Back to 80: My literary life.

Chapter 481 Project Hope
The road was so wide that it was impossible to pass each other, and the other car didn't seem to have any intention of passing each other. Two people jumped out of the car, one of whom Fang Minghua had met before.

Secretary Zhou of the Jingtai County Youth League Committee.

Secretary Zhou is very young, less than 30 years old this year. The day before yesterday, when Fang Minghua and others went to the county for a symposium, Secretary Zhou also attended, so we know each other.

Following him was a middle-aged man in his early 40s, whom Fang Minghua had never seen before.

"Chairman Fang, Mr. Zhao, we are lucky that we were in a hurry. If we were a step later, you would have been gone." Secretary Zhou smiled and shook hands with the two men, then introduced the middle-aged man next to them.

"This is Comrade Yu Hailong, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Youth Development Foundation."

"This is Comrade Fang Minghua, a member of the board of directors of the China Writers Association and vice chairman of the Qin Province Writers Association."

"This is Comrade Zhao Hongjun, General Manager of Xijing Shengshi Book Publishing Company."

"Hello!"

Shake hands with each other.

Zhao Hongjun was a little surprised.

What is the China Youth Development Foundation? I have never heard of it.

What do they want from us?
However, looking at the enthusiastic Yu Hailong, Fang Minghua vaguely guessed the other party's intention.

"Chairman Fang, General Manager Zhao, Deputy Secretary-General Yu has come here specifically to discuss some matters with you two. Why don't you come back to the county with us now?" Secretary Zhou said.

"How about we go to the village to discuss it?" Fang Minghua expressed his opinion.

"Yes, let's talk in the village. We will continue our journey after that." Zhao Hongjun also agreed.

If I go to the county today, I'll probably have to spend another whole day there.

"That's fine." Yu Hailong agreed.

After Fang Minghua and his friends got on the car, they saw it backing up.

The village party secretary Zhang Guisheng was very happy to see them return, followed by two leaders. He smiled and said, "I just heard the magpie calling. As the saying goes, 'Good news in the morning, wealth in the evening, and guests arriving at noon. It's only noon now, and the distinguished guests have arrived. Dongwa, hurry up and pour some water!"

The four of them started chatting in the village committee's meeting room.

Yu Hailong made his remarks clear by briefly introducing the project and work nature of the China Youth Development Foundation, and then said:

"Editor-in-Chief Fang, President Zhao, our foundation is planning to launch a public welfare project to help out-of-school children in poor areas. The purpose is to build schools, help out-of-school children in poor areas return to school, and improve rural school conditions. The purpose and nature of your donation are the same."

"Project Hope?" Fang Minghua replied.

Unexpectedly, Yu Hailong's eyes lit up after hearing this: "Hope Project? What a good name! We are going to call this charity project "Spring Rain Project", but I think your name is more famous! Chairman Fang, can we let our foundation use it?"

"Sure." Fang Minghua said with a smile.

"Chairman Fang, President Zhao, I have come here specially to ask you for a favor. Can you accept an interview with the central media to talk about donating to the school and the Hope Project?" Yu Hailong expressed his opinion.

Fang Minghua finally understood.
Feelings need our help to promote.

"Sure." Fang Minghua agreed immediately: "In fact, it is most appropriate for Mr. Zhao to be the only one interviewed for this matter. Your ultimate goal is to raise funds. Mr. Zhao is the CEO of the company, so his words are more convincing."

What the hell!

You agreed to something, but in the end I was the one being interviewed?
Zhao Hongjun glared at Fang Minghua.

Just think about it.

Central media, I haven’t accepted the interview yet.

It’s not bad to talk about it.

Is this also a disguised way of promoting our Shengshi Company?
Of course, just talking doesn’t seem to be a good idea. What’s the point of just talking?
Thinking of this, Zhao Hongjun suddenly said, "Secretary-General Yu, we think alike. Okay, I agree. In order to support your charity, our Shengshi Company is willing to donate 50,000 RMB to the Hope Project!"

"Thank you, thank you so much." Secretary-General Yu was surprised and delighted: "Mr. Zhao, this is the first donation you have made to the Hope Project!"

This guy is quite generous.

Fang Minghua thought to himself.

But it is worthwhile to donate to the Hope Project. Although the Hope Project was criticized in the later period, it did help many rural children continue to go to school and changed their fate. This is an invaluable contribution.

Afterwards, Fang Minghua personally expressed his willingness to donate 2000 yuan, and even the young Secretary Zhou donated one month's salary: 154 yuan.

Be among the first to donate to Project Hope.

At noon, the village party secretary Zhou Guisheng invited them to his house for lunch. Naturally, they had the Jingtai people's favorite dish to entertain guests - fried noodles, with a few side dishes, and a bottle of local Jingtai Daqu.

As they ate and chatted, Yu Hailong talked about the various difficulties he encountered in establishing this foundation.

Zhao Hongjun was surprised when he heard this: "Isn't your Youth Development Foundation founded and managed by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League? How come you don't have any money?"

"Mr. Zhao, you don't understand. Our foundation is a charitable organization. It is not a state department and does not receive state funding. The foundation operates independently and is responsible for its own profits and losses. Do you know how much our start-up capital is?"

"How many?"

"One hundred thousand."

"Only 100,000 yuan?!" Zhao Hongjun was stunned.

"Yes, the state has only given 100,000 yuan as a start-up fund. The funds for building the school in the future will all depend on donations, including the operating expenses of the foundation," Yu Longhai explained.

"Oh," Zhao Hongjun finally understood, and then said, "Then your fundraising task is arduous."

"Yes. The pressure was huge and we didn't know how to turn the situation around for a while," said Yu Longhai.

"So you found us?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhao, that's why I have to thank you. Come, let me toast you with another glass." Yu Longhai raised his glass with a smile.

After they finished drinking, Fang Minghua said with a smile: "Actually, there is a most direct way to break the deadlock."

"any solution?"

"Put an ad in the newspaper to solicit donations."

"A fundraising advertisement, is this okay? Will anyone think I'm a scammer?" Yu Hailong was a little skeptical.

"You are a foundation affiliated with the Communist Youth League Central Committee. Why don't you use this golden signboard? Also, if the newspaper is a national media such as People's Daily and Guangming Daily, will others think you are a liar?!"

Yes
Why didn't I think of this trick?

If you can advertise when selling goods, why can’t you do the same when donating money?
This money does not go into my personal pocket, but is used to save those children who are out of school!
"Chairman Fang, this is a good suggestion! I will discuss it with our Secretary-General Xu when I return!"

Yu Hailong said happily.

"Oh, by the way, Chairman Fang, I remember you once wrote two novels about rural education, one called "Rural Teachers" and the other called "No One Can Be Left Behind", and they were made into movies, right?" Yu Longhai asked, suddenly thinking of something.

"Yes, I wrote it two years ago."

"Oh, Secretary Yu, I almost forgot if you hadn't mentioned it." Secretary Zhou next to him interrupted: "When "Rural Teacher" was published, I was still in college. Many people in our class read it. It was really touching."

"Yes, it is indeed touching. Chairman Fang, can you write another novel about rural education? This will also promote and support our work."

Fang Minghua pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.

"I'll toast you!" Yu Hailong quickly picked up the glass again.

Yu Hailong left at noon. Before leaving, in addition to agreeing on the specific time of the interview with Zhao Hongjun, he also said that Fang Minghua's masterpiece would be published and he would definitely read it carefully.

Fang Minghua and his group also left at noon. If they didn't leave now, they were worried that another group of people would come and cause a lot of trouble. According to the plan, this time they turned southeast to Dingxi area, and then returned to Yanjing along National Highway 312.

Looking at the time, it is now May 5th. Fang Minghua doesn't want to go back so early, thinking that Xijing City is still in chaos.

"How about, Red Army, let's go to Yinchuan?" Fang Minghua made his own suggestion: "I know Zhang Xianliang, the chairman of the Ningxia Writers Association. How about asking him to take us around Yinchuan for a few days?"

"Hey Minghua, usually when you go out, you're always in a hurry to go home to see your wife and kids. You're not in a hurry this time? Okay, I'll listen to you. I haven't been to Yinchuan yet."

So Fang Minghua took the map to plan the route again, turned the car around and headed northeast.

(End of this chapter)