Chapter Twenty-Nine: Division of Procurement Tasks

The registered capital of "Fish Head Village" Limited Liability Company had been reduced from five million to fifty thousand. Aside from that, the legal representative, Zhang Xiu'e, remained unchanged.

Jiang Xue and her classmates promised to help Fish Head Village by inviting their school friends to visit as tourists, with the trip scheduled for the middle of the month, over a weekend. On Friday at noon, they would depart from the city, and after about an hour and a half drive on the highway, they would arrive at Taoyuan County.

They hadn't decided whether to spend the night in Taoyuan County yet, saying they'd discuss it with their classmates before making a final choice. If they chose not to stay in Taoyuan County, they could reach Donghe Town that Friday afternoon.

Donghe Town offered little in terms of entertainment; it was rundown and lacked even a decent hotel.

"This time, it's both a test and an opportunity for us!" Tang Long looked at Zhang Xiu'e and spoke earnestly.

"That's right!" Zhang Xiu'e nodded. First, Jiang Xue bringing her classmates to Fish Head Village was not a profitable venture. At eighty-eight yuan per person for three days and two nights, with all food, lodging, and entertainment covered by Fish Head Village, Jiang Xue possessed the qualities of a heroine—righteous and principled—and Tang Long and Zhang Xiu'e couldn't afford to be stingy.

Initially, Tang Long and Zhang Xiu'e offered to cover the cost of the chartered bus from the city to Taoyuan County and Donghe Town, but Jiang Xue and her classmates declined. Their intentions were good and they didn't want to take advantage, nor did they want Fish Head Village to lose too much money.

A single bus would bring them over on Friday and take them back on Sunday afternoon, costing at least two thousand yuan. The entire trip wouldn't cost much more than that!

Jiang Xue had made it clear beforehand: if they stayed in Taoyuan County, they would cover their own lodging costs, which would not be included in the trip's expenses.

"We'll split the work—I'll handle the 'tourist routes,' and you take people to make purchases. How does that sound?" Tang Long asked Zhang Xiu'e.

The overall renovation of Fish Head Village was a massive project and couldn't be completed quickly. Jiang Xue estimated at least fifty classmates would come to Fish Head Village; even if they stayed one night in Taoyuan County, they'd still spend at least one night in the village.

With fifty people, lodging would be an issue. Though the weather was warm, they couldn't let Jiang Xue's classmates sleep outdoors.

Even if they had to "make do," it couldn't be too shabby. The accommodations might not be comfortable, but they had to be interesting! People travel for fun, after all.

The first thing Tang Long thought of was camping tents! If two people shared a tent, they would need at least twenty-five tents for fifty people. Jiang Xue hadn't given exact numbers yet, so Tang Long and Zhang Xiu'e could only guess.

One thing was certain: they needed to buy as many tents as possible to avoid a shortage. Finding high-quality, affordable camping tents in the county would be difficult, so they would need to purchase them elsewhere.

After discussing, Zhang Xiu'e and Tang Long decided that the number of tents to buy should not be fewer than one hundred. Camping tents could be rented to future visitors as the village developed, so buying more now wouldn't hurt. With such a large quantity, they could buy directly from manufacturers, possibly getting a better price.

Besides tents, they needed to prepare tableware, tables, chairs, and stools. They couldn't let guests use the village's old bowls. Even if the guests didn't mind, it would damage the village's image and contradict future development plans.

Even with this rough estimate, there were plenty of things to prepare—and that wasn't even counting food and drinks once the guests arrived.

"No problem, I'll take care of it!" Zhang Xiu'e agreed readily.

That evening, Tang Long and Zhang Xiu'e called a village-wide meeting to mobilize everyone, explaining the upcoming company formation and plans to develop tourism.

"From now on, everyone in the village needs to take action!" Tang Long called out, "Lian Sheng, from now on, you'll be in charge of 'Ghost King Cave.' Make sure you keep an eye on it. Take some people inside, check out the situation, and fix up the paths!"

He hesitated, then added, "Pick thirty people from the village. You'll lead them from now on—selling tickets, guarding the cave, all your responsibility. If you make money, you'll get a commission. If not, you'll get 'credit points.'"

"Alright!" Lian Sheng agreed cheerfully.

Tang Long turned to Zhang Xiu'e and asked in a low voice, "Liengou Depression also needs people now, especially with Jiang Xue and her group coming. Who do you think in the village would be suitable to take charge?"

Fish Head Village was starting a company to develop tourism, but the pace of house construction couldn't lag behind. The villagers' main effort still needed to focus on building houses, ensuring that by the end of summer, the homes would be finished—otherwise, where would they live in winter?

Building houses was a serious matter and the top priority. For the villagers, it was probably even more important than tourism. Money could be earned anytime; tourism could be developed anytime, but villagers couldn't be without their homes.

"Let Uncle Guai lead the elderly and children who can't participate in the work to guard the area. Is that alright?" Zhang Xiu'e suggested after thinking. Liu Guai was famous for his swimming skills; although he was old, he was still like a "dragon" in the water. The village children, nearly all could swim; the older kids were always jumping into the water.

They couldn't help much with house construction, but they could be useful at Liengou Depression.

"Good!" Tang Long laughed. Making the most of everyone's abilities, it was just the time for Fish Head Village to grow and prosper; even the elderly and children shouldn't be idle.

"Uncle Guai, you're great in the water. Later, you can take the older folks and kids to Liengou Depression, and we'll set up some things along the shore," Tang Long said to Liu Guai with a smile.

Once tourists arrived, Ghost King Cave and Liengou Depression would both need people on site, no question about it.

Liengou Depression also needed emergency measures—nothing could be allowed to happen to visitors in the water.

"As for meals, Aunt Yang, you and the village ladies will need to work extra hard!" Tang Long said to Aunt Yang.

The best cook in the village was Liu Yishou, a man in his forties. He had worked outside the village, but his honest nature meant he was bullied and didn't get ahead. Back home, he was sought after for weddings and funerals in nearby villages, and never worried about food or clothing.

According to the elders, Liu Yishou's father had once fled famine to Fish Head Village and served as an imperial chef in the capital. Whether true or not, everyone said so.

Tang Long had eaten Liu Yishou's big-pot meals as a child, and the flavor was indeed exceptional.

Especially his signature dishes!

"Liu, from now on, you'll be the head chef for the company. The village will pay you a salary, so you don't need to work outside anymore," Tang Long said, intending to keep Liu Yishou.

Liu Yishou grinned, saying, "Forget the money. If the village chief values me, I'll take on the task!"