Chapter 387: Rebirth in the Nineties: Overbearing Flower Chapter 388: Contracting Land

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Chai Xiu was stunned for a moment and said, "Sister, this doesn't count……"

Chai Mi frowned: "Why?"

"This doesn't need calculating; it will collapse. From the perspective of light, the wall behind must be very high, at least two point seven meters, to satisfy more than six meters of light exposure. Your span is too large; there isn't wood that long, and even if there were, it would be too thick. No good."

"Plastic and bamboo made……bamboo would be enough."

"Bamboo……wouldn't that rot in one or two years?" Chai Xiu frowned, puzzled.

Chai Mi naturally knew that if bamboo were used, it would rot in one or two years.

But in her previous life, the first greenhouses were made of bamboo. It was to save costs and reduce the burden……

If it were a standard greenhouse, for this area, it would cost at least fifty or sixty thousand……it simply couldn't be built.

"Forget it, go to sleep." Chai Mi said, and then she slowly calculated it herself.

If bamboo were used, this would still be very cheap; one bamboo pole could be bought for five or six yuan, with steel wire rope in the middle, three or four of them, estimated at two or three hundred yuan would be enough.

Bamboo was about four hundred yuan, plus two hundred for steel wire rope, and then plastic……

Plastic would be three or four hundred to five hundred yuan, totaling six hundred yuan.

This was one thousand two hundred yuan.

The remaining major expense was the wall and the cotton quilt.

If the wall relied entirely on piled earth, labor costs would probably be one or two thousand yuan. Chai Mi wasn't sure about the price of cotton quilts, estimating over two thousand.

Calculating it this way, one greenhouse would need at least five thousand yuan in capital. Before it was even built, vegetables hadn't been planted yet……

But in this era, winter vegetables were truly expensive. And it was the kind of expensive where there was a price but no market.

Chai Mi thought she could go ask; in her previous life she hadn't done this, but she knew vegetable gardening, besides being hard work, was still quite profitable.

And she wasn't very busy in winter, so she could try it.

Chai Mi said she would do it and did it. The next day at dawn, she went straight to the township.

At the entrance of the township government compound, Chai Mi was wondering where the agricultural technology station was when she saw Liu Zhanggui and several people surrounding an old man with white hair, wearing a faded Zhongshan suit, talking. The old man held a roll of blueprints in his hand. Chai Mi recognized him at a glance; he was Old Chentou of the agricultural technology station.

"Village Chief!" Chai Mi called out crisply and pushed her cart over.

Liu Zhanggui turned and saw it was her, smiling broadly: "Yo, Chai Mi is here! Early enough! Just discussing greenhouse matters with Old Chentou."

Old Chentou adjusted his glasses and sized up Chai Mi: "You're Chai Mi? Zhanggui has praised your quick wit plenty. What, you're interested in vegetable greenhouses too?"

"Technician Chen, I heard the Village Chief mention it yesterday." Chai Mi got straight to the point, her tone sincere yet probing: "I'm just unsure in my heart; this new thing, with such a large investment, is it reliable? Can it make money? Is the technology hard to learn?"

Old Chentou was obviously very enthusiastic about promoting this; hearing someone ask, he immediately perked up: "Reliable! Why wouldn't it be! The south has already succeeded! This greenhouse, put simply, is creating an artificial small climate……"

He unfolded the blueprint in his hand, pointing to the greenhouse frame structure drawn on it: "Cover it with plastic film, the heat can't escape, and inside becomes warm. And when it's too cold, burn a small earthen stove inside to raise the temperature, then choose cold-resistant varieties, like cucumbers, tomatoes, chili peppers, leeks, these can still grow in winter! The key is to get them to market around the New Year, when vegetables are scarce and prices high. That profit, conservatively speaking, one season equals ten seasons of corn!"

Chai Mi listened carefully and asked further: "Then what is the specific investment? Give me a figure."

"This……" Old Chentou counted on his fingers, "Bamboo poles or thin steel pipes to build the frame, high-quality transparent plastic film, stove flue, insulating straw curtains, special seeds, fertilizer……and labor. A standard greenhouse, half a mu in size, initial investment……at least two thousand five hundred yuan as a base. If you want better materials, or a larger greenhouse, it would cost seven or eight thousand, even ten thousand yuan."

This figure made the several villagers who had been pricking up their ears beside them gasp, and someone muttered softly: "My god, that's enough to cover several houses; what if it ends up in our hands……"

Chai Mi's heart also tightened; this was higher than she had expected. But she didn't show it on her face and continued asking: "Technician Chen, are there any support policies from the township or county? Surely they can't just make ordinary people pay out of pocket and bear the risk themselves?"

"Yes! There is support!" Old Chentou hurriedly said, "The county has allocated special subsidy funds for pilot villages! Build a standard greenhouse, pass inspection, and you can get five hundred yuan! Also, the Rural Credit Cooperative offers interest-subsidized loans, with priority handling! As for technology, you can rest assured, I, Old Chen, will teach you everything and guide you throughout! The key is to be quick; there are only twenty spots, first come first served, and the land must be claimed first!"

"Good land?" Chai Mi sharply caught the key point, "What land counts as good land?"

"Land near the main road! Flat and sunny! Close to water sources!" Liu Zhanggui interjected, "Our village's river beach land near the provincial road is flat and open, and drawing water is convenient; it's the best! I've already looked at several plots……"

Chai Mi's heart skipped a beat. Didn't the Village Chief's family and his few clansmen live closest to that river beach land? Liu Zhanggui's meaning was obvious.

However, Chai Mi didn't lack that financial pressure now, but she hadn't done this technology before; she understood the general idea, but when it came to specifics, she was only half-knowledgeable.

This professionalism was still quite strong.

What varieties to plant, how to fertilize and irrigate, how to increase yield, there was still a lot to know and understand.

This was related to farming, but the connection wasn't very strong.

After all, with those few people in her own family, they weren't good at growing vegetables.

Her mother grew some cabbage, but it would rot every year.

As for Chai Youqing, he was a player who only knew how to blow hot air; the kind of person who knew nothing, and would still cause problems......

In her previous life, Sanjiacun had done a greenhouse area.

Back then Chai Mi definitely had no money, so she didn't do it.

The land occupied back then was relatively good, and the policies were also good, because at that time no one wanted that thing, everyone thought it wasn't reliable, but the village still put in great effort to promote it, offering interest-subsidized loans and land; anyway, the policies were especially good.

And in later life, not to mention anything else, just that piece of land was valuable.

Chai Mi remembered, in later life, not to mention greenhouses, just that piece of land was valuable; a greenhouse's worth of land, with nothing on it, was worth two hundred thousand yuan.

And especially, greenhouses near the roadside were more expensive.

"Village Chief, how is the sign-up situation now?" Chai Mi asked without showing her feelings.

"Hey, many are watching and waiting, few dare to start." Liu Zhanggui waved his hand, "Only my third son and Old Wu Lao Wu from the east side asked in detail."

Chai Mi had a clear idea in her heart. The risk was truly great, the investment was truly frightening, but the opportunity was truly tempting. Subsidies and loans could solve part of the funding pressure, and Old Chentou would back the technology. More importantly, if you miss this village, there's no such shop. That good river beach land, if it was circled off by the Village Chief and them, there would be no place to do it in the future.

"Technician Chen, can I take a copy of the policy documents, loan regulations, etc., back to read carefully? Also, those materials you mentioned, where to buy them, roughly what price, is there a list?" Chai Mi asked quickly.

"Yes! All of them!" Old Chentou saw Chai Mi asking so professionally and meticulously, his eyes brightened even more, and he hurriedly took out a stack of oil-printed materials from his worn briefcase and handed them to her, "Girl, look carefully! This is really a good path! It depends on whether you have the guts!"

Chai Mi took the heavy materials and nodded solemnly: "Thank you, Technician Chen, I'll give you a reply after I understand them clearly." She then turned to Liu Zhanggui, "Village Chief, please let me know in time if there's any new news on your side."

"Rest assured! I won't forget you!" Liu Zhanggui promised readily.

Chai Mi carefully put away the materials, didn't linger any longer, got on her bicycle, and hurried back.

The news that Chai Xiu had won first place in the province in the mathematics competition spread like it had grown wings; not only did it spread throughout the village, but it also alarmed the Township Central Primary School and the middle schools in Xiangli.

After Teacher An returned from Sheng Cheng, he came to Chai Mi's house first.

"Chai Mi, Sister-in-law Su Wan, good news!" Teacher An's face glowed with excitement, "The principal of the Township Middle School personally inquired! Chai Xiu at this level, staying in primary school any longer is purely a waste of time! The school specially approved it; for Chai Xiu, next semester, no, after the midterm exam, she will directly transfer into the first grade of the Township Middle School! Let her follow along first and adapt to the rhythm of middle school! Her mathematics can be arranged for higher-level tutoring separately! The goal is next year's national competition!"

Su Wan was both surprised and delighted, not knowing where to put her hands: "Go... go to middle school? Xiu'er is only how old... can she keep up?"

Chai Xiu's little face was tightly furrowed, and she said nothing.

Chai Mi looked at her younger sister and decisively made the decision: "Go! She must go! Teacher An, thank you! If there are any procedures needed, tell us, and we will fully cooperate. Tuition, book fees, and such are not a problem."

She quickly calculated in her heart that middle school expenses would definitely be more than primary school, but this was the opportunity Xiu'er deserved; no matter how hard, she would support her education.

Teacher An looked at Chai Mi again, with a tone of discussion: "Chai Mi, there is another matter. Chai Xiu skipping grades to transfer classes might need more care in daily life. The Township Middle School has no dormitories, so she can only be a day student. You see, coming back and forth every day..."

Chai Mi immediately understood: "Teacher An, rest assured, I will find a way to solve this matter. It will definitely not delay Xiu'er's schooling."

Not only in daily life, but Chai Mi was actually more worried that Chai Xiu was young, and going to a middle school with classmates many years older than her, whether there would be problems with classmate relationships.

After An Baoyu left, Chai Mi called everyone in the house over, as if holding a meeting.

Chai Mi looked at Chai Youqing: "From now on, your task is to pick up and drop off Xiu'er for school. Xiu'er will definitely go to middle school after the New Year, and might even skip grades to high school in the future. Especially since winter is quite cold, I have half a day free, I'll get you a small motorcycle with a canopy for you; it's seven or eight li from the middle school to our house, we can't let Xiu get cold. Also, sell all the sheep recently, tidy up that place to the east, and build a side room while it's not terribly cold. Next year is critical for Xiu; maybe next year or the year after, if Xiu'er skips grades to high school, this year's time, Xiu'er needs to eat well and live well. This third child doesn't sleep at midnight or three in the morning, always either crying or making trouble..."

Chai Mi said while speaking, and glared at Chai Xin in Su Wan's arms.

Six-month-old Chai Xin: ". A ba a ba..."

"After building the side room, let Xiu live in the side room, that way it won't affect Xiu'er's sleeping problem."

Su Wan was not opposed: "Does our family have money to build a side room?"

Chai Youqing was also worried: "Building a house... if it takes half a year, it will delay Xiu'er even more."

Chai Mi naturally knew this matter, so she said: "So, build it in the shortest time. It can be built in ten days or half a month. You don't need to worry about this matter; I have the money. I say the second matter, Dad, besides picking up and dropping off Xiu'er, you also need to heat the kang for Xiu'er every day, otherwise it will be cold in winter. Mom, you don't have much to do, just cook normally as usual; after this, don't let this thing, the third child, cry all day..."

Su Wan: "Fine."

Chai Mi said while speaking: "I'll go find a Fortune Teller later to see which day is better for starting construction."

Su Wan frowned: "Do you believe in this?"

Chai Mi shook her head: "I didn't believe it before, but Xiu'er is a bit bizarre; my faith is in this."

"Alright, that's the situation. I'll find a Fortune Teller later to check the auspicious hour and such. Dad, you go in the afternoon and call Da Zhi and his father over; I have some matters and still need to find the two of them, treat them to a meal."

"Fine," Chai Youqing said, "I'll go over later."

Chai Mi arranged it: "The purpose is very simple: let Xiu'er live comfortably. I am responsible for earning money, and you two are responsible for logistics."

Chai Mi then got up and went out, preparing to find a Fortune Teller to check.

The problem...

The problem is that Chai Mi didn't believe in this before, so she also doesn't know who is more reliable.

However, for this matter, just ask Song Qiushui.

This person is in an abnormal mental state all day and is also very superstitious, so asking her is definitely correct.

"Qiu Shui, I want to ask you something," Chai Mi shouted as soon as she arrived at Song Qiushui's House.

"Ah..." Song Qiushui came out with a face of unwillingness, yawning: "It's over, didn't you say yesterday that you're off today and not setting up a stall? Why are you looking for me again."

Song Qiushui, basically when she's not setting up a stall, she's sleeping.

She has no other hobbies; she doesn't really like smoking, playing cards, or drinking alcohol.

She just likes sleeping.

Of course, she occasionally drinks some alcohol and such.

Anyway, she is a real Northeastern girl.

It was deep autumn now, but Song Qiushui went against the trend and just wore a skirt.

Well, it was a sleeping dress.

Bought recently in the County; Song Qiushui felt she had to keep up with the times; since the County had sleeping dresses, she spent a lot of money to buy one.

It was that kind of colorful, especially eye-catching kind; when she came out, she looked like... a big silly girl.

Chai Mi looked helpless: "Did you sleep until you're confused? Did your family's sleeping dress tell you to wear it backwards?"

Song Qiushui gasped, then said lazily: "Oh, that side is dirty, too lazy to wash. What instructions do you have, old person?"

"No instructions, I just want you to recommend someone to me; I want to be superstitious once..."