39: Chapter 39 Meeting with Gao Qiqiang

After some routine remarks, Secretary Sun Wei raised his arm and shouted: "Now, I declare—the road construction project is officially underway!"

This announcement was like a thunderclap, instantly igniting the enthusiasm of the entire crowd.

The drum and gong troupe began to play with all their might, and the sound of firecrackers crackled and echoed through the sky.

For a moment, the threshing floor was filled with the deafening sound of drums, gongs, and firecrackers, accompanied by thunderous cheers.

Led by the village cadres, the villagers shouldered their hoes and shovels, marching in a grand procession toward the designated road sections.

Excitement and anticipation beamed from everyone's faces; this scene seemed to transport people back to that fervent era of collective labor.

After the commencement ceremony, Secretary Sun Wei returned to the Township Government with most of the cadres, while Li Dakang stayed behind with a few others to inspect the site.

As they walked, Li Dakang suddenly stopped and instructed Deputy Township Head Zhang Xiaoyan: "Deputy Township Head Xiao Yan, building this road is a major undertaking, so the logistics and support must be in place. It's so hot right now, you need to boil plenty of mung bean soup to help everyone cool off."

He paused for a moment and added: "Don't be careless with the meals either. Don't worry about the cost; make sure the food is hearty. Only when people eat well will they have the strength to work!"

Deputy Township Head Zhang Xiaoyan nodded quickly: "Township Head Li, rest assured! I've already arranged with the pig farm to deliver two large, fat pigs every day. I guarantee everyone will have meat at every meal!"

She continued her report: "Additionally, I've had the women's directors from each village organize the women with slightly less physical strength to set up twenty large cooking pots. They will be responsible for cooking, ensuring everyone can eat hot meals!"

As for the women with strong labor capacity?

Naturally, they were also building the road!

Rural women are no different from men; they can do any kind of work, and some are even more efficient than men, truly embodying the saying "women hold up half the sky."

Even the elderly and children weren't idle; they were organized to gather firewood, truly a case of everyone, men and women, young and old, joining the effort.

Li Dakang turned to the other deputy township head: "In a while, give the township health center a call and have them send a few doctors and nurses with medical kits in case of emergencies. The township will provide a subsidy of three yuan per person per day."

"Understood, Township Head Li, I will contact Dean Gao immediately."

After giving these instructions, Li Dakang finally felt at ease. After patrolling the area once more to ensure everything was in order, he returned to the Township Government.

Not long after he sat down in his office, Chairman Shen Dawei, the Township People's Congress Chairman, knocked and entered, followed by a man around thirty years old carrying a leather clutch.

"Township Head Li, this is the Mr. Gao Qiqiang I mentioned to you before." Chairman Shen Dawei introduced him with a smile.

Gao Qiqiang stood tall, his rugged features tempered with a hint of humility.

He bowed slightly, extended his right hand, and spoke in a respectful yet steady tone: "Hello, Township Head Li! It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time; please look after me."

A warm smile appeared on Li Dakang's face as he stood up to greet him: "Please sit, Mr. Gao." Saying this, he left his desk and walked to the reception area, gesturing for the two men to be seated.

Li Dakang picked up the teapot from the coffee table and poured a cup of clear tea for both Chairman Shen Dawei and Gao Qiqiang.

"Mr. Gao, I heard from Chairman Shen that you have a construction team?"

Gao Qiqiang nodded quickly: "Yes, Township Head Li, it is all thanks to the care of the leaders that I can make a living."

As he spoke, he noticed Li Dakang take two cigarettes from the pack on the table. He reacted instantly, quickly pulling a lighter from his pocket, standing up, and walking over to Li Dakang to respectfully light it for him.

Li Dakang took a deep drag of the cigarette and slowly exhaled the smoke: "Hmm, since you were introduced by Chairman Shen, let's not beat around the bush."

His tone suddenly became serious: "However, there is one thing that must be said upfront: this road is of great significance to Guantian Township; it is the path to prosperity for tens of thousands of common people. You must ensure the quality of the project; you absolutely must not cut corners."

He paused and continued: "Mr. Gao, there is a long road ahead, so you should take a long-term view. As long as this road is built to my satisfaction, the subsequent road from the township to the county seat will also be prioritized for you."

Li Dakang flicked the ash from his cigarette and added: "I know that those of you in construction face significant financial pressure. I guarantee that as soon as the project passes inspection, I will settle the payment immediately."

A flash of joy crossed Gao Qiqiang's eyes, and he quickly patted his chest in assurance: "Township Head Li, rest assured! I, Gao Qiqiang, will definitely complete the task with quality and quantity guaranteed, and I will never betray your trust!"

Seeing his sincere attitude, Li Dakang nodded with satisfaction: "Good! Start construction tomorrow, be sure to seize the time, and strive for early completion."

Upon exiting Li Dakang's office, Gao Qiqiang let out a long sigh of relief; fine beads of sweat had already seeped onto his forehead.

"Brother-in-law, this time I owe it all to you!" Gao Qiqiang said gratefully to Chairman Shen Dawei: "If you hadn't acted as the intermediary, how could this have gone so smoothly?"

As it turned out, Chairman Shen Dawei's wife was Gao Qiqiang's cousin.

In his early years, Gao Qiqiang sold fish at the market. Because he was righteous and daring in his struggles, a group of brothers gradually gathered around him.

With economic development, he keenly sensed the business opportunities in engineering and construction, so he formed a construction team.

However, lacking connections, this team could only take on small projects and struggled to make any real impact.

When Gao Qiqiang learned that Guantian Township was going to build a concrete road over ten kilometers long with a project budget of nearly one million, his eyes lit up immediately.