Chapter 130

When she drove to the plant base, the hired farmers from the nearby area were vigorously reclaiming the land. Zhenzhen scanned the area with her consciousness—most of the barren land had already been turned. Seeing her arrive, the leader quickly came over. “Manager Li, this land you leased isn’t great. It’s too barren, and the soil is hard. I don’t think even grain would grow well here. Are you sure delicate flowers will work?”

Zhenzhen smiled. “I’ve arranged for some special soil-enriching fertilizer. It’ll be fine.”

The man was simply offering advice based on experience, hoping to spare her the effort. But hearing she was prepared, he relaxed. “Alright then, we’ve finished tilling this area, so we’ll move on to clearing the mountain. By the way, do you need more hands for planting? My household has some women who could help.”

Zhenzhen thought for a moment and shook her head. “No need. I already have people for the job.”

He didn’t insist and led the group away to the nearby barren mountain. The reason this area had so much wasteland and barren hills was that no one lived nearby—otherwise, years of planting and fertilizing could’ve improved it.

Once the area was cleared and no one was around within a few kilometers, Zhenzhen stomped lightly on the ground. Rows of soil automatically turned themselves over, bringing the fertile earth from deep below to the surface. The previously clumpy soil transformed into fine, loose dirt. In the blink of an eye, the land became ready for planting.

Zhenzhen could have used her powers alone to till the soil from the start, but given the project’s size and government oversight, she needed visible laborers for appearances.

With the land ready, she took out over a dozen bags of seeds from her space, opened them, and let the seeds float out under her control, scattering evenly over the soil. The soil’s natural moisture wrapped around the seeds, which quickly sprouted roots under her powers. Zhenzhen scanned them with her consciousness—they should sprout within seven or eight days.

Leaving the flower field, she drove to a small village. Due to its remote location, the village hadn’t kept up with the times and still lived at a poverty level reminiscent of the 1960s.

After parking at the entrance, a group of poorly dressed children ran over curiously and happily circled the rare sight of a sedan. Zhenzhen wasn’t bothered by them climbing over the car and walked toward a group of elderly villagers.

Seeing a pretty young woman arriving, the elders greeted her warmly. “Where are you from?” “Who are you looking for?” “Are you thirsty? Come to my house and have a drink.”

Zhenzhen crouched to be at eye level with the elders sitting by the door. “Uncles and aunties, I’m Li Mingzhen. I’ve leased the barren hills and wasteland about ten miles from here to grow flowers, plants, and medicinal herbs. I need people to help with daily tasks like watering, and I’d like to hire some workers. Do you know anyone in the village who could do this?”

“It’s not heavy work. Why pay?” an old lady said, then shouted into the house, “Dasheng, when you’re done with chores, go help this young lady with watering and such!”

Zhenzhen quickly waved her hands. “Auntie, this isn’t just for a day or two—it’ll take years. I’m hoping some young people who can’t leave home could help out at the flower field and earn a bit to support their families. And they’ll still be around for anything that comes up in the village.”

The elders, seeing she was sincere about hiring, exchanged glances and sheepishly said, “It’s really not hard work, and you’re offering pay—we feel bad about that.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “I can’t expect you to keep helping for free. That’s not sustainable.”

“Alright then, how many people do you need?” The elders, moved by her sincerity, stopped being polite. “We’ll definitely find you the most reliable and hardworking folks.”

Zhenzhen calculated. “About ten people will do—young men and women are fine, or any able-bodied adults.”

Insisting on finding enough people, the elders called for the village chief. He was delighted to hear someone wanted to hire locals and immediately gathered the village youth. With limited farmland and no electricity or running water, the village had become known for its poverty. Many young people had already left for better opportunities. Only a dozen or so households had younger residents left, while the rest were elderly, sick, or disabled. Finding nearby work for those who remained would solve a major problem.

They assembled the village’s remaining fifteen young people, including some newlywed couples and seventeen- or eighteen-year-old boys. Under the village chief’s hopeful gaze, Zhenzhen nodded. “If they don’t have pressing family issues, I’ll take them all.”

The village chief was nearly in tears. “Thank you so much, Director Li. You have no idea how much I’ve worried about this. I even wrote to the district and city, hoping the government could help us.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “This was actually Mayor Xi’s special instruction. He told me to prioritize hiring from your village. He’s also arranged for the water and electricity to be connected soon—just wait for it.”

“Mayor Xi is truly a good man.” The simple villagers expressed their deep gratitude. “And you’re a good person too, young lady. Thank you so much.”

Zhenzhen laughed. “Let’s head over to my land. You may need to build a few houses, and we’ll need a fence. I’ve already arranged for bricks, tiles, and wood to be delivered.” She paused, realizing she needed someone to take the lead. She couldn’t stay here long-term, so someone had to manage tasks and schedules. She looked over the group. “Who among you is the most capable?”

The young people all turned to look at a man in his early thirties. “It’s always Brother Dasheng who leads us. He knows how to farm and build houses—we all listen to him.”

“Alright, you come with me. I’ll show you the site.” She pointed to three strong young men. “You three come too. The rest…” She hesitated, unable to bring so many at once.

“The village has a wagon,” the chief said. “I’ll drive and bring them over.”

“Thank you, Village Chief,” Zhenzhen said with a smile.

“No need to thank me. We’re the ones troubling you.” The chief cheerfully waved to the youth. “Xiao Wu, go get my cart ready—quickly now! Don’t delay Miss Li’s business.”

Everyone in the village knew where the barren land and hills were, so Zhenzhen didn’t need to lead the way. She drove the five young men over first and pointed to the already-seeded field. “This is my land. It’s been tilled and seeded. You just need to water, weed, and keep watch regularly.”

Dasheng looked at the large area. Though big, the work was light and easy—not something that required fifteen people. Thinking she was just here for poverty relief, he hesitated. “Honestly, two or three people could handle this. No need to waste your money to help us.”

Zhenzhen smiled and pointed to the barren mountain beside them. “That mountain is mine too. Once it’s cleared, I’ll be planting medicinal herbs there. You might not even be enough then.”

Dasheng finally relaxed and grinned. “So what should we start with today?”

Zhenzhen led him to the edge of the field, where building materials were piled. “Build a few houses. Once the plants grow, I’ll need night shifts. Make sure at least five people stay here overnight.” Then she went into a nearby canvas tent. Moments later, she came out and said, “There’s a stove, pots, and dishes in there. You’ll have to cook for yourselves.”

Dasheng followed her into the tent, which was spacious and meant for construction use. Aside from a single bed, all the kitchen essentials were there. In one corner were bags of rice and flour, alongside jugs of cooking oil and baskets of vegetables. Zhenzhen lifted a cloth cover to reveal a full basin of steamed buns. “These are for today. Starting tomorrow, you’ll have to cook your own meals.”

Dahsheng felt a warm surge in his heart. He hadn’t gone out to work because he was worried about his elderly mother at home. But the young men from the village who had gone out returned during the New Year and talked endlessly about the hardships they faced—sleeping on wooden boards, gnawing on rotten vegetable leaves, even drinking cold water to stave off hunger in the toughest times. Some of their bosses made them work day and night without even providing meals. Where else could you find such a good boss who not only prepared rice, flour, and vegetables, but even had big steamed buns ready? Clearly, they were worried the workers might go hungry on their first day before having time to cook.

As they chatted, the cart behind them arrived. Zhenzhen came out and gathered everyone, instructing, “These seedlings will take another seven or eight days to sprout. Once they grow, they’ll still need time. During this period, just one person needs to stay in the tent at night to watch over things. No need for the rest of you to stay. But during the day, if you have free time, make sure to hurry and get the houses built. When the weather gets hot, you can’t be living in tents anymore.” After she finished speaking, she pulled out a wad of cash from her bag and handed it out one by one: “I know things are hard at home, and coming out to work means leaving those responsibilities behind. This is one month’s salary in advance. Starting next month, salaries will be paid on the last day of each month.”

Holding the five big banknotes in his hand, the six-foot-tall Dahsheng was moved to tears. “Boss, you didn’t have to give us so much just to take care of us.”

Zhenzhen smiled. “I believe you’re worth this money. Don’t think our work here doesn’t look special. Once you’ve done it long enough, you’ll understand that tending to flowers and plants takes patience and professional skill.” She looked at the dozen or so people and continued, “I’ll come by regularly to teach you about plant care. I hope you’ll take it seriously and learn how to properly care for my plants.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll do a great job,” Dahsheng shouted. The others chimed in enthusiastically, “Don’t worry, boss, we’ll make sure your money isn’t wasted.”

Zhenzhen laughed. “Alright, get to work. I’m going to check the mountainside and say hello to the others.”

Dahsheng responded, then called a few young men to measure out a flat area to begin building. Zhenzhen drove to the base of the barren mountain. In just half a day, not much had been cleared. She assessed the progress and estimated that clearing the mountain would take them until summer. She wasn’t sure whether planting medicinal herbs by then would still be viable.

“I hired people from Dayan Village to oversee the uncultivated land below. That was the city’s decision too,” Zhenzhen said, knowing that the surrounding villages had their share of silent rivalry. She spoke plainly: “You focus on clearing your section. When it’s done, it will be handed over to Dayan Village to manage.”

The team leader, thinking of Dayan Village’s difficult situation, felt a twinge of regret that his own village had missed out on such good work. “I understand the city’s decision. Dayan Village really has had it hard these past few years.” He sighed, then took the opportunity to curry some favor. “But our villagers aren’t bad workers either. Just look at how well we’ve cleared this land. If you have any future work, think of us. If Dayan Village doesn’t have enough people, don’t forget to hire from our village too.”

Zhenzhen nodded. “Don’t worry. As long as you do a good job, I’ll prioritize hiring you in the future.”

With that assurance, everyone threw themselves even more into their work. They had a good sense of how much land there was. Once the plants started producing, Dayan Village’s small labor pool wouldn’t be enough. By performing well now, they’d open more doors to earn money later.

When people get busy, time flies. Zhenzhen felt as if she had barely spent any time back in the city before half a month had already passed. Through her consciousness, she checked on the flower seedlings in the nursery—under the villagers’ irrigation, the sprouts had grown over a finger tall. However, the villagers weren’t well-versed in growing flowers and were overwatering.

Zhenzhen drove to the flower nursery. As soon as she parked, she saw the newly built houses. These weren’t meant for permanent living, so each room was just large enough for a bed and a table. There were also two larger structures—one for storing tools and the other for cooking and dining.

Dahsheng was leading the villagers in a meal. When he saw Zhenzhen, he quickly put down his bowl. “Boss, you’re here.”

Zhenzhen nodded. “Go ahead and eat. I’ll check on the seedlings.”

“We’re almost done anyway,” Dahsheng replied, getting up to accompany her. “Boss, we don’t really understand flowers and plants. Could you check how the seedlings are doing?”

Though Zhenzhen had never studied horticulture, she could instinctively sense a plant’s condition. She crouched down and touched the seedlings at her feet, then stood up. “You’re watering too frequently. They’re a little waterlogged.”

The villagers grew nervous, worried their mistake might have harmed the plants. Seeing the sweat on their brows, Zhenzhen quickly reassured them with a smile, “It’s okay, it’s not too serious. I didn’t teach you before, and you’ve already done a great job. Since I’m free today, I’ll give you a lesson on how to care for the seedlings.”

Dahsheng rushed inside to get paper and pen, then followed Zhenzhen around. She led them to the first field, bent down to touch the tender seedlings, and said, “These are roses. They’re hardy and drought-tolerant…”

Because the cosmetics factory produced not just botanical skincare products but also essential oils for beauty salons, the nursery grew a wide variety of flowers. In this era, people didn’t know much about such things, or someone would have questioned why plants from different climates were being grown together. But Zhenzhen didn’t mind. She visited regularly to adjust their cultivation methods based on plant needs and worked with the villagers to develop techniques that didn’t rely on special abilities.

She took them through the entire nursery, categorizing and introducing each plant. She showed them how to identify when a plant was thirsty or overwatered, and explained how to care for each flower based on its preferences. Dahsheng listened attentively and jotted everything down, asking questions whenever he missed a detail, worried that missing a point might harm the seedlings’ growth.

Zhenzhen noticed Dahsheng’s focused attitude. He was steady, respected by the others, and above all, ambitious. With him as a reliable manager, she felt much more at ease—having someone trustworthy to oversee the nursery meant she could relax a bit.

After walking the nursery, she could see that the seedlings were looking much more vigorous. Though she hadn’t used her powers to help them grow, her mere presence was like a natural nourishment to the plants.

As the seedlings continued to mature, the first batch of skincare products was completed. But Ling Xiulan, ever cautious, didn’t rush to market. She first sent samples to the relevant authorities for testing. Once they passed inspection, she selected over a hundred volunteers from the factory for product trials. After six months, she compared their skin conditions before and after use—none showed allergic reactions, and all had visibly improved skin. Only then did Ling Xiulan announce the launch of the Lanjhen skincare line.

Lanjhen positioned itself as a high-end brand from the start. At the time, most people only used a single jar of snow cream for their face, while Lanjhen’s two series included toner, serum, eye cream, day cream, and night cream. Just the number of bottles made it less appealing to ordinary consumers. So besides department store counters, beauty salons became the main sales channel.

Salons uniformly switched to using Lanjhen products for treatments. In recent years, going to a salon had become a trendy symbol among women. Anyone who had a treatment would boast about it at work. As a result, these two lines of products were immediately embraced by salon clients. Buying them meant being able to proudly say, “My skincare products are the same brand they use at the salon.”

As the first batch sold rapidly, the second round of production began. By then, the nursery’s first plants had matured. Zhenzhen personally invited Ling Xiulan to visit for an inspection. When the car stopped outside and they opened the wooden gate, a sea of flowers greeted them.

Ling Xiulan first walked into the rose garden. The roses swaying in the breeze were richly colored, large in bloom, and wonderfully fragrant—far superior to the ones she used to order. Lavender, chamomile… all sorts of flowers formed a breathtaking floral ocean.

Staring at the stunning scenery before her, Ling Xiulan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Zhenzhen, I don’t even know how to praise you. Whatever you set your mind to, you always make it work.”

As the breeze blew, Zhenzhen tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and said softly, “I guess I’ve just been lucky.”

“Just good luck wouldn’t make success come so easily,” Ling Xiulan said approvingly as she looked at her. “There’s also dedication and courage.”

“Well, I was just born in a great era, when gold is everywhere—you just have to be willing to bend down and pick it up,” Zhenzhen said with a smile. “And I’m the kind who’s willing to bend down often.”

Ling Xiulan couldn’t help but laugh at Zhenzhen’s metaphor. “This is great. We have our own flower garden now, and the quality of our products is more guaranteed. By the way, I heard you say you’re growing medicinal herbs too?”

“Yes,” Zhenzhen pointed to the mountain not far away. “They’re all planted up there. But there’s not much existing experience to draw on for cultivating medicinal herbs manually—I still have to explore and learn. And the growth cycle for herbs is generally quite long, so I estimate we can only start gradually replacing the purchased ones next year.”

“This is already excellent.” Ling Xiulan felt very pleased as she looked out over the endless flower garden. “To be honest, I never even dared to consider building our own planting base before. I always thought it would take too much manpower, resources, and energy, and I comforted myself by saying it was the same as buying from outside. But after just two rounds of purchasing raw materials, I realized it’s not as simple as I thought—especially with fresh flowers, which are easily damaged. If we find that the flowers provided are substandard, it’s very hard to quickly find another reliable supplier. Thankfully you thought ahead. With our own base, we can guarantee the quality of the raw materials and ensure the quality of our skincare products.”

“It’s mainly because Mom is so meticulous.” Zhenzhen blushed at Ling Xiulan’s praise and joined in to praise her mother-in-law: “Thanks to your dedication and hard work, we were able to grow from a single beauty salon to eight, and now we even have a skincare factory and planting base. Your contribution is the biggest.”

“Alright, alright, let’s not keep praising each other like this,” Ling Xiulan said with a smile as she patted Zhenzhen’s hand. “I need to hurry up and arrange people to start harvesting. Tomorrow we can put the freshest flowers into the production line.”

Zhenzhen couldn’t help with the harvesting, so after spending a little time with Ling Xiulan, she returned to the city. Recently, there had been word in the city that a very well-located piece of land was going to be auctioned. This would be the first time the Imperial Capital was publicly auctioning off land for residential development. If their real estate company could win the bid, they could build commercial housing for sale, which was completely different from getting a public housing contract. Building public housing was at most a construction job, but securing land and building homes for sale—that would make them a real real estate company.

As soon as she got back to the office, Zhenzhen called in her newly hired assistant eagerly. “Any updates on the land auction?”

“The city has already issued a notice—the public auction will be held in ten days,” the assistant replied while handing her the official documents. Zhenzhen skimmed through them quickly and finally let out a breath. “Go register us right away. Also, check if there’s anything we need to be aware of—we absolutely cannot miss this auction.”

“Got it.” The assistant responded, but just as she was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and turned back. “Manager, your family called several times earlier. It sounded urgent.”

Zhenzhen’s heart skipped a beat at those words. Her first thought was that something might have happened—her family usually wouldn’t call her office unless it was something important, knowing how busy she was. She immediately used her awareness to check on things at home. She saw the twins sitting on the bed giggling with their building blocks, Wang Sufen and Grandma Li chatting while watching the children, and Li Muwu drinking tea nearby. Everything looked normal.

Just as Zhenzhen was about to shift her attention back, she suddenly noticed Xi Junjie was home—and packing his suitcase. She immediately picked up the phone and called her room. Xi Junjie paused folding his shirt and answered, “Hello?”

“Junjie, I heard you tried to call me?” Zhenzhen asked, holding the phone. “Is something going on at home?”

“No,” Xi Junjie rubbed the bridge of his nose, looking a bit tired. “I might have to go on a business trip for a while.”

Zhenzhen’s heart sank at his expression. “Where are you going?”

“I need to go to Ba Country to help bring back some overseas Chinese and handle some diplomatic matters.” Xi Junjie’s voice was uneasy, as if worried she wouldn’t agree. “I know it might be a little dangerous there, but I’m not going alone—seven colleagues are going with me, and we’ll be accompanied by soldiers. Don’t worry, it’ll be very safe.” Hearing silence from the other end of the line, he added helplessly, “You know how it is with diplomatic work—sometimes, things like this come up.”