Xu Mingyuan's Choice

"Will this work? With my father's skills..."

Daniu did not even want to continue.

Useless at everything, yet first place when it came to eating at home.

No wonder his uncle looked down on his father somewhat.

"My father once said, 'Heaven has endowed each of us with talents for a purpose.' Everyone has something they are good at, and one must guide things according to their advantages and momentum."

"He once told me a story. Its protagonist was just like Uncle Ergou, an ordinary man, but later embarked on the road of business.

From then on, he rose to prominence and became a famous wealthy merchant in Southern Prefecture City. Even the prefectural officials treated him with great courtesy."

"What was that story called?"

"Chen Ergou's Monster Life!"

At those words, the group fell silent at once.

Xu Mingyuan smiled and continued, "In Dongxi Village, Uncle Ergou is my father's closest friend."

"When you go back, have Uncle Ergou give up growing Green Jade Pears and work with my father instead."

"You can hire people to do the planting, while my father provides guidance. The fruits and vegetables grown can be sold jointly by our two families. But my father's heart is not in business, so Uncle Ergou will probably be the one handling it."

"As for the profits, I think a seventy-thirty split is suitable. My family gets seventy, yours gets thirty."

"Why seventy-thirty?"

Xu Mingwei suddenly cut in. He was deeply curious how his younger brother had arrived at that ratio.

"Yeah. Since Uncle Chuan and my father are such good brothers, why not split it fifty-fifty, or according to how much each family contributes?"

Daniu had attended School for several years now and was no longer an ignorant little child.

Xu Mingyuan chuckled and began explaining. "First, if Uncle Ergou wants to grow fruits and vegetables well but does not hire my father, would he still have to hire someone skilled in this field? Wouldn't that cost money?"

"If you just plant things casually, look around Dongxi Village—what family has ever made money growing fruits and vegetables? Not losing money would already be quite good, wouldn't it?"

"My father and Uncle Ergou may be good brothers, but even blood brothers settle accounts clearly. Your uncle would not support your family for no reason either, right?"

"My father is a farmer famous throughout the Ten-Mile Eight Villages. Do you think hiring him would come cheap?"

"If it were only an occasional bit of advice, that would be fine. But if it is ongoing, my father is very busy too."

Xu Mingyuan went on and on, while Chen Daniu nodded repeatedly, feeling that every word made perfect sense.

"Second, the products of both families will be sold together. Never mind how well your family's crops ultimately turn out—my family's fruits and vegetables have already built a reputation. Not only do the people of Dongxi Village prefer buying from us first, the same is true throughout the Ten-Mile Eight Villages."

"My father taught me a term for this: Brand Effect."

"It is like those century-old Herbal Shops and jewelry stores in the county town. If your father and Mother went to the county town, would they not choose those shops first?"

"The more customers they have, the higher their profits naturally become."

"If your family sells on its own, you can calculate how much you will end up making."

"Of course, there is another way to work together: sell separately. The income from the fruits and vegetables produced in my family's fields would belong entirely to us, while your family could likewise use my father's reputation."

"The profit split could be seventy-thirty or eighty-twenty."

Xu Mingwei's eyes immediately lit up. This method truly made for a win-win partnership.

It would help Uncle Ergou's family while bringing his own family an additional source of income.

After all, Uncle Ergou's family had far more Connections than his own. With Father's guidance, the quality would at least not be too poor. Once the scale increased, the yearly profits would likely be quite considerable as well.

Xu Chuan stood at the entrance to the main hall. Hearing Xu Mingyuan's views, he was thoroughly astonished.

Though he had given the boy some instruction before, for a seven-year-old child to understand things to this extent and devise such a method of cooperation was absolutely extraordinary talent.

"[Talent for Making Money]—this Destiny Talent seems destined for him."

Xu Chuan smiled faintly, having made his decision as well.

Chen Fangfang's eyes shone as she looked at Xu Mingyuan with open admiration. "A Yuan, you're so smart."

"I'll go back right now and tell my father and Mother this idea."

Chen Daniu immediately went back with Chen Fangfang.

"A Yuan, come here." Xu Chuan suddenly spoke.

The two turned to look at him, then said in unison, "Father."

Xu Mingyuan stepped forward and asked curiously, "What is it, Father?"

"That idea just now was quite thoughtful. How did you come up with it?"

"Father thinks it's good too?"

Receiving Xu Chuan's approval, Xu Mingyuan was overjoyed, and the smile on his face simply would not fade.

"Actually, I was just thinking blindly."

Xu Chuan smiled lightly. "What are your plans for the future? Do you like business? Or do you want to follow your Big Brother into Martial Dao, or learn farming from me?"

Xu Mingyuan thought for a moment. "Martial Dao—I learned some from Big Brother before. I used to think it was fun, but later I realized it was too exhausting. I could never persist every day like he does."

"As for farming, I don't think I'm cut out for it."

"If possible, I'd still rather go into business. I quite like Counting Money."

"Mm. Then come with me. Shitou, stand guard outside. Do not let anyone enter."

"Yes, Father."

Xu Chuan intended to bestow a Destiny Talent upon Xu Mingyuan.

Chen Ergou's Home courtyard.

The husband and wife had already calmed down.

When Chen Daniu and Chen Fangfang returned, they told Chen Ergou about Xu Mingyuan's idea.

Chen Ergou slapped his thigh. "This method is great!"

"With Brother Chuan, we definitely won't get the short end of the stick."

"Tsk, tsk. How did A Yuan's brain grow like that? He's only seven, yet he has such ideas. As expected of Brother Chuan's son—Brother Chuan had all sorts of ideas even as a child."

Xu Yan gave a cold laugh. "Only you, you reckless fool, would agree without even thinking."

"What's wrong with that? Wouldn't you agree to such a good thing?"

"It's all because you insisted on coveting Brother Chuan's Green Jade Pears before. Three years of manpower and money went into it—what came of it? Aren't we left with nothing but half-dead saplings now?"

"I'm telling you, if you're unwilling, we'll have a Family Division. I'll work with Brother Chuan myself, and you can live off that Green Jade Pear Tree."

Xu Yan's willow-leaf brows trembled slightly at first, then drew together, twisting tiny wrinkles above the bridge of her nose.

A faint crease formed between her brows.

In only a few short years, Xu Chuan had managed the Xu Family superbly. He had already surpassed Chen Ergou and even seemed poised to catch up with her Father-in-law's family.

After the old man passed away, Chen Ergou, not being the Legitimate Eldest Son, would receive only a portion of the family property at most.

But by following the Xu Family, there truly might be hope for wealth and prosperity.

Still, her relationship with Xu Chuan could only be called ordinary. Though they addressed each other as Cousin and cousin, it was merely surface-level.

Relatives beyond the Five Degrees of Kinship were not as good as Close Neighbors bound by deep friendship.

"Why are you being so fierce? Did I say I disagreed?"

Xu Yan's tone and expression visibly softened, her voice becoming gentle and quiet.

"What I mean is, this is ultimately just childish talk between children. In the end, Cousin still has to agree."

"You should think it through carefully first. Consider all the details of the cooperation and the division of profits, then go discuss it properly with Cousin. Otherwise, when he asks you anything, you'll know nothing and only nod your head nonstop."

"You're almost thirty already. Don't let my Cousin look down on you."

"My Elder Brother might look down on me, but Brother Chuan absolutely won't. We grew up wearing the same crotchless pants."

Chen Ergou said with certainty, but then changed his tone. "Still, Wife, you're right."

"Then I'll think it over carefully and go to Brother Chuan's house in a couple of days."

At that moment, Chen Daniu's and Chen Fangfang's stomachs rumbled, "Grrr..."

Xu Yan slapped her forehead. "Your father has made me so muddleheaded with anger that I forgot to cook. You still have to go to School this afternoon, so go eat a meal at Uncle Chuan's house first."

"Then I'll go too." Chen Ergou had a very thick skin.

"Aren't you ashamed?" Xu Yan's face changed at once again. "Does our own home have no food?"

"The children need to go to School, but you need to go too?"

"Fine, I won't go, then. Hurry up and cook. I'm hungry."