A Divine Farmer

Chapter 200 - A Good Deed of Giving away Money for Free

Zhang Xiaolong had initially planned to progressively develop an orchard on the underutilized land of Clear River Village. However, as events rapidly unfolded, he found himself fully invested in the Strong Dragon auction.

With the auction now behind him, and the Strong Dragon not in his possession, he naturally redirected his focus back to the affairs of Clear River Village.

This was his stronghold. As long as he maintained everything here, there was nothing else to fear.

Having renewed his commitment to the village, Zhang Xiaolong upgraded the simple plastic greenhouses to state-of-the-art glass ones.

These improved structures now spanned twenty acres and primarily supplied the East Light Supermarket.

Despite this, the vegetable supply still fell short of demand, prompting Lee Donghua to often remark how selling quality goods made business much easier.

Given these circumstances, Zhang Xiaolong decided it was time to engage the Clear River Village residents.

“Xiaolong, are you sure about this? Do you really want to get the villagers into vegetable farming?” Lee Xiulian expressed her concern. “I know you mean well, but business has its ups and downs. If there's profit, everyone's happy, and they might not all praise you, but at least they won't cause trouble. However, if there's a loss, they might just band together and come after you.”

Most farmers are decent and straightforward, but when interests are at stake, personal feelings are set aside.

Even if only one in a hundred acted out, it would be enough to cause significant distress.

After all, what business doesn't face the risk of loss? Initially, even Zhang Xiaolong's vegetables were nearly unsellable, almost rotting in the fields.

“I get what you're saying, Ms Lianzi. The market is ever-changing, and we all have to learn to navigate it. No one can claim to always come out on top,” Zhang Xiaolong acknowledged her concerns. “But as I've said before, prosperity in Clear River Village shouldn't be limited to just me or a select few. We need to uplift everyone, to the point where city girls dream of moving here. That's the mark of true success.”

Right now, we have an opportunity. The market is in need of high-quality vegetables, and we alone can't meet the demand. Why not seize this chance to mobilize everyone?” After a sigh, he added, “Entering this market means understanding the risks. But as everyone is just starting out, if we only dwell on the risks, we'll accomplish nothing. So, I'm prepared to shoulder the risk initially. Once everyone is acclimated, they can take it on themselves.”

Lee Xiulian was even more astonished by Zhang Xiaolong's plan. “What are you planning to do?”

“I'll provide the seeds and the technology. Each family can take them home to plant, and we'll buy back the harvest at cost. This way, the villagers face virtually no risk.” Zhang Xiaolong had already devised a strategy.

Lee Xiulian understood that their vegetables were superior because of their unique seeds, making them incredibly valuable.

Zhang Xiaolong was offering these precious seeds to others, which was already a significant advantage, and he was proposing to buy back the crops too?

This would mean the villagers would have no risk, but Zhang Xiaolong would bear it all.

“No,” Lee Xiulian immediately protested, “I know you want to enrich the entire village, but this isn't the way to do it. What if something goes wrong? You could lose everything you have. The village isn't just a handful of families. If several hundred households lose a thousand each, that's over a million gone!”

Zhang Xiaolong just smiled. “Ms. Lianzi, it's not as dire as you're making it out to be. Do you really think the whole village will start farming vegetables right away? Don't worry. I estimate that at most, a few dozen households will take the initiative. We're only doing this for one year, and future participants won't receive the same deal. I want to show everyone that to make money in this business, you need to think fast and act fast, or the opportunity will slip by.”

“But even with just a few dozen households, the potential losses are not insignificant,” Lee Xiulian remained concerned.

“Look, even Ms. Lianzi is just watching the situation with skepticism. It's clear what the other villagers will think,” Zhang Xiaolong said, shaking his head. “Given the current demand, I can confidently say there's no risk of loss. Even if the whole village took up farming, the market could absorb it. Our sights don't have to be set solely on Qingyang City. Quality goods are in demand everywhere—Yishui, even Yanjing, could be our markets in the future. If we do end up losing money, then it's on me for misjudging the market. I'll just consider it tuition for a lesson learned.”

“In the end, I can't outtalk you. But maybe you're onto something. It takes a push to get people moving forward. Fine, we'll do it your way. I'll have Mr. Zhuzi announce it over the loudspeaker and see who bites,” Lee Xiulian finally conceded.

But Zhang Xiaolong gestured dismissively, “No, not this time. Easy come, easy go—people won't value what they haven't worked for. Here's what we'll do: we'll let the word out just to our current staff at the vegetable market and orchard. If there's an opportunity, our own people get first dibs. Of course, others can join in if they wish, but they'll have to come to us through connections. It'll give our workers a sense of prestige, won't it?”

Lee Xiulian laughed and gave him a playful slap on the back, “You sly kid, you're getting sharper by the day. I like this strategy.”

?If you lay out a great opportunity directly before someone, their first thought is often skepticism—wondering if there's a catch. But if you shroud the opportunity in a bit of mystery, making it seem exclusive and only shared among insiders, it piques others' curiosity and they'll come chasing after you.

As Zhang Xiaolong suggested, those not employed at the market would need an employee's referral to get in on the deal. Suddenly, the market staff would find themselves held in higher regard by the rest of the village, which would surely boost morale.

Moreover, in the future, if we wanted to hire more people, they'd be clamoring to get in, eager to get a piece of the action first.

Lee Xiulian pondered over the situation, carefully crafting her words before she called everyone together to share the exciting news.

She explained the opportunity with even more detail than Zhang Xiaolong had, making it crystal clear that this was a lucrative chance to make money.

Those working at the vegetable market, watching trucks haul away produce daily, were well aware of the money-making potential. Once Lee Xiulian broke down the specifics, they were all instantly interested.

The key incentive was the guarantee from Zhang Xiaolong—it was practically like handing out free money. If they missed out on this, there wouldn't be another chance. They hurried to discuss with their families about planting vegetables on their own land, deciding that even starting with just a few acres was an opportunity not to be missed.

However, not everyone had such smooth sailing. Take Zheng Hong, for instance, who, despite already working at the market, not only failed to gain support when she went back home but also ended up causing a major problem.