"That’s what I was thinking, too. We just need to provide the funding. We won’t get involved in anything else. The government will arrange for the staff and pay their wages. We won’t be a part of the operations."

Gu’er nodded. She believed that was the city’s intention as well. There was no way they would be given the operating rights to the four nursing homes; that had to belong to the government. This was perfect, as the government could then assign a batch of workers to the nursing homes, solving some employment issues. Management and all related matters would be handled by the government, so she wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.

Once Gu’er and the others finished their discussion, their minds were at ease. The next day, they went to see the vice mayor and presented their plan.

The vice mayor agreed to their plan: they would provide the funds for two nursing homes this year and for the other two next year. In addition, Gu’er’s group would donate a certain amount each month to cover expenses, but they wouldn’t interfere with operations, which would be managed by the city.

The vice mayor was also very satisfied. As long as Gu’er and her group built the nursing homes, he could arrange for a batch of staff. The elderly would have a place to go, and the workers would have jobs. It was a win-win. Furthermore, he could also bring in other sponsors, ensuring the nursing homes could remain operational.

Besides, not everyone entering the nursing homes would be destitute and alone. Some have children who simply lack the time to care for them. As long as the families paid, their elderly relatives could be admitted as well. This would be another source of revenue. With steady income, the nursing homes’ future would be secure.

Moreover, even in the case of solitary elders with no children or relatives, most of them owned a small house. After they passed away, their property would revert to the state. The state could then sell it and use the money for public services. This was all beneficial. What the government lacked right now was the initial capital and a leader to spearhead the project. As long as Gu’er and her group were willing, everything would work.

If this project succeeded, it would be more than just a public good that created jobs for a group of workers; it would also be a political achievement for them. When word got out, it would bring prestige to their city, and other cities would look to them as an example. For the officials, this was a matter of great honor.

After finalizing the details with the vice mayor, Gu’er’s group signed a contract and made the donation to the city in the mall’s name. They would not be involved in the construction timeline or completion date. Once the project was finished, the city would invite them to the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Now, all they had to do was hire someone to manage the nursing home back in their village.

With the paperwork approved, they had no mind for other matters. They hired workers, went to their chosen site, and began laying the foundation. Construction was underway.

Once construction began, Gu’er and her friends didn’t need to supervise it constantly. They asked some of the villagers to keep an eye on things and call them if any issues arose. The villagers were incredibly helpful and told them they had nothing to worry about.

With that matter settled, Gu’er breathed a sigh of relief. The next thing on the agenda was helping Li Zhi and Dingzi move.

Dingzi’s move was simple. His household consisted of just him and his grandmother. They just packed up a few things, loaded them onto a truck, and drove them over. Just like that, they were moved in, and he officially became Gu’er’s neighbor.

But what about Li Zhi? His family was another story. He had parents, a younger sister, and a large circle of relatives and friends.

His house was plenty big, so he asked his parents to move in with him. But they said they were used to their old place and all their neighbors, and they didn’t want to move. Li Zhi didn’t press the issue. It was more comfortable living alone anyway, with no one nagging him. He could just go back for a meal and a chat whenever he had free time.

However, Li Zhi’s younger sister came along. She said she wanted to live there. The place was big enough, she was his own sister, and she’d probably be getting married in a year or two anyway. If she wanted to stay, why not? Li Zhi didn’t object.

Li Zhi’s younger sister was named Li Ting, and she was a year younger than Gu’er. Gu’er had met her a couple of times but didn’t know her well. Li Ting was, how to put it... a bit of a princess, a little arrogant. Gu’er understood, though. Li Ting came from a well-off family, had never known hardship, and was doted on by her parents, which had shaped her personality. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

One time, Li Ting had tagged along with them, but after walking only a few steps, she started complaining. She whined that it was torture, that she was tired, that it wasn’t fun, and that the sun was going to make her tan. She then refused to go any farther and threw a fit, demanding to go home. In the end, everyone had no choice but to head back with her, and the whole outing was ruined.

After that incident, Li Zhi mostly stopped bringing her along, and Li Ting didn’t hang out with their group anymore. Aside from that, there wasn’t any real friction between them.

Since they had moved in, it was natural to have a housewarming party. Li Zhi and Dingzi had moved in around the same time, so they decided to throw a joint celebration at Li Zhi’s house.

Gu’er bought lots of meat, vegetables, and other ingredients, as they had decided to have hot pot, hoping it would bring everyone a prosperous and vibrant future.

In addition to Gu’er, Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and Dingzi, they had also invited Liu Yuan. The siblings Zheng Zhongshan and Zheng Xinghua came over as well. Counting Li Ting and the two girlfriends she brought along, there were ten people in total. The older generation and elders were all at the Sun Family’s home, with Aunt Zhao and the others looking after them.

Since it was a group of young people, there was no need for formalities. They all ate, drank, and chatted freely.

"Sister Gu’er, can you go get us another box of cuttlefish roe? We finished this one."

Li Ting called out to Gu’er as she scooped the last of the cuttlefish roe from the pot.

Gu’er frowned slightly. It was Li Zhi’s housewarming, which technically made Li Ting a co-hostess. She should have been the one helping out. But Gu’er had done everything—buying the groceries and ingredients, preparing the soup base, washing the vegetables, and bringing all the food out. She had just sat down when Li Ting started ordering her around. ’Does she think I’m her maid?’ Gu’er felt a prickle of annoyance.

"There’s no more," Gu’er replied coolly. "I only brought one box. I didn’t realize it would be so popular."

She had brought the cuttlefish roe back from her last trip and had been saving it in her fridge for a special hot pot night. She’d brought it over for the party, and now it was, indeed, all gone.

"Seriously? If you’re going to bring something, you could at least bring enough. We can’t even get our fill," Li Ting grumbled. "Xiao Li, Xiao Hong, you two have the rest."

Muttering, Li Ting scooped out the last two pieces from the pot, one for each of her friends. Now it was completely gone.

Gu’er shot her a look. ’I haven’t even had a single piece myself. I let the three of them have almost the whole box, and they’re still complaining?’ But Gu’er decided not to stoop to her level.

Nearby, Sun Jiaming, Li Zhi, and the others were drinking. Li Zhi frowned when he heard the exchange and looked like he was about to speak, but Sun Jiaming gave him a slight shake of his head. He felt bad for Gu’er too, but he knew she wouldn’t want to ruin the party. Besides, the girl was Li Zhi’s sister. It was better to just let it go.

But just as they decided to let it go, the troublemakers struck again. They heard Xiao Li say to Li Ting, "Tingzi, what kind of sesame paste is this? I’m not used to it. I had some from Wang Mazi’s once, and it was amazing. Do you have any of that here?"

Li Ting glanced at the unassuming bottle of sesame paste. Xiao Li’s comment made her feel like she was losing face. "I have no idea. I didn’t prepare any of this," she said defensively. "Honestly, it’s not like we’re short on cash. Why wasn’t the good kind purchased? Sister Gu’er, go out and buy us some of Wang Mazi’s sesame paste. It’s not like my brother won’t give you the money. Did you really have to try and pass this cheap stuff off on us?"