"This question shouldn't be asked of me. You are the top and second-in-command of the provincial capital, with many capable individuals under you. You could just ask anyone to go," Chen Feng replied humbly.
"If it were for any other matter, sending just anyone would not be a significant issue. However, this concerns the entire province's grand strategy, and we truly cannot send just anyone. After much deliberation, you are the most suitable person to go," Xiang Wentian and Wang Hai stated frankly.
"Me? That doesn't seem appropriate. I am merely the Director of the Development and Reform Commission for the Ming Shan District of Jiang City. If I were to undertake such a significant task, others might spread gossip," Chen Feng replied truthfully.
"Rest assured, others will have no opportunity to gossip. This is a major policy change for Sanshui Province, and it must be carried out discreetly, not publicized to the world. Secondly, drawing from the economic development experience of Sanhai Province, this cannot be completed in a day or two; it will take at least half a year to a year. If we send someone else, there's a high probability they will only focus on personal gain and enjoyment. In the corridors of power in China, there are countless officials who coast by and do the bare minimum. We have absolute faith in you," Xiang Wentian and Wang Hai expressed directly.
"Old Xiang, Old Wang, since you both trust me so much, I won't be polite. I promise you, I will take half a year to quietly research and investigate in Sanhai Province. However, I hope you will also pay attention to the development of Ming Shan District and provide preferential policies," Chen Feng continued to speak truthfully.
"That is natural. You will make a significant contribution to the provincial capital, and we will not let your Ming Shan District suffer. As long as you focus on Sanhai Province for half a year, we guarantee the provincial capital will allocate tens of billions of funds to Ming Shan District. After all, the new energy vehicle projects, chip projects, and apparel projects in Ming Shan District all require substantial additional funding," Xiang Wentian and Wang Hai continued to pledge.
"Old Xiang, Old Wang, with your words, I am filled with enthusiasm. Rest assured, this time, I will definitely bring back valuable insights, allowing Sanshui Province to achieve a qualitative leap in its GDP ranking across China," Chen Feng stated with firm resolve.
"Do you need any help to go to Sanhai Province with you?" Xiang Wentian and Wang Hai tentatively asked.
"Just by myself. As you said, this is a matter of grand strategy, a top secret for Sanshui Province. I will go alone, quietly," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"Then it's settled. We hope you can become a pivotal figure in Sanshui Province's economic transformation," they offered a final word of encouragement before escorting Chen Feng to the train station.
In Chen Feng's words, this time, his trip to Sanhai Province for observation would not involve interacting with the high-ranking officials of Sanhai Province. Engaging with them would only yield a pile of platitudes and empty rhetoric.
He needed to delve into the grassroots.
Therefore, Chen Feng decided to travel to Sanhai Province with nothing.
He would immerse himself in the front lines of Sanhai Province's economic development as a laborer. After half a year, he would undoubtedly gain insights and be able to determine why Sanhai Province had been the top GDP contributor in China for thirty consecutive years.
Chen Feng arrived at Sandong City in Sanhai Province in the morning.
Without rushing to find a job, Chen Feng first took a general tour of Sandong City.
After his tour, Chen Feng observed that Sandong City was primarily composed of electronics factories; all the industrial zones, large and small, were engaged in electronics manufacturing.
This made Chen Feng quite curious. While the inland Sanshui Province also had electronics factories, they couldn't develop into the bustling and prosperous electronics factories of Sandong City in Sanhai Province, no matter how they tried.
Therefore, Chen Feng decided to find a job at an electronics factory in Sandong City.
Only after working for a while could he gain a deep understanding of Sandong City's economic development.
Sandong City was the economic showcase of Sanhai Province. If the economic issues of Sandong City could be clarified, then the reason for Sanhai Province's leading GDP ranking for thirty consecutive years could be found.
Once this core reason was identified, it would not be difficult for Sanshui Province to develop.
The problem was, Chen Feng couldn't weld, nor could he engage in the research and development of electronic components. He couldn't even do simple technical packaging work. He had no choice but to apply for a general worker position.
What is a general worker in an electronics factory? They are the ones in the factory workshops who handle all the heavy manual labor.
Fortunately, Chen Feng had been practicing martial arts in his spare time after work, so his physical condition had always remained good.
Thus, Chen Feng settled into Hongfeng Electronics Factory as a general worker.
While working in the workshop, Chen Feng rarely spoke. He often worked while contemplating the operations of the electronics factory and the economic workings of Sandong City.
As a result, the employees of Hongfeng Electronics Factory assumed Chen Feng was an idiot, a simpleton who only knew how to do menial labor.
Chen Feng didn't care, as he wouldn't be staying at Hongfeng Electronics Factory for long, so let them say whatever they wanted.
One midday, Chen Feng was resting on a piece of cardboard spread on the warehouse floor when he suddenly heard a noise from a small storage room.
At first, Chen Feng paid it no mind, thinking it was just mice scurrying about.
However, it didn't sound right, and then he heard a woman's cry.
Chen Feng instinctively rushed to the small storage room to investigate. Upon opening the door, he discovered the workshop team leader pulling at the clothes of the factory worker, Li Hongling.
"Stop," Chen Feng shouted.
"Who do I think it is? Just a lowly general worker. I advise you not to meddle in other people's business," the team leader glared at Chen Feng with murderous intent.
"Team Leader Wang, harassing a female worker in broad daylight like this, isn't that inappropriate?" Chen Feng retorted boldly.
"What's inappropriate about it? I'm the team leader. I can bully any factory girl I want!" Team Leader Wang said arrogantly.
"Try touching Li Hongling again," Chen Feng was also getting angry.
He had heard before that women nowadays didn't like factory work, not because of the money, but because there were too many unpleasant things happening in the factories. That's why many women would rather work as waitresses in hotels or sell milk tea than enter a factory.
He hadn't understood why before, but now he finally did: it was because there were too many trash like Team Leader Wang.
Damn it, rural girls came to the factory to work, hoping to earn some hard-earned money. It was already difficult enough, and then they were exploited by scummy men like Team Leader Wang.
If he didn't teach Team Leader Wang a harsh lesson, he would be letting down his sense of justice.
"Oh, what? You want to be a hero? Try me, I dare you. I'd like to see how a broke general worker like you plans to fix me." Team Leader Wang mockingly dismissed Chen Feng.
While mocking him, he deliberately reached out to grab Li Hongling's breasts.
Li Hongling's eyes welled up with tears from distress.
Chen Feng could no longer hold back and threw a swift punch.
With a dull thud, Team Leader Wang fell face-first onto the ground.
Without further ado, Chen Feng followed up with a punch to Team Leader Wang's waist.
With this punch, Team Leader Wang would likely be unable to touch a woman for at least a year.
"Good! You, a mere general worker, dare to hit the team leader! I assume you don't want to work at Hongfeng Electronics Factory anymore. Just you wait, I'll go call the workshop director to have you fired..."
Team Leader Wang, enduring the intense pain, got up from the ground and ran towards the workshop director's office...