Chapter 1718 — Thanks for Your Hard Work

"Little Shu isn't entirely sure about that either. But if the land already belongs to us, then all that remains should be the construction costs. Brother Arrow, you could ask Lai Pangzi. Wasn't he in the construction business before?" Shen Yushu reminded him.

"All right, I'll ask him." As he spoke, Wei Zhao called Lai Pangzi.

"Leader? You're back?" Lai Pangzi was one of those people with exceptionally good connections and sources. He had heard that the Yu Family was finished, and he also knew that the Kang Family had failed in its bid to become an aristocratic family. That latter news pleased him even more. With the Kang Family out of the running, it had become even less of a threat.

And as a result, the Lai Family would rise with the tide, while Lai Changyi's own reputation would grow louder and louder. After all, he was Wei Zhao's little brother. Lai Changyi had long expected that his day would come. Now he had an advantage over every aristocratic family, because he was one of the first few to follow Wei Zhao.

"Not yet. I'm on my way back." Wei Zhao said, "There's something I wanted to ask you. I want to build an orphanage. If the land is already taken care of, how much would it cost to construct one?"

"Huh?" Lai Pangzi was taken aback. He did not quite understand why Wei Zhao had suddenly asked about this, but he answered honestly. "That depends on what kind of orphanage you want to build. If you want something fairly large, it would be comparable to a school. Orphanages in the big cities, for example, have dormitories, activity rooms, libraries, and so on. Some even have their own kindergartens, primary schools, and middle schools. If you built all of those together, the cost would be at least a hundred million. And if you wanted to buy and install all the supporting facilities as well, you would be looking at two hundred million at the very least."

"That much?" Wei Zhao exclaimed.

"Of course, if you only want a plain, ordinary orphanage, somewhere for the children to sleep and eat, a few million would be enough." Lai Pangzi continued, "The key is what kind of orphanage you want to build, Leader..."

"If we're building one, then we might as well do it properly and make it a good one." Lai Pangzi's estimate left Wei Zhao with a pounding headache. Two hundred million? How could it cost that much? But when he thought about it, if they really built all the facilities Lai Pangzi had mentioned, the entire orphanage would be no less than a small university. It would indeed require a substantial investment. Even so, Wei Zhao was unwilling merely to rebuild it exactly as it had been.

"Actually, you don't have to spend that much all at once. You can do it in stages and expand gradually. Facilities that aren't immediately necessary, such as a computer center, library, or gymnasium, are all expensive and can wait. If you only build dormitories and a dining hall, a few million would be enough. If you already own the land, you might not even need that much." Lai Pangzi said, "But once you add the beds, tables, and all the other equipment, it would still come to around five million."

"Do you still have any money on hand?" Wei Zhao asked.

"I can certainly come up with a few million. Anything more than that, though, would affect the company's operations." Lai Pangzi replied.

"Leader... this... having you solve the problem yourself..." Lai Pangzi was embarrassed. "I really feel ashamed that I can't help more."

"It's all right. I understand your difficulties." Wei Zhao began wondering where he could get two hundred million. If he asked the aristocratic families for a loan, any one of them would gladly lend him the money. But that would inevitably give people something to talk about, as if Wei Zhao were extorting them.

After turning the matter over in his mind, Wei Zhao thought of the old man. He had carried out missions for years in the past, so he should have earned quite a bit. Even if it was not several hundred million, he ought to have at least tens of millions. Wei Zhao decided he should ask the old man for some money.

He dialed the old man's number, and Wei Laozhang's lazy voice came from the other end. "Xiaoyi, what is it? Is everything over there taken care of?"

"Yes, it's all taken care of. I called because I wanted to borrow some money from you." Wei Zhao said.

"Borrow money? I don't have any." Wei Laozhang answered bluntly.

"You don't have any? Where did all the money I earned from those missions go? Don't tell me you really only got a few dozen coins for each one!" Wei Zhao was both exasperated and amused by Wei Laozhang's answer. "I didn't want to argue with you about it before, but I really do need the money now..."

"Wait a moment. I'll send you something." Wei Laozhang did not answer him. Instead, he said this and nothing more.

"What?" Wei Zhao had just begun to ask when Wei Laozhang hung up.

Before long, a message arrived on Wei Zhao's phone. When he opened it, he found photographs of a stack of receipts. He enlarged them and examined them carefully. They were donation receipts and records of bank transfers. Seeing them, Wei Zhao fell silent.

It seemed that over the years, Wei Laozhang had donated all the money to charity. Thinking of the old man's miserly ways at home, Wei Zhao felt a faint ache in his heart. He had once misunderstood the old bastard, thinking him a hopeless cheapskate who refused to spend a penny, even making Wei Zhao earn money on the side by weaving straw sandals.

But now it seemed that Wei Laozhang himself had enjoyed none of it. The money he had used to raise Wei Zhao had probably come from practicing medicine in the village. And he treated nearly everyone for free, earning only a little when they needed medicine. To raise Wei Zhao to adulthood on such an income had truly been no easy feat.

Wei Zhao sighed, then quietly called him back.

"You got it?" Wei Laozhang asked without preamble.

"Yes. You have worked hard all these years." Wei Zhao said.

"Ha-ha, it was nothing." Wei Laozhang laughed. "What do you need the money for?"

"More or less the same reason you had. An orphanage here burned down, and I want to rebuild it. I want to make it a first-rate orphanage." Wei Zhao said. "So I urgently need a sum of money."

"So that's what this is about." Wei Laozhang said. "Do you want to take on missions again? That's the quickest way to make money. If you do, I can keep an eye out for something."

"All right!" Wei Zhao gritted his teeth and agreed. "Keep an eye out for me. If a mission comes up, you can put me forward for it. Preferably, it shouldn't take me too far away."

"I'll see what I can find. There may not be anything suitable. If something does come up, I'll contact you." Wei Laozhang said.

Wei Zhao hung up and shook his head. He had thought he had already retired from that world. He had never expected to take on missions again just to earn money.

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