Chapter 1487: Sharing the Risk

Dongzi has money to squander and can take a gamble, but they cannot afford to gamble.

But what if the people around them also believe it?

Then they would have to weigh the matter.

Listening to the two's conversation, they also recalled their observations over these days.

As locals who have lived here for generations, they took it for granted; no one felt anything about the polarization between Pudong and Puxi, and very few could foresee Pudong's future development potential.

On the contrary, outsiders like them found it astonishing and felt it more deeply.

Plus, with Ye Yaodong constantly brainwashing them, they also developed alternative thoughts, feeling that perhaps the future would be as Dongzi said.

If the price really rises, that would be incredible!

Lin Ji heard Ye Yaodong's refusal, nodded, and said nothing.

This is only human nature.

Who would spit out meat already in their mouth? He was just trying to say it, to see if it could be negotiated.

Ye Yaodong added, "Perhaps you could ask Director Zhang to keep an eye out; not having one for a short while doesn't mean there won't be one later. Since your cargo ship has already opened the shipping route and runs back and forth between the two places, it's very convenient."

"I was thinking the same thing anyway; I've already bought the warehouse and the office."

"Damn it, you've already bought them, so what's there to discuss?"

"I have a use for them..."

"I have a use too; I can rent them out after buying. It's not a loss at all."

At this, Fatty slapped his thigh hard. "Right! Dongzi is right! Buying this to take a gamble won't be a loss either; we can rent it out."

"Rent out what the hell? This trash place is all broken down; the houses are just like those in our countryside. Who would rent? People wanting to rent go to Puxi. You idiot," Hearing Xiao Xiao scolded.

Fatty thought for a moment and felt it seemed right too?

"But Dongzi said rent..."

"Are you deaf? He said western-style houses and shops are in Puxi. As for this broken-down Pudong, do you think there are western-style houses or shops here?"

Fatty scratched his head; he had been careless, getting called an idiot in front of so many people.

"Hahaha..."

Everyone couldn't help but laugh at him, starting to mock him mercilessly.

Ye Yaodong also looked helpless; how had he become friends with them?

Fatty coughed dryly to save face and chimed in, "I think what they said makes sense! What's wrong with that? Even if the gamble loses, it's not unacceptable; anyway, it's not just me losing, right?"

"Fatty, I think you've earned too much from those yellow books!"

"Nonsense; I'm clearly a chef!"

"You've earned too much from those yellow books, thinking you can compare yourself to Dongzi. He can afford to lose over a hundred thousand; can you afford to lose over a hundred thousand?"

Ye Yaodong kicked him. "Bullshit! Can Laozi lose? Laozi can earn until you're crying for your parents."

"Exactly."

Ye Yaodong grabbed Fatty by the neck but felt the sweat and grease, so he disdainfully wiped his hands on Fatty's body twice before draping an arm over his shoulder.

Fatty: "..."

"Come on, brother will take you to get rich."

"If you hadn't been so disdainful just now, I would have believed you. Get lost."

"Ah ha, quite a temper. I was going to say I'd help you inquire some more; good fields have no sellers, but wasteland surely has villages willing to sell."

Fatty's eyes lit up. "Brother, what have you found out these past few days?"

"See if you still complain? While I was chatting with the old men and old women, you all hid in the corners to cool off."

"No, you actually found something out? Then you found something, yet you still wander around everywhere?"

"Isn't this for you? Afraid I'd have a solution while you returned empty-handed?"

They always accompanied him, and having run around with him for so many days and sweated so much, he couldn't swallow everything himself without leaving them a drop of soup.

Although they were quite indifferent now, didn't understand, and couldn't foresee it.

But he knew; he couldn't let them work for nothing while running around in the sun with him, nor let their sweat go to waste.

This trip has already been ten days, much longer than expected, and besides buying some small items, small gifts, and a motorcycle, they had no real gains; except for Lin Ji, they hadn't even booked a boat.

He couldn't return with a full harvest while everyone else got no benefits.

Fatty was delighted. "Really? You have a lead yet still ask everywhere; it turns out you were thinking of us?"

"How come we know nothing?"

"Besides complaining about the heat and complaining that I'm full and bored, what else can you do?"

He had already said everything he should have; what more was there to say? It was better to scout ahead, secure the land himself, show them with actual action, and then give one final warning; if they still didn't believe him in the end, then forget it; he could buy it all himself.

If he inquired a little and then explained it to them again, how much effort would that take?

But this might be the last chance to change their fate.

Now, if they could believe a little on their own initiative, that would be best; it would save him from talking too much.

Indeed, when one or two people firmly believe, others naturally waver.

Everyone felt a bit embarrassed by what he said; they had indeed been complaining, yet Dongzi was still thinking of them, so they felt ashamed...

"But, Third Uncle, complaining aside, we still go wherever you say."

They were no longer ashamed.

"Yes, we say one thing with our mouths, but in action we still support you; we all ran around with you."

Ye Yaodong stood by the Huangpu River, rolling his eyes so hard they seemed to flip to the sky.

"Let's go, let's go, stop mumbling; hurry up and take the boat back to rest. It's killing us with heat; if we wait any longer and there's no boat, we'll all have to swim back."

"We don't know when we'll get word; do we have to keep waiting like this?"

"You idiot, didn't I already say we can buy the wasteland in Pudong? Approach those villages to buy it. After all, it belongs to the public, not individuals. Communicate with the village, say you want to buy it to build a factory; it's easier to persuade them than buying from individuals."

Here, it's common for over a dozen people to live in a tiny house. Even the poorest families are reluctant to sell. Unless someone has achieved success and their whole family has risen to prosperity, moving with their children to Puxi or elsewhere to enjoy life, they might consider selling their Pudong property.

But unless they are going abroad with no intention of returning, ordinary people are reluctant to sell their ancestral homes; those are their roots.

No matter how developed it gets, they won't think of selling their ancestral homes; they will only think of renovating the houses to build them better.

And if they want to buy the wasteland in Pudong, the best method is to use the banner of building a factory; that is the most credible and simplest approach.

Talk to the village cadres; generally, if the price is right, it can be done. The place is poor, the village is poor; if someone wants to buy land, the village is eager to sell, as it provides an income stream, and it's useless sitting idle anyway.

The best places to sell in Pudong are only those near the Huangpu River. Areas further from the Huangpu River have inconvenient transportation; since they aren't arable farmland, naturally no one wants them.

Lin Ji chimed in, "So tomorrow we'll follow you first to buy the wasteland you've investigated over the past two days, and then wait for news while doing other things?"

"Exactly, that way neither is delayed."

"Is there much wasteland?"

A few days ago, after buying the motorcycle, the cargo ship arrived at its departure time, so he drove the cargo ship back first.

Two days later, he drove another cargo ship over, so he wasn't very clear about what Ye Yaodong had investigated.

"If you all split a bit among yourselves, there's no problem."

"How much money is it, Dongzi? It's too expensive; we can't afford it."

"Damn it, it's only about a thousand yuan per mu; you can't afford it?"

"Damn, a thousand yuan per mu? Why not just go rob someone? Back home..."

"Shut up. The places are different; can prices be the same? Here, even a broken house can sell for ten or twenty thousand. Can your family's building be worth that much?"

Xiao Xiao shut up.

Ye Yaodong continued speaking, "Use your pig brain to think properly. Once you buy a piece of land here and go home to say, 'I have land in Mogadishu,' regardless of whether people know Pudong or Puxi, they will worship you? People in the village will have to speak to you with reverence."

"Third Uncle, what if your judgment is wrong and it's not worth anything later..."

"Then it's still a piece of land! When I have money, I'll come directly and build a big villa! I can come over occasionally for vacation. I have a motorcycle; am I afraid the city district is far? When I have money, I'll buy a small car; where can't I go?"

"Uh..."

Everyone was rendered speechless by what he said.

He had turned a lack of reason into reason; what else could be said?

Ye Yaodong made the final decision, "Then it's settled. Taking advantage of the waiting time, tomorrow we'll visit all the villages owning the wasteland I investigated earlier, consolidate the information, and then split it equally among us!"

"You want some too?"

"Why wouldn't I? Director Zhang's plan is only half-formed; whether it will be completed is uncertain. If I don't join in the split, and end up with nothing on both sides, wouldn't I have been busy for nothing?"

"True."

"Then it's settled."

The wind by the Huangpu River blew, carrying the unique damp scent of the river water, and occasionally the smell of machine oil and rust drifting from distant factories could be smelled.

Ye Yaodong stood by the stone railing on the riverbank, looking back at Pudong, where there were rows of low houses and scattered farmland in the distance, forming a sharp contrast with the prosperity of Puxi.

He propped his chin, as if he could already see the future scene—skyscrapers standing tall, heavy traffic, Pudong becoming the pride of Mogadishu and even the nation. In a few more years, the landmark of Mogadishu, the Oriental Pearl Tower, should stand there.

"Alright then. With so many of us, splitting it up shouldn't be too much? If there are any risks later, we can all share the burden; it's better than one person buying it alone."

"Ah Guang is right. With so many of us, if something really happens, we can discuss it together."

"A few mu of land per person, a few thousand yuan; we can afford to lose it. Thinking about it this way, it's actually quite good."

Ah Zheng and Xiao Xiao both agreed, and Ye Yaodong felt gratified.

"Right? We all share the risk. If we become rich, let's not forget each other!"

(End of this chapter)