Chapter 92 Healthcare Investment

Ms. Acton was slightly taken aback, but she quickly composed herself.

"Top-tier international equipment, the best doctors in the country, and a full range of services from emergency care to specialized treatment and rehabilitation."

"The initial investment will be no less than fifty million dollars." Mr. Mu stated a massive figure.

Ms. Acton's breathing became slightly uneven, but she controlled it well, only pressing her lips together slightly.

"In the second phase, I will add a Public Health Research Center to the Medical Center, dedicated to projects on infectious disease prevention and control, chronic disease management, and primary healthcare services."

"The research center will establish full scholarships and research funds to attract public health talent from across the country and even the globe to work in Oxford Town."

Ms. Acton's eyes lit up; it was the instinctive reaction of someone who had worked in the public health field for many years upon hearing her most familiar subject mentioned.

"In the third phase, the Medical Center will collaborate with Miami University to establish a nursing school and a school of public health to cultivate local medical talent."

"All graduates will be given priority to stay and work in Oxford Town."

"This is a complete closed loop, from talent cultivation to medical services, from clinical treatment to public health research."

After Mr. Mu finished speaking, he looked into Ms. Acton's eyes.

"However, this Medical Center will not be built in a short period."

"From planning to design to construction, it will take at least two to three years, but it will always exist, always operate, and always serve the people of Ohio."

"Whose name it is named after depends on you."

Ms. Acton was silent for a long time.

"Mr. Mu, do you know what you are saying?" Ms. Acton's voice sounded a bit hoarse.

"I do." Mr. Mu's expression was calm; he quite enjoyed the feeling of throwing money at people.

"A fifty-million-dollar first-phase investment, a public health research center, a nursing school, a school of public health..."

Her speaking speed slowed down, as if she were processing this information. "Once this Medical Center is built, it will become the largest medical complex in southwestern Ohio."

"Not just the southwest." Mr. Mu shook his head. "It will be one of the best private Medical Centers in all of Ohio."

"The equipment will be top-tier international standard, talent will be recruited globally, and service standards will be on par with the Mayo Clinic."

"In Ohio, existing medical resources are concentrated in the three major cities of Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati."

"Oxford Town lies outside the radiation radius of these three cities; for residents here, the nearest place to seek medical care requires a one-hour drive to Hamilton or Dayton."

"If I build this Medical Center, not only will the people of Oxford Town benefit, but residents from surrounding areas like Hamilton, Eaton, and even parts of Cincinnati will come here for treatment."

Ms. Acton took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

She looked at the lake surface and remained silent for a long time. Mr. Mu did not rush her; he knew she was doing the math.

It wasn't a politician calculating votes; it was a public health expert calculating how many lives this investment could save, how many diseases it could prevent, and how much change it could bring to Ohio.

"Mr. Mu." Ms. Acton turned to look at Mr. Mu. "What are your conditions?"

"First, from today on, the Environmental Protection Agency cannot cause me any more trouble. It's not that I won't do environmental protection; it's that they must not use environmental protection as an excuse to interfere with my projects."

"Second, for the Medical Center's approval, I want to use the State Government's fast track. All land-use permits, construction approvals, and medical licenses must be settled within one year."

"Third, I need you to publicly support my projects during the campaign. Not to endorse me, but to endorse the development of Oxford Town."

"I don't need to appear before the public, but my projects must receive support at the state level."

Ms. Acton looked at him and was silent for a few seconds. "Mr. Mu, you are using the Medical Center to trade for my political endorsement."

"No." Mr. Mu shook his head. "I am using the health of the people of Ohio to trade for your political endorsement."

"Once the Medical Center is built, it is not I who benefits, but the hundreds of thousands of residents in southwestern Ohio. I am just the one paying for it."

"Mr. Mu, you are very direct." Ms. Acton gave a wry smile.

"I said, I don't like beating around the bush."

Ms. Acton lowered her head, looking at the grass beneath her feet; she remembered something.

Ten years ago, she was still a regional supervisor for the State Department of Health, dealing with various outbreak reports in her office in Hamilton every day.

At that time, her greatest wish was to build more community clinics in the rural areas of Ohio.

Although Ohio is a large state in the Midwest, the distribution of medical resources is extremely uneven.

The three major cities concentrated seventy percent of the state's doctors and eighty percent of the specialized medical resources, while in the vast rural areas, many people had to drive two hours to see a specialist.

She had worked at the State Department of Health for nearly twenty years and had pushed for several rural medical projects, but each time, they were stalled by budget issues.

The State Legislature was unwilling to allocate funds, let alone federal budgets, and private medical capital preferred to invest in big cities because that's where the money was.

And now, a Chinese international student stood before her, saying he wanted to build a top-tier international Medical Center in Oxford Town, starting at fifty million dollars.

This was no longer just a campaign chip; this was the closest she had ever been to her original ideal in her life.

"Mr. Mu." Ms. Acton looked at Mr. Mu. "When do you plan to start on the Medical Center?"

"Today." Mr. Mu said, "As long as you nod, I will have Jessica prepare the letter of intent right now."

Ms. Acton was stunned. "Today?"

"Ms. Acton, I have a habit." Mr. Mu smiled. "When I think of something, I do it; I can't wait a single moment."

"My hotel project only took a month from getting the approval to breaking ground; the Medical Center can be even faster, because this time, I have you."

Ms. Acton was silent for a few seconds, then extended her hand. "Mr. Mu, happy to be working with you."

Mr. Mu grasped her hand and shook it firmly.

"Happy to be working with you, Ms. Acton."

The two stood on the high ground by the lake, the sunlight shining from the east, casting their long shadows.

Jessica stood not far away, holding a folder in her hand. Seeing them shake hands, she lowered her head and wrote a line in her notebook.

Jean-Luc stood at the entrance of the work shed, hands in his pockets, watching this side with no expression on his face.

A top-tier international Medical Center meant that Oxford Town would have hundreds of additional high-skilled, high-income medical jobs.

This meant that the hotel would have more potential customers, and it also meant that this place, which originally only had cornfields and a small town, was becoming a real city.

"Mr. Mu." Ms. Acton let go of his hand and took out a business card to hand to Mr. Mu.

"This is my private number, it's on twenty-four hours a day. Anytime, for anything, call me directly."

Mr. Mu took the business card, glanced at it, and put it in his pocket.

"There is one more thing." Ms. Acton's tone became a bit more serious. "Regarding that ticket, I need you to know one thing."

Mr. Mu looked at her without speaking.

"That ticket was indeed not issued by Brennan at my request. I didn't stop it because I wanted to test your reaction."

"But there is another person." Ms. Acton's voice lowered a bit. "Brennan told me that he sent people to investigate your construction site, not just because of my campaign."

"Who else?"

"People from the Williams Family."