Chapter 64: Desert Ventures and Village Innovations

“Director Luo’s orders must be followed to the letter!”

After hearing Luo Peng’s reminder, the workers bantered amongst themselves.

In the past, villagers would only cry out nonsensical names all day, but the sudden shout of ‘Director Luo’ now clearly shows that Luo Peng’s status and reputation in the village have soared.

“Uncle Ma, this task is yours! Ensure the grass lattice is perfectly aligned—tourists might come to claim them later. Once you’re finished, head to Oasis One; dinner will be served there.”

Luo Peng laughed.

He knew that while the elders’ banter was all in good fun, they never allowed it to compromise their work.

To prevent the workers from getting lost, a simple rope trail had already been set up between Shadou One and Shadou Two.

When the guesthouses at Oasis Two are completed, a wooden boardwalk will be constructed.

In doing so,

Oasis One will be perfectly connected with Oasis Two.

Moreover, the grass lattice area surrounding Oasis Two has now been designated as the ‘Acacia Grove’ zone. In the future, couples wishing to plant acacia trees will have this area as their priority spot.

“Are you heading back to the village?”

The man posing as Uncle Ma, a bit startled, quickly asked.

“Yes, and I need to scout for a few chefs who specialize in our Mingsha County’s local cuisine. Eventually, Oasis Two will mirror Oasis One’s facilities.”

Luo Peng nodded.

He had never really understood why southern cities vied so fiercely for investments, but now he saw how a major enterprise could tremendously benefit a locality.

Aside from offering employment opportunities, even the local taxes added a considerable sum.

In recent days, Mingsha Tourism has quietly become the leading enterprise in Mingsha County.

“Looking for chefs? Little Luo, Uncle Ma, I need to discuss something with you.”

The man glanced around at the other workers before picking up his shovel and joining Luo Peng.

“Go ahead, Uncle Ma.”

“Here’s the deal: you know my kid is selling fruit in the city but business isn’t great. Now with tourists and road workers in Hongsha Gang Village, he’s thinking about setting up a stall at Oasis One.”

The man said, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

“A stall?”

“Yes. You could suggest it to Director Zhu. And if there’s any concern over litter, a dedicated vending area can be set up—with stall fees as appropriate!”

He quickly added.

“A stall… Alright, I’ll pass the suggestion to Director Luo. It does seem that the desert could use some stands selling fruit and snacks.”

“But the final call will come from Director Luo’s team.”

After a moment’s thought, Luo Peng nodded.

In fact, if such stalls are introduced, the customers will include not only tourists and road workers; villagers earning extra money from their labor could easily grab a bite—as evidenced by the small shop at the village entrance that thrives on local support.

“Great! Little Luo, I’m counting on you. Keep me posted, and I’ll call my kid so he can prepare ahead of time.”

The man’s face lit up with joy.

“Alright!”

Time flew by, and before long it was evening.

At Oasis One, the fenced courtyard had been completely cleared; the temporary well and stove were dismantled, and the two wild chickens were set free.

Perhaps used to tourists and their occasional feedings, the wild chickens didn’t leave—instead, they staggered off toward the Hu Yang Forest.

“Brother Hao, this place is getting more beautiful every day!”

By the window, Zhu Qiang opened the lakeside window and watched groups of tourists strolling along the blue-brick pathway under the setting sun, filled with awe and admiration.

Though there are just over twenty guesthouses at present, the total number of tourists usually hovers around sixty or seventy, and with the workers, the small Shadou area hosts at least two hundred people.

Additionally, the Mingsha County government has been building a road on the other end, and in their spare time, many workers come by to watch, inadvertently boosting the popularity of Oasis One.

It’s hard to believe that just a month ago, this place was nothing more than a small water puddle in Shadou.

“Things will only get better.”

Xu Hao glanced at the blueprints spread out on the table.

With the log cabin dismantled, he had moved into the guesthouse where Li Jue once stayed. Today, he hadn’t stepped out even once, completely absorbed in sketching plans for Tengwang Pavilion.

“Brother Hao, what about your college professor? You ought to thank her properly! Without her, we wouldn’t have seen tens of thousands more in revenue today.”

After a brief pause, Zhu Qiang continued.

Ever since the company launched the grass lattice claiming scheme last night, tourists have been calling non-stop. Some even said that they didn’t need a room—just plant a tree and leave.

In just one day, over four hundred grass lattice plots were permanently claimed.

“Her? She headed back to Yan City at noon today. She mentioned that she plans to bring her students over to plant trees in the near future.”

At the mention of Han Xiaoqing, Xu Hao felt a trace of emotion.

Zhu Qiang was right. In every way, Han Xiaoqing had been an immense help. They even exchanged WeChat contacts and scheduled a meal, promising proper rewards in the future.

“By then, Brother Hao, your Ancient Building Courtyard should be ready, so you won’t have to worry about housing.”

Zhu Qiang gave Xu Hao a peculiar look.

“Hard to say! Once the blueprints are finalized, it will take several days to secure all the necessary materials like wood and blue bricks. I told you last night—we can’t use ordinary willow wood this time; we need oil cedar.”

Xu Hao managed a bitter smile and shook his head.

When it came time to reconstruct Tengwang Pavilion, he thought it would be straightforward. But once work began, he realized just how complex the process truly was—it won’t be as quick as imagined.

“Brother Hao, don’t worry about the materials—they won’t hold us back!”

Speaking of materials, Zhu Qiang waved his hand dismissively.

Currently, aside from funds for building the guesthouses at Oasis Two, the remaining money is earmarked for buying materials for the Ancient Building Courtyard. With cash in hand, oil cedar isn’t an issue.

“That’s a relief!”

“By the way, Brother Hao, Director Luo called at noon today. He asked if we could set up an area outside Shadou specifically for selling snacks, fruits, and regular drinks.”

After a pause, Zhu Qiang, as if remembering something, added,

“A dedicated vending zone around the perimeter of Shadou?”

Xu Hao turned to glance toward the Desert Pavilion.

“Yes, I think Director Luo’s idea is excellent. First, there’s a clear demand—tourists not only need meals but also fruits and cold drinks.

Second, centralized management would not only keep Oasis One’s environment pristine but also bring in extra income through stall fees.”

Luo Qiang shared his thoughts.

“Alright! Then we’ll designate an area at the base of Shadou, to the west of the Desert Pavilion, specifically for stalls. Also, Mingsha Tourism should operate a few direct-sale outlets,”

“So that even if weather or other issues keep some vendors away, tourists will still have places to buy their snacks.”

“And if we’re going to set it up, let’s do it properly—use blue bricks where needed and establish uniform signage for the stalls.”

After a brief moment’s thought,

Xu Hao finalized the decision.

The area at the base of Shadou, just west of the Desert Pavilion—with its flat terrain and surrounding grass lattice—proved to be the ideal spot for a commercial zone.