Go around his land?
Then he won’t get a penny?
Lao Xu was a little confused, and Li Qiu was even more nervous.
"Why...why do you have to bypass my fields? Didn't we...discuss this at the meeting?" she asked hesitantly. It was precisely because her land was essential for the road that she was tempted to demand more compensation. Of course, she hadn't initially considered raising the price, but after someone pointed it out last night, she suddenly realized the truth. She discussed it with her husband until midnight, gritted her teeth, and today, she encouraged others with objections to go to the village chief to seek an explanation.
However, something that had been decided suddenly changed, leaving Lao Xu and Li Qiu at a loss.
Lidya Su smiled and said calmly, "You insisted on asking for 80,000 yuan. Based on the cost, it would be more economical to go around half a circle and explore the fields next to you."
Most importantly, if he compromised, what would the other villagers think? Once a precedent was set, it wouldn't just be Old Xu's family raising the price, but the entire village.
Furthermore, although the other villagers in the office were not as radical as Lao Xu's family, they were all waiting to take advantage of the situation!
The village chief took the project map and examined it carefully, nodding slowly: "If we go around it, we'll have to requisition Old Liu's land."
Old Liu was the uncle who drove the tractor to take Su Ling to Shixi Village. He was not here at the moment and had no idea that the benefit had fallen on him.
"No! No! If we take his land, what will happen to my family?" Old Xu stamped his feet and pointed at Li Qiu and cursed, "It's all because of you, woman, you insisted on raising the price. Now look, if you don't requisition our land, let alone 80,000, we won't even have 30,000!"
Li Qiu was not someone to be trifled with. His temper flared up, and he slapped Lao Xu's arm hard, scolding him: "Damn old man, who am I asking for more money for? Isn't it for our good-for-nothing son? He's in his twenties, but he's been idle all day, acting like a hooligan in town. He can't make any money, let alone marry a wife and have grandchildren. How can I save money for him to marry a wife?"
Old Xu couldn't argue with her, so he hunched his shoulders, looked aggrieved, and stared at Li Yue'e with turbid eyes. If she hadn't come to their house and said something bad yesterday, how could he and the old woman have had such evil thoughts?
Li Yue'e felt guilty when he looked at her, so she turned her face away, looking as if it had nothing to do with her and she was indifferent.
Another villager anxiously asked, "Um... Mr. Su, can the new road go around my fields? My land is next to Old Xu's. I don't want much, just the compensation price agreed upon by the village."
Upon hearing this, Li Qiu flew into a rage: "Good for you, Old Guo! No wonder you followed me so eagerly. You were planning to take advantage of my misfortune!"
Old Guo rubbed his nose and said unhappily, "How is that taking advantage of someone's misfortune? Since everyone has land, let's compete fairly!"
Li Qiu was so angry that she cried out "ouch!" and sat down on the ground, slapping her thigh and crying, "Oh my God! Please open your eyes! These people ganged up on me and bullied an old woman like me. I can't live anymore——"
She burst into tears, frightening everyone in the office and making them step back. Su Ling watched her performance in disbelief. It turned out that there were people who could sing opera while crying, with full lung capacity, without taking a breath, and the ending was long.
"Sister Li, what are you doing?" Lao Guo, standing nearby, pushed Lao Xu anxiously, "Brother Xu, please try to persuade Sister Li."
Old Xu shook his head, standing there motionless. His wife was going crazy, and she wouldn't stop. Who would dare to persuade her?
Seeing no one came forward to persuade her, Li Qiu cried even harder and harder, beating her chest with a broken heart. "Why is my life so miserable? I married a useless husband and gave birth to a disappointing son. Not only did no one in the village help me, but even outsiders bullied me. What sin did I commit to deserve being oppressed and humiliated? Build a road? What road? No! I can't get the compensation, and neither can you! If anyone dares to open up the land to build a new road, I will die in front of you!"
The village chief's forehead was bulging with veins. He slammed his hand on the table and shouted, "This is the village committee, not your home. If you want to make a scene, go out and make a scene. It's best to make it known to everyone in the village so that everyone can see you throwing a tantrum!"
Li Qiu's cries suddenly stopped, tears streaming down her face. She couldn't bear the shame of being treated like a monkey by the whole village.
Finally, it was quiet. Su Ling rubbed his ears, which were almost ringing from the noise, and sighed softly. He said slowly: "Actually, for me, it doesn't matter whether Shixi Village builds a new road or not."
Li Yue'e's heart trembled, and she asked hesitantly: "Xiao Su means..."
Su Ling raised her delicate chin, a haughty look in her beautiful peach blossom eyes. "My original intention in donating money to build the road was to benefit Shixi Village, not to cause loss of life. This responsibility is too great, and I can't bear it. Instead of spending money on evil, I'd rather keep it for myself and spend it slowly."
Who wouldn't have a temper? It's his money, he's the one who decides what to do. If we can't reach an agreement, then forget it. Isn't it better to keep the money for yourself?
Village Chief Jin raised his drooping eyelids and stroked his beard silently.
The other villagers in the office looked at each other, all at a loss.
Master Su was a renowned kindhearted man in the village, always willing to help anyone in need. He never complained about those who took advantage of him. His unexpected death was deeply mourned by the villagers, who waited to see who would inherit Master Su's estate. After two months of waiting, the grandson of the Su family finally arrived from City S. Almost every villager who saw Su Ling for the first time was captivated by his handsomeness and noble demeanor.
After spending over a month together, the villagers discovered that Young Master Su was completely different from Second Master Su. He dressed elegantly and stylishly, possessing a refined demeanor, devoid of the city dweller's inherent superiority. He treated the villagers with humility, spoke eloquently, and was generous with his hires. However, he also had principles and showed no tolerance for those who engaged in deception.
Last week, Li Yue'e tampered with the tea farmers' attendance records in an attempt to profit for her brother, but Young Master Su easily saw through her scheme and nearly lost her job as a supervisor. After all, she was a top student from the city, well-educated and knowledgeable, so Li Yue'e's attempts to profit from the situation as she had in the past were simply not going to work.
Now Li Qiu is sitting on the ground crying, which is counterproductive. Su Ling is not Mr. Su Er. He is a city dweller after all. How Shixi Village will develop in the future is not important to him.
The thought terrified everyone, and they looked at Li Qiu with condemnation. If she and Lao Xu hadn't changed their minds and encouraged them to come together to seek justice, how could they have angered the old man who paid for the road? Now, the people who donated money to build the road have quit, and everyone's compensation will be gone.
Li Qiu was stunned. She thought that crying and making a fuss would achieve her goal, but she didn't expect that Young Master Su would not play by the rules and directly rescind his order.
"This...this...Xiao Su, didn't you want to build a new road just to make it easier to sell tea?" Li Yue'e asked anxiously, clenching her hands. Her family's land had also been expropriated, and the compensation was substantial, enough to build a new house for her brother.
Su Ling smiled and shook his head: "I spent five or six million to build a road to sell tea. How many years will it take to make back the cost?"
Everyone was enlightened when they heard this. Spending five or six million to build a road and profiting from the tea business for a few hundred thousand was truly putting the cart before the horse. But if it was a losing proposition, why was Young Master Su willing to pay for the road?
Su Ling said seriously, "I donated money to build the road to create favorable conditions for Shixi Village, so that everyone can get rich together. It's popular among city dwellers to come to the countryside and experience farm life. With the road open, traffic will be accessible. You can run a B&B or a farm stay, and you'll have a constant stream of customers, which will make you a fortune. If the village becomes prosperous, who will want to work away from home? Young people can stay home to take care of their parents, and their children can go to school conveniently. After graduating from university, they can return to build their hometown and live a prosperous life. Isn't that great? I'm a city dweller, so I can't stay in Shixi Village forever. If there are college graduates in the village, I can hire them as managers to manage the industries here. By then, Shixi Village will no longer be an ordinary rural village, but an enterprise village with a bright future."
He drew a blueprint and slowly showed it to everyone. The villagers were stunned as if they saw a bright future.
Who doesn't want to enjoy family happiness? Who doesn't want to stay home and earn a lot of money? Who doesn't want their children to study hard and become college graduates, bringing honor to the family?
Enterprise Village!
What a fresh term, what an exciting future!
The village chief looked at Su Ling with admiration. He had never expected that in just one month, the child had grown so much. Thinking back to when he asked him on the tea mountain what his future plans were, he had looked bewildered.
"Of course..." Su Ling changed the subject and continued, "If everyone is unwilling to work together with me, I will have no choice but to sell the tea plantation, pack up and return to the city."
"I can't sell it! I can't sell it!" Old Guo said anxiously, "Just build the road as it should be. I won't get involved. I don't want any compensation!"
His daughter is currently studying at a university in H City and will graduate next year. If she returns to the village and works under Young Master Su, she will be a manager in the future!
"We are willing to work together with Mr. Su! Building roads will benefit the people, and I fully support it!"
"My house is big, so it's no problem to open a B&B."
“My family can open a farm stay!”
"When the village became prosperous, I immediately called my son and daughter-in-law and asked them to come back and develop the village."
"Hey, Lao Xu, just stop making trouble and make do with it."
The others were talking at once, making Lao Xu's face burn. He quickly pulled his wife up. "Hurry up!"
Li Qiu stood up reluctantly.
Old Xu said to Su Ling with a shameless face: "We won't increase the price, just pay the original compensation."
If because of their family's opposition, Mr. Su had to return to the city, the road could not be built, and the tea plantation was sold, the whole village would curse them to death, and they would never be able to hold their heads up in the village again.
Seeing that everyone had made a wise choice, Su Ling said with a smile, "Okay, if everyone agrees, I will continue to donate money to build the road. However... as Aunt Li said, since the vegetable fields are more valuable, we won't requisition them."
Lao Xu and Li Qiu were stunned for a moment.
What's the meaning?
In the end, all their efforts were in vain!
"We're not raising the price, so why aren't we requisitioning it?" Lao Xu asked anxiously.
Su Ling put his hands in his coat pockets and said calmly, "I don't like being threatened, and I don't want to cause any trouble."
Who knows if they agree now, but will change their minds the next moment? To prevent future trouble, he can't afford to compromise. Besides, he's not a fool; he can't tell who's obstructing this.
Li Qiu kept looking at Li Yue'e, which was simply a way of trying to cover up the truth.
As for Li Yue'e's thoughts, it's not hard to guess. He had offended her last week, and she held a grudge, deliberately making things difficult for him. Although he usually didn't like to argue with others, he was no pushover, and he would fight back when necessary. If Lao Xu wanted to blame someone, he should blame Li Yue'e. Li Yue'e couldn't expect to remain unscathed.
Lao Xu stared at him blankly. The young man's handsome face revealed the arrogance of a superior, which gave people an invisible sense of pressure. He finally understood that they were not from the same world.
Li Qiu was unwilling to give in and was about to explode again, but was held down by Lao Xu. She was so angry that she almost collapsed. She pointed at Li Yue'e with trembling fingers and blurted out through gritted teeth, "You're hurting me!"
Li Yue'e turned her face and refused to acknowledge her. "Hey, Sister Li, what do you mean by that? You are greedy and want to raise the price, what does it have to do with me?"
She cleared herself of all charges, and Li Qiu was left speechless, unable to express his grievances.
Finally, the village chief slammed the table and made a decision: "Xiao Su paid for it, so we'll do everything he says. If anyone makes trouble again, we'll broadcast it on the village committee radio and make a daily announcement."
The village chief's move was cruel. It was announced on the radio, which was tantamount to a public execution and even more embarrassing.
Finally, after the storm passed, Su Ling established his authority in the hearts of the villagers.
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In a luxurious box of Fengyasong Hotel in S City, seven young men in high-end clothes gathered together and had a great chat.
"Mr. Meng, it's rare that you are so generous today and invite us to dinner here?" A young man in a flashy purple suit shook his tall wine glass and asked the handsome man sitting opposite him with a smile.
"Why did I give you the impression of being stingy before?" Meng Senze showed his white teeth.
"Everyone in the circle knows that you, Young Master Meng, are a notorious miser. I don't know who is lucky enough to help me today, but I can actually rip you off." The fashionable man with dyed blond hair joked with a wink.
"I'm a stingy person? Don't ruin my tall and majestic image!" Meng Senze glared at the blond man, then took the boy beside him and solemnly introduced him, "Come, come, let me introduce you to my cousin, Wen Xi. He's twenty years old, born and raised in Country M. He just returned yesterday and this is his first time visiting City S. Please take good care of him in the future!"
The young man greeted everyone generously. Although he grew up in Country M, he spoke fluent Chinese. "Hello everyone, just call me Xiaoxi."
"Wow, you speak Mandarin quite well!" The man in the purple suit put down his wine glass and sat down next to Wen Xi with great interest. He put his arm around Wen Xi's shoulders like Meng Senze and whispered seductively in his ear, "Since you call me brother, I will definitely take good care of you. Hey, there are a lot of fun places in S City. I'll take you there tomorrow!"
Before Wen Xi could answer, Meng Senze shoved him without hesitation. "Go to hell, Lin Shuming, you playboy, don't lead our children astray!"
Lin Shuming leaned over, feigning sadness. "Brother Meng, I'm going to break up with you!"
Meng Senze said with a forced smile: "Whatever, let's sever ties now!"
The others laughed and teased Lin Shuming. "You playboy, you're known for your ruthlessness. Wen Xi is Young Master Meng's cousin, and you've led him astray. Be careful Young Master Meng will skin you alive!"
"Hey, hey, hey, do you have friends who are as mean as you?" Lin Shuming yelled in dissatisfaction. After being exposed, he was not angry at all, but complacent. "I'm handsome, and there are so many people who like me. I'm also in a difficult situation!"
"Tsk, that's disgusting! Someone come over here and take this narcissistic guy away!"
"Hu Xingning, are you itching for trouble?" Lin Shuming pounced on the blond man and grabbed his hair.
"Stop! Your head can be cut and blood can flow, but your hair cannot be messed up!" Hu Xingning pushed Lin Shuming, and the others cheered on the side.
"Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Wen Xi covered his mouth and laughed as he watched them bicker. Originally, his cousin had said he was bringing him here to meet some friends, but now that he had seen them, he knew they were all from wealthy families. Getting to know them was like entering the upper class of S City.
After everyone had enough jokes, Lin Shuming sat back down, flicked his hair, and asked, "Everyone's here, isn't Young Master Meng going to start the meal yet?"
Meng Senze looked at his watch and shook his head: "Wait a little longer, there is still one person who hasn't arrived yet."
Lin Shuming looked around. "One, two, three, four, five, six, no one's missing!"
Except for Meng Senze's cousin, the six of them were classmates in the Finance Department of S University. After graduation, they often hung out together and had a harmonious relationship. They were close friends who helped each other.
Meng Senze said, "I have invited that person, but I don't know if he would be willing to do me the honor. Let's wait until six o'clock. If he doesn't show up, we'll have dinner."
"Who is it?" Lin Shuming asked.
"You will know in a moment." Meng Senze smiled mysteriously.
Just as he finished speaking, the door of the box was pushed open, and a tall man exuding an apathetic aura came in. A black fracture sling hung on his chest, which did not detract from his handsome image at all.
Lin Shuming's eyes widened in shock, and he blurted out, "Uncle...Uncle!"
Lin Feng glanced over sharply, his dark eyes revealing no emotion. Lin Shuming's legs couldn't help but go weak, and he wished he could find a hole to crawl into.
The most embarrassing thing in the world is that my uncle and I are not only the same age, but also classmates!
The author has something to say: Turtle Zun finally came with the update~~~555, I really write too slowly! Look at the sky!
I'm putting the clues together, don't worry. (＾ｖ＾) I'm laying the groundwork now.
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PS: Red envelopes will be dropped from time to time when leaving comments in this chapter~
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