High School Belle Fell in Love with Me

Chapter 552 - 243: Two Choices (2)

Feng Jianhui felt a jolt in his heart, "President Zhao, you’re overstating it. Xingcheng Supermarket and Green Water Heaven and Earth are two kilometers apart and do not directly conflict..."

Zhao Xingcheng laughed and said, "Leader, this year’s New Year turnover for Xingcheng Supermarket is only thirty percent of previous years. If this continues, over a thousand people at Xingcheng Supermarket will have no livelihood. I admit Green Water Heaven and Earth is better than us, but this is a county town, not the Capital City. Green Water Heaven and Earth is willing to lose money to capture this market, and we at Xingcheng Supermarket cannot compete. Over the years, we’ve been trying our best to support local farm produce, leaving hardly any profit margin, with the head office often covering the shortfall.

The current situation leaves us with no options. Our company operates not just in Jiang City; tens of thousands of employees rely on us for their livelihoods. All we can do is apologize to the leaders. After the fifteenth day of the New Year, we will announce the closure. We will handle all the related membership card issues properly. Even if we are poor, we won’t cheat the people out of their money."

Feng Jianhui looked at Zhao Xingcheng, knowing that there was some exaggeration in what this old fellow said, like claiming tens of thousands of employees... Can Xingcheng Supermarket really support that many?

In Jiang City, the directly hired employees number only in the dozens, and even if you include indirect hires, barely reach a thousand.

At most, Xingcheng Supermarket employs just over a thousand people citywide who have social insurance paid for them.

As for those service workers earning one or two thousand a month, who would pay their social insurance, five insurances, and housing fund? Most are hired through labor service companies and are not officially employed.

The employees who have social insurance are all relatives or friends of Xingcheng Group’s shareholders or hired through interest exchanges.

Yet even in this situation, at least it puts food on the table.

A wage of one or two thousand isn’t much, but this is a county town.

At least Xingcheng Supermarket pays taxes in the millions every year...

Feng Jianhui spoke up, "President Zhao, if you have any requirements, feel free to tell us. Whether it’s a better place or more tax incentives, we can talk it over..."

Zhao Xingcheng didn’t spend much time thinking about it; there’s no need for him to mince words.

"Green Water Heaven and Earth and Xingcheng Supermarket, only one can stay, or else everyone will starve!"

He didn’t suggest taking over Green Water Heaven and Earth because the construction costs were too high, amounting to over a billion, way beyond Xingcheng Group’s capacity.

Even on installment terms, Xingcheng Group wasn’t interested.

What use is such a big place? It’s just more losses on top of losses.

In a small county town, a commercial center of that scale shouldn’t even exist.

Xingcheng Supermarket has been around for years and knows what scale is best suited for a small county town.

Feng Jianhui was in a difficult position.

Because... Green Water Heaven and Earth belonged to Li Yang.

Jiang Banxia also had shares.

He didn’t understand why Li Yang insisted on undertaking Green Water Heaven and Earth, even at a loss.

The main issue was that it hired very few locals, mostly outsiders.

He couldn’t make a decision for Li Yang; it was something Ye Bingcheng specifically asked him not to do before leaving.

This matter was tricky.

On the surface, Zhao Xingcheng said only one could stay, but he was essentially asking him to drive Green Water Heaven and Earth away.

"President Zhao, let me think it over. I’ll give you an answer before the seventh day of the New Year, how’s that?"

"That’s fine, that’s fine..."

...

Starting from the third day of the New Year, relatives started visiting Li Yang’s home one after another.

However, Li Likun didn’t look pleased and didn’t even invite them to stay for a meal. If they insisted on staying until noon, he would just book a table at the restaurant near the community gate.

On the fourth day of the New Year, an unexpected guest arrived.

"President Li, Happy New Year!"

With a cheerful smile, Feng Jianhui approached to shake hands with Li Yang.

This guest was someone Li Likun valued, and he arranged for him to have lunch at home.

After lunch, while seeing Feng Jianhui off, Feng couldn’t help but speak up, "President Li, Xingcheng Supermarket approached me with some demands. I’ve been torn about whether or not to speak up. Last night, I contacted Ye, and he advised me to ask for your opinion."

Li Yang asked back, "What opinion?"

"Isn’t Green Water Heaven and Earth a bit out of place in this small county of Jiang City?"

"Oh? I see, I’ll give the matter serious thought."

"Alright, if you need anything in the future, feel free to come to us. We will surely provide maximum support to local enterprises."

"Hmm, take care, leader."

...

After seeing Feng Jianhui off, Li Yang’s expression turned gloomy.

It’s still more pleasant dealing with Ye Bingcheng.

Feng Jianhui’s visit today indicated he had already picked a side in his heart.

He believed Xingcheng Supermarket was more important than Green Water Heaven and Earth.

Green Water Heaven and Earth hadn’t indeed brought much benefit to the locality, mainly because... Green Water Group had been operating at a loss, and they felt Green Water Heaven and Earth wasn’t significant to Green Water Group, contributing little value.

Moreover, many projects at Green Water Heaven and Earth were free, providing citizens with convenience without generating revenue, which was not reflected in the numbers.

Currently, countless families just leave their kids on the third floor of Green Water Heaven and Earth, with only one parent accompanying them, avoiding the trouble of having them at home.

Even slightly older kids don’t need constant parental supervision; staff members at Green Water Heaven and Earth can take care of them. Without ID tags, no one else can take them away.

In Feng Jianhui’s eyes, it’s all numbers, ignoring that Green Water Heaven and Earth hadn’t been open that long, and many things haven’t fully ramped up yet.

Leave? Definitely not.

No one else could manage it like he could.