Xu Gui was emotional, but Qin Zhongyi was clearly unaffected by her emotions, remaining calm and collected.
"Building the world's number one amusement park isn't something you can do just by talking," Qin Zhongyi said. "It requires enormous financial, material, and human resources. Miss Xu, do you think you can do that?"
Xu Gui scratched her face, speaking frankly and generously, "Mr. Qin, I don't really understand what you're talking about..."
Qin Zhongyi: "..."
"However," she smiled, seeing Qin Zhongyi's somewhat speechless gaze, "I only know one thing: money makes things easier. Mr. Qin, if you were my financial advisor, then as long as I earn enough money, you would help me with these things, right?"
Qin Zhongyi was taken aback.
Xu Gui countered, "Isn't that so?"
Qin Zhongyi pondered, adjusting his glasses before calmly saying, "If Miss Xu can earn enough money, then of course I'll arrange all these things... However, my monthly salary requirement is quite substantial, at least 1.5 million. Are you willing to pay that, Miss Xu?"
Xu Gui's eyes lit up, and she said, "I can give you two choices, Mr. Qin!"
"The first choice is that I'll give you 1.5 million every month, just like everyone else; and the second choice..." She looked intently at Qin Zhongyi
, saying, "Whatever I earn each month, I'll give you 30% of my income!" She smiled at Qin Zhongyi and asked, "Which do you choose?"
Xu Gui's words surprised both Qin Zhongyi and Kuang Ming. Kuang Ming hadn't expected Xu Gui to be so bold, or rather, so willing to offer 30% of her income.
Kuang Ming took a breath.
"Miss Xu, you really are…" Qin Zhongyi looked at Xu Gui with a complicated expression. He thought for several seconds before finally coming up with a suitable word: "courage."
That's right, she has courage. Most people wouldn't be willing to give away so much money.
Qin Zhongyi couldn't help but ask, "Miss Xu, are you
really willing to give it up?" "Why wouldn't I?" Xu Gui blinked and tilted her head slightly. "Mr. Qin, you're so capable. If you can really help me build the world's number one amusement park… I actually think that giving you only 30% of the revenue is already a bargain for me."
She nodded as she spoke, looking quite serious.
Qin Zhongyi asked, "Miss Xu, are you so sure I can do this?"
Xu Gui retorted, "Didn't Kuang Ming say you were the best financial advisor in the world? Is he lying?"
Kuang Ming's lips twitched slightly as he protested, "I only said he's an excellent financial advisor who can help you make a reasonable plan for your assets. I never said he was the best financial advisor in the world!"
Xu Gui didn't look at Kuang Ming but at Qin Zhongyi, smiling as she asked, "So, Mr. Qin, what's your choice? Option one, or option two?"
A glint of light flashed in Qin Zhongyi's eyes. He looked at Xu Gui with a strange gaze, and after a few seconds, he said, "Since Miss Xu trusts me so much, then I can only choose option 'two'!"
He suddenly laughed—this was the first time Xu Gui had seen him laugh since they met. When he wasn't laughing, he looked extremely gloomy, but when he laughed, he had a very cheerful air about him.
He stood up and extended his hand to Xu Gui: "Then, Miss Xu, please guide me from now on..."
Xu Gui also stood up and smiled: "That's what I wanted to say too. Mr. Qin, it's a pleasure doing business with you."
...
The cooperation between the two was naturally not settled hastily with just a few words. They borrowed the orphanage's printer, wrote a contract on the spot, and then each signed their names on the contract.
After signing, Qin Zhongyi put his copy of the document into his briefcase, then stood up and said: "...The contract is signed, so now, Miss Xu's money is also my money!"
He adjusted his glasses and said: "I'm going to go talk to the director about the future construction of the orphanage."
Qin Zhongyi turned to find the director, and after he left, Kuang Ming approached Xu Gui with a headache and couldn't help but ask him: "What were you thinking? Why did you sign such a contract with Qin Zhongyi?"
Xu Gui retorted: "Didn't you introduce him to me? I thought you trusted him a lot."
"Of course I believe him! We've been friends since we were kids!" Kuang Ming said without hesitation, then added, "But our friendship is between us, it has nothing to do with you! You can't just believe him unconditionally because of me, can you?"
He said, his head aching, "You've only met him for the first time! Don't you think your actions are a bit too bold?"
Xu Gui's eyes brightened. She said, "I don't think I'm being bold. I'm just seizing the opportunity... Kuang Ming, have you forgotten what my main profession is?"
Kuang Ming: "...Main profession?"
Hearing Xu Gui's words, he suddenly remembered that Xu Gui's main profession was fortune telling.
"Then what are you?" He looked at Xu Gui with surprise.
Xu Gui pondered, "I didn't really foresee anything, maybe it's because my entanglement with him later became quite deep... However,"
she looked intently at Kuang Ming, "I have a feeling that if I want to achieve my goal of building the world's number one orphanage, I will definitely need his help!"
She had a clear understanding of herself; after all, she was just a little turtle who liked to eat and bask in the sun. Have you ever seen a diligent turtle?
Anyway, she definitely couldn't do this herself... Yes, that's how confidently a turtle is.
Moreover, she was actually clueless about how to build the world's number one orphanage, and didn't know where to start. But... now it's different. Now Qin Zhongyi is tied to her; their fates are intertwined. So she can rightfully entrust this task to Qin Zhongyi.
"This is great! I only need to make money, and I can leave everything else to Qin Zhongyi..." Xu Gui said smugly. "I only need to take 30% of the income, and someone will do everything for me. I'm clearly getting a great deal!"
Kuang Ming, after hearing Xu Gui's words
, was speechless. He had previously thought Xu Gui was incredibly stupid; otherwise, why would she do something that seemed so "brainless"? But now, he felt like he was the stupid one. Xu Gui's articulate manner suggested she was actually quite clever.
"...Mr. Qin seems really capable!" Xu Gui was delighted to have found a capable worker—money wasn't important; the most important thing was whether the person was capable.
If they were capable, any amount of money would be worthwhile.
Kuang Ming rubbed his throbbing temples and couldn't help but say, "I don't know if you're smart or stupid..."
Xu Gui declared confidently, "Of course I'm smart!" There couldn't possibly be a turtle as smart as her in this world.
To her words, Kuang Ming simply chuckled
.
Qin Zhongyi went to discuss the construction plans for the orphanage with the director, but Xu Gui didn't expect the final result to be that the director planned to transfer the orphanage to her name.
Xu Gui was somewhat surprised.
"Director?" She looked at the director, frowning as she asked, "Why do you suddenly want to transfer the orphanage to me?"
"It wasn't a sudden thought. Actually, I've been thinking about this for a long time..." The director gently shook her head and sighed, "It's just that before, I couldn't think of anyone to entrust the orphanage to."
The director sighed, turned to look out the window, her expression a mixture of nostalgia and reluctance.
She said, "Little Turtle, I'm not young anymore, especially in the last two years. My health has deteriorated, and I feel powerless to manage many things at the orphanage... Many times I've thought, if we had a different director, would things be much better?"
"If we had a more capable director, could the winter solstice surgery have been performed earlier, and the children wouldn't be suffering from such food and clothing shortages..."
Often, looking at the children, the director couldn't help but feel guilty. She always felt she wasn't a qualified director, and that if someone else had been in charge, the children's lives might not have been so difficult.
As she grew older, she couldn't help but think about who she would entrust the orphanage to after she passed away, and who she could entrust it to... In fact, unbeknownst to Xu Gui and the others, she had contacted several people who wanted to take over the orphanage.
However... she didn't trust those people and couldn't feel at ease handing the orphanage over to them. She feared that if she entrusted it to these people, the orphanage would become a tool for their profit, and the children would suffer as a result.
"…But Xiao Gui, you're different," she looked at Xu Gui with loving eyes. "I've watched you grow up. I know you better than anyone. You're kind-hearted and capable. I'd have complete peace of mind entrusting the orphanage to you!"
Actually, when Xu Gui gave her her first earnings to pay for Dongzhi's surgery, she already had this thought. Later, this thought grew stronger until Qin Zhongyi came to her today, and she finally made her decision.
The director looked at Xu Gui, her eyes bright. She said, "Xiao Gui, I believe in you. You'll be the best director of the orphanage!"
"No," Xu Gui shook her head. She looked at the director earnestly and said, "Director, in my heart, you are the best director of our orphanage. I believe everyone else thinks so too…"
Although the conditions at their orphanage were indeed very difficult, and life wasn't very wealthy, every staff member was kind to the children. Everyone genuinely liked and cared for them.
Especially the director.
The title "Director Mom" wasn't just for show. In the hearts of many in the orphanage, the director was their mother. Thanks to her, these children, orphaned and abandoned by their families, had a place to belong and were able to grow up healthily.
"So, Director, don't say that," Xu Gui hugged the director, nuzzling her, and said, "In our hearts, Director, you are the best. No one can be better than you."
Hearing Xu Gui's words, the director couldn't help but burst into tears, a feeling of having lived a life without regrets welling up inside her.
"You are all the best children in the world..." she said.