While Zhou Cheng drove, Xia Xiaolan chatted with Yang Yonghong.

Yang Yonghong always said she was slow, claiming she only got into Huaqing through years of retaking exams, but Xia Xiaolan truly felt Elder Sister Yang wasn’t slow at all.

Given Yang Yonghong’s background, she wasn’t just not slow, but very perceptive – how else could she consider such issues?

“What you’re describing is a social phenomenon. What I know is that this is just the beginning. Land can’t hold farmers back anymore. Before, people didn’t know what life was like outside. Once one person ventures out, often the whole village’s thoughts begin to stir.”

As more people left, migrant workers formed a significant group.

The group existed because there was demand – city construction needed “migrant workers.”

The difference was in the timing of leaving hometown for city life, and the possibility of settling in cities was greater now.

Take Yang Jie – he now earned three to four hundred yuan monthly. Even without switching to business, through hard work alone, he could have a chance to buy a house in a future first-tier city like Pengcheng after ten years of effort.

By the 90s, commercial housing prices in Pengcheng would already be several thousand yuan per square meter.

But besides commercial housing, there were still many slightly cheaper private houses available for workers like Yang Jie.

If couples worked together, they could save money faster and more easily achieve their goal of settling in Pengcheng.

Not to mention that among the farmers who went out to work in the 80s and 90s, many became small business owners, and some even grew their businesses into successful enterprises.

Those who went out to work after the millennium still had chances to settle in cities – if not first-tier cities, then they could hope to buy houses in second or third-tier cities.

A few years later would be impossible, with housing prices soaring beyond ordinary people’s reach, where even whole families working together couldn’t keep up with rising prices… As a newly started real estate developer, Xia Xiaolan was also helpless about this.

High housing prices kept the elite in first-tier cities; those who weren’t truly elite and lacked family support could only retreat to second and third-tier small cities.

In Xia Xiaolan’s opinion, if one wanted to leave the countryside and settle in big cities, the earlier the better.

Making money early was key – there were still many opportunities in the 80s.

Yang Yonghong was very surprised, “If the whole village leaves home, there really won’t be anyone to farm. What about the land? What about food?”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t know how to answer this. She remembered that even in her past life, she’d never heard of the country lacking food. Not only was there no shortage, China had a surplus in food production.

Having never been a farmer, Xia Xiaolan only roughly knew:

“Some land will expand into cities, and what can’t become cities will be mechanically managed, probably not needing much labor?”

Xia Xiaolan used a questioning tone, as she couldn’t be too certain.

Although she knew that large numbers of migrant workers entering cities weren’t all positive – besides land being consolidated and managed at scale, some land would be abandoned, and left-behind children were unavoidable.

She had seen all this, but she couldn’t tell Yang Yonghong. Even someone with good judgment couldn’t describe future events as if personally witnessed – Zhou Cheng was still in the car!

Moreover, these were necessary processes of economic development. Xia Xiaolan didn’t share Yang Yonghong’s love for the land – that was the difference between real and nominal farmers… Worrying was useless; without taking care of oneself first, how could one influence others and the environment?

The Yang siblings going to work in Pengcheng had more benefits than drawbacks for villagers – at least they knew they had choices besides farming.

Of course, without someone leading the way, these people venturing out might initially face severe hardships.

The experience accumulated gradually. After several falls, those with firm determination would find ways to put down roots in cities, while the less determined would naturally return home.

Xia Xiaolan’s words hadn’t completely resolved Yang Yonghong’s doubts.

Driving past farmland, Yang Yonghong gazed out the window lost in thought, clearly contemplating life’s big questions.

This was how ’80s college students were. Each had their personality – not all were perfect role models, with selfishness and quirks, but they had concerns for the country and people. They might be so poor they relied on state subsidies for school, yet believed the country’s future depended on their efforts.

Confidence and vigor were fully embodied in ’80s college students.

This was why Xia Xiaolan loved this era so much. After university enrollment expanded, more people had access to higher education, but environmental changes had eliminated everyone’s ideals.

Xia Xiaolan remembered Zhou Cheng’s earlier suggestion and quickly said to Yang Yonghong:

“Elder Sister, have you considered starting some animal husbandry at home? The economic returns are better than just farming! However it needs initial capital investment, and you’ll need to learn scientific breeding techniques and methods for Uncle and Auntie. But if it succeeds, Yang Jie would have a better chance to study peacefully.”

Sacrificing anyone’s future wasn’t good. The Yang family’s economic situation needed fundamental change, raising the family’s overall income rather than having one person support all.

Yang Yonghong had considered this issue.

But given the Yang family’s previous conditions and reality’s constraints, she hadn’t dared raise such suggestions lightly.

If her parents followed through but failed to manage well, with mass deaths of livestock, the Yang family would face worse hardship.

Already without money, they couldn’t afford losses.

They didn’t even have money to buy livestock seedlings – how could they take the first step?

But things were different now. The Yang family had people earning money outside – she and Yang Jie’s earnings were enough to cover Yang Jie’s marriage expenses. Yang Jie was still in Pengcheng and likely wouldn’t return until the Nanhai Hotel project finished, meaning he’d bring back more wages when he came home.

Yang Yonghong immediately became interested:

“Xiaolan, what do you think we should raise?”

Xia Xiaolan looked at Zhou Cheng – since it was his suggestion, let him answer.

While driving, Zhou Cheng organized his thoughts:

“I just mentioned it casually. Whether to do it depends on your thoughts, Elder Sister Yang, and you need to discuss it with your family. I think raising anything would work – that’s not the key point. The key is preparation before starting. Besides the capital investment, initial preparation can’t be careless. You’ve seen the force of reform and opening up in the South. I think gradually the whole country will be affected. Farmers can’t rely on plans anymore for what to plant or raise – the market decides! First, figure out what the market needs – which sells better in your county: chickens, ducks, or geese? If they don’t sell well in the county, are there restaurants in the city that would buy them? Once you understand these things, you won’t lose much.”

Yang Yonghong listened intently, while Xia Xiaolan felt happy and proud.

Zhou Cheng was right – everyone was progressing, and his intelligence repeatedly impressed her.

If Zhou Cheng used his brains for business, his achievements couldn’t be below hers – this was the man she chose, proof of her good judgment! Though Zhou Cheng was exceptionally handsome, he didn’t rely on just his looks!