Chapter 48: What Kind of Place Is This?
By the provincial road.
After contacting roadside assistance, Dong Jian leaned against the door of his BMW 740, expressionless as he lit a cigarette.
Then his gaze shifted again to the small car parked on the rooftop.
Though looking up from below, the car’s body was mostly hidden behind the parapet, only the roof was visible.
But judging by the silhouette and the glossy paint, it was definitely a luxury car.
“Idiot!”
After cursing, Dong Jian paused briefly, glanced down at his own BMW missing its wheels.
Then looked back up at the rooftop.
He understood.
It seemed he was the real fool here.
“Damn!”
Just then, Dong Jian spotted an even more handsome young man wearing an open military cotton coat, standing at a distant intersection, eyeing him.
“What are you looking at?”
“I’m looking at an idiot.”
Hearing that, Dong Jian felt like punching him but hesitated—this was the other’s village, and hitting him might bring a crowd.
Fortunately, roadside assistance arrived quickly.
A Steyr semi-trailer truck came rolling out from a dirt road behind the young man.
The driver, sitting high in the cab, asked authoritatively:
“Boss, did you call for roadside assistance?”
“Lost my wheels.”
“This car’s no cheap ride.”
“How much?”
“Coincidentally, I just got four tires in the trailer behind, exactly your model. Five thousand each.”
“How much?”
“No ripping off, honest price. Total twenty thousand.”
“Damn!”
Dong Jian decided to call the police.
Soon, a breathless officer arrived running over.
“Comrade, what’s the matter?”
“My car wheels are missing, over there.”
“Any evidence?”
“Those wheels are definitely mine.”
“Evidence?”
“I have the purchase invoice.”
“That’s for the car, what about the wheels?”
“???”
Dong Jian was dumbfounded for a moment, then his mind exploded.
“Damn it!”
“Do you know who I am?!”
“I’m Dong Jian!”
“Dong Jian from the Road and Bridge Company!!”
“My father is—”
Before he could finish, the entire provincial road fell silent.
Everyone walking or biking seemed to have hit pause, all turning to look.
“You’re Dong Jian?”
Hearing the familiar words, a terrifying image flashed in Dong Jian’s mind—Old Yu furiously slapping the back of his head in the detention center.
No time to think about wheels or not, he bolted toward the highway.
What kind of damned place was this?
Back when they built highways, it wasn’t like this.
The whole township had open doors, no one stole, everyone eager to work...
Now?
This might as well be a den of bandits.
Dong Jian scrambled up the dirt slope to the highway, spotted a Santana parked by the roadside, opened the passenger door, and jumped in.
“Let’s go! Hurry!”
The director of the investment office, sitting at the wheel, lowered the newspaper hiding his face and asked, “Where to?”
Yesterday, the township cleared out all the vegetable gift packages and sold a batch of pea shoots.
They had planned to continue business on the highway today, but with no bustle below, passing vehicles didn’t dare stop.
The more they tried to stop cars, the faster they sped away, gunning the engine.
Helpless, to make some income, he was trying passenger transport here.
Dong Jian pulled out his wallet, grabbed a stack of blue bills, and slapped them on the dashboard without counting.
“Drive to Pingdong County as fast as you can!”
“Got it!”
The director glanced at the villagers gathering behind and then at the right lane heading away from Pingdong County.
“That’s a bit far.”
“Shut up and drive!”
“Hold tight!”
An hour later.
“Big brother, this is Dongshan Prefecture!”
“We’re on the right lane; I need to turn around.”
Another hour passed.
“Big brother, why are we back again?”
“Turning around, do you get it?”
“Then why get off the highway?”
“It’s dark; we’ll stop in a village to refuel and eat.”
“Damn!”
Thankfully, the driver was professional.
After refueling and eating, they got back on the highway.
Three hours later.
“Big brother, we’ve reached Xuzhou. Ahead is out of Dongshan Province. You’ve taken me through three entire cities!”
“If I give you that much, I better run enough, or people will think we’re ripping off Tenliying.”
“Where now?”
“Pingdong County, are you stupid?”
“...”
Dong Jian took a deep drag on his cigarette.
He swore never to come to Tenliying again.
...
The next day.
Tai City compound.
Dragging his exhausted body after a sleepless night, Dong Jian entered his family yard.
Dong’s father was reading a newspaper in the living room. Seeing his son, he lifted his tea cup.
“I have a project.”
“No time, don’t bother me.”
“It’s settled—I helped you merge with City Second Construction.”
“Speak.”
“Recently, thanks to the classic Tenliying brick kiln case, I secured the position of official-enterprise reform project leader.”
“Oh, congratulations, a half-step promotion.”
“But the current problem is many state-owned enterprises are on the brink of bankruptcy or already deserted with no one to take over, and debts unresolved.”
“Just negotiate with private enterprises: tax exemptions, reductions, various supports, then sell half, or even give away for free. Someone will take over.”
“Don’t be so naive. Take the old cotton mill, old textile factory, old refinery—equipment is outdated, product quality questionable. Whoever takes over will replace the equipment anyway. Buying new equipment might as well build a new factory.”
“You’re worried, I’m going to shower, I’m tired.”
Dong Jian didn’t indulge his father.
Because the projects his father brought had no problem with early planning or profitability, but when it came to funding, they were always shortchanged.
Like the 385 road section—he was supposed to handle 110 million worth of work with only 30 million. Ridiculous.
“Xiao Jian, do you still want City Second Construction?”
“You can’t solve those problems. I do roads and bridges, construction. You don’t want me to take over those broken factories just to raise pigs, right?”
Dong’s father paused, flipped through his notes, thought for a moment, then found Dong Jian preparing to shower.
“In recent years, due to the economic crisis and African swine fever, pork prices have fluctuated and supply dropped sharply.
The higher-ups want to stabilize the market by releasing reserve meat from cold storage, which must be replenished afterward.
Why don’t you sell the old factory equipment as scrap iron, then use those old factories to raise pigs for two years? I’ll find the reserve management agency to buy your pigs then.
This solves the old state-owned enterprise reform problem, boosts my performance, you raise pigs with no risk, gain a new industry, and make big money.”
“I don’t have funds.”
“The 385 road renovation allocated 5 million to us. Our plan is like the existing bridge culvert, no real cost. I’ll give it all to you as compensation for the reform.”
Dong Jian’s eyes lit up.
His father might not believe it, but he really knew how to raise pigs.
This 5 million plus profit from reserve orders was practically free money!
He agreed immediately.
Just as he was about to ask his father for help with the twenty-plus earth trucks detained in Tenliying, his phone rang at his waist.
“Hello? This is Manager Dong!”
...
Elsewhere.
Yu Family Village parking lot.
The township chief squatted before 23 earth trucks, pondering how to handle them.
Yesterday, over 300 people came looking for Tenliying, but that was nothing to Tenliying.
After all, back when they fought for Donghu’s paddy fields, only around ten thousand people in Tenliying dared to confront the small town of over a hundred thousand.
What were a few hundred people?
But 23 earth trucks were worth five or six million.
Different from losing four wheels off a BMW.
If Tenliying kept those trucks, it could become a major case.
Especially since Dong Jian wasn’t a small figure.
He was Old Dong of Tai City’s son.
To summarize the management: the chief had power, the local had money, the whole population complied, and the political consultative conference spoke up.
Old Dong held two of those roles plus half the chief’s power.
Just thinking about it was terrifying.
Why had Old Huang gotten into a wrestling match with the other side?
The township chief suddenly snapped awake.
Right, in the past, they’d just have tea, read newspapers, invite investment, and muddle through the year.
Why were they so ambitious now?
Not just ambitious—they dared to stroke the tiger’s whiskers and snatch tiger cubs...
This was courting death.
The chief stared at the 23 trucks, slowly stood, and looked at the deputy chief squatting nearby.
“These trucks were finally taken back from Beihe. Send them to City Third Construction.”
“Send them back?”
“Yes, send them back to show goodwill.”
“Just send them back?”
“What else? These trucks lost gearboxes, electric starters in Beihe, and three even lost engines. If we don’t send them back, what if City Third Construction blames us?”
The deputy chief understood.
By noon.
The township compound’s 23 rented semi-trailers were loaded with the slimmed-down 23 earth trucks and the BMW missing wheels, then headed straight for Pingdong County.
The township chief also called Dong Jian personally to report.
“Manager Dong, I’ve sent the trucks over.”
“Sent them?”
“Yes, 23 earth trucks and your car.”
“Hmph, you’re sensible after all!”