Chapter 60 Winter Overture: A Visit Accompanied by Cats
She laid out her thoughts, with a hint of seeking opinions and a touch of resolute determination.
Xinglin replied quickly, with his usual support and trust.
"Xinglin: I think your plan is very reasonable, which is beneficial to the brand's long-term development and quality control."
"Xinglin: I will conduct a preliminary screening of a list of standardized production equipment suitable for use in Zone 2, as well as supplier evaluation reports, including a preliminary analysis of the potential labor force structure and skills in three nearby villages and towns. The completed report will be sent to your computer."
Looking at the concise replies, Shi Wan felt as if she had been injected with a powerful stimulant, and her last bit of hesitation vanished.
Starfall Assistant is incredibly useful.
"That's great, thank you."
She said happily, and immediately began to make plans.
In the days that followed, Meow Meow Farm was like a tightly wound clock, rhythmically starting its daily routine in an orderly fashion.
Zone One, the core area, remains as tranquil and focused as ever.
Everything here comes from the system's super high technology, so Shi Wan hardly needs to put in much effort.
All she needs to do is maintain the same level of crop rotation optimization in the hydroponic greenhouse and keep an eye on the consistent output of various products in the factory.
Even though she's been incredibly busy lately, there's still a group of responsible kittens in the cat house next door, diligently going to and from work every day.
When Shi Wan has free time, she will occasionally study whether there is room for further improvement in the existing formula.
She doesn't need to spend much more effort on it.
Of course, what won't change is that this area remains her most important place.
The products produced here bear the unique logo of Meow Meow Mimi Farm and embody her original vision and hard work.
Bingbing and Tangyuan also proactively clarified their responsibilities.
Bingbing remains the farm's source of joy and its patrolman, tirelessly patrolling the familiar Zone 1 area every day. Occasionally, she'll run to the western boundary of Zone 2, where construction is underway, peer curiously around, then shrink back in fright at the roar of the machinery and run back to Shiwan for comfort.
Tangyuan has firmly established himself as the director of the first district, spending most of his time in the packaging warehouse or Shi Wan's office, overseeing every aspect of the core products. He has a lazy demeanor but sharp eyes, and occasionally lets out a dissatisfied meowing sound at packaging arrangements that do not conform to his aesthetic.
To the west of the farm, a bustling construction scene unfolded.
Bulldozers and excavators entered the site to level the land, and construction workers were busy building standardized factory buildings and workshops.
Shi Wan invested most of her accumulated cash and, according to the list selected by Xing Lin, ordered automated production lines and packaging equipment that meet the highest food safety standards.
Since the goal was to establish a production area in Zone 2 that was exactly the same as the actual factory, Shi Wan also gave up the idea of purchasing machines and factory buildings for Zone 2 from the system.
She simply used points from the system's online store to unlock the corresponding land, obtained the relevant certificates, and then began contacting various construction teams to move in.
As the weather turned cooler and the Lunar New Year was just a few months away, the workers unexpectedly received a large order. Everyone worked enthusiastically and diligently, hoping to do a good job so they could get their wages and have a good New Year.
Seeing that they were sweating profusely in the cold weather, Shi Wan was worried that the alternation of hot and cold would make them sick, so she asked Aunt Li and Xiao Zhang to keep an eye on them occasionally and then transport the brown sugar ginger tea she had prepared in the office building to them in a tricycle every now and then.
The older men weren't used to the taste, but they knew it was a kind gesture, so they each filled their own large cups with hot ginger tea and slurped it down with furrowed brows.
I must say, after drinking it, I felt warm and comfortable all over.
The late autumn sun had lost its summer heat and become warm and bright, casting its rays on the slightly desolate scenery of the farm.
Shi Wan strolled around the farm and then announced that the farm would be open to the public for the last time this year. This sense of preciousness due to its seasonal exclusivity meant that the limited five spots were quickly snapped up.
On Sunday afternoon, Shi Wan and others greeted the group of visitors at the farm entrance.
As the weather turned cooler, she wore a beige turtleneck sweater under her coat, which made her look both gentle and warm.
Bingbing also sensed the change in temperature, and his fur became thicker than in summer. He still enthusiastically hopped around Shi Wan's legs, his breath forming a small cloud of white mist in the cool air.
Tangyuan, however, grew increasingly attached to the warmth. Instead of staying on the wooden stake at the entrance, he curled up in the cushioned rattan chair under the porch of the office building, lazily raising his eyelids to observe the arriving guests.
The visitors included a retired teacher couple, a girl who looked like a college student with a sketchbook, and a pair of young white-collar workers who appeared to be best friends.
"Welcome! This is the last day we'll be open this year. Please remember to keep warm as it's cold," Shi Wan greeted us with a smile, her voice particularly clear in the crisp air.
Our first stop was still the hydroponic greenhouse.
Upon entering, a warm and humid atmosphere, completely different from the slight chill outside, immediately greets you.
Here, it's as if the seasons have been paused.
The cat grass on the tiered cultivation racks remains lush and green, thriving under precisely controlled lighting and water mist.
The automatic temperature control system operates silently, maintaining the spring and summer atmosphere in this small space.
"They grow so well here even in winter!" The retired teacher pushed up his glasses and carefully looked at the instruction labels on the cultivation rack.
“Yes,” Shi Wan nodded, her fingertips gently brushing a tender leaf. “Hydrogen-cultured greenhouses are not affected by external seasons, which can guarantee a stable supply of fresh cat grass all year round.”
Bingbing was very satisfied with the constant temperature environment. After coming in, she found a warm air vent, lay down, and comfortably closed her eyes.
Tangyuan sneaked in at some point, precisely located the outer casing of an instrument radiating a slight warmth next to the control panel, and gracefully lay down on it, sprawling out like a warm, cozy cat pancake. Its main purpose was to monitor the greenhouse's operation and, incidentally, enjoy the free heating.
The college girl took out her sketchbook and quickly sketched the vibrant greenery and the lazy kitten beside her, looking perfectly justified in her laziness.
When we arrived at the packaging warehouse, Aunt Li and Xiao Zhang were busy packing orders.
They were clearly used to seeing visitors and greeted them warmly.
The warehouse was piled high with packaged products, making it look exceptionally full.
"Is this preparation for winter?" a white-collar girl asked curiously.
“Yes,” Xiao Zhang smiled sheepishly, “while the weather is still good, let’s send out all the orders and also prepare some inventory.”
Bingbing regained her energy here and tried to help move an empty cardboard box, but she tripped over it and rolled into a ball of fluff, which made everyone laugh.
Tangyuan peeked out from the warehouse door, but finding it not warm enough, he retreated back to his radiator seat.
Next stop was the product exhibition area in the office building. The heating was on full blast, and it was warm and cozy as soon as I entered.
The exhibits were still plentiful, but there were now some handwritten cards by Shi Wan next to them, introducing the storage and usage suggestions for different products in winter, showing thoughtfulness in the details.
"In winter, you can soak these cat grass biscuits in warm water before feeding them to your cat; it's gentler on their stomach," Shi Wan explained, picking up a bag of cat grass biscuits.
The retired teacher couple carefully looked at the development photos on the wall, exchanging hushed conversations, their eyes full of admiration.
Bingbing stretched comfortably in the warm exhibition area, accepting the touches of visitors.
Tangyuan finally left its heat source, ran swiftly across the exhibition area as if its claws were frozen, then precisely found the area under the photo showcasing its heroic posture, sat down with its paws tucked in, and calmly tried to highlight the key points for everyone.
Then we passed by the fresh food kitchen, and everyone stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass windows to look inside.
"This is also where we hold offline events, so that our guests can bring their furry friends to experience the process of making cat treats by hand."
The young white-collar workers let out a small gasp, looking somewhat excited.
"Ah, I know this place. I wanted to book a spot before, but it was even harder to get than a tour pass..."
Shi Wan smiled slightly, "That's true. After all, we have to be responsible for the furry kids and their parents who came here because they trusted us."
The young office worker exclaimed, "I want to come even more now..."
The pastoral area looks different than before.
The chickens were much less active, mostly huddled around the dry haystacks.
Shi Wan explained, "As the weather gets colder, their activities will decrease, so we have added insulation measures to the sheds."
The autumn colors are most vibrant by the ecological pond.
A few yellow leaves from the sycamore tree lay on the water's surface, and most of the plants along the pond were bare, revealing the lines of their branches.
The water appeared deeper in color, and several plump carp swam around much slower.
The slanting sunlight casts long, dappled shadows on the water, creating a tranquil and poetic scene.
“The pond will probably freeze over with a thin layer of ice in winter,” Shi Wan said, “but the life below is quietly spending the winter, waiting for spring to arrive.”
Bingbing cautiously walked to the water's edge, brought her nose close to sniff the cold water vapor, sneezed slightly, and quickly pulled back.
As the visit ended, the sun seemed to set even faster, casting a cool, purplish-red hue on the horizon.
Visitors lingered, their faces showing satisfaction and a sense of wonder at the changing seasons.
"The farm must be beautiful in winter too. I look forward to it reopening next spring!"
"I never knew the farm was so beautiful in different seasons. I'm so glad I came here."
Wishing you and your cats a warm winter.
After the guests left, the farm became completely quiet.
As dusk settled, the autumn wind carried a distinct chill.
Shi Wan wrapped her coat tighter, watching the lights gradually illuminate the office building and the main building, watching the faint sounds of construction coming from the second factory in the twilight, and watching the pond return to silence.
Bingbing was trying her best to rub against her leg and act cute.
Tangyuan had already crawled back into the main house and was now perched on the windowsill, watching her through the glass.
As the seasons change, farms also enter a period of rest and recuperation.
Shi Wan shivered from the wind, tightened her coat, and hurried back to the warm main house.
"Agent: All the tours for this year are over, and I feel like winter is just around the corner."
Her tone held a gentle sigh for the passing of time, as well as a faint anticipation for the quiet winter days.
Xinglin replied quickly, with a calm warmth that could dispel the chill.
"Starfall: Yes, temperatures will drop significantly next week; winter is coming."
"Starfall: I have archived all the data records. The hydroponic greenhouse will operate stably and will not be affected by the low temperature. The heating in the main house and the neighboring cat villa will also be sufficient in winter. All preparations for overwintering are in place."
After a brief pause, another message popped up.
"Starfall: Winter is good too, I'll always be here."
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The author says: "Kittens smell like warm rice in winter, and their cat scent becomes very strong," Shi Wan said, taking her head away from Tangyuan.
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