The young men were relieved to see Xie Sui being so approachable. He was still loyal, and hadn't forgotten them now that he was successful.
Led by Lu Tianxing from Xiawa Village, they had all gotten married in the past two years, each with their own small families, and were in greater need of money.
Before, acquiring peaches from the village was seasonal, just a way to earn some pocket money.
Xie Sui invited them for tea. Lu Tianxing said, "Brother Xie, your business has been growing bigger and bigger these past two years, while we're stuck. Is there any business you could involve us in?"
Xie Sui replied, "My factory is all staffed by laid-off workers from above, and they live right in the county town, so commuting is convenient.
However, if you want to make money, the construction sites will need people after the New Year. You can go straight there. I'll put in a word for you, and your wages won't be withheld."
Migrant workers feared most not getting paid. While the real estate boom couldn't do without them, they received the worst treatment, with many not getting paid at all, and countless subcontractors absconding with the money.
Many were driven to desperation, even jumping to their deaths to seek justice, which became a social issue for a time.
Xie Sui's construction sites would not face such a situation, and this offered them a guarantee.
They were all rural men, and strength was certainly not something they lacked.
Lu Tianxing said, "I'd like to work in the city too, but I can't leave. My father is not well, and I just got married this year..."
Others chimed in, "Yeah, there's work at home and in the fields, and the children are still young. If we go to the city, how often can we come back?"
Xie Sui said, "It's not too far. We can arrange a shuttle bus to pick you up and drop you off daily. These are small matters.
However, you can't abandon your land at home. Farming grain won't make you rich, but you can grow more by-products like garlic and vegetables. You can also build greenhouses in winter. As long as you are diligent and hardworking, life won't be bad."
"We've thought about building greenhouses, but we lack the technology and also need capital."
"There's someone in our village who raises pigs and has made a lot of money. I wonder if we could do some animal husbandry too."
Xie Chen poured them water and listened to their conversation, contemplating how to create a new path for the villagers to prosper.
Xie Sui pondered, "Raising pigs is a good idea, but there's a saying: 'A fortune in wealth, but anything that grows hair and has a mouth isn't counted.' Without certain skills, it's not easy to raise pigs well.
Why not raise chickens or ducks? The cycle is shorter, the investment is less, and the risk is lower. If you're interested, I can find someone from the county agricultural bureau to help and teach you the techniques."
Lu Tianxing said, "Raising chickens is fine, but what about sales..."
"Don't worry about sales. The demand for meat will be huge in the future. Raising good chickens can also make a lot of money. However, it needs to be scaled and scientifically managed. In the future, our county's chickens will be sold nationwide, even worldwide."
Xie Sui had a plan forming in his mind. Lu Tianxing was a decent person, having completed high school and possessing some education. Perhaps he could be supported to raise chickens, and in the future, build a frozen chicken processing company to sell throughout the country.
Real estate wasn't the only way to make big money; raising chickens could too. In the future, chicken by-products could also be developed, like chicken cutlets, which were very popular in his past life, even going public.
Lu Tianxing said, "It's just that I don't have much money. I wonder how much is needed?"
"Don't worry about the money, I'll lend it to you. After the New Year, you go and learn. First, learn the skills, then earn your own money, and then lead the villagers to raise them together, forming a scale. You'll have plenty of opportunities to make money in the future.
Let everyone participate. Don't be afraid of others stealing your business. Even if everyone in our county raises chickens, if sales are done well, it still won't be enough to sell."
"Really? That would be wonderful! We'll all listen to Director Xie, and do as you say."
Xie Chen was also moved. Could the villagers under his town also raise chickens?