Chapter 751 Liu Haizhong's Struggle 5
In the slightly noisy and tense scene, Yan Bugui was really at a loss at the moment.
He originally had a plan in mind, fully expecting that he could cleverly leverage the support of people around him to create a strong public pressure, thereby forcing the neighborhood committee to make concessions and comply with the issue of toilet renovation subsidies.
He had previously stirred up trouble among his neighbors, hoping to achieve his goal. But who could have expected that the neighborhood committee director would come out in person, and speak so clearly and clearly as soon as he opened his mouth, directly exposing his hidden thoughts and intentions.
Yan Bugui's little eyes were rolling around like two flexible glass beads rolling quickly in his eye sockets.
His brain was like a clockwork machine, running at a rapid speed. Various thoughts kept flashing through his mind as he racked his brains to come up with a way to save the current embarrassing situation.
His brows were furrowed, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, his eyes were full of anxiety and panic, and his hands were unconsciously rubbing the corners of his clothes. He looked like an ant on a hot pan.
Time seemed to be particularly long at this moment, and every second that passed made Yan Bugui's heart beat faster. Finally, after a moment of silence, Yan Bugui seemed to have a sudden flash of inspiration, and he tried to squeeze out a flattering smile on his face.
The smile looked a little stiff, as if it was forced out by pulling the corners of his mouth, with a bit of flattery and uneasiness. He took a step forward, leaned forward slightly, and said respectfully to the director of the neighborhood committee: "Director, you see, what you said is reasonable, and every word hits the point. We are not deliberately causing trouble, and we really don't mean to cause you trouble. Everyone is just too concerned about the renovation of the toilet. After all, it is related to the convenience of our daily life.
We are worried that the subsidy will not be enough, and the quality of the renovation will not be good enough. When the renovation is completed, it will be inconvenient for everyone to use. That would be terrible. Can we find a suitable opportunity to sit down and discuss it calmly? Let's study together and see if we can optimize the renovation plan based on the existing subsidies.
Let every penny be spent wisely, so that the quality of the renovation can be guaranteed, so that everyone can use it comfortably in the future, and it can also make everyone feel at ease. Don’t you think this is the case? "
The neighborhood committee director stood there quietly, looking at Yan Bugui calmly but with a hint of scrutiny, as if his eyes could see through Yan Bugui's innermost thoughts.
However, the neighborhood committee director's tone was calm, without any impatience or anger. He slowly said, "We can discuss it. This is the normal way to solve the problem. But it must be done on the basis of rationality, legality and mutual understanding. Your previous behavior has caused a bad influence and caused unnecessary confusion and discussion in the community. I hope that similar situations will not occur again in the future. Everyone should focus on the harmony and stability of the community and work together to get things done."
In that slightly cramped yet subtle atmosphere, Liu Haizhong had been closely following Yan Bugui's every move.
When he saw Yan Bugui speak and express a seemingly sincere attitude to the neighborhood committee director, the tight string in his heart instantly loosened a little, and he hurriedly agreed as if he had grabbed a life-saving straw: "Yes, yes, yes, Director, you are absolutely right! We will pay attention in the future and will never make such a mistake again.
This time we were really too impatient, and only wanted the toilet renovation to go smoothly so that everyone could use clean and hygienic toilets as soon as possible, but we didn't think it through and didn't take into account the overall order and impact of our community. We were so confused!" Liu Haizhong said, nodding his head constantly, with a flattering smile on his face. There was a bit of embarrassment and regret in that smile, and his eyes were full of caution, for fear that he would say something wrong and make the director of the neighborhood committee unhappy again.
The neighborhood committee director stood there quietly, his hands folded across his chest, looking at Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui calmly. He nodded slightly, his movements were neither hurried nor slow, but with an unquestionable majesty, and said, "Okay, since you have this attitude, let's solve the problem properly.
At nine o'clock tomorrow morning, we will hold a meeting in the neighborhood committee meeting room, invite the construction party, and sit down together to discuss the renovation plan calmly. You can also go back and talk to everyone, let everyone calm down and stop making trouble. Our community is a big family, and any problems must be solved in a reasonable and legal way, and we can't mess around like this. "The voice of the neighborhood committee director was loud and clear, and every word was like a heavy hammer, hitting Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui's hearts.
Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui nodded their heads in agreement as if they had heard an amnesty order. They nodded their heads like chicks pecking at rice, and kept saying, "Okay, Director, we will do it, we will do it!" They looked like two elementary school students who had made mistakes and were submissive in front of their teacher. Then, they turned around in disgrace and walked back to their homes with heavy steps. Along the way, they did not dare to look up at the eyes of the neighbors around them, as if those eyes were full of ridicule and accusations.
Seeing that the situation had taken a turn for the better, the neighbors in the courtyard began to disperse. As they walked home, they were still whispering about what had just happened. Some neighbors said, "It seems that the neighborhood committee director is still very resourceful. He settled the matter so quickly." Some neighbors said, "I hope we can come to a conclusion this time, so that there won't be any more problems with our toilet renovation." Everyone returned to their homes with different ideas, and the once bustling courtyard gradually returned to its former tranquility.
However, this seemingly calmed down storm was not really over. Liu Haizhong returned home and sat down on the worn-out chair, getting angrier and angrier.
He felt that he had lost all face in the courtyard, as if he had become a clown, being laughed at by everyone. The more he thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. The anger in his heart was like a volcano about to erupt, and he couldn't suppress it. He took out his anger on Yan Bugui, slammed the table, and complained to Yan Bugui who had just walked in: "Old Yan, look at this bad idea you came up with! Everything was fine, but you insisted on instigating everyone to make trouble. Now, how can I hold my head up in the courtyard! Who knows how people will talk about me behind my back in the future, where can I put my old face!" Liu Haizhong's face turned red, veins popped out on his forehead, his eyes were full of anger and dissatisfaction, and he looked like an angry lion.
Yan Bugui stood in the slightly dim room, feeling as if his heart was filled with mixed feelings, including grievance, annoyance, and unwillingness.
He never expected that what was originally planned well would turn out to be such a mess. He originally thought that with everyone's support, the neighborhood committee would give in on the toilet renovation subsidy, but who could have expected that things would go wrong and become so embarrassing.
He frowned slightly, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes, and his lips pursed unconsciously, but soon, he took a deep breath and said calmly: "Old Liu, don't be anxious. Life is like walking, how can it always be smooth sailing without encountering a few potholes. Although there was a little accident this time, we are not completely without gain. Think about it, by making such a fuss, at least the neighborhood committee knows how much we value the toilet renovation, and everyone can see that we are working hard for the matter of the quadrangle.
Maybe after this, our prestige in the Siheyuan will be greatly improved. When people encounter problems, they will be more willing to listen to our opinions, and our words will have more weight in the Siheyuan, right? "Yan Bugui said, gesturing with his hands, trying to make his words sound more convincing.
Liu Haizhong was originally sitting on that somewhat shabby chair, with his head in his hands and a worried look on his face. After hearing what Yan Bugui said, he slowly raised his head, his eyes revealing a hint of hesitation and expectation, and he felt a little better.
But he was still a little worried, his brows were still furrowed, and he said worriedly: "Will tomorrow's meeting be possible? I'm always worried. The attitude of the neighborhood committee director today seemed very determined. What if they still don't agree to increase the subsidy? We have put in so much effort before, it would be too frustrating if it's all in vain in the end."
Liu Haizhong's voice was a little low, with a hint of anxiety, and his eyes were fixed on Yan Bugui, as if he wanted to get a positive answer from him.
Seeing that Liu Haizhong was still a little worried, Yan Bugui walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. His palm landed heavily on Liu Haizhong's shoulder, as if conveying a kind of strength. He said confidently: "Don't worry, Lao Liu. Let's prepare well in advance tomorrow and sort out our ideas and reasons one by one. For example, we can calculate in detail whether the current subsidy money is enough to renovate the toilet to be good and practical.
We can also find some professional information to prove that increasing subsidies can lead to a qualitative leap in the quality of renovation. At the meeting, we will lay out the points one by one and discuss them carefully. Moreover, we can also unite some neighbors who support us and ask them to express their opinions at the meeting and put pressure on the neighborhood committee together. I don't believe that they can ignore everyone's opinions.
After all, this toilet renovation is a major event related to the entire Siheyuan. If they really insist on doing it, how can they carry out work in the Siheyuan in the future? "Yan Bugui became more and more excited, with a firm light flashing in his eyes, as if he had already seen the scene of victory at tomorrow's meeting.
At nine o'clock the next morning, the sun shone through the slightly old windows of the neighborhood committee meeting room, sprinkling on the meeting table. Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui and some carefully selected neighborhood representatives from the courtyard hurried to the neighborhood committee meeting room with some trepidation. They talked to each other in a low voice, their eyes showing both anticipation for the upcoming meeting and a hint of uneasiness. The person in charge of the construction party had also been waiting there for a long time. He was wearing a neat work suit, holding a thick stack of materials in his hand, and was sitting quietly on one side of the meeting table, thinking about something with a focused look in his eyes.
After the meeting officially started, the neighborhood committee director cleared his throat and spoke first with a serious and solemn expression. His voice was steady and powerful, echoing in the conference room: "Everyone, we gathered you here today to discuss the renovation of our courtyard toilets. Regarding the subsidy standard, it was determined after multiple surveys and comprehensive consideration of various factors, and it is irreversible. I hope everyone can understand this. After all, the subsidy funds are limited and should be reasonably allocated to various projects that need to be renovated. However, we have also fully considered everyone's concern and expectations for toilet renovation, and will listen to everyone's opinions carefully. Under the existing conditions, we will optimize the renovation plan as much as possible, so that the renovated toilets are both practical and beautiful, so that everyone can use them comfortably." As the neighborhood committee director spoke, he glanced at everyone present, revealing a kind of sincerity and concern in his eyes.
When Liu Haizhong heard what the neighborhood committee director said, he could no longer suppress his anxiety. He stood up suddenly, and because he stood up so quickly, the chair made a harsh sound.
He put his hands on the conference table, leaned forward slightly, his eyes full of anxiety and expectation, and said: "Director, you don't know, the situation of our courtyard is really too special. There are many people living in our courtyard, but the toilet is so small. Usually, we have to queue up for a long time to use the toilet. It's so uncomfortable. The difficulty of this renovation is already great, and we all hope to take this opportunity to renovate the toilet.
We hope to add some facilities during the renovation, such as ventilation equipment. Just think about it, the toilet now has a strong smell. If there is ventilation equipment, the air will definitely be much fresher. There are also non-slip floor tiles. There are many elderly people and children in the courtyard. It is easy to fall when the toilet floor is slippery. With non-slip floor tiles, everyone will be safer when using it.
But these facilities require additional expenses. Do you think it is possible to adjust the subsidies a little? Even if it is just a little bit, it will be a timely help for us!" Liu Haizhong said with saliva flying, his face flushed with excitement, and his eyes full of desire.
After hearing what Liu Haizhong said, the person in charge of the construction team frowned slightly, forming an obvious "川" character. He put down the information in his hand, raised his head, and said with a hint of helplessness and worry in his eyes: "Adding these facilities will indeed increase costs, there is no doubt about that. Moreover, our current renovation plan has been repeatedly verified and carefully designed by a professional design team, and every link has taken into account the feasibility and safety of the project.
If you add facilities at random, it will not only disrupt the original design plan, but also affect the progress and quality of the entire project. For example, the installation of ventilation equipment requires the re-planning of circuits and pipelines, which is not a simple matter and may cause safety hazards if you are not careful.
The laying of anti-slip floor tiles also needs to take into account the connection with the original ground and drainage issues. If not handled properly, it will make the toilet more difficult to use. Therefore, from the perspective of our construction party, according to the current subsidy standards, it is difficult for us to bear the additional costs brought about by adding facilities. "The person in charge of the construction party said while gesturing with his hands, trying to make everyone understand his meaning more clearly.
Seeing this, Yan Bugui hurriedly said: "We can understand the difficulties faced by the construction party, but we also hope that the renovated toilets can truly meet everyone's needs. We don't necessarily want to increase subsidies, but we just hope to optimize the plan as much as possible within the existing budget. For example, we can choose some cost-effective materials, or adjust the construction sequence, omit some unnecessary links, and use the saved money to add facilities."
The neighborhood committee director listened to their words and fell into deep thought. After a while, he said, "Your idea makes sense. Let's do this. The construction company goes back and recalculates the cost to see if the renovation plan can be optimized without increasing the subsidy. At the same time, you can also go back and ask other neighbors for their opinions to see if they have any specific requirements. We will try to meet everyone's needs while ensuring the quality of the renovation."
After the meeting, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui felt relieved that things had turned around. They returned to the courtyard and told other neighbors about the meeting. Some neighbors were satisfied, thinking that the neighborhood committee and the construction company were willing to listen to everyone's opinions; others were still a little worried, worried that the final renovation plan would not meet everyone's needs.