Chapter 190 Weathervane

Zhou Shufen's greenhouse is still under construction, and the plastic film has not yet been fully covered.

With the project deadline looming, he was so anxious he kept stamping his feet.

But Zhou Shufen remained completely calm.

She was confident that these dishes wouldn't be investigated at all.

Because they don't grow from the ground at all, but are taken directly from space.

Not a drop of pesticide was used, not a pound of chemical fertilizer was applied, and even the roots are completely clean.

This kind of vegetable can pass any test.

The port city is small, surrounded by mountains, and has inconvenient transportation.

The population is becoming increasingly dense, and food is in short supply every day, especially fresh vegetables, whose prices change daily.

Zhou Yujie's business deal was perfectly timed.

In just a few months, he became a household name in the port city as the "King of Vegetables".

Even he himself was stunned.

In just one year, his net worth skyrocketed, propelling him into the top fifty of Hong Kong's wealth list.

Heeding Zhou Shufen's advice, he invested all his earnings in a piece of land in Gangcheng, leaving none for himself.

At 27,000 yuan per square meter, the price is not low.

He bought 3,000 square meters in one go, and his palms were sweaty the moment he signed the contract.

But Zhou Shufen walked over and patted his shoulder forcefully.

"Don't be sad. This land will make you countless riches in the future. What you're buying now isn't just land, it's the future."

Now, everyone in the Zhou family is using Zhou Shufen as a bellwether.

Whatever she tells you to do, you'll make a fortune.

Now, the moment she opens her mouth, the whole family's eyes light up.

"Building buildings, building apartments."

Zhou Yujie was still hesitating between building a warehouse or a breeding farm, but Zhou Shufen's words set the tone.

"Apartments can be rented or sold. With the increasing number of migrants to the port city, there are simply not enough houses to live in."

Zhou Yujie was in a dilemma.

He sat on a bamboo chair in his own yard, his brows furrowed in worry.

The land has been purchased, more than three acres, in a pretty good location, on the outskirts of the city, right next to the newly planned industrial park.

Building houses isn't like selling vegetables.

These days, building a house isn't something you can just start doing casually.

You need an engineering team, you need to complete the procedures, you need to have qualifications, and you also need to understand blueprints and manage workers.

If any link in the chain goes wrong, you could lose everything you've invested.

He's struggling to manage the vegetables right now, how can he possibly have time for these things?

"Little sister, I'm really overwhelmed!"

He sighed with worry on the phone.

"I believe you if you say this apartment project will be profitable. But I have no experience. Who should I hire? Who will draw the blueprints? Where will I find a construction team?"

"Brother, we've already bought the land. Take your time with building the company, there's no rush."

She chuckled on the other end of the phone.

"First, register a construction company, put the name on it, and then find a reliable design institute to produce the drawings. As for construction teams, there are plenty in Yuxin. Let's talk to a few and pick the most reliable one."

"Don't rush to get started now. Let me figure out the process first, and then I'll teach you step by step."

Zhou Shufen knew that houses in the port city were ridiculously expensive.

The area is close to the port and development zone, attracting a large influx of migrant workers, making the rental market incredibly hot.

If this land were converted into apartments, it wouldn't be a dream to resell it for dozens of times the price.

If managed properly, you can break even within six months, and then it's all pure profit.

She bought a large quantity of new-style buttons, zippers, and lace fabrics from Ningcheng...

These items are still rare in Yu Xin. Once she starts retailing them, they will definitely cause a buying frenzy.

Guo Zhenyi accompanied her.

This was the first time the two of them had gone out alone without anyone accompanying them.

In the past, Zhou Shufen was always accompanied by her family members or employees when she went out.

This time, however, she was truly alone with Guo Zhenyi.

He was as happy as if it were a festival; his mouth hadn't closed since he entered the station.

Having not been back to Yuxin for quite some time, he prepared a large amount of gifts for Guo Yanlong's family.

They even specially picked out a tea set for Wu Dekang.

Honestly, Ningcheng is different. Things that I haven't seen in the mainland are everywhere here.

Everywhere you look, there are new and exciting things.

Zhou Shufen leaned back in a chair in the waiting room, holding a cup of hot water in her hands.

Guo Zhenyi couldn't bear to let her do any work.

From the moment they started buying tickets, he shielded her behind him, rushing to hand her the money, queue up, and sign the papers.

He bought sleeper tickets, and both of them were in lower berths.

I also specifically chose the berth opposite hers so that I could look after her at any time.

The man in the middle bunk was a middle-aged man wearing a gray shirt; he looked like a technician in the factory.

Guo Zhenyi even had to heat up an egg in hot water before handing it to her if she wanted to eat it.

"I can do it myself, I'm not that delicate."

Zhou Shufen muttered softly.

But he just smiled.

"Don't move, I'll do it."

But seeing Guo Zhenyi's cheerful expression, she softened and decided to let him spoil her.

"Shufen, how are Yu Xin's shops doing lately?"

After finishing his work, Guo Zhenyi finally had a moment to ask her.

"Good."

Zhou Shufen said with a smile.

"I handed over the breakfast stall to Lingling. Her steamed buns are so delicious that there's always a line. I get a share of the profits every month. Lingling is a smart girl. She knows how to do promotions. Buy five, get one free. She even launched a 'breakfast set meal.' Even the workers love going to her stall."

"With Aunt Yu in charge of the clothing shop, I have complete peace of mind. She knows a lot of people; who would dare to act arrogantly at her doorstep?"

Aunt Yu is a living map of Yuxin Old Street. She knows everything from the neighborhood committee to the police station, from tailors to vendors.

Someone tried to collect protection money, but as soon as they showed their face, she berated them and made them run away with their tails between their legs.

"The department store has more and more items, and the original one was too small, so I rented two more rooms near the factory."

She now mainly sells daily necessities and imported small commodities, offering fair prices and enthusiastic service, and her business is getting better every day.

"Guess what happened?"

Her eyes were fixed on Guo Zhenyi.

Guo Zhenyi couldn't help but smile.

"Did you run into someone you know?"

"Captain Guo is really amazing! When I was recruiting, I found an old worker from the Zhou family! Do you know him? He's Uncle Wu, who used to be the head chef at Zhou's Pastry Shop. He now lives in the old town of Yuxin. When he heard that I opened a new shop, he asked someone to come and ask me if I needed any help!"

“You’re famous in Yuxin now. Who in the neighborhood doesn’t know that ‘the Zhou family’s descendant has returned’? The old folks in the Zhou family must have heard the news long ago. Who knows, someone might come looking for you on their own. Aren’t you still asking around, trying to find the nanny Zhou who took care of you back then? If she finds out, she might come back to find you too.”

She stood up abruptly, and in her haste, her head slammed against the metal frame of the middle bunk with a loud thud.

But the pain didn't calm her down. She didn't even bother to wipe her sweat and shouted excitedly.

"Zhenyi! I've got an idea!"

He was startled by her sudden action and quickly reached out to support her shoulder.

"Slow down, don't hurt yourself. You want to open more stores, revive the 'Zhou Ji' brand, and make it famous again?"

She looked at him, stunned for a moment.

Why is this man always like this?

Even though she didn't say a word, he could always see right through her thoughts.

"right!"

She nodded vigorously.

"Many of those people who were driven away by the Zhou family back then were truly skilled master craftsmen. They were excellent at their craft and honest people. If I could bring them back together, I could not only bring back the taste of 'Zhou's,' but also give them a place to settle down and make a living. Do you think... they would be willing to come back?"