Early in the morning, the fat man, who was both the Party Secretary and the Township Head, got up.

"Guodong, Guodong, get up quickly. We still have things to do today." In the secretary's lounge, the fat man glanced at Zhang Guodong, who was sleeping like a log, shook his head helplessly, and immediately called out.

Last night, Zhang Guodong was forced out by two women who wouldn't let him into bed.

Instead, Zheng Le and Ye Yun ended up sleeping together, a result that greatly frustrated Zhang Guodong. But since he was in the wrong, he could only accept the woman's little tantrum. As a result, Fatty also suffered, unable to be intimate with Lin Daiyu. The two of them ended up drinking at Fatty's house in the countryside all night.

"What's all the noise about? It's all your nonsense. What's so interesting about those medicinal herbs? Sigh, I wanted to sleep a little longer." Zhang Guodong had actually woken up long before the fat man got up, but he just didn't want to get out of bed.

Sleep is a luxury for him now, and it feels really good to enjoy it once.

Helplessly, he sprang to his feet, full of energy.

He showed no signs of fatigue whatsoever.

Zhangba Township is now doing remarkably well; it's been completely transformed. Construction is underway everywhere, creating a vibrant and prosperous scene. The streets are spotless, demonstrating the achievements of this leadership team. The chubby man, who serves as both Party Secretary and Township Head, is naturally the primary contributor.

Of course, the fat man hadn't forgotten that all of this was related to one thing.

That is the medicinal herb cultivation demonstration area in Jixing Village. Even in the dead of winter, those hundreds of acres of "star grass" are still a vibrant green, growing exceptionally well and robustly.

The medicinal herbs alone have attracted several pharmaceutical companies to invest here in advance. The presence of pharmaceutical companies indicates the quality of the environment here.

This appears to be a chain reaction.

In addition, the fat man held an exhibition in the city, which also attracted the interest of many businesses.

The development goals and plans such as "livable hometown," "green hometown," and "hometown of Northwest medicinal herbs" are very good gimmicks. But to truly achieve them, the cultivation of medicinal herbs cannot be abandoned; on the contrary, it should be given even more attention.

Zhang Guodong, the owner of this "star grass," is an expert in this field. It would be a real shame if the fat man didn't take charge of his work.

"Speaking of which, that 'star grass' is really outstanding. It basically doesn't need any care, and even the weeds in the world can't compete with it. The villagers say it saves them a lot of trouble!" the fat man said with a smile.

Zhang Guodong smiled and said calmly, "That's for sure."

The fat man nodded and said, "Hurry up and wash your face, then come with me to the fields. It's winter now. The weather's cold, and everyone's worried about the herbs freezing to death if they're left exposed on the ground."

Zhang Guodong immediately understood what the fat man meant. He wanted him to step forward and give everyone a thumbs-up.

After a quick wash, Zhang Guodong got into the fat man's car and drove towards Jixing Village.

Secretary Zhao Sanshun received a call from the township saying that Secretary Wang would be coming to the village for an inspection. He hurriedly gathered the village cadres who were at home and they waited at the village entrance early in the morning.

"Third Uncle, didn't Secretary Wang say he wouldn't be coming down for a few days?" A village cadre said to Zhao Sanshun, breathing out hot air and stamping his foot.

Winter in the Northwest is especially cold this year, a dry cold. There's no snow or rain. Everyone is wearing thick clothes right now.

Even the wind was a cold wind, biting to the bone.

Zhao Sanshun was also puzzled, and after a moment of thought, he said, "Perhaps Secretary Wang has something to do."

"What brings you to our village? Even Xiao Zhang from across the street isn't here, and Secretary Wang rarely comes!" someone chuckled.

"By the way, Uncle San, this is really something. As the executive deputy village chief, I haven't been able to get through to him on the phone for so long. If something happens to the medicinal herbs we planted, all this money will be wasted."

When the topic of medicinal herb cultivation, which is of utmost concern to the entire village, came up, many people raised their voices, their faces showing worry.

In such a cold winter, generally speaking, apart from pine and pine trees, other seedlings would have a hard time surviving outdoors. But those "star grasses" are still as green as ever. However, everyone is still worried. What if, in a few days, some of the seedlings that are now a foot tall die? That's worth millions!

Zhang Guodong wasn't there. The expert hired by the township didn't know the medicinal herb's growing habits or how to care for it, so he ended up taking a few plants back for some kind of research. This was a case of "distant water cannot quench immediate thirst."

Just leave it like that? Let the herbs fend for themselves? Enough said, the car's here!

At the village entrance, a black Volkswagen Santana appeared. Everyone recognized it as Secretary Wang's car.

The car stopped in front of the crowd. The fat man got out and feigned displeasure, saying, "Comrade Sanshun, I've said it so many times, it's so cold, how can we keep everyone waiting here? This time I have to criticize you! Don't do this kind of formalism again!"

Zhao Sanshun chuckled a few times, finding it difficult to answer.

At that moment, Zhang Guodong also opened the door and got out of the car on the other side.

The fat man chuckled and said, "Everyone's been worried about the medicinal herbs lately, so I brought Guodong back. With him, the expert, here, he'll explain how to care for them in winter and different seasons. Come on, let's walk to the fields." (Guodong)

Zhao Sanshun nodded to Zhang Guodong.

“Secretary Wang, it’s cold outside. Why don’t you eat something and drink some wine to warm up before going to the fields?” Zhao Sanshun said.

"No need, business is more important. It's too early to eat now. We'll wait until we're done with the important matters. Guodong and I have other things to do!" the fat man said, waving his hand.

He took the lead and walked ahead. The others quickly followed.

In the winter of Northwest China, the fields of Jixing Village are a vibrant blue-green, a truly stunning sight. This remarkable phenomenon has attracted villagers from surrounding villages and visitors from other areas to come and see for themselves.

Just as Fatty and Zhang Guodong's group arrived at the location, they saw several groups of people who looked like tourists taking pictures with their cameras.

"The star grass is blue-green during the day. At night, its leaves glow, which attracts a lot of people to come and see it. Now the village store's income has increased quite a bit. This is an unexpected surprise," the fat man exclaimed.

Aside from the small shops, the women, when they had free time, would sometimes sell small items like food and drinks at the village entrance or by the roadside to earn some extra money. Some even went further, building two-story bungalows to use as guest rooms.

Some out-of-town tourists stay here to enjoy the night view, taking care of everything from meals to lodging. Since the prices are low, it's a great place to relax and unwind.

Moreover, the environment here is exceptionally good, with incredibly clear air. Compared to the expense of vacationing south, the lush greenery of the Northwest in winter seems even more precious.

"I think Jixing Village can develop agritourism in addition to medicinal herb cultivation. There's a stream nearby where we could build a fishing pond for tourists, or set up some agritourism businesses offering food and lodging. There's a lot to be done in these areas to further increase everyone's income!"

Hearing what Secretary Wang said, everyone felt excited.

"Secretary Wang, this is indeed an unexpected surprise. Who would have thought that planting medicinal herbs could become such a scenic spot?" Zhao Sanshun chuckled.

That smile comes from the heart.

He's quite old, but he never expected to see the village change so quickly. He felt like he'd become several years younger.

"Secretary Wang, we're short of money right now, and the cooperative won't lend us any!" someone said from the side.

"Oh? We'll talk about this later. What are your thoughts? Write a report and let me see it. This is a good thing!" The fat man frowned and said.

He was very pleased with how quickly Zhao Sanshu and the others had changed their minds. He hadn't expected them to think of collective investment; this was a significant step forward.

If this goal can be achieved, transforming Jixing Village into not only a medicinal herb village but also a tourist village, the resulting increase in income would be substantial.

The fat man also felt that the air in Jixing Village was significantly better than in other villages.

Providing guidance is actually quite simple.

Zhang Guodong explained the merits of "star grass" to everyone. He said that basically, once the weeds are removed, it requires very little management; it is drought-resistant, cold-resistant, and so on, which reassured everyone.

In reality, all of this so-called data is fabricated.

The inspection was completed in about half an hour.

After hailing a car and a driver, and politely declining Zhao Sanshun and his group's invitation to dinner and drinks, Fatty and Zhang Guodong arrived at Taoyuan Xiaozhu.

Peach Blossom Abode was deserted. No one knew where Li Yun and the others had gone; they were probably with Qingzhu and the others. Xuan Qingban had been very busy for the past month, basically preparing for the opening of the imitation market, as had Qingzhu. Li Yun and Qin Lina, however, hadn't been able to get involved, occasionally cultivating or going out shopping.

As Zhang Guodong and the fat man entered the courtyard, two large creatures suddenly appeared.

"Two blacks, two greens!"

Then I saw two parrots perched on the heads of the two guys. They were clearly a small parrot and its mate. I had been dozing off and was startled awake.

"Bad guys are coming! Bad guys are coming!"

Zhang Guodong had several dark lines on his forehead.

Who taught them this?

After spending some time being affectionate with Erqing and Erhei, Zhang Guodong tossed out a handful of pills, which the two swallowed in one gulp. Afterward, they immediately returned to their own territory to digest them.

Zhang Guodong thought for a moment and then threw one over to the little bird and its mate.

The fat man watched all this, his mind filled with questions. He had just smelled something in Zhang Guodong's hand that made him feel refreshed and comfortable; it was probably something good.

"Let's sit here." The two sat down in the courtyard. They felt no coldness outside at all.

"Guodong, this is a really nice place! It's not cold at all in winter. These clothes feel superfluous!" the fat man said, then took off his coat.

This was one of the questions in his mind.

The swimming pool not far away never freezes; the water is always warm. He had noticed this once before.

This is unusual, as there is no underfloor heating here.

"You'll know the details when you have the chance," Zhang Guodong said, magically producing two wine jugs and two small wine cups, both made of top-quality jade. Drinking from these would be an absolute delight. Zhang Guodong didn't want to elaborate on this.

The fat man is not a plant cultivator yet; too much talk will only lead to mistakes.

"Guodong, how many days do you plan to stay this time?" the fat man asked.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Guodong looked at him in surprise.

"Tch, can't I ask if there's nothing wrong? The National People's Congress is being held early next year, my dad might be getting some work done." "That's good news!"

"My dad wants to see you!"

"Tsk tsk, good wine! You can never get enough of it. Your dad's a member of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, and you think you can compete with an ordinary citizen like me?" Zhang Guodong sneered. "Speak, what is it?"

Honestly, Zhang Guodong really didn't want to get involved in worldly official affairs. It was seen as interfering with the natural workings of the world. "Good thing, hehe!"