From Wage Slave to Tycoon

Chapter 123: Chapter 102: 15? 80? Isn’t This the Price of Pork?

When he first retired from service, Xiao Chen had asked if he was willing to stay by his side. But at the time, all Ji Wan could think about was going home to inherit a family fortune worth tens of millions and thousands of cattle, sheep, and horses; he just wasn’t interested.

But when he returned to the ranch, he discovered life was completely different from what he had imagined. He spent his days either herding on the grassland or on the road transporting livestock—a far cry from the luxurious life he had fantasized about.

Furthermore, after going through some things better left unsaid, he came to understand that a person needs more than just money—they need backing!

It was nearly ten o’clock by the time Su Chen and his group left the hotel.

Ji Wan’s ride was a pickup truck. Su Chen didn’t recognize the model, but it seemed like a convenient vehicle for the grasslands.

Soon... the two cars exited the hotel parking lot, one after the other, and headed straight for the northern suburbs.

Outside the city limits of Xilinhot lay a boundless grassland. Even though it was already November, patches of green could still be seen on the prairie.

"Old Jiang, what do you think happens to the free-range cattle and sheep when it snows here? Do they just get locked up in their pens?" Su Chen asked suddenly, gazing out the window at the vast grassland.

Old Jiang looked utterly baffled. ’Is it polite to ask this question of someone who lives in Xiangjiang?’ he complained silently.

A hush fell over the car. Just when Su Chen thought no one knew the answer, Xiao Peng, who was driving, spoke up. "Sir, I actually know a little about that."

"Oh? Go on," Su Chen said, turning his gaze from the window to Xiao Peng.

It was no wonder Su Chen was curious. It gets incredibly cold in the north, with temperatures sometimes dropping to thirty or forty degrees below zero. ’How do the cattle and sheep make it safely through the harsh winter?’

"Take the Wuzhumuqin sheep from the Wuzhumuqin Grassland, for instance. They’re also called fat-tailed sheep—nicknamed the ’Kardashians’ of the ovine world. As winter approaches, they store fat in their tails, so from behind, it looks like they’re carrying a big backpack. That, combined with their thick fleece, allows them to withstand the severe cold. They’re generally let out to graze during the day to find grass under the snow, then herded back into their pens at night."

Su Chen nodded thoughtfully. Then, a thought occurred to him, and he teased, "I didn’t realize you were such an expert on the subject, Xiao Peng!"

Xiao Peng gave an embarrassed laugh. "Heh heh... Sir, it’s just some research I did online beforehand."

"Hmm." Su Chen gave a slight nod and turned his gaze back to the window.

Xiao Peng glanced in the rearview mirror. When he saw Su Chen looking out the window again, a flicker of disappointment flashed in his eyes.

"Are we here?" Su Chen asked as a row of Mongolian yurts came into view.

The words had barely left his mouth when he saw Ji Wan’s car turn toward the yurts.

The moment their car stopped, two burly Mongolian men approached, beaming.

As Su Chen stepped out of the car, he was momentarily taken aback by the sheer bulk of the muscles on the lead man’s face.

"Mr. Su, hello! I’m Ji Wan’s father, Ziggy!"

Looking at the hand that was a full size larger than his own, Su Chen shook it confidently, a faint smile on his face. "Hello! A pleasure to meet you."

"Please, come inside!" Ziggy said with great enthusiasm.

This was Su Chen’s first time inside a Mongolian yurt. It looked similar to pictures he’d seen online, only much more spacious—around thirty to forty square meters. There was a large round table, as well as a separate seating area for drinking tea and chatting.

It was also incredibly warm inside. Su Chen had only been seated for a moment before he started shrugging out of his heavy coat.

"Mr. Su, please try some milk tea from our own ranch."

Ji Wan and two other men came in, placing several items on the table.

Before he could even register what was happening, a brimming bowl of Inner Mongolian milk tea was placed before him.

Though it was called milk tea, Su Chen could also see strips of mutton and yellow millet in the bowl.

Feeling the expectant gazes of Ji Wan and Ziggy, Su Chen, though inwardly puzzled by this version of milk tea, picked up the bowl and took a sip.

A faint saltiness, the rich aroma of tea and milk, and the savory scent of mutton—the flavors blended together to create a surprisingly delicious taste.

After taking two large gulps of the milk tea, Su Chen picked up his chopsticks and finished off all the meat in the bowl.

"Delicious!"

Hearing Su Chen’s comment, the smile on Ziggy’s face grew even wider.

Once the milk tea was nearly finished, Su Chen set down his bowl and cleared his throat twice. Taking the hint, the ever-perceptive Jiang Hui led Chen Fei and Xiao Peng outside.

Ziggy saw this and understood. He shot Ji Wan a look, signaling him to lead Jiang Hui and the others to a different yurt.

Soon, only Su Chen and Ziggy remained in the yurt. For a time, neither spoke.

It was Ziggy who finally broke the silence. "Mr. Su, Ji Wan said you’re interested in Wuzhumuqin sheep. What exactly do you have planned?"

The men of Inner Mongolia are direct; they never beat around the bush.

"My initial plan was to consolidate the entire Wuzhumuqin Grassland. After doing some research, however, I realized I was being a bit arrogant. Dongwu Banner alone has more than forty thousand herders; consolidating all of them would be extremely difficult. My plan is to start here with you. I want to establish a pastoral company specializing in Wuzhumuqin sheep, first breaking into the markets of first- and second-tier cities, then gradually expanding to third- and fourth-tier cities."

"Furthermore, I also plan to promote Wuzhumuqin sheep abroad. The quality of this breed is every bit as good as any foreign sheep!"