The Grandmother in the Siheyuan

Chapter 536 Enjoying Life
These ambitious aquaculture students originally thought they would be doing research in some picturesque coastal area, or at the very least on an offshore aquaculture platform. Although it would be tough, at least they would be able to live a life amidst turbulent waves.

"What the heck, Western Xinjiang?"

The hundred or so people were dumbfounded. They majored in marine aquaculture, yet they went to work in Xinjiang. Isn't that completely unrelated? Does Xinjiang even have a sea? It's said that it existed tens of millions of years ago. What were they going there for? To conduct marine archaeological excavations?
Someone asked, "Manager Xiang, did you know beforehand that going to Xinjiang to engage in aquaculture is an international joke?"

"I do know that, but I don't understand why you, the chosen ones, would react this way?"

Manager Xiang was poached by Liu Hua. When he first learned that the work location was in Xinjiang, he was also panicked and speechless.

After a detailed conversation with Liu Hua, he agreed with Liu Hua's idea, which is why he looked so calm at the moment.

"Isn't this the right reaction?" someone asked. "Isn't this utterly ridiculous? Is there even a sea there? How can they do aquaculture there?"

Manager Xiang calmly replied, "Does the absence of the sea mean we can't do marine aquaculture? Our country's researchers can grow vegetables even in Antarctica where there is no land. Our expertise in marine aquaculture isn't about cultivating seafood in the sea. That's nothing. We don't need to cultivate it; the sea already has it. People cultivate it on the Gobi Desert. That's our real skill."

Manager Xiang's words calmed everyone down a bit. They did make some sense, but it also felt like he was being unreasonable.

Xiang asked the manager solemnly, "The company offers very high salaries and subsidies. All food, clothing, and daily necessities in Xijiang are covered by the company, and travel expenses to and from home to visit relatives are also fully reimbursed. Are there any people who do not want to go? You can resign now."

Perhaps because Taiyi Group has a great reputation, everyone felt that it was impossible for them to make baseless accusations or to make fun of everyone, so all of the hundred or so people unanimously chose to stay.

They chartered a plane to take us there. The research institute there is hiring the local construction farm's infrastructure department to speed up construction. The temporary accommodation is also rented from the construction farm. Although the facilities can't compare to those in Beijing, it's not too hard.

After arriving there, the manager distributed the research materials to everyone. Upon seeing the materials, the hundred or so people suddenly realized what was going on.

“Oh, I see. We were so narrow-minded. Seawater is just salt with various trace elements and water. Even brine from a Gobi Desert stall can be made into seawater. We were stuck in our old ways of thinking.”

"The boss has a really ingenious idea. The brine from these Gobi mountains is not very useful to begin with, but now that it is mixed with water to make seawater, it can make good use of waste."

Xiang clapped his hands and asked the manager, "Now, does everyone have confidence in raising seafood in the Gobi Desert?"

"Manager Xiang, don't worry. This is absolutely a groundbreaking innovation in the global agricultural and sideline product breeding industry. We will definitely win this project."

Everyone understood that this was an excellent opportunity to make a name for themselves in history, especially for some of them who hadn't even graduated with their master's degrees yet. It was Liu Hua who had risked his reputation to recruit these kids. If they could secure this project, they could graduate with a doctorate, let alone a master's degree, and maybe even publish a few papers in Science and Nature.

Liu Guodong was unaware that his father had already established a new aquaculture company. He left his wife and children in Beijing and went off to reclaim wasteland on his own. If it weren't for the Liu family tradition of doting on their wives, he would have known that building a research base from scratch would be a complex and troublesome undertaking. So he left his wife to enjoy the good life in Beijing while he went off to be a pioneer.

Since getting married, the daughter-in-law has spent very little time with her mother-in-law. Of course, there are advantages to this: there are no conflicts between them.

With her daughter-in-law staying in Beijing, Liu Feifei simply tossed her a card: "There are ten million in this card. For now, you and the child stay in Beijing. I'll take care of the child for you. Your only task is to spend all ten million. Buy clothes, bags, jewelry, cosmetics—do whatever you want, just spend the money."

Lin Yu had never lived such a luxurious life since childhood, especially after graduation, when she followed Liu Guodong to the Qiongya base to work on hybrid rice.

It wasn't exactly tough, but it wasn't exactly comfortable either.

Her mother-in-law's generosity startled her, and that very night she called her husband: "My mother gave me a card with ten million yuan, and told me to spend it all while I'm in Beijing."

"Then spend it! Let's see if you have the imagination to spend all the money in a short time," Liu Guodong said with a smile. "You've been working hard with me at the base and haven't had a good life. Take this opportunity to enjoy yourself."

"Are you out of your mind, Liu Guodong? That's ten million!"

Liu Guodong laughed and said, "Yes, I know that's ten million, but for my dad, that's just a drop in the ocean. Let me put it this way: when I was in middle school, my dad and I did research together, and the patents we had sold for more than ten million."

Liu Guodong said with great joy, "If Mom gives you money, just take it. The old man has plenty of money. In the end, he'll leave it all to me and Qiaotong anyway. Spend it if you want. I reckon you can't even keep up with how fast he makes money."

Lin Yu said regretfully, "That's ten million! I've never seen so much money in my life. Although our teacher has sufficient research funding, he doesn't just take out ten million all at once. How much can ten million do?"

"In my dad's words, making money is just a side thing; his main purpose is to use that money for scientific development." Liu Guodong said admiringly, "In the end, my old man achieved his goal, and science and technology developed. It just had some side effects: more money than he could spend. If you don't help him spend it, who will?"

"Back in Qiongya, I didn't see you having much money either."

Liu Guodong smiled and said, "Back in Qiongya, we could drink Coke every day and it felt wonderful. Our salaries were enough for us, so I never asked my dad for money. What you said reminds me that I need to ask my dad for more money."

"What do you need the money for? Dad's money is his private money; we can't just invest it in research facilities."

“You haven’t enjoyed any good life with me. I need to ask him for more money so we can buy a nice house near the research base. Then you and our children can enjoy a good life.”

(End of this chapter)