Qin Chuan spoke with a gentle smile, skillfully taking cigarettes from his pocket and offering one to each of the elderly men.
As the saying goes, the best way to break the ice between men is always through smoke, alcohol, and women. Seeing the high-end Huanghelou cigarettes in Qin Chuan's hand, the eyes of the elderly men lit up.
These were good cigarettes, ones they had only seen in shops but never smoked, simply because they were too expensive.
"When you're out and about, everyone has difficulties!"
"Young man, you two wait here, and I'll go inside to get you some hot water!"
As Qin Chuan handed out the cigarettes, one of the elderly men enthusiastically stood up and offered to fetch a thermos.
"Thank you, Grandpa!"
Qin Chuan expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you!"
Qin Gang quickly followed suit, but before he finished speaking, his eyes twitched. His younger brother had actually sat on the stool the elderly man had been using and was now chatting with the other elders.
His demeanor was not like an outsider being polite and reserved in someone else's territory; instead, it was as if he had come home.
Qin Gang suddenly felt he had much to learn. He scanned his surroundings, and finding no other stools, he simply brought over a stone from the roadside, brushed it off, and sat down.
It was indeed much more comfortable than standing!
However, Qin Gang wisely remained silent, fearing his local accent would betray him.
But he needn't have worried. Qin Chuan, chatting with the elders, introduced Qin Gang as his distant cousin, visiting Yongnan County to see relatives.
This completely resolved Qin Gang's accent issue.
"Grandpas, I've noticed Yongnan County is quite poor. For such a large county, there isn't a decent factory or anything!"
At this point, Qin Chuan deliberately steered the conversation.
His words struck a chord with all the elders, and they began to sigh.
"Our Yongnan County is just a backward small town in the north; how can it compare to the prosperity of big cities outside!"
"Locally, we only have two clothing factories, one electronics factory, one brick and tile factory, one vinegar factory, one food factory, and one printing factory. That's it!"
The elders lamented, sighing with resignation.
Just then, the hospitable elder returned with a thermos and two large ceramic bowls. Qin Chuan quickly stood up.
"Young man, sit! Sit!"
The elder urged Qin Chuan to sit and went back inside to fetch a small stool.
"How are these factories doing?"
Qin Chuan asked again, then added, "Actually, I run factories myself elsewhere. This time, while visiting relatives in Yongnan County, I unexpectedly discovered that although Yongnan County is a bit backward, it's very close to Shaanxi Province, separated only by the Yellow River!"
"If we were to set up a factory here, or do something else, it would be very promising!"
"Oh my!"
As Qin Chuan finished speaking, the elders he had been chatting with were immediately astonished, their faces showing awe.
To ordinary people, anyone who ran a factory was an extraordinary person, a big boss, someone to be looked up to.
"Greetings, boss!"
"We country bumpkins have failed to recognize your eminence. Please, let's talk inside!"
Qin Chuan quickly waved his hands. "No need for formality; I'm quite comfortable sitting here!"
"Elder sirs, my cousin is actually here in Yongnan County with the intention of investing."
Qin Gang chimed in, seizing the opportune moment to guide the conversation again.
"He mentioned in the car that this area looks very good, and he wants to buy some land to set up a factory or invest in other businesses."
"Are there any of you willing to sell your houses or land?"
After Qin Gang's words, the elders' eyes clearly showed deep excitement stirring within. Their breathing quickened.
For over ninety percent of ordinary people, such an event was a long-cherished desire.
The sudden wealth of residents affected by demolition was an age-old phenomenon. The word "demolition" was worth its weight in gold, capable of changing the destiny of an individual or an entire family, now, in the past, and in the future.
Qin Chuan noticed the shift in the elders' expressions and pretended not to see it, deliberately saying, "Is no one willing to sell here? Then forget it..."
"Boss!! My old man is willing to sell!"
Before Qin Chuan could finish, the elder who had fetched the water eagerly replied, his tone urgent, as if fearing Qin Chuan might change his mind.
"My family too!"
"I'm willing to sell!"
"My family is too!"
Following suit, the other elders rushed to respond, their expressions filled with excitement.
Seeing this, Qin Chuan inwardly thought, "Success!"
As long as these people were willing to sell, half the battle was won.
"What are the housing prices like here?"
Qin Chuan then asked, "To be frank, my investment this time is just a trial run. I'll initially invest a few million. So, the space needed won't be very large."
"Please don't ask for exorbitant prices. My cousin is a local and knows the housing prices here very well. If anyone asks for too much, they might not be chosen!"
This statement was like a splash of cold water, instantly calming the excited elders. They exchanged glances and looked hesitant.
Qin Chuan was not in a hurry, leisurely sitting on the stool, smoking and drinking water.
"Elder sirs, I don't think you can make the decision alone. How about you quickly call back your sons and daughters, and after your families have discussed it together, you can give us a quote!"
"Also, you can inform other residents living nearby!"
Qin Gang offered at the right moment.
"We have nothing else to do today, so we can wait here for a while!"
This remark finally spurred the elders. They quickly stood up from their stools and ran off, their speed rivaling that of young people.
In an instant, the roadside, which had been lively, was left with only Qin Chuan and Qin Gang. Even the hospitable elder who had fetched water was gone.
"Third brother, how much land do you want to buy?"
With no one else around, Qin Gang lowered his voice and asked.
Qin Chuan shook his head. "I'm not sure. It depends on the local prices. We only have eighty thousand yuan on hand! We'll buy as much as we can with that!"
To be honest, Qin Chuan wasn't very familiar with current housing prices in towns.
Hearing this, Qin Gang became excited, gesturing enthusiastically. "Eighty thousand yuan can buy a lot of land!"
"Houses in the town center, even those with private courtyards, are only around thirty to forty thousand! It's more remote here, so it will definitely be cheaper! I think we can buy all these courtyards along this row for about twenty thousand yuan each!"
This time, Qin Chuan could no longer remain calm. "Are they really that cheap?"
Each independent courtyard here was about seventy to eighty square meters. This translated to only three to four hundred yuan per square meter.
Such prices were unimaginable in later years!
Once he acquired them and developed them into commercial housing, it would be like picking up money!