Before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Professor Li, upon learning that Zhou You was at home, drove over immediately.
Li Baoyin couldn't stand staying at home any longer. He was utterly obsessed—if he spent a single day away from the breeding farm, he felt completely off. This had gotten so bad that his wife suspected he was having an affair. If she hadn't visited with him a few times last year, it would have definitely sparked plenty of conflict.
This time was no different; he was fixated on it.
After a brief explanation to his wife and getting her approval, he drove over himself. Over the past year, he had earned nearly an extra hundred thousand or so, though that was without dividends. Based on his own estimates, if nothing unexpected happened, they'd surely turn a profit this year.
At his age, a few tens of thousands more or less didn't significantly impact his life. What truly drew him in was having his personal abilities put to good use—this sense of fully exercising his initiative was genuinely addictive.
In other companies and institutions, work typically resumed on the seventh day of the first lunar month. As a university professor, he had always started work after the fifteenth for years. Now, he even felt a hint of self-satisfaction.
"Teacher Zhou, I'm at the breeding farm," Li Baoyin said, unable to contain his eagerness as he called Zhou You as soon as he arrived.
"Okay," Zhou You replied and headed toward the farm.
A ten-minute walk.
From a distance, he spotted Li Baoyin standing there with his hands on his hips, lost in contemplation, looking as if he were surveying his own territory.
"Professor Li, you're so dedicated. School hasn't even started, and you've come all alone," Zhou You said, pouring out flattery freely since it cost nothing.
"Can't help it. It's because Boss Zhou is too busy, visiting the farm only a handful of times a year. If I don't meet you and chat, I can't rest easy!" Li Baoyin had indeed gained some insight—what kind of major shareholder was this hands-off, just providing money and people without ever showing up?
But that was precisely why he felt motivated; he could make his own decisions.
Zhou You laughed it off, agreeing with whatever Li Baoyin said without ever contradicting him, simply refusing to get involved.
"Now I'm also applying for the green food certification process. The school-enterprise cooperation banner will be set up this year. The current scale is already considerable, but the market isn't saturated yet. We can basically sell as soon as they're ready for market. This year, we need to expand further." Li Baoyin had a lot to say when he saw Zhou You, chattering endlessly and pouring out all his plans.
Zhou You hadn't expected things to have progressed this far; it felt increasingly professional: "Professor Li, you're incredibly talented. Being a teacher is almost a waste of your skills. I didn't expect you to excel not only in technical theory but also in running a company so smoothly. We must give you a raise!"
"Teacher Zhou, you're even more talented. Teaching is just a side gig for you. Your teacher now wishes you were his own son, always bragging about you to me—it gives me a headache." Li Baoyin was a bit envious of Old Wang, wondering how he'd come up with such an extraordinary person.
The two exchanged mutual praise, and Li Baoyin was delighted that Zhou You had no objections to his suggestions, eager to boost profits as quickly as possible.
"Teacher Zhou, I'd also like to experiment with more projects, like mixed fruit tree cultivation. It might take a while to see returns, and we'll need to expand the area. Since we're doing free-range farming, we should raise them on different plots, dividing them into zones to prevent epidemics from wiping everything out." Li Baoyin was also anxious—no farmer wasn't afraid of epidemics. If prevention failed, years of profits could be lost.
"Fine, do it your way. Go ahead boldly. I've already leased the surrounding land. If you want to try other breeds, go ahead and experiment. Once things are on track, Professor Li, please raise a few horses for me to play with..." Zhou You was indifferent, fully delegating authority.
Li Baoyin was amused and exasperated by Zhou You. "I'm exhausted, and you're thinking about playing."
He dragged Zhou You for a tour around the farm, hoping to see him struggle, but Zhou You remained calm, unfazed, and even spirited.
When Zhou You mentioned a raise earlier, it wasn't just talk. A raise was definitely happening this year—workload had increased, profits had risen, and prices were going up. There was no reason not to give employees a raise.
"Professor Li, discuss how to increase wages and form a system. Let's all make money together. Yours should at least go up to ten thousand; otherwise, it'd be embarrassing. And this year, aim for dividends so everyone has a prosperous year." Zhou You started painting a rosy picture early in the year, since he had no other skills except adding money.
This was why Li Baoyin was willing to work—Zhou You wasn't stingy and didn't care about these small profits. As long as he worked hard, there would be rewards. Before he knew it, his salary was going up again, and with year-end dividends, he might even afford a new car.
Thinking about this, he grinned foolishly. At his age, getting a chance to strike it rich—who could he complain to?
Zhou You chatted with Professor Li for a while and even checked out his room.
It was all set up by them, with air conditioning, a fridge, and a washing machine. Since they lived there long-term, meals were provided. Currently, each person had their own room—rural land was cheap, and there weren't many students. Showers and toilets were all available. The conditions were better than university dorms, all provided for free.
They kept improving based on Professor Li and the students' needs. In short, they respected talent and knowledge.
Following Professor Li's request, they also built a large septic tank to handle the farm's waste, connected to the dormitories, otherwise it couldn't manage the volume.
The countryside lacked many amenities, so they did it themselves. Luckily, it was simple, and with their own construction team, they could modify anything.
Out in the boonies, no one bothered them.
Especially after word got out this year about expanding the scale.
The village was now harmonious.
After the New Year, Uncle had told the village chief about setting up a scholarship fund. The chief was overjoyed, repeatedly saying, "Great, a great thing! That kid Zhou You has a good heart. Education is the foundation. If we improve the kids' grades, future generations will benefit. Don't worry, I'll fully support this and make sure it's well-publicized."
Then Uncle continued, "Back when their family settled here, we're grateful for the village's acceptance, giving them a place to live. Now that there's an opportunity, they want to contribute. For the village's elderly in need, they'll offer what help they can, but for now, it's limited to sharing some chickens, ducks, and geese from the farm during holidays."
The village chief saw through it clearly—this way, the Zhou family had firmly established themselves in the village. No one could criticize them.
Still, it was a good thing, benefiting many of his own relatives. Better than nothing.
Moreover, with this attitude, as things developed, the whole village would benefit, and he'd gain face when going out.
Support—he would definitely give full support.
With a rare opportunity for development, anyone who stood in the way would be the village's enemy.
Yes, that was the tone. He, as village chief, had real insight. He couldn't help but feel smug.