Securing ownership of the mountain range within a county in the name of a special team was quite easy. As soon as Zeng Jingrong opened his mouth, the other side agreed and told him to proceed directly to the Ling County Party Committee for processing.
After hanging up the phone, he thought about calling Zeng Jingchu, but after dialing a few numbers, he hung up.
Jingchu was no longer a child. His personality had changed a lot in the more than two years he had been missing.
If Jingchu had no malicious intent in buying the land, calling him to inquire might be counterproductive.
...
After hanging up the phone, Tian Jing felt much more at ease.
Li Zhengguo was anxious to return home for dinner, so he called Zhou Chengbing over.
They ate and talked at the dinner table.
After they finished talking, Mother Li anxiously asked what Aodu Group was and why the county had sold the land directly without notifying the town.
"Mom," Li Zhengguo shook his head at Mother Li, "what you heard is confidential, don't tell anyone. We are all just speculating, so let's be cautious."
Mother Li nodded.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Liguo's expressions were somewhat solemn. If the county wanted to take a slice of the scenic area pie, the village would not be able to refuse.
Han Lushi glanced at the silent Tian Jing and then, carrying food, went to deliver it to Li Weili in the east wing room.
Although their family of three had already moved to the backyard, Li Weili and her daughter still stayed in the east wing room during the day for convenience with meals and for everyone to keep an eye on the child.
After Li Weili finished eating, he returned the bowls to the kitchen.
Only Ouyang Meihua and Tian Jing were washing dishes in the kitchen. He asked Tian Jing if she knew about Aodu Group.
Tian Jing paused. Was she that obvious?
Then she shook her head and smiled, thinking that her silence must have given them away:
"It's the Zeng family's enterprise. Don't tell your grandmother. I still don't know what Zeng Jingchu ultimately wants to do."
"And we can't control what he wants to do, so we can only manage ourselves."
Han Lushi frowned, "Do you have any contingency plans?"
"No," Tian Jing shook her head, "Tell Lili that after the funds for this batch of villas are recovered, she should distribute the dividends. What's in hand is real."
"Are you worried that Zeng Jingchu will target Jingyuan Company?"
"I am worried," Tian Jing nodded, "Zeng Jingchu is no longer the person he used to be."
Han Lushi didn't say anything further. After leaving the kitchen, he took out his phone and sent a few text messages.
Back in their room in the backyard, he didn't say anything to Li Weili.
Ouyang Meihua looked at Tian Jing and asked, "Isn't Zeng Jingchu your cousin?"
Although she didn't know how this sister-in-law had become siblings with Zeng Jingrong.
Tian Jing shook her head, "Even blood brothers can turn against each other, can't they?"
The prosperity of Kushan Mountain was inextricably linked to Zeng Jingchu.
Although the watermelons and vegetables in Kushan Mountain were never in short supply, it was impossible to sell them in large quantities all at once back then.
Because of Zeng Jingchu's large-scale acquisitions, the losses in between could almost be overlooked.
Although Zeng Jingchu had also opened up a market with watermelons and vegetables, this market was like an ant compared to an elephant in front of Aodu Group.
In Zeng Jingchu's mind, Kushan Mountain's rapid development was all thanks to his help.
After he returned to the capital, because Brother Zheng was still working hard for Kushan Mountain, he brought Kushan Mountain's watermelons and vegetables into the capital, making Kushan Mountain's name known.
Even after Brother Zheng retired, he introduced a boss from the provincial capital to order Kushan Mountain's watermelons and vegetables.
All these things were for her.
Yet she, because of a hypothetical situation, belittled him, looking down on him like Mattewei and others. Psychologically, it was impossible for Zeng Jingchu not to retaliate.
Thinking of this, she put down her chopsticks, "Sister-in-law, thank you for the trouble. I'll go to the living room to talk to Zheng Ge and the others."
Ouyang Meihua waved her hand, "Go ahead."
Entering the living room, Tian Jing directly told Li Zhengguo and Zhou Chengbing that Aodu Group was a Zeng family enterprise.
Li Zhengguo had already suspected it.
Zhou Chengbing was surprised, then relieved, "It's my uncle's family business, then I'm relieved."
Tian Jing glanced at him, "Do you understand the word 'turned against each other'?"
"Ah?" Zhou Chengbing's mouth gaped in surprise.
Tian Jing ignored him and told Li Zhengguo her thoughts, "...If he really wants revenge, it wouldn't be just about the land by the rural road."
"First, be careful of the watermelons and vegetables in the greenhouses next year."
"Second, be careful that he develops Zhangshan Village and Zhonghe Village to intercept the Hot Spring Valley scenic area."
Li Zhengguo nodded, "If it's him for sure, then I'll know what to do."
After Tian Jing left the living room, Zhou Chengbing was still a bit confused. Why had they suddenly fallen out?
Li Zhengguo also didn't know the reason. After his wife took Zeng Jingchu to see Yulia, she hadn't told him what happened:
"Contact that boss from the provincial capital and confirm how much he's buying. Have him sign the contract and pay half the deposit, otherwise, the planting plan for next year will have to change."
Zhou Chengbing nodded. In the past two years, it had all been verbal agreements, which indeed allowed others to exploit loopholes.
"If Zhangshan Village and Zhonghe Village are developed, we won't have any advantage here."
"That's still a long way off," Li Zhengguo wasn't worried, "Even if it's developed, it will take time. We'll deal with it then."
"Increase the ticket prices next year and try not to touch the village's funds, to be prepared for any unexpected needs."
After Zhou Chengbing left, Li Zhengguo found his wife and asked her why they had fallen out.
Tian Jing recounted to her husband what she had said belittling Zeng Jingchu.
Li Zhengguo shook his head and smiled, saying, "You... but it's okay. Secretary Ji has retired, and naturally, someone will want to get a piece of Kushan Mountain. Zeng Jingchu has made us prepare in advance."
A slight curve formed on Tian Jing's lips, "I asked Zeng Jingrong to secure the ownership of the Hot Spring Valley mountain range in the name of the special team."
Li Zhengguo chuckled, "I knew my wife wouldn't be at a disadvantage. This Kushan Mountain was developed through our hard work."
...
Time flew by until Winter Solstice, the day when Sister-in-law Niu was marrying her eldest daughter-in-law.
The banquet, of course, could not be held outdoors like the Li family's. It was held on the second floor of the former Kushan Mountain Primary School, above the village committee office.
Regarding the chef, her mother-in-law, instigated by her sister-in-law, told her to invite Xiao Yuan to cook, saying that Hot Spring Valley was on holiday and Xiao Yuan was free.
Sister-in-law Niu would not be foolish enough to ask Xiao Yuan for help.
If she asked, and Xiao Yuan didn't refuse, then from then on, the villagers of Kushan Mountain would shamelessly ask her for help with every happy occasion.
If Xiao Yuan refused, then her small bit of goodwill with Xiao Yuan from the two times she helped the Li family would be gone.
She ignored her mother-in-law and directly invited Sister Lan and a few other good friends to help. Wasn't that how rural banquets were always done?
Tian Jing went to the banquet with her elder sister-in-law and sister-in-law.
Mother Li was unwilling to go; she stayed home to cook and play with her great-granddaughter.
At the accounting desk by the entrance to the second floor, seeing that the ledger was still blank, Tian Jing and Ouyang Meihua exchanged a glance and took out the gift money they had prepared.
Tian Jing gave ten thousand as a gift.
Ouyang Meihua and Li Min gave two thousand each.
After these three people presented their gift money, the villagers who had arrived earlier also started coming forward to give their gifts.
Some gave a thousand, others five hundred.
Tian Jing didn't believe these villagers wanted to reserve the first spot on the ledger for her; they surely wanted to see how much Ouyang Meihua and Li Min would give.
Since her own gift to each family was ten thousand, they couldn't use it as a reference, so they could only use Ouyang Meihua and Li Min's as a benchmark.
Sister-in-law Niu personally came to welcome Tian Jing and the other two to their seats.
As soon as the three of them sat down, Sister-in-law Niu, supported by Brother Niu, sat next to Tian Jing with her pregnant belly prominent.
"Sister-in-law, I'll keep Sister-in-law Tian company. You go ahead and get busy."
The smile on Sister-in-law Niu's face faltered slightly.
Tian Jing smiled at Sister-in-law Niu, "Sister-in-law Niu, you go ahead and get busy. We're all neighbors, you don't need to stay."
Sister-in-law Niu nodded and left.