Chapter 123: Boss Cao’s Nonstop Hustle

“Shujie, come up and say a few words. I can’t hear you clearly from down there,” came the voice of Cao Jiangang over the loudspeakers.

Hearing this, the people sitting around Cao Shujie encouraged him to go up and speak.

Without hesitation, Cao Shujie stood up and walked towards the front. As he passed by familiar villagers, he couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotions thinking about everything that had happened since he returned from Beijing.

Since he was contracting land rather than opening a new factory, Cao Shujie didn’t resort to any exaggerated boasting. He explained his detailed plan and mentioned the upcoming tasks, estimating how many people he would need. The pay was still 35 yuan for an 8-hour day.

This was exactly what the villagers were keen to hear. They wanted to earn some extra money before the busy farming season or have a place to work after the rush, rather than idling at home.

Cao Shujie understood this well. He had already planned to sign contracts after the meeting and start leveling the land for planting forage grass the next day. He also needed to visit the county to discuss with Chen Xingquan and Xia Changhong about the wire mesh fence and automatic irrigation equipment. He had to talk to Cao Zhenggang as well.

Thinking about all this, Cao Shujie realized there was quite a lot to do.

In the crowd, Mengmeng watched Cao Shujie speaking at the front and excitedly told her mother and grandmother, “Mom, Grandma, look, it’s Dad.”

She was proud and happy, feeling that her dad looked very impressive up there.

Cheng Xiaolin felt a bit embarrassed and, noticing the kind looks from those around her, put her finger to her lips and whispered, “Mengmeng, don’t shout. Don’t disturb your dad while he’s talking.”

“Oh!” Mengmeng nodded, somewhat understanding, and quieted down.

After the meeting ended, most people gradually left, but about a dozen stayed in the Village Committee Courtyard.

Cao Shujie, along with the Village Committee members, finished signing the contracts. The money would need to be withdrawn from the Rural Commercial Bank in town, which could be done by tomorrow at the earliest.

“Shujie, do your best. I have faith in you,” Cao Jiangang said, patting him on the shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Uncle,” Cao Shujie replied, cupping his hands in respect. “My new house is almost finished. I’ll invite all the uncles and grandfathers over for a little gathering once it’s done.”

In simpler terms, he was inviting them over for a meal, a gesture they couldn’t refuse.

The accountant of Cao Family Village, Cao Zhengyin, smiled and asked, “Shujie, is your two-story house almost ready to live in?”

“Grandfather, hopefully by the end of the year. We’ll see how it goes. If everything’s suitable, we’ll move in,” Cao Shujie replied.

Cao Zhengyin nodded. “That’s true. The smell from the renovations can be quite strong. It’s not good for the kids; you need to ventilate it.”

The conversation shifted to discussing Cao Shujie’s house. Village Head Gao Weimin seemed uninterested and said, “Secretary Cao, I have some matters at home. You all continue chatting; I’ll head back first.”

“Alright, Weimin. There’s a meeting in town in a few days. Let’s go together,” Cao Jiangang said.

Gao Weimin nodded in agreement.

With many tasks still on his list, Cao Shujie left the Village Committee Office a few minutes later to head home.

Seeing a group of people still standing in the courtyard, he was a bit surprised.

As soon as he appeared, Cao Yong hurried over. “Shujie, when are you starting work?”

“Yes, Shujie, we wanted to ask if you’re hiring now. We want to sign up,” said Cao Shuchao.

Even the white-haired Cao Zhenglin asked, “Shujie, do you think I can do it?”

His face, full of wrinkles, showed a hint of anxiety.

These people were in urgent need of money. Even though the pay was only 35 yuan for 8 hours, they didn’t mind and stayed to ask Cao Shujie for reassurance.

“Grandpa Zhenglin, Brother Chao, Uncle Yong, just bring your shovels to the mountain tomorrow morning. I’ll be there waiting for you,” Cao Shujie assured them.

With his words, they felt at ease and went home to prepare.

Cao Jianhua had been waiting by the door. Seeing that no one else was around, he approached. “Shujie, are you busy right now?”

Seeing Cao Jianhua, Cao Shujie was surprised. It seemed like he had changed a lot in a short time.

Cao Shujie could see the exhaustion in his eyes, the deeper wrinkles on his face, and the white hair on his head.

“Uncle Hua, you need to rest more,” Cao Shujie said with concern.

Cao Jianhua shook his head with a troubled expression. “I can’t sleep!”

“Shujie, you know, I only sleep four to five hours a day now. Sometimes I can’t sleep at all. I should have listened to your advice back then,” he admitted sincerely. He regretted his decision, but with 300,000 yuan already invested, he had no choice but to push forward.

“Uncle Hua, what do you need? Tell me,” Cao Shujie asked.

As the Village Committee members left the office, Cao Zhengyin called out, “Hua, how’s your pig farm going? Will we be able to eat your pork this New Year?”

“Uncle Yin, it’s coming along. I have to take it step by step,” Cao Jianhua replied with a hint of stubbornness. “It’s been rushed this year. Maybe not by the end of the year, but definitely by next year.”

“You better hurry up. Don’t keep us waiting,” Cao Zhengyin shouted.

Cao Jiangang wanted to say something but decided against it. He nodded to Cao Shujie and Cao Jianhua, then quietly rode his Dajinlu bike home.

With that, the Village Committee Courtyard finally quieted down.

“Shujie, I’m thinking of taking out a loan from the bank. You have experience in this, can you advise me?” Cao Jianhua asked.

“Uncle Hua, you need to think carefully. If you take out a loan, there’s no turning back. You’ll have to make monthly payments, and the pressure will be immense,” Cao Shujie warned, recalling the burden of a mortgage.

Some people think that their monthly repayments aren’t much, and since they earn a decent amount, they can manage by gritting their teeth. But once they start repaying, they realize how fragile they are. Even a minor unexpected event can be tough to handle.

If the economy takes a downturn, leading to a significant drop in income, or if someone in the family suddenly falls seriously ill and urgently needs money, it’s truly life-threatening.

Cao Jianhua nodded. “I’ve thought it over. I won’t borrow much, at most three hundred thousand. Once I get the money, I’ll buy some piglets to raise. I’ll buy some feed and get some on credit. With a wire mesh fence around, I won’t worry about other things for now.”

His tone revealed extreme reluctance. “Shujie, I’m so close to my goal, just one step away!”

Hearing this, Cao Shujie knew he understood the situation and said, “Uncle Hua, go to the Rural Commercial Bank in town and find Manager Ma Changrong at the credit office. Tell him I sent you; he can help you sort it out.”

After a pause, Cao Shujie continued, “As for how much you can actually get, I can’t say. The bank and a third-party assessment agency need to come and evaluate the site first.”

“An assessment?” Cao Jianhua realized and asked, “You mean even if I want to borrow three hundred thousand, I might not get it?”

Cao Shujie nodded. “It requires a comprehensive assessment. They need to see the project’s prospects and your repayment ability.”

“But Uncle Hua, you also have a supermarket, so I think repayment won’t be a big issue. The bank will evaluate your capacity comprehensively,” Cao Shujie reminded him.

Cao Jianhua grasped Cao Shujie’s hand and said, “Shujie, I need to head to the town bank now. When I get back, I’ll invite you over for a meal.”

“Uncle Hua, there’s no need. I didn’t really help much. You focus on your business,” Cao Shujie replied, not one to freeload meals. He preferred spending his free time with his wife and kids at home.

After they parted, Cao Jianhua didn’t go home. He rode the motorcycle parked outside the Village Committee Courtyard and headed north on the main road to consult about the loan at the town bank.

Cao Shujie strolled back home. As soon as he entered, he saw his parents and wife waiting in the courtyard.

“Shujie, are you done?” Cheng Xiaolin asked.

Cao Shujie replied casually, “Almost. The contract is signed. I need to go to the town bank to arrange for tomorrow’s money withdrawal and give it to the Village Committee. We’ll officially start work tomorrow.”

Hearing this, Cao Jianguo and Wang Yuelan both sighed in relief. “Then you better go quickly.”

Cao Shujie reached out to Mengmeng on the ground. “Mengmeng, let Daddy hold you.”

“No way!” Mengmeng turned and hid behind Cheng Xiaolin, shouting, “I want to play with the puppy.”

Cheng Xiaolin waved her hand. “Shujie, go ahead and get busy. The sooner you go, the sooner you’ll be back.”

“Alright,” Cao Shujie nodded. “I’ll finish up at the bank and then head to the county to see Chen Xingquan and Xia Changhong.”

“You’re really busy!” Wang Yuelan couldn’t help but tease her son, who seemed to be constantly on the move.

Cao Shujie chuckled, unfazed, and went inside to change clothes and grab his car keys before heading out.

Mengmeng called out from the courtyard, “Daddy, buy me a toy too.”

“Sure, I’ll get you one. What toy do you want?” Cao Shujie asked.

The little girl thought seriously for a moment before saying, “I want an excavator, a big one.”

Hearing this, Cao Shujie burst into laughter.

…

Qingshi Town has two banks. One is the Postal Bank, and the other is the Yiling City Rural Commercial Bank Qingshi Town Branch.

The Postal Bank is known for its cumbersome procedures and understaffed services, so people rarely go there.

In contrast, the Rural Commercial Bank has simpler procedures and is more down-to-earth.

At the Rural Commercial Bank’s credit center, across from Ma Changrong’s desk, Cao Jianhua had been waiting for a while.

Sitting opposite Ma Changrong, he hadn’t prepared in advance, so he stammered and couldn’t clearly explain his project’s plan, scale, or future prospects.

Ma Changrong frowned, reluctant to deal with such clients.

From his years of experience, he knew such clients often start projects impulsively without a scientific management plan. It’s hard to believe a short-sighted farmer can go far.

“Which village are you from?” Ma Changrong asked.

Cao Jianhua, nervous, had forgotten to introduce himself. He felt inherently inferior when borrowing money from a bank, unable to stand tall.

Hearing the question, he quickly replied, “I’m from Cao Family Village…”

“Cao Family Village?” Ma Changrong pondered for a moment, then asked, “Do you know Boss Cao, Cao Shujie?”

“Yes, he’s the one who told me to come to you,” Cao Jianhua said eagerly, as if he’d found a savior.

“Did Cao Shujie send you to me?” Ma Changrong felt something was off.

After thinking briefly, Ma Changrong said, “Wait here for a moment. I’ll inform the counter.”

“Sure, Manager Ma, you go ahead,” Cao Jianhua replied, unaware of any issues, smiling for the first time.

He thought mentioning ‘Cao Shujie’ gave him a sixty percent chance of success.

Meanwhile, Ma Changrong took his phone and left the office, heading to the counter. He then stepped outside the bank to call Cao Shujie.

Before he could ask, he heard Cao Shujie on the other end say, “Manager Ma, I’ll be at the bank in a few minutes. Let’s talk in person.”

“Beep beep beep…”

Before he could say anything, the call ended.

“This Boss Cao!” Ma Changrong shook his head with a smile.

He wasn’t in a hurry to go back inside, waiting outside for a few minutes. Soon, Cao Shujie’s Buick with Beijing plates pulled up beside him.

“Boss Cao, what brings you here today?” Ma Changrong asked curiously.

Cao Shujie said, “I just signed a contract with the Village Committee to lease some mountain land. I’m here to withdraw some money to pay the lease fee, and then I need to head to the county to discuss supply deals for wire mesh fencing and automatic irrigation equipment with two suppliers.”

Now that’s what you call professional!

Both are leasing mountain land, yet when Cao Shujie talks about it, he does so with clarity and confidence, presenting everything logically.

Meanwhile, Cao Jianhua, who was sitting inside, couldn’t even articulate his plans clearly, let alone speak a coherent sentence.

The difference is obvious!

“Boss Cao, do you know someone named Cao Jianhua?” Ma Changrong suddenly asked him.

Cao Shujie nodded, “That’s my Uncle Hua. Is he here with you?”

“You knew he came to see me?” Ma Changrong asked.

Cao Shujie nodded, “Of course, Uncle Hua consulted me about the loan process before coming over.”

“What do you think of his project?” Ma Changrong asked.

Cao Shujie smiled and said, “The pig farm facilities in the early stages are quite comprehensive, but they’re too standardized. The initial investment is too large, and before he could even sell any piglets, the funds were already a bit tight.”

“But my Uncle Hua also has a supermarket, so there’s no issue with his repayment ability,” Cao Shujie specifically mentioned.

Ma Changrong was genuinely surprised and asked, “He also runs a supermarket?”

“Yes, it’s a comprehensive supermarket in our village. It steadily earns a few thousand yuan a month, so it’s not a big problem,” Cao Shujie said.

With that, Ma Changrong felt more assured.