Back to 2008: I Helped My Dad Become the Richest Man

Once Master Liu started talking, he couldn't stop.

He led Luo Xiyuan to the stone table in the yard, and with a twig dipped in the melted snow, he wrote and drew on the stone table, talking about everything from the layout of the pigsty to the feed formula, from the care of piglets to the breeding of sows.

He explained things in a simple and easy-to-understand way, and all of his insights were practical summaries from decades of experience, making them a hundred times more useful than the textbooks Luo Xiyuan had read.

Luo Xiyuan listened with rapt attention, her little notebook filled with notes, afraid of missing a single word.

She discovered that Grandpa Liu's knowledge system was far more systematic and scientific than she had imagined. He not only understood animal husbandry but also disease prevention and control, and even had his own theory on pig farm management.

"...So, the most crucial thing for you to renovate that primary school isn't the pigsty itself, but the sewage system." Old Liu drew a circle on the table with a twig. "Poorly treated pig manure is the biggest source of pollution and disease. We must build a three-stage septic tank for biogas fermentation. The biogas can be used for boiling water and cooking, and the biogas residue is the best organic fertilizer. Only in this way can we form an ecological cycle and turn waste into treasure."

"Ecological cycle..." Luo Xiyuan murmured, repeating the word over and over, her eyes growing brighter and brighter.

"That's right!" Old Liu slammed his hand on the stone table. "Raising pigs can't just be about the pigs themselves; it has to be a systematic project! If you're determined to do it, you can't just do it half-heartedly. If you're going to do it, do it properly!"

The old man's emotions were clearly stirred up; his face glowed, and his eyes were full of passion.

Luo Xiyuan knew that the time was right.

She put down her pen, looked solemnly at Grandpa Liu, and spoke again, "Grandpa Liu, your words are more valuable than ten years of study. I am now even more certain that without you, our pig farm would definitely not be able to succeed. I sincerely wish to hire you as the chief technical consultant for our pig farm. We don't just want to make money; we want to run a scientific, ecological, and modern pig farm, just as you have suggested!"

Looking into her sincere eyes, Mr. Liu fell silent.

Deep down, he had already begun to waver. Luo Xiyuan's intelligence, eagerness to learn, and the boldness to accomplish great things reminded him of his younger self. He had thought he would take all his skills to his grave, but unexpectedly, in his old age, he had found a successor who was willing to learn and was worthy of teaching.

"Inviting me... isn't out of the question." After pondering for a while, Mr. Liu finally relented, "However, I have a condition."

"You said it!" Luo Xiyuan was overjoyed.

"I don't want your money." Old Liu waved his hand. "I'm too old for money. I want your technology as equity."

"Technology as equity?" Luo Xiyuan was stunned. She never expected to hear this term come from the mouth of an old man from the countryside.

"Yes." Mr. Liu nodded, a sly glint in his eyes. "I'll provide the technology, you provide the money and manpower. If the pig farm makes money, I'll take ten percent of the net profit. If it loses money, consider it all for nothing. How about it, are you in?"

He was testing Luo Xiyuan's courage and vision.

Without a second thought, Luo Xiyuan nodded immediately: "We dare! Of course we dare! Grandpa Liu, let alone 10%, we'll give you 20%!"

She knew perfectly well that Master Liu's skills were priceless. Securing such a master with 20% of future profits was a huge win!

Master Liu was clearly surprised that she agreed so readily, and even offered more. He burst into laughter, his loud laughter shaking the locust tree leaves in the courtyard.

"Good! Good girl! You've got guts! Okay, it's settled then! 20%... 20% it is!" He slapped his thigh. "Let's go! Take me to see that piece of land now! I need to plan it out myself!"

Luo Xiyuan was overjoyed and quickly helped Grandpa Liu up. The two of them walked together toward the abandoned primary school at the east end of the village.

While Luo Xinde and Li Minxia were pacing anxiously at home, Luo Xiyuan returned with Master Liu. Not only did they return, but Master Liu was also carrying a measuring tape and a large sketchbook, looking ready to get down to business.

"Dad, Mom, let me introduce you. This is Liu Jianjun, the future technical director of our pig farm, also known as Master Liu!" Luo Xiyuan announced proudly.

Luo Xinde and Li Minxia were stunned. They looked at Liu Ye, who was following behind their daughter with great energy, and could hardly believe their eyes.

"This...Uncle Liu, you...you agree?" Luo Xinde stammered.

"Agreed!" Mr. Liu waved his hand, his voice booming. "Not only agreed, I'm now your partner! Xinde, don't just stand there, quickly find some sickles and hoes. Let's clear all the weeds in the schoolyard first, so I can measure the land and draw up the design plans!"

Before Luo Xinde and Li Minxia could recover from their shock, they were being bossed around by Master Liu.

The whole family, along with a newly joined "technical director," marched in a grand procession toward the abandoned elementary school.

The abandoned primary school was even more dilapidated than I had imagined. The yard was overgrown with withered grass up to waist height, most of the classroom windows were broken, the walls were peeling off in a terrible state, and there were piles of garbage on the playground, some of which no one knew who had thrown them there.

"This place really needs to be cleaned up," Master Liu nodded as he looked around.

Without a word, Luo Xinde grabbed a sickle and rushed into the bushes. Li Minxia and Luo Xiyuan also grabbed tools and began cleaning up the trash.

Grandpa Liu, meanwhile, paced back and forth in the courtyard with a measuring tape in hand, muttering to himself.

"This row of classrooms faces south and has good natural light, so it can be converted into farrowing pens and nurseries for sows."

"The playground over there is big enough to build fattening pig pens. They should be double-row, with ventilation ducts and feeding lanes in the middle."

"The southwest corner of the yard is the lowest point, so we'll dig a septic tank there. As for its size... it'll need to be at least fifty cubic meters!"

As he measured, he sketched in his sketchbook. He drew quickly; the lines weren't perfect, but the layout was clear, and all the facilities were clearly labeled.

During a break from their work, Luo Xinde and his family of three went over to take a look. On the originally blank sheet of paper, the outline of a pig farm had already appeared: sow pens, nursery pens, fattening pens, feed rooms, offices, disinfection pools, septic tanks... all kinds of functional areas were complete and rationally laid out, just like the design blueprint of a formal pig farm.

Luo Xinde was dumbfounded. He then realized that his previous idea of ​​raising pigs was completely different from what Master Liu had planned. He only wanted to build a pigsty and raise pigs, while Master Liu wanted to establish a modern production system that could operate efficiently.

"Uncle Liu, you're so professional!" Luo Xinde said with genuine admiration.

"Professional? This is nothing." Liu continued drawing without looking up. "Once it's built, there will be many more management issues. Let me tell you, in the pig farming business, success or failure depends on the details. If one link goes wrong, the whole thing can be lost."

The Luo family spent the afternoon clearing weeds and trash. Meanwhile, Grandpa Liu completed the preliminary design drawings for the entire pig farm.

As evening fell and the sun set, it bathed the dilapidated campus in a golden glow.

Grandpa Liu put away his notebook, dusted off his hands, pointed to the wasteland in front of him, and said to the Luo family of three, "I'll refine the blueprints tonight. Tomorrow, you all go find people and start construction! Begin by clearing the foundation and repairing the wall!"

His tone carried an unquestionable authority.

Luo Xinde and Li Minxia nodded repeatedly, as if they were listening to instructions from their superiors.

Looking at everything before her, Luo Xiyuan felt a sense of reassurance. She knew that with Uncle Liu as her pillar of strength, her pig farming business was finally on the right track.

She stepped forward, looked at the blueprints drawn by Grandpa Liu, pointed to one corner, and asked, "Grandpa Liu, I see that you've reserved spaces for mounting brackets on the roof of the pigsty. What are these for?"

Grandpa Liu looked up and gave her an approving look: "You little rascal, you have a sharp eye. I'm preparing for the future. Once we make some money, we'll cover the roof with solar panels. Then, our pig farm will generate its own electricity, and we can sell any surplus to the national grid! That'll be another source of income!"

Solar power generation!

This forward-thinking idea once again left Luo Xinde and Li Minxia completely stunned.

Luo Xiyuan's heart was in turmoil. Looking at the sprightly old man before her, she realized for the first time that the informational advantage brought by rebirth was not so remarkable in the face of true wisdom and experience.