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

The renovation project of the Luo family's pig farm officially started early the next morning.

Luo Xinde invited Uncle Chen, who had helped him when he sold vegetables, to come over again, and the two of them formed the main force of the construction team. Uncle Chen's family had a hand-held tractor, which was perfect for hauling bricks and cement.

According to Mr. Liu's blueprints, the first step was to repair the wall and clear the foundation. Several sections of the abandoned primary school's wall had collapsed and had to be rebuilt, not only for safety but also for epidemic prevention.

"Xinde, you've made quite a fuss! Are you really going to raise pigs on campus?" Uncle Chen asked curiously while mixing cement.

"Of course it's true! The contract's already signed!" Luo Xinde was sweating profusely but full of energy. "Brother Chen, if you give me a good job, I won't shortchange you a single penny!"

"Whether it's wages or not is fine, but I just feel this matter... is a bit risky." Uncle Chen lowered his voice, "It's all over the village, and there are all sorts of rumors."

Luo Xinde paused for a moment, then asked in a muffled voice, "What did they all say?"

"What else can I say?" Uncle Chen sighed. "Everyone says your family made a little money selling vegetables for a few days and then got all the credit. You've poured all your savings into this, and you're bound to lose everything sooner or later."

"Some people say that raising pigs on campus is a waste of cultural heritage and will bring retribution. Especially Mr. Li and his gang, they said the worst things at the convenience store yesterday, saying they were just waiting to see your family make a fool of themselves."

As Luo Xinde listened, he gripped the shovel tightly in his hand, his veins bulging.

"Let them talk! I, Luo Xinde, don't believe in this nonsense! Once I've raised the pigs, let's see what they have to say then!" He gritted his teeth, channeling all his anger into strength, and fiercely shoveled up a spadeful of cement mortar.

The Luo family started construction in the abandoned primary school with a lot of clanging and banging. Such a big commotion naturally could not be kept from the villagers.

For a time, the Luo family became the focus of everyone's conversation.

Under the big locust tree at the village entrance, in the fields, and on the mahjong table in the small shop, people everywhere were talking about their family.

"Have you heard? The Luo family has actually rented the entire elementary school, and they're constantly banging and hammering around inside."

"You bet! I passed by yesterday and saw it for myself. Good heavens, bricks and cement everywhere! It looks like they're going to renovate the whole school!"

"They're insane, absolutely insane! How much money would that cost? What can they do with the little money they earn selling vegetables?" An old man in a tattered cotton-padded coat cracked sunflower seeds, his face full of disdain.

"Who says otherwise? I heard that their family not only invested all their savings, but they're even considering taking out a bank loan! If they lose it all, they'll never recover for the rest of their lives!"

Mr. Li, the owner of the small shop next door, added fuel to the fire, gloating over the misfortune.

"Let me tell you, nine out of ten pig farmers lose money! Especially those without experience. You think pigs grow up eating grass? That costs money! Feed, vaccines, water and electricity—everything costs money. And if they get sick or suffer a disaster, losing everything is the least of your worries!"

He was talking animatedly, as if he were a pig-raising expert.

"Just wait and see. In less than six months, Lao Luo will be crying and begging to return that land to the village. Then, let's see how he'll still have the face to stay in the village!"

These rumors, as if they had grown wings, quickly reached the ears of the Luo family.

Every day when Li Minxia went to the village to buy daily necessities, she could feel the pointing and whispering of people around her. She was thin-skinned and felt upset, so she would secretly wipe away her tears when she got home.

"Xinde, maybe... we should just call it quits. I just don't feel at ease," she said to her husband. "The whole village is laughing at us, and I haven't dared to leave the house for days."

"What's there to be afraid of!" Luo Xinde, who was sharpening his axe on a whetstone, slammed the axe heavily on the table upon hearing this. "They can talk, let them say what they want! We'll do our own thing! Once we've made a fortune and are driving cars, let's see if they still dare to laugh at us!"

Although he spoke toughly, he harbored a deep resentment. Once, while buying cigarettes in the village, he overheard someone sarcastically remark, "Oh, Boss Luo, here to observe the people's conditions?" This infuriated him so much that he almost got into a fight.

Even nine-year-old Rowan was affected at school.

"Luo Wen, I heard from my dad that your family is going to raise pigs at the school?" a classmate asked, coming over to ask.

"Yes," Rowan puffed out his little chest and answered proudly.

"Hahaha, your family is hilarious! Raising pigs at school, does that mean the pigs have to study too? Do they have to learn Chinese and math?" another classmate laughed exaggeratedly.

The surrounding classmates joined in the commotion, pointing and whispering about Luo Wen.

Luo Wen was so angry that his face turned red, and he started arguing with them. In the end, he was even criticized by the teacher.

After returning home, he hugged Luo Xiyuan, feeling wronged, and told her what had happened.

After hearing this, Luo Xiyuan was not angry; she simply patted her younger brother's head calmly.

"Brother, ignore them. They're just jealous."

"Jealousy?" Rowan didn't understand.

"Yes." Luo Xiyuan looked into her younger brother's eyes and said earnestly, "Because our family is doing something they wouldn't even dare to dream of. They themselves lack the ability and courage, so they hope we'll end up like them, stuck in the same place for the rest of our lives. That's why they laugh at us and try to put us down. Remember, the more they do that, the more we must make things happen, make them look good, and prove them wrong with facts."

Her words were like a warm current, soothing the grievances in Luo Wen's heart.

"Sister, I understand!" Luo Wen nodded heavily.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber during the family dinner that evening.

Luo Xiyuan noticed the pressure her parents were under. She put down her chopsticks and said, "Dad, Mom, I know you've heard a lot of gossip lately and it's making you uncomfortable."

Neither Luo Xinde nor Li Minxia spoke, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"I went to the Xinhua Bookstore in town today." Luo Xiyuan took out several books and a stack of newspapers from her schoolbag.

"Why did you buy all this again?" Li Minxia glanced at it; it was all things like "Modern Pig Farming Technology" and "Rural Livestock Information Newspaper."

"I'm not going to buy books, I'm going to look up information." Luo Xiyuan spread a newspaper on the table and pointed to one of the pages. "Dad, Mom, look at this."

That was an article interpreting the "2008 Central Document No. 1".

Luo Xinde and Li Minxia were illiterate and couldn't understand what they were reading.

Luo Xiyuan then read it to them word by word: "The article says that this year's No. 1 document from the state focuses on strengthening the fundamental position of agriculture and ensuring the supply of agricultural products. In particular, the document clearly states that the pig industry should 'implement the policy of subsidizing breeding sows, establish a subsidy system for improved pig breeds, and increase credit support for standardized large-scale pig farms and breeding communities'!"

After she finished reading, she looked up at her parents.

"Dad, Mom, do you understand? What we're doing now isn't speculation or fooling around. We're responding to the nation's call! The country is currently strongly supporting people like us, giving us subsidies and loans. What do those people who laugh at us know? They only see their own little patch of land and have no idea what the country's overall policy is!"

"The path we're on is one supported by the nation, a broad and prosperous road! Why should we be afraid of their idle gossip?"

Luo Xiyuan's words were resounding and powerful.

Luo Xinde and Li Minxia were dumbfounded.

For the first time, they realized that their family's "pig farming business" was actually linked to things that sounded distant and high-level, such as "national policies" and "Central Document No. 1".

In an instant, all the grievances, frustrations, and uncertainties in their hearts vanished.

Instead, there is an unprecedented sense of confidence and pride!

"Yes! Xi Yuan is right!" Luo Xinde slammed his hand on the table, his eyes regaining their sparkle. "We're responding to the nation's call! What do they know?! If anyone dares to say anything sarcastic tomorrow, I'll slap them in the face with this newspaper!"

Li Minxia breathed a sigh of relief, a long-lost smile appearing on her face. She felt a sudden sense of clarity. It turned out that what her family was doing was such a "high-class" thing.

"Eat quickly, and get some rest after you finish eating. We have to get up early to work tomorrow!" She served food to her husband and children, feeling full of energy again.

A family crisis caused by public opinion was easily resolved by Luo Xiyuan with just a newspaper.

Seeing her parents regain their spirits, she breathed a sigh of relief. She knew that on the road to entrepreneurship, external difficulties were secondary; the worst thing was for her own family to lose heart first. As long as the family worked together, there was no obstacle they couldn't overcome.

Outside the window, the night was deep. The sounds of hammering and drilling continued at the abandoned primary school construction site.

Those taunts and doubts, at this moment, have become their motivation to move forward.