Living in a small county town, earning a million a year

Chapter 78 Relatives' Envy (Seeking First Subscriptions!)

"If you ask me, you should quit your current job and invest in opening a restaurant with me! Just cook home-style dishes. Isn't crayfish very profitable this summer? I'll invest in opening a restaurant, and you and Auntie can be the bosses. That way, you'll have time to take care of Auntie."

"Xiao Mu, our family already owes you too much. How can we possibly ask for any more money from you now?" Bai Ze shook his head and refused. "The better you treat us, the more unworthy I feel! What have we done to deserve that someone who has only known Xiao Xue for a few days would lend us over a million yuan!"

"Now you want to invest in me? I really can't afford it!"

Bai Ze's voice gradually grew louder.

Everyone nearby could hear Bai Ze speaking.

When he heard that Xu Mu had given Bai Xue more than a million yuan after only knowing them for a few days.

The way they looked at Xu Mu changed color!

This young man is really rich! And he's the kind of person who's naive and has too much money.

Is Xue Bai just a little prettier?

Is it really necessary to give so much money?

They gave me money and bought me a car.

If you calculate it that way, it must be two million, right?
After all, they had some idea of ​​how much money the Bai family owed. The debts alone amounted to 800,000 yuan, not including the surgery fees... It was said that the surgery fees, along with the subsequent treatment, examinations, recuperation, and other expenses, totaled 400,000 to 500,000 yuan.

This means that Xu Mu had only known Bai Xue for a few days when he gave her over a million yuan.

Later, he even bought Bai Xue a Mercedes-Benz C-Class car outright.

In addition to the cell phone given to Bai Xue, and the gifts given to them...

hiss!
Thinking hard!
The relatives' eyes lit up with excitement.

They're really foolish and have too much money.

What if we break up? Wouldn't that be a complete waste? Besides, a guy like that must have a lot of suitors.

If they let their daughter have some kind of relationship with Xu Mu, wouldn't they be able to get just as much money?
They must be thinking that Bai Xue had a relationship with Xu Mu and they want to use that to blackmail him.

"Uncle, I already said it's an investment."

“Investing is a business with both gains and losses. I’m currently investing in some businesses outside. Since you and Auntie already have this business, I think I can find some people to manage and promote it. Your restaurant business will definitely be good.”

"When the restaurant makes money, I, as a shareholder, will also get a share of the profits!"

“That’s right, Dad!” Bai Wushen chimed in from the side. “Investing is different from borrowing money. Besides, I think what Brother Mu said makes sense. You and Mom are such good cooks, you could totally open your own restaurant and start a business.”

“You’re getting old. If you keep working, you definitely won’t be able to pay off Brother Mu’s debt. I think Brother Mu’s willingness to invest in us means he must really believe in this project.”

“Sigh…” Bai Ze shook his head.

He considered many things.

If you make a profit, everything is fine.

But what if you lose money?

This will only make me feel even more indebted to Xu Mu!

"Uncle Bai, that's enough, don't worry about it."

"I'll handle this matter."

Xu Mu poured Bai Ze a full glass of baijiu, picked it up, and said, "Don't feel guilty. This is an opportunity! Seizing the opportunity is the only way to change your destiny, isn't it?"

Xu Mu was saying these words not only to Bai Ze, but also to the other relatives.
Of course, Xu Mu invested in Bai Ze simply to help his family.

If I actually make money, I can pay off this debt as soon as possible.

Although Xu Mu wasn't short of money, Bai Ze would always keep it in mind.

In a sense, Xu Mu was also helping them pay off their debts as quickly as possible.

In addition, it can also be used as an investment project to make some money!
After hesitating for a few seconds, Bai Ze took the wine glass Xu Mu handed him and clinked glasses with her, saying, "In this way, Uncle owes you even more."

"There's no such thing as owing or not owing."

"We are family!"

"Moreover, I think this project is a sure thing!"

"Good good..."

The meal ended with everyone enjoying themselves immensely, drinking and eating to their hearts' content.

Xu Mu lay on the sofa, feeling completely dizzy.

Bai Xue drank a little wine, but she wasn't drunk.

She made Xu Mu a cup of tea and placed it in front of him, asking, "Are you very tired?"

"I'm alright." Xu Mu forced himself to stand up and rubbed his temples. "I just feel a bit bloated, and I definitely drank too much..."

Xu Mu drinks quickly, and Ye Pingfan often tells him to drink slower because drinking too fast makes him drunk more easily.

But when he drank too slowly, people would always say he was raising fish during meals... Xu Mu couldn't stand that.

You said I'm bad!

you can!

But you can't say I raise fish.

I drink this wine one sip at a time.

"Shall I rub your head? I've already asked Mom to make you some hangover soup. Would drinking some of that soup make you feel better?"

"Okay." Xu Mu nodded slightly.

Just as Bai Xue was rubbing Xu Mu's head, a young man about the same age as Xu Mu sat down opposite him.

He offered Xu Mu a cigarette.

"Xu Mu, my name is Chen Hao, and I am Bai Xue's cousin."

"I have a great project in mind, would you like to hear about it?"

"Oh?" Xu Mu raised an eyebrow slightly, looked at Chen Hao, and asked, "What project?"

"All ears."

However, when Chen Hao appeared, Xu Mu could clearly feel Bai Xue's massage movements pause slightly.

Although I didn't see Bai Xue's expression.

However, based on Xu Mu's understanding of Bai Xue, and his current knowledge of Bai Xue's relatives...

This kind of project is definitely not a good project.

Moreover, these relatives are all snobs... I just heard Bai Ze say that he gave Bai Xue more than a million yuan after knowing her for only a short time.

They must think they're stupid and have too much money.

Xu Mu may be rich, but his mother isn't stupid!

I'm very smart.

"I'm currently working on something called digital currency, and the company is called Aixinghe."

"?"

"Ai Xinghe?"

Xu Mu frowned, suddenly remembering when he attended a Xiaomi car owners' gathering.

In the Tianji County Xiaomi car owners' group, there is also a guy who does this Ai Xinghe.

Xu Mu knew it was a pyramid scheme the moment he saw it.

He boasted that he earned in a day what others in the group earned in several months.

Then, in less than a year after entering the industry, I earned several million and wanted to work hard to buy a Ferrari!

At the time, many people in the group were criticizing him.

Oh...right, I remember now. That guy not only ran a pyramid scheme, but he was also a scumbag. He happened to have dinner with Tong Wu's ex-girlfriend.

I remembered.

I was kicked out of the group by Wang Mengyan back then.

"Brother Xu Mu, do you know about this platform?"

"Ahem..." Xu Mu coughed lightly. "I've heard of it."

"It's okay, just keep talking."

Chen Hao didn't notice any change in Xu Mu's expression and continued speaking, "Okay... This platform is for physical e-commerce, mainly dealing with foreign products. Moreover, our company has created a digital platform similar to Bitcoin, where you don't need to spend money; only digital currency can be used for transactions!"

"Moreover, the ratio of digital currency to real funds is 1 to 0.9."

"..."

Chen Hao gave a lengthy explanation of some concepts.

He even took out his phone to show Xu Mu their platform, saying, "Look, this lady invested 100,000 yuan and earned back more than 9,000 yuan in just one month!"

"And this guy invested 400,000 yuan and earned 20,000 yuan in a month. I think this project is very promising, but I don't have any capital! So I asked my dad for 100,000 yuan and invested it. Now I've already gotten more than 10,000 yuan back."

"I currently lack funds and am looking for investors to work together on this project. It has great potential!"

Xu Mu picked up his phone and searched for Ai Xinghe.

"But... Chen Hao, how come I found out that your Ai Xinghe is some kind of Ponzi scheme, a pyramid scheme fraud?"

Is your platform really reliable?

Xu Mu showed Chen Hao the news she had found, saying, "I wouldn't dare invest in this kind of thing. Isn't this just a pyramid scheme? Once the money is gone, you'll never get it back!"

Why don't you see if you can get your money back?

Chen Hao said very confidently, "Yes, I can get it back! I even withdrew more than 10,000 yuan before!"

"Xu Mu, how could I possibly lie to you? We're relatives! If this project wasn't so good and could make me money, why would I tell you? I'm thinking that if I can make money, we should all make money together! I'm even planning to get all our relatives on this side to invest together!"

"The digital economy is currently very, very promising..."

Chen Hao began to boast wildly.

The wind was so strong it gave Xu Mu a headache.

"Okay, okay... stop talking." Xu Mu waved his hand to interrupt, "I've had too much to drink today, I don't want to talk about this for now."

"But after hearing what you said, I still have some concerns about this project."

"I don't have that idea... You could try borrowing some money from your relatives."

"Xu Mu, Brother Mu! How much money can a relative borrow? Think about it, I can earn more than 10,000 yuan a month with an investment of 100,000 yuan. What if it's a million or ten million yuan? That's more than 100,000 or even a million yuan a month! You can break even in less than a year!"

"This is definitely a project well worth investing in!"

"Would you like to reconsider?"

Chen Hao, still determined to sabotage, argued, "Besides, this news online is all fake; it's a smear campaign against our platform. Because our platform does make money, our competitors love to create these kinds of smears to discredit us! Furthermore, if it really is a Ponzi scheme, a fraud, then I'll definitely be arrested too!"

Just then, Yang Shufen brought over a bowl of hangover soup.

"Thank you, Aunt Yang."

"You're too kind," Yang Shufen said with a smile. "Xiao Mu, if you've had too much to drink and are tired, you should get some rest."

"Your room is on the third floor. I've already prepared it, and Xiaoxue will bring it up to you later."

"Alright! I drank a bit too much tonight, I really need to get some rest!"

Xu Mu took the hangover soup and drank a sip.

"Chen Hao, Xiao Mu has had too much to drink today. Let's talk about it tomorrow."

Yang Shufen gave them the order to leave.

"Xu Mu, let's chat on WeChat later. Think about this project..."

"Ok."

Xu Mu nodded, not taking it to heart.

Any so-called digital economy scheme or any other scheme that asks you to invest money first and then offer returns is 100% a pyramid scheme, without exception!

Where in the world are there so many free lunches falling from the sky?

The key is to make money honestly.

However, Xu Mu wouldn't say much, because no matter what you say, others won't listen and will only think you're jealous of him... So let him be deceived.

When the real disaster strikes, people will naturally wake up to the truth.

"Xu Mu, this is a pyramid scheme."

After everyone left, Bai Xue finally spoke up, "He talked to Dad before, just last week, because he knew our family was rich and wanted to come and ask for investment, but Dad refused at the time."

"He never believed in such free lunches."

"Moreover, Chen Hao is too frivolous in both his work and his personal conduct."

Xu Mu nodded. "I know."

“When I was in the Xiaomi car owners group before, there was a guy named Lu Gu who was also involved in this platform, so when I heard Chen Hao mention Ai Xinghe, I thought of Lu Gu.”

“He’s always bragging in the group chat about how he made millions a year or something. For example, if someone asks him if he’s eaten, he’ll say he made 30,000 today… It’s pretty abstract.”

"I think people who can be tricked into joining pyramid schemes aren't very smart."

"Then he talks about earning millions a year, making several months' salary in a day... He even took out a loan to buy a Xiaomi phone, and it was the lowest-spec SU7, he couldn't even afford the Pro or Max version!"

"So that's how it is... I thought you believed this stuff?" Bai Xue covered her mouth and laughed upon hearing this. "I was just afraid you'd agree without thinking if you got drunk."

"I'm rich, not stupid! Besides, all my money is for you guys to spend, how could it possibly end up outside? Giving you money is fine, but giving them money? Unless there's a really good project that can impress me, what good can just talk do..."

Xu Mu blew on the hangover soup.

After the hangover soup cooled down a bit, I drank it all in one gulp.

Xu Mu put down the bowl and looked at Yang Shufen, saying, "Auntie, you can discuss opening a restaurant with Uncle again. Find a suitable place in the new city. With your skills, you're sure to make some money opening a restaurant. You can also combine it with local specialties from Tianji County, such as wheat cakes, dumpling rolls, and Hu Lata... These can all be used to attract tourists from other places."

"At that time, I will find a team that specializes in Douyin (TikTok) to promote our restaurant nationwide. This will not only attract local customers but also tourists from other places who come to Tianji County."

In this era of high-traffic internet, as long as a store has unique features and delicious food, it will definitely be promoted.

Just like Chen Dabing, the crayfish boss in Tianji County, he can make 150,000 yuan a day by live-streaming the sale of crayfish!

This traffic is absolutely outrageous!

Even if the percentage of customers who actually shop in-store is not high, even if it's only 30%, that would still generate 45,000 in revenue.

This kind of traffic is extremely exaggerated and terrifying...

Can other restaurants make 150,000 yuan in revenue per month?

impossible!

Xu Mu had only been to Chen Dabing's brother's lobster restaurant twice. But every mealtime, the restaurant was always packed with customers.

Especially during dinner time, tables are set up on the main street.

Late-night snacks also attract a lot of business.

"Hey, Auntie doesn't understand what you're saying... But since you're willing to trust us, we'll definitely do our best to make this store a success!"

"It's okay, don't feel burdened. Even if you lose money, it doesn't matter. It's a kind of experiment and investment in itself."

"For me, if one of my investments makes money while the other nine lose money, then overall I'm still making a profit..."

"It's just that I'm close to Sister Bai Xue, and Uncle's personality is similar to my dad's..."

“I’ve actually been thinking that if one day my dad stops being a carpenter, I’ll open a restaurant or a farmhouse inn for him in Tianji County… Aren’t several farmhouse inns in Tianji County quite famous now?”

"That's true... Even though the economic situation has been bad these past two years, people still won't skimp on food."

Yang Shufen nodded and agreed, saying, "I'll talk to Lao Baijiu about this again tomorrow after he sobers up... If we're going to do this then, we'll let you know."

"Sure, I'll arrange all the necessary shops for you. You just need to consider it. If you can do this, I'll invest and arrange everything. You just need to focus on making good food and running a successful business!"

"it is good……"

Xu Mu didn't say much.

Even if you want to invest, you have to wait until they've thought it through.

Even if they want to help the Bai family, Bai Ze and Yang Shufen need to figure it out themselves.

They couldn't understand it, and no matter how much Xu Mu said, it was useless.

After Bai Xue escorted Xu Mu to his room, she went downstairs to say goodbye to the relatives who had come for dinner.

Xu Mu lay there for a while before falling into a deep sleep.

After all, if you drink too much, you'll fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed.

Moreover, the bed has that unique scent of sunshine.

However, Xu Mu woke up in the early hours of the morning as the effects of the alcohol wore off.

But he discovered there was someone else in his bed...

He turned his head and looked through the moonlight streaming in from the window, and then he could see clearly that Bai Xue was nestled peacefully in his arms, close to him.

Xu Mu closed his eyes again and pulled Bai Xue closer to him...

Tonight is Christmas Eve.

Nothing happened.

The next morning around 8 a.m., Xu Mu was woken up by the noise of Bai Xue getting up.

He opened his eyes and found that Bai Xue was quietly preparing to get up and leave.

"Sister Baixue, so early?"

"Huh?" Bai Xue turned to look at Xu Mu, and asked nervously, "Xiao Mu, did I move too much and wake you up?"

"No." Xu Mu shook her head. "I woke up as soon as you left my arms."

"Pfft...you smooth talker." Bai Xue smiled.

Although Bai Xue's pretty face was free of makeup, her natural features were already stunning...

Are you going to work now?

"Yeah, I'm a beast of burden, I can't sleep until I naturally wake up like you."

"Then you're slandering me. I also have to write for work."

Xu Mu replied with a smile, "Besides, doesn't my sister own a design company? I've been busy helping her with job applications lately!"

"What position are you applying for? A designer?"

Bai Xue looked at Xu Mu and asked, "My second aunt's daughter, the girl I told you about last night, borrowed money from us back then."

"She studied fine arts, which seems to have some connection to design. Would you like to give her an interview?"

"What's your name?" Xu Mu asked.

"Her name is Wang Jingrou."

"Hasn't she already started working in Tianji County?"

"Yes, but it's not a job she likes. She's currently working as a regular clerk in the tax bureau, earning only four or five thousand yuan a month! In her spare time, she still takes on odd jobs doing comics to earn some pocket money. If it weren't for her parents insisting that she have a stable job, she would have quit long ago!"

As Bai Xue spoke, she realized that there was a certain difference between learning to draw and learning to design, and suddenly stuck out her tongue awkwardly, "I don't know if her art has anything to do with design!"

"It's okay, I'll have her send a resume to our company later."

“Design companies don’t just hire designers. If someone has a certain level of creativity, that’s fine too. After all, it’s all about using software to do some design work… Besides, art students definitely have a richer imagination.”

"What multicolored black, what dazzling white? I think they can definitely create them with their abilities!"

"Pfft!" Bai Xue was amused by Xu Mu again. "Indeed, I've seen this news too, but I heard that these two colors really exist... Hahaha, okay, I'm not talking to you anymore, I have to rush to work, my home is quite a distance from the company."

"If you're still sleepy, go back to sleep. Mom will cook lunch for you."

"I'm not that thick-skinned..." Xu Mu rubbed his messy hair and smiled. "I didn't shower last night, and I'm all sticky now. I'd better go home and take a shower!"

Xu Mu followed Bai Xue out of the room.

I quickly brushed my teeth and washed my face.

He drove away from the Bai family without even having breakfast.

Upon arriving in the city, Xu Mu had breakfast and then headed to Yangjiashan.

After taking a relaxing bath, Xu Mu finally felt alive again... The headache from last night's hangover was still hard to relieve.

Don't try to show off next time.

Drinking that much is really going to kill you.

After resting for a while at the Yangjiashan villa, Xu Mu drove to Lingmu Design Company.

When I arrived at the company, Ye Muling was already busy inside.

"Sis, what are you busy with?"

“Designing a project… I’ve been busy contacting previous clients lately, haven’t I? Well, one client actually came to me specifically because I designed a suitable advertising logo for him before. The deal wasn’t big, only 100,000, but he still trusted me!”

Ye Muling was studying the client's requirements in the makeshift office!
"How much did you drink last night? You still smell of alcohol."

"Isn't this just a social obligation? There's no other way... But I know someone who studied fine arts. Do you think someone who studied fine arts could do design?"

"Sure! Which school did you graduate from?" Ye Muling looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes, and asked, "People who study fine arts are very suitable for design. Their imaginations are very rich, especially those from well-known art academies. They don't limit their students with rules and regulations at all."

“There was a graduate of the China Academy of Art in my former company. The boss offered her an annual salary of 300,000 yuan, which was more than twice our annual salary!”

“Her designs are very abstract, we can’t understand them… but there’s always a group of clients who love her designs and even regard them as masterpieces. Anyway, I can’t understand them…” Ye Muling may not understand them, but that doesn’t stop her from needing such an employee.

That's exactly what we need—employers with such abstract skills to handle equally abstract clients!

Otherwise, how can we prove that our company is capable?

"Indeed, in this era, playing with abstract art still has a promising future..."

Xu Mu had a quick lunch of corn dumplings across the street, then squatted in Starbucks with her laptop, reviewing resumes and making phone calls.

Around 3 PM, Xu Mu received a resume from Bai Xue.

"Xiao Mu, I've already asked Wang Jingrou to add you."

"Here's her resume, you can take a look... But she's currently a clerk at her company, which is a stable job. I'm worried that even if she gets the job, her parents might not agree, which would be very awkward."

Bai Xue had her own concerns.

After all, the older generation thinks that it would be good enough if their daughters could have a stable job.

I don't expect them to be rich or powerful.

“Weren’t they there last night? And I saw my second aunt and her husband bring her over to toast me. The girl looks quite quiet.”

"Perfect for art!"

"Besides, I showed off my abilities in front of so many people last night. If I could work for my company, I don't think my aunt and the others would refuse, right?"

"Let Wang Jingrou go back and ask her about it later... Add Wang Jingrou on WeChat, and after she accepts your request, take a look at her resume."

"If she passes the interview, let her go back and talk to her parents about this..."

Before opening Wang Jingrou's resume, Xu Mu forwarded a copy to Ye Muling.

Xu Mu then opened her resume.

The first thing you see is a professional photo with a black background.

Long, straight black hair cascaded down her shoulders, revealing her ears, and a delicate, quiet face appeared on the computer screen.

Wang Jingrou isn't a top-tier beauty, but her gentle and quiet demeanor, combined with her oval face and striking eyes, definitely makes her a beauty.

However, her lips are slightly thick.

But that doesn't diminish her elegance.

Next, Xu Mu saw his alma mater, the China Academy of Art.

I grass!

A big shot from the art academy!

How could such a big shot be willing to go back to his hometown and become an ordinary tax bureau clerk?
A big shot like this should shine in a big city!

Oh... but the comic book industry hasn't been making much money these past two years.

Even a world-class IP like Douluo Continent doesn't make as much money as you might imagine.

However, games have been incredibly profitable these past two years... If we were to create some game characters using abstract art styles... hey, you know what, Xu Mu suddenly developed an interest in making games.

He just doesn't know anything about it!

To put it bluntly, Xu Mu has nothing but money right now.

Of course, there are also those who can write novels and raise turtles.

Without the system, Xu Mu would probably have been an ordinary, unremarkable loser for the rest of his life.

You'll never achieve anything great in your life.

Do you think writing novels can make you famous?

It's hard to say... Writing a book inherently involves a certain amount of metaphysics.

Just like the "Heavenly Silkworm Potato" of yesteryear.

Look, it became popular for no reason!
Hey! Suddenly there are millions more in the account!
Suddenly, millions of dollars arrived in my bank account...

Look, even showing off is done in such a simple and unpretentious way.

Continuing to look at the resume, there is some work experience, but not much... It's basically the same template used in college for job applications.

It's not fair to blame Wang Jingrou for lacking work experience; she only had some knowledge from school. After graduating, she returned to Tianji County and got a job as a clerk in the tax bureau through connections, where she's been working ever since...

However, Xu Mu noticed that she had added a note at the end, indicating that she was an original artist on Bilibili who had tried to serialize comics.

However, this anime series is short, with only ten episodes.

Xu Mu searched for this anime and found that it had a decent number of views on Bilibili, over 100,000... He also participated in a Bilibili event and earned several thousand yuan!

Making animation is fucking unprofitable.

To be honest, the labor costs alone would amount to more than a few thousand yuan.

The return on investment in the animation market is truly outrageous.

After reviewing the resume, Xu Mu sent Wang Jingrou a WeChat message: "Hi, Bai Xue has already told you, right?"

"Your resume is fine, but we need to do an assessment. You need to bring a piece of your work to the interview. It can be a design you've done before, or you can design a new one."

Because the design industry involves many sectors, including industrial design, such as car exterior design, like Xiaomi's logo and Xiaomi cars.

Of course, this is a large-scale design that requires a large number of designers to hold meetings and study it.

There's also fashion design, such as clothing worn on the runway.

There's also the cheongsam from China... Of course, this needs to be combined with other industries.

Of course, Wang Jingrou's major is arts and crafts design, product design, such as the design of some peripheral products for animation, which are all arts and crafts.

And the aforementioned interior design, architectural design, engineering design, planning design, and so on.

And graphic design, animation design, exhibition design...

Anyway, the design industry is a very, very broad industry.

It's just that there are many sub-categories within it.

"I have a lot of designs I made before, such as anime character prototypes, which were used to promote merchandise, as well as emojis and the like."

"Let me send it to you to take a look."

Wang Jingrou saw Xu Mufa's WeChat message and immediately replied.

Next came the emoji she designed, a cute unicorn emoji.

There were also the previous peripheral ornaments, but these ornaments were only used for making blind boxes.

However, the most popular blind box right now is Pop Mart.

She could only design some Pop Mart-like peripheral figurines according to the client's requirements.

Upon seeing the design content sent by Wang Jingrou, Xu Mu expressed his approval and selected multiple items to package and send to Ye Muling.

"Sis, I think this is a good idea!"

"Absolutely awesome!"

Ye Muling received Xu Mu's message, glanced at it, and nodded. "That's good, and she's from the China Academy of Art! So what salary should we offer?"

"I'm a newbie with no work experience. The internship is 6,000 yuan a month, plus social insurance and housing fund!"

"There's a performance-based bonus; better designs get extra pay!"

"After you become a full-time employee, the salary will be raised to 8,000. After all, this is a job where you learn while you work, so the salary will definitely be a little lower. But if you grow quickly and the projects you design for the company are all well-received, then you can get a raise!"

"Row."

Ye Muling has already set a salary template, but for outstanding talents like Wang Jingrou, the salary can be adjusted and modified.

"Then do as you say, schedule an interview with her!"

"Okay!"

Xu Mu sent Wang Jingrou a new WeChat message: "I was looking at the design plan just now, and I also showed it to my sister."

(End of this chapter)