"Have the clams in your village become spirits?"
"Yeah, yesterday your clams weren't even as big as my fingernail, how could they grow this big overnight? The ones we catch in the deep sea aren't even this big!"
"Did you feed the clams any chemicals?"
The villagers from other villages were all using iron rakes to hook out clams, and they were amazed. They held up the clams in their hands and questioned Qiao Hui, who was standing on the reef.
Qiao Hui raised his hand to swear, repeatedly denying it, but he himself didn't know why the clam was so big, saying it was naturally grown that size.
But the villagers from other villages remained unconvinced, each one heartbroken and indignant. "Natural? Who are you trying to fool! Why haven't the prawns we raise at our village's aquaculture farm grown up? Now that the mudflats have been taken away, ours can only become dried shrimp!"
"And the razor clams we raise at our farm are still smaller than chopsticks. Why don't we see them grow into giant razor clams overnight?"
The villagers from other villages were so envious they were about to cry, their eyes filled with resentment at the unfairness of nature.
I don't understand why only the clams from Stone Village produce miracles.
Qiao Hui was filled with remorse. Seeing his fellow villagers reveal their selfish motives, he truly regretted asking them to come and work.
Seeing the selfish motives of these villagers from other villages, Ling Huanwu dared not expose them.
Seeing that the villagers from other villages were just standing around without working, Zhou Jiuzhen also took a long stride and climbed up the reef, looking down at the group of villagers who were still questioning him, "Don't you want to work and earn work points? If you don't want to, then leave now and don't delay the other comrades from earning work points!"
"Also, what were you saying about spirits? You're not allowed to spout such feudalistic ideas, or you know what the consequences will be!"
After Zhou Jiuzhen shouted those two times, the villagers who had been worried about their own farms fell silent.
Earning work points yourself is much more meaningful than making money from a farm!
So, one by one, they resigned themselves to their fate and got to work.
At this moment, the entire sun was already leaping onto the sea surface.
The morning light shone on the profiles and backs of everyone going to work.
As the iron rakes were swung, plump white clams traced dazzling arcs in the air, and their bamboo baskets were soon piled high.
While everyone was distracted, Guard Ma secretly filled two pockets with clams. When he returned with his men, his trousers were almost ripped off by the weight of the clams.
The entire mudflat was bustling with activity.
Only Guard Ma, along with a group of his men, sheepishly escaped by boat from the nearby pier where the sea met.
Back to the mansion on the deserted island.
Guard Ma couldn't wait to find the Hong Kong chef whom Qin Jin had hired at great expense. He pulled out two large handfuls of clams from his pocket and asked the chef to stir-fry a Hong Kong specialty: clams with vermicelli.
"I refuse to believe it! Clams that grow overnight are inedible; they'd probably be full of dirt if you cooked them!"
But as soon as he finished speaking with disdain and certainty, he looked at the clams the chef brought out and his mouth immediately watered.
The freshly cooked clams were still steaming hot, and the red oil sizzled in the porcelain plate, carrying the aroma of garlic.
The shell opened wide, revealing the plump flesh inside.
The edges are tinged with an enticing orange-red, and the broth drips down the seams of the shell, mixed with the bright colors of scallions and chili peppers, making one's mouth water at first glance.
Pick one up, the meat clinging tightly to the sauce on the shell. The first taste is a burst of spiciness that hits the tip of your tongue, followed by the natural sweetness of the clam spreading in your mouth. You can't help but suck the juice off the edge of the shell.
The glass noodles underneath soaked up the delicious broth, slippery and clinging to the chopsticks. Mixed with a bite of chewy clam meat, the hot, spicy, and savory flavors exploded in your mouth, making it impossible to stop eating.
"What are you doing in the kitchen? Have you finished what I asked you to do?"
Qin Jinshen suddenly appeared behind him, and the guard, whose mouth was full of grease, was so startled that he didn't even have time to chew the whole clam meat before it slid down his throat.
"No, I'm just hungry..."
Guard Ma patted his chest, which had been choked, and quickly wiped his mouth. He stood up and stood still. "About what you told me, things have changed. Those little clams have grown into fat clams overnight. I don't think my sister-in-law will come over on her own initiative."
Seeing Qin Jinshen's face growing increasingly pale, the guard, Ma, in a fawning manner, picked up a plump, bright red clam and brought it to Qin Jinshen's lips. "Master, I never expected these clams to be so incredibly delicious, so tender and fragrant. Please have a bite..."
"What did you say?"
Qin Jin didn't even glance at the clam, his entire demeanor resembling a volcano about to erupt with lava.
He waited anxiously all day, but she wouldn't even see him.
"Ling Huanwu! Ahhh... The more you care about something, the more I'll destroy it! You can only care about me!"
He angrily swept away the delicious clams on the table, howling in despair. His resentment towards the entire island and Zhou Jiuzhen reached its peak at this moment.
*
On the open ground of the breeding farm.
The large iron pot was set up.
As the pot of water boils, the moment the plump, clean clams are dropped into the pot, they instantly open their mouths, revealing the tempting clam meat inside.
Then, toss in a few slices of ginger and several large cubes of tofu, and the unique aroma of seashells wafts over.
Tonight, Stone Village is hosting a clam feast.
There are stir-fried clams with scallions and ginger, spicy stir-fried clams, grilled clams with enoki mushrooms, cold clam salad, and clam and tofu soup.
Everyone held their bowls and ate heartily around the campfire.
Qiao Hui sat next to Ling Huanwu, and the two discussed the sales channels for these clams while eating.
Ling Huanwu took an enamel basin and collected the discarded clam shells, which she had licked clean and still found delicious.
She never expected that these clams, after being irrigated with the spiritual spring water, would be so delicious and tender without needing to expel the sand.
“Besides Boss Lai, other bosses from the city used to come and buy our island’s seafood regularly. But the time hasn’t come yet. Although all the clams have been dug up, if there’s no market for them, they’ll only last a week at most before they spoil.”
Qiao Hui also threw the clam shells he had left over into the enamel basin, and while eating, he expressed his concerns.
Ling Huanwu pretended to think, then asked him, puzzled, "Why don't we find our own sales channels instead of waiting for those seafood merchants to come to us? We can compare prices from three different vendors and find the one with the highest price. Those who come to us will probably have their prices squeezed to the limit."
"We're supposed to find our own markets? But we're a government-run farm!"
Qiao Hui paused in his clam-eating motion. Their island had always waited for seafood merchants to come and buy their products; they had never taken the initiative to solicit customers and sell their goods.
Ling Huanwu understood their production model, but she was determined to get a good price for the clams she raised.
This way, the price of clams won't be low in the future.
Ling Huanwu patted Qiao Hui on the shoulder, her eyes crinkling with laughter, "Don't worry, I'll figure out a way to sell the clams. I'll definitely find a buyer within three days."
The two were discussing serious matters, but from a distance, it looked like they were having a heart-to-heart talk.
Zhou Jiuzhen went back and changed into a crisp military uniform. When he returned, he saw his beloved being intimate with someone else, and he stood there, furious, not moving an inch.
Instead, Qin Jinshen, who had reappeared as Zhao Ergou, led his equally disguised bodyguard Ma and charged menacingly towards Ling Huanwu and Qiao Hui, who were chatting and laughing.
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