Chapter 1855

Chapter 1855: Chapter 1855

Coming out of the conference room, Zhou Xingjian followed Song Guanchao to the office.

"Old Zhou, have a seat." Song Guanchao poured him a cup of tea and tossed him a cigarette.

The two were getting more familiar with each other, and Song Guanchao was getting used to relying on him. Moreover, he was obedient, so he was often the first to come to mind for certain opportunities.

Zhou Xingjian lit the cigarette, took a puff, and asked, "Director Song, shouldn’t you steer clear of economic matters?"

He couldn’t say much at the meeting, but now that it was just the two of them and they had this relationship, he asked directly.

Song Guanchao knew he would ask and said, "Mayor Wu and I are one unit. If she’s not doing well, I can’t be doing well either, right? You know what kind of mess Jiangzhou was in last year."

Zhou Xingjian asked, "So what solutions do you have? What’s the point of the investigation?"

In his view, investigation was just a waste of time, a thankless task.

There are only two solutions to economic problems.

Either the province provides policies, takes the lead in support, and helps attract enterprises.

Or the leader has strong capabilities and relationships to bring economically beneficial enterprises to Jiangzhou.

Zhou Zheng definitely doesn’t have that ability, so they can only rely on the province.

"Of course it’s useful! Know yourself and your enemy, and you can win hundreds of battles! We need to understand the specific profits and losses of the city’s enterprises. If they’re losing money, we must find a way to help them overcome the difficulties and turn losses into profits. And those state-owned enterprises, if they’re inefficient, they should transform or restructure, right? That way, they won’t always have to rely on city finances for support."

To boost the economy, not only must we bring in new funds, but we also have to cut expenditures.

Clear out those useless money-wasters early on, and just this alone could save the city billions annually, maybe even tens of billions.

Zhou Xingjian suddenly felt a bit worried, hearing Song Guanchao’s words, knowing Mayor Wu was also under a lot of pressure.

"Knock knock." Suddenly someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The door slowly opened, and Jiang Yiren poked her head in, about to say something cheeky, but upon seeing Zhou Xingjian, she put on a serious face.

"Director Jiang, do you have any business?" Song Guanchao asked.

She walked over and said, "Director Song, is there anything you need help with regarding the investigation?"

"Director Zhou and I are enough." Song Guanchao wouldn’t dare use her, even if needed, he would have to inform Wu Qiangwei in advance.

Once a woman confirms a relationship, regardless of identity, jealousy will ensue.

"Oh~" Jiang Yiren’s mood dropped. Zhou Xingjian was watching closely and had long noticed the ties between Jiang Yiren and Song Guanchao, which now seemed confirmed.

Song Guanchao glanced at the time, extinguished the cigarette butt, and said, "Director Zhou, go back and prepare; we’ll head out in a bit." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Zhou Xingjian nodded, extinguished his cigarette, and smiled at Jiang Yiren as a greeting before leaving.

Jiang Yiren didn’t intend to leave. After Zhou Xingjian left, she said, "Are you sure you don’t need me to go with you?"

Song Guanchao said helplessly, "It’s not a big deal, two people are enough."

Jiang Yiren persisted, "I could drive you."

"Forget the investigation. For now, just come to my office and help handle the office work."

He wasn’t at the City Government, so someone had to process the files sent by the bureau and committee, and someone had to compile and report the documents and materials that needed to be transferred between departments.

Jiang Yiren was capable of this work, and since it was all paperwork, she was completely suited.

Most importantly, she was trustworthy.

"Fine then." Jiang Yiren pouted and said, "Then you have to treat me to dinner once you’re done."

"Alright, I’ll treat you to a feast." Song Guanchao propped himself up from the table: "I need to head out with Director Zhou."

"Wait a minute." Jiang Yiren stopped him and tiptoed to unexpectedly leave a kiss on his lips.

Song Guanchao’s eye twitched, but Jiang Yiren turned and quickly left, her face red.

"Damn..." Song Guanchao licked his lips, feeling quite uncomfortable.

He was already trying his best to keep his distance from Jiang Yiren, but she seemed determined, refusing to give up regardless of his stance.

Truthfully, he didn’t feel negatively about Jiang Yiren. She was a stunning beauty, tall, and with a great figure.

If they had met earlier, their relationship wouldn’t be as it was now.

But now, Song Guanchao genuinely didn’t have the energy to engage further.

The several women around him were already overwhelming.

He’s been postponing things with Wu Yun whenever he can, let alone dealing with Jiang Yiren.

If she wasn’t interested in a romantic relationship, Song Guanchao wouldn’t turn her away.

But if emotions were involved, it required careful consideration.

Besides, she was also at the City Government. It was too close for comfort.

If he indulged in this nearby grass, it would only be a matter of time before Wu Qiangwei found out.

With a helpless expression, Song Guanchao met Zhou Xingjian in the parking lot.

"Here’s the list of large enterprises and state-owned enterprises in the city." Zhou Xingjian handed him some documents and then took the driver’s seat.

He drove, while Song Guanchao reviewed the documents, and then selected a company as their first investigation target for the day.

With their positions and ranks, it was impossible for the enterprise’s chairman to host them for an investigation.

Besides, their visit was unannounced, giving the company no time to prepare.

Who knows if the visit was purely for investigation or if it carried other motives?

Throughout the day, Song Guanchao visited two companies, both involved in automobile manufacturing.

One in the morning, one in the afternoon.

Although the chairmen didn’t appear, they showed respect by assigning department directors to accompany them.

Song Guanchao first inspected their production workshops, then inquired about recent years’ profits and focused on whether there were any problems needing government assistance.

The answers were always negative.

Whether they were truthful or not, at least the company had decent profits. Although not as good as the previous years, overall they were still making money.

The investigation lasted for more than half a month, gradually reaching March.

During the period, Song Guanchao visited dozens of large enterprises citywide, gaining new insights into several industries and developing a clear understanding of the overall profitability.

Overall, they were indeed affected by economic slump.

No matter how nicely they spoke, the fact remained that every company was laying off staff and cutting costs.

The most impacted were the real estate and internet industries.

These two sectors were beyond Song Guanchao’s capacity to handle.

"After lunch, let’s head back and take a few days to rest. I’ll report the investigation findings to Mayor Wu first."

Song Guanchao parked the car outside a restaurant and said.

Zhou Xingjian acknowledged, got out of the car, and followed him in.

Halfway through the meal, Zhou Xingjian received a phone call.

"Oh, it’s President Huang from Fengliang." Zhou Xingjian said in surprise.

Song Guanchao set down his chopsticks and looked at him.

Zhou Xingjian answered the call, "Hello, President Huang..."

A few seconds later, Zhou Xingjian’s expression changed, his brows furrowed, and he said in a serious tone, "I understand, I will report to Director Song."

Apparently, something had gone wrong.

Zhou Xingjian put down the phone and said, "There’s trouble at Fengliang Company."