Chapter 61: A Dog’s Life Shouldn’t Be Too Complacent

As the sun rose and set, a new day began.

At Cao Jiangang’s house, Cao Shujie arrived carrying two bottles of fine wine and a case of fresh milk.

Seeing Cao Shujie bringing gifts, Cao Jiangang was secretly pleased, thinking that despite his youth, Cao Shujie certainly knew how to handle things.

But he said, “Shujie, you didn’t have to bring anything.”

He invited Cao Shujie to sit down and asked his wife to make some tea. “Shujie, have a seat.”

“Uncle, Auntie, there’s no need to fuss. I’m just here to consult about something and then I’ll leave,” Cao Shujie said.

Cao Jiangang instinctively asked, “What’s the matter?”

Once Cao Shujie revealed his purpose, Cao Jiangang wished he hadn’t come at all!

Cao Shujie was there to ask for money, an outcome that was unexpected and caught Cao Jiangang off guard!

“Shujie, are you serious?” Cao Jiangang asked with a stern face.

At this moment, Cao Shujie’s skin was as thick as a pot’s bottom. If he could get some money, he didn’t care about face at all.

“Uncle, I’m telling the truth,” Cao Shujie said, his face full of sincerity.

He continued, “Look, I’ve leased over 80 acres of mountain land. For things like water, electricity, and roads, shouldn’t the Village Committee handle these basic facilities?”

Cao Jiangang nodded instinctively but quickly realized that Cao Shujie was trying to trick him, really acting shamelessly.

The next moment, Cao Jiangang, equally shameless, shook his head and said, “There’s no money to give. The village is so poor it can barely keep the pot boiling. We only managed to install streetlights and build a cultural center thanks to you. Where would we find money to build you a road?”

“Besides, you’ve already sorted out the water yourself, and the power company has set up the electricity. Can’t you figure out a way to handle the road too?” Cao Jiangang said.

For a moment, Cao Shujie felt he had truly refreshed his understanding of these people.

How could they so easily shift their responsibilities onto the contractor? How could Cao Jiangang even have the nerve to say such things?

“Uncle, the village doesn’t need that much money for streetlights and the cultural center, right? I don’t need much, just a subsidy of ten or twenty thousand from the Village Committee as a gesture. I’ll handle the rest myself, okay?” Cao Shujie proposed.

He knew full well that even if he pushed hard, he wouldn’t get much out of it.

Seeing Cao Jiangang glaring at him, he wasn’t fazed at all and continued, “Uncle, don’t rush. If I fix that small uphill and downhill road, won’t it be easier to go up and down the mountain in the future?”

“When I need some odd jobs done, won’t I prioritize hiring people from our village?”

“Once the road is fixed, older folks can ride up to work instead of walking, and even the younger ones struggle now. Won’t they remember who did them a favor then?”

“If I say the Village Committee helped fix the road, won’t everyone remember your kindness?”

Cao Shujie didn’t mention that he would be the biggest beneficiary of the road repair. Instead, he loudly stated a fact: “I’m just the contractor, but whose road is it ultimately?”

“In the end, it’s still the village’s. I’m just temporarily using it!”

Cao Jiangang felt that what Cao Shujie said made sense, but unfortunately, the Village Committee really didn’t have any money. Besides, he was old now and couldn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t: “Shujie, don’t try to sweet-talk your uncle. The Village Committee really has no money.”

Sighing, Cao Jiangang continued, “The initial contract fee you paid, 100,000 yuan, seemed like a lot, but it’s the rent for ten years. A little spent here, a little spent there, and it’s gone.”

“Our village relies on funding from above and has no other major income sources. I don’t even know if the streetlights will last until you pay the next installment of the contract fee. Could you pay a bit in advance?”

“Uncle, don’t even joke about that!” Cao Shujie was adamant about not paying the next installment early.

After thinking for a moment, he asked, “Uncle, shouldn’t the town provide some subsidy for road repairs?”

Cao Jiangang, knowing his intentions, immediately waved his hand to dismiss the idea: “Shujie, don’t even think about it. The town isn’t wealthy either. If you manage the orchard well, you’ll definitely make money. At most, if there’s any subsidy from above, I’ll do my best to get it for you. That road won’t cost much to repair; you can handle it yourself, right?”

“Heh heh!” Cao Shujie chuckled and asked, “Uncle, how much could this subsidy be?”

“You rascal!” Initially, Cao Jiangang thought this young man had guts and knew how to get things done, a real character. But now, just a few days later, he was already pestering him for money.

“Your land is 85 acres, right? You can apply for reforestation and land conversion subsidies. But don’t get your hopes up; it’s only about 200 yuan per acre per year,” Cao Jiangang said.

After hearing this, Cao Shujie muttered, “Well, it’s still 17,000 yuan. Better than paying for the road entirely out of my own pocket.”

With that, he looked at Cao Jiangang and said, “Uncle, you know I’ve been investing a lot lately, and funds are tight. What materials do I need to submit? The sooner I get this money, the better.”

“Damn!” Cao Jiangang cursed inwardly but had to suppress his temper. “I’ll go to the town to get a stamp. This matter requires an application to the Forestry Bureau.”

“Forestry Bureau?” Cao Shujie was taken aback.

Seeing Cao Jiangang nod, he said, “Uncle, if it’s the Forestry Bureau, I have connections there.”

“Really? Shujie, if it’s just some distant relative, this kind of thing isn’t easy to handle. The Village Committee would still need to help,” Cao Jiangang reminded him.

In truth, he wanted to gain some benefit too. If he didn’t do any work and just reached out for money, he’d feel embarrassed.

Cao Shujie laughed and said, “I can’t say for other places, but if it’s the Forestry Bureau, those connections are solid.”

Half an hour later, after discussing the details with Cao Jiangang, the Village Committee still needed to prepare some documents for him. Cao Shujie wasn’t stubborn and agreed to give him a small benefit.

Cao Jiangang nodded repeatedly, patting his chest and assuring him there would be no problem.

Aside from this matter, Cao Shujie and Cao Jiangang, representing the Cao Family Village Committee, negotiated another agreement: to renew a contract allowing Cao Shujie to continue leasing the mountain land once the current lease expires.

Thirty years from now, even if the current members of the Village Committee are no longer around, Cao Shujie is confident that with his future strength, he won’t have to worry about any tricks from the next group of people.

Ultimately, one must rely on oneself.

…

At home, Cheng Xiaolin and her mother-in-law, Wang Yuelan, were playing with Mengmeng in the courtyard. Today, Daha and Erha were finally released from their dog cages, regaining their freedom.

The two brothers were joyfully running around the yard. Seeing their little owner Mengmeng still holding onto the fake dog leash, Daha ran over and playfully swatted the fake dog, sending it tumbling.

However, since the other end of the leash was still in Mengmeng’s hand, the toy dog hit the ground with enough force to press its button, triggering music. Upon hearing the music, Mengmeng wasn’t upset; in fact, she found it quite amusing.

“Little doggy, do it again,” Mengmeng shouted, finding it entertaining.

Erha was initially worried that his brother’s mischievous paw might anger their little owner, leading to a scolding. But to his surprise, nothing happened to his brother, and the little owner seemed quite pleased.

His dog eyes darted around, and he quickly ran ahead of his brother to give the toy another playful swat.

(End of Chapter)