Chapter Twenty-Four

“Boss Sun, closing up so early today?”

“The kids are off for New Year’s Day, heading home to tidy up, and tomorrow we’re off to tour the ancient city.”

…

While Zhao Sheng was feeling a bit dizzy, Sun Yunxuan skillfully closed the doors of the Huainan Luohua Cake Shop. Today was the 29th, and the New Year’s holiday ran from the 30th to the 1st. After discussing with his family, he planned to take a trip to the ancient city of Huainan tomorrow.

Sun Yunxuan went to the supermarket to buy some braised dishes, and by the time he got home, his wife had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him.

“Where’s Dou Dou?” Sun Yunxuan asked casually. Their son Dou Dou was in the first grade, and he usually played games at home around this time.

“He’s at Grandma’s house.” Zhao Xuan set down the bowls and chopsticks and discussed with Sun Yunxuan, “I looked up the Fengshan phone number and thought about calling tomorrow.”

“Still thinking about flour?” Sun Yunxuan was at a loss for words. Ever since watching Nuomi Live, Zhao Xuan had been searching for Fengshan news every day, and now she even wanted to call the manufacturer…

“We’re opening a branch, and I want to promote some internet-famous products…”

Zhao Xuan, at thirty-four, wasn’t acting on a whim. The cake industry was highly competitive, and due to raw material supply issues, Luohua Cake’s flavors were mediocre. After seeing a bread review, she wanted to create some internet-famous products like ‘Recommended by Cui Ning’ or ‘Recommended by Duan Yujie.’

“I’ve been to Gan Province before; it’s impossible to grow wheat in the Northwest Uninhabited Zone.” Sun Yunxuan advised Zhao Xuan to abandon the idea, then turned on the TV.

“The Uninhabited Zone is a forbidden zone of life, barren and desolate. Every plant here is a symbol of life, with their stems buried in yellow sand and their leaves battered by the wind. Every plant here grows tenaciously…” As Sun Yunxuan turned on the TV, a male voice narrated. Both of them instinctively looked at the TV.

It was Longxia Channel One, and at that moment, the camera showed an endless Uninhabited Zone with an eagle soaring in the sky. The eagle spread its wings, and the TV scene was grand and desolate.

“A Northwest promotional film?” Sun Yunxuan was taken aback. It was 7:57, and there should have been a liquor commercial…

“At this moment, in the vast forbidden zone of life, a miracle of life has been born!” Three seconds later, the TV background music suddenly rose.

At that moment, the eagle beat the sky and flew deep into the Uninhabited Zone. The camera shifted, revealing a vast golden wheat field stretching for thousands of acres, like a painting in the Northwest desert.

“Food is the essence of life, and people come first. Since ancient times, wheat has been an indispensable part of Longxia’s diet…”

As the video narrated, the camera gave a close-up of the wheat, which was golden and plump. Although Sun Yunxuan didn’t grow wheat, he could feel the harvest of the wheat field.

“Fengshan Farm is located on the eastern side of the Uninhabited Zone, covering an area of 100,000 acres, with 5,000 acres dedicated to wheat cultivation. The wheat variety is Fengshan No.1, independently cultivated by Fengshan Farm and quality-checked by the Longxia Academy of Sciences. Fengshan No.1 is rich in plant protein and dietary fiber. Fengshan flour is made through twenty-one processes, with fine powder quality and no ash, rated as premium quality by the Longxia Academy of Sciences.” The video transitioned from a farm introduction to a wheat science lesson.

The farm, wheat, factory, flour… various scenes transitioned very smoothly. At the end of the advertisement, two staff members wearing ‘Longxia Academy of Sciences’ uniforms held flour: “Choose flour, choose Fengshan No.1!”

“Dun dun dun dun dun—”

The three-minute advertisement ended, and “Longxia News” officially began.

“Was that Wang Nianhe’s voice-over just now?” Sun Yunxuan asked in a daze. Wang Nianhe was a famous host in Longxia, known for hosting “Longxia History.” His voice was famously deep and resonant. Initially skeptical, the more he listened, the more it sounded like Wang Nianhe.

“Yes,” Zhao Xuan nodded.

Sun Yunxuan recalled five minutes ago—

“The Northwest Uninhabited Zone can’t possibly grow wheat.”

He had spent ten days in the Northwest last year, and because it was a forbidden zone of life, he only circled around National Highway 307. The Northwest was more perilous than on TV; he didn’t dare venture off the highway, let alone take a road trip. And now… someone was actually growing wheat in the Uninhabited Zone?

“Today, the Minister of Agriculture chaired a meeting, which pointed out that Longxia has passed the new season’s grain policy. The policy mainly includes the following three points…” At 7:10, the host reported today’s news.

According to the new season’s grain policy, in addition to increasing grain imports, the main measures to benefit farmers include: 1. Encouraging farmers to plant winter crops. Successful farmers can apply for subsidies from the local government, which can be operated via an app and directly issued to farmers. 2. Increasing local government grain reserves, allowing farmers to sell surplus grain to the government, with local governments prohibited from arbitrarily lowering prices.

According to the news details, if crop yield per acre meets the target, a maximum subsidy of 300 yuan per acre can be obtained, which is a tangible benefit for farmers.

“Doesn’t your dad have ten acres of wasteland?” Sun Yunxuan immediately thought of his father-in-law’s farm.

Zhao Xuan ignored him.

“What’s wrong?” Sun Yunxuan leaned over.

“Not for sale…” Zhao Xuan was a bit confused. She had just searched, and Longbao had added a Fengshan Flour flagship store, with a Fengshan No.1 link, but the product was ‘not yet available.’ Besides that, the entire page was very clean and refreshing.

No products for sale…

…

“Longxia Agricultural Subsidy Details.”

“Longxia News: On crop winter subsidies, comprehensive direct subsidies, grain direct subsidies, and various agricultural policies.”

“Agricultural information reveals: Longxia government is about to increase grain reserves.”

…

Agricultural policies are closely related to people’s lives, and within half an hour of “Longxia News” airing, topics related to “Agricultural Policies” trended. Many netizens searched for today’s “Longxia News,” initially wanting to see specific reports but unexpectedly found the news advertisement—

“Is this the flour used in Cui Ning and Duan Yujie’s live broadcast?”

“Fengshan No.1… the flour packaging is the same!”

“My gosh, aired during Longxia’s prime time?”

…

Longxia advertisements are famously authoritative, requiring not only substantial capital but also rigorous background checks. After watching the advertisement, people had only two thoughts: 1. How much did Fengshan Farm pay for the ad? 2. Why did Fengshan Farm get a three-minute ad?

“Just checked the production list, the ad was voiced by Wang Nianhe and directed by Yuan Qingxing!” A netizen dug up the Fengshan advertisement production team.

“Wang Nianhe from ‘Longxia History’?”

“I really enjoy watching Mr. Wang’s show, but who is Director Yuan Qingxing?”

“Never heard of him.”

…

In Longxia’s director circles, people remembered Wang Nianhe, but after thinking it over, they had never heard of Yuan Qingxing.

“Yuan Qingxing, born in 2945, graduated from Longxia Film Academy. Directed his first film ‘Ballad of Mountains and Rivers’ in 2966, and from 2967 to 2998 directed multiple films including ‘Tenderness of the Grasslands,’ ‘Man with the Broadsword,’ and ‘Corn Mill,’ with ‘Corn Mill’ winning the Natal Lifetime Achievement Award, making him Longxia’s first Lifetime Achievement Award director. Yuan Qingxing directed a total of 72 films, making outstanding contributions to Longxia’s cultural export.” A netizen copied Yuan Qingxing’s information.

“So it was ‘Corn Mill’!”

“A classic in my mind.”

“I watched ‘Tenderness of the Grasslands,’ and it made me cry.”

…

Netizens hadn’t heard of Yuan Qingxing, but they definitely knew these classic films like ‘Corn Mill.’ As Yuan Qingxing’s name connected with these films, people turned their attention back to Fengshan Farm. Directed by Yuan Qingxing, voiced by Wang Nianhe, aired during the ‘Longxia News’ ad segment. Each element was the pinnacle of advertising, and now it was all given to an unknown flour company… what a background!

“I’m a graduate of Jinghe University, class of 37, and the two people in the ad look like our seniors.”

“Zhao Xiaolu and Huang Peipei, top students at Longxia University, were specially recruited by the Academy of Sciences in their junior year.”

“Fengshan Flour rated as premium by the Longxia Academy of Sciences?”

…

There are many types of flour on the market, and according to national standards, they are mostly divided into premium, first-grade, second-grade, and other levels. Premium flour is generally used for making bread and buns that require high precision. Flour endorsed by the Academy of Sciences must be the best of the best.

Suddenly, people remembered the Nuomi Live from twenty days ago. They were on the first level, while Cui Ning and Duan Yujie had already reached the fifth level.

…

“Beep beep—”

“Beep beep beep—”

…

While netizens were buzzing with discussion, Qin Yun’s phone at Fengshan Farm kept ringing.

Qin Yun looked at the incoming call notification and sighed, “How come there’s a signal now…”

Recently, he frequently received purchase calls from all over. Qin Yun had tried to hide the registration information, but system rules required legal Longxia procedures for system farms. The phone number was part of the ‘complete registration procedure.’

Qin Yun had only blocked calls for one day before receiving an instant cold debuff.

He could only keep holding the phone. The phone could be turned off, but the number couldn’t be hidden, nor could anyone outside the farm manage it.

“Give the phone to Xiao Chen.” Liu Wensheng was handling military district files and laughed when he saw this.

Xiao Chen was one of the three new soldiers, and besides being a field soldier, he was also Qin Yun’s assistant.

Qin Yun handed the phone to Xiao Chen, and the world instantly quieted down.

“I’m going to Dong Province tomorrow to check on the winter wheat planting situation there.” After chatting for a while, Liu Wensheng talked about his work plan.

With over a month until the Mali rains, if there really was a food crisis, Longxia couldn’t rely entirely on the farm. In the national plan, farm grain was mainly for essential tasks and special situation reserves. Places like Dong Province and Longnan Longbei, these grain bases, also needed to be stocked up.

“Is the current reserve enough?” Qin Yun thought for a moment and asked.

“Not very optimistic.”

Liu Wensheng sighed. Currently, Longxia’s reserves could ensure survival for the entire population for three years, but grain is a cyclical process. If the entire country’s land couldn’t be cultivated, the national economy would collapse within a year, and three years later, it would be a disaster.

“I’ll rest for a bit.” Liu Wensheng tiredly rubbed his brow.

Qin Yun left the earthen building and headed to the farm.

At this time, fifty AIs were tirelessly working. The farm covered an area of 5,000 acres, with a maximum weekly output of 3,750 tons, which kept the flour production within 3,750 tons. Time was pressing, and the current farm area was far from sufficient.

At ten o’clock in the evening, Qin Yun returned to the tulou.

“Awwooo!” A wolf pup was waiting at the door and ran over excitedly upon seeing Qin Yun.

Qin Yun picked up the wolf pup. The pup had been here for twenty days, and the farm unanimously named it Xiaobai. Perhaps because Qin Yun was the first person it saw, the wolf pup was very affectionate towards Qin Yun but somewhat timid around others.

“Let’s go back.” Qin Yun petted Xiaobai twice and carried it back to the room.

They planned to release Xiaobai into the wild in the spring. There were still three months until spring, and it was uncertain what the farm would look like by then…

Early the next morning, Liu Wensheng left the farm as Baisheng Agricultural Trade came to transport the grain. By this time, all 15,000 tons of grain had been taken away.

Qin Yun purchased a new batch of seeds. This time, in addition to wheat, he also bought a considerable amount of corn and potatoes. With the wheat task now more relaxed, the farm planned to stockpile some other grains.