C47 Information about the Oakroe Group

Zhao Yuegu had never imagined that the village's vast tracts of land would be farmed in such a manner.

To put it simply, as long as he held nominal ownership of the land, he would receive a system reward, regardless of who did the actual farming. The reward was a bit smaller than if he farmed it himself, but when you consider the sheer volume of over eight hundred acres, the impact was significant.

There was no need to consult the villagers about this arrangement. Most of them were elderly, farming solely to put food on the table. The prospect of having food without the toil of farming would undoubtedly bring them joy. The only issue Zhao Yuegu faced was ensuring these seniors had proper care in their old age, but this was a manageable challenge.

"With the roads finished, it's time to upgrade the village's environment," he mused. "The question is, do we build new houses or refurbish the entire village? It's risky for the elderly to live on their own."

A thought struck him. "Maybe we should establish a nursing home in the village?" He stroked his chin, contemplating. A nursing home could offer a safer environment, with caregivers and meals provided. Yet, the potential for mistreatment by staff loomed as a concern. The elderly, vulnerable and unable to defend themselves, could suffer neglect or worse.

"No one would dare mistreat our village elders on my watch," Zhao Yuegu resolved. "And we can offer a generous salary to attract the right staff."

He reconsidered the road construction, deciding instead to keep the professional team on hand to upgrade the village infrastructure. Their expertise gave him peace of mind.

This decision lifted his spirits considerably. Over the next few days, Old Mr. Ma and Old Mr. Hu settled into the small mountain village. Zhao Yuegu's home had plenty of space to accommodate them comfortably. He also got to experience the thrill of a helicopter ride, which left him brimming with envy.

"I'll have to get one for myself when I get back. They're incredibly fast."

He began to understand why, after amassing wealth, those rich folks opted for private planes.

Old Mr. Hu chuckled. "Want a helicopter? No need to buy one."

"Just contribute more to seed research."

"The school will provide one for you!"

"And the military will send someone to be your pilot and bodyguard."

Zhao Yuegu thought it wasn't out of the question. The majority of seeds in his system were, after all, meant to be widespread, which would be immensely beneficial for the nation.

Sun Ying, however, grew anxious at the prospect. If Zhao Yuegu was assigned a driver, where would that leave her? Out of a job?

She resolved to double her efforts—perhaps she could transition to an assistant role.

An assistant to a farmer, though? Did that mean joining him in the fields?

Farming wasn't out of the question, but could she avoid the early mornings? That was something to negotiate later.

Zhao Yuegu, on the other hand, saw the logic in Old Mr. Hu's words. High-yield rapeseed was just one aspect; his fields harbored various other crops, all from system-generated seeds, whose special properties he had yet to discover.

He was intrigued by the ability to make calls from the plane. "Can we get this signal equipment for the village?"

"There's never any reception there, making cell phones useless."

Old Mr. Ma shook his head. "Forget it, kid. That's military satellite communication."

"But I can notify the county to set up a signal station in your village once the road is through."

Zhao Yuegu quickly dismissed the offer. "No need to go to any trouble over such a trivial matter."

He was confident in his ability to oversee the base station's construction, even securing the latest, yet-to-be widespread 5G technology—it was just a matter of spending a bit more.

The subsequent call from the county, however, took Zhao Yuegu by surprise. "What? Oakroe Group is interested in a tourism development partnership with our village?"

"Their representative is coming to visit?"

He hadn't expected the county's call to come through on the helicopter. That was impressive. Yet, judging by the voice on the line, it sounded like it had been relayed.

The call didn't come directly from the county.

Sun's father turned his attention to Zhao Yuegu.

He was well aware that, although the village chief held the title in name, the real power in the village lay with Zhao Yuegu.

After all, he was the only young man around.

The dynamics of the village were admittedly odd.

But that was the reality.

"I'm not interested in developing it," Zhao Yuegu stated, shaking his head.

His first instinct was to decline.

The village had its experimental fields, and he relished the peace and quiet.

Sun's father, however, gestured helplessly.

"It might be too late for that."

"The Oakroe Group representatives are already on their way. They should arrive by this afternoon."

"Then let's wait for them to get here before we refuse," Zhao Yuegu suggested, feeling there wasn't much to discuss.

He had always preferred the tranquility of village life.

Sun's father seemed more enthusiastic.

"I think it's premature to refuse their offer."

"The Oakroe Group is one of the leading conglomerates in the country."

"If they're interested in developing a tourism project here, it could be a great opportunity for the village."

"It might even boost the economy of the entire county."

Clearly, Sun's father was intrigued.

Old Mr. Ma chimed in, "The Oakroe Group is a major taxpayer, with considerable clout. I've heard quite a bit about them during my tenure."

Old Mr. Hu, however, was unfazed.

Regardless of the Oakroe Group's influence, they were still a private enterprise.

Compared to the financial mobilization of an institution like theirs, the group paled in comparison.

Besides, their focus was agriculture, whereas the Oakroe Group was all about tourism; the two fields simply didn't overlap.

"It's up to Lin to decide what he wants to do. There's no need for you to fret," he said.

"How can you say that, Old Wen? Why shouldn't I be concerned? He's close to my granddaughter, and by seniority, he should be calling me 'Grandpa.'"

"Cut it out. You're just being disrespectful with age," Old Wen retorted.

"Hey, what's your problem?"

"What's yours?"

Zhao Yuegu never expected the conversation to escalate to the point where the two elders would come to blows.

But there they were, fists ready, the air charged with their intensity.

Old Mr. Ma launched into his military boxing with a commanding presence, while Old Mr. Hu, with years of farming under his belt, had a robust physique and hands calloused from hard labor.

In the end, the two elderly gentlemen ended up tying each other up and tumbling into the mud.

Thankfully, the soft earth prevented any serious accidents.

Zhao Yuegu and Sun Ying's father quickly intervened to separate the pair.

"There's no need for you two to come to blows over such a trivial matter."

Zhao Yuegu couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

The village elders never resorted to fisticuffs.

Yet, unexpectedly, these two newcomers had such fiery tempers.

No one anticipated that they would actually come to blows, especially since just yesterday they were arm in arm, sharing drinks...

And it had only been a matter of hours.

"Why don't you both cool off? How about I treat you to some watermelon?"

"Alright."

"Let's go have some right now."

Watching the two men make amends so quickly left Zhao Yuegu at a loss for words.

Great...

There goes the last of my stock, and now it's all gone!