Chapter 109 Greenhouse Site Selection: Luring the Enemy into a Trap
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the wooden door of the guesthouse was banged on loudly.
Director Zhang's fat face, plastered with a fawning smile, had already appeared outside the door, a fine layer of sweat beading on his forehead.
"Chairman Bai, you're awake? The car is ready. Shall we have breakfast first, or go straight to the fields?"
The door opened, and Bai Shu walked out dressed in a neat pair of pants, his face revealing no emotion.
Lu Jingyan, standing behind her, calmly swept his gaze over Director Zhang, who involuntarily shrank back, his smile stiffening slightly.
"Go straight to the field." Bai Zhu's voice was indifferent, devoid of any warmth.
"Yes, sir!" Director Zhang immediately nodded and bowed, leading the way.
Soon they arrived at a piece of land on the west side of Beiwan Farm.
The farm smelled of earth in the early morning. The group walked into the farm, their feet sinking into the dew.
"Chairman Bai, what do you think of this plot of land? It's definitely the best piece of land in our farm. It's sunny, close to the river, and easy to get water!"
Bai Shu ignored him, squatted down, took out a small hand-cranked drill from the canvas bag he carried, and easily drilled into the dry soil.
She took out a piece of soil core, picked up a little bit and smelled it, then rubbed it with her fingertips, carefully examining the color and texture of the soil.
This set of movements was fluid and graceful, exuding an undeniable professionalism.
The surrounding employees, who had come to watch the spectacle, craned their necks and marveled at the sight.
They've farmed all their lives, relying entirely on experience; they've never seen anything like this before.
"No." Bai Shu stood up, clapped his hands, and said calmly.
Director Zhang's smile froze on his face.
"Huh? This... why won't this work?"
"The topsoil looks okay; it was added later. But half a foot below, it's all salt flats."
Bai Zhu pointed to the white spots on the soil core.
"This land is inherently rotten. Nothing grows well here, it's a waste of money."
These words left Director Zhang speechless, and the surrounding employees suddenly realized what was going on, looking at Bai Shu with even more respect.
That's real skill!
Lu Jingyan stood like a gatekeeper, always a few steps away.
His eyes didn't even look at the ground; his sharp gaze, like that of a hawk, swept over the surrounding hillsides and distant field ridges again and again.
He quickly realized something was wrong.
On the eastern hillside, three figures carrying hoes could be seen.
Two people were squatting and smoking near the poplar grove at the nine o'clock position.
They were dressed in the tattered clothes of farm workers, but their posture was too straight, and the way they carried hoes looked like they were carrying guns.
The squatting posture, with the heels firmly on the ground, is the standard alert stance.
Most importantly, their shoes were so new.
While Zhang, the factory manager, was whispering to the technician, Lu Jingyan walked over to Bai Shu in a few steps.
He didn't say anything, but simply stretched out his finger and quickly drew several lines on her palm.
A "five" and a "kill".
Bai Zhu's hands never paused in their examination of the tools, and she didn't even lift her eyelids.
Lu Jingyan whispered two words in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"withdraw."
Bai Shu finally raised her head and met his worried gaze.
There was no panic in those peach blossom eyes; instead, a cold smile appeared on their faces.
"withdraw?"
She countered with a playful tone.
Why withdraw?
She stood up, slowly putting her tools back into her bag, but her gaze went past Lu Jingyan's shoulder to the few "workers" hidden in the distance.
"Su Yuting's patience is even less than I thought."
She turned back to look at Lu Jingyan and said, word by word, "If fish come to your door, are you going to release them to accumulate good karma instead of taking them in?"
Lu Jingyan's breathing stopped for a moment.
He looked at the woman in front of him. It was the face he had been longing for day and night, but the ruthlessness and madness that emanated from her very bones made him feel a sense of unfamiliarity and a deeper heartache.
He knew that this belonged to "Bai Zhu".
Throughout the morning, Bai Zhu led the group on a thorough inspection of almost every inch of open space on the west side of the farm with an extremely discerning attitude.
They complained that the terrain was too low and prone to water accumulation, or that the wind vents were too large and not conducive to heat preservation.
Director Zhang was sweating profusely, his legs felt like they were made of lead, but he didn't dare utter a single word.
Lunchtime at the farm's canteen.
At the dinner table, the workers were still excitedly discussing yesterday's debate and Chairman Bai's promises of greenhouses and double wages.
The atmosphere was lively.
Bai Zhu ate slowly and deliberately, picking at the few pieces of cabbage with a few specks of oil left in her bowl. Suddenly, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.
She put down her chopsticks and subtly rubbed her lower back.
This subtle movement was immediately noticed by Director Zhang, who had been watching her out of the corner of his eye.
"Chairman Bai! Chairman Bai!" Director Zhang immediately brought over his rice bowl, his face full of concern.
"What's wrong? Is the food not to your liking? I'll have them prepare a special meal for you!"
"The food was alright." Bai Shu shook his head, a hint of fatigue and helplessness perfectly displayed on his face.
"The beds in your guesthouse are so hard. My body is very delicate, and after one night, my back feels like it's going to break."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a hint of coquettishness in her soft, gentle tone, which made the ears of several young and strong male employees around her turn red.
A female director in her forties at the next table immediately chimed in.
"Oh dear, that's for sure! Girls from the city are delicate, they can't get used to sleeping on our hard kang (heated brick bed)! If they strain their backs, it'll be a big problem!"
Bai Shu sighed and looked at Director Zhang: "Director Zhang, we need to hurry this afternoon. I have to go back to the hotel in the county town to sleep tonight. If I stay here for another night, I'm afraid I'll have to be carried back to Shanghai tomorrow."
Upon hearing this, Director Zhang turned pale with fright.
If he manages to sleep with the God of Wealth and cause him any harm, he'll lose his job as the venue manager!
"Oh dear! It was our oversight! We failed to provide adequate hospitality!" He nodded vigorously.
"Don't worry! I'll arrange a car right away! We'll leave as soon as we finish this afternoon! I guarantee you'll sleep in the softest bed in the county!"
Lu Jingyan sat beside him, not saying a word from beginning to end.
He silently placed a piece of braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat into Bai Shu's bowl.
Then, his broad, dry palms naturally covered her lower back, kneading it gently and slowly for a couple of moments.
It wasn't very forceful, but it carried a scalding heat.
Su Wantang's body froze instantly.
Lu Jingyan, Lu Jingyan... do you really not know, or are you just here to take advantage of me?
The afternoon's survey was indeed much more efficient.
As dusk fell, the setting sun cast long shadows, and just when everyone was about to despair, Bai Zhu finally stopped in an open area near the riverbank.
She looked around carefully and nodded.
"This is it."
The three words sounded like an imperial edict.
After a brief silence, Director Zhang and the workers behind him erupted in a huge cheer that nearly shook the heavens.
"Very good!"
"It's settled! It's finally settled!"
"We have hope!!"
The way they looked at Bai Shu was no longer simple admiration, but a kind of fanatical worship.
Bai Zhu remained calm despite everyone's gaze.
"I'll send someone to deliver the blueprints tomorrow. I'll head back now."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com