Just when everything was going smoothly, an accident occurred. One noon, Lin Wanqiu was checking on the growth of the seedlings in the seedling shed when she suddenly heard an argument outside. She quickly went out of the shed and saw several unfamiliar men arguing with Shen Tingzhou. The leader was none other than Boss Wang, one of the grain buyers who had previously conspired to hoard and raise prices.

"Shen Tingzhou, you're cutting off our livelihood!" Boss Wang stood with his hands on his hips, his face grim and his tone unfriendly. "If this saline-alkali land is turned into fertile farmland, your food workshop will no longer need to purchase raw materials from us. How are we supposed to survive?"

“Mr. Wang, buying and selling is voluntary. We just want to achieve self-sufficiency in ingredients and have no intention of cutting off anyone’s livelihood.” Shen Tingzhou’s expression was calm, but his tone was firm and unquestionable. “Besides, you were the ones who colluded to raise prices and try to squeeze us out of the market. Now that we have found our own way out, you are trying to obstruct us. Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?”

"Reason? In business, profit comes first!" Boss Wang sneered, and the men behind him echoed him, striking a pose as if ready to fight. "Let me tell you, this saline-alkali land improvement project must stop, or don't blame us for being impolite!"

Lin Wanqiu strode to Shen Tingzhou's side, her eyes coldly fixed on Boss Wang: "Boss Wang, the planting base is a legally contracted and compliantly constructed project, supported by the commune and the brigade. You think you can stop us? It won't be so easy." She paused, her tone carrying a hint of warning, "Back then, you colluded to raise prices, harming the interests of farmers and us. We've already been more than lenient by not pursuing your responsibilities. Now, please leave immediately and don't interfere with our construction, otherwise we'll have no choice but to report you to the police."

Mr. Wang was taken aback by Lin Wanqiu's assertiveness. He had initially thought she was just a woman who only knew how to cook, but he hadn't expected her to be so courageous and decisive. Seeing more and more villagers gathering around, their eyes filled with hostility, Mr. Wang knew he wouldn't get anywhere today. He could only utter a harsh threat: "You just wait! This isn't over!" With that, he and his men left dejectedly.

Watching their departing figures, Shen Tingzhou gently patted Lin Wanqiu's back and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll arrange for more patrols and won't let them cause any more trouble."

Lin Wanqiu nodded, but she dared not let her guard down for a moment. She knew that Boss Wang and his men would not give up easily, and that they would encounter more difficulties and challenges in the future. But she was not afraid. With Shen Tingzhou by her side, the support of her fellow villagers, and her own resilience and wisdom, she believed that no difficulty could stop them from moving forward.

Over the next few months, Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou, while dealing with the underhanded tactics of Boss Wang and others, accelerated the construction of the planting base. They overcame a series of difficulties, including funding shortages, technical challenges, and weather changes, and finally completed the first phase of soil improvement work before the autumn harvest.

When the first batch of wheat and grain seeds were sown in the improved soil, Lin Wanqiu stood on the edge of the field, gazing at the hopeful land, her eyes filled with tears of excitement. Shen Tingzhou gently hugged her from behind and whispered in her ear, "Wanqiu, we've succeeded in the first step."

Lin Wanqiu leaned against him, feeling his steady heartbeat, and a relieved smile appeared on her face: "Yes, this is just the first step. In the future, we will expand the planting base and introduce more high-quality crop varieties to truly turn this land into a gold mine."

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was summer of the following year. The once saline-alkali land had been transformed into a vibrant place. The golden wheat was ripe, and the heavy ears of wheat swayed in the wind, releasing an enticing aroma. In the grain fields, the sorghum was as red as fire, and the corn was golden yellow, a scene of abundant harvest. In the vegetable greenhouses, the cucumbers were fresh and juicy, the tomatoes were bright red, and the green peppers were lush and green, a feast for the eyes.

The villagers were busy harvesting and picking, their faces beaming with the joy of a bountiful harvest. An old farmer, holding a handful of plump ears of wheat, excitedly said to Lin Wanqiu, "Wanqiu, I never imagined that such good crops could grow on this saline-alkali land! You are truly a great hero to us!"

"Yes, Mr. Lin, if it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had such a good harvest, and we wouldn't have received such high wages!" another villager exclaimed.

Looking at the bountiful harvest and listening to the villagers' praise, Lin Wanqiu felt a great sense of accomplishment. More than a year of hard work and dedication had finally paid off. She knew this was not just a harvest for the land, but a harvest of the villagers' hopes, and the cornerstone for the stable development of the food workshop.

Shen Tingzhou walked to her side, handed her a bottle of water, and said with a smile, "Wanqiu, look, we did it. Now the food workshop can finally be self-sufficient in raw materials, and we no longer have to worry about being held hostage by others."

Lin Wanqiu took the water, took a sip, and felt the cool sensation spread throughout her body. She turned to look at Shen Tingzhou, her eyes full of tenderness: "This is all thanks to our joint efforts. Without you, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Just then, cheerful footsteps sounded in the distance, and Shen Nian'an and Shen Nianxi came running up, panting. Nian'an held a certificate in her hand, her face full of pride: "Mom, Dad, I won first place in the math competition!"

Nianxi tugged at Lin Wanqiu's sleeve, tilting her little face up with expectant eyes: "Mom, the school is forming an arts troupe, and I want to sign up! I want to sing and dance!"

Looking at her two children, Lin Wanqiu felt a surge of joy. Nian'an was becoming more and more outstanding, and Nianxi was also developing her own hobbies. She squatted down, ruffled Nianxi's soft hair, and said with a smile, "Great! Our Nianxi wants to join the art troupe, of course Mom supports you!"

Shen Tingzhou smiled and said, "Yes, as long as you like it, we'll support you. Nianxi has musical talent; who knows, she might become an outstanding artist in the future!"

Upon hearing this, Nianxi's face lit up with a bright smile, and she skipped and hopped, saying, "Thank you, Mom! Thank you, Dad! I will definitely work hard and strive to become a core member of the art troupe!"

Watching their daughter's joyful figure, Lin Wanqiu and Shen Tingzhou smiled at each other. The success of the planting base had propelled the food workshop to a new level, making their family's life increasingly fulfilling. Nianxi's aspirations for the art troupe added new hope to the family's future.