The Beautiful County Magistrate
Chapter 168 The Pitfalls of Tourism Investment in Jiang City County!

Chapter 168: Chapter 168 The Pitfalls of Tourism Investment in Jiang City County!

Seeing Xu Qianli lost in thought, Ji Xiaomeng said, "What are you so silly thinking about? When faced with a great beauty like me, you’re actually thinking about something else? You’re really not showing respect for my beauty!"

Xu Qianli replied, "How could that be? I wouldn’t dare. It’s a great fortune to encounter you like this. So, how about I treat you to dinner tonight and give you a good feast?"

"Sure, I agree, but you better be careful, or I might eat you out of house and home!"

"And another thing, I haven’t asked you yet—are you married?"

Ji Xiaomeng asked casually, clutching her hands and trying hard to hide her nervousness.

"I’m not married, but I do have a girlfriend. We have a pretty good relationship; we’re at the point where we’re discussing marriage."

Xu Qianli didn’t know why, but as he spoke those words, he felt a bit cruel, as if he had betrayed Ji Xiaomeng in some way.

But keeping it from her would be even more unfair to her, so he told the truth.

Learning Xu Qianli was not married, but had a girlfriend and was talking about marriage, Ji Xiaomeng didn’t show the slightest sign of disturbance. Instead, she laughed and jokingly punched him in the chest.

"Sure, I always knew you handsome guy, wherever you go there must be women who fancy you. You’re definitely not going to stay single."

"Also, you’ve always been so picky. You didn’t even look my way before; the girlfriend you’ve chosen must be a top-notch woman, definitely super beautiful."

"Bring her over tonight, let me see what kind of woman I lost to."

"You, no excuses, I won’t let you hide her away," she said with a grin, her heart full of bitterness.

Why is it that after so many years, seeing Xu Qianli again stirred up so many emotions in her heart?

No, she couldn’t show it; she must not let him see anything.

Xu Qianli said, "Sorry, but really, it’s not possible. She’s not here in Jiang City; she’s down in the township. We’ll wait for another time, and then I can introduce you to her."

"What, scared I’ll bully your beautiful girlfriend because you don’t dare bring her out?"

"Humph, I knew it, you’re so stingy!"

"Forget it, you’ve always been like this, I knew it ten years ago, I can’t be bothered to scold you."

"Look at those black circles under your eyes, so ugly. Let me pick out a pair of sunglasses for you to cover them up. Otherwise, when you meet your girlfriend, she might just skin you alive."

"Also, when you’re out and about without your girlfriend and attracting bees and butterflies, be careful, or you might get entangled with some tiger ladies again."

As Ji Xiaomeng spoke, she helped Xu Qianli pick out sunglasses, quickly selecting a pair and handing them to him.

Trying them on, they were just right, absolutely perfect.

Regardless of whether Xu Qianli was willing or not, Ji Xiaomeng paid for them.

Seeing Xu Qianli was about to refuse, Ji Xiaomeng said, "Alright now, don’t you dare be polite with me. I come from a wealthy family; I’ve got more money than I know what to do with. Buying you a pair of glasses is nothing; I could even support you for a lifetime. How about it, are you tempted?"

Xu Qianli laughed heartily, "If you had said these words back in the day, who knows, I might have become yours. Now, it’s too late."

Ji Xiaomeng rolled her eyes, "Tsk, haven’t seen you in ten years, and you’ve really thickened your skin. I can’t even be bothered to scold you anymore. Alright, let’s go for a walk, find a place to have a good chat. There’s so much I want to tell you after all these years."

Without further explanation, Ji Xiaomeng pulled Xu Qianli away, linking her arm through his and hitting the streets for some shopping.

Finally, the two found themselves in a café, each ordering a drink to enjoy.

Sitting opposite Xu Qianli, Ji Xiaomeng rested both hands on the table, propped her chin on her tiny hands, pouted her red lips, and took a strong sip through the straw.

The sight of her sent Xu Qianli’s adrenaline skyrocketing, and he thought to himself that this woman was flirting just a tad too much.

How had she changed so much after ten years? She’d developed way too well.

The once green apple had turned into an irresistibly juicy peach.

Seeing Xu Qianli gaze intently at her, Ji Xiaomeng smiled smugly and said, "Look, drool, regret. You didn’t want me back then; now it’s too late for regrets."

"You got me, I regret it, okay?"

"My old classmate, my old friend, stop teasing me. Tell me, have you made any progress in Jiang City? Any investment intentions?"

Xu Qianli diverted the topic elsewhere, as he was very concerned about the investment.

"What kind of investment opportunities could there possibly be in a backwater place like Jiang City?"

"The transportation here is inconvenient, there’s no decent industry or infrastructure, serious population loss, and a lack of mineral resources. What it doesn’t have, it really doesn’t have—proud in its poverty. From what I see, there really aren’t any good investment opportunities."

"When I go back, I’ll tell my dad the truth, not to throw his money into Jiang City, or it’ll just be wasted."

Ji Xiaomeng was very frank about her thoughts. Having been in Jiang City for a few days and exploring various places, the more she looked, the more disappointed she became, and she had already dismissed the idea of investing there.

Xu Qianli said, "That’s not entirely true. Admittedly, following the development of Jiang City’s industry, the economic progress has been slow, lacking in mineral resources and prominent industries, but it does have its own strengths..."

Xu Qianli explained his viewpoint unhurriedly.

In his eyes, Jiang City might not be good for many things, but it did have one unbeatable characteristic: beautiful scenery and an excellent environment.

As surrounding provinces and cities vigorously developed industry and commerce and thrived, Jiang City, constrained by its own factors, lagged far behind.

Under such circumstances, Jiang City’s other advantage became highlighted: its natural and cultural beauty.

Since it wasn’t overdeveloped, its environment was well-preserved, making it an excellent choice for large-scale tourism development.

Of course, large-scale tourism investment would require a vast amount of capital and a long time to see returns, which is also something to be aware of.

Ji Xiaomeng listened very intently and could not help but pat his shoulder after he finished.

"Not bad, you’re pretty knowledgeable. If I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought you worked for Jiang City’s Investment Promotion Bureau or the Tourism Bureau."

"You’re right, Jiang City indeed has tourism investment value."

"But you’ve overlooked a very serious issue—Jiang City’s high-level changes are too fast. The previous three County Party Secretaries before the current one were all investigated, and the former County Magistrate even died in a car accident. The leaders of both the County Committee and the County Government change all the time."

"In such a situation, if a company plans to invest in Jiang City and the officials change, driving a shift towards industrial development at the expense of the environment, won’t all the money invested be wasted?"

"In other words, investing in the tourism industry carries a huge risk, and not many people are willing to take that risk."

"My dad probably wouldn’t dare take this risk either, unless you could provide some convincingly reliable assurances."