Chapter 5

After delivering the items home, Wei Hang casually threw a stuffed toy to his younger sister. Girls always liked these dolls, so he had picked one up on the street; it was only a few yuan, and his father had nothing to say about it.

"You're so big now, and you still play with these children's toys. Aren't you ashamed?" Wei's mother always scolded her daughter. For this reason, Wei Lan had often complained, wondering if she was really their biological child.

"That's just a few yuan. Girl, you and your mother cook at home, and I'll go to Uncle Village Chief's house with your brother." It was often said that fathers generally doted on their daughters, and this was no exception. Every time, Wei's father would come to his daughter's defense.

Wei Lan glanced at her mother with a hint of satisfaction, feeling a sweet warmth in her heart. She could still feel the love from her father and older brother.

The location of the Village Chief's house was excellent, said to be a feng shui treasure spot, and the house itself was quite large, a unique old residence. In this fishing village, almost all the houses were wooden, mainly because the area was close to the sea, with many sandy areas and little clay, so unlike most rural areas, they didn't have mud houses.

At the door was a large dog, which barked fiercely at the unfamiliar Wei Hang.

At this moment, a small head poked out, belonging to the Village Chief's granddaughter, who was only five years old. She, of course, recognized Wei Hang; a few days ago, this big brother had given her something to eat. The little girl suddenly pulled the dog's ear, putting on a fierce face to scare the dog.

The dog, which had been barking fiercely, immediately ran away with its tail between its legs, looking pitiful.

"Brother Hang, I'll go tell Grandpa you're here." The little girl ran inside happily.

"This little girl..." Wei's father smiled slightly.

The Village Chief's family was a large clan, with many people. He had seven children, four daughters, and three sons. In the era of Mao's leadership, more people meant more strength, and having more children even came with subsidies, so there was no concept of overpopulation. It was during this period that China's population experienced a significant explosion.

Upon entering, they saw the Village Chief's eldest son, Tang Dafu, and his second son, Tang Dagui, smoking in the courtyard. There was also a third son named Tang Dacai, whose name, along with his brothers', had been chosen by the Village Chief. Everyone in the village said the names were good, but in the city, they might be considered tacky.

Smoking was very common in China, both in rural and urban areas. Therefore, the tobacco industry was a huge market with high profits. However, smoking was an unhealthy habit that claimed many lives each year, yet people still enjoyed it.

"Hey! Hangzi is here! What a rare guest! Lixin, your son is impressive!" Tang Dafu stood up and laughed.

Wei Lixin immediately smiled and said, "Not really, not really! He just got lucky."

Wei Hang greeted the two uncles and then got straight to the point, saying he had come to discuss something. The two Tang brothers didn't think much of it and immediately invited Wei Hang and his father inside, asking their wives to bring tea.

Soon, the old Village Chief came out of his room and, upon seeing Wei Hang, immediately smiled kindly.

"It seems you've got some connections! What do you think? Have you made up your mind?" The old Village Chief assumed Wei Hang had come to discuss the development plan they had talked about before.

When he said this, Wei's father and the others looked puzzled. They didn't know that the old man and Wei Hang had previously made an "agreement."

Wei Hang was slightly embarrassed. "Not exactly, but it's related."

"Oh? Tell me more." The old Village Chief's interest was piqued.

Wei's father felt his son had grown up, so he didn't speak, leaving it to him to handle the matter, considering it a test for his son. After all, children couldn't rely on their parents forever.

Wei Hang slowly explained his plan, which mainly involved cooperation between the two families. Tang Dacai said they could earn a few thousand yuan, but even a few thousand was a good start.

Before he finished, Tang Dafu and Tang Dagui's eyes lit up.

"We can't catch that many lobsters. So, Uncle Dafu and Uncle Dagui, you can go to other villages tomorrow. We'll buy them for 150 yuan each, and we'll make a good profit." Wei Hang naturally intended to make a profit from other villages. This price was much higher than what they would get in town, and he was sure the people in other villages would know what to choose, as no one was foolish.

"Right! That's a great idea!" Tang Dafu immediately slapped his thigh and said. This way, it wouldn't just be a few thousand yuan.

"My father and Uncle Dacai will stay in the village to buy from the locals," Wei Hang continued.

When he finished, the old Village Chief's wrinkles smoothed out, and he nodded. "Good, let's do it! I'll inform everyone to get ready."

Half the profit would go to the Wei family, and although the three sons would split it, they were still satisfied. If things went well, they could earn in one day what the three sons would earn in a month of hard work.

He was pleased that the boy was starting to do something beneficial for the villagers and believed there would be more such opportunities in the future. He always felt that a college-educated child would have something extraordinary. Although there were two female college students in the village, he still favored Wei Hang, as women would eventually marry out.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the credit union to withdraw some money," Tang Dafu said.

He knew the Wei family didn't have much savings, so they would have to provide the initial funds. There was no way around it, as Wei's father had borrowed a lot of money for Wei Hang's education, and now his daughter was in a period of high expenses.

"Unfortunately, such an opportunity only comes once. It would be better if it were long-term," Tang Dagui sighed.

"There are still opportunities, but ones with this price are rare. I plan to contact buyers online in the future, and there should still be orders," Wei Hang said cautiously, as he had no experience.

Besides some acquaintances, he thought he should also contact hotels, which were big customers and could buy in bulk, providing a stable market. However, he didn't have the right connections yet, and door-to-door sales weren't his strong suit.

Hearing this, the others in the room clearly became excited.

"Go ahead and do it. I support you, and if you have any difficulties, come to me," the old Village Chief immediately said.

Wei Hang nodded and thanked him. His main concern was whether the villagers could catch enough fish and shrimp, as the village's fishing conditions were largely a matter of luck.

He needed to find a way to solve the supply problem; otherwise, the plan would be just talk. He wasn't worried, as he could easily obtain various marine resources with the mysterious pearl.

The Village Chief's family warmly invited Wei Hang and his father to stay for dinner, even serving them. With no choice, the two of them stayed for a while before leaving.

Shortly after they left, the Village Chief's announcement spread through the village, and the entire village buzzed with excitement. For a time, Wei Hang became the topic of conversation.

As always, remember to follow and vote! This is crucial! Thank you to our loyal supporter, Jiangnan's First Lady, for her generous donation and high praise!

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