Chapter 44: Chapter 44

C44 – Alright, I Have to Tell You the Truth

“The helicopter’s arrival was even more luxurious than anything you’ve done.”

“I can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”

As they watched the helicopter, Zhao Yuegu and Sun Ying had different thoughts.

Zhao’s comment, however, caused Sun Ying to inhale sharply.

He couldn’t possibly be thinking of buying a helicopter, could he?

No, that can’t be it!

The road will be fixed soon enough.

But for him, a helicopter wasn’t a costly purchase.

And if he did buy one, where would that leave me? I wouldn’t even be able to be his driver.

Who would fly it?

“Getting a helicopter license isn’t easy, you know.”

Sun Ying offered the reminder tentatively.

Zhao Yuegu nodded, showing his agreement.

“You’ve got a point.”

“Hiring a pilot must be pretty expensive, right?”

“…”

Sun Ying felt a sense of resignation.

They really were considering hiring someone.

But as they got closer, they realized something was amiss.

“This is an armed helicopter!”

“It belongs to the military.”

“Who would have thought Yabei’s grandfather was so formidable?”

They were both taken aback.

Especially after such a long wait.

Truth be told,

Zhao Yuegu had been rather indifferent about the colza seeds.

It was Yabei who was more persistent, and that’s what swayed him.

He saw it as a meaningful contribution to the country, something worth promoting.

And so, things took this turn.

What he didn’t anticipate was Old Mr. Ma’s swift response.

Without a road, he simply flew in by helicopter.

Astonishing.

Old Mr. Hu and Old Mr. Ma had been in Walden Village for nearly a day without Zhao Yuegu’s return.

​Luckily, the village was full of elders who enjoyed each other’s company, so the two decided to immerse themselves in rural life.

The unspoiled environment brought back memories of their younger days.

“The climate here is fantastic, with no disasters to speak of. The only threat to the crops are the wild animals from the mountains.”

“Zhao recently took down a wild boar – quite the feat!”

When the villagers spoke of Zhao Yuegu, Old Mr. Hu’s eyes would shine with admiration, which didn’t sit well with Old Mr. Ma.

​Using the lingo of the internet, Old Mr. Ma teased, “Old Hu, you’ve become a hardcore fanboy of that kid.”

Old Mr. Hu just laughed heartily.

“If you could make the colza oil as impressive, I’d be your fanboy too.”

“Look at this colza oil – it’s packed with nutrients and even tastes better than soybean oil.”

“The villagers showed me their colza fields, just over an acre, and even though it’s had its share of wild boar troubles, the Lin family’s harvest, including what was sent to Everbreach, was genuinely over a thousand kilograms.”

“Yabei’s got it spot on,” Old Mr. Hu said, his face flushed with excitement as he looked at Zhao Xueman with pride. Xueman, clutching Towser tightly, eyed him warily. If the village chief hadn’t been sitting nearby, the old man might have scared her to tears by now. In her mind, the old man was clearly off his rocker!

​He’d been fussing over the colza seeds for nearly a day, never once letting them out of his grasp. Xueman couldn’t see what all the fuss was about—a thousand kilograms per mu was hardly earth-shattering. Corn could yield up to three thousand kilograms per mu, after all! She silently wished for Zhao Yuegu’s return, eager to be rid of the old man’s eccentricities.

Old Mr. Ma, meanwhile, was listening to the old man’s continued ramblings. “Do you know what the real challenge is?” he asked. “It’s that this land hasn’t seen a speck of chemical fertilizer!”

“Hmph,” Old Mr. Ma grunted. “With land this poor, where would we even get fertilizer?”

“Exactly,” the old man agreed. “Our country’s agricultural heritage is ancient. We’ve always embraced the survival of the fittest approach. Each year, we save the best of the harvest to use as seeds for the following year. It’s through this process, year after year for thousands of years, that we’ve gradually improved our yields to where they are today. This village has kept up that tradition, and I’d wager that the colza seeds are Zhao Yuegu’s handiwork. That young man couldn’t possibly have mastered genetic technology.”

Ma Yabei, puzzled by the conversation, piped up. “I remember Grandpa Wen talking about genetically modified technology. What’s that?”

Old Mr. Hu smiled gently. “It’s when the genes of crops are altered to make them more resistant to diseases and pests. Genetically modified crops don’t necessarily yield more, but look at it this way: without the damage from pests and diseases, the harvests are naturally larger. Plus, these crops develop a resistance to pesticides. When you spray them, the crops survive while the weeds around them perish.”

“The crops can absorb more nutrients from the soil and thrive,” he explained.

“But there’s a catch: those companies have a stranglehold on the seeds. Farmers can’t save them for the next season; they have to buy new ones each year.”

Ma Yabei’s mind raced, her shock evident.

“If someone controls the seeds, don’t they control the farmers’ fates? What if they decide to—”

Old Mr. Hu cut her off quickly.

“The government won’t allow that to happen.”

“Moreover, our country has a rich history in agriculture. The farmers are wise and resourceful. There won’t be any issues.”

Old Mr. Hu was confident in his assertion.

As he was about to elaborate, the courtyard door swung open.

Zhao Yuegu, leading the Crested Horse, made his way inside.

The crowd caught him off guard.

“This many people?”

Old Mr. Hu sprang to his feet, his excitement palpable as he darted over to Zhao Yuegu, displaying a vigor that belied his age.

​”You’re Zhao Yuegu, aren’t you? On behalf of our nation and its people, I thank you for your contributions.”

Zhao Yuegu stepped aside, pondering.

Not many can claim to represent the country and its people in offering thanks.

Did this elder have the right?

“And you are…?”

Zhao Yuegu’s gaze shifted between the village chief and others, still unclear about the identity of the man before him.

It was his first encounter with such a figure.

Ma Yabei approached and swiftly introduced Old Mr. Hu.

Zhao Yuegu was taken aback.

Such an influential figure had come all the way to this secluded village just to meet him. It was unimaginable.

Unable to contain himself, Old Mr. Hu inquired,

“I’ve spent my life dedicated to crop improvement.”

“Yet, to this day, I can’t figure it out.”

“Why are these seeds so incredibly high-yielding?”

“Could you unravel this enigma for me?”

Zhao Yuegu’s brow furrowed upon hearing Old Mr. Hu’s request.

Unravel the enigma?

He doubted he could.

Were these the seeds he received from the system?

Who would believe such a thing?

After a long pause, Zhao Yuegu ventured a timid question.

“If I say these seeds are an ancestral legacy, would you believe me?”

“…”

“…”

There it was, that same line again!

Sun Ying clutched her belly, laughing uncontrollably, until, after a moment, she suddenly became aware.

Every single person in the courtyard was watching her, laughing.

So embarrassing…

As the crowd’s attention shifted back to Zhao Yuegu, he had no choice but to throw up his hands in surrender.

“Alright, I’ll come clean.”

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