GBP Chapter 102 Acquiring Land
Chapter 102 Acquiring Land
On a sunny weekend, Su Yuning happily embarked on her journey back to her hometown with her second brother and sister-in-law. Along the way, they chatted and laughed, talking about family matters and the upcoming reunion.
As they were nearing their hometown, they happened to run into the village chief's wife on the road. Su Yuning warmly greeted her, and after exchanging a few pleasantries, they began to chat about recent events in the village.
From the village chief's wife, Su Yuning was surprised to learn that the owner of the vegetable farm in the neighboring village was deliberately targeting the villagers of Xinghua Village! The reason was that these villagers were working outside with Su Yuning, which had hindered the normal development of the vegetable farm. As a result, the farm owner not only refused to hire them but also refused to sell vegetables to them.
Upon hearing this news, Su Yuning was so angry that her eyebrows shot up and her chest heaved. She retorted indignantly, "That farmer is too awful! We're all neighbors who see each other all the time. How can he be so heartless and deliberately make things difficult for us? If it weren't for the fact that it's past the best season for planting vegetables, I would definitely set up my own vegetable garden and give him a good thrashing!"
The village chief's wife nodded in agreement, echoing, "You're right, Yu Ning. It's already summer, so it's a bit late and not suitable for large-scale vegetable planting. But... we can clear the wasteland first, and then next spring we can plant all sorts of fresh and delicious vegetables!"
Upon hearing this, Su Yuning immediately became interested. She blinked her bright eyes and asked curiously, "Auntie, please tell me quickly, does it cost money to cultivate this reclaimed land?" The village chief's wife replied with a smile, "It doesn't cost any money. The village chief is grateful to you for helping to reclaim the land. However, reclaiming the land requires manpower and resources, and you will have to pay for those expenses."
“No problem, I can easily afford it.” Su Yuning smiled and replied to the other party in a relaxed tone, as if this matter was a piece of cake for her.
“However, I’m not really clear about the specific requirements. So, I think you’d better discuss it with your uncle first before making a final decision,” the village chief’s wife kindly suggested, her eyes showing concern. Su Yuning nodded obediently, indicating that she would definitely do as the village chief’s wife said.
Just then, the eldest son of the Su family and his wife were leading the children from the school on a study tour to the city. The morning sun shone on the earth, draping everything in a golden cloak. They chatted and laughed all the way, and before they knew it, they had arrived at the dock.
Just then, the sun rose above the sea, its orange-red rays painting half the sky crimson. The sea shimmered, a breathtaking sight. In the distance, a flock of snow-white seagulls circled and soared, sometimes swooping down to feed, eliciting cheers from the children.
Coincidentally, the Empress was also there with the young prince. Although the prince was young, he was lively, adorable, and clever. Upon seeing the group of children his age, he quickly blended in and played with them, his laughter echoing throughout the pier.
Always decisive and efficient, Su Yuning arrived in front of the village chief who was guarding the school in no time. With a beaming smile, she greeted the village chief warmly: "Hello, Uncle Village Chief!" Her sweet voice was as clear and melodious as a nightingale's song.
However, the village chief frowned, his face stern, and he questioned her seriously, "What are you doing here? Let me tell you, my family is short of people to help with laundry and cooking right now. Don't expect me to agree to let your aunt go to work in the city, not even a second! Not even a second, not even a crack in the window!" He waved his arms as he spoke, as if trying to drive Su Yuning away.
Faced with the village chief's sudden questioning and refusal, Su Yuning was taken aback at first, but then quickly realized what was happening and waved her hand to explain, "Oh dear, Uncle Village Chief, you've really misunderstood! I absolutely didn't mean that, please don't misunderstand. Actually, the main reason I came to see you this time is about the reclamation of that wasteland behind our village. I wanted to discuss it with you and see how to handle it more appropriately." As she spoke, she blinked her bright, lively eyes, making her look exceptionally playful and cute.
Just then, the village chief's previously calm face was instantly filled with intense curiosity. He slowly stood up from his seat, his gaze fixed on the young woman before him, and asked with a hint of doubt, "Young lady, what brings you to suddenly decide to cultivate those wastelands? Do you have some special plan, like planting some crops? If so, are these crops for your own use, or for commercial purposes?"
Upon hearing the village chief's question, Su Yuning readily revealed her thoughts: "Uncle Village Chief, to be honest, I do have some plans. I intend to build a large vegetable garden in our village. Moreover, I plan to distribute various plant seedlings to the villagers for free! This way, everyone can earn income by growing vegetables."
However, after listening, the village chief chuckled softly and shook his head slightly, saying, "Miss Su, I must say, you've oversimplified this matter! Let me ask you, even if everyone works so hard to grow so many vegetables, who will buy them? What if these vegetables can't be sold?"
Faced with the series of questions posed by the village chief, Su Yuning showed no sign of panic. After a moment's thought, she calmly replied, "Uncle, you can rest assured about that. Since I am a farmer myself, I am naturally in charge of all sales matters. I have already made plans to sell our vegetables to various large vegetable markets in the city. Of course, if there is a situation where the vegetables are unsold, that's fine too. I can simply open a specialty restaurant and cook delicious dishes for my customers using fresh vegetables grown in our garden."
The village chief replied solemnly, "The government has clear regulations! Every household in our village can cultivate one acre of wasteland. Of course, if other households are unwilling to cultivate wasteland, then a household can cultivate up to ten acres of wasteland! However, if it is used to open a vegetable garden, ten acres may seem a bit too little."
After listening, Yu Ning nodded slightly in agreement, and continued, "To be honest, Uncle, ten acres of land is indeed not much. If we could get approval for more wasteland, we could plant more varieties and quantities of vegetables."
After a moment's thought, the village chief quickly came up with an idea: "How about this? No one has ever managed those mountainous areas properly. Why don't you try cultivating them? And you can cultivate as much as you want, the more the better! Although these mountains have a certain slope, it shouldn't be a problem to grow some common vegetables and crops like soybeans and corn."
Just then, Su Yuning frowned, looking puzzled, and asked the village chief, "Uncle Village Chief, this land should be able to grow all kinds of vegetables and grains, so why are the villagers not very willing to cultivate it? Is there some special reason for this?"
The village chief didn't hide anything and answered truthfully: "Actually, there are two main reasons for this. First, working outside now earns much more than simply farming at home; second, there are many poisonous snakes and wild beasts in our mountains, so going out to clear land for farming is quite risky. Therefore, naturally, no one wants to go through the trouble of doing something that is not worth the effort."
"In that case, could you please go to the government and talk to them and get me some more wasteland? Please!" Su Yuning smiled broadly, clasped her hands together in front of her, leaned forward slightly, and looked at the village chief with earnest eyes, her tone full of expectation and pleading.
Looking at her pitiful appearance, the village chief couldn't help but feel sorry for her. He smiled and nodded in agreement, then added with concern, "Alright, girl, but you have to take good care of the school for me during this time. Don't let anything go wrong." With that, he turned and hurried towards the town, intending to rent a car and head to the government office to apply for the land.
Time flew by, and about half a day passed before the village chief finally returned, looking travel-worn. His forehead was covered in sweat, but his face wore an indescribable expression, leaving everyone puzzled as to what had happened.
Upon seeing Su Yuning, the village chief couldn't wait to say, "Miss Su, I've brought back two pieces of news this time, one good and one bad. Which one would you like to hear first?" He then deliberately kept her in suspense, looking mysterious.
Su Yuning was a little stunned by the village chief's sudden question. After hesitating for a moment, she composed herself and replied, "Uncle Village Chief, why don't you tell me the bad news first?"
Upon hearing this, the village chief's smiling face instantly turned serious. He took a deep breath and slowly said, "The requirements for land reclamation this year are very different from the past! Now, you have to pay a full tael of silver per mu, and you also have to go to the government to obtain a formal land deed. Only in this way can it be considered legal and compliant."
"The good news is that there's no limit to the number of acres that can be reclaimed; the more the better. This way, farmers can increase production and income, and the government can also benefit. Most importantly, the land deeds are valid for life, and farm owners can transfer the deeds to their family members without incurring any extra fees," the village chief replied with a broad smile.
Upon hearing the news, Su Yuning was as excited as a child, clapping her hands repeatedly, her face beaming with a radiant smile, and constantly exclaiming, "Great! This news is fantastic!" Her joyful appearance seemed to brighten the entire world.
At this moment, seeing Su Yuning so agitated, the village chief kindly asked, "Have you decided to clear the land and farm? This is no small matter. Why don't you discuss it with your family first before making a decision?" However, Su Yuning seemed to have already made up her mind and nodded without hesitation, replying, "Village chief, I've already thought it through. There's no need to discuss it anymore!" Her eyes were firm and resolute, leaving no room for doubt about her determination.
Having received a positive reply, the village chief said nothing more. He first carefully locked the school gate to ensure the safety of everything inside. Then, he led Su Yuning to the government office without stopping. Along the way, the two chatted and laughed, their mood exceptionally pleasant. Upon arriving at the government office, after a series of tedious procedures, Su Yuning finally successfully signed the contract and paid the corresponding amount. Having completed all the formalities, they embarked on their return journey with hearts full of joy, heading towards Xinghua Village.
It was late when they returned to the village, but Su Yuning's good mood remained undiminished. However, when Old Su and the woman heard about it, they both showed extremely surprised expressions. Old Su's eyes widened, he rubbed his eyes hard, and asked with a face full of suspicion, "What? You actually leased land?" The woman asked with a puzzled look, "You're going to clear wasteland? What's going on?" Faced with her parents' barrage of questions, Su Yuning still smiled and nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's right, Dad, Mom, it's absolutely true!"
Old Su was furious. He was so angry that he was glaring and his voice rose several octaves: "How could you not discuss such a big matter with us? Do you even care about your elders?"
"I'm so sorry, Father and Mother, it's all my fault. I was so focused on clearing the wasteland that I forgot to tell you beforehand." Su Yuning said apologetically, her delicate face flushed slightly with guilt, and her big eyes were full of regret.