The system only arrives when you're old? Then let's create a super-rich family!

In Qingshui County, the midday sun hangs high in the sky.

The scorching sun poured down without any obstruction, baking the barren loess road surface, and waves of heat rolled in, hitting us in the face.

Chen Jun stood on the country road, beads of sweat constantly seeping from his forehead, sliding down his well-defined jawline, soaking through his entire suit shirt, and his back was already soaked.

Despite the unbearably hot weather, he suddenly felt a chill and sneezed three times in a row.

"Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!"

The sudden chill came out of nowhere and vanished in an instant, leaving only a strange sensation of a stinging nose and a tingling scalp.

Chen Jun raised his hand to rub his itchy and sore nose, then looked up at the glaring sun overhead, before looking down at the burning heat on his skin, his heart filled with puzzlement.

Could it be that he has been neglecting exercise lately, causing his resistance to drop and his body to become weak?

Chen Jun never imagined that it was his father-in-law, thousands of miles away, who was keeping a record of his actions...

Upon seeing this, Shi Hao, who was accompanying the visit, quickly stepped forward, his face showing genuine concern, and asked.

"Chen Jun, what's wrong with you? You suddenly sneezed, and you don't look too good."

He looked Chen Jun up and down, and seeing that the other man was covered in sweat, he immediately offered a helpful suggestion:

"Have you been traveling for days and haven't had enough rest? Or are you experiencing acclimatization issues since arriving in Qingshui County?"

"How about we call it a day? There's no rush for the door-to-door survey; we can continue tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jun immediately smiled and waved his hand, casually wiping the sweat from his face, his eyes clear and determined.

"Brother Shi Hao, I'm fine. I just sneezed a few times for no reason. It's nothing serious."

After spending most of the day visiting and researching in the countryside, observing, listening, and taking notes along the way, Chen Jun began to understand the true state of people's lives in Qingshui County.

His heart was heavy, filled with repression and emotion.

The county town, nestled deep in the mountains, was far more impoverished than he had anticipated.

The per capita disposable annual income in Qingshui County is just over 20,000 yuan, which translates to less than 2,000 yuan per month.

In the county town, ordinary service industry jobs generally pay just over two thousand yuan a month, which is already considered a respectable and decent job that everyone in the area envies.

As for piece-rate jobs on factory assembly lines, it all depends on enduring time and physical exertion; the more you work, the more you earn. An ordinary person can work themselves to the bone for a month and earn three thousand yuan, which is considered a high salary in the local area and enough to make the neighbors envious.

Along the way, he has seen too many impoverished families, too many young people forced to drop out of school early to work, and too many elderly people stuck in the county town for their entire lives, clinging to barren land.

In Chen Jun's preconceived notion, the country is now developing rapidly, its national strength is strong, and people's living standards are steadily improving. Even in the most remote areas, an average person's monthly income of 3,000 yuan should be the basic minimum.

However, the reality of Qingshui County shattered his preconceived notions, leaving him utterly astonished and filled with mixed emotions.

The more he witnessed such a barren and backward situation, the stronger Chen Jun's sense of responsibility and mission became.

He was young and ambitious, full of enthusiasm and passion. He took root in the grassroots, never to gain seniority or climb the ranks, and certainly not to seek a leisurely and stable life.

Although he was also aiming for political achievements and promotion, it had to be something tangible.

Since the organization transferred him here, and since he has personally witnessed the poverty of this land and the hardships of the people, he absolutely cannot turn a blind eye or let it go unchecked.

When impoverished, one must seek change; when in distress, one must find a way out.

Qingshui County was not born poor and backward, and its people were not destined to be trapped in poverty for generations.

He was determined to do everything in his power to find a breakthrough, revitalize local resources, build development channels, and do everything possible to drive the economic development of Qingshui County, break the stagnant pattern here, and lead the local people out of poverty and out of the mountains to a better life.

The deputy county head has already handled the investment negotiations with my father-in-law. He can't get involved in the matters there, but he can still do what he can to benefit the people.

Having made up his mind, Chen Jun's face showed a resolute look as he said to Shi Hao beside him:

"Brother Shi Hao, thank you for your concern, I'm really fine."

"We go down to the grassroots, into the countryside, and to the front lines to get closer to the people, understand their situation, and help them solve problems and escape poverty, not to sit in an office, enjoy air conditioning, and have a leisurely life."

"I've only been visiting for half a day, and I haven't even figured out the basic situation of each village or the core demands of the people. This little bit of hard work is nothing. I feel really bad about going back to rest now."

"Let's keep going. The sooner we finish our visits and investigations, the more accurately we can grasp the true situation of each household. Only then can we develop targeted assistance policies and implement development plans to help everyone improve their lives as soon as possible."

These generous and sincere words are full of determination and commitment to action.

Shi Hao stood there, staring blankly at the spirited young man before him. His heart trembled, and a string that had been dormant for many years stirred slightly.

At that moment, he seemed to see himself from several years ago in Chen Jun.

Back then, he was just as young, spirited, and full of passion.

As a top student from National Tsing Hua University, he had witnessed the prosperity of the outside world and was well aware of the huge gap between urban and rural development. After graduation, he resolutely chose to return to his hometown, determined to use his knowledge and abilities to break the poverty of Qingshui County and lead his fellow villagers to prosperity.

When he first returned to Qingshui County, he traveled around and volunteered to ask the Shi family for resources and projects, trying his best to promote the development of local industries, hoping to revitalize the county's economy, increase people's income, and change the poor and weak state of his hometown.

Unfortunately, Qingshui County was never a place where he could make decisions.

Whether the people can live a good life and whether the county can develop is up to Shijia.

To this day, Shi Hao still vividly remembers the cold and selfish words spoken by Shi Huai, the head of the Shi family, when he enthusiastically proposed the development plan.

"Shi Hao, you've read a lot of books, so you should understand human nature better than others. Human desires are endless. Once these people at the bottom of society are allowed to live a good life, they will develop even more longing and greed."

"Qingshui County has a weak foundation and scarce resources, and it simply cannot support its endless desires. Once they have experienced a good life, we will no longer be able to meet their needs, and these people will completely abandon Qingshui County, go out to make a living, and never return."

"Given the current state of Qingshui County, once a large number of its local population leaves, the entire county will completely decline and shrink within ten years, becoming just an ordinary township. In the long run, it may not even be able to maintain its county status and will be completely renamed Qingshui Village."

"Since development leads to death and liberalization leads to decline, it's better to maintain the status quo from the beginning. The people are trapped in poverty, and if we lend a helping hand and provide assistance when they are in dire straits, they will be grateful and in awe. This will not only firmly win over the hearts of the people, but also consolidate the ruling prestige of my Shi family, which has a history of thousands of years. Wouldn't that be better?"

Even now, when Shi Hao recalls those remarks, he still finds them utterly absurd.

Back then, he was filled with righteous indignation and publicly refuted the claims, arguing his case with reason and even engaging in heated debates with Shi Huai and a group of clan elders.

"The Shi family has been oppressing the people of Qingshui County, and they will suffer the consequences sooner or later. It would be better to guide them out of the county and give back to their hometown."

But his passionate enthusiasm seemed pale and laughable in the face of the Shi family's absolute power.

Upon hearing this, Shi Huai and the other clan elders remained indifferent and dismissive, completely disregarding his suggestion.

"Giving back to one's hometown? That's just wishful thinking."

"Given the abilities and skills of these ordinary people, they can barely scrape by and make a living if they venture out into the world. Even if someone occasionally gets lucky and becomes successful, experiencing the glamour and opportunities of big cities, who would willingly return to this impoverished and backward Qingshui County?"

"You're a top student from Tsinghua University, tell me, can you guarantee that one out of ten people will come back?"

Shi Hao opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but the words caught in his throat.

He had followed his mentor in a special investigation into the changes in county-level hierarchy and population flow trends, and he knew better than anyone how terrifying the siphon effect of big cities could be.

Nowadays, major first-tier and new first-tier cities are launching a series of generous policies to attract and retain talent, including housing subsidies, settlement benefits, entrepreneurship support, and living allowances.

High-quality job opportunities, comprehensive supporting facilities, broad development prospects, and a vibrant living environment are continuously attracting young people from remote and underdeveloped areas to settle down.

Remote counties like Qingshui County will only continue to lose young blood, becoming increasingly lifeless and stagnant, falling into a vicious cycle of becoming poorer and unable to retain people, and becoming poorer and poorer with fewer people.

He understood the reasoning, but he was still unwilling to accept it.

Even if the situation is like this, we should not artificially block people's way out and deprive ordinary people of their right to pursue a better life.

Even if there is only a sliver of hope, we should try our best to fight for it, rather than extinguishing all hope altogether.

After that, Shi Hao continued to do things his own way, secretly working hard to improve the lives of some people by starting with small things, so that the rich could help the poor and gradually break the entrenched pattern of Qingshui County.

However, his little tricks were quickly noticed by the Shi family's higher-ups.

Ultimately, he was transferred from his core position and left idle at the grassroots level.

Without power, he can do nothing.

Later, he was tricked by his own family into getting married and having children, which completely locked him in Qingshui County.

As time went on, he gradually became numb.

He witnessed firsthand how batches of passionate cadres came to change Qingshui County, only to either leave in despair or become assimilated and numb. He himself gradually lost his will, drifted with the tide, and became complacent with the status quo.

After many years, seeing Chen Jun again, whose eyes shone with light, whose heart burned with passion, who was unafraid of difficulties, and who dared to take risks, Shi Hao felt as if he were seeing his own spirited self from back then, whose original aspirations remained unchanged.

A myriad of emotions surged into my heart, including感慨, 唏嘘, 悔悔, and 残怨, intertwining and entwining.

"Brother Shi? Brother Shi Hao?"

Chen Jun took several steps forward, then turned around and saw Shi Hao standing there, lost in thought, motionless. He couldn't help but laugh and tease him, breaking the silence.

"Why are you standing here in a daze? I'm not familiar with the mountain paths around here. Aren't you afraid I'll take you astray and lead you into some deep ravine?"

"Hey! Here it comes!"

Shi Hao suddenly snapped out of his daze, suppressed the complex emotions surging in his heart, put away all his sighs, smiled and quickly stepped forward to lead the way.

"I was daydreaming. Let's go, I'll take you on the tour."

...

At the same time, at the Shi Family Villa.

Inside a luxurious and magnificent detached villa, a grand family banquet is being held.

The air conditioner's cool air continuously dispelled the summer heat, making the room cool and comfortable. Fine wines and delicacies were laid out in abundance, making it seem like two completely different worlds compared to the hot and barren county town outside.

Shi Huai sat upright in the main seat, exuding a calm and dignified aura.

He gently swirled the scarlet wine in his stemmed glass with his fingertips; the amber liquid spun slowly within the glass, reflecting a luxurious sheen.

Looking at the group of clan members and elders below the stage, Shi Huai smiled calmly and confidently, his tone flat yet carrying absolute authority.

"Of the Qin family's 100 billion, half will be set aside as a reserve for the family to deal with various emergencies and to solidify the family's foundation."

"Then we will take out 20% of the funds to place more of the younger members of my Shi family into key positions within the county's government system, thereby strengthening the family's control over Qingshui County."

"The remaining 30% of the funds will be used for projects that improve people's livelihoods."

As soon as the words were spoken, a young member of the Shi family in the audience immediately stood up, his face showing obvious worry, and said:

"Master!"

"That's a staggering 100 billion yuan, which our Shi family has intercepted and swallowed up out of thin air. The Qin family will absolutely not let this go!"

"I did some research online, and the Qin family's background is extraordinary. Even the ancient Yuan family suffered a setback when they came knocking on their door. The Yuan family is said to be a multi-trillion-dollar family. Can the Shi family really withstand their retaliation?"

The younger man became increasingly flustered as he spoke, his heart filled with apprehension, and he couldn't help but speak up to offer his advice.

"How about we talk to the Qin family again, or perhaps return the money?"

Upon hearing this, an elderly man with white hair in the audience immediately sneered, his face full of disdain.

"What good is a billion-dollar fortune? He's still just a wealthy businessman."

"In other places, the Qin family might be able to act with impunity, but within the territory of Qingshui County, unless we give in, let alone if the Qin family comes to retaliate, even if the Heavenly King himself comes, he'll have to obey!"

"You are still young and haven't entered the core of the Shi family yet. You don't know how high the status of my Shi family is in Qingshui County."

"If they dare to set foot in Qingshui County and cause trouble, I'll make sure they never leave!"

The young disciple remained worried and said:

"The Qin family is wealthy. If they control the surrounding resources, wouldn't they be able to starve us to death?"

Shi Huai scoffed at this:

"You are still too young and your vision is too limited. You can't understand the intricacies of it all."

"If the Qin family dares to do this, then they're doomed."

The young man looked up at Shi Huai with a puzzled expression, waiting for an answer.

Shi Huai picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and explained slowly and deliberately:

"Cut off supplies and blockade the supply chain? If people starve to death, who do you think will be held responsible?"

"The Qin family, acting solely out of self-interest, used their capital hegemony to blockade the county, cutting off the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people and causing them to starve to death."

"Once this news is exposed, it will spread throughout the country instantly, sparking nationwide condemnation and completely enraging the public!"

"At that time, we won't even need to take action; public opinion and popular support will be enough to crush the Qin family."

"I would love for the Qin family to cut off Qingshui County's resources."

Shi Huai continued:

"Moreover, the methods the Qin family uses to deal with other powerful and wealthy families are useless against us."

"First, we are not a publicly listed company, so ordinary commercial attack methods cannot be used against us."

"Secondly, Qingshui County's local industries are mainly based on traditional handicrafts and basic agriculture. They are self-sufficient and operate in a closed loop, with very little dependence on the upstream supply chain. Even if the Qin family cuts off external channels, it will not have any impact on our local industries."

"Most importantly, don't forget, whose man is the head of the Qingshui County Armed Forces Department?"

Upon hearing this, all the young people present instantly felt enlightened, their worries vanished, and replaced by a sense of confidence and reassurance.

No wonder the patriarch and the elders remained so fearless and unshakeable after swallowing up the Qin family's billions!

The reason behind their confidence is actually this!

Indeed, as the patriarch said, the Qin family really had no way to deal with the Shi family, and in the end they could only swallow this bitter pill!

"Master, what about Chen Jun? Should we reward him with the corresponding achievements?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Huai's smile slowly faded, a shadow of gloom flashed in his eyes, and he then scoffed:

"Our Shi family keeps its word. Since we have accepted the Qin family's money, we will naturally deliver on the promised achievements, without missing a single bit."

At this point, his tone suddenly changed, becoming colder.

"Of course, all of this is predicated on the Qin family knowing what's good for them."

"If the Qin family is ungrateful and attempts to challenge the authority of the Shi family, insisting on causing trouble in Qingshui County, then everything that follows will be a different story."