Super Zoo

``` The vast majority of people in the world belong to the ranks of mediocrity, but there are two types of mediocre people. One is utterly like mud that can't be propped up against a wall; such people hope that everything about them can get better. Yet when they actually face opportunities and challenges, they completely lack the courage to respond, finding it too hard, too exhausting. After a brief lament about life, they continue to muddle through their days. The other type constantly reflects and does whatever possible to change their circumstances. They are willing to endure hardship and use their brains. It's just that, hampered by their mediocre abilities, they often expend great effort but fail to achieve anything impressive. For the first type of person, not even the gods can save them; they need to be reborn. The second type, however, is just missing a mentor to guide them. Wu belonged to the second type. He was very aware of his capabilities, sufficient to maintain the status quo but not to be ambitious. With him around, Sun Town could remain peaceful, but to further develop and catch up with cities beyond the mountains was near impossible. Having spent half his life cooped up in the mountains dealing with trivial matters, Wu had already fallen out of step with society. But he never gave up on trying. Rowing against the current, if you don't move forward, you fall back. Serving as the town chief over the years had indeed been somewhat exhausting for Wu. It was not until Suming arrived that Wu knew he had finally met his guardian angel. Here was a young man who knew the lay of the land, possessed ability and wealth, understood the world, and had a kind heart toward Sun Town, willing to selflessly help it. In the half-year since the New Year, there had already been earth-shattering changes in Sun Town, charging forward in a good direction. Wu had been groping in the dark for over a decade with no success, but with Suming's guidance, tangible results had appeared within just six months. Wu had already made up his mind to accept his role. As the town chief, he was to assist Suming, going wherever Suming pointed. But today, Suming's unequivocal public support for him, and his willingness to even fallout with Su Lijun, stirred something in Wu. The young man had already given so much to Sun Town, if Sun Town couldn't reciprocate, at the very least it shouldn't become a burden or hold him back. This was the bare minimum of being a decent person. Besides, Sun Town was not his main venture. Suming had too many other matters to attend to and couldn't always stay in Sun Town. Could it be that for any big or small issue that arose in the future, Suming would need to personally resolve it? Take an inappropriate analogy, say you have a dog, and that dog should know how to bark, guard the door, and even bite if necessary. If it only knows how to eat and nothing else, that's a pig! Or take running a business, no matter how good the personal relationship between employees and the boss may be, if the employees are completely lacking in ability, over time, they will inevitably become estranged from the boss. To ensure Suming continued caring for Sun Town, Wu felt it necessary to improve himself, learn to think and solve some problems independently, and at the very least, carry out Suming's instructions effectively and defend this 'rear base' when Suming was away. Unknowingly, Wu had already come to consider Sun Town as Suming's 'rear base,' a safe haven where one has the option to advance or retreat in times of outside struggles. On this point, Wu's thoughts actually aligned with those of Mrs. Su. Mrs. Su's reluctance to leave Sun Town wasn't just for the reasons she had told Suming. It also came from another motive: her son was currently enjoying unlimited success, but social changes are unpredictable—who can guarantee what tomorrow brings? By staying in Sun Town and quietly helping Suming manage the town, she was securing a retreat path for him, just in case he fell on hard times; Sun Town would be his way out. Of course, they still didn't know that Suming himself had discreetly arranged his own fallback plans. The bigger the business, the stronger the competitors; those without forethought are sure to have immediate worries. Arranging backup plans and contingencies early might never be used, but on the one instance, they are called upon, they might be lifesaving and offer a chance to turn things around. Wu thought about it all night and the next day sought out Suming to discuss his two ideas. First, over the course of a few years, gradually build a retirement community in Sun Town. ``` Wu's ideas were not very mature and his explanation was not very clear, but after listening briefly, Suming immediately realized the significant potential. Where does the advantage of big cities lie? Dense population, booming business, high level of modernization… But are these what the elderly need? Sun Town boasts beautiful mountains and clear waters, fresh air, uncontaminated food, and a natural environment that is much better than that of big cities, even surpassing zoos. The slow pace of life is greatly beneficial for the health of the elderly. The old men and women of Sun Town are the best proof – many in their seventies or eighties still glowing with health. Here, establishing a retirement community would allow the elderly to enjoy their time fishing leisurely, tending to flowers and plants, exploring the mountains and waters in company, and even tending to a small patch of land, planting a variety of flora to pass their days contentedly. In the city, people in their thirties or forties are under the greatest work pressure and actually do not have much time to accompany the elderly. Meanwhile, domestic nursing homes are generally of poor condition, poor service, and bad environment, staying in a nursing home is almost the same as staying in a hospital. From a market demand perspective, there's a significant gap in the nursing home sector. If it were possible to build a large-scale retirement community around Sun Town offering high-quality services, the economic issues of Sun Town could be completely resolved. Of course, medical conditions are a concern, but that's something money can solve. From a business standpoint, nursing homes may be slow to monetize, but as long as they are well managed, they will inevitably make money in the future. It is not only about the fees for the care itself. If the number of elderly people living in the community is large enough, and their children and relatives visit every now and then, it could completely boost the tourism industry of Sun Town and even the economy of the entire Maoxi County. However, Suming did not plan to treat the retirement community as a cash cow; when necessary, he was willing to subsidize it a bit. Nursing homes are public welfare projects. From the perspective of social response, they can bring a good reputation, and from a personal viewpoint, they are also a deed of accumulating moral and kind acts. When business has reached his level, and officials have attained the level of Wang Jian She, they all have a sense of awe for the so-called Way of Heaven. What is Heaven? That which is unfathomably high is Heaven. What is the Way? That which leaves no shame in the heart is the Way. Delving deeper, the 'retirement community's' positioning is relatively high; those who can afford to live in this small community are definitely not from poor families. At the minimum, their children are high-ranking white-collar workers with a say in their businesses, and amongst them, there are influential social elites and government officials. By having their parents live here, Suming would, in essence, be weaving a vast social network for himself. Of course, the premise is that the retirement community must be high-end, with excellent services, so that the elderly living there can truly enjoy a happy life in their later years. In another location, the investment required to build a retirement community would be astonishing, but Sun Town has a natural advantage: the land belongs to the town and is very cheap; all you need to do is build the houses. Suming suddenly saw the light; he had just been worrying about the awkward amount of money in the bank – not enough for buying a zoo, yet using it for other things seemed meaningless. It was such a waste just letting it sit there. "This idea is good, Wu. You've really thought it through!" Suming said. "The investment for building houses..." Wu felt a bit embarrassed, as after all the talking, it would still require Suming's money. Suming waved his hand grandly: "Wu, isn't it a coincidence, I just established Taoyuan Real Estate Company, with Su Desheng as the General Manager. Here's the plan: I'll earmark ten million to start with, you and Wang Jian She can handle the construction of the retirement community. Additionally, for the government approval, you'll need to handle that, Su Desheng knows exactly which documents are needed. If there's anything you can't get done, I'll think of a solution."