After the five chaebols finished catching the fish in the pond, they began preparing to repair the road.
Yan Jie created a road repair schedule, planning to complete the repair of this kilometer of dirt road within five days, with each person's work schedule clearly marked.
Shen Yingyu contacted a construction vehicle rental company and reached a preliminary agreement on the rental fees for excavators, dump trucks, graders, and bulldozers.
The three business team members had previously obtained their engineering vehicle driver's licenses, so they gathered together to watch videos and review their excavator operation skills.
Chai Fei took on the task of collecting eggs and cleaning beehives all by himself, while Xie Wanyi, who had previously obtained a B2 driver's license, needed to drive a dump truck back and forth to transport gravel.
While everyone was busy with their own tasks, the village chief arrived in a whirlwind in his tricycle.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he shouted, "Don't rush to build the road, listen to me."
Seeing that his throat was parched, Jiang Hexi quickly poured him a cup of tea and said, "Village Chief, have some water. We can talk about it slowly."
Then, before the village chief could finish drinking the water, she asked impatiently:
"Village chief, has Professor Luo changed his mind and stopped us from building the road?"
The village chief shook his head, handed him the empty cup, and Jiang Hexi filled it for him, then hurriedly asked:
"Did Professor Luo change his mind? He promised us 20,000 yuan for road repairs, but he's not going to give it to us now?"
The village chief shook his head again.
Jiang Hexi breathed a sigh of relief. Since the matter wouldn't fall through, there was no need to rush.
The village chief put down his cup and wiped the water stains from his beard:
"Professor Luo requests that you go to Sanxi Lake at seven o'clock tomorrow morning."
The village chief had barely finished speaking when they grabbed him one by one and questioned him:
"Why is it seven o'clock? It's still early in the morning and it's not even dawn yet. Can you change it to nine o'clock?"
"What local specialties are there around Sanxi Lake that we can bring back?"
"Village chief, we're just a construction team. What does Professor Luo want us to do there?"
The village chief couldn't answer so many questions, so he gave a perfunctory answer:
"Just go when they tell you to. Why are you asking so many questions? If you want to know the reason so badly, just go there on time tomorrow, and you'll know everything."
None of the group knew the purpose of their trip, but since their "patron" had spoken, they had no choice but to go.
It rained during the night and stopped just as dawn was breaking.
On the way from Canglang Village to the shore of Sanxi Lake, the mountaintops are shrouded in mist, and a damp breeze blows in your face. Occasionally, raindrops fall and slide down your neck, startling you awake.
Jiang Hexi was awakened by the cold raindrops.
She sat on the bumpy tricycle, raised her hazy eyes, and saw a misty, watery fairyland.
"Chu Yang, Wanwan, look what this is?"
Chu Yang and Yu Xiangwan were jolted awake. When they looked up and saw the scene before them, they were both so shocked that they lost their composure.
The few people who were still sleeping on the train carriage gradually woke up and all looked at the scenery along the way by Sanxi Lake.
Mist rises and the lake, clear as a mirror, is dotted with islands of varying sizes. Lush trees block out the sun, and a damp, humid breeze blows in your face.
The electric vehicle suddenly lurched, its body violently bouncing on the bumpy dirt road.
The group was abruptly pulled back to reality from the lakeside scenery.
The village chief, struggling to drive his tricycle, addressed them:
"This muddy road is the one you're supposed to repair. It stretches from the end of the road all the way to the lake, a total length of one kilometer. You'd better fill in these potholes properly, so that next time you come here, you don't hurt my back again."
Professor Luo and his wife stood at the end of the path waiting for them.
The village chief parked the car by the roadside, led the group over to greet Professor Luo, and introduced them to him one by one.
They greeted each other.
Professor Luo led them along the lakeside, explaining the purpose of inviting them there as they walked:
"I didn't believe it when the village chief called. After all these years, someone is actually coming to repair my road."
"Later I heard that you came here to experience life through a farming reality show, and there were cameras following you. So I wanted to invite you to visit this egret ecological park and let everyone see what it has become."
The village chief, walking behind, smiled and replied:
"The villagers all say that Professor Luo must be out of his mind to raise egrets here. In April and May, flocks of egrets fly over and fatten them up, but they all fly away again in October. The professor has been raising them for more than ten years. What is he after?"
"They didn't leave."
Professor Luo replied with a smile, "They didn't leave. The following year, not only did they come back, but their children also came back."
Jiang Hexi looked at Professor Luo and his wife in front of her; they did not have the slightest bit of the refined demeanor of retired intellectuals.
On the contrary, their sun-baked faces were full of wrinkles, their skin was dark, and their fingers were chapped, making them no different from farmers who toiled in the fields year after year.
She felt a surge of admiration.
Professor Luo, leaning on a wooden cane, led everyone to the wooden stairs built by the water.
He instructed his wife to distribute a life jacket to everyone, and pointing to the two small boats floating on the water, he said:
"If you want to see egrets, you can row a boat with me to the edge of the island."
All seven people put on life jackets and boarded the small boat in two groups.
Director Chen had filmed at many scenic spots before, but he had never heard of Sanxi Lake near the suburbs.
He keenly sensed that the "wild" environment here was extraordinary, and immediately decided to personally lead the team, boarding a small boat with the assistant director to capture the pristine beauty of the place through the lens.
Jiang Hexi, Yu Xiangwan, Yan Jie, and Xie Wanyi were assigned to a small boat.
The four rowed together, and the small boat rippled across the lake.
Yu Xiangwan suddenly asked, "Are there water snakes here?"
Professor Luo: "Yes, those who are timid should try not to look into the water. Under normal circumstances, water snakes will avoid boats and will not attack people unless provoked."
Yu Xiangwan sat upright, looking straight ahead without glancing to the side.
Jiang Hexi glanced sideways at the water from time to time. The lake water was clear and transparent, and the water plants stretched out their veins with the waves. A long, thin object swam quickly across the bottom of the lake under the cover of the water plants!
She was so shocked that her eyes widened and she sat up straight in an instant. "Wanwan, there are water snakes under the boat, and more than one."
Yu Xiangwan's hands, which were paddling, became stiff and unable to move.
Xie Wanyi turned back and gave Jiang Hexi a warning look, then took the oar from Yu Xiangwan's hand and said:
"Take your time, I'll row."
Jiang Hexi looked expectantly at Yan Jie beside her, "Do you think the water snake might climb up the oar?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Xiangwan moved over and sat down next to Xie Wanyi.
Yan Jie looked at her, who was clearly terrified but also desperately seeking thrills, and said helplessly:
"so?"
Jiang Hexi reached out and handed him the oar, then shifted her position and sat down close to him.
Yan Jie took the oar and thought about it; it wasn't entirely impossible.
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