Chapter Seventy-Four: Producing Mineral Water

It turned out even better than Tang Long had expected. Wu Zhengyao and the other leaders of Taoyuan County attached great importance to Yutou Village. Taoyuan County itself was a provincial-level impoverished county, always at the bottom, and not wealthy by any means. Yet Wu Zhengyao told Tang Long that if they needed, the county could provide Yutou Village with a low-interest loan. The sum wouldn’t be large, but it was enough to move people’s hearts.

One must know that there were countless places in Taoyuan County crying out for money, and Yutou Village was by no means the most desperate.

“Brother Wang, I brought a few fish from the village, wild fish from the creek. They’re very fresh. Take them home and let your wife have a taste. Also, I didn’t dare mention this in front of the county chief, for fear of being scolded, so I’ll have to trouble you to pass them along. They’re nothing valuable, just a little token from the villagers of Yutou Village. Please don’t mind,” Tang Long said with a hearty smile as he pulled Wang Feiyue aside after being walked downstairs. The fish had been caught that morning, when Tang Long had specially sent the boys to scour the creek.

“You rascal!” Wang Feiyue laughed, saying nothing more as he patted Tang Long’s shoulder.

A few fish didn’t violate any rules—even if someone did come to check, Wang Feiyue wouldn’t be afraid.

Once they left, Shan Xiu finally asked curiously, “The county cares about Yutou Village that much?”

“Perhaps,” Tang Long replied with a smile and a shake of his head. “We’re not cut out to be leaders, so it’s best not to guess at their motives.”

“What about Young Master Rui?” Shan Xiu asked helplessly.

Young Master Rui had been beaten; that was indisputable. If he could just leave, it wouldn’t be a big deal, but Tang Long couldn’t simply walk away—the monk may run, but the temple stays behind. Wen Rui had been beaten in Yutou Village, and those seeking trouble would come for the village even if they couldn’t find Tang Long.

“The woman beside Young Master Rui, the one with the half-moon curved blade, is interesting. Have you heard of Anna International Company?” Tang Long asked with a smile, not directly answering the question.

Shan Xiu hesitated, then nodded. “I’ve heard a bit—they’re a fairly famous international mercenary company, right? Their business is quite diverse, if I recall.”

“Anna International Mercenary Company usually operates overseas. It’s rare to see them in the country, which is why I’m curious—how does a scion like Young Master Rui end up with a bodyguard from Anna Company?” Tang Long mused.

Shan Xiu could only shake her head with a wry smile. “There are many possibilities!” It was impossible to guess—people with money could hire international bodyguards if they wished, what’s strange about that?

Tang Long shook his head, muttering, “I don’t know why, but something about it feels off.”

From the county seat, Tang Long purchased fifty cases of bottled water. Many tourists weren’t used to mountain spring water, or worried about its cleanliness. Virtually every visitor to Yutou Village, when thirsty, would look for bottled water.

Yet Tang Long felt that the spring water drawn by Yutou Village wasn’t necessarily inferior to these bottled waters.

“If we had money, we could set up a bottling line and collect deep aquifer water to sell!” Tang Long said.

Shan Xiu’s eyes lit up, blinking as she asked, “I’m not too interested in investing in village infrastructure, but could we partner up and start a ‘water plant’?”

Tang Long had spoken offhandedly, not expecting Shan Xiu to take it seriously and start thinking about real industry.

He considered, then looked at her. “You truly want to do it?”

“Yes. Whether it’s high-end or ordinary markets, mountain spring water and mineral water have huge potential. People in big cities are increasingly aware of health, and the market share for bottled water is rising year by year.”

She paused, then continued, “I’ve tasted the spring water in our village—it’s no worse than any brand. Of course, my word doesn’t count for much; we should have the national authority test the water from Yutou Village thoroughly.”

“If the results are good, I’m willing to partner with the village and invest in a factory for bottled water.”

“The village provides the site, you provide the capital. The village gets the lion’s share, you get a smaller piece—sixty-forty split. Can you accept that?” Tang Long asked, half joking, half serious.

Frankly, his proposal was rather unreasonable; most investors would refuse such terms. Yet Shan Xiu didn’t hesitate, replying casually, “No problem. How much I get is up to you, Chief Tang!”

A single ‘Jing Ke Token’ was enough for Shan Xiu to yield completely.

“Go back and discuss it properly with Secretary Xiu’e!” Tang Long thought it was a good idea.

Yutou Village developing tourism was just one way to make money; if there were other avenues, Tang Long would certainly pursue them, so long as they were legal and profitable.

The bottled water market was indeed enormous, but competition was fierce. Domestic brands fought openly and covertly, while foreign companies watched hungrily. Starting a water plant wasn’t difficult—the real challenge was breaking into the market.

Tang Long was curious, “You have no confidence in the village’s tourism?”

He wondered why Shan Xiu preferred investing in a water plant over tourism, given that Yutou Village was famous for its tourism, not its water.

Shan Xiu smiled. “It’s not that I’m uninterested—I just think the return rate is too low. Suppose in the future, Yutou Village becomes a renowned tourist spot in the province, attracting a hundred thousand visitors a year. If you make a hundred yuan from each, how much is that? It’s not even as much as I’d earn from a few missions.”

Tang Long understood now—in her eyes, the tourism industry in Yutou Village was just small change, hardly worth noticing.

But thinking it over, the village’s capacity was limited. Even hosting a hundred thousand visitors a year was a significant achievement, and reaching higher numbers was nearly impossible.

Perhaps Shan Xiu guessed what Tang Long was thinking, and said easily, “For now, developing tourism is good for Yutou Village. In the future, aquaculture, deep processing, and investing in a water plant could all be combined into a comprehensive ecosystem.”

Directly investing in a water plant wouldn’t work, either. Without leveraging Yutou Village’s fame, a new bottled water brand would require huge sums for advertising and market development—the money spent on ads could buy several production lines.

Setting up a mineral water company might require a hundred million, but making it a known brand would take at least a billion, perhaps even tens of billions.