"Come on, come on, I'll take you around for a look. When you see a plot of land you like, just let me know. As long as it's land that no one is farming, you can pick whichever you want. The price is negotiable, very negotiable." As he spoke, the over-fifty-year-old Old Chairman couldn't wait to stand up, pulling James Bolton out of the office. Despite his age, Old Chairman still had the energetic and bustling spirit of a young man.

Seeing the eager look on Old Chairman's face, James Bolton shook his head with a smile and didn't refuse, following him out. But in his heart he thought: This Old Chairman really doesn't understand negotiation skills. How can he show his eagerness like this? Doesn't he know that only by putting on an attitude of "my daughter isn't worried about getting married" can you attract a golden son-in-law?

Just like that, Old Chairman walked ahead, constantly pointing out the idle land on both sides of the road and introducing them. How fertile this land is, what crops are best to plant; how close that plot is to the water source, how convenient it is for irrigation; ...

On the surface, James Bolton nodded and responded half-heartedly from behind, but in reality, he was constantly using his Grandmaster-level Animal Trainer and Grandmaster-level Gardener abilities to search for the place most suitable for him to put his skills to use.

Finally, when Old Chairman led James Bolton to the far end of the village, James Bolton's eyes lit up. He pointed to a patch of wasteland about six or seven mu in an irregular shape and tentatively said, "Uncle Harper, do you think I could have this plot?" As he spoke, James Bolton gestured with his hand to indicate the area he wanted.

Old Chairman looked at James Bolton in surprise, and his expression seemed a bit conflicted. After hesitating internally for a while, Old Chairman finally seemed to make up his mind and said to James Bolton, "Little Bolton, this plot is indeed wasteland that nobody wants. By rights, if you want to lease it, you can have it. But I don't want to trick you, so I'll be honest. This land, the part near the village is a little over two mu and is actually pretty fertile, but aside from those two mu, the rest isn't even considered poor land—it's all rocky ground. Nothing will grow there! Look, over there, except for a few old crooked trees, there aren't even many weeds."

Old Chairman's earnest words gave James Bolton a deeper understanding of the old man, so he simply spoke openly: "Uncle Harper, to tell you the truth, I'm not looking to get rich by leasing land. I'm just tired of living in the city and want to live somewhere else for a few years. I have a plan for these few mu: I want to plant some vegetables and fruit trees for myself on the fertile part, and as for the rocky land, I want to dig a two-mu fish pond and raise some fish. The rest of the land, I'll build a house to live in and maybe keep some chickens and ducks in a big yard. Just lease me this plot, okay?"

James Bolton's excuse was half true and half false, but it was convincing enough, at least for Chairman Harper, who believed him without a doubt. Although Old Chairman himself wasn't wealthy, he'd seen on TV that rich people have all sorts of special hobbies, so what's so strange about living in the countryside for a while? In his eyes, James Bolton, who drove a fancy big jeep, was already considered a rich man.

So Jack Harper happily nodded in agreement, patting his chest and promising there would be no problem. That rocky land wasn't village homestead land, nor was it farmland—just wasteland. Issuing land use certificates for a homestead and fish pond on wasteland was a piece of cake! After all, it didn't harm any family's interests and even brought income to the village, so the villagers would surely be happy to see it.

Just like that, the matter of James Bolton leasing the land was settled. When Jack Harper took the stack of red bills from James Bolton and solemnly stamped the village committee's official seal on the contract, that six or seven mu of land became James Bolton's territory for the next ten years.

Chapter 010: Volunteering

After receiving the lease contract, James Bolton greeted Jack Harper and was about to turn and leave. Old Chairman hurriedly tried to keep him: "Little Bolton, it's already noon, why are you in such a rush to leave? Come, have lunch at my place before you go!"

James Bolton quickly declined, waving the freshly acquired contract in his hand and saying, "Uncle Harper, really, there's no need. I'm just in a hurry to find a construction crew to help me with the land. I'm telling you, I really can't wait!"

Of course, Old Chairman didn't believe James Bolton's words, thinking he was just being polite, so he put on a stern face: "Little Bolton, we'll be neighbors for the next few years, so you can't be so formal. Listen to me, come to my place for lunch first—nothing is so urgent it can't wait a bit. Besides, aren't you just building a house and digging a two-mu fish pond? We have villagers who work in construction too. I'll just make a call and have them come back to help. Don't worry, since we're all from the same village, it won't cost much, and it'll definitely be sturdy. No one would dare cut corners—your house will stand for a hundred years."

Seeing how insistent Old Chairman was, James Bolton felt embarrassed to refuse again, so he half-heartedly followed Old Chairman back to his home.