That's why Jin Tianci hadn't noticed anything off during the brief exchange. The joke had already passed, but he still praised Jin Baba again, finally letting the heavily battered man recover a bit of his dignity in front of the others in the hall.
When the topic of awards came up, Jin Tianci looked at Jing Shu with a look of mild surprise, smiling warmly from his medical bed. "I know you. I once chatted with you through that girl Mary's WeChat account, remember? It was regarding the honeysuckle thing."
"Hey, and I was watching that video call from the other side too!" Zhou Bapi said, his voice sounding proud. Back then, he was in Guangdong looking for Mary and didn't believe anyone could raise honeysuckle that well in this harsh environment.
Jing Shu's jaw dropped as the realization hit her. Of course she remembered how strange Su Mali had acted during that time. She just hadn't known that a bunch of sleazy old men were actually watching her from the other side of the screen. Not only them, there had also been a bald one-eyed guy and her father in on it too.
Jin Tianci suddenly got interested in the details and turned his head toward Jun Jia. "So, what conditions did you mention when she was donating those supplies? Make sure she is satisfied, and carry them out properly. Even if it's difficult, find a way to make it happen. Pull some strings if you have to."
Jun Jia felt a bitter taste in his mouth at the instruction. What a great deal for Jing Shu; he had basically just helped her get a free ride at his own expense. Still, he forced a smile and said, "It was a bit tricky, but since you have spoken, I will find a way to resolve it."
"Tell me the details," Jin Tianci said, raising an eyebrow.
"President Jing wants to rent a large piece of land. She has got her eyes on a factory site out in the new district suburbs, about twenty acres big—roughly the size of two football fields. She plans to open a feed factory there. The problem is, thousands of people are already living in that area, so we can't start construction unless we relocate them. Besides, both the land and the equipment are privately owned by someone else. We wanted to requisition them earlier, but they refused to move unless they sold off their machines first. We aren't that unreasonable, right?"
Yeah right, Jing Shu thought as she rolled her eyes. "You? Reasonable?"
"Whose factory is it?" Jin Tianci asked directly.
"The deputy's," Jun Jia coughed into his hand. For those with connections, it's called a negotiation. For those without, it's called confiscation by the state.
Jin Tianci went silent for a while as he considered the situation. Jin Baba, on the other hand, nearly exploded with indignation. "Why her? Why does this woman get to take such a huge piece of land for free?" In the apocalypse, usable land was even more precious than it had been before. Sure, industries had collapsed and factories had shut down, but land was still the most valuable asset.
Jing Shu, meanwhile, was thinking about her long-term plan. Renting that land hadn't been her original intention; it just happened by chance in the conversation. But she wanted that spot because she planned to turn it into her second post-apocalypse shelter. That's right. If her villa had been a safe haven for the first five years, then once she returned from the migration, that land would become a golden zone. Based on what she knew about the coming years, that "golden zone" would survive multiple disasters without harm and later become one of the main gathering places for survivors.
It was just like playing a battle royale game. If you already knew which area would be safe once the final circle shrank, wouldn't you camp there early to ensure your survival? Also, if she wanted to stop the Tyrant from seizing Xingfu Shiyuan in year five, she would need that factory for her own plan. That golden land was crucial for her. Even if she couldn't get it now, she would find a way to secure it before the Tyrant came to power, with a proper contract signed and stamped by the current administration.
After a long pause, Jin Tianci asked, "Why rent it? Why not just buy the land outright?"
Jing Shu blinked at him in surprise. "Didn't you just say I could sign a ten-year lease, with the first three years free? Buy it? That would be too expensive. I can't afford it." Before the apocalypse, investing there would have cost billions of yuan. How much virtual currency would that take now?
Besides, buying land during the apocalypse was just like buying a house. If a natural disaster wiped it out, you wouldn't even have a place to cry about it. And she only knew what would happen for the next ten years; anything beyond that, she couldn't guarantee.
"How about this," Jin Tianci said, his voice calm. "You buy the land and the factory equipment outright. The setup is already there, and it comes with a seventy-year leasehold. I will be the middleman and give you a half-price deal. That way, even if I'm no longer in office, the lease can't be voided by my successor."
He was worried that if he died, the rental agreement might not be recognized later and the land could be reclaimed by the city. Who knew what kind of person the next one in power would be? If that land became valuable, they could easily take it back or raise the rent to the moon. This half-sale, half-gift solution was his way of protecting her interests.
Jing Shu felt touched, even tempted by the offer. "How much virtual currency are we talking about for this? I don't have that much."
"Just cover half as a down payment. I will arrange a loan for the rest of the balance. But let's make it clear: the down payment can be in virtual currency, but every monthly installment must be paid in goods or food of equal value. It's to prevent inflation from eating the value."
"Alright."
"Brother-in-law, you're amazing. You just traded an old factory lot and scrap equipment for a mountain of food in a few minutes."
"It's a win-win-win deal; everyone benefits. Go help President Jing with the paperwork."
"Got it. Come on, Baba, stick with me and learn a thing or two. You will need it later."
Jun Jia left with Jin Baba, and Li Yutian followed to handle the transactions. Soon, the huge living room was empty except for Madam Jin, Jin Tianci, Jing Shu, and Zhou Bapi.
Zhou Bapi grumbled under his breath, leaning against a chair. "Finally done. Can we talk about my business now?" Then he glanced at Jing Shu. "This girl has got guts! It's the apocalypse and she still dares to take out a huge loan? What is she thinking? There are so many abandoned factories, but she insists on picking the one with political connections. What, is that place blessed by the gods or something?"
Even Jing Shu was a bit dazed by the speed of it all. At first, she had only wanted to get her stolen supplies back. Then greed got the better of her, and she thought about renting that golden zone for ten years as her family's backup base, with a long-term plan in mind.
But she never expected this twist. In the middle of the apocalypse, she had somehow taken out a massive loan to buy an abandoned factory larger than a football field! Even Jin Baba's stash, worth four million virtual coins, would all be poured into it as the down payment.
To her, virtual currency had always been just numbers on a screen. But now, those numbers weren't just gone; she was in debt. She would have to make monthly payments in goods, becoming a true negative-asset survivor. Of course, she still had plenty of supplies, especially what she had brought back from the States, but it would be a waste to use them. Better to pay with the cheapest stuff available—red nematode patties.
Technically, property and land should have been worthless after the apocalypse. But the natural disasters had been too devastating for that to stay true. Half the cities were underwater, earthquakes had flattened countless buildings, and usable land and housing had been cut by more than half. Some real estate developers had even started secretly building makeshift houses for cheap rent on the outskirts. Otherwise, you would be stuck in a government-assigned room, packed with over a dozen people, unless you had money or connections to get your own.
===
Sometimes author write Su Mali's name with this variation: 玛丽苏 (Mǎlì Sū) and 苏玛丽 (Sū Mǎlì).
Maybe you can already guessed but Su Mali is reference to Mary Sue. That the reason why sometimes she also called by 'Mary' or 'Maria'
A Mary Sue (and the male equivalent, Gary Stu or Marty Stu) is a term for a fictional character, often in fanfiction but now in all genres, who is overly idealized and seemingly perfect.
Key Characteristics of a Mary Sue:
Unrealistic Perfection: They are exceptionally skilled, intelligent, powerful, and beautiful without having realistically earned it. They might be the best fighter, the smartest mage, and the most beautiful person in the room, all at once.
Lack of Flaws: Any flaws they have are either superficial ("clumsy") or are actually endearing qualities in disguise ("too trusting" or "works too hard").
Instant Likability: Every "good" character in the story loves them immediately and unconditionally.
Central to the Plot: The entire universe seems to revolve around them. Stories and conflicts bend to suit them.
Bends the World's Rules: They can solve problems that have stumped experts for years with ease, or they possess unique abilities that no one else has, breaking the established rules of the story's world.
This also cemented by many things that we already know in this novel about Su Mali. Such in previous chapter when Jing Shu compared Hao Yunlai's luck with Su Mali:
"Hao Yunlai's luck wasn't like Su Mali's. His ability to dodge danger always came at a cost, while Su Mali was truly blessed by the heavens. She lived in a constant state of happiness, and anyone who tried to harm her usually ended up dead. Thinking about it now, Su Mali was terrifying."
Heaven-Favored (天眷之人): The universe itself is on her side.
Lives in Happiness: She faces no real, lasting consequences or hardships.
Enemies Die: Conflict is automatically resolved in her favor without her needing to lift a finger. The world bends to protect her.