Chapter 54: Mayor Tang's Subtle Schemes!

Tang Ye announced the meeting adjourned. Zhao Gu Wenqin gave her a subtle look, hinting that she should come to his office.

Unexpectedly, she was soon surrounded by a crowd.

“Boss Gu, I have a few questions for you.” “Yeah, don’t rush off; let’s talk more!”

In less than three months, they had turned losses into profits, with income multiplying dozens of times!

The small-town entrepreneurs were clearly inspired.

Who wouldn’t want to catch the fast train to wealth?

Who wouldn’t want to uncover the secrets to making a fortune?

Gu Wenqin had never imagined she would be so popular.

Personally, she wasn’t inclined to share Qin Ge’s transformation secrets with others.

But she considered Tang Ye’s perspective.

Tang Ye didn’t want Qin Ge to be the sole star; he wanted all the enterprises in Pinghu Town to flourish comprehensively.

“Boss Gu, is it safe to sell goods online? What if the goods are sent out but the buyer refuses to pay?”

“The customer pays upfront; the money stays with the platform temporarily. Once the goods are received, the platform transfers the payment to the seller. With the platform acting as a guarantor, there’s no need to worry. Of course, after-sales service must be handled well; otherwise, customers will report to the platform, which will arrange returns and refunds. So far, we haven’t encountered any issues with payments not being received.”

“Our family business makes hardware parts. Can we sell online?”

“Absolutely! We have stores on both Taobao and Alibaba. Taobao targets regular consumers, while Alibaba caters to bulk buyers and even receives foreign trade orders. Your products would be well-suited for Alibaba!”

Tang Ye watched Gu Wenqin patiently answer questions, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Instead of tirelessly persuading them to transform, having a successful person share firsthand was far more inspiring.

Back in the office, Chen Zhihua walked in, smiling warmly. “The meeting was very effective; everyone’s enthusiasm was ignited. Honestly, I feel an urge myself—maybe it’s time to join this team.”

Tang Ye knew Chen Zhihua was joking. “In the coming period, the government will need to allocate resources to help them gradually transition.”

Chen Zhihua sighed, “You really have the knack for this.” Then his expression changed. “The demolition of Aio Electrical is proving more difficult than expected.”

Tang Ye pondered, “No matter how stubborn the nail, it must be pulled out! We need to complete the demolition quickly to allow enough time for factory construction.”

After Chen Zhihua left, Tang Ye called Lin Ziyang.

“Today, Pinghu Town held an e-commerce sharing session with great results. Many enterprises will soon join the e-commerce ranks. You need to be ready to provide them with free basic e-commerce knowledge.”

Lin Ziyang responded enthusiastically, “Mission accepted.”

Tang Ye smiled and added, “It looks free on the surface, but think carefully—it holds enormous business opportunities.”

Lin Ziyang’s mind couldn’t keep up. “What do you mean?”

Tang Ye patiently explained, “These manufacturers can barely handle a mouse; expecting them to become e-commerce operators directly is too difficult. I think we can consider managed services: they handle shipping, you handle sales.”

Lin Ziyang’s eyes lit up as he slapped his thigh. “Exactly! Brother, you’re so sharp! I’ll head to Pinghu tomorrow to really get them on board!”

Tang Ye silently noted Lin Ziyang’s blunt manner. “Don’t put it so plainly. Instead, say you’re bringing them a new business model, acting as a mentor helping them reach the shores of their dreams.”

At last, Gu Wenqin broke free from the crowd.

Seeing Tang Ye’s text inviting her, she moved from the first to the third floor.

Entering the office, she clutched her heaving chest, still shaken. “They’re so relentless.”

“Small fry. You’ll face bigger challenges ahead. You need to get used to it.”

Tang Ye placed two documents before her.

One was an application form for the County Industry and Commerce Federation.

The other was an application form for the County Political Consultative Conference membership.

Gu Wenqin’s pupils constricted sharply. “You’re recommending me for membership?”

“Clothes make the man, and a horse needs its saddle. To go further, having multiple social identities isn’t bad. Besides, Pinghu needs a role model.”

“Am I really suitable?” Gu Wenqin asked nervously.

“Not everyone is worth promoting, nor can everyone be promoted. You’ve achieved results and have a good image. Both Pinghu Town and Tianling County need to highlight local entrepreneurs with outstanding business achievements. Moreover, you’re an independent woman, which adds multiple layers of significance.”

Looking at Tang Ye’s profile, Gu Wenqin gained a new understanding of him.

Had he planned all this from the very first day they met?

She found it hard to distinguish how much between them was chance and how much was fate.

And how much of his care and help was spontaneous, and how much deliberate...

Taking a deep breath, Gu Wenqin signed her name.

Tang Ye glanced at his watch. “Wait a moment; I’ve arranged for someone to meet you.”

Gu Wenqin looked at him curiously.

About ten minutes later, Tang Ye led several people into the office.

Among them was a couple and a woman pushing a baby stroller.

When the two sides met, the atmosphere instantly froze.

Gu Wenqin hadn’t expected Tang Ye to have arranged a meeting with Hong Lei’s mother, as well as his sister and brother-in-law.

The sister, named Hong Yu, was slender, with short, permed hair, wearing a red dress.

The brother-in-law, Song Jin, was short and had a refined appearance.

Gu Wenqin instinctively rushed toward the stroller when she heard her daughter’s voice.

But Hong Yu quickly blocked her.

“Sis, let me see Nini just once.”

“Who’s your sister? You have no right to see her.” Hong Yu’s face was cold as ice, showing no sign of backing down.

The girl in the stroller was only three years old. Hearing Gu Wenqin’s voice, she opened her sleepy eyes, struggled, and called out in a babyish voice, “Mama, Mama!”

Seeing this, Gu Wenqin could no longer hold back. She collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down her face.

Hong Yu’s mother’s eyes showed reluctance, but when she saw her daughter signaling her, she turned away, unwilling to face the scene.

“We had a prior agreement. The child is in our care now. We don’t want child support, but you have no visitation rights.”

Gu Wenqin’s face drained of color as she lowered her head to wipe her tears.

Hong Yu glanced at Tang Ye, “Please tell us quickly what really caused Hong Lei’s death. The child has been unwell these days; we need to leave soon.”

Tang Ye thought to himself that this was indeed a difficult situation.

If it weren’t for matters involving Hong Ruilin and Gu Wenqin, he would have stayed far away!

“The cause of Hong Lei’s death was not a traffic accident.”

“Not an accident? Then what was it?” Hong Yu’s expression showed surprise.

On the day Hong Lei had the accident, he had an argument with Gu Wenqin and then left on his motorcycle late at night.

Hence, they all believed Gu Wenqin was the culprit behind the tragedy.

“This is the case report issued by the Public Security Bureau.”

Tang Ye placed an official stamped document before Hong Yu.

After they finished reading, Tang Ye made another call and handed the phone to Hong Yu.

Hearing Hong Ruilin’s voice on the line, Hong Yu froze.

“Xiaoyu, stop making things hard for Wenqin. Xiaolei’s matter has nothing to do with her. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me! I involved Hong Lei. Wenqin is Nini’s mother. The child has lost her father; you can’t take away her mother too. That would be too cruel.”

“Grandpa, we’ll listen to you!”

Seeing Hong Yu finally relent, Gu Wenqin quickly lifted the child from the stroller, kissing her repeatedly with urgency.

The girl, unaware of adult conflicts, thought her mother was playing with her, and her tender voice giggled happily.

The atmosphere, which had dropped to a freezing point, instantly warmed as if spring had returned to the earth.

Tang Ye had painstakingly resolved the Hong family feud, playing his subtle games.

For instance:

He could gain deeper recognition from Hong Ruilin;

Strengthen his partnership with Gu Wenqin;

And with Gu Wenqin’s renewed acceptance by the Hong family, her background would be enhanced, increasing her potential value.

Seeing the mother and daughter nestled together, all of Tang Ye’s schemes were instantly softened by a wave of emotion...