Chapter 776
Xu Bo'an's Thoughts
Xu Bo'an's senses were sharp, and with a little effort, he heard the commotion outside.
"Give us the money, the host will give us the money."
"What money? You agreed to sing for three days, but you only sang for one day and then quit. You still have the nerve to ask for money."
"Pah! You promised daily wages, and we've been singing all day until our throats are hoarse. You won't even pay us. Only a fool would work for you for free. We've asked around the village, and your family is dirt poor. You still want to cheat us out of our money?"
"You're the ones who're dirt poor! Besides, if you know we're poor, why are you asking for money? Get out, get out!"
……
"What's going on?" Xu Bo'an frowned inwardly. Before he could ask any questions, he heard someone whispering something to him.
Soon, someone who knew the inside story explained: "Hey, don't even mention it, it's too embarrassing. That good-for-nothing kid from Lizhu's family hired this suona band to play for three days, agreeing to pay them every day. But on the first night, he refused to work anymore, insisting on finishing all three days first. Anyone with a brain knows he's trying to get them to do this work for free. Who would be happy about that?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Bo'an was speechless.
To do something like this at a time like this, what kind of nonsense is this?
Even Xu Bo'an, an outsider, couldn't stand it anymore and immediately went over and said, "How much? I'll pay you."
Upon hearing this, the man holding the suona (a traditional Chinese wind instrument) didn't bother to respond to Chen Lizhu's son anymore and immediately said to Xu Bo'an, "Two hundred and twenty a day!"
Before Xu Bo'an could say anything, Chen Lizhu's son shouted, "What do you mean 220? We agreed on 600 for three days, 200 each day."
The man with the suona shouted, "Hmph, that's the price for three days. It's 220 yuan for a single day, and there's a discount for using more! You've only used our services for one day, so it has to be calculated on a single day basis."
Before Chen Lizhu's son could say anything more, Xu Bo'an raised his hand, picked up his phone, and scanned the code to make the payment.
"WeChat message received, 220 yuan."
Having already paid, Chen Lizhu's son knew it was pointless to say anything; the other party was unlikely to return it. Besides, he was currently busy with family matters and didn't have much time to argue about the twenty yuan.
Besides, I didn't pay for it myself.
Nevertheless, Chen Lizhu's son still showed a regretful and reluctant expression in his eyes, thinking how much better it would have been if he had received the money; it was such a waste.
Chen Lizhu's son is no good; he's good at everything from eating and drinking to having fun, but he doesn't live a proper life.
When I saw that table of wine just now, a normal person would either treasure it or sell it for money; these are the two most common thoughts.
This guy was thinking of taking it out to show off to his cronies and drink with them. What a spendthrift idea that is!
This kid usually does odd jobs in the county town, and he's lucky if he can save a hundred or eighty yuan a day. Right now, this two hundred yuan is his wages for two or three days, and he can't be more envious.
Seeing how generous Xu Bo'an was, the kid's eyes lit up, and he started thinking about how to swindle some money out of Xu Bo'an.
Xu Bo'an was not short of money. Although he really disliked this kid, he still went out to give a gift of money for Tang Xiaobao's sake, and also gave Tang Xiaobao a gift.
Not much, two thousand yuan.
Although this trip could be considered a loss from a financial perspective, it completed the process and helped Tang Xiaobao fulfill his wish, which made Xu Bo'an feel somewhat comfortable.
Childhood is always unforgettable.
It always makes one feel better to do something good that contributes to childhood memories.
Many elderly people like children, even other people's children, and will smile and stare at them when they meet them on the street.
There is no blood ties or personal relationships here; they can only see their past reflected in these vibrant children, which evokes their memories.
That is the most carefree time in a person's life.
After finishing these tasks, Xu Bo'an chatted with some of his childhood friends for a while before going back to rest.
That night, Xu Bo'an chose to rest at Tang Xiaobao's place. Although Tang Xiaobao's place was very simple, it was the kind of earthen cave dwelling that people used to live in. The walls inside the house were mostly cracked, and there was a very damp smell.
However, Xu Bo'an was only staying there for one night, so he didn't mind these things.
Xu Bo'an didn't sleep well that night. He got up early the next morning, bought some daily necessities for Tang Xiaobao at the village store, put them back at Tang Xiaobao's place, and then drove back to Dongjiang.
Along the way, Xu Bo'an's mind was filled with scenes of playing with his friends in Tangjiaping when he was a child. He spent almost all of his carefree childhood days in Tangjiaping Village, so he had a deep affection for that place.
However, nowadays, because the village is relatively backward, most of the young people have moved away from there for the sake of making a living and for their children's schooling. The only people left in Tangjiaping Village are some elderly people, some lazy young people, and some people with intellectual disabilities like Tang Xiaobao.
In short, the entire village probably has a maximum population of around two hundred people.
If things continue like this, Tangjiaping Village will soon cease to exist and disappear forever into the annals of history.
By then, Tangjiaping Village will truly only remain a memory deep in Xu Bo'an's heart.
Thinking of this, Xu Bo'an couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation. No, he absolutely couldn't stand by and watch such a thing happen.
Now that he had the ability, he could rebuild Tangjiaping while preserving its original appearance. Rebuilding it would allow more people to stay, and generation after generation could live and thrive there, ensuring its continued existence. Having understood this, Xu Bo'an's sense of desolation gradually subsided.
However, rebuilding the village is not something that can be done overnight; it is quite complicated to implement.
Anyway, Tangjiaping Village is unlikely to disappear in a few years. I'll make a proper plan when I have more free time later. There's no rush.
Right now, the most important thing is that I am still in the early stages of starting my business. I need to make the most of the convenience that Bonsai World provides and do more business!
This way, the money earned can better cover up the bonsai world.
Even if Xu Bo'an's business didn't become very successful, he could still make a lot of money by reselling items from the Bonsai World to build Tangjiaping Village.
However, if this continues for a long time, even if it doesn't attract the attention of relevant departments, some envious people will try to bring you down and trip you up, which will be difficult to explain later.
However, if one uses the convenience offered by the bonsai world to continuously expand their business empire, things will be different when they become big and powerful.
By then, I will be a very successful businessman. When I spend a lot of money on things, people will just say that I am a business tycoon who can spend as much money as I want. No one will care about where my funds come from anymore. This will better cover up my golden finger of owning Bonsai World.
At present, a small industry like "Kangtai Pharmaceutical Factory" is far from enough.
Xu Bo'an decided that after returning this time, he would no longer sit idly by and wait for death like before. He would take the initiative to make use of the existing resources in the Bonsai World and negotiate more big deals.
If I continue to take my time like before, when will I ever achieve my dreams?
Just like a man who likes a girl should take the initiative, if he slowly waits for the girl to come to him or waits for the right opportunity, then it will be too late.
Therefore, whether it's doing business or anything else, the same principle applies: only by taking the initiative and acting proactively can you achieve twice the result with half the effort!
Lost in thought, Xu Bo'an drove to the highway exit in Dongjiang City around noon. After exiting the highway, he drove directly back to his residence, Central Courtyard. Because he hadn't slept well the night before and was exhausted from the journey, Xu Bo'an had a simple lunch near Central Courtyard before going home to rest.
Xu Bo'an slept until he naturally woke up in the evening. He was about to eat something and go back to sleep when he suddenly heard a call from within the bonsai world. It sounded like the voice of an old acquaintance.
Without saying a word, Xu Bo'an immediately focused his attention on the Bonsai World, and then saw that the village of Kaoshan in the Bonsai World was shrouded in red under the bright moonlight.
Xu Bo'an was very puzzled. What was going on?
Xu Bo'an felt uneasy. Could it be that the entire Kaoshan Village had been slaughtered, and that their countless bloodstains had made Kaoshan Village appear so red?
But if that's the case, why didn't I receive any prior notice?
This isn't right. It's already very easy for me to contact the people in Kaoshan Village. I can hear them whenever they call out to me.
If they encountered something this serious, they would definitely call for help; it's impossible for there to be no warning beforehand!
Or perhaps I was too tired today and slept too soundly to hear them calling me?
With his doubts and anxieties, Xu Bo'an looked closely into the bonsai world, only to find that things were not as he had imagined; he had indeed been overthinking things.
At this moment, the streets and alleys of the entire Kaoshan Village were covered with red ribbons, creating a joyous and festive scene!
Li Qingshi's courtyard was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a festive atmosphere. At this moment, he was kneeling in his own courtyard, facing the direction of Kaoshan Village, looking devout.
It seems that Li Qingshi has safely arrived at Kaoshan Village and is now preparing for his wedding!
With this in mind, Xu Bo'an said to Li Qingshi, "Little Stone, what do you want with me?"
Upon hearing that it was the Mountain God who had arrived, Li Qingshi's eyes lit up instantly. He said, "Mountain God, I arrived safely at Kaoshan Village two days ago. The wedding is tomorrow, and I would like to invite you to attend. I have just finished all the wedding arrangements, and it is getting late. I hope I haven't disturbed your peace and quiet!"
Xu Bo'an really didn't expect time to pass so quickly. When he first met Li Qingshi, he was still a clueless boy. He never thought that he would be getting married in the blink of an eye.
It evokes the feeling of a parent watching their once-naive and immature son grow up and start a family.
Xu Bo'an said, "Little Stone, getting married is a great event. I will definitely attend in person tomorrow and participate in the entire wedding ceremony."
Upon hearing the words of the Mountain God, Li Qingshi's face immediately lit up with joy, as if a flower had bloomed in its entirety. He said, "Thank you, Mountain God! Thank you, Mountain God! With you here, I feel much more at ease!"
Xu Bo'an asked, "You're getting married to Sun Weiwei tomorrow. Where is Sun Weiwei now?"
Li Qingshi said, "Sun Weiwei is in Shanyang County now! I'll go there to pick her up tomorrow!"
Xu Bo'an said, "Shanyang County is not close to here. Will you be able to make it in time for the wedding tomorrow?"
Li Qingshi said, "Replying to Grandpa Mountain God, Weiwei originally thought that Shanyang County wasn't very close to Kaoshan Village, and she didn't want me to travel back and forth so much. She planned to skip the wedding procession and just stay in Kaoshan Village, holding the wedding ceremony the next day."
But later I heard from the matchmaker that the bride must stay in her own room on the first day of her marriage and cannot meet her groom. It would be bad luck if she stayed in another place on the first day!
After discussing it, we decided to follow the rules. At worst, I could just leave very early the next morning; it wouldn't cause any major delays. After all, you only get married once in a lifetime, so we figured it was better to stick to the proper procedures.
Indeed, feudal ideology is very harmful. No matter what you do, you are bound by a lot of tedious etiquette. If you don't follow it, you will be viewed by worldly eyes, not accepted by people, and seen as an unlucky symbol.
Xu Bo'an couldn't help but sigh once again that he felt much freer and more at ease living in this prosperous era.
Xu Bo'an said, "Alright, you can arrange it yourselves!"
Li Qingshi said, "Grandpa Mountain God, Little Stone has a gift for you this time."
After Li Qingshi finished speaking, he reached into his chest and took out something wrapped in red silk cloth. He then opened it. Xu Bo'an thought it was something valuable, but when he looked closely, he saw that Li Qingshi was holding an inconspicuous bead.
A string of moderate thickness was tied to the bead, suggesting it could be worn around the neck.
Xu Bo'an had always thought the bonsai world was full of rare and precious treasures. When Li Qingshi said he had a gift to give him, Xu Bo'an was a little excited. But to his surprise, it was just an ordinary little bead that looked like a glass bead.
Xu Bo'an instantly lost interest... (End of Chapter)