Era: I was a farmer at the foot of Yaoling Mountain

“Secretary Fang, some things are not inflexible. You are a well-known breeding expert in China. Although the cooperative’s conditions are not good in all aspects, we can lower the threshold appropriately in the future for your sake.”

The other party is quite adept at finding a way out, even suggesting things like "appropriately lowering the bar."

"Yes, Mr. Fang, why don't we discuss the rectification suggestions one by one?"

The international giants' goal is to form a joint venture with the cooperative and then acquire the breeding technology from Fang Wei. At the very least, they could gradually cripple the cooperative's research and development capabilities through the joint venture.

They hoped that the cooperative and Fang Wei would take the initiative to seek a joint venture. Attracting foreign investment was of paramount importance at the moment, and they did not believe that Fang Wei would not be tempted at all.

But they deliberately raised their voices in order to gain the upper hand in the negotiations.

"There's no room for discussion right now. As I said, we need to hold a council meeting to discuss this first. Everyone, please go back."

Fang Wei was too lazy to keep up the pretense with these guys. He had already seen through their tactics and there was no need to continue being polite.

His attitude clearly surprised the three men, but since things had come to this point, they had no choice but to get up and take their leave. The men who had accompanied them were somewhat indignant and, once outside, began clamoring to go find the county officials.

They came full of confidence and didn't even go through Xinlin County, but they ran into a wall and that's why they went to the county seat.

Fang Wei then called over the directors who were at home and told them about the sinister intentions of the international giants, reminding them not to have any private contact with these people.

"In the future, these so-called international giants will definitely make a big push into the domestic market, controlling sales channels and crop seeds. Everyone must be highly vigilant."

Fang Wei then told Zhao Jinsheng to reject the other party's cooperation proposal, and that there was no need to continue entangled with them.

Everyone agreed that the cooperative could only develop on its own; there were no shortcuts, and it didn't need the name of a Sino-foreign joint venture.

in the afternoon.

Huang Zhigang called to inquire about Fang Wei's collaboration with an international giant.

Fang Wei didn't hide anything and directly stated the company's decision: they would not cooperate with foreign capital in the breeding field.

"Alright, just do your own thing. The county won't put any pressure on you about this."

The other party made their point very clearly, and Huang Zhigang understood their concerns, so he decided to ignore them.

After ending the call, Huang Zhigang went to the county guesthouse and formally rejected the other party's suggestion that the county should intervene.

When these people realized they couldn't get help in the county, they went to the provincial capital.

Over the next few days, Fang Wei received several phone calls, all from people speaking on behalf of international giants, each of whom regarded the establishment of the joint venture as a favor to the company.

Fang Wei didn't mince words and directly rejected all the matchmaking attempts, then formally informed the international giant that there was no possibility of cooperation between the two parties.

This matter came to an end, and the international giants also adjusted their strategies, listing Yaoling Cooperative as a competitor and considering prioritizing its attack when conditions are right.

Fang Wei wasn't too concerned. To put it simply, international giants didn't have any advantage in rice seed breeding. While they were technologically advanced in other crops, the cooperative's main focus wasn't on those areas.

Moreover, he did not believe that the seeds produced by the cooperative were inferior to those of the other party.

Next.

All townships have completed the summer harvest and planting. This time, no preparation was needed; the farmers voluntarily handed over their rice to the cooperatives. They kept only their own food and the grain they were obligated to pay as public grain, and sold the rest of the rice.

The rice mill began producing rice according to plan, and truckloads of Yaoling rice were transported to all parts of the country and then served on the tables of thousands of households.

The rice produced by [Nanguang No. 4] is glossy, crystal clear, and has a very good taste and a rich aroma.

Despite the cooperative expanding the scope of its origin certification, demand still exceeds supply.

Fang Wei does not intend to expand blindly. The current production capacity is just right, and he believes that it is necessary to maintain an appropriate level of supply tightness.

morning.

Fang Wei inspected the various brigades, mainly checking on the rice seed cultivation situation.

This season, the cooperative and the breeding center have a total of 120,000 mu of paddy fields, of which 40,000 mu are planted with the [Nanguang No. 4] rice variety and 80,000 mu with the [Nongyou 82] rice variety.

The remaining 3.5 mu of dry land were planted with chili peppers after the cultivation of customized vegetable seeds was completed, and a batch of chili pepper seeds were also harvested.

Yaoling chili peppers have a unique flavor, and following the chili sauce, the factory's dried chili peppers, chopped chili peppers, and chili powder are also very popular.

Therefore, the demand for raw materials is constantly increasing.

Fang Wei spent several days completing the inspection and was generally satisfied with the production situation.

"Third Brother, I have to go to the provincial capital for a meeting in the next couple of days. When is Tingting's wedding?"

During dinner that evening, Pan Lianhua said she was going to the provincial capital.

Fang Wei also noted that her niece's wedding was also recently scheduled for a week later.

"Let's go together then. The two kids are on summer vacation, so let's go out and have some fun together."

While Fang Wei was busy, Binbin and Xiaojie took their holidays one after another.

Binbin was also very busy every day. He had to learn medical skills from Master Sun, review his lessons, and sometimes go out to play with his classmates.

The younger daughter is quieter and stays at home happily all day, rarely going out.

Fang Wei decided to take the two children out for a trip; they couldn't stay cooped up at home all summer.

"Great!"

The brother and sister overheard their parents' conversation and couldn't help but cheer.

Sun Daoren couldn't bear to leave Binbin and said he wanted to go with them, so Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua naturally didn't refuse.

Two days later.

The group of five left home and headed straight for the provincial capital.

Upon arriving in the provincial capital, everyone first found a place to stay, while Pan Lianhua went to the company for a meeting. Fang Wei didn't plan to go to the company; he was there for leisure, not work, and he couldn't very well leave Sun Daoren and the two children at the hotel, could he?
However, I still had dinner with my older brother's family that evening.

Tao Tao's family also came. Xiao Ya gave birth to another daughter before the policy was introduced. His family also has a son and a daughter. When it's Ting Ting's turn to have a baby, she will only be an only child.

"Third brother, we're leaving the day after tomorrow. The tickets are already booked. I'll get them for you later."

Fang Wei and Fang Ping also talk on the phone frequently. They agreed to go to Beijing together, and Fang Ping had already prepared the train tickets.

He drove to the provincial capital, but driving to Beijing would be too far, so he chose to take the train.

Fang Wei nodded; the schedule was fine. "Tao Tao, you look tired. Is something on your mind?"

After the two brothers finished discussing business, Fang Wei turned to look at Fang Tao, wanting to ask if he had encountered any problems.

He sensed something was wrong as soon as he saw his nephew today. The nephew was not only in low spirits, but also looked very worried, so he asked him a question.

"Regarding work-related matters, I was leading a research project and had just made a major breakthrough when the research team was suddenly replaced, and someone else took the credit. When I argued with them, they started giving me a hard time."

Tao Tao didn't hide anything and told everyone about his situation at work.

Ever since Dean Li was transferred, the new leader has been finding fault with him in every way, and Fang Tao has no idea what he did to offend him.

Fang Wei inquired about the new dean's situation. He didn't know him, so there was naturally no grudge between them.

However, there is certainly no hatred in this world without a cause. He plans to find out more about it from another angle before taking appropriate measures.

"Tao Tao, just bear with it for now. Let me ask someone about the situation, and then we'll figure out a solution."

the next day.

Pan Lianhua didn't need to hold a meeting anymore; the whole family just wandered around the provincial capital, enjoying the sights and searching for delicious food.

In the afternoon, Fang Wei asked Pan Lianhua to take his family to a hotel to rest, while he went to the Department of Agriculture. He met a few people there, including one who was also a representative, and they got along quite well.

"If Lao Liao hadn't been transferred, who would dare target your nephew? You know me, I don't have much power, and I can't help even if I wanted to. Currently, Director Cui of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences is focused on doing big things. The person who accompanied the international giant to your cooperative last time has a close relationship with him."

After Liao Wenhua was transferred, Dean Li from the institute also left.

The newly appointed Dean Cui had a conflict with Fang Wei over matters outside of work. He couldn't do anything about Fang Wei, nor could he do anything about Fang Tao.
That's the gist of the matter. I reckon Fang Tao won't have an easy time working under Cui.

"Thank you! I understand now."

Fang Wei understood the grudges involved and felt contempt for Cui's way of doing things.

He doesn't have a good way to help Tao Tao right now, but this matter definitely can't be left like this.

“Secretary Fang, I have an idea for you. The province is currently promoting science and technology to the countryside. Why don’t you have your nephew volunteer to go to a remote area for a few years? Maybe things will change when he comes back.”

Before leaving, they gave Fang Wei a suggestion.

Fang Wei expressed his gratitude, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt it made sense. He planned to discuss it with his nephew after attending Tingting's wedding.

He can't make decisions for his nephew; he'll have to see what the other party thinks when the time comes.

Back at the hotel, my older brother and sister-in-law were there. We chatted for a while, then they said goodbye and left, so the family went to bed early.

the next day.

Fang Ping, Tian Guihua, Fang Tao and his wife, along with Fang Weiyi's family, took a train to Beijing.

After graduation, Fang Tingting and her husband both stayed in Beijing to work. The apartment they were allocated when they got married was also very small, but at least they had a place to call home.

Both the bride and groom's families were from out of town, so very few relatives came; most were colleagues from the couple's workplaces. The wedding was lively but not extravagant, and everyone was very satisfied.

Fang Wei had nothing to worry about regarding Tingting.

This child is more adaptable than his brother and has a good sense of interpersonal relationships. If the couple works hard for a few years, their living conditions will likely improve significantly.

Before leaving, Pan Lianhua secretly slipped 3000 yuan to her niece, telling her to save it as her private money.

Over the next few days, Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua took Sun Daoren and their two children to visit many historical sites in and around the capital. It's only meaningful to visit these places now that the children are older; it would have been pointless if they had gone when they were little and didn't understand anything.

Fang Ping and Tian Guihua returned to the provincial capital early, and the Fang family spent a week in Beijing before leaving.

After returning to the provincial capital, Fang Wei spoke with his nephew, asking if he would like to spend a few years in the countryside to avoid being mistreated at work. Xiao Ya was luckier than him; she was transferred to an agricultural university last year, thus escaping a crisis.

Fang Tao hesitated, mainly because he wouldn't be able to take care of his family if he went to another city.

Both children are still young, and Xiaoya is usually quite busy with work. With him gone, the burden of the family will fall entirely on Xiaoya's shoulders.

"It's okay, think it over carefully. I'm sure he won't go too far."

Fang Wei didn't say anything. This is a decision that only he can make; no one else can help him.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both leaving and staying; it all depends on what you want. There is no right or wrong answer.

After picking up their car in the provincial capital, the family enjoyed sightseeing on their way back home. The trip took quite a while, but it was well worth it; at least the two children broadened their horizons, which will be beneficial to their development.

After returning, Pan Lianhua immediately went to the factory. She had been away for so long and had a lot of things piled up that needed to be dealt with. She really couldn't put it off any longer.

Fang Wei didn't care. It didn't matter if he wasn't in the company. Most things could be decided by the council meeting, and there were very few things that couldn't be resolved. He wouldn't be so busy that he would lose his way just because he was away for a while.

Even after returning, Master Sun couldn't rest, as many long-term patients were waiting to see him.

Binbin would spend half a day every morning assisting him. While Sun Daoren treated patients, he would also instruct Binbin. Binbin made rapid progress through this kind of on-site teaching.

For the remaining half day, Binbin had to review his lessons and practice his exercises. He was like a completely different person from the mischievous boy he used to be.

Many people in the village envied the Fang family. Fang Ping's two children were both college students, especially Fang Tingting, who was admitted to one of the top universities in the country through her own abilities, and is still talked about to this day.

Now, Fang Wei's son is also starting to show his talent, and everyone says that this child will definitely be successful in the future.

In reality, Fang Wei didn't have high expectations for her son, nor did she put too much pressure on him; she mainly relied on the child's self-discipline.

morning.

Fang Wei was sitting in his office reading documents when Zhao Jinsheng suddenly walked in with great interest.

"Secretary, we finally got our hands on the chestnut pumpkins you asked us to find. This time, they brought over five kilograms of seeds, and I heard the procedures were quite complicated."

Chestnut squash originated in South America and was later introduced to island nations.

The chestnut pumpkin seeds imported this time came from the island nation. There was a little trouble when they entered the country, but they were eventually allowed to pass.

Fang Wei loved eating this kind of pumpkin in his previous life. He had mentioned it casually before, but unexpectedly, Zhao Jinsheng and others actually managed to get their hands on the seeds.

"That's really not easy, so don't mistreat them! Come on, let's go see the seeds."

Fang Wei also became interested, so he went to the warehouse with Zhao Jinsheng and saw the chestnut pumpkin seeds with his own eyes. (End of this chapter)