Chapter 18

What is she saying?

Director Zhou could understand every word, but he couldn't comprehend Hu Zhenzhen's thoughts at all.

Is she really going to raise cattle at the school?

"Ms. Hu must be joking. This is a school, how could we possibly raise cattle here?"

“I didn’t say I wanted to raise them at the school,” Hu Zhenzhen said with a faint smile. “S City is so big, surely we can find a place to raise cattle?”

"Ms. Hu is being far too naive. Even if there is land available, the price..."

Before Director Zhou could finish speaking, he suddenly remembered that the woman in front of him could donate a library so easily, so she must be quite wealthy.

“Raising cattle requires money for feed and labor. After milking, the milk needs to be processed. In short, the school does not have the funds to accompany Ms. Hu to do this kind of thing.”

His tone of refusal was very firm.

But Hu Zhenzhen didn't even look at him.

He tilted his head slightly and looked at the principal sitting behind his desk in the distance.

"Sir Principal, what if I said I would provide all the milk from now on?"

"Is Ms. Hu trying to make money from this?"

The principal was puzzled; she seemed to have absolutely no need to do this business.

"No, it's not about making money, it's about providing it for free."

"Free? Are you crazy?"

The person who said this was Director Zhou. He looked extremely surprised and stood up excitedly, trying to persuade Hu Zhenzhen to give up the idea.

The person who stopped him was not Hu Zhenzhen, but the principal who sat calmly behind his desk.

“Xiao Zhou, you’re too excited. Ms. Hu’s idea isn’t a bad thing.”

After being reprimanded, Director Zhou calmed down and sat back down.

The principal then smiled and said to Hu Zhenzhen, "I'm sorry, madam, I cannot agree to this."

"Why?"

Hu Zhenzhen was somewhat puzzled.

The principal patiently explained, "As you know, many parents in our school are wealthy, and many have donated things to the school. However, we really cannot accept private donations of food. If any child has a problem, it will be very difficult to resolve the situation."

"The company that has problems today is Sanniu Milk. It's a big company and it can't escape responsibility. Even if something really goes wrong and we have to sue, we have a specific target and evidence."

Hu Zhenzhen understood immediately.

This was indeed a case of her not thinking things through, after all, it was her first time being a parent, but she understood the school's concerns.

"I see. So, if we switch to another established dairy company, will there be no problem?"

"So, Ms. Hu, do you have any safe milk brands you would recommend?"

Hu Zhenzhen smiled slightly.

"There is indeed one, but it's not convenient to tell you right now. Please ask the school to suspend the distribution of San Niu milk for a week."

"As for the choice of the next milk brand, since there is now a parent oversight association, we can give all parents a chance to choose safe milk for their children."

She turned her head and looked directly at Director Zhou for the first time since entering the room. "Director Zhou, what do you think of my method?"

Director Zhou chuckled twice. "That's good."

"Then let's do as Ms. Hu says. We will temporarily suspend the distribution of milk and cancel the milk drinking time during breaks between classes for this week. As for the next brand of milk for students, we will leave it to the parents to decide."

The principal made the final decision.

"Please arrange the parent vote, Ms. Hu. We'll let the school know the final results next week."

“Principal…” Director Zhou wanted to say something, but the principal waved his hand and said, “Xiao Zhou, you need to learn to relax. Although this is your job, you don’t have to do everything yourself.”

"Alright, go back and get some rest."

The principal stood up. "Ms. Hu, let me see you out."

Hu Zhenzhen smiled slightly, "Thank you."

The group walked away talking, leaving only Director Zhou in the office.

He silently tidied up the office and locked the door.

The corridors of the Academic Affairs Office were very quiet, except for the occasional voices coming from the innermost Finance Office.

Director Zhou walked out with his head down, all the way to the end of the playground.

There's a pebble path in the greenery there, but nobody usually comes here except for Director Zhou who occasionally takes a walk.

When he got there, he finally looked up, revealing a gloomy expression.

He had just climbed to the position of director last year and gained power, just in time for the release of a document to strengthen the bodies of teenagers, which required schools to uniformly order milk.

It took a long time to get everything arranged.

Milk from major manufacturers guarantees both quality and reputation.

The source of the goods is open and transparent, so no one will suspect anything.

With such favorable terms, including a 2% kickback, it was a very good deal for Director Zhou.

I never imagined that in less than a year, this path to wealth would be ruined.

Director Zhou became increasingly unwilling, but he knew that he couldn't compete with a wealthy person of Hu Zhenzhen's caliber on his own. He could only swallow his anger and do as she said.

The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he became.

She's already so rich, why would she want to cut off an ordinary person's path to wealth?

After much deliberation, Director Zhou gritted his teeth and dialed a number.

"Hey, Brother Wang, this is Zhou Liwei."

"There's a problem with the milk; we probably won't be able to continue this line of business."

"No, it's not that I don't want to cooperate with you anymore. The ingredients of San Niu Milk have been tested and propylene glycol has been found. You know, I'm just a junior director, what say do I have? The principal has already made the decision."

On the other end of the phone was Wang Changyou from the San Niu factory.

In this deal, Director Zhou took two-tenths of the profits, and he took one-tenth. When he heard that the line was closed, his voice suddenly turned cold.

"Who reported it?"

Director Zhou smirked and said, "They're a wealthy parent. They even donated a library to the school a while ago."

"Stop beating around the bush, you know what I want to ask, just tell me who he is."

The person opposite couldn't see Director Zhou's expression, but his face showed an undisguised smile. "Brother Wang, it's not that I don't want to talk about it, but that woman is far too rich. She's not someone we can handle."

"You don't need to deal with it. I know what you're worried about. Don't worry, Director Zhou, I won't say that you told me."

“Brother Wang, that’s not what I’m worried about,” he said insincerely. “How about this, I’ll tell you her name. Her name is Hu Zhenzhen, and she’s the parent of a student in Class 3, Grade 2.”

As for more specific information, Director Zhou didn't know much either.

Fortunately, Wang Changyou didn't intend to ask him.

"Okay, I understand. After all, it involves the brand. I'll inform my superiors about this. Just wait quietly."

Director Zhou's eyes lit up.

Wang Changyou is a mid-level manager at Sanniu Milk. If the notice he mentioned is something that should be handled by someone at the chairman level, then it is not.

For such an important figure to deal with a wealthy parent would be a piece of cake.

He couldn't suppress the excited smile on his face.

"Okay, Brother Wang, I'll wait for your good news."

Director Zhou hung up the phone and walked out of the green belt with a relaxed expression.

When he returned to the administration building, he happened to run into the principal, who was also returning. The principal looked at the expression on his face and smiled with satisfaction. "That's right, Xiao Zhou. Young people should be more cheerful. This is not your fault, so don't take it to heart."

“Principal, you’re right. Sometimes it’s good to let others do things.”

Director Zhou smiled gently.

The principal told him to quickly dispose of the old milk, and then returned to his office with peace of mind.

Director Zhou, who remained where he was, seemed to have been enlightened.

Yes, the milk business may have dried up, but we still have the milk we had before.

To ensure that students can drink milk every day, they usually order a week's worth of milk in advance and have it delivered to the school.

There are still hundreds of boxes of milk stored in the warehouse, which is also a significant amount of money.

Director Zhou came up with the idea of ​​selling secondhand milk, since the milk had never been opened and was no different from that in the wholesale store.

Why doesn't he just sell to retail stores at a price lower than that of wholesale stores?

Director Zhou clapped his hands and laughed heartily twice.

He doesn't need to share this money with anyone; he can put it directly into his own pocket.

His mood instantly improved, and he walked away whistling.

Wang Changyou was not in such a good mood.

As an employee of Sanniu Milk, he knew much more than Director Zhou.

On a small scale, the propylene glycol issue ruined a small business and caused the company to lose its status as a supplier to schools; on a larger scale, it caused a brand crisis.

Wang Changyou dared not be careless and immediately contacted his secretary to go see the top leader.

San Niu Milk is a nationally renowned brand with branch factories in many cities. The factory where Wang Changyou works is the largest one besides the main factory.

The factory manager is over fifty years old this year and will retire in a few years. It's the age when he least wants to cause trouble. Anyone who causes him trouble will get a hard time from him.

If the situation hadn't been so serious, Wang Changyou wouldn't have bothered to come to him.

"Factory manager, something bad has happened. Some parents have reported us to the schools we cooperate with."

The factory manager was sitting on the sofa drinking tea when he saw him rushing into the room and immediately frowned.

"You're such a grown-up, yet you still haven't learned to be steady. That's why the projects you're in charge of are so prone to problems."

Upon entering, Wang Changyou was immediately berated. He took a bite of the tender meat in his mouth to restrain himself from turning around and leaving.

"Factory manager, this is no small matter!"

“I know this is no small matter,” the factory manager said, slamming his cup down heavily, his face showing displeasure. “Tell me the situation. Who reported it? How did the whistleblower find out about the additives? Have they exposed it to the media yet?”

Wang Changyou had been in for a while, but the factory manager hadn't told him to sit down. Feeling uncomfortable, he decided not to wait any longer and sat down on the sofa by himself.

"It's a woman, and I heard she's very rich. She just donated a teaching building to the school."

"Rich? Have you found out what she does for a living?"

Wang Changyou had actually done some research before coming here, and said, "So far, all we know is that she bought a floor in the Wanhua Shopping Mall on Central Avenue, and it seems she plans to build a children's playground. That's all we know."

The factory manager's expression hardened further. "Central Street, that's not cheap."

He couldn't help but feel a little irritated, and seeing Wang Changyou's crossed legs made him even more annoyed.

"Put your legs down. You have no manners. You're supposed to be a junior leader, yet you don't even have this much politeness."

Wang Changyou had been scolded since he walked in and was already impatient. Even after being criticized, he still crossed his legs. "Boss, let's not talk about that nonsense. The key thing now is not my posture, but what we should do about this?"

He has a point.

The factory manager barely ignored his posture and continued, "Did she report him to the relevant authorities?"

"We don't know then. At least we haven't received any news yet, which is good news."

The factory manager frowned. "Can we find that person to reconcile with? We'll pay any price to smooth things over."

Wang Changyou secretly rolled his eyes. "Factory manager, that rich woman donated a library. We can't bribe someone that wealthy."

“Besides money, we can offer other things,” the factory manager said, looking at him with an expression that said, “You’re too young.”

“San Niu Milk is sold all over the country. We can give her a free advertisement. The advertising costs can easily reach tens of millions. With cash compensation, we can shut her up.”

The more Wang Changyou listened, the less reliable it seemed.

But the factory manager looked so confident that he couldn't be too direct in refuting him.

"I suggest you report this to the head office. If the truth comes out, and something really happens, the responsibility won't be ours."

The factory manager finally agreed to the suggestion.

“You’re right, I’ll contact the chairman right away.”

The call was made right in front of Wang Changyou.

The factory manager repeated what he had just said, awaiting the chairman's instructions.

The person on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment before saying, "How about this, we'll prepare the settlement fee first, but we need to strike first and gain the upper hand in public opinion."

The factory manager is getting old and has hearing problems, so he often turns his phone volume up to the maximum.

Wang Changyou could also hear the chairman's voice coming from the phone, as well as the "clattering" sound of a pen hitting the wooden table.

"Here's what we'll do. I'll arrange an interview tomorrow at the factory in S City. When you're being interviewed, act a little aggrieved. Practice more when you get home tonight."

After saying that, the phone call ended.

The factory manager's face wrinkled even more, twitching like a dried-out eggplant.

"Xiao Wang, how do you act all wronged?"

Wang Changyou didn't understand acting either, so he blurted out a suggestion: "It's similar to the expression you make when you get a beating from your parents when you're a kid."

"Being beaten by my parents..."

The factory manager's expression remained bitter and resentful. "My parents have been gone for more than ten years. How could I remember what it felt like to be beaten by them when I was a child?"

Wang Changyou's eyes lit up; he felt this was a good opportunity to get ahead.

A TV interview is a big deal; the head office will definitely pay attention. If he could also go on one, wouldn't he get noticed too?

Thinking of this, he suddenly became serious and put his legs down. "Factory manager, if you don't know how, why don't you bring me along? I'll act for you then."

The factory manager looked him up and down. Although this kid was usually reckless, he was also good at putting on an act.

Isn't the point of an interview to just put on an act?

"Okay, then you'll come with me for the interview tomorrow. Remember to be polite to the reporter and don't act like some big shot."

Wang Changyou smiled apologetically, "Don't worry, I will definitely complete the mission perfectly."

*

Following the address given to her by the fish shop owner, Hu Zhenzhen arrived at the location of the cattle farm.

It's an hour's drive from here to Woshan Villa.

Contrary to what I had imagined, there was only a farmhouse and a large area of ​​simple wooden sheds in front of me.

The small house is only about 50 or 60 square meters in size and has two rooms. To the naked eye, it doesn't look like a comfortable place to live.

Is anyone there?

Hu Zhenzhen stood next to the cowshed and shouted.

Perhaps her voice wasn't loud enough, because no one came out after she called twice. In the end, Chen Kai had to knock on the door of the bungalow before someone inside answered.

Who is it?

"We were introduced by Boss Xin to buy cattle and sheep. He should have mentioned this to you, right?"

The door then opened.

"I have mentioned it."

A simply dressed woman walked out of the door and casually closed the wooden door behind her.

Hu Zhenzhen, with her sharp eyes, saw through the crack the still-burning stove fire and the little girl huddled beside it.

"Have you decided how many cows or sheep you want to buy? Our cows and sheep are very healthy, and I clean them daily, so they're very clean."

The woman wiped her hands on her apron before pointing to the cattle and sheep for Chen Kai.

“You’ve misunderstood,” Chen Kai said, stepping aside to reveal Hu Zhenzhen behind him. “That’s our boss. She’s the one who really wants to buy the cattle and sheep.”

Hu Zhenzhen nodded to her.

The woman's gaze darted back and forth between the two, her hands nervously clasped together, and she moved closer to Hu Zhenzhen.

She stopped three or four meters away from Hu Zhenzhen.

"Miss, are you really going to buy a cow?"

It's no wonder women are suspicious. Hu Zhenzhen's clothes and appearance clearly show her wealth. How could such a rich heiress be interested in raising cattle and sheep?

The woman was extremely anxious.

She desperately needs someone to take over these cattle and sheep, even if it means losing money, she wants to sell them as soon as possible so she can move to another city with her daughter.

Only by moving to a different city can the loan sharks, her ex-husband, and all those terrible memories truly leave her and her daughter.

Because of Li Huaen's presence, Zhenzhen couldn't even go to school and had to endure strange looks from her classmates. It was also because of his presence that customers who wanted to buy cattle hesitated to come.

Fang Ping looked at the richly dressed young lady in front of her, bit her dry lower lip, and tasted the sweet and pungent flavor of blood.

This might be her last chance.

Aside from rich kids who have never done farm work and don't understand how difficult gamblers can be, who else would be willing to pay to buy her cattle and sheep?

Even with such thoughts in her mind, a few seconds later, Fang Ping couldn't suppress her conscience and asked Hu Zhenzhen, "You know my situation, right? My ex-husband is a gambler. If you buy my cattle and sheep, he might come and harass you, causing you trouble."

She said this, but her eyes shone with hope.

“I’ve already met your ex-husband at that ornamental fish shop. He’s a real scoundrel. He even tried to steal my son’s brooch.”

Fang Ping's lips trembled violently, as if she had fallen from a height of ten thousand meters, and her heart sank to the bottom.

"He went to see Boss Xin? And he wanted to steal your things?"

In an instant, Fang Ping was utterly desperate.

Having seen that bastard, why would anyone still want to buy her cattle and sheep...?

Hu Zhenzhen noticed that her face had turned pale instantly and guessed what she was thinking.

"Don't worry, you're already divorced. Your ex-husband is your ex-husband, and you are you. I won't lump you two together."

Hearing her say that, Fang Ping forced a smile.

"Thank you for your understanding. Because of his situation, many guests turn around and leave as soon as they hear about it."

Even now, Fang Ping still doesn't believe that Hu Zhenzhen would buy her cattle and sheep.

There are so many people selling cattle and sheep in S City, finding a suitable one would be incredibly easy. Why would buying her one cause so much trouble?

Hu Zhenzhen smiled and said, "Aren't you going to tell me more about the cattle and sheep?"

Fang Ping couldn't believe it at first, and looked up to confirm it twice. When she saw Hu Zhenzhen nodding at her, the joy she had been suppressing finally burst forth.

"It needs to be introduced, it needs to be introduced," she repeated twice.

"Which side would you like to hear from first, the cow or the sheep?"

"Let's start with the cows," Hu Zhenzhen said. In front of her was the cowshed, where many cows were eating grass in their troughs. There was cow dung in a few of the sheds, but not much, indicating that Fang Ping must have cleaned it up today.

Fang Ping also noticed that the cowshed was not very clean, so she stretched out her hand to point the way forward and led Hu Zhenzhen to the cleaner side.

“I have thirty dairy cows and thirty yellow cattle. The yellow cattle are currently weighing about 350 kilograms. If we feed them some good fodder, they can grow by several dozen kilograms.”

"The dairy cows are purebred and raised separately from the yellow cattle, so you don't need to worry about crossbreeding. Most of the dairy cows have already given birth once, and their milk is especially fragrant and rich. I'll boil a pot of milk for you to try in a little while."

Hu Zhenzhen did not refuse her kindness, "Okay, I happen to be very interested in dairy cows."

Upon hearing this, Fang Ping put in even more effort in her presentation.

"These are all Holstein cows, which produce a lot of milk. The biggest cow can produce seventy kilograms of milk a day."

There were originally milkers employed here; otherwise, Fang Ping alone would have been busy milking each cow three times a day, which would have taken up all her time.

However, because of Li Huaen's usury, the workers have been unwilling to come these past two days, so Fang Ping has had to milk the cows herself.

Since her daughter Zhenzhen couldn't go to school, she stayed obediently at home helping her cut grass for the cows and feed them.

Fang Ping saw it all, but only dared to feel bitter inside.

Her daughter is so hardworking and always gets top grades in her class, so why did she have to end up with such a father?

Sometimes, when Zhenzhen sees that her expression is not right, she will comfort her instead.

"Mom, it's okay. It's just a few days of not going to school. I've been studying at home, and I'll be able to keep up when I go back to school."

"I still need to get a scholarship when I transfer to another city."

Fang Ping had heard this many times.

Each time, she forced a smile and said, "Yes, my daughter's good days are yet to come."

But in reality, only Fang Ping herself knew how uncertain she was. What if Li Huaen still clung to them after they moved to a different city?

Fang Ping doesn't plan to tell him her future address, but her parents are still alive, and Li Huaen knows where they live. What if he harasses them every now and then? Should she ask Zhenzhen's grandparents to move as well?

Fang Ping couldn't help but despair. Could moving really stop him?

Every time she had this thought, she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud and could only comfort herself silently.

It's good that they moved away, it's good that they moved away--

"How many kilograms does the lowest-producing cow produce per day?"

Upon hearing Hu Zhenzhen's question, Fang Ping suddenly came to her senses.

"Even the lowest-producing head can produce 40 kilograms of milk per day. Please rest assured that the daily milk production will not be lower than this number after you buy it."

Hu Zhenzhen had no prior knowledge of cattle farming; all she knew was what she had just found online.

"How much space do you need to raise sixty cows? Are there any special requirements for their feed?"

As soon as Fang Ping heard her ask this question, she knew that Fang Ping was a novice in aquaculture.

"As long as there's enough space for the cattle to roam, or like us, we can choose a secluded spot where the cattle can graze on the nearby hillside."

Fang Ping paused for a moment, then asked, "If I may ask, do you plan to raise the cattle yourself?"

“Yes,” Hu Zhenzhen replied, “My son is in elementary school, and there’s a problem with the milk source at his school. It’s bad for his health, so I plan to change the school’s milk source and switch to pure milk.”

She thought for a moment, "How many cows do you have that produce milk? Is their daily milk supply enough for 1,500 people?"

"That's enough; it's enough for about two thousand people."

Fang Ping carefully calculated for Hu Zhenzhen, "Based on one pound of milk per child, the existing twenty-two dairy cows that are already producing milk are enough."

"If the cows are well cared for, they can produce several hundred extra kilograms of milk."

Hu Zhenzhen raised an eyebrow and continued, "Where are the sheep? What kind of sheep do you raise here?"

"It's an ordinary goat."

The sheep are not kept in the pen now. Fang Ping led Hu Zhenzhen a hundred meters towards the gate and pointed to the small hill opposite, "The sheep are all there. They are let out to graze during the day, and the lead sheep will bring the flock back at night."

At a glance, Hu Zhenzhen noticed the striking white flock of sheep on the small hillside.

"There must be more than a hundred of them, right?"

“No, there are only eighty now,” Fang Ping’s eyes fell on the flock of sheep, as if she was reminiscing about something. “We used to have enough for a hundred, but we were short of money, so we sold twenty first.”

"Did no one buy these sheep after that?" Hu Zhenzhen asked curiously.

Fang Ping said, "It's just that we were lucky enough to find a kind-hearted shopkeeper who was willing to buy twenty sheep. We can't expect one person to buy all the sheep, since they don't have anywhere to raise them."

Her expression was gloomy. From the female boss's words, she was after these cows. Once she got the money for the cows, she would probably leave the city. If these sheep couldn't be sold, they would just have to be left here.

Whether they survive or not depends on their fate.

"What if I want to buy them?" Hu Zhenzhen asked, "How much space do these sheep need to be raised?"

Unbelievable...

Fang Ping had only one emotion for a moment.

"You want to raise it?"

She realized in a daze, "So many sheep, they need a lot of exercise every day, at least several hundred square meters of enclosure."

Fang Ping didn't dare to exaggerate, afraid of scaring Hu Zhenzhen away, and cautiously gave a number, "It should be at least 500 square meters."

Isn't that about the size of a playground?

While talking to her, Hu Zhenzhen was also communicating with Xiao Jin in her mind.

[Xiao Jin, how big was that place I won last time?]

It's about 100 acres.

Xiao Jin thoughtfully helped Hu Zhenzhen unfold a floor plan, on which were prominently displayed the words "Abandoned Botanical Garden".

[Does the host plan to raise cattle and sheep here?]

That's right. Anyway, there aren't many buildings there, just a large expanse of wasteland covered in vegetation, perfect for raising cattle and sheep.

Hu Zhenzhen looked up and asked Fang Ping, "If we had 100 mu of land, how big of an area do you think would be suitable for cattle and sheep to roam?"

"One hundred acres?" Fang Ping's eyes lit up immediately.

"Eighty acres of land can provide enough space for cattle and sheep to roam, and the remaining twenty acres are more than enough to store hay and build a dairy factory."

Hu Zhenzhen had absolutely no experience in this matter, but she had money. When she heard Fang Ping say that, her eyes immediately shifted to Chen Kai.

Chen Kai replied knowingly, "Two to three acres are usually enough for a milk processing plant. Including the square meters needed for building workers' dormitories and road planning, twenty acres are more than enough."

“Very well, then let’s do as Ms. Fang says.”

Hu Zhenzhen made the decision directly in front of the two of them.

"Hire a professional designer to do the planning, preferably someone who has studied landscape design and has experience in livestock breeding."

Chen Kai took out his notebook and began to take notes.

"When planning the free movement area for cattle and sheep, try to make it as open as possible. When the area is spacious, they will be in a better mood when they graze, and the milk they produce will taste better. Well, I don't know if this is true."

Chen Kai pondered for a few seconds, "It should be true, that's what they say in the ads."

The word "blowing" made Hu Zhenzhen laugh.

"Alright, the money will still come from that card. I will transfer 50 million in, and the construction funds for the cattle farm will be set at 30 million."

Fang Ping, who was listening nearby, only then realized how wealthy she was, and her mouth dropped open involuntarily.

“By the way, Ms. Fang,” Hu Zhenzhen turned her head, saw the expression on Fang Ping’s face, and burst out laughing, “I think we can talk about the price of the cattle and sheep now. You should be willing to sell them all to me, right?”

"Yes," Fang Ping answered quickly.

She desperately needed the money; the opportunity was right in front of her, and if she didn't seize it, Fang Ping would probably regret it for the rest of her life.

Her mind started racing. "The price of a cow that has already started producing milk is generally □□ thousand, while cows that haven't started producing milk are cheaper. Since you've bought all the cows, I'll charge you 7,000. The price of an adult sheep is around 1,200, and I'll charge you 1,000 for all of them."

Fang Ping paused for a few seconds, doing some mental calculations.

"A total of 500,000."

She said the number somewhat nervously.

Even if a wealthy person is willing to pay such a large sum of money, they will try to negotiate a lower price.

Fang Ping was already used to it; she had prepared herself mentally.

She would immediately agree as long as Ms. Hu's offer was over 450,000.

Hu Zhenzhen didn't say anything, but took out her phone and pressed a few buttons.

“I don’t like discounts. Five hundred and seventy-six thousand, let’s go with the original price. We can sign the contract now.”

Chen Kai immediately pulled out a prepared contract from his bag and filled in the number of cattle and sheep and the amount to be paid.

"Ms. Fang, you can just sign and put your fingerprint here."

The process was so fast that Fang Ping was in a daze.

After pressing her fingerprints, she belatedly realized that there might be some traps in the contract, and quickly began to carefully read the terms.

But looking at it from all angles, the treaty didn't seem like a knife that would harm her; it seemed like it was meant to help her.

If Fang Ping still doesn't understand by now, then she's truly stupid.

Her lips trembled slightly. "You are such a kind-hearted lady."

"Kind-hearted?" Hu Zhenzhen denied with a smile. "Please don't think of me that way. Actually, I have my own selfish motives too."

Fang Ping looked up at her, unable to think of anything about herself that could be targeted.

"you……"

Hu Zhenzhen interrupted her.

"Didn't you promise to buy me a glass of milk? I haven't had such pure milk in ages."

"Oh, right," Fang Ping subconsciously followed her words and walked into the house, calling out, "Zhenzhen, has the stove fire gone out?"

"No," the little girl's face peeked out from the crack in the door, glanced in this direction, and then timidly shrank back inside.

"Zhenzhen, is your daughter also named Zhenzhen?"

Hu Zhenzhen's eyes widened in surprise. "What a coincidence, my name is also Zhenzhen, the Zhen of pearl."

“She is the truth,” Fang Ping smiled shyly and pushed open the dilapidated wooden door.

The door was practically useless. Hu Zhenzhen noticed that the bolt on the door was rotten, and any strong person could easily kick it open.

"This door—"

She had already spoken when she realized that the mother and daughter were moving out soon and there was no need to change the locks, so she changed her words at the last minute, saying, "The door is quite artistic."

Fang Ping didn't know anything about art, but wanting to please Hu Zhenzhen, she just echoed her sentiments.

"You have a good eye; we rough folks can't understand art."

Hu Zhenzhen could only force herself to praise the dish a couple more times.

Chen Kai, however, seemed lost in thought, staring at the door for a while before quietly whispering in Hu Zhenzhen's ear, "Boss, should we change the doors in our house to this style?"

Hu Zhenzhen's eyelids twitched as she listened. "You don't have to be so considerate."

It seems I guessed wrong.

Chen Kai took a step back with slight regret; he had even figured out how to age the door.

In the time it took to say those two sentences, Fang Ping had already scrubbed the iron pot three times.

She was afraid that Hu Zhenzhen would think it wasn't clean, so she planned to scrub it a couple more times. Her daughter, Zhenzhen, sat next to the stove and would occasionally put a small twig into the stove to keep the fire burning.

She sat on a low wooden stool, her long bangs covering her eyes.

There was another small stool in the room, and Hu Zhenzhen sat down on it without asking anyone to be polite.

She glanced at the little girl twice, and Zhenzhen immediately shrank her neck, curling herself up like a little ostrich.

How old is Zhenzhen?

Hu Zhenzhen asked her in a gentle tone, and the little girl seemed to glance at her before answering in a very soft voice, "Twelve years old."

She's still just a child. Changing her environment now can help her heal the wounds from school and help her rediscover the joy of school life.

"Should I transfer to Beicheng No.1 Middle School?"

This was said to Fang Ping, and also to Zhenzhen.

If either of them disagrees, Hu Zhenzhen will abandon the idea.

Fang Ping paused for a moment, stared at her daughter for a while, and then turned to ask Hu Zhenzhen, "Is it okay?"

That was the best junior high school in S City, and all the students there had excellent grades. Fang Ping had considered going there before Zhenzhen started junior high, but unfortunately, the school had strict requirements and refused to accept students with family problems. So she compromised and went to her current junior high school.

"sure."

Fang Ping loosened her grip, and the pot lid fell back onto the pot with a "thud," causing her to kneel on the ground.

"Please help me. If you can really get me in, I'll do anything for you."

Fang Ping even secretly vowed in her heart that as long as Hu Zhenzhen could help her with this favor, she would do anything for her except for things like murder and arson.

Beicheng No.1 Middle School has good security and is a boarding school. Security guards patrol regularly, so loan sharks and that bastard father can no longer get close to her daughter.

Secondly, the teaching staff there is good. Fang Ping is a rough person who has not been to school for long, but she understands that if a person wants to get ahead, he must go to school. If Zhenzhen goes to a good school, her future will not be as bad as her mother's.

Hu Zhenzhen was startled by her kneeling and quickly grabbed her arm, trying to pull her up.

"Get up first, school matters can be discussed."

Upon hearing her promise, Fang Ping changed her posture, sat directly on the floor, and broke down in tears.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

“I know you want me to do something, please tell me, whatever it is, I’ll do it.”

Fang Ping hardened her heart, her eyes bloodshot, casually wiped away her tears, and looked at Hu Zhenzhen.

"Mom!" Zhenzhen called out to Fang Ping in fear, but was stopped by a look from her.

Hu Zhenzhen felt a chill run down her spine, sensing that the mother and daughter had misunderstood something.

"I want to find someone to raise cattle for me."

Fang Ping looked up at her for a long time, still unable to believe it, "...That's it?"

Hu Zhenzhen rolled her eyes. "And raising sheep."

Fang Ping was even a little disappointed, "Is this all Miss Hu asks for?"

Hu Zhenzhen reached out and pulled her up. "Don't think it's that simple. I'm going to make this dairy factory the best in S City. If you want to make it that way, you'll be very busy."

"The best dairy farm?" Fang Ping's expression was more of a bewilderment. "Should I run it?"

“Yes,” Hu Zhenzhen said casually, “Otherwise, why would I give you so many benefits? Of course, I hope you will work hard for me.”

"Can I do it? Miss Hu, I haven't had much schooling, and I don't know anything about management. I really..."

Hu Zhenzhen interrupted her, "Then are you willing to learn?"

Fang Ping's eyes lit up immediately. "Can I learn?"

"Of course, management courses are not difficult. Compared to these, I value your abilities more. The fact that you can raise so many cattle and sheep and take such good care of them already demonstrates your talent and skill."

"My skills," Fang Ping repeated blankly.

It took her a moment to realize that Hu Zhenzhen was praising her, and her expression immediately lit up.

It's like a tree that has survived the winter and is now enjoying a warm spring, or like grass roots in the desert that are getting rain for the first time.

She looked earnestly into Hu Zhenzhen's eyes and promised, "I will work hard and give it my all. I will never let your trust go to waste."

She had never had such a clear goal in her life.

No one has ever praised her like that, saying she is a talented and capable person.

At that moment, Fang Ping found meaning in life beyond her daughter.

It turns out that even when she was alive, she could shine just like those scholars.

Fang Ping's eyes were shining, and Zhenzhen, who was huddled in the corner, saw it, as did Hu Zhenzhen.

The little girl turned around for the first time, facing Hu Zhenzhen directly, and bowed solemnly to her.

"thank you."

Thank you for saving her, and thank you even more for saving her mother.

Li Zhenzhen accompanied her mother through the darkest three years, and it wasn't until just now, when she saw the light in her mother's eyes, that she suddenly realized...

The light has already shone in.