readease Chapter 141 Family Fund
Chapter 141 Family Fund
Chapter 141 Family Fund
Family gatherings are no different from company team building events or private parties, except that they involve some blood ties.
However, when it comes to kinship, blood ties don't always eliminate the barriers between people. Some relationships between relatives are not even as harmonious as those between colleagues who spend every day together.
Night fell, slowly enveloping every corner of the farm. The lights came on one by one, like scattered stars, illuminating the land with warmth and tranquility.
As the barbecue party began, the people present naturally split into small groups.
This is not about deliberately forming cliques, but rather because everyone's life trajectories and interests are so different that it is indeed difficult to get everyone involved in many topics.
In the senior citizens' section, Ernst and Paul Arlington didn't seem out of place at all; there was no sense of incongruity.
Paul Arlington is now the leader of the Arlington family, while Ernst is the biggest asset in the family's development.
The elders were very pleased that Ernst wanted to set up a family trust so that members of the Arlington and Garfield families could benefit from it.
Regardless of their closeness or distance, they all share the same bloodline, and it is only right for them to help each other. No one can guarantee that their lineage will always be prosperous.
What does it mean to blossom and spread out? As long as one branch can stand firm, it represents hope for the entire family.
Just like Ernst now, his success is like a refreshing rain, nourishing the entire family.
The ancient proverb "When one attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven" is perfectly illustrated here.
If he needs to find someone to act as a front man, he will naturally give priority to family members. This is only natural and also a manifestation of family cohesion.
When Ernst proposed to buy Red River Valley Farm, John Arlington was the loudest in his support, practically raising five hands in agreement.
The Arlington family has made their living from the land for generations. Even when members of Paul's branch became lawyers and worked in bustling big cities, they still purchased farms as family assets.
Within the Arlington family, situations like Paul's are not uncommon, with some as extreme as Jason Arlington directly taking out loans to finance his assets.
Despite Jason Arlington's past work on Wall Street and his current role as Google's CFO, his family was previously just a minor player within the Arlington family system.
His parents ran a small country bar and lived a modest life, barely making ends meet.
But with Google's two successful rounds of financing, the company's top executives instantly became highly sought-after by banks.
They are guaranteed to receive equity, at least stock options worth millions of dollars. This is the rule in America, and no one can change it.
So even if they don't have any assets to mortgage, this guarantee of future wealth allows them to easily borrow a few hundred thousand dollars from the bank.
Ernst knew that a few days ago Jason Arlington had taken out a loan of $500,000 and, together with his own savings, bought a farm of more than 300 acres in his parents' small town.
Besides preserving asset value, it is also used for retirement.
Therefore, land is deeply ingrained in the Arlington family; whenever they have money, the first asset they think of is land.
Let alone a Red River Valley farm, even if Ernst sold all his properties and converted them all into land, John Arlington probably wouldn't object.
However, it's hard to say how many generations this tradition will last.
Just like Diego, who grew up on the farm and will most likely inherit the business, he still tried to dissuade Ernst from his idea.
Clearly, with urban development and technological advancements, the allure of big cities is growing stronger.
Putting aside other examples, Ernst is a living example.
The wealth miracle created in less than a year is something that farmers, no matter how much land they own, could never imagine.
This is also why, after the rise of the Internet, more and more young people are leaving their towns and flocking to big cities to develop their careers, because the opportunities and prospects there are simply too attractive.
"You don't need to worry about this. I'll help you contact Red River Valley."
With someone willing to take over, Ernst naturally found himself in a much easier position.
Seeing that the old folks had started reminiscing about their childhood again, Ernst and Paul exchanged a glance, then got up and left.
Not far away, little Lilia was sitting in her mother's lap, her big, dark eyes fixed on Ernst. If her mother hadn't repeatedly told her to stop, she probably would have run over to play with Ernst like a happy little bird long ago.
Seeing Ernst get up and leave, Lilia could no longer contain herself. She broke free from her mother's arms and rushed over like a little cannonball.
Seeing this, Ernst laughed heartily, picked her up, and carried her toward the area where Nathan and the others were.
Besides Nathan and his wife Arlington, there were also Rodrigo and Kevin, who had hunted wild boar together, as well as Rodrigo's aunt Irilna.
Ilirna was younger than Rodrigo, and Ernst had only seen her once when she was very young, so his memory of her was somewhat hazy.
Ernst casually found a seat and sat down, placing Lilia on his lap. The little girl was very well-behaved, quietly nestled in his arms.
He took the beer Nathan offered, then picked up a skewer of grilled meat. While eating, he didn't forget to feed a bite to the little glutton in his arms, making Lilia giggle.
"Is old Nathan feeling any better?" Ernst asked Nathan with concern as he fed Lilia.
Old Nathan was Nathan's grandfather and John's second brother.
In the United States, it is common for sons to share the same name as their fathers, and for grandsons to share the same name as their grandfathers, which adds a special significance to the continuation of family traditions.
Nathan gave a wry smile and shook his head slightly. "We've always wanted to bring him to live in Auckland, since medical care is more convenient in the city, but he's as stubborn as ever and refuses to come no matter what."
Old Nathan suffers from severe coronary heart disease. Exertion and significant emotional fluctuations can trigger angina, and in severe cases, even life-threatening acute symptoms such as myocardial infarction may occur.
To keep him calm, old Nathan hasn't attended any family gatherings in the past seven or eight years, spending his days on his farm with his dogs.
The farmland was rented out to farmers, and the annual rent was enough for old Nathan to live comfortably without having to worry about making a living.
"And what about alcohol? Have you still not given it up?" Ernst asked again.
Upon hearing this question, Nathan's expression changed from a simple wry smile to one of utter helplessness. "You know, drinking is more important to him than his own life."
Given Nathan's condition, he absolutely cannot drink alcohol, as alcohol accelerates blood circulation and can easily cause mood swings, which is extremely detrimental to his health.
Because of drinking, old Nathan has twice narrowly escaped death, but fortunately he survived each time.
Even so, he remained incorrigible. In his own words, if he couldn't drink a little alcohol every day, he might as well just shoot him right now.
"But at least I've controlled my alcohol intake now, one glass of red wine a day, and at most two bottles of beer," Nathan added.
Ernst nodded upon hearing this. He had personally witnessed old Nathan's drinking capacity. This man, over sixty years old, could still hold a barrel of red wine and challenge the entire Arlington family. That boldness still left a deep impression on him.
For Nathan, his current alcohol tolerance is no different from an ordinary person drinking beer from a Moutai cup.
After inquiring about old Nathan, Ernst shifted the topic to Nathan and Rodrigo.
Tell me about your factory.
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