34: Chapter 34: The Great River Township is in an uproar; Secretary Qin Chuan is awesome!

Everyone was notified of a meeting, but the agenda was not mentioned.

This left many people full of speculation and curiosity.

During lunch, many people in the cafeteria were discussing this matter, sitting together in groups of three or five, chatting while they ate.

"Secretary Qin has returned from the provincial capital. I wonder if he managed to get any money!"

"Getting money from the province isn't that easy; it's a classic case of too many people and too little to go around. Even if our County Party Committee's Secretary Cao stepped in, he might not necessarily be able to get any."

"The meeting is scheduled for 2:00 PM, and it's an expanded meeting. Does that mean he got the money?"

"It's possible, but I still think the chances are slim."

"..."

Many people were heatedly discussing this. Principal Yang Qi from Dahe Township Central School also received the meeting notice, and hope ignited in his heart.

Did Secretary Qin Chuan secure the funding?

If he had returned empty-handed, he definitely wouldn't have called for a meeting.

Did he really get money from the provincial capital? How much? One million, or two million?

If he really got one or two million, then the dilapidated teaching building could be repaired and reinforced, and they might even be able to buy a batch of new desks and chairs.

It's just that...

Yang Qi didn't dare to keep thinking along those lines. What if he hadn't gotten the money? He knew all too well that the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

At noon, many people were discussing this matter; after all, Secretary Qin Chuan had been in the provincial capital for several days.

It was just after 1:00 PM.

The Finance Office began its work hours. Usually, there was a one-hour lunch break from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.

A few older female staff members, with nothing to do, were also chatting about Secretary Qin's return from the provincial capital.

"How much money do you think Secretary Qin Chuan got from the province this time?"

"He probably didn't get any. If he had really secured the funding, the news would have likely spread long ago."

"That's true. It seems there's basically no hope."

"..."

Director Zhou Xiaoyu happened to walk in. Seeing everyone chatting during work hours instead of working, she surprisingly wasn't angry at all.

This was somewhat unlike her usual work style.

A new official often starts with a bang, and she was no different. She was very strict with the Finance Office staff; chatting during work hours would usually result in at least a few words of criticism.

This time, she wasn't angry in the slightest. On the contrary, her face was beaming with joy, as if she had won the lottery jackpot.

Noticing this, someone couldn't help but ask.

"Director Zhou, what's making you so happy?"

Zhou Xiaoli didn't answer directly but excitedly instructed, "Old Li, quickly check our Finance Office's account and see if a sum of one hundred million has arrived!"

What!

One hundred million in funding!!!

That's impossible. Dahe Township's annual fiscal revenue is only just over one hundred million. For one hundred million to arrive all at once—what kind of concept is that?

Old Li was stunned for a moment, thinking he had misheard. "Director Zhou, did you say one hundred million, not one million?"

Allocations of one million or even three to five million from above weren't uncommon, but one hundred million... not just Old Li, a veteran accountant of over thirty years, but everyone else as well—none of them had ever encountered such a thing in their lives.

Director Zhou Xiaoyu was also a bit uncertain; the amount was just too large!

However, on her way to work, she had received a call from the bank informing her that a full one hundred million had arrived in the Dahe Township Finance Office's account. The source of the funds was the Provincial Project Hope Special Account.

She had been startled at the time.

So, even though she knew it was ninety-nine percent likely to be true—the bank wouldn't play such a joke on her—the sum was so massive that she immediately asked Old Li to check as soon as she entered the Finance Office.

Old Li was very fast, immediately typing away on the computer. Soon, his mouth fell wide open, and his heart was filled with immense shock!

It really is one hundred million!

The funds had arrived just over ten minutes ago.

The source of the funds was the Provincial Project Hope Special Account. Could this be the funding Secretary Qin Chuan got from the provincial capital?

To get one hundred million from the province in just a few days—Secretary Qin Chuan is awesome!

He was stunned for several seconds—the shock was simply too great. Only then did Old Li react, answering excitedly, "It really is one hundred million in funding. It's already in our account!"

Everyone around was stunned!

It really is one hundred million!

Director Zhou Xiaoyu nodded, one hundred percent certain that this money was secured by Secretary Qin Chuan from the provincial capital. No wonder a meeting was called for 2:00 PM.

Checking the time, there were less than twenty minutes until 2:00 PM.

Director Zhou Xiaoyu hurriedly went into her office, thinking about what she needed to prepare, while also thinking to herself, "My husband's lips are certainly sealed."

He came back from the provincial capital and didn't say a single word about this money. I was even worried that he and Secretary Qin Chuan had gone on a fool's errand and returned after being rejected.

There were a few minutes left before the meeting.

Almost everyone attending the meeting had arrived, including several township leaders. Because of the crowd, the entire conference room was very lively.

There was only one topic of conversation: Secretary Qin Chuan's trip to the provincial capital to secure funding.

"Secretary Ma, tell us, how much money did Secretary Qin Chuan actually get from the province this time?"

Ma Zhengnan smiled. "Well, I don't know either."

"That can't be right. Secretary Ma must know; he just doesn't want to tell us."

At that moment, Director Hu Qibin walked in.

Someone asked loudly, "Director Hu, you went to the provincial capital with Secretary Qin Chuan. Give us a hint—how much money did you get this time?"

Director Hu Qibin, of course, wouldn't say anything. This kind of thing had to be announced to everyone by Secretary Qin in person. So, he just smiled.

"This is a secret for now. Once the meeting starts, Secretary Qin will announce it publicly."

If that was the case, then he had indeed gotten the money.

Exactly how much was it?

Many people's curiosity was instantly piqued.

Some wanted to press further, but knowing Director Hu Qibin was tight-lipped, they gave up. They would just wait a bit longer and hear what Secretary Qin had to say.

At exactly 2:00 PM, Qin Chuan walked into the conference room on time and sat in his seat.

The originally lively conference room suddenly fell silent.

It was clear that after taking down Township Head Liu Qiang and removing Director Li Youfu, Director Liao Ping, and others from their posts, his prestige had been completely established.

Qin Chuan nodded with satisfaction and then said in a sonorous voice, "It's time. Let's begin the meeting."

"As you all know, Director Hu and I went to the provincial capital a few days ago to request funding for our Dahe Township Central School. The school is too dilapidated and the conditions are too poor. Fortunately, our luck was good, and everything went very smoothly."

"Secretary Zhang Yuntao of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League is very concerned about the situation in Dahe Township. He made the decision to allocate one hundred million in funding for the construction of all twelve primary and secondary schools in our Dahe Township..."

What!

One hundred million in funding!

Almost everyone thought they had misheard!!!