Jing Shu looked at the vacant expanse of land. Besides accommodating two mobile villas, there was enough space for a large vegetable garden, a cattle shed, and a pigpen, allowing for more cattle and pigs. She nodded in approval. "This is good, but what’s the price?"
Fatty Liu wiped his sweat again and chuckled, "Land in the South Sea is only for lease, not for sale, as per national regulations. Our boss paid a great deal to secure a thirty-year usage right for the entire Dock Port. Moreover, this plot is in the newest and cleanest developed area of Dock Port, so the lowest we can go is five hundred thousand Virtual Coins per year."
My goodness, it’s the apocalypse! There might not even be a next year, yet so big shot is renting land for thirty years, especially in the precarious South Sea. They’ll probably lose everything, down to their pants!
Jing Shu shook her head internally; it wouldn’t be many years before the South Sea beca uninhabitable again.
Little did she know that when the South Sea was subrged years ago, Fatty Liu’s boss had taken a huge gamble. He secured the thirty-year dock rights at a very low cost. If he won, he would join the ranks of the province’s wealthiest. If he lost, the whole village would feast on his downfall, and his portrait would be hung in infamy.
Although the South Sea was neglected for a year after the tide receded, it finally revealed its comrcial value once rotten corpse insects were discovered to be usable as Fuel. This attracted many investors, and by now, the venture was already profitable. Anything further was pure gravy.
Seeing Jing Shu’s silence, Fatty Liu stoked the flas, "Um... If you find it expensive, we have land on lower ground for just one hundred thousand Virtual Coins. Of course, you don’t seem like soone who would fret over this bit of money. Otherwise, the lowest-lying common land is even given away for free. It’s just that those rotten corpse insects, TSK TSK, there are an awful lot of them. You wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep..."
Indeed, this plot was slightly elevated and considered the cleanest area in the Dock Port. It would have been considered pri real estate even before the apocalypse. Besides, Jing Shu wasn’t short of a few hundred thousand or even a million Virtual Coins.
"Alright then, I’ll lease it for three years."
Fatty Liu giggled, "Lease for five years and get two years free! Lease for ten years and get six years free! Miss Su leased for ten years! What a deal!"
Who in their right mind would lease for so many years? The boss himself probably knows the score. Besides, I know we’ll have to relocate again in a few years!
Su Malie, what a... sucker!
But then again, considering Su Malie’s luck, it seems she hasn’t actually lost out on anything yet. We’ll see how things turn out!
"Just three years."
Jing Shu firmly believed in this life philosophy: Not chasing petty advantages prevents major losses.
Fatty Liu wanted to persuade her further, but then he heard Jing Shu say, "Look, you’re sweating profusely. You must have so kidney qi deficiency. Here’s so astragalus and codonopsis for you to take back and steep in water."
Really, so young and already depleting his vitality.
Fatty Liu’s eyes brightened. He wiped his unending sweat, took the two dicinal packets, and said promptly, "Thank you, sister, thank you! It’s all due to the follies of youth! Three years it is, then. Don’t worry, I’ll ensure all the necessary permits for this land are handled perfectly. You won’t have to worry about a thing!"
Jing Shu nodded in satisfaction. "In a few days, my two mobile villas will arrive. I’ll need your help to sort out the procedures then."
"Absolutely, absolutely, sister! If you need to lease any other plot in Dock Port, just co find . Our boss owns the whole place!"
Why do salespeople always call you ’sister’ these days? I’m clearly much younger than Fatty Liu! Jing Shu mumbled to herself.
Thus, her residence for the next few years in the South Sea was settled at Dock Port. It wasn’t far from the New City Suburb, where the main contingent of migrants would reside, only just over thirty kiloters away. The Hulk could cover the distance in about forty minutes if he really sprinted, but it would be a tough commute for Mr. Jing and Mrs. Jing.
However, it was closer to the Cigarette Factory, just six kiloters away.
It was, however, a bit far from the Insect Cake Factory, which was already established in the New City Suburb... Speaking of which, Jing Shu suddenly rembered she also needed to build a mask factory.
"Where would be a good place to build a mask factory?" Jing Shu pondered.
The composition of Dock Port was complex. It comprised businesses involved in cargo transport to and from Hainan; investors who had heard of Wu City’s relocation and had arrived early to scout for business opportunities; and various regional corporate branches preparing to promote their businesses and secure market share, such as cable and wire companies, and sheet tal factories. There were also local enterprises like hydroelectric power stations, Fuel factories, and real estate ventures.
Dock Port had only one hundred thousand people and was more akin to an industrial zone. The New City Suburb, struggling to accommodate the four million people from Wu City, was more like a residential area.
"Then let’s build it next to the Cigarette Factory!" Jing Shu thought. We need to prepare for next year’s natural disaster. The demand will definitely be huge, and we might even need to expand by then. There definitely won’t be any space left in the new district.
Consequently, Fatty Liu, who was about to leave, was called back.
Jing Shu asked, "Do you know about the new Cigarette Factory that’s going to be built in Dock Port?"
Fatty Liu nodded. "It’s an enterprise of the Wucheng Town Governnt. It’s said to be a future pillar industry for the South Sea, so the governnt specially granted it a subsidy, waiving the land rent for three years."
Wow, what a coincidence. Just right for three years, Jing Shu thought, touching her nose. No wonder there was no land rent when I signed the papers today, only construction fees.
"I’d like to rent a vacant plot near the Cigarette Factory, about half the size of a football field. Um, that should be about three or four acres," she said.
"That area, ah, it’s on dium-elevation land. Four acres would be about 400,000 Virtual Coins a year. Shall I take you to see it?" Fatty Liu’s interest was piqued. She truly is a friend of the magnate Su Malie. The friends of the wealthy are indeed wealthy themselves!
"Sure, let’s go!" Jing Shu was also eager to settle the matter quickly, and the rent wasn’t expensive.
Once on the Hulk, Fatty Liu was extrely curious but had to restrain himself. He sat upright, yet his eyes darted around, taking everything in with his peripheral vision while maintaining his basic professional decorum.
The atmosphere was a bit quiet. Fatty Liu, trying to make conversation, said, "Sister, did you also co from Wu City?"
Jing Shu nodded. "Mhm."
"Did four million people from Wu City really make the trek on foot? I hear they’re about to leave the Yun Gui region soon."
"Hm? How do you know so much detail?"
"The whole country is watching! Quite a few from your group are live-streaming the trek, and the conditions are really tough. Donations from all over the country have been prepared, just waiting for the Wu City People to arrive for distribution! I... I also donated ten thousand Virtual Coins... Rest assured, once you reach the South Sea, consider this place your ho. It’s all the motherland’s embrace; you’ve rely moved from one part of it to another."
Jing Shu’s lips curved up slightly as she recalled her arrival in the South Sea in her previous life, and how it was overwheld with specialty products from all over the country.
"Guangzhou donated sausages, the Northeast sent scallions, and Shan and Gan worked overnight to make tens of thousands of servings of cold noodles. Sichuan, not wanting to be outdone, hand-rolled several tons of hot and sour noodles. Yun Gui had just brought out smoked ham when Jilin’s famous smoked at pancakes were already delivered to the South Sea. The Old Capital’s shiny yellow cornbread had just set out, and Tianjin’s Chinese Pancakes were already appearing on Wu City’s dining tables..."
This generation of netizens is fiercely competitive!
They can’t bear to see others suffer. Even when they themselves don’t have enough to eat, they donate the precious food they were reluctant to part with.
Jing Shu’s voice was exceptionally tender. "You’re right. In the motherland’s embrace, everywhere is ho."
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