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

"Secretary, I've booked rooms for you at the county guesthouse. I'll take you there as soon as possible."

It was getting late, so Wang Muqi then took Fang Wei and his wife to the county town.

Conditions in the town were very harsh; there wasn't even a decent hotel.

Fang Wei didn't argue. He wasn't used to sharing a room with Wang Muqi and the others, especially with Pan Lianhua there.

"This car is quite nice!"

Wang Muqi bought a pickup truck mainly for running errands.

Xiachu County is really too big. It takes more than 40 minutes to drive from 10,000 mu of saline-alkali land to the county seat.

When they arrived at the county guesthouse, Wu Jiang was already waiting there. He was incredibly enthusiastic when he saw Fang Wei and insisted on giving the couple a welcome dinner.

Fang Wei did not refuse, knowing that the other party wanted to build a good relationship with him, and he also had the same idea.

As the saying goes, they hit it off immediately, and he drank quite a bit during dinner that night, almost making Wu Jiang drink himself under the table. The two had drunk alcohol before, but Fang Wei had always only taken small sips; this was the first time he had really let loose and increased his alcohol tolerance.

The local cuisine is quite hearty, with dishes like hand-pulled mutton and roasted lamb being the main focus.

Pan Lianhua enjoyed the meal very much, especially the roasted lamb, which she found to have a unique flavor.

"Mr. Fang, it's freezing cold right now, so all the projects have been halted and won't be able to resume until next spring. But don't worry, I assure you it won't delay your production next year."

Wu Jiang's speech is a little slurred, but his mind is still relatively clear.

Fang Wei gestured to the waiter to take away the remaining liquor, as it wouldn't be good if Wu Jiang got drunk.

"Yes, I know your spring planting season is a bit later. Secretary Wu, I'm here to pave the way. If things go well, I can bring Yaoling Agriculture to invest in your county."

Fang Wei understood Wu Jiang's meaning and thought that the other party was not having an easy time either, so he gave him some information in advance.

The large-scale promotion of seawater rice will still depend on Yaoling Agriculture in the future. As long as they are willing to grant authorization, they can enjoy the authorization fees together with Professor Ma and Professor Lin. Basically, they can make money while lying down.

But I estimate it won't work in the next two years; his statement is essentially making empty promises.

"Really?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Jiang shuddered, his dizziness vanished, and his speech became fluent. He immediately sat up straight.

"It's true, but we'll have to see how the planting goes on these 10,000 mu of saline-alkali land. If it goes well, everything will be fine."

Fang Wei didn't expect such a strong reaction from the other party, so she stopped teasing them and told the truth.

For Wujiang, even with additional conditions, this is still a great thing.

He reached out to grab the bottle, but missed; there were no bottles left on the table.

Fang Wei didn't let the other person get any more wine. They had already eaten and drunk their fill, so Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua got up to say goodbye and went back to the guesthouse to rest.

the next day.

The county sent a car and a guide to take the two of them on a tour of the surrounding area.

There's not much to do this season. If it were summer, you could go to a ranch or the Grand Canyon; the scenery there is truly beautiful.

Pan Lianhua was already amazed by the terrain and landforms here. Fortunately, Fang Wei brought a camera, and everyone took a lot of photos of the snow scene, which she could probably brag about for a year when she got back.

Over the next two days, Fang Wei reviewed the relevant accounts and then transferred another sum of money into the account.

After leaving Xiachu County, the couple went to the provincial capital.

The journey from BC County to the provincial capital is quite long, several hundred kilometers. The two didn't let Wang Muqi see them off; they took a bus directly to the provincial capital.

The provincial capital looked like a modern city, and the two spent a few more days there before flying back to Guangzhou.

After spending only two days in Guangzhou, Fang Wei and Pan Lianhua returned to their village.

"It's true that transportation is inconvenient."

Only when you go to the Great Northwest can you truly feel the meaning of "vast territory".

Pan Lianhua is not someone who can't endure hardship, but she still shook her head at the local traffic conditions. In recent years, the domestic traffic situation has improved significantly, but it is still lagging behind in remote areas.

"Yes, it's still very inconvenient now, but I guess it will get better in the future."

Fang Wei smiled and planned to take his wife to the Northwest next summer.

There's really not much to do in winter; all you get to see is a vast expanse of white snow.

A few days passed quickly.

That afternoon, Fang Wei was talking to Yang Feng in the office when Sun Shili suddenly came to visit.

"Director Sun, you didn't even call before you came. What if I wasn't here?"

Fang Wei smiled, stood up, and greeted the other person.

“You forgot I have an inside source? I asked them before I came,” Sun Shili retorted, and the two then took their seats.

Yang Feng brewed a pot of tea and brought it over. A little later, Du Wanyi also brought over a fruit platter.

Once only the two of them were left in the room, Fang Wei asked, "Did you come here for something?"

"Sigh, I'm just destined to have a hard life! The seawater rice you developed has passed the review, and the higher-ups are very interested in your achievements, but if you want to promote it at the national level, it will need to undergo even more rigorous review."

Sun Shili sighed. He had a mission to complete this time, and once [Island 012] passed the higher-level review, he would have to take on the important task of leading its promotion.

This was actually a tough job, one he didn't want to do but had no choice but to.

"So there's a second review? That's quite a hassle. But, Director Sun, we're old friends. I'll definitely cooperate so you can complete your task."

Fang Wei couldn't help but smile secretly; he loved seeing the other person's conflicted expression.

"Get lost, you're getting a good deal and still acting innocent. Let me tell you, you need to be serious. Once you pass the second review, it will bring you huge benefits."

Sun Shili rolled his eyes at Fang Wei, signaling her to be serious and not take it lightly.

"Director Sun, we cannot conduct a second review yet. I have contracted 10,000 mu of saline-alkali land in Xiachu County in Northwest China. We will start trial planting next spring. We need to have a result before we can talk."

Fang Wei nodded and then told her about her situation.

If it can be successfully planted in the saline-alkali land of Northwest China, seawater rice will have a different significance, and passing the second review will be a foregone conclusion.

Now, he has no intention of conducting a second review at all.

"Oh? You went all the way there to grow seawater rice? Tsk tsk, I didn't realize you were so innovative, Secretary Fang. It's okay to postpone the second review. I'm here mainly to give you a heads-up, so you won't be caught off guard."

Sun Shili originally planned to lead a second review after New Year's Day, but after hearing Fang Wei's words, he felt that postponing it for a year or two was no big deal.

His main purpose in coming here was to personally evaluate the seawater rice, as he knew that the research institute had samples of [Sea Rice 012].

night.

Fang Wei invited Sun Shili to dinner at his home. The two had become friends after so many years of getting along.

“Secretary Fang, I will be retiring in two years. Whether the cooperation between the Crop Research Institute and your institute can continue depends on the wishes of my successor.”

After a few rounds of drinks, Sun Shili began to talk about his own affairs.

He's nearing the end of his life and will definitely have to retire eventually. It's uncertain whether the cooperation between the two organizations can continue.

"Anything is fine. Our research institute is now one of the top breeding institutes in the country. If it would be troublesome to replace it with someone else, I wouldn't be willing to continue the cooperation."

Fang Wei's actions are a classic case of "playing favorites," as the research institute has developed to the point where it no longer cares about external cooperation.

The reason why the two sides have been cooperating so well so far is mainly because Fang Wei is doing so out of respect for Sun Shili.

“Secretary Fang, I’m really hurt by what you’re saying. However, I know your research institute’s situation very well. It really doesn’t need the support of the Crop Research Institute. In fact, the Crop Research Institute is the one benefiting now.”

Sun Shili couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions. Back then, Fang Wei's research institute was virtually unknown in China, but now it is one of the top breeding research institutes in the country.

To put it bluntly, our crops are inferior to others in many aspects.

This is thanks to the Yaoling Group's consistent investment and its emphasis on talent. Years of unreserved investment have enabled the research institute to surpass the Crop Research Institute in both hardware and software development.

After Sun Shili retires, it will be difficult for his successor to establish such a good relationship with Fang Wei, so even if they continue to cooperate, it will only be superficial.

"It's unlikely we'd actually gain an advantage. They might even think we've taken advantage of the crop research institute later. Director Sun, let's drop this topic. Who knows what the future holds?"

Seeing that Sun Shili was a little down, Fang Wei quickly changed the subject.

He thanked the other party in person for introducing him to Professor Ma and Professor Lin, saying that without their research, there would be no seawater rice today.

This is no exaggeration. Professor Ma and Professor Lin were quite lucky; they discovered wild seawater rice plants on the beach by chance.

This kind of thing is rare and hard to come by; he essentially completed this research project by standing on the shoulders of two people.

If he were to start from scratch, it's uncertain how much time it would take.

After the meal, Fang Wei had someone take Sun Shili to the Yaoling Hotel. Sun Shili left Xinlin County the next day; he wanted to report Fang Wei's planting of seawater rice in the saline-alkali land of Northwest China and request a postponement of the second review by the relevant departments.

Fang Wei didn't actually plan to promote seawater rice with the help of relevant departments so quickly. He hoped to establish a seawater rice demonstration base in Northwest China and demonstrate the role of seawater rice in improving the soil.

This process would take at least three years. The reason he didn't refuse Sun Shili was because he was about to retire.

He didn't want the old man to leave his job with regrets.

"Let's take one step at a time."

Fang Wei shook his head, no longer thinking about the matter, and then continued to sit in his office and handle official business.

Around noon, he handed the completed documents to Secretary Du, asking her to send them back to the group company when she had time.

Then he tidied up the table, got up, and went home for dinner. (End of Chapter)