flstandardbreds Chapter 153 Bridge Construction Begins, Grand Ambitions Unfold
Chapter 153 Bridge Construction Begins, Grand Ambitions Unfold
Bridge construction begins, grand plans unfold.
The winter sun shines on the river, creating shimmering ripples, but it cannot dispel the chill in the air.
Su Yunlan stood by the river, gazing at the rushing water before her, and a surge of indescribable excitement welled up in her heart.
She is finally going to start building the bridge, a bridge that connects the two banks and benefits the people, and she will build it herself.
The river wind howled, blowing her hair and carrying away a faint worry from her heart.
With start-up capital secured and preliminary government approval obtained, everything was ready except for the final push.
She took a deep breath, turned around and looked at the workers behind her who were waiting for instructions; their eyes were full of anticipation.
"Let's get started!" Su Yunlan's voice was clear and firm, echoing across the empty riverbank.
The workers immediately sprang into action, their shouts and the clanging of tools breaking the tranquility of the riverbank, creating a bustling scene.
However, this excitement did not last long.
"Stop! All of you stop!" A sharp voice pierced the air, and then a large group of people surged over.
Leading the group were Villager Zhao and Elder Qian, both fuming, followed by a group of equally angry villagers.
They carried hoes and carrying poles, looking menacing, as if they wanted to raze everything here to the ground.
"What are you doing? Who gave you permission to start construction here?" Villager Zhao pointed at Su Yunlan's nose, spitting as if she had done something heinous.
Although Elder Qian did not speak, his face was gloomy and his hand holding the cane trembled slightly, clearly showing his extreme dissatisfaction with Su Yunlan's behavior.
"Fellow villagers, what are you doing? We are building this bridge to make it easier for everyone to travel and to promote cross-strait relations. It's a good thing!" Young Master Xiao Nineteen quickly stepped forward to explain, trying to ease the tension.
"A good thing? Humph! I think it's a bad thing!" Villager Zhao sneered, pointing to the fields on the riverbank, and said loudly, "Your bridge construction here will destroy our fields and cut off our livelihood! Who gave you the right to act recklessly here?"
“That’s right! This river is the lifeblood of our village. If you build a bridge here, it will affect the feng shui of our village. If something happens, who will be responsible?” Elder Qian said sternly, leaning on his cane.
Among the crowd, a man dressed in tattered clothes, resembling a boatman, had shifty eyes and would occasionally steal glances at Su Yunlan, a hint of cunning on his face.
Faced with the villagers' questioning, Su Yunlan remained calm. She had anticipated encountering obstacles.
She stepped forward, walked to the villagers, her clear gaze sweeping across their faces, and slowly began to speak: "Fellow villagers, I know you are worried that building the bridge will affect your interests, but..."
"Hmph! Don't give us any of this nonsense. All we know is that by building this bridge, you're cutting off our livelihood!" The boatman, Zhou, suddenly jumped out, interrupting Su Yunlan.
Su Yunlan ignored him and turned to Elder Qian, saying sincerely, "Elder Qian, I know you are an elder in the village, highly respected. Please believe me, I built this bridge not to harm everyone's interests, but to make everyone's life better."
Elder Qian remained silent, his cloudy eyes flashing with a complex light.
Su Yunlan knew that to persuade these stubborn villagers, she needed to present more compelling evidence.
She smiled slightly, winked at the young master Xiao Shijiu behind her, and said softly, "Bring the things over."
Young Master Xiao immediately unfolded a roll of blueprints and hung it on the makeshift wooden frame.
This is a detailed bridge design drawing and a surrounding area planning map. The map clearly marks the location and size of the bridge, as well as the direction of the surrounding roads after its completion.
Pointing to the blueprints, Su Yunlan's voice was clear and infectious: "Look, everyone, after this bridge is built, it will not only not damage your fields, but it will also build new roads to connect the villages on both sides, making it easier for everyone to travel. Places that used to require a long detour can now be easily reached by simply crossing the bridge, saving time and costs. Moreover, with improved transportation, everyone's agricultural products can be sold to farther places and fetch better prices."
She paused for a moment, then continued, "Once the bridge is completed, it will also boost commercial development on both sides of the river. More merchants will come here to trade, and everyone will be able to buy more high-quality and affordable goods right at their doorstep. In the long run, this bridge will bring prosperity and development to this place, benefiting future generations."
Su Yunlan's words were like a spring breeze blowing through the hearts of the villagers. Some people began to waver, and a thoughtful look appeared on their originally tense faces.
Seeing this, Zhao Cuncun and Elder Qian became somewhat anxious.
They originally thought that as long as they brought people to cause trouble, they could stop Su Yunlan from building the bridge.
Unexpectedly, Su Yunlan came prepared and spoke eloquently, leaving them unable to find a reason to refute her.
At this moment, Xiao Yuhan walked to Su Yunlan's side, his tall figure like a mountain, silently protecting her.
He didn't say anything, just stood there quietly, yet he gave people an incredibly reassuring feeling.
Su Yunlan turned to look at him, and the unspoken understanding between them made everyone present feel the deep affection between them.
Just then, a figure squeezed out from the crowd, his face showing anxiety.
"Wait! You can't build this bridge! If it's built, my business will be completely ruined!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhou the boatman running over, panting, his face full of panic and anger.
He pointed at the several small boats on the river and shouted, "I make a living by ferrying people across the river. If this bridge is built, who will still use my boat? You're cutting off my livelihood!"
The appearance of Zhou the boatman was like adding fuel to the fire. His desperate cries were like a sharp thorn, piercing the hearts of the wavering villagers.
“My whole family depends on this river for a living. You built a bridge, what are we going to eat? Drink the northwest wind?” He cried and wailed, beating his chest and stamping his feet, as if Su Yunlan were some heinous sinner.
The crowd began to stir. The villagers, who had been persuaded by Su Yunlan, started whispering among themselves again. Elder Qian's cane pounded heavily on the ground, the "thump-thump" sound particularly jarring on the quiet riverbank.
"You make it sound nice, but who knows what will happen in the future? What if our lives become even harder after this bridge is built?"
Su Yunlan took a deep breath, looked directly at Zhou the boatman, and said firmly and steadily, "Zhou the boatman, I understand your concerns. But have you considered that after this bridge is built, transportation between the two banks will be much more convenient, and the flow of goods will be more frequent? At that time, you will need to transport more goods, not less. I can let you participate in the transportation work for the bridge construction project. You can use your boat to transport the materials needed for the bridge construction, and I will pay you wages. In this way, you will not only not lose your income, but you will also have more opportunities to make money."
Zhou the boatman was stunned; he hadn't expected Su Yunlan to make such a suggestion.
He originally just wanted to take this opportunity to cause trouble and extort money from Su Yunlan, but he didn't expect her to give him a better option.
He secretly glanced at Su Yunlan and found that her eyes were clear and her tone was sincere, not like she was just being perfunctory.
He began to make plans in his mind.
If he participates in the bridge construction project, he can indeed earn a lot of money, and he can also establish a relationship with the Xiao family, which will be of great benefit to his future development.
His eyes darted around, and the crying on his face gradually stopped, replaced by a barely perceptible hint of greed.
"Really?" he asked tentatively.
Su Yunlan nodded firmly, "Of course it's true. We can sign a contract anytime you're willing."
A smile finally appeared on Zhou the boatman's face. He rubbed his hands together and his tone became polite, "Alright, I'm willing to join."
Seeing the change in Zhou's attitude, the villagers, who had been somewhat agitated, gradually quieted down.
Elder Qian glanced at Su Yunlan, then at the boatman Zhou, and finally sighed without saying anything more.
Su Yunlan knew that the crisis had been temporarily averted.
She looked around at the crowd again, her tone firm and confident, "Fellow villagers, I assure you that this bridge will bring you good fortune. Let's work together to create a better future!"
A burst of enthusiastic applause erupted from the crowd, and the workers picked up their tools again, throwing themselves back into their work with great enthusiasm.
The shouts and the sounds of banging rang out again, this time louder and more hopeful.
Looking at the bustling scene before him, Su Yunlan smiled slightly.
However, she was not completely at ease.
She knew that the road to building the bridge had only just begun, and that there would be many more challenges to come.
“Yunlan,” Xiao Yuhan walked to her side and gently took her hand, “everything is just beginning.”
Su Yunlan turned to look at him.