Official title: Refused to stay at the university, started his career in a rural town.

Inside the Ninghe County Government meeting room, smoke swirled into a gray-blue cloud.

When Yang Fan and Su Shunda pushed open the door, everyone present was already there.

Cao Dezhu, the deputy county head in charge of industry, Ma Wenhao, the director of the finance bureau, Zhao Changhe, the director of the county economic commission, Sun Jianguo, the director of the investment promotion bureau, and several heads of relevant departments sat in a row against the wall.

Su Shunda sat down in the main seat, with Yang Fan to his left, and Yang Ling, the director of the county government office, sat in the back row taking notes.

"County Chief Cao, you go first." Su Shunda picked up the jar and blew on it.

Cao Dezhu stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, his voice not loud but firm: "Let me first give you a brief overview. This Shunfa Textile Factory was established in Ninghe in 1991, with an investment of six million yuan that year, covering an area of ​​forty mu, and employing 1,320 people."

"Last year, we paid 1.7 million yuan in taxes, ranking eighth among industrial enterprises in the county. We mainly produce cotton yarn and grey fabric, and our products are sold to the Han River and some cities in the province."

He paused, picked up his enamel mug, took a sip, and continued, "This morning, Qian Shunfa, the boss of Shunfa Textile, came to my office in person. His attitude was very clear—he demanded that the county give him a low-interest loan of three million yuan, and also allocate that idle land next to the factory to him for expansion."

"If they don't give it to him, he'll move out by the end of the year and go to the Han River area. He says the preferential policies there include 'three years of exemption and two years of half-price reduction,' half-price land, and matching industrial support funds from the province."

"Three million at a low interest rate? And you want the land too?" Finance Bureau Chief Ma Wenbin slammed the jar on the table.

"Does he think Ninghe County is a charity? Our entire county's tax revenue is only a little over 30 million yuan. With exemptions and reductions here and there, how are our civil servants supposed to get their salaries paid?"

Zhao Changhe continued, his brows furrowing: "Shunfa's situation isn't an isolated case. Four companies have already inquired this year—all asking 'Are there any new policies?' or 'Can we get even more preferential treatment?' The Hanjiang area is indeed actively attracting industrial investment, and the province has provided a significant amount of matching funds. If we don't follow suit, we might really lose a number of companies."

"Loss?" Sun Jianguo leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers twice on the table.

"If we agree to their demands, what about the rest? Will they all come begging for money? Shunfa wants a three million yuan low-interest loan, how much will the others ask for? If they all come and take a bite, how many bites can our Ninghe County's finances handle?"

Cao Dezhu flicked his cigarette ash, his tone turning serious: "I've dealt with Qian Shunfa for a few years now. He's very shrewd. Maybe we shouldn't reject him outright. We can offer a loan of one million, a year's tax exemption, but don't approve the land yet. Let's stabilize things first, then talk more. After all, if we lose 1.7 million in taxes, it'll be hard for us to fill the hole here."

Ma Wenhao put down his enamel mug and adjusted his glasses. "So, the question is—how do we set this precedent? Qian Shunfa said Hanjiang is offering preferential treatment, how can our county follow suit?"

"Besides, aren't those policies for high-tech enterprises? How could someone in the textile industry possibly get those benefits?"

Zhao Changhe sneered: "Then don't give him a chance to run away. Why does he dare to ask for favors now? Isn't it because he thinks that with the new leadership and the newly established administrative service center, we're afraid of losing businesses, tax revenue, or face? If you let him get away this time, the whole county will be watching—Ninghe County can't retain talent."

"You make it sound so easy," Sun Jianguo said, scoffing. "If you fire him, what will happen to the 1,300-plus workers? What about the 1.7 million in taxes?"

Liu Dashan, deputy director of the Economic Commission, who had been sitting in the back row without saying a word, said softly, "If you ask me, this matter cannot be judged solely by the fate of one or two companies. The problem now is that Hanjiang seems to be trying to poach them. Even if we hold our ground, we can't withstand the support from the province. Perhaps we should delay for now and talk to them again when they really want to leave."

"Delay?" Zhao Changhe whirled around, cigarette ash splattering on the table. "Delay until the end of the year, then he'll dismantle the factory and move it away. Over 1,300 workers will block the county government gate, and your Economic Commission will be responsible?"

Yang Fan remained silent, leaning back in his chair, flipping through Shunfa Textile's materials—a copy of its business license, tax records for the past three years, a list of production equipment, and a handwritten expansion plan with crooked handwriting, as if Qian Shunfa himself had written it.

He turned to the last page of the expansion plan—it listed the equipment to be added, all of them old-fashioned ring spinning machines.

Cotton yarn. Greige fabric. Ring spinning.

Several images flashed through his mind—financial reports he had read in his previous life: In the late 1990s, a large number of small and medium-sized textile enterprises in coastal areas went bankrupt in droves due to the triple squeeze of aging equipment, rising raw material prices, and the cancellation of export quotas.

By 1999, China's cotton yarn production capacity was severely oversupplied, and more than 40% of the cotton spinning industry was operating at a loss. Compared with air-jet spinning, the old ring spinning technology had high energy consumption, low output, and poor quality, giving it almost no advantage in the market.

He put down the materials, picked up his enamel mug, and took a sip. The tea was cold and bitter. He glanced again at the crooked number on the expansion plan—three million. Investing three million in ring spinning was like throwing money into a fire.

Yang Fan cleared his throat.

All the sounds in the conference room stopped at the same time, and seven or eight faces turned around, their eyes fixed on the executive deputy county head who had taken down a group of local bullies in less than three months since arriving in Ning.

Yang Fan pulled the microphone forward a little, speaking softly but clearly: "Please wait a moment, everyone, I have a few words to say."

"I just went through the materials from Shunfa Textile." Yang Fan held up the equipment list, pointing to the words "ring spinning machine." "I mainly looked at its production equipment. Ring spinning—some of you here may not be familiar with the current state of this industry. Let me briefly explain."

He paused, then glanced around.

"Ring spinning is a technology from the 1960s and 70s. Compared with air-jet spinning, it consumes almost half as much energy, and its output is only half. The evenness of the cotton yarn is also much worse. In 1990, less than 5% of the factories here used air-jet spinning. But this year—1998—more than 90% of the new textile projects in China have chosen air-jet spinning."

He put down the materials: "To put it bluntly, Qian Shunfa's factory's equipment is more than one generation outdated. He wants a three million low-interest loan to expand production—specifically, ring spinning. If he invests three million, and the production capacity increases next year, will the market still be there?"

Yang Fan picked up another document and shook it. The paper was densely covered with industry statistics for the past three years, and the words "China Textile Industry Association" were printed in the upper right corner.

"Last year, nearly 30% of the national cotton textile industry was operating at a loss. By next year—and this year is not over yet—that figure is likely to exceed 40%."

"Why? Raw material prices are rising, export quotas are being reduced, and several major textile bases in coastal areas are undercutting prices to grab orders. Ring spinning, an old technology production line with high energy consumption, will be the first to be phased out."

He placed the statistics table on the table, next to another document beside him: "To paraphrase a classmate of mine in Beijing—this is a ship whose hull is already leaking. Qian Shunfa doesn't want to expand production; he wants the government to lend him money to keep bailing water."

"We must reject all of his unreasonable demands!"

"He wants to withdraw his investment? Then let him!"

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