When he first left City S, what exactly did he tell Lin Zhou? It was something along the lines of the cost of living in the countryside was lower, so he would not have to spend that much money.
But now, as he created a detailed list of items, a chuckle escaped his lips. Oh boy, there goes five to six hundred thousand yuan[1]…
Smoothing out the road set him back a pretty penny, costing over a hundred thousand yuan[2]. Then, there were the daily expenses of trucking out those fresh tea leaves, tallying up to more than a thousand yuan[3] each day. However, the real blow to his wallet came from purchasing furniture and appliances, racking up a whopping bill of over four hundred thousand yuan[4]!
As for his income, the tea merchants had only made a partial payment — a mere two hundred thousand yuan[5] — as a down payment. The final payment would come once every last tea leaf had been plucked, weighed, and meticulously accounted for.
The village chief revealed that this year’s spring tea yield had surpassed that of the previous year, reaching an approximate weight of eight thousand catty. After deducting costs and labor, they could be looking at a profit of over five hundred thousand yuan. And once the summer and autumn teas had been harvested, the total annual profits could surge to well over one million yuan.
For those residing in the countryside, earning over one million yuan was a distant dream that might never be realized in their entire lifetime. Yet, for the spendthrift Young Master Su, he could easily spend it all within the span of a month.
With a taste tailored to city living, Su Ling could not quite settle into Second Grandfather’s quaint abode. The place might exude old-world charm, but to Su Ling, it felt a tad too basic for his comfort. Not one to compromise on his comfort, he swiftly incorporated some high-quality, modern touches.
Take the study, for example. A plush carpet now blanketed the once-bare floor while sunlight danced through sheer curtains, adding a touch of elegance to the room. Mounted on the wall was a framed piece of his own calligraphy. Adjacent to the ancient-style circular window by the corridor was a set of mahogany chairs, while a gleaming white porcelain tea set was placed on the coffee table.
Much like the study, all the other rooms underwent a stunning makeover, leaving them all gleaming with newfound splendor.
Sure enough, Su Ling was the epitome of cluelessness when it came to household chores. But then, two days ago, he went on a massive shopping spree at a shopping mall in City H and amassed a mountain of goods with delivery fees to match. Once the items arrived at his doorstep, he wasted no time raising Aunt Zhang’s salary to a thousand yuan per month and enlisting her aid in managing the residence.
Upon hearing that, the beaming Aunt Zhang could hardly hide her elation, as her eyes sparkled with joy and her lips curved into a wide grin. She then dedicated an entire day to the task, swiftly and methodically organizing everything to perfection.
With the kitchen now equipped with a refrigerator, it was a breeze to store food.
As such, Su Ling headed to the town market, where he handpicked the freshest catches of fish, the most tender cuts of meat, and an enticing variety of crab and shrimp. Swiftly, he stowed them away in the freezer, preserving their freshness. Gratefully accepting Aunt Zhang’s basket of fresh vegetables, he carefully arranged them in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer. A satisfied smile graced Su Ling’s face as he surveyed his provisions, knowing he had curated a week’s worth of sustenance.
The induction cooktop was a must-have kitchen essential, allowing him to stir-fry mouthwatering dishes and indulge in delightful hot pot. After stumbling upon it at the electrical appliance store, Su Ling made the bold decision to ditch the rural stove. Armed with a collection of well-chosen recipes, he was able to master his cooking skills in just two days.
Once Su Ling had calculated his expenses, he chewed on the end of his pen as his refined brows knitted together in concentration. Before long, a soft sigh escaped his lips, tinged with a hint of frustration.
One could not tell the cost of the fuel and rice without being the head of the family[6]. Back in the city, Su Ling would spend money like water, thanks to the supplementary card Lin Feng had given him. He would impulsively purchase anything that caught his eye. But now, in the trenches of earning his own keep, he was confronted with the arduous realities of life.
In addition to building a road leading out of the village, he faced the daunting task of repairing the one connecting the village entrance to the Su Clan Ancestral House. After crunching the numbers, he was hit with the sobering truth: the cost of these repairs alone would soar into the millions.
Since repairing bridges and roads accumulated virtue through acts of kindness[7], Su Ling found his spending genuinely worthwhile. Instead of feeling any pangs of regret and heartache, he was engulfed by an indescribable sense of fulfillment.
It was a sensation unlike any he had ever experienced before as he selflessly assisted others in his own capacity, wholeheartedly engaging in charitable acts. His inner joy resonated deeply, affirming that his life was lived with meaning and value.
After a fleeting moment of financial woes, Su Ling smoothed away the furrows from his brow.
As the saying goes, “Heaven has made us talented, but we’re not made in vain; A thousand gold coins spent and more will turn up again.[8]”
With absolute confidence in his skills, he was certain he could make money on his own terms. Therefore, dwelling on worries at this moment was nothing more than needless fretting. At worst, he could just create a few paintings and let Lin Zhou auction them off for a handsome sum — easily tens of thousands!
With a decisive shift in mindset, Su Ling snapped the ledger shut. Then, he raised his hands overhead and stretched his body lazily.
The author has something to say:
Baby Ling: You’re now of age, Moneykins. So, it’s about time for you to learn how to find your own way into my pockets!
________
Regarding the comments about the road construction costing 5 million yuan, let me clear things up right here ^__^
They aren’t planning to build a small concrete road in the village, but rather a proper highway that leads out of the village.
In China, highways are divided into 5 categories — expressways, Class I highways, Class II highways, Class III highways, and Class IV highways.
For this novel, I’ve opted for the bare minimum standards, so the village has to construct a Class IV highway with two lanes in each direction.
This road is not privately constructed but rather an official road that the village chief has applied for and had been reviewed by the town authorities. Therefore, families whose land is affected by the road construction will receive some compensation.
Due to insufficient allocated funds, the village committee must now make up the shortfall on their own. However, without the necessary funds, the road construction project remains at a standstill. Therefore, they have to rely on kind-hearted individuals, such as philanthropic businesspersons and celebrities, to make donations. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
In this novel, Su Ling is the one making the donations.
If we base our calculations on the appropriation of 200 acres, with compensation ranging from 3,000 to 30,000 yuan per acre and setting aside 10,000 yuan for compromises, the budget would exceed 2 million yuan.
The construction cost of a Class IV highway ranges approximately from 1.5 million to 1.8 million yuan per kilometer, but please keep in mind that actual costs may vary due to fluctuations in material prices.
The road in the village was initially around 2 kilometers long, but later it was discovered that by taking a straight path, the distance could be reduced to just over 1,000 meters. As a result, the estimated cost is approximately 2.5 million yuan.
As for the remaining hundreds of thousands of yuan, it will be allocated for purposes such as road greening, pavement, installing streetlights, various pipeline installations, labor costs, and more.
This is how I arrived at the estimated cost of 5 million yuan, calculated at the lowest possible standards. Since I’m not a professional, this figure is the best estimate I can provide.
[1] CNY 500,000 to CNY 600,000 is approximately US $69,032.15 to US $82,838.58.
[2] CNY 100,000 is approximately US $13,810.82.
[3] CNY 1,000 is approximately US $138.11.
[4] CNY 400,000 is approximately US $55,241.75.
[5] CNY 200,000 is approximately US $27,612.86.
[6] 不当家不知柴米贵 (bù dāng jiā bù zhī chái mǐ guì): It is a Chinese proverb, which means that one only realizes the value of basic necessities like firewood and rice when they take on the responsibility of managing a household. It emphasizes the importance of firsthand experience in understanding the challenges and significance of everyday tasks in maintaining a home.
[7] 修桥补路 行善积德 (xiū qiáo bǔ lù xíng shàn jī dé): This phrase encapsulates the essence of performing good deeds and accumulating positive virtues. It encourages people to contribute positively to society while nurturing their own moral growth through acts of kindness and virtue.Breaking it down:修桥补路 (xiū qiáo bǔ lù): This part of the phrase is an old Chinese proverb that emphasizes the practical aspect of contributing to public welfare. It metaphorically refers to repairing bridges and roads, which are essential infrastructure for the community’s well-being. By actively engaging in actions that improve society, such as being charitable, helping others, or participating in community projects, one contributes to the collective welfare.行善积德 (xíng shàn jī dé): This part stresses the moral and personal development aspect. “行善” means performing acts of kindness or goodness, while “积德” refers to accumulating moral virtues or positive karma. It highlights the idea that by consistently practicing good deeds and acts of kindness, individuals not only benefit others but also cultivate their own moral character and accumulate positive virtues.
[8] It is a verse from the poem “Bringing in the Wine” (将进酒) by a famous Chinese poet, Li Bai (李白).The verse expresses the belief that if someone has been gifted with abilities or talents by a higher power (Heaven), those talents are inherently valuable and will serve a purpose. It also suggests that even if one loses a significant amount of wealth (symbolized by a thousand taels of gold), it is possible to regain it through various means.