C2 Fish Head Island Village

"Chief Wang, I've decided to rent this place!" Lee Zhi announced, surveying the area. "I'm okay with the annual rent of thirty thousand dollars, but I want to lock in a ten-year lease."

"Ten years?" Chief Wang's brow creased in concern.

Lee Zhi affirmed, "Exactly. These dilapidated buildings are of no use as they stand. I plan to construct new facilities and purchase a significant amount of equipment. The investment will be substantial. There's no way I'll recoup my costs in just a year or two. You wouldn't expect me to commit to just one year, would you?"

After a moment's thought, Lee Zhi added, "So, we're looking at three hundred thousand dollars over ten years, with an annual payment of thirty thousand. I'll pay the rent yearly."

"That's not going to work. You need to pay at least three years of rent upfront," Chief Wang countered, shaking his head.

Lee Zhi offered a smile, "I suspect you won't find anyone else willing to offer this much. How about I put down an additional five thousand dollars as a security deposit to demonstrate my commitment? If I don't fulfill the ten-year term, consider the deposit forfeited as a penalty. Think it over, Chief Wang. If you agree to these terms, we can sign the contract right now, and I'll pay the rent immediately. If not, I'll have to look elsewhere."

Chief Wang, puffing on his cigarette, scrutinized Lee Zhi, who clearly wasn't kidding. The village had struggled to find a tenant for a long time. Despite multiple online ads, no one had shown interest. The last visitors offered a mere five thousand dollars in annual rent after inspecting the premises.

"Fine," Chief Wang conceded, "but if you decide to terminate the lease, you must notify the village in writing three months in advance, or we reserve the right to seal your factory."

Lee Zhi considered the terms and found them reasonable. If he couldn't get the factory up and running this year, his prospects for success were slim anyway.

"Should we consult with the villagers about this, Chief Wang?"

Chief Wang chuckled, "No need. I have the authority to decide on this matter."

With that, Lee Zhi followed Chief Wang to the Fish Head Island Village Committee office, where they printed and signed two copies of the contract, making it official. Lee Zhi then transferred 35,000 dollars to the Fish Head Island Village account online—30,000 for the first year's rent and 5,000 as the security deposit.

The contract explicitly stated a ten-year lease term with annual rent payments, which must not be delayed.

"Now, if anything comes up in the future, you know where to find me," Chief Wang said with a satisfied grin, pleased to have finally leased the property. Thirty thousand dollars wasn't a fortune, but it was a significant sum for Fish Head Island Village.

Lee Zhi bid farewell to Chief Wang and left the village committee office, heading back to the factory. Despite the overgrown weeds, he was filled with a sense of exhilaration.

Securing the factory gate with a lock, Lee Zhi hitched a ride back to the city. The factory might be empty now, but it was his space to shape in the days to come, and he wouldn't rest easy until it was secured.

Lee Zhi intended to reside at the factory eventually, but for now, it was out of the question—the buildings required extensive repairs.

Even with the Nebula I9 Intelligent Factory System in his mind, Lee Zhi knew he still needed to acquire some machinery. Without the necessary equipment, the advanced system would be rendered useless.

Lee Zhi had a conversation with Village Chief Wang, who mentioned that many of the surrounding villages largely depended on fishing for their livelihood, resulting in abundant fishing resources in the area. Lee Zhi had already decided on his first product.

Following the Nebula I9 Intelligent Factory System's guidelines, Lee Zhi placed an order online, purchasing a set of machinery and completing the payment. The total cost for this batch of machines came to 49,800 dollars.

After spending 35,000 dollars on factory rent and another 50,000 dollars on machinery, Lee Zhi was left with just 15,000 dollars. Before the online-ordered equipment arrived, he had a few more tasks to handle, and time was short. If all went as planned, the machinery would be delivered in three days.

Returning to Fish Head Island Village by taxi, Lee Zhi noted the village's thriving tourism. Many city dwellers would visit for weekend getaways, which meant there were plenty of affordable hotels.

"Looking for a place to stay, young man?" An elderly lady, hanging a quilt to dry in her courtyard, greeted Lee Zhi with a warm smile as he approached her hotel.

"How much for one night, ma'am?" Lee Zhi inquired.

"Not much at all—forty dollars on regular days. But on weekends and holidays, when we get more visitors, it's peak season, and the rate goes up to a hundred dollars per day."

Lee Zhi did the math. Forty dollars a night wasn't steep, but it wasn't exactly a bargain either. A month's stay would cost 1,200 dollars, roughly the same as renting a small city apartment with a bedroom and living room.

"Ma'am, would the rate be lower for a long-term stay?" he asked.

"You're not here to vacation?" she asked, puzzled.

"No, I've leased the old factory in the village to set up my own operation. I can't live there yet, and commuting from the city isn't practical. I was hoping to rent a place here and stay long-term."

"You're taking on that rundown factory?" She sized him up thoughtfully before saying, "How long do you plan to be here, young man?"

"I'm not sure yet, let's start with a month."

"Alright then," she said with a thoughtful smile. "I can rent you a room for eight hundred dollars a month. How does that sound?"

"May I see the room first?" Lee Zhi requested.

"Of course! Follow me, let's have a look."

She led Lee Zhi to a decent-sized house with individually built rooms, each with a bedroom and a separate living area for washing up and storage.

"We've got all the bedding you need, so you can move in tonight. What do you think?" she asked, hopeful that Lee Zhi would become a long-term tenant. Not every day brought new visitors to the village, and her house had more rooms than just this one. Outside of the summer holidays, it was rare for all rooms to be occupied. Even during the busy season, there were usually vacancies on weekends, and with several hotels in the village, competition was inevitable.

"Sure, I'll take it," Lee Zhi said with a smile as he agreed to the rental.

"If you ever get hungry or thirsty, young man, I've got instant noodles, ham sausages, and bottled water on hand. Plus, there's a little diner just up ahead. Eating around here is pretty convenient," Aunt Wang offered.

In Fish Head Island Village, Aunt Wang, like over half the residents, bore the surname Wang. Lee Zhi was a man of action; he promptly handed over a month's rent to Aunt Wang, who simply noted the date without the need for a formal contract.

"Aunt Wang, do we have any folks with time on their hands around here?" Lee Zhi inquired.

"Idle folks? What kind of idle folks?" Aunt Wang asked, puzzled by his question.

Lee Zhi explained with a smile, "I mean people who are available. I'm looking to hire a few to help clean up my factory, but since I'm new to the village, I'm not sure who to ask."

"Ahh, I get you now," Aunt Wang said, her face lighting up with understanding. "We've got plenty of people who could use the work. Fifty dollars a day to sweep up the yard should do it. But for that big courtyard of yours, you'll need at least seven or eight people working a full day. If you trust me, I can round up a crew for you."

Hearing this, Lee Zhi was thrilled. "That would be fantastic, Aunt Wang. I really appreciate it!"

"It's no trouble at all. Just sit tight, and I'll go gather some folks for you," Aunt Wang replied, her generous nature shining through as she set off to recruit helpers for Lee Zhi.