Tian Family Village Cattle Farm.
"Boss, give me a cigarette."
"Boss, your nephew is really something! Buying our farm must've cost at least a million, right?"
"Your nephew's a big shot! Didn't you see him driving that fancy Mercedes?"
"And it's got a Beijing license plate! Boss, has your nephew bought a house in Beijing? That's incredible!"
Several workers who usually worked alongside Tian Xiaoguang at the cattle farm were now gathered around him, each offering flattering words.
The former coworker had become the farm manager, and with their jobs now depending on his word, a bit of flattery was necessary.
This was the first time Tian Xiaoguang had been flattered like this, and it felt incredibly satisfying!
"Alright, alright, get back to work. Do what you need to do. Even though the owner's changed, everyone's treatment will stay the same."
Tian Xiaoguang reassured his old coworkers, giving them peace of mind, then waved them off to get back to work.
The morning feeding tasks were already done, and a few workers were handling the cleaning duties at the farm.
With nothing else to do, Tian Xiaoguang thought about the task his nephew had entrusted to him.
Back in his single dorm room, Tian Xiaoguang pulled a clean set of clothes from the wardrobe, changed, and rode his small electric scooter out of the farm.
About ten minutes later, Tian Xiaoguang stopped in front of a lottery shop, parked his scooter, and pushed open the door to enter.
It was nearing noon, and the lottery shop was doing decent business. A few people were buying tickets, while others were playing scratch-offs.
No one greeted Tian Xiaoguang as he entered, so he walked straight to the counter and lined up behind a customer who was buying a ticket.
A casual glance, and when Tian Xiaoguang's eyes landed on the face of the person buying the ticket, Tian Mingrong, he froze.
"Xiaorong! How could it be her! What a coincidence!"
The moment he saw Tian Mingrong's face clearly, an image of a girl with a long braid flashed in Tian Xiaoguang's mind.
She was his white moonlight, the girl he'd mustered all his courage for but never dared confess to in his youth.
She was so beautiful, so kind—he felt utterly unworthy!
Tian Xiaoguang was even more afraid that confessing his feelings would ruin their friendship.
It had been at least 20 years since they last saw each other.
But Tian Xiaoguang recognized the woman he'd secretly loved for decades in an instant.
"Hey, you're… you're Brother Xiaoguang!"
After finishing with the customer in front of her, Tian Mingrong looked up and saw Tian Xiaoguang, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.
Then, she quickly stood up with a warm smile and greeted him.
"Ming… Mingrong, it's really you!"
"After all these years, you haven't changed a bit. Still so beautiful."
Tian Xiaoguang suppressed the excitement in his heart, trying to greet Tian Mingrong in as calm a tone as possible.
"Brother Xiaoguang, don't tease me. I'm in my fifties or sixties, an old hag now, ugly as can be."
Tian Mingrong's words carried a hint of insincerity. No matter their age, women love being complimented on their beauty.
Even an eighty-year-old grandma would be delighted for days if you called her pretty.
Tian Xiaoguang smiled, "Not ugly at all, not one bit. You'll always be the village beauty of Tian Family Village."
Tian Mingrong laughed, "Haha, it's been so many years, and now Brother Xiaoguang knows how to flatter people. What are you up to these days? Married yet?"
"I'm now…"
Hearing Tian Mingrong ask about his work, Tian Xiaoguang straightened his back, his expression full of pride as he said, "I'm currently the manager at a cattle farm, in charge of over 100 cows."
Tian Xiaoguang secretly rejoiced that he'd agreed to his nephew's offer to become the farm manager.
Otherwise, telling Xiaorong he was just a cow feeder would've been so embarrassing!
Whether young or old, people care about face in front of someone they like.
"Wow, Brother Xiaoguang, you've done well for yourself! A farm manager, no less."
"It's just so-so. I'm only here because of my nephew's help."
"Doesn't matter whose help it is—being able to get it is what counts. I can't even get that kind of help!"
"What about you, Xiaorong…"
With no customers in the shop at the moment, Tian Xiaoguang and Tian Mingrong, old acquaintances who hadn't seen each other in nearly 20 years, started chatting.
Meeting unexpectedly after so long, they seemed to have endless things to talk about, and their conversation flowed effortlessly.
…
Meanwhile.
At Li Family Town, in front of Jiantao Supermarket, which had been closed for days.
Zhang Xiaoyan had just finished making a hand-pulled pancake for a customer when her phone, casually placed on the food cart, rang.
Seeing the caller ID display "Kid's Dad," Zhang Xiaoyan was a bit surprised.
Her husband rarely called her throughout the year. Had the sun risen from the west today?
"Hey, honey, what's up? Something wrong?" Zhang Xiaoyan answered the phone, getting straight to the point.
"Wife! I've got great news! Huge news!" Jiang He's incredibly excited voice came through the phone.
Zhang Xiaoyan, picking at some egg scraps from the pan and munching on them like sunflower seeds, laughed and asked, "What great news? Did you get a raise?"
"Even better than a raise!!"
"Spit it out already! Phone calls aren't free. Or just tell me when you get home tonight."
"No, no, no! This is such big news, I've got to tell you now—it'll make you happy all day!"
"Honey, just say it already, stop teasing. I'm waiting so long the flowers are wilting!"
"You remember that big bowl our second kid picked up from outside?"
"Yeah, I remember."
Zhang Xiaoyan had even used that bowl to feed the chickens, so it left an impression.
"Today, our second kid saw the bowl at home and thought it might be an antique. He showed it to a friend who deals in antiques, and it turns out it really is an antique!"
"What? That thing is… an antique? Honey, you're not joking, are you?"
Zhang Xiaoyan found her husband's words absurd. That beat-up bowl, which she didn't even like, was an antique!
"No joke! Our second kid called me earlier, saying a buyer offered 80,000 for it, and asked me to come to his place tonight to discuss."
"How… how much?"
"80,000!"
"How much?"
Zhang Xiaoyan's pupils shrank, her face filled with utter shock.
She worked from dawn to dusk selling fried skewers and breakfast in Li Family Town, earning just 30,000 to 40,000 a year!
A broken bowl her son randomly picked up, which she'd almost thrown out, was worth 80,000!
"80,000! Yes, 80,000! The buyer offered 80,000!"
"Wife, our family's luck is turning this year. It's just after New Year, and we've already made 80,000!"
Jiang He, on the other end of the line, was equally thrilled.
He slaved away at the factory, working himself to the bone for 50,000 to 60,000 a year. This one bowl was worth a year and a half of his labor!
"Then… then what are we waiting for? Tell his second uncle we're selling, sell it quick! What if they change their mind?"
"I already told our second kid to handle the sale. We don't know anything about this stuff."
"Oh, that's good…"
The couple chatted a bit more on the phone.
After hanging up, Zhang Xiaoyan's mood was just as her husband Jiang He had predicted—overjoyed, thrilled!
80,000 was an absolute fortune for their family!
To unexpectedly make 80,000 like this.
"His second uncle…"
Snapping out of the joy of this unexpected 80,000 windfall, Zhang Xiaoyan knew that, besides thanking the heavens, there was one other person to thank.
Her kid's second uncle!
If it weren't for her kid's second uncle's keen eye for antiques, their family wouldn't have had this chance to make that money.
Time flew by, and evening arrived.
With the Spring Festival holiday over and work gradually getting back on track, Jiang He's days of covering shifts for extra cash were done.
He got off work at 6 p.m. and was home by 6:30.
For once, he took a shower and changed into clean clothes before heading with Zhang Xiaoyan to his parents' house.
The parents' house was as lively as ever.
With the whole family gathered, plus Grandpa Sun from Beijing, it felt like the New Year celebrations hadn't ended.
After a hearty dinner, Zhang Xiaoyan and Xu Li chatted with Jiang He's mother.
Jiang Tao took his older brother back to his place and brought out the bowl he'd put away earlier that day.
"This is it. My friend said he'd buy it for 80,000. If you're selling, brother, he can pay a deposit now."
Jiang Tao didn't play games with his brother—he was straightforward and wasn't trying to make a profit off him.
They were family; there was no need for that.
If he were greedier, he could've taken the bowl, sold it himself, and pocketed all the money, and no one in his brother's family would've questioned it.
"Sell it! We don't know anything about this stuff. If someone's offering money, we sell!"
Jiang He didn't hesitate for a second, as if afraid the buyer might back out.
Forget 80,000—he'd sell for 8,000, or even 800!
A forgotten broken bowl in their yard was worth 80,000.
Who could resist such a windfall!
"Alright, I'll tell them we're selling."
Jiang Tao nodded with a smile, then dialed Zhang Bo for a video call in front of his brother.
Zhang Bo examined the blue-and-white porcelain bowl through the screen several times before finalizing the deal and transferring a 10,000 deposit to Jiang Tao to secure the bowl.
Jiang Tao, not one to haggle with Zhang Bo, was about to transfer the deposit and the remaining 70,000 to his brother when Jiang He stopped him.
Jiang He waved his hand, saying, "No need to give it to me, second brother. For the cattle farm project, didn't I borrow 90,000 from you?
Keep this 80,000 for now. The remaining 10,000, I'll pay you back in a couple of months."
"I'm not in a rush for the money. Pay me back whenever you're able, brother."
Jiang Tao didn't argue with his brother and kept the 10,000 deposit.
After settling the deal, the brothers chatted for over two hours.
They didn't stop until Xu Li and the others returned from their parents' house, and Jiang He finally took his leave.
…
Time quickly reached the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
In the past week, it was unclear whether Jiang Tao's luck had run dry, or if the system had exhausted itself after churning out high-value intelligence repeatedly.
Or perhaps the Law of Luck had kicked in.
Out of the 14 pieces of intelligence generated, not a single one was about making money—just trivial, irrelevant information.
But Jiang Tao hadn't been idle, keeping busy with endless tasks every day.
The cattle farm project aimed to acquire 300 cows.
The farm Tian Jianming sold to Jiang Tao only had 106, leaving a shortfall of over 200.
Always aiming to maximize profits, Jiang Tao was determined to acquire all 300 cows.
Liu Zhiyuan and Shan Yufei became cattle brokers, sent by Jiang Tao to buy cows, with a daily wage of 300 plus separate dividends.
This pay was no worse than what they earned selling fruit at Beijing's markets, so they had no complaints.
As the number of cows at the farm grew, the feeding and cleaning tasks became heavier.
Jiang Tao had his uncle hire two more workers for the farm.
Work at the cattle farm proceeded smoothly, and when the time was right, it would yield a big profit.
Then there was Xu Jiantao, Xu Li's cousin, who finally woke up but was crippled, paralyzed from the waist down.
He would likely spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
The supermarket Xu Jiantao ran in Li Family Town could no longer be operated.
So, Xu Li's uncle's family approached Jiang Tao and Xu Li, asking if they'd be willing to take over the supermarket.
The supermarket had been running for over a decade, with a large, stable customer base and supply channels.
Taking it over would mean immediate profits, with annual earnings of no less than 300,000.
A prime location like that could be transferred in minutes with a listing, fetching a hefty transfer fee.
But to express gratitude for Jiang Tao's life-saving help, Xu Li's uncle's family transferred the supermarket to Jiang Tao and Xu Li for zero transfer fee.
After Jiang Tao paid 180,000 for the inventory, he added a new title to his name besides Tian Family Village cattle farm owner—Jiantao Supermarket owner.
To provide better educational opportunities for his daughter, Jiang Tao planned to take Xu Li and their daughter to Beijing.
So, he handed the supermarket's operations to his older brother and sister-in-law.
The 180,000 for the inventory could be paid back whenever they had the money.
Zhang Qian, who sold breakfast near Jiantao Supermarket, knew how much foot traffic and profit the store generated.
Jiang Tao had essentially handed them a cash cow!
The couple owed Jiang Tao another huge favor.
Jiang He quit his factory job, and Zhang Xiaoyan sold her breakfast cart.
The couple began learning to run the supermarket.
After a few days of adjustment, they gradually got the hang of it.
Jiantao Supermarket's operations were back on track.
Of course, the biggest piece of good news was that Jiang Tao sold out all 10,000 Feitian Pig Popcorn Buckets, successfully wrapping up the project.
The cost of goods was 200,000, plus labor and logistics, totaling just 230,000, with a final net profit of 1.76 million!
Per the initial agreement, Jiang Bing could take 352,000 of the profit.
The remaining 1.408 million belonged to Jiang Tao!
The siblings made a fortune on the Feitian Pig Popcorn Bucket project!
Xu Li, who was involved throughout the project, was filled with awe.
In just over ten days, they'd made 1.4 million.
That averaged out to nearly 100,000 a day!
The feeling of such rapid wealth accumulation felt surreal to her.
Before, they couldn't even make 100,000 in a year—now they were making it in a day!
From being buried in debt before the New Year to having millions in assets in just over a month.
"Second brother, have some dragon fruit, grapes, bananas~"
"Second brother, let me give you a shoulder massage, or maybe a leg rub~"
"If you get any good projects in the future, you *have* to remember your dear sister!"
After the Feitian Pig project ended, Jiang Bing instantly transformed into Jiang Tao's personal assistant.
Peeling fruit, giving shoulder massages, and rubbing legs were just the basics.
In just over ten days, Jiang Bing had earned 350,000—more than she'd made in years!
Through several collaborations, Jiang Bing realized just how incredible her second brother was.
She was determined to cling to her brother's golden thigh and never let go!
Following her second brother meant good food, big money!
Thinking back, earning 7,000 or 8,000 a month before was such a miserable life!
"Xiaobing, don't spoil your brother like that. Go do your own thing."
"Honey, my mom asked if we should visit my cousin again."
Xu Li, who had been packing in the house, came out and sat next to Jiang Tao, waving Jiang Bing away with a smile.
"Let's go. We don't know when we'll be back next time."
Jiang Tao planned to have lunch at home tomorrow before heading back to Beijing.
Accompanying him would be Xu Li, their daughter Jiang Xue, Grandpa Sun, and his parents.
Grandpa Sun had stayed at the Jiang family home for half a month, forming a deep friendship with Jiang Tao's father, Jiang Wen.
This time, Grandpa Sun invited Jiang Tao's parents to Beijing, promising to show them around the city.
Thankfully, Jiang Tao's Mercedes GLS was a seven-seater, spacious enough to accommodate everyone comfortably.
Around 2 p.m.
Jiang Tao drove Xu Li to Xicheng Huafu to pick up his in-laws before heading to the Red Cross Hospital together.
"Oh, what a tragedy! How did our family end up with such a person!"
"Why is my Jiantao's life so hard~"
When Jiang Tao, Xu Li, and her in-laws arrived at Xu Jiantao's hospital room, his mother, Gao Yunting, was sitting by the bed, sobbing and wiping tears.
As soon as Jiang Tao entered, he sensed something was off in the room.
Xu Jiantao's father stood grimly by the window, and Xu Jiantao himself looked desolate.
"What happened, big brother?"
"What's wrong, sister-in-law?"
Xu Wencheng and Du Yongmei asked with concern.
"Sigh! What else could it be? That inhuman woman wants Jiantao to divorce her!"
"What kind of person is she! When Jiantao was still unconscious, she went gambling and got detained."
"She just got out, heard about Jiantao's condition, and immediately demanded a divorce. Is she even human?"
"She's a heartless wolf! Decades of marriage, and she doesn't care at all!"
At the mention of her daughter-in-law, Gao Yunting couldn't stop crying, her chest aching with anger.
Listening from the side, Jiang Tao felt a pang of sympathy, his gaze toward his cousin full of pity.
Husband and wife are like birds in the same forest—when disaster strikes, they fly apart.
Women who share your wealth are everywhere, but those who stay by your side in poverty or misfortune are rare.
From the conversation between his in-laws and Xu Jiantao's parents, Jiang Tao learned that Zhang Qian had already hired a divorce lawyer and was dividing their assets.
Moreover, Xu Jiantao's two children chose to stay with their mother, not him.
After decades of marriage, Xu Jiantao was left with a broken family, and half his assets were about to be taken.
No wonder his parents were furious.
They stayed at the hospital for over three hours before Jiang Tao and the others left.
They first dropped off his in-laws before returning to Jiang Family Village.
"Honey, no matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."
After hearing about her cousin's situation today, Xu Li was deeply moved.
Her voice was soft, but her promise to Jiang Tao carried weight.
She couldn't fathom how her sister-in-law could so heartlessly abandon her husband.
"Me too."
Jiang Tao reached out to hold Xu Li's hand, feeling the familiar warmth of each other.
They exchanged a smile, a mix of love and familial bond passing between them.
By the time they returned to Jiang Family Village, it was past 6 p.m., and as usual, they went to his parents' house for dinner.
After dinner, Jiang Bing suggested watching *Nezha* for the fifth time, her treat.
This time, she and her second brother had made a fortune on the Feitian Pig Popcorn Bucket project, partly thanks to the popularity of *Nezha 2*.
Jiang Bing wanted to contribute a bit more to *Nezha*'s box office.
Jiang Tao, having seen it once, wasn't interested, but Xu Li and Jiang Xue couldn't get enough and went along with Jiang Bing for another round.
Knowing they'd soon leave their hometown for Beijing, Jiang Tao let them have their fun.
He enjoyed the rare peace and quiet alone.
They returned past 11 p.m., washed up briefly, and went to their rooms to sleep.
After Xu Li's period ended, the battle horn sounded again.
Frontal assaults, side ambushes, rear attacks—when Old Jiang's stamina faltered, he relied on technique.
After the "poker game," Xu Li quickly fell asleep, but Jiang Tao stayed up until midnight for the intelligence refresh.
"I hope today brings some useful intelligence!"
"The Law of Luck—after a week of bad luck, it's time for a win!"
"Come on, River Stone, do your thing!"
Jiang Tao spun the "River Stone" on his wrist before mentally opening the system interface.
**[Today's Intelligence 01]:**
You visited your wife's cousin Xu Jiantao at the Red Cross Hospital yesterday, obtaining related intelligence—
Xu Jiantao's two children are not his biological children. Suing Zhang Qian could protect his assets and secure compensation.
…
"What the hell…"
Seeing the first piece of intelligence, Jiang Tao silently mourned for Xu Li's cousin for three seconds.
Neither of his two children were his!
Xu Li's cousin had been raising someone else's kids for 20 years!
If you talk about misfortune, he was somewhat fortunate.
Without the system's reminder, he might've gone through with the divorce in a daze, losing half his assets to Zhang Qian.
Now, knowing the children aren't his, Zhang Qian is the one at fault in the marriage.
Under marriage law, Xu Jiantao could sue her for infidelity during the marriage.
He could even sue her for bigamy, potentially leaving her with nothing!
While today's first piece of intelligence didn't make Jiang Tao any money, it could save his uncle's family millions in losses, making it highly valuable.
After reading the first piece, Jiang Tao mentally flipped to the second.
**[Today's Intelligence 02]:**
You had contact with your uncle Tian Xiaoguang yesterday, obtaining related intelligence—
Tian Mingrong is pregnant with Tian Xiaoguang's child.
Congratulations on completing the [Legacy Continuation] mission. Rewards are now being distributed!