
âWhatâs wrong, Tingling?â
âI just ate.â
âYouâre here in the county? Then wait for me outside.â
After hanging up, the two of them walked out together.
Following Li Sijinâs gaze, Lin Yi saw the BMW 7 Series from yesterday at the entrance of the office building.
âTingting.â
When they were crossing the road, Li Sijin called out to her.
Wang Ting got out of the car and saw Lin Yi walking over.
âWhy are you here?â Li Sijin walked over and asked.
âDidnât you tell me this morning that the two of you were in the same office? The more I thought about it, the angrier I became, so I rushed over.â
Li Sijin was a little embarrassed. Her friend made her look like a snitch.
âI was just giving you a heads-up without any other intentions. Why did you have to come running over here?â
âI was just too angry. Not only did they trick me, but when I got home yesterday, my dad gave me a good scolding. I couldnât even get a good nightâs sleep.â
After saying that, Wang Ting looked at Lin Yi with a bad expression.
âItâs really a small world. 1 canât my family? ended up working in the same place as you. What bad luck.â
âWhat do you mean by your family? Are you gay? Are you the butch in this relationship?â Lin Yi said.
âNo wonder you werenât happy when I called you a female driver yesterday. That explains it.â
âDonât talk nonsense. Thereâs nothing wrong with my sexuality.â
âThose who know, know.â
âYou!â
âAlright, Tingting, stop arguing. I still have something to do in the afternoon, so 1 canât accompany you.â
âItâs fine. Do what you have to do. I have nothing to do anyway. Iâll go over with you in the afternoon to look around.â
âWeâre going to town. The conditions are much worse than this. Youâll only suffer if you tag along. Itâs better not to bother.â
âOur family used to be poor too. Donât it seem like I was pampered.â Wang Ting said.
âBesides, 1 think heâs a little abnormal. What if he touches you on the way? I can protect you.â
âHehâ¦â
âWhat do you mean by that? Are you looking down on me?â
âWhat are you talking about? Iâve never liked you.â
âLet me tell you, youâd better restrain yourself in front of me. Iâve been learning Taekwondo since high school. I can knock down a scrawny boy like you with a shoulder throw.â Wang Ting said.
âThis is the main street. I donât want you to get embarrassed, so Iâm warning you not to have any bad thoughts about Sijin. Otherwise, youâll end up on the floor.â
âI donât believe it. Even though you look dumb and burly, like a blind bear, Iâm still a guy. I donât really consider you a threat.â
Wang Ting rolled up her sleeves. âAre you looking down on me? Come, come, come, letâs spar!â