Who would still be a social slave when they are so rich?

"Sir, Mr. Pei is here!" Aunt Tang, the nanny, walked quickly to the restaurant door and said respectfully.

Su Chen, who was eating breakfast, paused when he heard this, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. Why did Pei Rang come over again? Could it be that something happened? Otherwise, he should have reported it to him last night.

After only a brief moment of thought, Su Chen replied without looking up, "Let him wait in the living room."

Su Chen didn't suggest that Pei Rang bring breakfast, since he slept until almost ten o'clock before getting up. If he hadn't eaten breakfast by then, he could basically have lunch in one go.

He finished the remaining congee with preserved egg and lean pork in a few gulps, wiped his mouth, and then walked towards the living room.

Pei Rang, who was sitting on the sofa studying some documents, saw Su Chen coming over and quickly stood up, bowing slightly and saying, "Good morning, boss!"

Su Chen calmly waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down, then turned to Chen Fei, who was not far away, and said, "Get two glasses of juice, less ice."

After saying that, he plopped down on the sofa in the main seat.

Seeing that Su Chen had already sat down, Pei Rang also sat down and handed the documents in his hand to Su Chen with both hands, saying, "Boss, I'm sorry to bother you so early. There's an investment project here that I'm a little unsure about, so I came to ask for your opinion."

"Oh?" Su Chen took it but didn't immediately look through it. Instead, he asked, "Have you had any related discussion meetings with the company's senior management and investment department?"

Upon hearing Su Chen's question, Pei Rang immediately straightened his back, organized his thoughts, and then reported, "Boss, we held two seminars specifically for this investment plan, and even consulted several experts in this field, but everyone's opinions were mixed!"

"But Vice President Zong and I feel that this project is very feasible, so we came here specifically to ask for your opinion, Boss."

These words piqued Su Chen's curiosity, and he wanted to know what kind of project it was that Pei Rang was so interested in, while the others in the company were not optimistic about it.

Thinking of this, Su Chen looked down at the document in his hand and immediately flipped to the first page. Several bold characters appeared in his line of sight…

"Concentrated solar thermal power plant!"

What surprised Su Chen even more was that next to these words were a few words that were slightly smaller: "Also known as photovoltaic ranch"!
"A solar thermal power plant? A photovoltaic ranch?" Su Chen couldn't figure out what the two were related or how they were combined.

Su Chen frowned slightly, tapping the cover of the document lightly with his fingers, and muttered thoughtfully, "A photovoltaic ranch? That's quite a novel idea."

Upon seeing this, Pei Rang quickly explained, "Boss, this plan was reported by the Sunshine Lunch Project team that was sent to the Northwest before!"

"Huh? The Sunshine Team reported this?" Su Chen's face showed a strange expression. Doing charity work and still coming up with projects unrelated to their job, how could this not be bizarre?
“That’s right!” Pei Rang nodded firmly. “When I saw the report they submitted, I wondered if they had taken the wrong medicine. I even made a special call to the group leader to ask about the specific situation.”

"It turns out that... during the implementation of the Sunshine Lunch program, they discovered that many places in the area were experiencing severe power shortages due to geographical issues, especially some remote mountainous areas where electricity became a major problem, and there was only electricity available at night."

"In response to these power shortage areas, the local government has also taken corresponding measures, such as installing photovoltaic panels for residents who lack electricity. Due to the low rainfall in the Northwest, this has indeed solved some of the electricity problems, but it is impossible to completely solve them."

"The Sunshine Team was thinking about whether to make good use of the unique advantages of the Northwest to build a large-scale solar thermal power plant. They even conducted a related survey and found that it was very feasible before reporting it to us."

After saying that, Pei Rang deliberately glanced at Su Chen's expression, wanting to see his opinion on the project, but found that his boss's face and eyes were calm and composed, and he couldn't tell what he was thinking at all.

At this moment, Chen Fei walked over carrying two glasses of freshly squeezed juice with less ice.

Su Chen took the cup, took a small sip, and then asked, "So how is this solar thermal power plant combined with this ranch?"

He didn't look at the document Pei Rang handed him. It was a thick stack, at least twenty or thirty pages long. It would take him at least ten minutes to read it, so it was simpler to just let Pei Rang explain it directly.

Pei Rang did not answer immediately upon hearing this. Instead, he picked up his chilled juice, took a sip, and felt much more refreshed before explaining, "Boss, the origin of this photovoltaic ranch was derived from the experience of several experts, combined with the principle of solar thermal power plants, and then through our self-developed AI artificial intelligence system."

He then picked up the documents Su Chen had placed on the table, flipped through several pages until he reached the page with several pictures, at which point he stopped.

Pointing to the picture on the document, he said, "Boss, look, this is a preliminary concept design of a 'photovoltaic ranch' based on suggestions from our artificial intelligence system!"

The photo shows a futuristic-looking prism tower at the center, surrounded by a large array of solar panels that expand outwards in a circular pattern, creating a stunning visual effect.

When Su Chen saw this picture, he was also slightly surprised by its layout.

Pei Rang, who had been paying close attention to Su Chen's expression, felt a little relieved. After all, as the main force behind this project, he was under a lot of pressure.

"Boss, traditional solar thermal power plants require a lot of land, but the Northwest is sparsely populated, especially in desertified areas where there are very few people. Plus, with more than ten hours of sunshine a day, it's simply the perfect combination of timing and location!"

"At that time, we will level all those sand dunes and then use a grid to fix the sandy land. With the installation of solar panels to absorb the sun's heat, the temperature of the surrounding desert will also drop, providing a suitable environment for the growth of sandy plants."

"In addition, our solar thermal power plant is located in the desert, where sandstorms often cover the solar panels. While we are cleaning them, we also wash the solar panels with water, which indirectly provides water to the plants."

"According to our estimates, once we build this solar thermal power plant, at most... at most one year, the area under the solar panels will be covered with various plants or pastures."

"If we succeed, we can expand the scale of solar thermal power plants indefinitely around the desert, turning the desert into an oasis while generating solar power, and even restoring life to the entire desert!"

Pei Rang became more and more excited as he spoke, as if the blueprint he was describing had already appeared before his eyes.

But Pei Rang quickly realized that he had been a little excited, so he immediately suppressed the excitement on his face and tentatively looked at Su Chen and asked, "I wonder what the boss thinks of this project?"

Su Chen leaned back, burying himself in the soft sofa back, his right hand tapping rhythmically on the sofa armrest as he pondered deeply.

It wasn't that Su Chen doubted whether the solar thermal power plant would succeed; whether it succeeded or not was an investment choice. What he was pondering was whether, as Pei Rang had said, it could truly turn the desert back into an oasis and pasture!
Soon... Su Chen stopped tapping his fingers, raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at Pei Rang, and asked, "There are no major problems with this project, but have you decided on the location yet?"

“Of course…” Pei Rang was about to tell Chen Fei the place he had chosen, but he saw out of the corner of his eye that Chen Fei was shaking his head slightly at him. Seeing this, Pei Rang swallowed back the words he was about to say.

As someone who often followed Su Chen around, Chen Fei definitely knew more about his boss than he did. His little tricks were definitely a reminder that there was a deeper meaning behind the boss's question.

Realizing what he had said, Pei Rang quickly changed his tune, saying, "Of course I have to hear your opinion, boss."

Su Chen's lips curled up slightly, a faint smile on his face. He had clearly seen Pei Rang's expression just now, and naturally noticed that his gaze had inexplicably turned to the back of him.

The changes involved are self-evident.

However, Su Chen did not blame Chen Fei. Pretending not to have noticed, he continued Pei Rang's words and asked in a questioning tone, "What do you think of Minqin? It is located at the junction of two major deserts, with 3600 hours of sunshine per year. It is rich in light and heat resources and belongs to a first-class resource area!"

"This location is a perfect fit for this project, Mr. Pei, what do you think?"

Su Chen's extensive knowledge stemmed from his previous trip to Minqin, where he learned a great deal about the area.

"This place is great!" Pei Rang's eyes lit up immediately. This wasn't because he was flattering Su Chen, but because the place he chose only had 3000 hours of sunshine per year, which was one-sixth less than Minqin.

Not to mention that there are two huge deserts around Minqin. If their photovoltaic ranch project succeeds, it means that the vast desert will be the place where they can make their mark.

If the project is a great success, how could Pei Rang, the person in charge of promoting it, not be excited! "Boss, you have a brilliant idea. Minqin is indeed the best choice. It not only has plenty of sunshine, but also suffers from severe desertification. The local area has been racking its brains to combat desertification."

"If our photovoltaic ranch project can be established here, it will not only solve the energy problem and bring benefits to the local area, but also directly participate in ecological restoration. The local support will definitely be very strong!"

As he said this, Pei Rang moved the documents in his hand to his right, worried that Su Chen would see the sections they had selected.

Su Chen nodded, agreeing with Pei Rang's statement. "What is your estimated investment for this project?"

Pei Rang was already prepared. He pulled out a document, which was an investment budget sheet. "Boss, the preliminary estimated investment amount is three hundred million!"

"Three hundred million?" Su Chen took the investment budget sheet and glanced at it. It was indeed three hundred million. He handed the sheet back to Pei Rang and asked with a questioning tone, "Is three hundred million really enough to build a solar thermal power plant from scratch in the desert?"

Pei Rang naturally understood Su Chen's meaning: they should not treat this project, which was beneficial to the country and its people, as a joke. But... that was the reality.

"Boss, actually there's still a lot of room in the budget. First of all, if we choose a location deep in the desert in Minqin, we'll definitely be able to save a lot of money on land costs!"

"As for projects that require money, the first thing is to level the desert. It will take manpower to fix the entire project site with straw checkerboard grids to prevent wind and fix the sand! But this won't cost much."

"The most important part is the infrastructure of the solar thermal power plant, including the installation of solar panels, intelligent operation and maintenance systems, and ecological restoration projects. The total cost is about 100 million to 200 million yuan, which is more than enough!"

"According to our calculations, based on the current planned scale, the annual revenue of the power plant after grid connection can reach 30 million. However, if the photovoltaic ranch is successful, this scale will double, and the annual revenue will exceed 100 million. This does not include potential carbon trading and ranch revenue."

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Chen immediately agreed to Pei Rang's investment plan.

"You should assign a senior executive to personally oversee this project. Invite experts if necessary; don't let me work in isolation! If this project succeeds, I will contact the relevant departments to apply for the photovoltaic ranch project to be designated a national-level 'desert control + new energy' demonstration project!"

Su Chen did this to protect the cake he had created himself, ensuring that not just anyone could get a piece of it.

But at the same time... Su Chen also understood that he couldn't finish the cake by himself, so he thought of hauling the top portion onto the boat and taking the largest portion.

Upon hearing this, Pei Rang excitedly stood up from the sofa and assured him, "Boss, I will definitely not let you down. This project will be a success!"

After finishing their business, Su Chen chatted with Pei Rang about the shares of the Li Group. Currently, all the scattered shares of the Li Group in the secondary stock market have been sold out.

They swept up nearly 80% of the shares on the market through thousands of accounts, while the remaining 20% ​​was acquired by Arthur and some investment banks.

"Sir, it's getting late, we should head to the airport!" Chen Fei whispered to Su Chen as he walked over.

Su Chen then remembered that he needed to fly to Zheng Island. He raised his hand to look at his watch and realized that it was already eleven o'clock.

"Okay, let's stop here for today. Get the photovoltaic project implemented as soon as possible. Oh, and... remember to give a bonus to the person or team that proposed this plan!"

After saying that, Su Chen got up and went upstairs to change his clothes without waiting for Pei Rang to speak.

Pei Rang didn't linger any longer or say anything about taking Su Chen to the airport. He packed his things and left.

He also wanted to take advantage of the time before lunch break to try to go back and hold a high-level meeting to finalize the project.

After Su Chen changed his clothes and came downstairs, he learned from Chen Fei that Pei Rang had returned to the company for a meeting. He nodded without saying anything, gave Aunt Tang a few instructions, and then left with Chen Fei.

Upon arriving at the garage, three cars were already waiting in the underground parking lot. In addition to the first empty Rolls-Royce, the other two cars were occupied by the five elite guards who had returned with Su Chen, all of whom stood respectfully in front of the cars.

Seeing Su Chen emerge from the elevator, they all shouted in unison, "Good morning, boss!"

Su Chen nodded slightly and got into the Rolls-Royce.

With a few crisp thuds, the three cars slowly drove out of the underground parking garage and headed towards Pudong Airport.

……

3 PM, Jinzhou Bay Airport!

"Boss! Did you run into any trouble on your trip to Hawaii?" Xiao Peng's heart skipped a beat when he saw five elite guards following Su Chen off the plane.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Su Chen didn't react at first when he saw Xiao Peng looking nervously behind him. But when he saw Xiao Peng glancing behind him from time to time, he immediately realized what was going on.

He patted Xiao Peng on the shoulder and asked with a playful smile, "You're wondering why only five out of ten elite guards came back, right?"

"Hehe~" Xiao Peng laughed awkwardly, "My little tricks still didn't escape your sharp eyes, boss."

Su Chen made a sword finger gesture with his right hand and pointed it at Xiao Peng in the air, laughing, "You're quite something now, kid! Your mouth is even smoother than before!"

After speaking, Su Chen's smile faded slightly, and he said, "I've assigned important tasks to the others; they'll be back in a few days. Also..."

Su Chen paused for a moment, then looked back at the five people behind him. Sensing their boss's gaze, they all straightened their backs and displayed their best demeanor.

“The five of them will not return to the park for the time being. Arrange a slightly secluded place for them to come out after the others return.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Peng's expression also became serious. For Su Chen to make such an arrangement, he must have encountered some confidential matter during this trip. Temporarily isolating these people was to ensure that the matter would not be leaked.

If they were to return to the park, the guards there would definitely be very curious about them and would relentlessly question them about where they had gone with the boss.

It's better to be safe than sorry. If the secrets of this trip are leaked, who knows what the consequences will be?

As someone who had always followed Su Chen, Xiao Peng could count on one hand the number of things his boss had paid so much attention to and specifically instructed him on, and they were all things like chips and lithography machines.

"Yes, boss! We just built a watchtower on the mountain near the dock, and I was just about to send someone there. Why don't we have them stay there for a while and get the watchtower up and running!"

"A watchtower?" Su Chen looked at Xiao Peng with some confusion. Why would they build such a semi-military structure?

"Uh..." Xiao Peng was about to explain when he immediately remembered that they were still on the airport tarmac, and quickly said, "Boss, why don't we talk in the car? It's a bit windy at the airport."

What does it mean if the wind is a bit strong? This wind blows on you, dissipating some of the heat and making you feel refreshed.

Su Chen smiled and didn't expose Xiao Peng's somewhat lame excuse. He went along with it and said, "Okay, I'll follow your arrangements. Let's get in the car first."

(End of this chapter)