"Thank you, County Mayor!"
Hearing Ye Qingping agree to help him get the permits, Qin Chuan felt an indescribable surge of excitement.
"Don't thank me too soon, young man. I'm pinning a lot of hope on you now. You absolutely cannot disappoint me!"
Ye Qingping said with a teasing tone.
Qin Chuan knew that these important figures often spoke with a relaxed demeanor when discussing crucial matters. He immediately assured them that he would not let anyone down.
A few minutes later, Qin Chuan and Wang Ping'an walked out of the government building.
"Huh? Where's your Santana?"
Seeing Qin Chuan riding a motorcycle today, and an old one at that, Wang Ping'an asked in surprise.
"My sister is quite busy these days, she's driving it!"
Qin Chuan said casually, "And it was her car to begin with."
"Qin Chuan, you're a big boss now. Rumor has it your net worth is already several million. You own real estate, supermarkets, flagship stores, and more. You're making a fortune every day. How can you not even have a car?"
Wang Ping'an said, "Perhaps you prefer to keep a low profile and make money quietly, but you still need to maintain appearances. It will also make doing business much easier when you go out."
Qin Chuan didn't know whether to be happy or bitter about such words. It truly echoed the saying, "Only those who wear the shoes know where they pinch."
Outsiders only saw his current success, with his real estate, supermarkets, and flagship stores. Little did they know that Qin Chuan himself was like a dung beetle's excrement—smooth and shiny on the outside, but a complete mess on the inside.
While he did have multiple businesses now, all three were in their nascent stages. He only held a ten percent stake in the flagship store, which didn't amount to much money.
Moreover, Li Ya was already asking him for money, so he couldn't expect any dividends from that ten percent stake for now.
The supermarket had only recently opened. Although its opening performance was excellent, it hadn't even recouped its initial costs yet.
On top of that, he had to make regular payments to the Meitehao headquarters, along with losses from various fruits and vegetables, and the daily expenses of over thirty employees. All of these were expenses that couldn't be touched.
Finally, there was the property development—that was a true money pit!
Since construction began, the first phase of the project had already consumed nearly a million yuan. There were also substantial outstanding construction payments, totaling around 1.3 to 1.4 million yuan. Not only had he not seen a single penny, but he also had to keep injecting funds.
Qin Chuan finally understood how demanding the real estate industry was. Without sufficient capital, one couldn't afford to play the game; the upfront investment was too massive!
Therefore, Qin Chuan was genuinely poor!
So poor he could barely make ends meet!
The two million yuan he received from the initial loan had dwindled to almost nothing through his constant ventures.
Now, he was also planning to open a sand quarry, which was another significant investment. He needed to build roads, buy boats, and cover various other expenses...
Sometimes, Qin Chuan didn't even dare to think about it, or he would become a little frightened.
He felt that he might be overreaching, starting with such a small capital and constantly embarking on new ventures.
It was fortunate that this was the current era, where money held significant value. If it were later, two million yuan would barely be enough to open a supermarket or venture into real estate; that would be a pipe dream!
As for buying a car, Qin Chuan had considered it, but he was truly broke!
Cars in this era were actually more expensive than in later times. A car from any decent brand would cost two to three hundred thousand yuan, which he couldn't afford!
Only he knew his own struggles!
"This won't do! I need to find time to visit Director Shang and see how much longer that loan will take!"
Qin Chuan silently resolved.
Outwardly, however, he smiled at Wang Ping'an and said, "Of course, I've thought about buying a car. But you know me, Brother Wang. I've been swamped lately, where would I find the time to buy a car!"
"There aren't any car dealerships in our county anyway!"
Although Ye Qingping and Wang Ping'an were on his side, they were not truly aware of Qin Chuan's financial situation. If they knew how broke he was, the situation might be different.
"That's true!"
Wang Ping'an didn't doubt Qin Chuan's words and then said, "Don't ride that motorcycle anymore. I'll drive the unit's car."
With that, he ran back to get the car keys.
"Damn it, I'm being looked down upon!"
Watching Wang Ping'an's retreating back, Qin Chuan grumbled internally. Once that ten million yuan loan came through, he would go to the city... no, to the provincial capital, and buy a luxury car directly to resolve this awkward situation.
About half an hour later, the two of them arrived at their first destination for the day—the Administration for Industry and Commerce.
The procedures for obtaining a sand quarry permit were very complicated, requiring approval from multiple departments, such as the Administration for Industry and Commerce, the Environmental Monitoring Bureau, the Water Conservancy Bureau, the Bureau of Land and Resources, the Tax Bureau, and so on.
After a day of running around, even with a car for transportation, Qin Chuan felt as if his legs were filled with lead, too heavy to lift.
In the evening, he hosted a dinner at the Yongnan Grand Hotel for several important guests, complete with dining and entertainment.
Thus, time flew by, and half a month passed.
The sand quarry permit was finally obtained!
Qin Chuan looked at the document in his hand, feeling that the past half month of accompanying them for meals, drinks, and forced smiles had finally paid off.
This time, he was the legal representative of the sand quarry.
This small booklet was worth its weight in gold. If not for Wang Ping'an's accompaniment and Ye Qingping's connections, Qin Chuan felt that even with his current influence, it would have taken at least half a year to obtain this permit.
Because it involved land resources, every checkpoint was strictly controlled, and the quotas were extremely limited.
Upon returning to the construction site, when Qin Chuan showed the small booklet, everyone gathered around, eager to see it, their faces filled with unconcealed excitement.
"Xiao Chuan, now that the sand quarry permit is out, can we start working?"
Qin Erge and Bai Xiaoguang's group asked excitedly.
They hadn't been idle in the past few days. They had already inquired about all the equipment and personnel needed for road construction, and even gathered information on sand suction dredgers, just waiting for Qin Chuan's word.
"Don't rush. I have something else to attend to tomorrow. After that matter is settled, we'll decide everything!"
Qin Chuan said.
The next day, Qin Chuan met with Shang Bingrong in his office.
They were both familiar with each other, so there was no need for formalities.
Shang Bingrong informed Qin Chuan that the ten million yuan loan had been submitted for approval. As soon as it was approved, the funds would be disbursed quickly, so he could rest assured.
"Thank you, Uncle Shang!"
"There's no need to be so polite between us..."
Shang Bingrong waved his hand. "By the way, I heard that the first phase of your property development is complete. When will it go on sale?"
"Soon, within these few days. When we have the grand opening, I hope Uncle Shang will do us the honor of attending."
Qin Chuan extended an invitation.
"Haha, of course, I will definitely be there then..."
"Dad!"
As the two were talking, the closed office door was suddenly pushed open, and a girl skipped in. Qin Chuan's gaze was immediately drawn to her.
Because the girl was incredibly beautiful!
She appeared to be in her early twenties, but she was very tall, nearly 1.7 meters. She had a perfect oval face, fair and tender skin, and a high ponytail. She was wearing a fiery red dress.
The combination of red and white created a strong visual impact, like a sprite dancing in flames.