Chapter 565 Looking to the future
Inside the ward, the atmosphere was solemn yet hopeful. Everyone held their breath, paying attention to this exchange that would determine the future of the village.
Secretary Huang stood upright by the side, holding the pen firmly in his hand. His notebook had already been opened, the paper was as white as snow, as if waiting for the ink that would carry an important decision.
After listening to Wang Jianguo's explanation of the causes and consequences, Secretary Huang lowered his head slightly, pushed the pair of black-framed glasses on his nose, and the eyes behind the lenses revealed a thoughtful gleam.
Then he nodded slowly in agreement. Although the movement of his head up and down was small, it conveyed full recognition.
At the same time, the pen in his hand rustled on the notebook, like a silkworm eating mulberry leaves, recording the key points of Wang Jianguo's words one by one, and every stroke was filled with his concentration and seriousness.
In between recording, he did not forget to raise his head, his eyes full of inquiry and urgency, and asked:
"Your idea does sound novel and unique, but what is the specific method? I'd like to trouble you to explain it in detail. We must think through every detail thoroughly so that when we report to our superiors, we can have a convincing and well-founded report."
Wang Jianguo felt the eager gaze from Secretary Huang, as well as the responsibility and expectation behind it. He took a deep breath, sorted out his messy thoughts, and continued:
"It's like this, Secretary Huang. You have been busy in the city for a long time with development plans, so you may not know much about the situation in our countryside."
"As you know, if the economy is to develop steadily, the role of consumption in driving growth is crucial. This is an idea I came up with after much thought and based on the actual situation in the village."
"How can we get the villagers to willingly open their wallets and spend money? After much thought, I think it all comes down to the four basic necessities of life: food, clothing, housing and transportation."
"You see, over the years, everyone has worked together and the village's food and clothing needs have generally been met."
"The villagers have enough food and warm clothes, which is undoubtedly the solid foundation for us to continue to forge ahead. Next, the top priority falls on the key link of 'housing'."
At this point, Wang Jianguo's eyes unconsciously revealed a hint of helplessness and sadness. He frowned slightly, and the rows of dilapidated earthen houses in the village emerged in his mind, as if he was in a village in the wind and rain at this moment:
"Now we all live in mud houses, most of which have been in disrepair for a long time. When it rains, the scene is simply unbearable. It rains heavily outside, but it keeps drizzling inside the house, and the rainwater keeps pouring in and it always leaks."
"But as time went by, the villagers got used to it and felt thankful to have a place that could barely keep them out of the wind and rain."
"But, Secretary Huang, if someone in the village suddenly took the lead and built a brick house, the situation would be very different."
"This brick house is comfortable and warm to live in, and it doesn't leak when it rains. The other people in the village will definitely see it and envy it. We don't even need to mobilize them, they will naturally follow suit."
"After all, who doesn't want to make themselves and their family live more comfortably? Even if it's not for themselves, in order to create a good growth environment for their offspring, people will consider building a brick house."
Wang Jianguo paused for a moment, swallowed his saliva, as if to give himself some courage, and then continued:
"However, we are now facing an extremely difficult problem, that is the problem of bricks. Our village does have a brick factory, which is supposed to be a unique advantage, but the actual situation is far from optimistic."
"The brick factory has a strict quota for brick production, and most of them are allocated to other places where they are more urgently needed, such as some large-scale infrastructure construction projects. There are very few bricks left for our village to buy."
"This amount of bricks is just a drop in the bucket for us who want to improve our living conditions on a large scale. So, after much thought, we really had no other options, so we came all the way here to ask Secretary Dong for help."
"I hope Secretary Dong can use his prestige and experience to help us think of a solution and see if we can coordinate with relevant departments to increase the quantity of our brick factory so that we can have enough bricks on hand to meet the villagers' demand for building houses."
"If conditions permit, it would be best if we could get approval to build another brick factory. This way, we can have a two-pronged approach, increase production, and solve the problem."
"Besides, our village will provide the labor for building the brick factory. We will never cause trouble to our superiors. I just don't know whether they can approve it."
After Wang Jianguo finished speaking, his eyes were full of anticipation. He first looked at Secretary Huang, then looked at Secretary Dong with respect, as if waiting for their crucial response. The desire in his eyes was like a man waiting for rain after a long drought.
Secretary Dong was sitting on the hospital bed, listening attentively. He nodded slightly, his eyes showing thought and support. His gray hair swayed gently with his nod, as if every strand of hair was telling the wisdom accumulated over the years.
Grandma Dong was also standing by, she sighed softly and expressed her heartfelt sympathy for the villagers' difficult living conditions. Her hand unconsciously stroked the corner of her clothes, as if trying to calm her inner turmoil.
Zhao Shuzhuo stood beside Wang Jianguo, nodding in agreement from time to time, showing that he and Wang Jianguo were completely on the same side. His hands were tightly clasped in front of him, his knuckles slightly white due to the force, revealing his inner nervousness and anticipation.
The pen in Secretary Huang's hand was still dancing on the notebook. After recording the last word, he raised his head and swept his eyes across everyone's faces one by one.
Finally, he fixed his eyes on Secretary Dong. After thinking seriously for a moment, he turned around and asked Secretary Dong:
"Commander, you have been working at the grassroots level for many years and have rich experience and extensive knowledge. Do you think this plan is feasible?"
There was a hint of inquiry in his voice, and it was full of respect for Secretary Dong.
Secretary Dong nodded again after hearing this and said firmly:
"I think it's a good idea. It is indeed a good idea that benefits both the country and the people. Improving the living conditions of villagers can not only enhance everyone's sense of happiness in life, but also further stimulate consumption and promote local economic development. It is a win-win situation."
Although Secretary Dong's voice was a little hoarse due to illness, the affirmation in his words was as loud as a bell.
Secretary Huang received Secretary Dong's approval and nodded, a gratified smile appeared on his face, and he said:
"I personally think this is a very good idea. It is both practical and forward-looking. I will write a detailed report and submit it to the provincial government immediately. Once I get a reply, I will let you know as soon as possible."
As he spoke, he closed his notebook, put his pen in place, and prepared to take action.