Chapter 569: This Is a Good Girl!

“Uncle Gao, you see, relying solely on our individual companies to retain talent—our strength is ultimately limited. But if we could work together to transform Pearl City itself into a place people come to and never want to leave, wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

The Leader was taken aback by Liu Yutong’s sudden topic but signaled her with great interest to continue.

“I know there have been discussions in the city about attracting chemical plant investment to the development zone. But if we must do this, I suggest building the chemical plants far away from the urban area, even beyond the suburbs.

Pearl City has mountains and water, a uniquely gifted geographical environment, and transportation links in all directions. We mustn’t destroy this exceptional advantage for short-term economic gains,“ Liu Yutong said earnestly.

The Leader’s eyes instantly narrowed. He understood perfectly that Liu Yutong’s words carried a deeper implication.

Indeed, there had always been people within the administration pushing for chemical companies to settle in the new industrial park, but they had been blocked by the enterprises that Wanlong Society had brought in. If those companies hadn’t already taken the spots, the eastern side of the city would likely have seen numerous chemical plants. While chemical industries don’t necessarily cause pollution, they would undoubtedly harm the city’s image.

Pearl City’s urban area wasn’t large to begin with, and according to the plan, it would inevitably expand outward bit by bit. If those chemical plants were too close, who would be willing to buy new homes in the newly developed areas? Let alone the talent we aim to attract from elsewhere.

“Then there’s the urban transportation issue. Many roads in Pearl City’s old districts are too narrow, and the urban planning still follows old thinking from ten or twenty years ago. During morning and evening rush hours, it’s common for key junctions to be congested for half an hour or more…”

Liu Yutong continued, listing many areas she believed needed improvement.

These issues truly affected the city’s development, both now and in the future, especially since she was viewing them from the perspective of someone who had lived through the future. In her previous life, these very problems had plagued Pearl City, transforming it from a city that ranked at the top of the province’s GDP rankings to one that languished at the bottom.

She brought these up early as a warning to prevent history from repeating itself. If the city couldn’t keep pace with development, it would be the same old story: talent she’d worked to attract would still slip away.

The Leader never expected a girl not yet twenty to have such far-sighted vision. Every issue she raised struck precisely at the heart of Pearl City’s development challenges, many of which were pain points that the city’s leadership team had struggled with repeatedly in internal discussions.

At the root of it all, the city lacked sufficient fiscal funds.

Yet as he watched this articulate young woman speaking with such passion, he suddenly felt that if he didn’t take these matters seriously, he’d be no better than a child.

“By the way, Uncle Gao, I heard the city is planning to build a sports stadium, is that true?” Liu Yutong suddenly asked.

The Leader was momentarily stunned, then nodded. “That’s correct. Why do you ask?”

Liu Yutong: “To be honest, I think the planned stadium is too small.”

The Leader asked, somewhat surprised: “Too small? The plan can accommodate twenty thousand people simultaneously. For Pearl City, that’s already exceeding our needs.”

Deep down, he knew the stadium would operate at a loss. After all, few events were willing to come to a small place like Pearl City; building it smaller would at least minimize the losses.

But before he finished speaking, he realized something: this girl Liu Yutong wouldn’t ask about a stadium without a good reason.

“What are your thoughts on this stadium?”

Liu Yutong nodded and spoke frankly: “Uncle Gao, earlier we discussed that to retain talent in Pearl City, one of the key points is to enrich everyone’s entertainment options. A twenty-thousand-seat stadium is simply too modest. My suggestion is to do it right from the start—aim for a fifty-thousand-seat capacity, built to standards that can host domestic top-tier leagues and international individual sports events.”

“Fifty thousand? Are you sure?”

“Absolutely!”

The Leader fell into contemplation. He understood Liu Yutong’s implication—she was clearly telling him she had ways to increase the stadium’s usage frequency. And to achieve a fifty-thousand capacity, she would need to attract a significant number of out-of-town visitors to boost attendance rates.

If that were truly possible, it would indeed be a wonderful thing.

His guess was correct—Liu Yutong already had plans in this regard.

Wanlong Society Group held a controlling stake in an entertainment company. Would it be unreasonable to request their signed singers to hold concerts in Pearl City? If Weibo took off, they could also host annual events like a “Weibo Night” here. Furthermore, Li Xiaohui’s esports club—future esports competitions could also be held in Pearl City. She had countless ways to attract visitors to Pearl City.

If Pearl City then vigorously promoted its tourism industry, over time it could completely transform into a trending city. Wouldn’t that make talent more willing to stay and settle down? Once talent stays, the city’s overall technological development level would improve. With technological advancement, tax revenue would naturally increase, fiscal conditions would improve, enabling better urban renovation and making the city more livable. This would undoubtedly create a virtuous cycle.

However, whether Pearl City could develop according to her vision depended on the Leader’s courage and execution capability. Put plainly, the Leader had to be a doer.

The Leader looked at Liu Yutong, whose eyes sparkled with determination, and thought to himself: This girl is truly sparing no effort to develop her hometown—what a fine young woman!

From now on, if anyone whispered in his ear that Wanlong Society might have mob connections, he’d have it out with them! How could such a kind, hometown-devoted young person be involved in criminal activities? Someone must be slandering her!

The Leader then turned to his secretary behind him and instructed: “Note this down immediately. When we return, convene everyone to discuss whether we can replan this project. We can consult Wanlong Society Group’s opinions more.”

“Yes, Leader!” The secretary immediately responded.

An hour later, after the inspection concluded, the Leader got into his car, a pleased smile on his face.

“Xiao Zhang, look at this girl. Just over a year ago, she was on the streets promoting lobster sales with her team. Now she’s transformed into a pragmatic entrepreneur—what a remarkable change.”

The secretary smiled and agreed: “Indeed, Leader. Director Liu’s growth has been truly astonishing.”

The Leader said with some emotion: “Astonishing hardly covers it—it’s like she’s rocketed to success. I remember when I first met her last year, she was still somewhat naive and reserved. And now, she’s bold enough to give urban planning advice directly to me, the city’s parent official.”

There was no hint of reproach in his words; instead, they were filled with admiration.

The secretary, naturally understanding the Leader’s thoughts, followed up: “This shows that Director Liu truly sees Pearl City as her own home and you as her elder, which is why she’s so unreserved, eager to share her good ideas with you.”

“You put it exactly right.”

The Leader nodded in agreement and said earnestly: “This child has her hometown constantly on her mind. She’s not just focused on making money for herself—she genuinely wants to pull Pearl City forward with her. Given her sincerity and drive, I, as her uncle, must support her.”

“Send word down that for all reasonable requests from Wanlong Society Group—especially from this young Liu—provided they don’t violate principles, give them the green light and handle them as special cases. Whether Pearl City can seize this opportunity to soar to new heights may very well depend on these young people.”

“Understood, Leader.” The secretary noted it solemnly.

At the same time, he was secretly astounded. Having served this Leader—who was exceptionally meticulous and principled—for so long, this was the first time he’d seen the Leader grant someone special privileges. It showed the weight Liu Yutong carried in the Leader’s mind.

Just then, as the Leader was about to rest his eyes, the figure of someone who always opposed him suddenly surfaced in his mind, and his gaze instantly turned sharp.

“Xiao Zhang, find Qi Wei later and ask him privately—he’s been mingling with that investigation team for over half a year. Isn’t it time to close the net!”