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

"Wow! Only you, Secretary, dare to bring this up!"

Even Lu Zhaotai, the production team leader of Hongping, was not as bold and outspoken as Hua Zhenhong in front of him. He suddenly raised the amount from three thousand to five thousand, which was a full ninety thousand yuan!

Even Lü Zhaotai, after hearing Hua Zhenhong's words, asked with some concern, "Secretary, will the overseas Chinese side agree to this last-minute change of heart and additional payment? Will the county agree?"

"The county helped us secure the 3,000 yuan per mu we proposed, didn't they? Since they were willing to fight for 3,000 yuan for us, they will definitely agree to let us increase it to 5,000 yuan," Hua Zhenhong said confidently.

"As for whether the overseas Chinese will agree, we're not worried. Even if he doesn't agree, I believe the county will help persuade him!"

"If this road is built, it will be a huge project. I reckon the city government is paying close attention to it. Since that overseas Chinese proposed building the road, they can't just say they won't build it!"

"Even if he really refuses, we can compromise and go back to the compensation price of 3,000 yuan per mu, right? Anyway, just you wait and see, I've got him wrapped around my little finger, hehe!"

"Remember this: people can be incredibly daring...!"

Hua Zhenhong grinned, and Lü Zhaotai chuckled as well. Who would refuse an extra two thousand yuan per mu in compensation?

Xiao Ma was drinking tea and smoking inside when Hua Zhenhong and Lü Zhaotai called their wives over and prepared a feast. Then they called Xiao Ma over, and the three of them started drinking.

During the meal, Hua Zhenhong kept trying to get information from Xiao Ma about the overseas Chinese who were involved in the road construction. After a couple of drinks, Xiao Ma started blurting things out, "You ask how rich that overseas Chinese is? Hey! You have no idea what kind of car he drives!"

What kind of car?

"How should I put it?" Xiao Ma, holding the bowl, was momentarily at a loss for words, unable to accurately describe what he wanted to say. He could only gesture, "Let me just say it like this: that car was over four meters long, and the paint on its body was as shiny as a mirror!"

"You know Benchmark cars, right? Just that one he drives costs $180,000," Xiao Ma said excitedly, downing his drink in one gulp. "I heard from people in the commune that that guy came all the way from America on his own plane. Otherwise, how do you think he managed to drive his car all the way from America!"

Hua Zhenhong, flattered by Xiao Ma's words, exclaimed, "Really! Wow, they're really rich! I'm such a country bumpkin, I don't understand high technology at all. I thought even if someone was rich, they'd just drive a car or something, but I never imagined they'd buy an airplane!"

"Yes, yes, if I had that much money, I'd only buy a handrail at most," Lu Zhaotai chimed in with a smile.

"Hands-on, do you know that the equipment they donated to Nanshan County People's Hospital alone is worth no less than ten million yuan?" Xiao Ma excitedly slammed his hand on the table, as if he were the one who donated the equipment, not wanting anyone to question the truthfulness of his words.

Hua Zhenhong looked at Lü Zhaotai, knowing that the deal at 5,000 yuan per mu was definitely secured. They could generously donate over ten million yuan to the hospital, so their offer of 5,000 yuan per mu would only amount to less than 90,000 yuan.

That amount of money is probably nothing to them; they'd just swipe their fingers and approve it!

The three of them drank for almost two hours, with Hua Zhenhong and Lü Zhaotai flattering and cajoling them. Xiao Ma got drunk and passed out at the Hongping Village brigade headquarters, where he slept until after six o'clock in the afternoon before waking up.

When he looked at his watch, he realized it was almost seven o'clock. The sun outside was about to set. He rubbed his head, put on his shoes, and hurriedly went out to go down the mountain.

Lu Zhaotai, who had been waiting in the next room for Xiao Ma to wake up, saw Xiao Ma rushing out and said with a smile, "Comrade Ma, are you going down the mountain? Let me see you off."

"Drinking leads to trouble. I'm going to get a real scolding from Secretary Cao when I get back," Xiao Ma said, leading his bicycle out of the courtyard.

Just as they reached the courtyard gate, Xiao Ma seemed to remember the matter he had come to handle. He turned to Lü Zhaotai and said, "Hey, wait a minute, Captain Lü, Secretary Hua hasn't given me the land requisition documents yet. I can't go back to the commune empty-handed!"

Lu Zhaotai laughed and said, "You mean that land requisition document, Comrade Ma? Secretary Hua saw you were sleeping soundly, so he didn't wake you. He took the document and went to the commune himself!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ma immediately became agitated and scolded Lü Zhaotai, "Isn't this ridiculous? I just came to pick up the documents, how come he left first? When I get to the commune, I'll be scolded to death!"

"This is utter nonsense!"

Xiao Ma, cursing and swearing, mounted his old-fashioned bicycle and hurriedly rode down the mountain. Meanwhile, in Mengyu Commune, the angry shouts of Cao Qiulie, the commune secretary, could be heard coming from Cao Qiulie's office.

"Hua Zhenhong, do you have any sense of organizational principles at all? Do you think this compensation payment is like the grain ration book of your village's production brigade, something you can change however you want!"

"You previously said 700 yuan per mu, but the Hongping Village collective disagreed and insisted on 3,000 yuan. I reported that to the authorities. Now you've come here with the land requisition documents and tell me that you feel 3,000 yuan per mu is still too little and the compensation isn't adequate, and you want 5,000 yuan!"

"Listen to yourself, is what you're saying even reasonable?!"

Cao Qiulie slammed his hand on the desk, making a loud thud. Some commune staff members passing by looked at the secretary's office door in surprise, wondering what was going on inside, and dared not go over to listen.

"Secretary Cao, please calm down. This is not my personal idea, but a decision made by the villagers of Hongping Village. I am just here to convey what the Hongping Village collective has to say," Hua Zhenhong said, putting on an innocent expression.

"Don't give me that nonsense. Let me tell you, Hua Zhenhong, everything will be handled according to the latest land acquisition documents issued by the County Land and Resources Bureau. I won't report your requests!"

"Secretary Cao, if you don't report this, the Hongping Village collective definitely won't sign unless they see the compensation they want. Don't blame me then!"

"Besides, if the road can't be repaired by then, the responsibility won't lie with Hongping Village. We've already made our demands clear, and if you don't report it, there's nothing I can do!"

"Hua Zhenhong, who are you threatening from here!"

Cao Qiulie slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, pointed at Hua Zhenhong in front of him, and shouted angrily, "Get out of here right now!"

Seeing that Cao Qiulie was truly angry, Hua Zhenhong could only smile and leave the office. Before leaving, he said to Cao Qiulie, "Secretary, you must remember to report this to the county."

"roll……!"

Cao Qiulie was so angry that he almost grabbed the enamel mug next to him and smashed it. That Hua Zhenhong, now that the road construction is going on, just wait and see how I, Old Cao, will make things difficult for him.

You've gone too far! How dare you threaten me, the commune secretary, to my face!

But after calming down, Cao Qiulie still had to pick up the phone in front of him. After his breathing had stabilized a bit, he dialed the number and asked the transfer operator to connect him with Secretary Hong Quan of the County Party Committee.

"That one?"

"Secretary Hong, it's me, Cao Qiulie!"