Chapter 42

“What does it mean to convert flower land into farmland?”

Half an hour later, Zheng Yunjie and the flower shop owner arrived at the property management office. Nearly a hundred merchants had gathered outside, all asking about the group message they had just received.

“This is a planting policy for merchants in the disaster area. Our flower market has an allocation of 30,000 acres…” Manager Zhao, a man in his early fifties, explained as he took a stack of promotional materials from the desk.

Everyone opened the materials.

The government had now distributed one million acres of sweet potato seeds nationwide, with Kunshan allocated 100,000 acres. After research, the Kunshan government decided to split the seedlings into two parts: one part sold to large planting bases, the other to merchants affected by the disaster.

Kunshan’s flower market suffered heavy losses and was granted 30,000 acres. Merchants must meet three conditions to purchase—

Must be a Kunshan local merchant (not limited to the urban area).

After signing the contract, sweet potatoes must be ridged and planted within half a month.

Planting areas are arranged by the government, with a maximum of ten acres per merchant.

…

…

“How much per acre?” a merchant asked the most pressing question.

“Two hundred for seedlings, three hundred for land.”

“The price per acre?”

“Yes.”

Merchants had been following Zhongzhi 002 closely. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Zhongzhi 002 yields 10,000 jin per acre, with a total planting cost of 1,000 yuan per acre. With the flower market suffering severe losses, planting sweet potatoes could help solve some income problems, but…

“What if the crop fails?” another merchant asked.

“If the quality or yield of the sweet potatoes doesn’t meet standards, the government will compensate for costs and lost wages. No need to worry about selling either; the government will purchase at market price,” Manager Zhao pointed to the detailed clauses in the contract.

“When do we sign the contract?”

“Sign the intent today; the formal contract will be signed at the agricultural bureau tomorrow.”

…

Merchants inquired about the procedures.

Amid the busy sign-ups, at 5 PM Zheng Yunjie came out holding an intent form.

“How many acres did you sign for?” the neighbor shop owner waited outside.

“Ten acres.”

“Same here.”

…

Ten acres was the maximum allowed per merchant. The two chatted briefly before going their separate ways.

It was early May, and Kunshan’s green belts were withered. On the way home, Zheng Yunjie saw two sanitation workers cleaning dead branches by the roadside and two high-altitude workers fixing billboards.

He casually took two photos.

Acid rain raged worldwide, but life had to go on.

…

The next morning, Zheng Yunjie and the neighbor went to the agricultural bureau.

This batch of sweet potato seeds allocated to Kunshan totaled 100,000 acres. Besides the flower market, the southern insect and bird market, northern clothing market, and other major commercial areas had 40,000 acres available. Some merchants with heavy losses could plant up to 100 acres.

This was the first batch; a second batch was expected mid-month.

At 10 AM, Zheng Yunjie and the neighbor completed their paperwork.

Their contracts stated—

Planting address: Kunshan Baixiang Base No. 303.

Planting address: Kunshan Baixiang Base No. 305.

“We’re neighbors again,” the neighbor joked.

“This is Baixiang Base?”

“Sigh…”

…

An hour later, the two stood outside the base. Baixiang Base was a state-run flower base covering 50,000 acres. Because of its variety of flowers, they often came here to stock up. It had once been rated one of the world’s ten most beautiful bases. But now, after acid rain: all 50,000 acres of flowers were withered, flower branches fallen into the soil, which had darkened from deep brown to black.

“Can’t see the most beautiful base now,” the neighbor sighed, then headed to his plot.

Sweet potato planting generally involved selecting seedlings, ridging, planting, fertilizing, and mulching. The seedlings had already arrived at the agricultural bureau. Once ridging was done, they could apply to plant.

Baixiang Base was relatively flat; many planters were already preparing.

“Do you know how to plant?” Zheng Yunjie asked the neighbor.

“I planted as a kid but forgot the steps.”

Sweet potato planting was simple, but for perfection, they hired three agricultural workers.

Because of acid rain’s impact on employment, day laborers who once earned 300 yuan a day now worked for 200.

Over the next two days, the two worked alongside the laborers in the fields.

Two days later, the ten-acre sweet potato field was successfully planted.

After two days of labor, Baixiang Base had mostly been contracted out. Standing in their black soil, the two suddenly felt a pang of anxiety: could sweet potatoes grow in such dark, heavy soil?

…

“Will the sweet potatoes grow?”

“Don’t know.”

“At the earliest, it will take three months.”

…

Could sweet potatoes be produced?

This question concerned not only Zheng Yunjie and his neighbor but the entire country.

With acid rain covering vast areas, if Longfeng Zhongzhi’s planting succeeded, it would be the hope of all Longxia. But if it failed to withstand acid rain…

They dared not dwell on it.

On May 7, Longxia Meteorological Bureau issued another warning—

[Harma Storm expected to land in Jianghuai provinces May 10–15. Governments and residents should prepare protective measures. [Red Alert]]

“Red alert…”

“It just keeps coming.”

“If Jianghuai gets hit, will it move over the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers next?”

“Ahhh, the north must not fall!”

…

Netizens felt heavy-hearted after reading the warning. The most direct consequence: panic buying.

But this time it wasn’t smooth like before. Supermarket vegetables were snapped up, rice and flour prices doubled, noodles and dumplings sold out.

Now, anything edible in supermarkets was being frantically hoarded. In some small grain stores, rice prices jumped from 3.5 yuan to 15 yuan. As grain prices rose, small-scale panic spread in Jianghuai.

Amid nationwide panic, Longxia’s Agriculture Department released more news—

Longxia will strictly crack down on unfair competition such as hoarding food to raise prices, speculation, and spreading panic.

Longxia has opened a special food purchase channel. Residents can log into the Longxia Grain Warehouse app and buy up to 10 kg of rice and 5 kg of flour per person per month. (Delivery addresses must match the registered permanent residence; false registrations and purchases are strictly prohibited. Severe cases will face criminal detention.)

Longxia is firmly committed to ensuring no resident goes hungry and that everyone has enough food to eat.

…

According to the news details, the grain from the Grain Warehouse app is shipped directly from official grain stores. Ten kilograms of rice and five kilograms of flour can fully meet the monthly needs of an adult man. Residents can purchase according to household size…

This policy acted like a tonic, instantly reassuring people nationwide.

…

On May 10, acid rain began to fall steadily in Jianghuai, and residents stayed indoors, refusing to go outside.

Some lower-floor residents, learning from the experiences of Yunyu and Central South regions, covered their furniture and appliances with waterproof bags in advance. Others in low-lying areas directly booked hotels on higher ground.

The acid rain arrived as expected in Jianghuai, but compared to previous times, residents were calmer and more composed.

While the people of Jianghuai united to fight the acid rain, in Huainan’s Xinxin neighborhood, Zhao Xuan looked out the window with worry. “The bakery might not make it.”

Sun Yunxuan turned on the TV. “We cleared everything out. Even if it gets flooded, it’s just some furniture and renovations.”

“Furniture and renovations are pretty valuable too.”

Zhao Xuan sat back on the sofa as an advertisement appeared on the TV—

[The Uninhabited Zone is a forbidden land of life, barren and desolate, where every plant is a symbol of life…]

Zhao Xuan felt dazed. “It’s been half a year.”

She remembered six months ago when Fengshan Flour was advertised all over the internet, and she, following the trend, stocked up on a batch of flour. The Fengshan cream puffs and bread slices sold well among nearby residents.

She had already planned with Sun Yunxuan to open a branch, but before even choosing a location, the heavy rains hit Mali. After that… this is what happened.

“Do we still have Fengshan Flour?” Sun Yunxuan asked after the ad.

“There are still three bags left.”

She had contacted supermarkets to stock up when Fengshan Flour was selling nationwide. Now that flour was sold out nationwide, three bags remained on their balcony.

“I’m craving some little bread.” Sun Yunxuan said, mouth watering.

Zhao Xuan baked two slices in the home bread machine.

“Delicious.”

Sun Yunxuan ate with satisfaction.

“Definitely good.”

Zhao Xuan took a bite. The flour was still the same, but the world was changing too fast…

The heavy rains in Jianghuai lasted five days straight, with a maximum rainfall of 473 mm. The whole city experienced large-scale power outages, but residents were prepared. When the power went out, they lit candles; without internet, they stared quietly at the rain.

Life had moved so fast that they never imagined they’d have such patient moments.

On May 15, the rains stopped.

After the water downstairs receded, Zhao Xuan and Sun Yunxuan put on raincoats and went to the shop.

The bakery signboard was blown crooked halfway. Sun Yunxuan borrowed a ladder nearby and straightened it. Then the two went inside.

The floodwater had reached mid-calf, some bread racks soaked, wallpaper on the walls completely wet.

Sun Yunxuan tore off a corner of the wallpaper, sighing, “It’s useless now.”

He still held onto the last hope when he came, but the whole store was destroyed.

Zhao Xuan placed her backpack on a bread rack and walked into the prep room. Before the rains, they had moved everything out, leaving only two tables. Looking at the place where they had worked for ten years, they both felt deeply upset.

“Are we still going to open?” Sun Yunxuan lit a cigarette and asked.

“How can we?” Zhao Xuan touched the nearby shelves.

This food crisis was sudden and destructive. Since the Yunyu rains, business had worsened day by day.

The food crisis not only caused global shortages but triggered economic decline, rising unemployment, and a series of problems.

With the economy struggling, residents preferred to buy three jin of rice rather than a piece of cake; rice was more valuable.

“Sigh, just unemployed like this,” Sun Yunxuan said with some self-mockery. The bakery was fully paid for before; he planned to close it and see if he could turn it into a small supermarket. If that failed… it seemed there was nothing left to do.

The two stayed in the shop for a while, then prepared to leave.

Just as Zhao Xuan slung on her backpack, the wind chime at the door rang. She looked up and saw a middle-aged woman in a floral dress.

“Sister Zhou,” Zhao Xuan greeted her with a smile.

Sister Zhou was a regular customer. Besides herself, she held the hand of a seven-year-old girl.

“I saw your shop open, and the kid wanted cake, so we came to take a look,” Sister Zhou said.

“The goods are ruined now. No cake left.”

“When do you plan to reopen?”

Zhao Xuan thought for a moment. “We won’t reopen.”

“Ah?”

“The economy is bad. The bakery business isn’t working.”

“I see.” Sister Zhou was very understanding.

After chatting a while, Sister Zhou prepared to leave with the girl. The girl looked up: “Mom, is the bakery really not reopening?”

“Yes.”

“Then will there be no more sweet cakes?”

“Not many.”

“Woo!” The little girl burst into tears. “Cakes are so delicious! Why won’t there be cakes anymore? I want to eat cake…”

“Sorry,” Sister Zhou awkwardly pulled the girl away.

Zhao Xuan and Sun Yunxuan watched them leave, both feeling uneasy.

Cakes are sweet and delicious.

But now, survival comes first. As for cake… there’s no chance anymore.

…

At the same time Zhao Xuan and Sun Yunxuan were feeling down, a post suddenly went viral online.

The post title—

[Reduce the burden on the country’s planting: bean sprouts, chives, Chinese cabbage! With the food crisis now, everyone is encouraged to grow on their balconies! Bean sprouts can be ready in three days! Hurry up, sisters!]