Returning wealthy individuals develop their hometowns and become rich in the 1980s

Zhao Zhigang sped along, almost making sparks fly from the bicycle chain, until he arrived at the county police station. He casually parked his bike against the wall and immediately jogged into the station.

Seeing Zhao Zhigang's anxious expression, the comrade on duty stood up and asked, "Xiao Zhao, what's wrong? What happened?"

"Where is Wang Suo?"

The comrade frowned at Zhao Zhigang and said, "Are you so tired from riding your bike? What time is it? Chief Wang has already gone home after get off work."

Zhao Zhigang didn't have a watch or anything, so he didn't know the exact time. He thought it was around eight or nine o'clock. Hearing what the officer on duty said, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the bench next to him.

"What's wrong? Could it be that that overseas Chinese family has caused some trouble?" The officer on duty picked up an enamel mug, poured some water from the thermos, and handed it to Zhao Zhigang, asking.

"It is indeed a matter concerning that family of overseas Chinese, but it is a big deal, a great thing for our Nanshan County," Zhao Zhigang said, taking the water cup, blowing on it to warm it up, and after taking a sip, he felt more and more that this matter needed to be reported as soon as possible. So he got up and walked outside.

"Hey, hey, Zhao," the officer on duty hurriedly called out to Zhao Zhigang, "You're all flustered. I think you should go home, wash up, and rest for the night. Report it when Chief Wang arrives tomorrow."

As he spoke, the officer on duty took the enamel water cup that Zhao Zhigang was still holding back, saying, "I was afraid you'd get distracted halfway and end up riding into a ditch."

Zhao Zhigang finally snapped out of his daze, smiled, and said, "It's my fault. I was too engrossed in thinking. Okay, I'll come back to report to Director Wang tomorrow."

Watching Zhao Zhigang ride away on his bicycle, the officer on duty shook his head, turned around and walked back into the office. "That kid almost stole my water cup."

next morning

Zhao Zhigang arrived at the station early and waited on the bench at the entrance. Seeing Chief Wang slowly pull up on his old bicycle, Zhao Zhigang immediately stood up and said to Chief Wang as he approached, "Chief Wang, I have something important to report to you!"

Seeing Zhao Zhigang's expression, Director Wang assumed something had happened to Chen Dong's family and frowned, asking, "Is it related to Comrade Chen Dong?"

"Um!"

"Come to my office," Director Wang said, and started walking. Zhao Zhigang followed behind him. The surrounding colleagues looked over curiously. They all knew that Zhao Zhigang and Fang Zhengwen had been protecting that overseas Chinese family returning to China. Could something have happened to them?

After Zhao Zhigang walked in, Director Wang slammed the door shut, gestured for Zhao to sit down, and then said, "Speak, what's the matter?"

"Director Wang, didn't I go back to Lianzhai with Comrade Chen's family to visit relatives yesterday?" Zhao Zhigang said slowly. Director Wang nodded, signaling Zhao Zhigang to continue.

"The family reunion went smoothly, but after the meal, when Comrade Chen Dong was chatting with the uncles and elders of the Chen family, he first inquired about the income of the Chen family members and the grain harvest in Lianzhai. He also inadvertently revealed that he planned to invest in a processing plant in our Nanshan County!"

Director Wang tapped the pack of Hongmei cigarettes, pulled one out, and tossed it to Zhao Zhigang. He then lit a match, took a puff, and, surrounded by smoke, squinted for a long time before finally asking Zhao Zhigang, "What kind of processing plant does he plan to set up?"

"I heard him say that he plans to set up a factory specifically for processing sweet potatoes from Lianzhai into dried sweet potatoes. He also said that the equipment is easy to obtain, but Lianzhai has no electricity and the roads are impassable for large trucks, making it difficult to transport the equipment in. Without electricity, the factory cannot be set up!"

Instead of asking Zhao Zhigang for more specific details, Director Wang turned to him and asked, "Zhao, you've been following Comrade Chen Dong and his family for the past two or three days. Do you think Comrade Chen Dong really has the financial resources to single-handedly set up this so-called processing plant he mentioned?"

"I don't know his exact financial situation, but I noticed that his family spends money lavishly. Yesterday, they went to the county bank and exchanged $30,000 in foreign exchange certificates," Zhao Zhigang recalled the various things Chen Dong's family had done these past few days.

When Director Wang heard that Chen Dong had exchanged 30,000 US dollars directly, he was slightly surprised. In this era where even a household with 10,000 yuan could make the news, it was too expensive for someone to be able to casually produce 30,000 yuan.

"Director Wang, look at the car he's driving. I heard from Comrade Chen Dong that he used his own plane to airlift goods directly from America to Hong Kong, and then entered the country through the Luohai Port," Zhao Zhigang continued. "Whether a person is truly wealthy or not can still be discerned to some extent from their words and actions."

"According to his own words, that $180,000 car was just a means of transportation in Comrade Chen Dong's eyes."

"Moreover, I observed that his wife Zhang Yi and son Chen Hui acted as if it were all perfectly normal. Children's daily actions cannot be lied about. That child clearly grew up in a pampered environment. If he doesn't like something, he'll take a bite and spit it out on the table. But when he goes to the supply and marketing cooperative, he points to whatever he sees, and his mother buys it for him."

"It's like the US dollars in his hand are falling from the sky; he spends money without the slightest hesitation. He buys cigarettes by the cartons. Yesterday, he took out half a case of cigarettes and several bottles of foreign liquor from the trunk of his car, which I had never seen before."

Zhao Zhigang stubbed out his cigarette butt in the ashtray. "I also heard Comrade Chen Dong say that his grandfather's company is the third largest supermarket chain in America, something like Hua... oh, Hua Dongsheng!"

"He said if the factory can be set up, he'll have America send people to come and buy from us. We'll use his supermarket to put the sweet potato chips produced in the factory on the most prominent shelf, and we won't have to worry about sales!"

Director Wang nodded and praised Zhao Zhigang, "Comrade Zhao, your report was timely and crucial, proving you didn't shirk your work. That's excellent!"

"Thank you for your recognition, Director Wang!"

"Yes, I will report this matter to the county committee immediately. As for the specific details, the county committee will send someone to the guesthouse to contact Comrade Chen Dong. Please keep an eye on it."

"yes!"

"Go to the guesthouse and take over Comrade Fang's shift. Remember to listen more, ask fewer questions, and keep it in mind. If there is anything important, report it promptly," Director Wang said, getting up and opening the door.

Zhao Zhigang stood up and walked to the door. "Director Wang, don't worry, I know all this!"

"Okay, do a good job, go!"

"Then I'll be going now, Mr. Wang," Zhao Zhigang said with a smile, closing the door behind him. He then quickly walked towards his bicycle parked in the courtyard, mounted it, and rode towards the county guesthouse.

Not long after Zhao Zhigang left, Director Wang, carrying a briefcase, hurriedly came out of the office, got on his bicycle, and left.

The police officers asked each other curiously, wondering what had happened and why their station chief was in such a hurry.