The waves rolled and surged, their whitecaps layered upon each other, as if chasing something.

They kept going and kept heading towards the shore.

The port echoed with the constant whistling of ships as they departed, laden with cargo.

The car drove towards the city, along the coastal avenue, with tall and straight green trees on both sides.

Lin Ziyan watched the trees receding into the distance, her thoughts drifting far away.

She kept thinking about one question last night.

When I was first reborn here, was the shrimp plague caused by humans?

Once the idea popped into her head, she couldn't help but think about it more deeply.

She had previously suspected that the shrimp larvae were from shrimp seedlings, but that doesn't mean that all the shrimp seedlings in the fishing villages were bought from the same person.

After it was confirmed that the shrimp larvae were the problem, she stopped investigating elsewhere.

"Ayan, we're here. What are you thinking about so intently?" The chubby girl unbuckled her seatbelt and asked when she didn't move.

The chubby girl thought she was sleeping, which is why she didn't try to start a conversation with her.

Looking back now, I realize I might have been thinking about that problem just now.

The chubby girl glanced suspiciously at the bamboo pole behind her.

"Do you remember the shrimp plague a few years ago?" Lin Ziyan suddenly asked.

The chubby girl nodded: "Of course I remember. At that time, none of the nearby fishing villages were spared. Later I found out it was because of the shrimp larvae."

"But I just don't think so. How could so many shrimp farms be so unlucky as to buy the same batch of shrimp larvae? That's too much of a coincidence."

Lin Ziyan pursed her lips and said nothing more.

After getting out of the car, the two went straight to the mayor's office.

At this moment, Mayor Min is chatting with Minister Qin of the Ministry of Fisheries.

"Old Qin, I can only feel at ease leaving the breeding business to you," Min Ting said with a smile.

Even though the head of the aquaculture association was his cousin, he was still not comfortable entrusting aquaculture to that cousin.

His previous job change was not only due to the efforts of the Jiang family, but his cousin must have also helped a lot, otherwise the Chen family would not have been involved.

A glint of malice flashed in Min Ting's eyes. If it weren't for the villain's framing, he would have been promoted long ago.

Minister Qin drank a cup of tea, his expression stern.

The aquaculture industry in Fushi is doing well, otherwise he wouldn't have been transferred back.

A few years ago, due to the shrimp plague, the higher-ups transferred him away, but Mayor Min secretly put in a good word for him, so he wasn't stuck in the archives.

"I will definitely cooperate with the city's work, you can rest assured," Minister Qin stated, though he wouldn't say anything nice.

Previously, due to the shrimp disease outbreak, he went directly to the president of the Ocean University and strongly demanded that professors be sent to rural areas, which offended many people.

However, he doesn't regret it; these are all part of his job.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that. The head of the city's largest breeding company came over today. She has also established a research team and has her own laboratory..." Mayor Min briefly introduced Lin Ziyan's situation.

He originally wanted Minister Qin to go on the last inspection, but his cousin ended up taking his place by mistake.

Knock, knock,

The mayor's secretary pushed open the door and came in. "Mayor Min, the person you invited has arrived and is waiting in the conference room."

The two got up and walked together towards the conference room.

Lin Ziyan and Fatty sat in the conference room and took out the materials they had prepared in advance.

After seeing the mayor and his entourage off yesterday, they began preparing the relevant documents so that they could successfully sign the long-term lease agreement today.

That mudflat is in high demand now; they might not have been able to get it without the mayor's special approval.

"President Lin, I thought you wouldn't arrive until the afternoon," Mayor Min said with a smile as he entered the conference room.

Lin Ziyan stood up and greeted them, "I was delayed by something, otherwise we would have arrived earlier."

She looked at the people behind Mayor Min and smiled, "Minister Qin, we meet again."

Mayor Min turned around suspiciously to look at his friend behind him.

Minister Qin was equally puzzled: "Have we met before?"

"At the entrance of the Ocean University president's office..." Lin Ziyan smiled slyly and gave a reminder.

Minister Qin's face flushed instantly; he had been yelling at the principal at that moment...

Lin Ziyan continued, "I was taking a leave of absence from school at that time because my parents died unexpectedly due to shrimp disease."

Minister Qin asked anxiously, "Did you establish that breeding company?"

Lin Ziyan: "Minister Qin, I hope we can cooperate well in the future."

Seeing his friend's bewildered expression, Mayor Min quickly smoothed things over, saying, "So you're an old acquaintance. Then I don't need to be the matchmaker."

After the three sat down, they began to discuss the long-term lease agreement for the mudflats.

Since it's a special approval, the mayor will make requests, but there will also be restrictions.

Subletting is prohibited, as is engaging in non-aquaculture-related businesses, etc.

By the time the contract was drafted, it was lunchtime.

Mayor Min had to leave first due to work, and Minister Qin accompanied Lin Ziyan and the others to the municipal government canteen for lunch.

Lin Ziyan happened to have something to ask him, so she didn't refuse his invitation.

“A few years ago, I traced the shrimp disease outbreak back to shrimp larvae, but what happened last night gave me a new direction…” Lin Ziyan stated her thoughts simply and clearly.

They ate in a private room, unafraid that their conversation would be leaked.

Mayor Min specifically instructed his secretary to book a private room.

This place is usually used to receive provincial leaders or foreign businessmen.

Minister Qin looked at her in shock. He had been investigating for years, but had only found shrimp larvae.

But all the evidence was destroyed, and the people who cultivated the shrimp larvae cannot be blamed for the diseases that occurred during the cultivation process.

With the technology available at the time, it was impossible to detect.

"Do you believe the shrimp disease was caused by human intervention?" Minister Qin asked in a low voice.

Lin Ziyan nodded slightly. If it was targeting fishermen, something was amiss.

However, it is very likely that it will involve the position of Minister of Fisheries.

Minister Qin had certainly thought of that too. His hands clenched, and his eyes reddened slightly: "Heinous!"

"Was it you who first suggested shrimp farming?" Lin Ziyan's expression hardened slightly.

"No, it was the aquatic products association that brought it up first. I thought it was feasible, and everyone voted to decide." Minister Qin recalled the situation at the time, his expression solemn.

Everything seemed to be going too smoothly.

In the past, whenever he advocated a particular direction, the fisheries association would always jump out to stop him.

They seemed to work together very well that time.

When the shrimp disease outbreak occurred, the aquatic product association completely shirked its responsibility.

He was the one who went to the countryside to persuade the fishermen. At the time, he didn't think too much about it and felt it was his responsibility, so he voluntarily applied to be transferred from his post.

“Minister Min…” he murmured to himself, then shook his head, dismissing the idea.

At this time,

Inside the Fisheries Association office, Minister Min had just seen off the investors.

Having secured this investment, it's time for him to adjust his position.

After years of enduring hardship, he watched helplessly as his cousin returned to his former position, and even Qin Guoming was reinstated.

He couldn't hold back any longer and had to take action again.

He could get rid of both of them a few years ago, and he can do it again a few years later.

"Minister Min, the mayor approved that mudflat to the people of Haibi Village today." Old Liu closed the office door, looking flustered.

Minister Min remained calm and composed, saying, "Even if she signs the contract, I can still take that mudflat back."

Tonight's newspapers will expose the accident on their mudflats, and even if the mayor vouches for it, the management bureau won't dare to approve it.