The provincial and municipal residents' community activity room has fitness facilities.
"Dad, is Xiaoyu settling in well with us?" Zhang Guodong was accompanying his father, Zhang Zhengrong, as they exercised on the treadmill. Actually, this level of exercise was barely enough for his father to warm up. For Zhang Guodong, this kind of running had no effect whatsoever.
The two were simply looking for an opportunity to talk about Xin Xiaoyu.
Xiaoyu joining the Zhang family was a huge surprise for her parents. Their daughter—they'd always dreamed of having one—was now the perfect match for her, considering all her qualities.
So Xiaoyu quickly became a princess in her parents' eyes, and the two elders were always beaming with joy. Even Zheng Le and Ye Yun considered Xiaoyu their sister-in-law, treating her like their own little sister, and doted on her immensely.
With the help of Zhang Guodong's medicinal pills, Xiaoyu's external injuries healed at an alarming rate.
Gradually, Xiaoyu became more talkative, and a shy smile appeared on her face.
These past few days, Zhang Guodong has spent most of his time at Taoyuan Xiaozhu, only occasionally venturing out to go home and be with Xiaoyu. He's mainly worried that Xiaoyu will feel even more uncomfortable without her older brother.
But Zhang Guodong was still somewhat uneasy.
“Yes, Xiaoyu is a good girl. Your mother likes her very much. However, she is only 18 years old and it will take some time for her to integrate into our family! Although Xiaoyu is very sensible and always has a smile on her face, your mother and I still feel that she is not very happy inside. It may be because she doesn’t have anything in common with us,” said Zhang Zhengrong, the father, with a hint of worry.
He was very satisfied with this goddaughter.
Now, Xiaoyu's melancholy has been noticed by everyone, touching their hearts.
“She should be old enough to go to school, right? Why don’t we send her to school?” Zhang Guodong suggested.
"Oh? You should go to school so you don't become disconnected from society! That's a good idea, but..." Zhang Zhengrong's eyes lit up; he felt it was a good idea.
The father and son quickly settled the matter, which was a pleasant surprise; they had finally found a solution.
Zhang Guodong and his father, Zhang Zhengrong, were both worried about Xiaoyu's educational level. After all, having been in the orphanage before reaching the legal age of adulthood, it was hard to say what level of education Xiaoyu would be able to keep up with.
Back home, Zhang Guodong went into Xiaoyu's room.
This room was specially set aside for Xiaoyu. Every teenage girl has her own secrets.
When Zhang Guodong entered, Xiaoyu was huddled under the covers, hugging her knees, watching the cartoon "Tom and Jerry" with a slight smile on her face. The bedroom door wasn't locked. Xiaoyu became a little flustered when she saw Zhang Guodong come in.
According to his mother, Zhang Guodong is the second son in the Zhang family, with Zhang Guozheng above him and Zhang Guohao below him. "This title is about to change," Zhang Guodong said, "Zhang Guodong will be demoted to 'Second Brother,' meaning Xiaoyu hasn't even met the eldest or third brother yet." Zhang Guodong laughed, then sat down.
"My parents and I have discussed it and we're planning to send you to school!"
A glimmer of hope appeared in the little fish's eyes, and then her face turned red, and her eyes became red-rimmed.
There's a chance!
It seems this plan was correct; Xiaoyu enjoys going to school. Zhang Guodong, with his keen observation, immediately felt relieved.
"I just don't know your current level of education, so I need to talk to you so that your second brother can arrange for you to have your heart removed."
"I'm in my first year of high school now!" Xiaoyu said.
"Oh? Then how about I arrange for you to continue to the first year of high school? I'm afraid you'll fall behind and won't be able to keep up if you go to the second year. What do you think?" Zhang Guodong said.
"Second Brother, I want to go to university!" Xiaoyu said shyly. Her words were quite surprising, and Zhang Guodong was stunned for a moment before laughing.
"My little fish has high aspirations, and going to university is no problem for her. But can you keep up?"
"Actually, I actually taught myself the courses for the second and third years of high school," Xiaoyu said, her face flushed.
Zhang Guodong's smile faded, but he felt relieved. Xiaoyu was a self-reliant girl, which was good. However, he was even more surprised. How much perseverance and pressure must a young girl in her late twenties have to survive in society and study high school courses on her own?
Speaking of Zhang Guodong's past learning experience, it's truly embarrassing to talk about. Compared to Xiaoyu, Zhang Guodong felt ashamed of himself.
"Okay, that's fine! But your second brother still needs to assess your high school studies. If you pass, I'll let you go to university! In a few days, I'll have a few teachers give you a test to see how much of the high school curriculum you've mastered. In another six months, it will be time for university freshmen to enter, and then you'll take the college entrance examination!"
"Yes!" Little Fish nodded vigorously, looking very excited.
This expression is probably the most genuinely happy smile he's had since entering the Zhang family.
The Zhang family takes it very seriously that Xiaoyu needs to go to school.
The day after the conversation, Zhang Guodong went to the bookstore and bought all the courses from the first year of junior high to the third year of senior high, as well as some review materials and study tools, filling half a van.
Zhang Guodong also used Fatty's connections to find several top-tier teachers for each subject, gathering enough teachers for all courses.
Upon hearing about Xiaoyu's situation, Li Deyi, the director of the Municipal Education Bureau, immediately assured that Xiaoyu's school registration would be handled by the Municipal Education Bureau and would be registered at the No. 1 Middle School of the city. Regardless of her grade, the registration would be filled in immediately after confirmation, ensuring that this school registration file was genuine.
Having connections makes things easier.
Everything was basically done in one day. Zhang Guodong even got to show off quite a bit, getting to meet the heads of the education system. "Young Master Zhang, your reputation has expanded again."
On this third day, the municipal party committee and the municipal government jointly issued a notice regarding the final list of companies selected for investment promotion in the Ningyun Desert.
Some were happy, some were disappointed.
The two largest plots of desert land weren't contracted by Zhao Qingshan alone; there were even extras. The fact that one plot belonged to each member of the Zhao family surprised many people…
This also surprised Zhang Guodong.
The cultivators present represented quite a few forces, but surprisingly, no well-known or reputable forces were selected; instead, the spots were taken by others.
What left everyone even more dumbfounded was...
The most fiercely contested slogan spot was won by the least favored person!
On the list, "Zhang Guodong, three characters. He was prominently listed! The contractor for the slogan desert land for the next twenty years, with the note in parentheses indicating 'individual business owner'." Early the next morning, Fatty personally visited Taoyuan Xiaozhu. He had received a notice from the Municipal Party Committee Office to sign the contract in the morning and to take over the slogan land in Ningyun County in the afternoon.
When the fat man arrived, he saw Zhang Guodong leisurely resting with his eyes closed, and his gaze was quite strange. In fact, Zhang Guodong had just finished practicing teleportation array inscription all night, had just taken a shower, and had a cup of tea when the fat man arrived.
The fat man plopped down, poured himself a glass, and then picked it up to smell it with relish.
Haici, I can't get enough of your tea and your wine! I've lost my appetite for ordinary tea and fancy wines. Guodong, did you know you'd be selected all along, that's why you seem so calm and collected?"
Zhang Guodong opened his eyes, put down his teacup, and smiled.
"It's just a guess. Among all the businessmen, am I the only 'self-employed'? Doesn't social development advocate for the participation of all citizens? Individuals, companies, and organizations should all have a share. The competition for the land that those wealthy bosses are eyeing is too fierce. I'm afraid even the municipal party committee and government can't decide who gets the land," Zhang Guodong said calmly.
"That's it?" the fat man scoffed.
"Of course not. Without your identity, Fatty, this wouldn't be possible. Both are indispensable! The government wants to emphasize that both companies and individuals have the opportunity to participate in social development, and I'm in that position."
"Damn! I knew you were so sure. Speaking of which, the term 'individual business owner' does have a catchy name. All the other business owners participate under a company name, but you're the only one who's an 'individual business owner.' Ah, haha!" The fat man's eyes lit up; he finally understood.
"Alright. The tea's finished. Come with me now, let's sign the contract, take possession of the land, and that'll be the end of it. Hey, I didn't expect my Zhangba Township to have an advanced individual!"
Zhang Guodong looked down on the fat man.
On the bus.
"By the way, how's Guodong and Xiaoyu's coursework going? Will they be able to pass the college entrance exam?" the fat man asked.
Zhang Guodong's sister, whom the fat man shamelessly calls "brother," did indeed help a lot with Xiaoyu's matter.
However, Xiaoyu is currently in her first year of high school and will be taking the college entrance examination next July. Everyone is worried about whether she can keep up.
"It depends on the results of the assessment after the teacher arrives, but Xiaoyu says she's confident, while I, her second brother, am not so confident," Zhang Guodong said with a wry smile.
Once all the textbooks, supplementary books, and study tools were bought, Xiaoyu quickly got into the swing of things and started reviewing. But what the outcome would be, nobody knew.
Which university are you planning to attend? A local one? Or one from out of town?
"I don't know! No matter which university, as long as Xiaoyu likes it, she has to go!" Zhang Guodong said. He thought to himself, no matter how much money it costs, he'll definitely get that school into the school.
The fat man rolled his eyes.
He remembered that Zhang Guodong was also a multi-millionaire. He had so much money he didn't know what to do with it. He could practically smash down the entrances to those universities with his money.
Signing the contract was just a formality; with Fatty accompanying them, the paperwork was completed in about ten minutes. Afterwards, with comrades from the Land and Resources Bureau leading the way, the group headed towards Ningyun County.
"Hmm?" Just as he was resting with his eyes closed, the "Azure Heaven and Yellow Springs Array" communication jade talisman popped into his mind.
"Junior Brother Zhang, the Northwest Textile Market is about to open. Please be sure to arrive in the capital by the end of this month. Someone will be there to receive you! Also, we've heard that your first large restaurant, 'Wanxian Restaurant,' in the Southwest Imitation Market is thriving. Now that the Northwest Market is opening, we, your fellow junior brothers, sincerely invite you to open a second restaurant there. Please don't refuse. We'll discuss the details then! Thirdly, we've recently heard that since the establishment of the 'Cultivator Guild' in the Southwest Imitation Market, many ancient ruins have been discovered, greatly increasing the power of cultivators. Recently, a group of powerful independent cultivators have also formed the 'Independent Cultivator Alliance,' claiming to have discovered a secret space called the 'Celestial Battlefield.' Inside, everyone can find thousand-year-old and ten-thousand-year-old medicinal herbs, extremely precious minerals, and even some immortal caves and magical treasures by chance. We hope you'll keep an eye on this matter, Junior Brother Zhang. We'll discuss it in the capital! — Xuan Qingban"
It turned out that Xuan Qinghui himself came to deliver the message.
Loose Cultivator Alliance?
"What is this?" The fat man stared in disbelief at the "white light" Zhang Guodong was holding in his hand, swallowed hard, and asked.
"Message talisman!"
The master of the slogan of the first chapter
Ningyun County, a sand-prevention forest area on the edge of the desert.
Seeing several cars leave, Zhang Guodong and the fat man both breathed a sigh of relief. A section chief and an old geography expert from the Municipal Land and Resources Bureau came down to accompany the two to demarcate the boundaries of the designated desert area.
Upon receiving his call, the county party committee and government leadership of Ningyun County led a large group to greet him. The scene was quite impressive.
Zhang Guodong and the fat man both disliked being followed wherever they went, and it took them a lot of effort to drive them away.
Of course, it's not surprising that the county party committee and government leaders made such a fuss. Everyone in Ningyun County knows that the municipal party committee and government have recently developed a new plan for the Ningyun Desert, dividing up large sections of the desert into contracted-out areas. Therefore, everyone sent down was a leader, and no one dared to be negligent.
Another reason is that these desert lands are contracted by companies. Dozens of companies have entered Ningyun County, representing a significant potential investment force. The leaders of Ningyun County are eagerly receiving them and hope that a few will stay and invest in Ningyun County.
At this moment, the group parked their vehicle in the sand-prevention forest area, and with the help of two guides led by police officers from the county public security bureau, they prepared to enter the sand...
"We're currently in Zone 7. The slogan area is in the hinterland; it'll take about four hours to get there!" said the geography expert, "Instructor Wang," pointing to the designated area on his Beidou navigation device.
"Four hours? Coach Wang, can we get there faster by abandoning the car and walking?" The fat man was immediately intimidated by the heat wave hitting him.
Everyone was wrapping themselves up, even covering their faces, leaving only their eyes visible. Why? Although it's winter in the Northwest, the temperature in the desert rises rapidly during the midday and afternoon. They were afraid of getting sunburned. Furthermore, if they were unlucky enough to encounter a sandstorm, breathing would be very difficult. Therefore, people had to be covered up no matter what.
However, this makes it difficult for the air to breathe, which will inevitably make it uncomfortable.
Coach Wang, the team's geography expert and a veteran, chuckled and said, "Walking is impossible! It's slower than driving around in circles. Don't be intimidated by the short straight-line distance; with all this luggage, walking back and forth would probably take two or three days."
The fat man's face fell even more upon hearing this.
"Then let's take the car!"
Zhang Guodong and the others laughed. Those who had never been to the desert were just spouting jargon. Preparing supplies for just two days meant each person would have to carry dozens of kilograms on their back.
It's really difficult to travel without a vehicle for transportation.
"Guodong, aren't you going to change your clothes?" The fat man noticed that Zhang Guodong was unmoved and, unlike the others, was not wrapped up tightly.
Zhang Guodong hesitated for a moment, then changed his clothes, putting on a camouflage outfit and covering his head. Indeed, if he didn't change, he would look too clean and out of place.
With a pat of his hand, he produced two small magical artifacts, each about the size of a button. These were dust-repelling artifacts, similar to the "golden ribbon."
"Put it around your neck!"
He handed one to the fat man. The fat man was puzzled. But then he saw Zhang Guodong also put this necklace-like thing around his neck and hide it inside his clothes.
"Huh?!" The fat man's expression changed as soon as he put it on.
"Secretary Wang, are you alright?"
"It's alright, it's alright. I learned a lot about what it's like to go into the desert this time, and it doesn't feel so hot anymore!" the fat man said with a laugh.
You'll get used to it!
The fat man glanced at Zhang Guodong, thinking to himself, "You'll get used to it? Heh heh, now I don't have to suffer anymore. This little pendant is actually a treasure, like an air conditioner?"
As soon as he put it on, the fat man felt that the air around him was much clearer and the temperature had dropped.
I wanted to ask Zhang Guodong what this thing was, but with so many people around, I decided against it. Zhang Guodong's lack of explanation might have its reasons. But could this thing be a magical artifact? Maybe I can carry it with me from now on. Wouldn't that mean I wouldn't have to suffer from being overweight anymore?
The fat man made a snap decision: after using it this time, he would never return it to Zhang Guodong.
This filthy thought could be glimpsed from the fat man's eerie smile. However, Zhang Guodong ignored him; he had as many of these gadgets as he wanted. Not only could he refine them at will, but he also had a large stockpile he had bought before that he couldn't even use up.
With everything ready, everyone boarded the vehicles, and the two Desert Princes slowly made their way towards their destination.
Having never been to a desert before, Zhang Guodong realized that the desert scenery was hardly scenery at all. Everywhere he looked was yellow sand, low dunes, utterly barren. An endless expanse of yellow sand. Layer upon layer of dunes. The bumpy ride and the rapidly rising temperature made him drowsy.
Moreover, the vehicles have to travel around the sand dunes, which involves taking a long detour. The slow pace is frustrating, and considering the distance, it's even more annoying.
Four hours. It really wasn't easy.
Zhang Guodong, the fat man, the geography expert, a guide, and the driver were in one vehicle. The back was loaded with water, food, and other tools.
"Look, someone actually went into the desert?" The fat man suddenly noticed some tire tracks on the road they were on. Brand new ones.
After turning a few sand dunes, we saw several desert off-road vehicles and some people coming.
People have appeared in the desert!
“Secretary Wang, the desert will be quite lively these next few days. Some contractors have entered the desert ahead of us and are currently in the border area,” the section chief explained.
Sure enough, some of the people I encountered seemed to be acquaintances—the same bosses I'd met at the banquet. They'd actually come all the way into the desert themselves?
That's quite a rare thing!
Zhang Randong stared intently, his brow furrowing occasionally. Everyone he'd encountered along the way was a mortal. Could they possibly be connected to the crystal rice of cultivators?
That would be ridiculous!
But aren't these ordinary people being a bit too eager?
The road stretched ever longer. The deeper we went, the more we realized how many people had entered the desert today. There were other merchants too, all scrambling to secure their own plots of desert land for the next twenty years, to avoid any potential disputes.
So along the way, there were all sorts of desert off-road vehicles, and quite a few people.
"Is the weather about to change?" the fat man asked, puzzled.
But after seeing so many cases, this confusion becomes nothing.
"Hey, is this Mr. Zhang from the slogan area? Stop and let's chat for a bit?" As the car passed a sandy area, three desert off-road vehicles stopped, and about ten people got out. When they saw Zhang Guodong's car passing by, someone in the crowd shouted and waved in their direction.
Who is this?
"I don't know him!" Zhang Guodong shook his head in confusion.
The driver stopped immediately when he heard someone shouting slogans.
Then a few people emerged from the crowd and hurried over.
"This is Zhu Lifu, the boss of Fuqiang Company!" the section chief exclaimed upon closer inspection. "He's the contractor for plot number [number]."
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