Rebirth 70: I am a Koi

The man who was arrested was like a rock, his mouth was tightly shut, no matter how we asked, he didn't say a word. In desperation, Bai Hanchuan arranged two people to take turns to guard him, and told them to be careful.

Back in the office, I slumped in the chair and rubbed my aching temple. So many things happened in the past few days that I felt exhausted both physically and mentally. Bai Hanchuan poured me a cup of hot water and placed it in front of me. His hand gently rested on my shoulder, silently comforting me.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine." His voice was low and powerful, like a warm current slowly flowing into my heart.

I nodded and tried to force a smile. I knew that now was not the time to be weak, I had to be strong and face the next challenge with Bai Hanchuan.

We still have a lot to do. Due to the loss of seedlings, some of the base's daily work cannot be carried out as originally planned. The originally planned planting areas now need to be readjusted, which means that many employees need to work overtime to re-sow and raise seedlings.

I walked to the field and saw Aunt Liu and Uncle Li busy with a group of employees. Some of them bent over to sow seeds, and some used hoes to turn the soil. Everyone was sweating, but no one complained. Seeing this scene, my heart was filled with emotion.

"Aunt Liu, Uncle Li, thank you all for your hard work." I walked up to them and said sincerely.

Aunt Liu raised her head, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and said with a smile: "It's not hard. This little bit of work is nothing. We are all old farmers. This little bit of hardship is nothing."

Uncle Li also nodded and said, "Yes, as long as we can do a good job at the base, it's worth it if we get tired a little."

Their simplicity and optimism deeply touched me and made me more determined to build a good base.

However, under the calm surface, there are undercurrents. I know that those who escaped will definitely not give up, they will come back again.

In the evening, the sun sets and the sky is dyed golden red. I stand in front of the office window, looking at the busy figures in the distance, and my heart is filled with emotion.

Suddenly, I heard a quarrel downstairs. I hurried to the window and looked down, only to see Aunt Liu and Uncle Li standing on the edge of the field, arguing with each other.

"I think we should plant more vegetables. Vegetable prices are good now and the sales are also good." Aunt Liu's voice was a little sharp.

"No, I think we should plant more flowers. Flowers have higher profits." Uncle Li was not to be outdone.

"Vegetables are..." Aunt Liu wanted to say something but was interrupted by me.

I walked downstairs quickly, walked up to them, and asked, "What's wrong? What happened?"

Uncle Li pointed at the newly planned area map and said in a rough voice: "I think we should plant more flowers on this land! Now that people in the city are rich, they all care about the quality of life. Flowers have higher profits, which is much better than growing vegetables!"

Aunt Liu was immediately displeased when she heard this. "Uncle Li, what you said is wrong! Vegetables are necessities of life and can be sold at any time! Vegetable prices are so good now, so if you plant more vegetables, the income will definitely be more stable than flowers!" She poked an area on the planning map with her finger, "Look at this piece of land, it has good sunlight and sufficient water, it's perfect for growing vegetables!"

The two of them argued back and forth until their faces turned red. The employees around them also joined in the discussion. Some supported Aunt Liu, and some supported Grandpa Li. For a while, the edge of the field was in chaos.

I looked at the mess in front of me, rubbed my temples, and secretly groaned in my heart. There have been enough things happening in the past few days, and now there is another one like this, which is really a headache.

Taking a deep breath, I raised my voice and said, "Everyone, be quiet! Listen to me!"

My voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable power. The noisy edge of the field gradually became quiet, and everyone's eyes were focused on me.

I walked to the planning map, pointed to an area on it, and said, "Aunt Liu is right. Vegetables are necessities and the market demand is stable. But this does not mean that we cannot grow flowers. Uncle Li is also right. Now that city dwellers are paying more and more attention to the quality of life, the prospects for the flower market are indeed very good."

I paused and continued, "My idea is that we can divide this area into two parts, one for growing vegetables and one for growing flowers. This way we can ensure the stable income of the base and seize the opportunities in the flower market."

I took out the profit estimation plan I had prepared in advance and explained in detail the data on the planting costs, market prices, expected profits, etc. These data were compiled by Bai Hanchuan and I working overtime these days, striving to be accurate and correct.

Seeing me talking and analyzing various data clearly, Aunt Liu and Uncle Li were stunned, and the employees around me were also listening attentively.

"According to my estimation, if we carry out planting according to this plan, the total income of the base will increase by 20% compared to before." I concluded.

Twenty percent! This number made everyone present gasp.

Aunt Liu and Uncle Li looked at each other and saw shock and admiration in each other's eyes.

"Xiao Mu, you are so amazing!" Aunt Liu excitedly held my hand, "I have lived for most of my life, and I have never seen a girl as capable as you!"

Uncle Li also nodded repeatedly, "Yes, Xiao Mu's plan is really great! We will all listen to you!"

Looking at the smiles on everyone’s faces, my heart is filled with a sense of accomplishment.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell on me, warm and cozy. I took a deep breath, feeling the hard-earned peace.

However, at this moment, a jeep slowly drove into the gate of the planting base... A man in a neat suit got out of the car and walked straight towards us. With a warm smile on his face, he introduced himself: "Hello, I am an expert from the Provincial Department of Agriculture, my last name is Wang, and I want to come and inspect your base..." Bai Hanchuan walked out of the office, frowning slightly...

The afterglow of the sunset was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the jeep, and my heart skipped a beat. A man in a neat suit got out of the car with a formal smile on his face, which was out of place in the atmosphere of the fields. He walked straight towards us and introduced himself: "Hello, I am an expert from the Provincial Department of Agriculture, my last name is Wang, and I want to come and inspect your base..."

I was stunned. An expert from the Provincial Department of Agriculture? Why did he come here suddenly? Moreover, he looked...something seemed a little off.

Bai Hanchuan walked out of the office. His sharp eyes swept over the "Expert Wang" and his brows slightly frowned. I noticed that his hands unconsciously clenched for a moment, then slowly loosened. He stepped forward and responded politely: "Hello, Expert Wang, welcome to our planting base. I am the person in charge here, Bai Hanchuan."

Despite his doubts, Bai Hanchuan still accompanied Wang on a tour of the base. I followed them closely, listening to Wang's constant questions. His questions were very detailed, covering almost every aspect of planting, from soil composition to irrigation methods, from planting density to pest and disease control.

At first, I thought he was just a serious and responsible expert, but gradually, I found that some of the questions he asked seemed to deviate from the normal scope of inspection. For example, he would ask in detail about the security measures of our base, the specific location of the warehouse, and the daily transportation routes and times. These questions seemed more like... spying on intelligence.

My heart slowly sank. I secretly glanced at Bai Hanchuan and found that his expression had also become solemn.

After a busy day, the night fell and the base finally quieted down. Bai Hanchuan and I walked to a secluded bench in the corner of the base and sat down. I couldn't help but sigh softly due to the exhaustion of the day. Bai Hanchuan reached out and gently smoothed my hair that was messed up by the wind. His fingertips brushed across my cheek, bringing a hint of warmth.

"Thank you for your hard work today." He said softly, with a hint of heartache in his eyes.

I looked up at him and smiled, "Same to you."

We smiled at each other, our eyes full of understanding and support. At this moment, everything around us seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of us, quietly enjoying this moment of tranquility.

However, this tranquility did not last long. After Expert Wang left, the base had not yet recovered from the shock when the cooperative partner, Boss Wang, came in with his secretary in a menacing manner. As soon as he entered the door, he pointed at Bai Hanchuan's nose and asked loudly: "Bai Hanchuan, what do you mean by this? Why did you suddenly terminate the cooperation? Do you know how much I invested in this project..."