pjbooks Chapter 93 [Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas]
Chapter 93 [Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas]
Chapter 93 [Encouraging Entrepreneurship in Rural Areas]
First impressions are crucial.
Liu Zhuohao placed great importance on this point from the very beginning when communicating with Crow, and even later when communicating with the stationmaster.
Whether it's a carefully crafted text message or an occasional voice call, he clearly conveys one message: I'm not just some anime fan who plays around with memes or works out of pure passion.
I'm here to do things seriously, to treat video as a career, and to make a living from it.
Therefore, the platform's subsequent attitude towards him was significantly different from that of most other content creators.
After being pulled into some blogger groups by Crow, Liu Zhuohao spent a long time lurking and watching bloggers communicate about work matters on the site.
Even when discussing serious matters like resource allocation or rule changes, the conversations are often interspersed with a lot of popular memes and emojis, striving to maintain a relaxed atmosphere where things are done in a playful way.
For example, the list of performers for "BML" that previously attracted a lot of attention.
Everyone can see what performing on that stage means for content creators who primarily sing and dance: a leap in popularity, a substantial increase in commissions at subsequent offline anime conventions, and a significant increase in their influence within the platform's ecosystem.
The benefits are real and tangible.
Liu Zhuohao did not participate in this silent competition at the time.
He's a blogger in the food and lifestyle section, busy running around the steak stall, so naturally he has no chance to be on stage.
But as an "outsider" who was pulled into the blogger's group chat, he watched the whole farce as a bystander.
He still keeps those QQ group chat logs to this day.
The service hall of the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau was filled with the faint smell of disinfectant and the hushed whispers of the crowd.
Liu Zhuohao was waiting in line for his number to be called. Feeling a bit bored, he took out his phone, opened the long-dormant group chat, and scrolled through the old records.
Shortly after the list was announced, the group chat started buzzing: "Huh—??? I'm not on it—QAQ I practiced secretly for so long—"
"Don't be discouraged, everyone! (·) This selection process was really strict! It wasn't just about the number of followers; the backend considered factors like overall popularity, interaction quality, content verticality, and many other dimensions! The judging panel was also very conflicted! (pats head)"
"Oh dear, I guess an outdated old lady like me isn't good enough for this. I don't understand data or anything, but I saw someone who only had 60,000 followers three months ago, and now they're on BML~"
"I hope you'll be selected next year! It's based on a comprehensive evaluation of data, not just the number of fans. I really hope to perform on stage with Hanako!"
"Alright, alright, whatever you say goes (hands on hips). But congratulations to all the big shots who were selected! Keep up the good work, I'll be studying hard from the audience!"
Liu Zhuohao slowly scrolled through the screen, looking at the dozens of pages of chat logs filled with various emoticons, ACG memes, interjections, and role-playing.
The entire communication process was filled with a very special atmosphere.
On one side are the homeowners whose actual ages may range from seventeen or eighteen to twenty-seven or twenty-eight.
They skillfully use interjections such as "QAQ," "la," "oh," "na," and "pa" to carefully package their genuine or feigned disappointment, dissatisfaction, and doubts as "acting cute," "being adorable," "self-deprecating," or "playing with memes."
The other party was a staff member of the platform, who was also young.
They act as close confidants, using even sweeter and more exaggerated language, along with a massive amount of emojis, to both appease these content creators and push forward with the predetermined outcome.
They seemed to collectively don a mask of a loving family, within which all substantive disputes over interests and questions about rules were transformed and dissolved into a large-scale, harmless interactive performance.
To Liu Zhuohao, a mere bystander, the scene was both bizarre and hilarious.
What's bizarre is that a group of adults are dealing with the distribution of real money and future prospects in a very serious manner, using the language of children or virtual characters.
The funny thing is that this unique discourse system actually lubricated the conflict and maintained a superficial harmony to some extent.
Their discontent was expressed in a roundabout and subtle way, and their refusal was not wrapped in a sweet and soft guise.
Everyone tacitly maintains the unspoken understanding among insiders. Whoever tears off this mask first and speaks frankly about interests and rules seems to have broken some unspoken rule, appearing out of place or even unlovable.
--atmosphere.
I remember in a certain country, the atmosphere was very important.
If you're not in the right mood, you'll be bullied.
Liu Zhuohao exited the chat, looked up at the queue of five or six people ahead of him, and glanced at his phone screen.
It was precisely because I chose to stand outside this discourse system from the very beginning, using pragmatism, clarity,
Some even adopted a tough stance when speaking to them.
So now, I am being treated by the platform in a way that is closer to that of a partner, rather than as a child who needs to be coaxed.
"Mr. Liu, Mr. Zhuo, Mr. Hao, please proceed to window 1021 —"
The somewhat somber announcement in the service hall interrupted Liu Zhuohao's thoughts as he scrolled through his phone's records. He stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked towards the designated window.
"Hello, what service do you need?" the staff member behind the counter asked in a formulaic manner.
Liu Zhuohao leaned forward slightly, his voice clear and steady: "Hello."
"I would like to inquire specifically about the government's interest-subsidized guaranteed loans for youth entrepreneurship, as well as one-time start-up subsidies, business premises rent subsidies, employment and social security subsidies, and related tax incentives."
He paused, noticing a hint of surprise flash across the staff member's face.
Clearly, it's not common for a consultant to rattle off multiple policy names in one go.
"My current situation might be a bit special, and I'd like to be as well-prepared as possible," Liu Zhuohao continued sincerely. "I wonder if there's a teacher or department specifically in charge of this service? Could you please help me with a recommendation, or tell me which office would be more suitable for me to consult directly?"
The moment those few clear words were spoken, the young female clerk at the counter visibly paused. She clearly wasn't used to handling this type of inquiry.
"Uh—okay, please wait a moment." She quickly realized what was going on, said "wait a moment," and then hurriedly got up and left her seat, seemingly to consult her supervisor or find a more professional colleague.
Liu Zhuohao sat down on the chair in front of the window. Just as he was about to take out his phone to check the time again, he caught a glimpse of an uncle who was handling business at the window next to him. The uncle was tilting his head and looking at him with great interest.
Their eyes met for a moment.
"Are you—Boss Liu?" the middle-aged man asked tentatively, a smile of confirmation on his face. "The one from the news last night?"
"Hello, hello." Liu Zhuohao smiled helplessly and nodded in acknowledgment.
I was recognized again.
"I came here to check my social security, to see how many more years I need to pay," the middle-aged man explained, his curiosity undisguised. "Boss Liu, are you—applying for a loan? Expanding your business?"
"almost."
Liu Zhuohao didn't hide anything. His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough: "I've always heard that local governments are encouraging young people to start businesses, and there are many support policies and subsidies. I came here to learn more about them and see if I meet the requirements and which ones I can apply for."
"Does a small place like ours also have start-up subsidies?" Another middle-aged man waiting in line asked curiously.
"Of course!" the older man immediately chimed in. "After all, we're a prefecture-level city. If there are policies from above, they have to be implemented below!"
"My niece graduated from university two years ago and came back to open an online store. I think she applied for some kind of subsidy."
They began to whisper among themselves.
Liu Zhuohao, caught in the middle, simply smiled and nodded in agreement, without elaborating further.
Since it was at the service window and there were people queuing behind him, after chatting for a few minutes, the people who recognized him left with satisfied curiosity.
However, this little incident seems to have worked.
Not long after, the female employee who had just left returned quickly with a middle-aged man in a suit, who looked quite capable and was in his early thirties.
The man's name tag indicated that he was the duty manager of the lobby.
"Mr. Liu?"
The duty manager walked to the window, a professional smile on his face. His gaze lingered on my face for a moment, as if he recognized me. "We have a dedicated department that handles your inquiry about entrepreneurship policies."
"Please come with me, I'll take you for a detailed consultation."
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liu Zhuohao was led into the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau's office area through an internal passageway on the side of the counter.
After walking through several quiet corridors, the duty manager stopped in front of an office with a sign that read "Entrepreneurship Guidance and Service Section" and knocked on the door.
"Please come in."
A male voice came from inside.
Pushing open the door, a man in his early forties, also wearing a white shirt and with a neatly combed hairstyle, stood up from behind the desk.
When he saw Liu Zhuohao, a smile that was even more familiar than the one on duty appeared on his face, as if he already knew him through the internal system.
"Hello, Mr. Liu!"
He walked around the desk, extended his hand, and said, "My surname is Wang, Wang Zhenxing, and I am in charge of helping young people start their own businesses."
"I only saw you on the news last night. I even told my wife that our city has produced a young man who is quite insightful and hardworking."
"I didn't expect you to come for a consultation today! Welcome, welcome!"
"Hello, Section Chief Wang, thank you so much for your help." Liu Zhuohao quickly stepped forward, grasped the other man's hands with both of his, and said respectfully.
He had already quickly scanned the door signs and office layout in the corridor and had a general idea of what was going on.
After shaking hands, he casually took out a cigarette case from his pocket, skillfully flicked out a cigarette, and politely offered it to him: "Section Chief Wang, have a cigarette."
Wang Zhenxing smiled and waved his hand, pointing to the no-smoking sign on the wall: "Young people are quite adept at handing out cigarettes, but it's not good to smoke in the office."
"Come, sit down, let's have some tea and chat."
He led Liu Zhuohao to a small reception area in the corner of the office, where a simple glass tea table and several chairs were set up, with a complete tea set on the table.
"Although I've learned a bit about your situation from the news," Wang Zhenxing said, skillfully boiling water...
While warming the cup, he said, "There's a stall that meets all the standards and regulations; it's hygienic and has a good reputation."
"Oh, right, you're also a blogger, right? I remember reading in the news that you have about a hundred thousand followers?"
"Currently, the account has 230,000 followers." Liu Zhuohao immediately took out his phone, unlocked the screen, opened his Bilibili profile page, and showed the other person the clear number. "After the news last night, I also posted the related follow-up videos, and the number of followers increased quite quickly."
"It's estimated that it will reach around 300,000 soon."
He gave a relatively optimistic estimate.
The video was edited overnight by Zhuang Zicong and Liu Honghao and was released this morning.
However, Liu Zhuohao hadn't had time to look at the data feedback in detail. He had taken Crow and Fat Cat out for a walk in the morning, had a quick lunch at home, and rushed over when the Human Resources and Social Security Bureau opened at 2:30 pm.
"Three hundred thousand—that's quite a lot." Wang Zhenxing nodded, a slight surprise showing on his face, but it wasn't obvious.
At this point in time, for the vast majority of people outside the internet industry, especially those within the system, "300,000 followers" is just an abstract number.
They have no real concept of the reach, influence, and potential commercial value that this number represents.
They probably won't understand the true significance of this until the short video sector takes off.
After all, in the future, many official accounts of large enterprises, and even many local cultural and tourism departments' publicity accounts, will not reach the level of 300,000 followers.
"We have a general idea of your situation." Wang Zhenxing poured out the first brew of tea. "In my personal opinion, the likelihood of you meeting the requirements for the relevant support policies is quite high, but—"
He looked up at Liu Zhuohao and emphasized, "All procedures must be supported by complete written documentation. Do you understand what I mean?"
"That is to say, we know your situation, but you also need to clearly and in black and white compile your general asset situation, detailed business plan, your account operation data, future store financial budget statements, employment plan, etc., and submit them to us."
"Only then can we follow the procedures to help you apply and submit the application to higher authorities, and then there will be other things to do."
"Of course, I understand." Liu Zhuohao nodded seriously. "I came here today mainly for preliminary consultation. I want to figure out what types of documents I need to prepare in my situation, what the format requirements or precautions are. I'll go back and start preparing them one by one."
He paused briefly, then added, seemingly casually, "Of course, by the way, this is also a direction I personally take as a blogger, well, you could say."
"I'm actually considering whether I can record the whole process of applying for startup support and preparing to open the store in a more authentic way."
He observed Wang Zhenxing's reaction and continued, "On one hand, there's my own content material."
"On the other hand, if things go well in the end, it might serve as a positive example to encourage local young people to return to their hometowns to start businesses and work diligently."
"Even if it's just providing a little bit of reference, I think it's quite meaningful. After all, since I came out here, many of the people I've met have stayed in other places to develop their careers after studying. It seems that our locals are mostly young people like me, with relatively ordinary resumes."
7