The corporation didn’t grow to this scale overnight, nor were the scattered farms built in a day.

Most of the crops, especially, require planting time.

But with farm machinery research and manufacturing, it needs to be done locally for proximity, secrecy, and constant iterations and adjustments.

So, marking a piece to represent a terrain and then setting up a branch nearby to develop products adapted to the terrain was a high-efficiency strategy implemented along with technological advancements over recent years.

Of course, the most core technologies are still housed in the group’s research center.

At this moment, Xiaoyang briefly introduced these issues to Qiaoqiao:

"So, if the land over there is approved to build a research branch, then here we need a suitable farm to start planting—but the restrictions on agricultural land are significant, and it’s at least inconvenient for us to just fence it off."

The use of agricultural land is strictly regulated, and as a corporate entity, they must closely follow national policies. Once non-agricultural construction appears, it can cause some trouble.

"So, we can only set up fences around the perimeter, but the height can’t be too exaggerated."

Qiaoqiao nodded vigorously: "I understand, it’s just like my family."

There is still some difference, though.

All the plots owned by Song Tan add up to over 1,000 mu, but here, any suburban farm usually covers two square kilometers.

Looking at this plains field, an endless fence can deter gentlemen, but not villains, especially in such rural areas, as the land is so vast that no one patrols daily.

The nearby villagers dare to try anything.

According to regulations, the fence can’t be too high and grand.

But to be effective in keeping people out, it must be sturdy.

It can’t scatter with a shake, be cut with pliers, or be blown over by a strong wind, right?

But the stronger it is, the more people dare to climb it.

In the second year after establishing their local branch, a new machine made a significant breakthrough, and they specially invited various partners to come for a ribbon-cutting and firsthand experience.

Who would have thought that less than 48 hours before the event, the elderly from nearby villages, seeing the large-scale harvest here, weren’t afraid of risks or falls and directly climbed over.

They came in groups, encouraging each other, even urging agile kids to climb over.

Finally, an older man fell and broke his thigh.

Three kids managed to sneak in, and, instructed by their parents, caused quite a mess with tools...

Talk about the law? Yes.

Compensation? Yes.

The company compensated the elderly.

Nothing else to mention, just that the old man was injured so severely, and with a large corporation rooted here, it couldn’t easily move away.

The family of the old man did nothing but take a long leave to come, pushing the elder to the gate—

Whether the old man lived or died didn’t matter, but they demanded the compensation money.

Well then!

They didn’t care about their elders’ well-being, but the corporation cared about its reputation!

Getting into disputes with such people incurs various invisible costs, who knows how much, and who loses or gains in the end?

In short, as Xiaoyang talked about past events, his young face was also filled with sighs:

"There’s a saying online: every unreasonable rule exists because something even more unreasonable happened."

Qiaoqiao didn’t wait for him to continue speaking, and asked thoughtfully:

"So, did they hire local villagers as employees?"

"That’s not entirely accurate."

Yang Zhengxi said, "My dad said, as an entrepreneur, you can’t achieve anything with a soft heart and tender tactics, especially here with such customs, no lower limits, that even Mr. Yang feels annoyed. How could he then compromise to hire their people?"

The deputy manager responsible for here, with a pair of iron hands, instead spread the word: stating that the originally planned job fair couldn’t be held because the locals caused too much trouble and demanded too much compensation. If they got into the factory, they might not follow the rules.

Later, as local dissatisfaction grew louder, he made a show of hiring a few elderly local women from poor families, who had wide connections but questionable reputations.

"Like the lady in the guardroom."

Xiaoyang said: "Their ancestors have been here for generations, within ten miles and eight villages, mention a name and match a face, and they can trace back three generations of connections."

"People like our guard lady, if anyone dares to mess around nearby, stealing chickens or causing trouble, she’s fierce enough to sweep through houses with a mop without hesitation."

Of course, it has become a bit more challenging to do this in recent years.

Because with the national push for healthy and hygienic civilized villages, most villagers no longer have pit toilets and have switched to squat toilets.

But this lady doesn’t mind!

If necessary, she can even haul a bucket if needed.

Besides, working here, can’t she find any pigs, cows, or sheep?

Dip the mop in manure, and just fling it around once inside.

Anyway, nothing was broken, and no one got hurt.

Don’t underestimate her just because she’s a woman. A woman doing farm work in the countryside has such strength that whoever’s been hit by it knows.

Besides, they’re somewhat related too.

Once you anger the aunty—like she really cares since she’s earning a high salary—she wouldn’t hesitate to just sit down in the yard!

Isn’t that a bit shameless?

Shameless.

Does it solve the problem?

Yes!

And Qiaoqiao thought for a moment, suddenly a bit afraid, and said, "It sounds like Auntie Zhou from our place."

Yang Zhengxi, who had lived there for a while, of course had chuckled at Old Lady Zhou’s infamous reputation.

Now he laughed out loud again:

"My dad says there’s no one in this world who only knows how to cause trouble; it just depends on how you use them."

Among those who came to stir up trouble, there were relatives of this aunty. She didn’t come, not because she didn’t want to, but because she was visiting relatives that day and didn’t make it.

"But entrepreneurs are like politicians; for a place to develop, we have to develop too. We’re not trying to create a blood feud, so naturally, we prioritize harmony and can’t let things get too stiff locally."

Mainly with a few such anchors holding things down, people don’t dare to come and make trouble easily, saving us from countless conflicts.

It’s purely a nuclear weapon.

"So, do they get paid well?" Qiaoqiao asked.

"Compared to the local standard, it’s pretty high. The social insurance is fully covered, and holiday greetings and care are plentiful too."

But is it worth it? Absolutely worth it.

Xiaoyang said, "They, and their children, will risk everything to earn such a rare high salary in a rural area."

For example, the time when the old man broke his leg, back then, the group paid to settle the matter.

Now, if it happened again, the gatekeeper aunty could chase all the way to the children’s workplaces, schools, and even in-laws’ family housing estates."

No doubt about it, rural relationships are just that awesome.

Is it ethical? No, it’s not.

Does it harm the innocent? Undoubtedly, it does.

But who cares, they earn such high salaries, and their job is to watch over this piece of land. Anyone who cuts off their income is an enemy!

"Besides, for those with the mindset of setting a good example and providing education for their children, families wouldn’t indulge the old man in doing such things, right?"

Even Xiaoyang laughed, "That Auntie Zhou in your village, you guys think she doesn’t care about her children’s reputation because you haven’t gotten hold of what matters to her."

But everyone in this world has something they care about; otherwise, what’s the point of living?

If you truly find what it is, she could fight undefeated for your farm in the ten miles and eight villages.

Qiaoqiao shook her head wildly: "I don’t want it, I don’t want it."

He said seriously, "After your vice president does things like this for two or three years to let people see how tough the aunties are, you’ll still need to hire more local employees."

"Teacher Tang taught me that entrepreneurs should have a sense of social responsibility."

"My sister is capable, and my parents dote on us. I’m not very bright, legally I’m not someone who needs to take much responsibility."

"But the more it’s like that, the more I need to behave correctly."

"For someone as capable as my sister, even if she veers off just a little, it could harm our whole village."

"If I don’t do good deeds and stop being a nuisance everywhere, no matter how much money my family gives, it’ll be useless. My parents will be secretly cursed and hit."

He racked his brain: "A gentleman’s favor lasts five generations!"

Then he began counting on his fingers: "My grandparents didn’t do bad things, so people in the village willingly got along with them and treated my parents well too."

There were conflicts, but no deep grudges.

"When my sister wanted to do something, my parents just asked around in the village, and people were willing to come over to help—some places had such deep grudges that no amount of money could get people to do it."

Their village was poor, but the poorer the place, the more they stuck together, and they had more pride. In the countryside, you really can’t just toss money around to get things done.

Not to mention, Lao Song’s family wasn’t rich from the start either.

Qiaoqiao’s dark eyes looked at Yang Zhengxi, seriously saying:

"With me, it’s just three generations."

"Teacher Tang says, the favor lasts five generations, not that it ends at the fifth generation, but that blessings eventually have an end, just like our relationships with others."

"So we can’t act like this, and we can’t rely on Old Lady Zhou either."

The car reached its destination, the driver stopped the vehicle, and at this moment, looked in the rearview mirror at the two young men having a serious conversation, letting out a silent sigh:

No wonder the boss’s family is so eager to welcome the young boss’s friend, completely different from his past playmates.

It turns out, the gap between people’s thinking can be this wide!