Chapter 121

“Don’t be nervous.” As everyone sat upright and tense, at the far end of the conference room, Manager Feng Mai turned to look at Zhou Changsheng.

“I’m not nervous,” Zhou Changsheng replied, taking a sip of water. Though he said he wasn’t nervous, his lips were pressed into a tight line, betraying the tension beneath his calm exterior.

Before the site visit, Dongshan had prepared two contingency plans. One: the farm sells its core technology, and Dongshan manufactures the products based on the farm’s blueprints. Two: the farm sells the core technology at a high price, increasing Dongshan’s production costs.

With extreme weather worsening, the Ice Storage Machine and Purification Machine had become absolutely essential. Dongshan was prepared to take a hit to secure this collaboration.

“Hello.” As Zhou Changsheng was lost in thought, a stack of documents appeared in front of him.

“Hello,” he said quickly, taking the papers. The person handing them out was a young man, about twenty-five, with dark skin and a lean build. In a room where the average age was around forty-five, his youth stood out starkly.

After distributing the documents, the young man moved on to the next row. Soon, everyone had a copy, and he took a seat in the front row, right next to national-level researchers like Sun Yiping and Xiang Qingchuan. He chatted quietly with them, his demeanor smooth and practiced.

“What are you staring at?” Manager Feng Mai nudged Zhou Changsheng out of his daze.

“Isn’t he a bit too young?” Zhou Changsheng asked, snapping back to reality.

Manager Feng Mai glanced toward the young man. “I heard someone call him Secretary Qin. Seems like he handles the farm’s documentation…”

Though titled “secretary,” both men were seasoned business operators and knew that an ordinary secretary wouldn’t be attending a meeting of this caliber. After a brief exchange, they let the matter drop.

Zhou Changsheng flipped through the documents. The first line read: Fengshan Base Tech Co-creation Support Proposal. The core contents were as follows:

1. From May to October, the base will produce a complete line of Dual-Machine Series products, supporting enterprises in establishing their own dual-machine production workshops.

2. Once the workshops are operational, the base will focus on chip production. Enterprises will purchase these chips to manufacture their own products.

3. The base will assist companies in developing their own chips and expanding product lines, such as ice-storage shoes and gloves.

…

The Tech Co-creation Support plan offered generous terms, but also came with strict requirements: participating companies were prohibited from leaking dual-machine technology, disrupting the market maliciously, or harming Longxia’s national interests…

With current technology, the farm wasn’t worried about leaks. But not worrying about leaks and actively preventing them were two different things. When it came to national interests, the Longxia team always had a clear sense of priorities.

According to the national cost assessments, the farm would release the following products between May and October: Constant Temperature Pendant, Constant Temperature Bracelet, Constant Temperature Jacket, and Purification Mask. Prices ranged from 599 yuan to 3,699 yuan.

These were state-calculated prices, designed not to undercut partner companies. The government wouldn’t interfere with pricing. If a company could produce dual-machine products that consumers embraced, even a price tag of 13,699 yuan would be considered reasonable.

“Are we signing this?” Manager Feng Mai asked after reading through the document, glancing at Zhou Changsheng.

Zhou Changsheng signed without hesitation. Only a fool would pass up a national-level partnership like this!

Manager Feng Mai followed suit. “Here we were, thinking about how to make a few petty profits, while the higher-ups are trying to lift the entire industry…”

According to the agreement, they were just the first wave. If the Co-creation Support plan succeeded, Longxia would extend support to more small and medium-sized enterprises for manufacturing.

“Reminds me of twenty years ago,” Manager Feng Mai added.

Twenty years ago, when smartphones were just emerging globally, brands like Dongshan, Feng Mai, and Longwei were all racing ahead. It had been a golden era. Now, with the world facing harsh environmental challenges, seeing the potential of the dual-machine products brought back memories of those glory days.

At 3 p.m., everyone boarded the farm’s shuttle bus and departed.

Though they had all signed the Co-creation Support agreement, it was still just a memorandum of intent. A decision of this magnitude would require full company approval.

Over the next two days, intense internal discussions took place. Meanwhile, news of the visit was compiled and aired on Longxia News Broadcast.

“On the morning of May 25th, 122 companies including Chaoyang Seeds, Dajiang Dahe, and Dongshan Technology gathered at Fengshan Base for a two-day inspection and learning session…”

The news footage showed entrepreneurs stepping off buses and being guided into the farm. Fengshan Farm resembled a large, modern industrial park, complete with dormitories, factories, and laboratories…

The segment lasted two minutes and twenty-seven seconds. The farm didn’t go out of its way to hide anything; aside from some AI robots that weren’t shown, about 80% of what was aired matched what the delegation had seen.

At the end of the visit, a Longxia reporter interviewed participants on the bus, asking for their impressions of the two-day tour.

One of the interviewees was the manager of Dajiang Dahe Flour. Looking into the camera, he said: “This is a peaceful and harmonious research base in the Gobi Desert, home to a group of tireless researchers. We’re grateful for their contributions to national innovation.

Thank you to the state for investing in Longxia’s science and technology. After seeing the factories and labs here, I’m filled with confidence in our country’s future and hopeful that we’ll soon return to pre-disaster levels…”

“Fengshan Base is amazing! So proud!”

“Now I get why people love watching military parades! Seeing the strength of our nation—it’s just so uplifting.”

“The labs were so professional! Wheat and rice all developed through research—it’s incredible!”

…

Excitement. Confidence.

Those were the immediate reactions after the news aired.

Since the Agricultural Institute began its pilot collaboration with Fengshan Farm, the Fengshan Base had truly become a fortress. Though people often said Fengshan should keep a low profile, moving quietly in the night, curiosity about the place remained.

In their minds, Fengshan Base was a desolate stretch of Gobi Desert, dotted with experimental fields and crisscrossed by base vehicles conducting field tests.

In everyone’s imagination, the Fengshan Base was supposed to be solemn and imposing. But judging by the footage that was released, while the base did have test fields and utility vehicles, the grass was far lusher than expected. They saw all kinds of high-tech laboratories filled with incredibly complex equipment…

If they had imagined the base as a weathered swordsman before, now it looked more like a young swordsman stepping into the martial world, sword in hand.

The old swordsman was rugged, but the young swordsman brimmed with vitality.

“The researcher uncles are so skinny. They need to eat more!”

“Their coats are all worn out. Someone give them more work uniforms!”

“Wuwuwu, at 1 minute and 12 seconds in, were those two researchers in the background just coming out after an all-nighter?”

…

After chatting for a bit, everyone turned their attention back to the news footage.

Scene 1: Evening. During the tour of the Seed Laboratory, two researchers can be seen in the background entering the lab.

Scene 2: Early morning. As the tour group passes by the Seed Laboratory, the same two researchers are seen leaving, looking exhausted…

The timestamps on the news clips are only seventeen seconds apart, but in reality, Scene 1 was filmed on the evening of the 20th, and Scene 2 on the morning of the 21st.

“Their clothes are all wrinkled. They definitely pulled an all-nighter.”

“They look so tired.”

…

Netizens started to feel uneasy. Unlike the polished elites on TV, the farm researchers, who had long been rooted in the fields, wore tank tops and straw hats. Unless they were entering a sterile lab, they looked even more rustic than the old men at the village entrance…

“You’ve worked so hard.”

“Researcher uncles, eat more!”

…

Some netizens began spamming the 【Hard Work】 emoji. Though Fengshan Base had modern buildings, it was surrounded by desolation—no internet cafes, no malls, no cinemas, no arcades… Just thinking about it made people feel stifled.

They replayed the interview clips over and over, then suddenly realized something important—

“Ahhh, don’t reveal too much of the farm environment!”

“Keep it low-key. It’s enough to know there’s research going on.”

“Please don’t post any more videos. Don’t leak any secrets!”

…

With the world in such a fragile state, people were worried that the farm’s news coverage might be too revealing, potentially bringing unnecessary trouble.

Amid this nationwide attention, at 8 PM on May 23rd, Long Xia Daily posted a Longbo. The accompanying image: a little girl squatting on the ground, looking lost, while a soldier in uniform gently pats her head. Beside the soldier is a comic-style speech bubble: [Don’t be afraid]. Behind them, a massive Longxia national flag billows.

The caption from Long Xia Daily: 【Strength】【Strength】.

Though the post said little, the message was crystal clear.

“Even though I’m worried the farm might get into trouble, I feel so reassured. Seeing how well the base is doing gives me so much confidence!”

“Same here. After watching tonight’s news, my confidence is through the roof!”

“Wuwuwu, the base just keeps getting better. I feel so hopeful, so empowered.”

“Longxia isn’t the same Longxia anymore.”

…

Though people still worried about the farm facing unnecessary risks, as one netizen put it, seeing the farm exceed expectations filled everyone with confidence and a renewed sense of strength. As for whether there’d be trouble… well, Longxia isn’t what it used to be. Worst case? Roll up your sleeves and get to work!

“Respect!”

“Salute to Longxia’s scientific researchers.”

…

Netizens flooded the farm news with likes. Then, at 8:30 PM on May 23rd, Long Xia Daily released another update—

【The Longxia Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Fengshan Farm, has finalized three ice-storage products: the Ice Pendant, Ice Bracelet, and Ice Jacket. Prices: ¥599, ¥1699, and ¥3699 respectively.

One purification product: the Purification Bracelet, priced at ¥1699. The new products are expected to launch in pilot markets on May 31st. The Ice Storage Series will officially be renamed the Constant Temperature Series…】

【At 6 PM on May 24th, Fengshan Farm will sign Dual-Machine Series production agreements with 21 companies including Dongshan, Fengmai, and Qinghong…】

…

“Ahhh, it’s launching on the 31st! That’s so fast!”

“I love the pendant! I had a ¥10,000 budget ready, and it’s only ¥599? What a pleasant surprise!”

“As someone with a respiratory infection, I seriously need that Purification Mask.”

…

The moment the news dropped, netizens across the country were electrified. It was only May 23rd—just a week away from the product launch.

Fast and affordable—that was the most exciting takeaway from the news. A decent air conditioner starts at ¥2,000, and a branded fitness tracker can cost ¥3,200. Compared to that, the Constant Temperature Series and Purification Mask were unbelievably cost-effective!

“What time on the 31st is the launch?”

“Is it going to be limited stock?”

“Which platform will it be on…?”

…

Netizens were abuzz with questions about where and how to buy the Dual-Machine products. Searches for “Fengshan product sales platform” and “Fengshan Pendant” began trending rapidly.

Dongshan Technology: “Fengshan Farm is an absolutely stunning agricultural base… @Fengshan Farm, looking forward to working together.”

Fengmai Tech: “On May 20, 3030, we set foot on the land of the Fengshan Uninhabited Zone for the first time… @Fengshan Farm, excited for the collaboration.”

Qinghong Electronics: “Thank you, Fengshan Farm…”

…

Following Long Xia Daily’s announcements, other companies began posting their own collaboration Longbos. Each one read like a heartfelt letter brimming with sincerity.

Whether it was netizens or corporations, everyone was filled with anticipation for this collaboration.