The next morning in Hot Spring Village, the morning mist lay like crushed cotton wadding, heavy upon the bluestone paths and scattered gray tiles. Even the branches of the hundred-year-old camphor tree at the village entrance were coated in a layer of dewy white frost, and the air was filled with the crisp scent of mountain springs and moist earth. But this normally tranquil morning scene was completely shattered by a commotion loud enough to blow away the fog—the clearing by the village entrance, usually used for drying bamboo shoots, was now packed with villagers in cotton-padded jackets and scarves, each face a mixture of shock and excitement, their voices crackling like salt thrown into boiling oil.
"Did you hear? CEO Lu! The one developing tourism, Lù Yànzhōu, is personally coming to our village today to discuss the buyback!" Auntie Wang clutched her bamboo basket in one hand, gesturing with the other, her voice low but unable to hide her excitement, spitting tiny droplets into the mist before her, "My old man went to guard the village entrance before dawn, he just ran back and told me, it's absolutely true!"
"Lù Yànzhōu? The one who turned the neighboring Qingxi Village into a cluster of guesthouses last year?" Uncle Li, wearing a dark blue jacket, his eyes lit up, forgetting to light his cigarette, "I heard he's extremely generous. The buyback price for those old houses in Qingxi Village was more than thirty percent above market price!"
"More than that!" A young woman in a red down jacket suddenly squeezed out from the crowd. It was Xiǎo Mǐn, the Village Party Secretary's daughter. She had just run over from the Village Committee, her cheeks still flushed from running, "I just heard CEO Lu's assistant on the phone at the Village Committee entrance. They said the buyback price for our village this time is doubled! It was originally negotiated at 200 million, now it's 400 million!"
"400 million?!"
At this, the crowd immediately erupted. Someone dropped their wood-chopping knife with a clang, someone instinctively touched the crumpled land ownership certificates in their pocket, and some repeatedly asked Xiǎo Mǐn if she had misheard. Only when Xiǎo Mǐn swore she heard clearly did the murmurs gradually turn into irrepressible jubilation, as if even the surrounding mist had been slightly dispersed by this wave of warmth.
Meanwhile, in the temporarily designated RV parking area at the end of the village, Jiāng Zhì was startled awake by a rapid, almost piercing warning sound from the System in her mind. She suddenly sat up from the folding bed covered with a beige soft mattress, strands of hair still creased from sleeping, her eyes full of morning grogginess. But the next second, the System's words completely evaporated her sleepiness.
【Host, emergency alert! Lù Yànzhōu has bypassed the preset 50-meter exclusion zone and is approaching your RV in a straight line—current distance 47 meters, 46 meters, 45 meters...】
Jiāng Zhì didn't even have time to rub her dry eyes. She fumbled to throw off the thin blanket, her hair flying wildly, forming a messy ball like a startled hedgehog. She didn't bother with slippers, her bare feet stepping on the cool RV floor. The icy sensation shot up from the soles of her feet but did nothing to slow her down—she stumbled almost comically to the driver's seat, her fingers trembling as she gripped the steering wheel, her gaze fixed on the lingering mist outside the windshield, the other hand already pressing the ignition switch, ready to reverse and escape at any moment.
"System!" Jiāng Zhì's voice was still hoarse with sleep but carried a clear urgency, "Didn't you say you set up a 50-meter exclusion zone? How could he come directly?"
Yesterday, she had specifically asked the System to create a 50-meter "exclusion zone" around the RV. As soon as Lù Yànzhōu entered this range, the System would immediately alert her, and she could use the morning mist as cover to escape via one of two pre-planned detour routes. But now, Lù Yànzhōu had not only breached the exclusion zone but was heading straight for the RV, completely disrupting her plan.
The System in her mind was silent for two seconds, its tone carrying a rare hint of "helplessness": 【To Host, Lù Yànzhōu reported 'road collapse' information on three mainstream map apps last night, along with falsified photos and location data. Now, one of the detour routes you planned is marked as 'No Entry,' and the other has temporary roadblocks set up. Currently, only the direct path in front of him is passable.】
Jiāng Zhì: "..."
Her hand gripping the steering wheel tightened abruptly, her knuckles turning white. It wasn't that the exclusion zone had failed; Lù Yànzhōu had used this almost "cheating" method to block all her escape routes.
She had only heard that Lù Yànzhōu was ruthless in business and acted unconventionally. She had thought those were just exaggerations from the outside world, but only today did she truly face the capability of this "social terrorist"—he could even use the reporting function of map apps as a "roadblock." Such unconventional operations made her completely defenseless.
Just then, a tall figure gradually appeared through the mist outside the windshield. The person was wearing a long black trench coat, with a light gray turtleneck sweater visible at the collar, carrying a black leather briefcase, walking steadily towards the RV. The morning mist blurred his features, but his tall, straight posture was evident as he walked, carrying an innate sense of pressure.
【Host, Lù Yànzhōu is less than 10 meters from the RV.】The System's prompt sounded again, "Do you need me to activate the RV's emergency lockdown?"
Jiāng Zhì took a deep breath, her fingers clenching on the steering wheel. Finally, she shook her head: "No need."
She knew that even with the emergency lockdown activated, with Lù Yànzhōu's abilities, opening the RV door would only be a matter of time. Instead of hiding, it was better to face him directly—at least she still had bargaining chips. The land buyback contract for the village hadn't been signed yet, and Lù Yànzhōu, wanting to smoothly acquire the development rights for Hot Spring Village, might not dare to push her too far.
Jiāng Zhì quickly tidied her messy hair and smoothed her wrinkled loungewear, trying to look as less disheveled as possible. She took a deep breath, opened the car door, and stepped out.
As soon as she got out, a cool morning breeze blew by. Jiāng Zhì couldn't help but shiver. Her bare feet on the cold cement ground instantly made her much more awake. She looked up at Lù Yànzhōu, who was not far away, and their eyes met.
Lù Yànzhōu's gaze was deep, like a bottomless pool, and it lingered on Jiāng Zhì for two seconds. He first scanned her messy hair, then her bare feet, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly.
"Miss Jiāng," Lù Yànzhōu spoke first, his voice deep and pleasant, yet carrying an unassailable presence, "Good morning."
Jiāng Zhì pursed her lips, not intending to play coy with him. She got straight to the point: "CEO Lu, did you come this early just to corner me?"
Lù Yànzhōu stopped, standing two meters away from Jiāng Zhì. The morning mist swirled around him, giving him a vague aura. He looked at Jiāng Zhì, a faint smile curving his lips, but he didn't answer her question. Instead, he pointed to her feet: "It's cold on the ground. If Miss Jiāng doesn't mind, why don't we talk in the car?"
Jiāng Zhì followed his gaze and looked down at her feet. Her fair soles were already dusty and tinged red from the cold ground. She bit her lip, hesitant—talking in the car was certainly better than standing in the cold wind, but once inside, she would be handing over the initiative to Lù Yànzhōu.
Seemingly seeing her concern, Lù Yànzhōu added, "Don't worry, I just want to talk to Miss Jiāng about the Hot Spring Village buyback. I have no other intentions." He paused, his gaze falling on Jiāng Zhì's face, "Besides, I don't think Miss Jiāng would want the villagers to see us 'stalemating' here, would she?"
Jiāng Zhì's heart skipped a beat. She knew what Lù Yànzhōu meant—the villagers were currently excited about the 400 million buyback price. If they saw her in conflict with Lù Yànzhōu, it would inevitably cause speculation and might even affect future negotiations.
Weighing the pros and cons, Jiāng Zhì finally nodded: "Alright, let's talk in the car."
She turned to walk back to the RV. Lù Yànzhōu followed her, his steps light, yet each one seemed to land on Jiāng Zhì's heart, making her nerves taut.
Upon entering the RV, Jiāng Zhì first went to the bedroom to find a pair of slippers and changed into a clean, off-white knit sweater and jeans. After tidying up her appearance, she walked to the RV's lounge area. Lù Yànzhōu was already sitting on the sofa by the window, holding a file folder, looking down at it. Sunlight filtered through the mist on the car window, casting a faint halo around him, making him appear softer than before.
"CEO Lu, if you have something to say, please be direct." Jiāng Zhì sat on the sofa opposite him, clasping her hands on her knees, adopting a defensive posture.
Lù Yànzhōu looked up and pushed the file folder in his hand towards Jiāng Zhì: "This is the new buyback contract. The price has increased from 200 million to 400 million, with other terms unchanged. As long as Miss Jiāng signs, this money can be transferred to the village's collective account within three days."
Jiāng Zhì looked down at the file folder. The cover read "Hot Spring Village Land Buyback Agreement (Revised Edition)" in neat, official-looking script. She didn't open it immediately but looked up at Lù Yànzhōu: "Why did CEO Lu suddenly increase the buyback price?"
There was no such thing as a free lunch. Lù Yànzhōu doubling the buyback price must have his reasons.
Lù Yànzhōu leaned back on the sofa, his arms crossed over his abdomen, his gaze calmly fixed on Jiāng Zhì: "Because I believe Hot Spring Village is worth this price." He paused, his tone becoming more serious, "Also, I know Miss Jiāng has been working hard for the village. Increasing the buyback price is also to allow the villagers to receive more benefits."
Jiāng Zhì scoffed inwardly. She didn't believe Lù Yànzhōu was being so kind. He was doing this because she held something he needed—like the undeveloped natural hot spring eye she had inadvertently discovered in the Back Mountain of Hot Spring Village, and the restoration plans for several historically valuable old buildings in the village. These were crucial for Lù Yànzhōu's tourism development plan.
"CEO Lu is quite frank." Jiāng Zhì picked up the file folder but didn't open it, only tapping her fingertips lightly on the cover, "However, I have a few conditions."
Lù Yànzhōu raised an eyebrow, gesturing for her to continue.
"First," Jiāng Zhì looked up at Lù Yànzhōu, her eyes firm, "the buyback funds must be paid in three installments. The first payment of 50% will be used for the construction of resettlement houses in the village. The second payment of 30% will be used for the restoration of old buildings. The third payment of 20% will be paid after all villagers have successfully moved into the resettlement houses."
"Second," she paused and continued, "the natural hot spring eye in the Back Mountain must be managed by a specialized cooperative established by the village. CEO Lu's company can only be responsible for operations, and the profits must be shared proportionally with the village. The village will have 40%, and the company will have 60%."
"Third," Jiāng Zhì's gaze fell on Lù Yànzhōu's face, "if the young people in the village are willing to work in Hot Spring Village, CEO Lu's company must give them priority in hiring, provide professional training, and their salaries and benefits must not be lower than the average level in the local industry."
These three conditions were what Jiāng Zhì had come up with after staying up all night. They not only protected the villagers' immediate interests but also secured long-term development opportunities for the village. She knew these conditions might put Lù Yànzhōu in a difficult position, but she had no retreat—she had to fight for the greatest benefits for the villagers of Hot Spring Village.
Lù Yànzhōu listened to Jiāng Zhì's conditions and didn't answer immediately. He lowered his head in thought. His fingers tapped lightly on the sofa armrest, making a rhythmic "thump-thump" sound that was particularly clear in the quiet RV.
Jiāng Zhì didn't rush him, just sat there quietly, looking at him calmly. She knew now it was a test of patience.
After about five minutes, Lù Yànzhōu looked up, his gaze falling on Jiāng Zhì's face, a meaningful smile curving his lips: "Miss Jiāng's conditions are very reasonable."
Jiāng Zhì felt a surge of joy but didn't show it, maintaining a calm expression: "CEO Lu agrees?"
"I agree." Lù Yànzhōu nodded, "However, I have one small request."
Jiāng Zhì's heart tightened, and she looked at him warily: "Please state it, CEO Lu."
"I hope Miss Jiāng can join my team and serve as a consultant for the Hot Spring Village project." Lù Yànzhōu looked at Jiāng Zhì, a hint of anticipation in his eyes, "You are very familiar with the situation in Hot Spring Village, and your proposed solutions are very thoughtful. With you here, this project will go much more smoothly."
Jiāng Zhì was taken aback. She hadn't expected Lù Yànzhōu to make such a request. Serving as a project consultant meant she would have to collaborate with Lù Yànzhōu long-term, something she hadn't considered before.
"CEO Lu, I..." Before Jiāng Zhì could refuse, Lù Yànzhōu interrupted her.
"Miss Jiāng, don't rush to refuse." Lù Yànzhōu took out a pre-prepared offer letter and pushed it towards Jiāng Zhì, "The consultant's working hours are very flexible; you don't need to be in the office. You only need to attend two project meetings per month and provide some suggestions. The monthly salary is 50,000, with additional project dividends."
The monthly salary of 50,000, plus project dividends, was indeed a very tempting offer. But Jiāng Zhì knew in her heart that there was no such thing as a free lunch. Lù Yànzhōu was doing this to tie her to his ship, preventing her from interfering with the project.
"CEO Lu, I'm very sorry, but I cannot accept." Jiāng Zhì shook her head, her tone firm, "I just want to fight for more benefits for the villagers. As for project operations, I believe CEO Lu's team has the capability to do it well."
Lù Yànzhōu looked at Jiāng Zhì. A trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he quickly returned to a calm expression: "Since Miss Jiāng is unwilling, I won't force it." He paused and picked up the buyback contract, "However, we can amend the terms of the buyback contract according to what Miss Jiāng just said. I will have my assistant draft a new contract and send it for Miss Jiāng to sign this afternoon."
Jiāng Zhì nodded: "Okay."
Once the matter was settled, Lù Yànzhōu didn't linger and got up to leave. At the RV door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Jiāng Zhì: "Miss Jiāng, the next time we meet, please remember to wear shoes."
With that, he turned and walked into the morning mist, his tall figure quickly disappearing into the fog.
Jiāng Zhì looked in the direction he disappeared, stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh. This Lù Yànzhōu could be quite amusing sometimes.
She looked down at the slippers on her feet, then at the buyback contract on the table, and breathed a sigh of relief. Although the process had been a bit bumpy, she had ultimately secured the greatest benefits for the village, and that was enough.
The morning mist outside gradually dispersed, and sunlight streamed through the car window, casting dappled shadows on the floor. Jiāng Zhì stood up and walked to the window, looking at the still bustling crowd in the direction of the village entrance, a relieved smile unconsciously appearing on her lips.
The future of Hot Spring Village finally had a prospect.