Chapter 143: A Very Special Project!

Chapter 143: A Very Special Project!

Liyuan Farm

The employees were elated as they received their salaries, and Zhang Lin welcomed his old classmate, Huang Tao, with a warm smile. "Huang Tao, sit down, and I'll make us some tea!"

"Where’s your beautiful secretary?" Huang Tao asked, his curiosity piqued.

After all, with a gorgeous secretary, tasks like making tea would surely be delegated to her. Having a beautiful woman pour the tea made conversations much more enjoyable. Inspired by Zhang Lin, Huang Tao had also hired a beautiful secretary for his office.

This secretary was stunning in every way, with a fantastic figure and high beauty standards. She loved showing off her long legs in stockings and often bent over in front of him. As a boss, he couldn’t resist and ended up in a hotel for a 'boss on a business trip...'.

Zhang Lin, oblivious to Huang Tao’s thoughts, explained, "My secretary is at the Bamboo Culture Park. The bamboo craft masters have some matters to attend to."

Upon hearing this, Huang Tao leaned in closer and asked, "Zhang Lin, be honest, have you made a move on your beautiful secretary? You’re the boss of Liyuan Farm and still single; it shouldn’t be too hard to win a woman’s heart, right?"

Zhang Lin rolled his eyes at Huang Tao. "Don’t be ridiculous. Miaoying is the daughter of the head of the Business Administration Bureau, Zhong."

"Holy crap..." Huang Tao was taken aback. He had assumed Zhang Lin’s secretary was just another beautiful woman, but to learn she was the daughter of a bureau chief was a shock.

The daughter of a business administration chief working as Zhang Lin’s secretary was truly impressive!

This realization made it clear to Huang Tao that Liyuan Farm must be highly valued by the county. Otherwise, a bureau chief wouldn’t have arranged for his daughter to work there.

Huang Tao quickly regained his composure and got to the point, handing Zhang Lin a design blueprint. "Here’s the detailed design for the restaurant. It’s designed with a unique and distinct agricultural theme. Take a look, and if it’s all good, I’ll send the team to start laying the foundation."

Zhang Lin took the design and reviewed it. The first floor’s eastern side was designated for the kitchen, while the rest was a communal area for employees to eat, complete with individual serving windows and seating arrangements. The second floor included a public area and a special section for management, which was a perk for the higher-ups. Additionally, there were several private dining rooms, each designed to be luxurious for future guests.

As the farm grew, more people would be collaborating with Liyuan Farm, and these private rooms would be perfect for hosting them. However, the restaurant lacked any special features, so if a high-profile guest needed to be entertained, meals would still need to be prepared at the service center’s restaurant, which wasn’t far from the employee dining area.

"Alright, Huang Tao, let’s go with this design!" Zhang Lin nodded in approval. The design met his requirements and was well thought out.

"Great, I’ll get the team ready then." Huang Tao left after receiving Zhang Lin’s approval. He had already organized the construction team and was just waiting for Zhang Lin’s confirmation to start the work.

Not long after Huang Tao’s departure, Zhong Miaoying entered the office with an elderly man, carrying several bamboo crafts.

Zhang Lin recognized the old man as Guo Lao, the chief bamboo craftsman from the Bamboo Culture Park and a key figure at Liyuan Farm. Guo Lao was much more sensible and self-aware than the likes of Lin Haida, knowing that his position depended entirely on Liyuan Farm. He had always been diligent and hardworking.

Zhong Miaoying reported, "Mr. Zhang, Master Guo is here to thank you on behalf of the bamboo craftspeople. They’ve all made a bamboo craft for you, and we’ve brought a few samples. The rest are at the Bamboo Culture Park."

As she spoke, they placed the bamboo crafts on a nearby table.

"Mr. Zhang!" Guo Lao greeted him with a respectful bow, his gratitude evident in his tone.

Indeed, he was genuinely grateful. Once a farmer earning only 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a month, he now earned 55,000 yuan, and both his sons were learning the bamboo craft under him. He knew who to thank for this transformation.

If they were in ancient times, he would have kowtowed and become a loyal servant. Now, he treated the Bamboo Culture Park like his home and considered himself a part of the Liyuan Farm family.

"Master Guo, congratulations! This month, you have the highest salary at Liyuan Farm!" Zhang Lin smiled and offered his congratulations.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang. I’ll continue to work hard and won’t let the farm down," Guo Lao promised, his enthusiasm clear.

Zhang Lin stood up and walked over to the table to inspect the bamboo crafts.

Just by looking at the appearance, Zhang Lin knew these were bamboo products made under the Bamboo Culture Park. The artisans had clearly put a lot of effort into the design and appearance of these items.

Picking up one of the bamboo products, he smiled:

"Thank you, Bamboo Culture Park, Liyuan Farm, and the specialized workshop for making these bamboo products."

Below the inscription was the date of creation.

Most importantly, these words were not printed by a laser printer but were carved by the bamboo artisans using a knife.

He picked up the other bamboo products, including those made by Old Guo, and found the inscriptions were all hand-carved.

The inscriptions, though not as neat and tidy as laser-printed ones, conveyed the heartfelt effort of the bamboo artisans.

Sometimes, the sincerity behind a gesture is more important than anything else.

With that thought, he turned to Zhong Miaoying and instructed, "Tell HR to set up a special area in the office center to display these bamboo products. They are a testament to the artisans' dedication. In the future, any other memorable items or products from the farm should also be displayed there."

Many large enterprises have dedicated historical museums to showcase their history and milestones.

This is also a part of corporate culture.

While setting up a full-scale historical museum might be a bit much for Liyuan Farm at this stage, finding a dedicated space in the office center for a mini-exhibition hall is entirely feasible.

"Sure, Mr. Zhang!" Zhong Miaoying nodded and noted down the task.

Old Guo, upon hearing this, was visibly moved. It was clear how much Mr. Zhang valued them and their craftsmanship, even going so far as to display their bamboo products.

He knew the other artisans would be just as delighted when they heard this news!

His phone rang, and the caller ID showed it was Liu Xian (Office). He quickly answered.

"Mr. Zhang, this is Liu Xian's secretary. Mr. Liu plans to visit the farm this afternoon."

"Alright, I'll be waiting for Mr. Liu at the farm this afternoon!"

Zhang Lin hung up, and Zhong Miaoying asked, "Mr. Zhang, should we use your special tea for Mr. Liu this afternoon?"

"Yes!" Zhang Lin nodded.

Southerners often conduct business over tea, and this particular Da Hongpao was very rare. Not just anyone was worthy of being treated with this tea.

Mr. Liu certainly was.

...

In the afternoon, Liu Xian arrived at Liyuan Farm with his secretary. As soon as they entered the office center, they saw farm staff arranging items in an office area, moving in piece after piece of bamboo products.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" Liu Xian asked a farm employee.

The employee explained, "These are bamboo products specially made by the Bamboo Culture park artisans for Mr. Zhang. The inscriptions are all hand-carved by the artisans. Mr. Zhang asked us to keep and display them, saying they are part of the farm's culture."

Liu Xian wasn't surprised that the bamboo artisans had made these products for Mr. Zhang.

After all, the artisans' wages in Youcheng were now very high, compared to their previous salaries, which were mostly less than 4,000 yuan. Anyone with a conscience would be grateful to Mr. Zhang.

If it weren't for Mr. Zhang's Bamboo Culture Park, they might still be struggling with low wages.

Even Liu Xian himself was very grateful for this.

The Bamboo Culture Park didn't just create 70 high-income bamboo artisans; it also boosted the bamboo products industry in Youcheng, increasing its reputation.

Bamboo product companies in Youcheng saw a noticeable increase in orders, and several new factories were established, indicating a growing market.

Therefore, he felt that these bamboo product companies should present Mr. Zhang with banners of appreciation.

The Youcheng Bamboo Products Association should be established, and Mr. Zhang should be its president.

"Culture display, indeed! Mr. Zhang knows what he's doing!" Liu Xian smiled at his secretary.

He planned to use the artisans' wages as a promotional tool, setting a standard and promoting traditional culture at an official level.

Naturally, this was also a good opportunity to enhance the reputation of Youcheng's bamboo products and deepen the industry's understanding of them.

...

Zhang Lin was in his office, looking at the game interface in his mind and thinking about how to trigger something new, when Zhong Miaoying welcomed Liu Xian and his secretary inside.

"Liu Xian, you're here, please take a seat!" Zhang Lin stood up immediately and guided Liu Xian to the tea table.

Zhong Miaoying had already prepared the special Da Hongpao tea. After Liu Xian was seated, she quickly started brewing the tea.

As the unique aroma of the tea filled the air, Liu Xian knew it was the same premium Da Hongpao from last time.

So, as soon as Zhong Miaoying poured a cup for him, he took a sip and smiled.

Indeed!

However, he didn’t say much more or praise the tea. In the office, only their secretaries were present, and he was afraid that if he opened his mouth, Boss Zhang would offer him some tea to take home.

That would be a difficult situation.

At this level, he knew that even a small amount of tea could cost millions of yuan. If he accepted, it would be a significant favor, and if he refused, it would be a slight to Boss Zhang’s goodwill.

So, it was best to quietly enjoy the tea.

After another cup, he got straight to the point: "Boss Zhang, I came to the farm today to discuss something with you."

Zhang Lin immediately responded, "County Secretary Liu, please go ahead!"

County Secretary Liu didn’t beat around the bush, saying, "Boss Zhang, the wages of the bamboo craft masters at your Liyuan Farm have attracted a lot of attention online, especially Master Guo’s 55,000 yuan salary. It’s a huge difference from his previous 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a month, all thanks to the Bamboo Culture Park."

"So, our county plans to use the wages of these bamboo craft masters for some publicity. Of course, we’ll frame it as the preservation of traditional cultural heritage, which is politically correct."

Zhang Lin understood the implications immediately.

The country had been promoting cultural tourism, especially the integration of traditional culture and tourism, for a long time now.

As a result, the cultural tourism industry had been thriving in recent years.

The Bamboo Culture Park was built under the pretext of preserving traditional bamboo crafts.

He smiled and said, "That’s great news. Since County Secretary Liu has come to the farm in person, there must be something specific you need us to do, right?"

County Secretary Liu nodded and said, "The bamboo craft masters at the Bamboo Culture Park haven’t all completed a full month of work yet, and I’ve heard that each master is training one or two apprentices who will soon be working full-time."

Zhang Lin understood and smiled, "County Secretary Liu, rest assured. I’ll have my people calculate the wages for a full month for the bamboo craft masters and list around 200 positions at the Bamboo Culture Park. We’ll coordinate with the county."

After all, it was just a matter of adjusting the data. It was a bit of a stretch, but not entirely false. As long as the message was clear and the Bamboo Culture Park genuinely focused on cultural heritage, providing high-paying jobs for bamboo craft masters, no one would really investigate this.

County Secretary Liu, seeing that Boss Zhang understood, also smiled and added, "Boss Zhang, to promote and preserve these traditional crafts, we need to conduct interviews with the bamboo craft masters. I think Master Guo would be a good candidate. It would be best if you could talk to him and make sure the interview has some emotional resonance."

Zhang Lin understood the meaning behind "emotional resonance" and said with a smile, "County Secretary Liu, I get it. We’ll create a story about Master Guo’s dedication to preserving the bamboo crafts of Youcheng. Despite earning only 2,000 to 3,000 yuan a month and living in a dilapidated old village house, he has persevered in his efforts to keep the bamboo crafts of Youcheng alive."

"Thanks to the county’s emphasis on preserving bamboo crafts, the Liyuan Farm created the Bamboo Culture Park, which has brought new life to the bamboo crafts of Youcheng, and has not let down dedicated guardians like Master Guo."

"Ha ha ha, exactly as you said, Boss Zhang!" County Secretary Liu laughed.

He found it easy to talk to this Boss Zhang. With someone else, he might have had to beat around the bush.

The story Boss Zhang proposed was touching and could be polished into a beautiful tale of cultural preservation. It would be included in the county’s records and the official website of Youcheng.

After settling this matter, County Secretary Liu had another two cups of tea and asked, "Boss Zhang, are there any new project plans for Liyuan Farm recently? If so, please let the county know. We’ll provide full support."

This was something he was particularly concerned about.

After all, the wages at Liyuan Farm were significantly higher than the average in Youcheng. He hoped the farm could create more jobs, ideally reaching 1,000 positions soon.

While the panda project was underway, it wouldn’t immediately add 400 employees to Liyuan Farm. It would depend on Boss Zhang to initiate new projects.

Zhang Lin was about to respond when he suddenly looked surprised at the game in his mind.

The farm’s social media followers had reached 10 million, unlocking a new milestone reward!

Was the game system really so intuitive?

Zhang Lin said instinctively, "County Secretary Liu, I do have a very special project plan!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end