Volume 1, Chapter 36: Plans to Buy a Car

If this had been in the past, these villagers would not have hesitated for a second to choose the second option. Now, however, the situation had changed, and they were weighing which of the two conditions would actually be more beneficial to them.

Li Tianhu watched the hesitant crowd and couldn't help but complain, "I don't see what there is to overthink! If it were me, I’d choose the first option for sure! How much money can you get from selling land? Dividends are different—they’re a long-term benefit. You definitely won’t lose out!" Li Tianhu could be so detached only because his family's land was not located in Xiantao Village.

"Guodong, I want to know, what is the wager between you and Tianming?" Uncle Fu’s question was crucial, as it directly concerned Guo Dong’s motivation. If the bet was something vital to Guo Dong, the villagers would naturally choose the second option. After all, the goal was to help everyone get rich; by selling the land, that goal would be immediately achieved. If that were the case, why would Guo Dong bother offering the first option at all?

Meng Xiaohan, standing nearby, hung her head, her face as red as a ripe apple. She clasped her left hand with her right, looking restless.

"The wager is Xiaohan," Guo Dong admitted, feeling a bit sheepish. In the past, he never would have dared to say such a thing. But now, things had changed; he had money, and that gave him confidence. "If I win, Uncle Tianming agrees to our marriage."

Once this was out in the open, everyone understood.

"Alright, I see," Uncle Fu said with a wry smile. "In that case, I choose the second option: sell the land!" The others nodded and followed suit, opting for the second choice.

Guo Dong was stunned. "Uncle Fu..."

Uncle Fu shook his head. "Lad, it’s better to tear down a temple than to ruin a marriage. We aren’t blind to how things are between you and Xiaohan!"

"Exactly! Besides, the land is just sitting there. It makes no difference who we sell it to, so it might as well be you!"

"Guodong, if you buy the village's land, how much are you paying per mu?" They began to tease him, and their lighthearted jokes made Guo Dong feel quite embarrassed. The so-called "land purchase" was only for a limited time, of course, and wouldn't last forever.

Just as Guo Dong was about to respond, Meng Tianming’s voice cut in from nearby: "If you want to sell, go ahead. But let me state this clearly: if you do it this way, the bet is void!"

Meng Xiaohan, who had been fidgeting, suddenly turned around, any trace of shyness gone. She said indignantly, "Dad, you’re being unreasonable!"

Meng Tianming stood with his hands behind his back, retorting, "I am being unreasonable, so what? I know what I want better than you do. The kid has talent—why shouldn't he be allowed to go all out? If there’s money to be made, everyone should make it; why should he do it alone? If you want to marry my daughter, you’d better not try to pull any fast ones on me."

This was indeed unreasonable. Why force his own philosophy onto someone else? But since she was his daughter, if he refused, Guo Dong really had no way around it. Was he supposed to use force?

"Fine," Guo Dong said, seemingly resigned. He scanned the crowd. "Xiaohan, go back and draw up a detailed plan. Calculate how much land each household has and what share of the dividends they should receive. Send the details to me, and then we’ll hold a meeting for the village! Tomorrow I’m heading into town, so I’ll give you all a day to think about it. Honestly, I’m easygoing; as long as the division is fair, I have no objections. After all, it’s impossible for me to farm all this land by myself. If everyone joins in, it’ll be much easier for me!"

With that, he pulled Li Tianhu aside. "Tianhu, keep me company on a trip to the county town tomorrow!"

Li Tianhu was taken aback. The topic had shifted far too quickly. One moment they were talking about building wealth, and the next, this.

"I have to look after the fish pond," Li Tianhu said, scratching his head. "Besides, if you’re going to town, just take Xiaohan. Why ask a grown man like me?"

Guo Dong looked over at Meng Xiaohan. "I’m going to buy a car. If I don't ask you, who would I ask?"

"Buy a car?" Li Tianhu’s excitement surged instantly. "Guodong, you definitely need me for this. Tell me, what kind of car are you looking at? What’s your budget? Heh, none of the people in this village know cars better than I do."

He flipped his mood faster than turning a page!

"I’ve been looking at data on my phone for the past few days. I think a pickup truck is best! It’s good for both cargo and passengers, and it's convenient. For people like us who grow vegetables, it’s the perfect choice!"

"A pickup?" Li Tianhu shook his head vigorously. "No, no. Don't get something that’ll limit your ability to drive into town."

Guo Dong pulled out his phone and showed it to him. "You drive all the time—haven't you seen this news? The policies have been relaxed; pickup trucks can enter the city now!"

Seeing the information on the screen, Li Tianhu didn't know what to say. He really hadn't known about this, even though it had been the policy for a year.

"Guodong, if... well, actually, a pickup is great! If I had the money, I’d buy one too!" He rubbed his hands together excitedly. "What’s the budget?"

"I can't afford anything too expensive. A budget of around 100,000 yuan for something available in stock is fine."

"Let’s go now!" Li Tianhu urged.

"Today?" Guo Dong was caught off guard.

"Going now is better! If you go tomorrow, you won't be able to pick up the car until the day after. What a hassle!"

"Can’t it be done tomorrow?"

"It can be processed tomorrow, but the insurance won't take effect until the next day! So, we go look at the cars and file the paperwork now, then pick it up tomorrow!"

Guo Dong wasn't familiar with these details. He glanced back at Meng Xiaohan, who was busy working, and hesitated.

"Buy the car early, enjoy it early!"

A pickup was sturdy, had the comfort of a sedan, and could haul cargo. It was no wonder Li Tianhu was so excited. Given Guo Dong’s driving skills—he hadn't touched a wheel once since getting his license—Li Tianhu would surely be the first to drive it. The thought alone was thrilling. Driving such an impressive-looking vehicle through other villages, stopping to hand out cigarettes to people—who would even know who actually bought it?

Seeing Li Tianhu’s urgency, Guo Dong didn't want to waste time. He called out to Meng Xiaohan, "Xiaohan, I’m heading to the county town with Tianhu. I’ll leave things here to you."

Meng Xiaohan was looking down, calculating something on her phone. She nodded subconsciously, then suddenly realized something was off. "Why are you going to the county town?"

"To buy a car!"

"I..." Meng Xiaohan wanted to say she would go too, but she remembered the mountain of work in her hands. She deflated like a punctured ball. "Alright then, go early and come back early! Don't buy anything too expensive; you don't have that much money!"

As she spoke, she blushed, lowered her head, and went back to her calculations.