Official title: Refused to stay at the university, started his career in a rural town.

Three days after Yang Fan returned from Nangezhuang, Township Head Li Chang'an returned from an out-of-town research trip.

Li Chang'an was in his early forties, tall and thin, with a dark face and rough hands.

He went to a major economic county on the coast, whose economy was even stronger than that of his city. He spent a week there.

That afternoon, he called Yang Fan to his office.

Li Chang'an's office was about the same size as Ma Liangchen's, and there was an enamel mug on the desk as well.

The difference is that there is less tea dust in his jar, so you can still see the color of the tea soup after brewing.

"sit."

Li Chang'an took a packet of tea out of his luggage and placed it on the table.

"Try it, it's my first time here, it's a gift from someone, tsk tsk~"

Yang Fan took it but didn't open it.

Li Chang'an opened a packet himself, pinched off a small amount and threw it into the jar. He poured hot water over it, and the aroma spread. He smelled it and took a sip.

"Over there, in just one village, the average income per person from tea picking and cultivation alone is nine thousand yuan—that's per capita!"

"Not to mention that they have their own brand. The village buys and sells the goods in a unified manner, and the village committee distributes the profits to all the villagers."

"Not to mention the dividends, the village also pays for their electricity, water, daily meat and vegetables, and the construction of their houses!"

Aside from working, the village committee takes care of everything else for the villagers!

They live a more carefree life than I, the township head! I'm even thinking of settling down in their village!

Yang Fan did not respond.

Li Chang'an took another sip.

The village I visited is called Nanhua Village.

Every household grows tea, and every family lives in a small villa. At the village entrance, there's a row of cars parked—not just one.

"I was chatting with the village party secretary and asked him how they got this done. He said there was no secret to it; they just focused on doing one thing for decades."

Yang Fan said, "Our old tea garden in Nangezhuang used to produce good tea."

"I know."

Li Chang'an leaned back in his chair. "I drank it when I was a kid. It was so fragrant. I still remember it to this day. How come it's gone now?"

"No one is taking care of it, the varieties are aging, and the craft has been lost."

"Is someone in charge now?"

Yang Fan recounted the story of the old tea tree in Nangezhuang, mentioning the old tea tree as thick as a bowl, the first harvest of buds next spring, and Professor Song from Handong University.

After listening, Li Chang'an remained silent for a while.

"What are you planning to do?"

"The tea gardens are managed, harvested, and processed in a unified manner."

We can't have each household doing it piecemeal; the quantity won't be high, and the quality won't be consistent either.

"What about the mountain produce?"

"Same."

Mushrooms, wood ear fungus, walnuts, chestnuts. The village collects and sells them all together.

Only when the volume is large will buyers be willing to come.

"The main thing now is to get the villagers to give it their all."

Li Chang'an picked up the jar and took a small sip.

"I also visited their shiitake mushroom cultivation base over there. Their shiitake mushrooms are grown in greenhouses, one crop after another, so they have a continuous supply all year round."

We also have wild shiitake mushrooms on the mountains here; we can pick as many as we want.

Yang Fan said, "Wild products are of good quality, but the quantity is unstable. We can start by harvesting wild products, establish a brand, and then gradually develop artificial cultivation."

"brand?"

"Yes! The tea from Nangezhuang and the mushrooms from Qingping need names. They can't just be called 'Qingping Specialty Products,' that's too vague."

Li Chang'an stared at Yang Fan for a few seconds, then smiled.

"You've got a lot going on in your head, kid."

Yang Fan remained silent.

Li Chang'an sighed and said.

"Yang Fan, my biggest takeaway from this trip wasn't how much money other people have."

"What is it?"

"They're other people's cadres; their eyes always gleam with ambition!"

Li Chang'an turned around and said helplessly, "And what do our cadres in Qingping have in their eyes? Resignation!"

"It's all 'that's how it is'! I've been a township head for so many years, I've seen too much of this."

You've successfully bagged the apples; I admire you.

"If you want to get involved in the tea business, I'll fully support you."

He paused, then suddenly laughed.

"Except for money."

Yang Fan looked at him.

"The money in our account is just enough for this month's civil servant salaries, you understand."

Li Chang'an picked up the jar and then picked up the thermos to refill his cup with water.

"I still need to figure out how to borrow some money from the county."

Yang Fan said, "We still need to find investors to help with the money; the county won't approve the funding for building the factory."

"Would investors be willing to come?"

"Get things started first. Once you get things started and do them well, people will naturally come."

Li Chang'an held the jar, blew away the tea leaves, and took a sip.

"Okay! You do it, I'll support you."

Yang Fan left Li Chang'an's office and went straight to the reception area. He dialed Handong University's number, but it rang for a long time before being answered.

"Who is it?"

"Principal Su, I am Yang Fan."

On the other end of the phone, Su Huaishan's voice rose. "Yang Fan! You still remember me, the vice principal?"

"Principal Su, there's something I'd like to ask for your help with."

"Hmph, I knew you wouldn't call with anything good! What's up?"

Yang Fan recounted the story of the old tea garden in Nangezhuang, mentioning the century-old tea trees, the potentially valuable variety, and the need for someone knowledgeable about tea to come and see for themselves.

After listening, Su Huaishan asked, "You want Professor Song to go?"

"Yes, it would be best if you brought a whole research group along. Professor Song himself only needs to come once!"

"Professor Song was recruited from Hanjiang Agricultural University. He studies tea and his research projects are booked until the year after next. You want him to go to Qingping?"

"So please help me put in a good word."

There was a few seconds of silence on the phone.

Su Huaishan sighed.

"Alright, it's you. I'll go see Professor Song tomorrow and explain the situation to him."

I can't guarantee he'll come.

"Thank you, Principal Su."

"Don't thank me! The principal told me everything that happened to you in Qingpingqian."

Apple bagging is being promoted citywide; you wrote the materials, that's good work.

"Those who graduate from Handong University must remember to always walk the right path and serve the people. Then they will always be children of the university. Remember this."

"I've got it."

After hanging up the phone, Yang Fan stood at the entrance of the reception room for a while.

The old man in the gatehouse poked his head out.

"Mayor Yang, are you done making the call?"

"It's over."

"Long distance?"

"long haul."

The old man clicked his tongue twice and wrote down the numbers on the meter in his notebook.

Yang Fan paid the money, got on his bicycle, and went to Nangezhuang.

Geng Yan was squatting at the village entrance smoking when he saw Yang Fan and stood up.

"Mayor Yang, you're here again."

"Secretary Geng, notify all households that there will be a meeting tonight."

"A meeting? What kind of meeting?"

"The tea professor from Handong University is coming to our Nangezhuang."

Old Geng dropped his cigarette to the ground. "Really?"

"real."

"Handong University? That's a top-tier university!"

"right."

Old Geng picked up the cigarette, stubbed it out, and tucked it back behind his ear. "Mayor Yang, do you think our tea plantation will survive now that professor is here?"

"Let's have a meeting first."

That evening, the meeting room of the Nangezhuang Village Committee was packed with people.

Smoke filled the air. Some people were squatting, some were leaning against the wall, and some were sitting on the windowsill. Geng Yan tapped on the table.

"Quiet! Mayor Yang has something to say."

Yang Fan stood up.

"Professor Song from Handong University will be visiting our Nangezhuang in a few days."

Someone in the crowd asked, "Where is Handong University?"

Someone next to him patted him on the shoulder.

"From the provincial capital! A national key university!"

"Oh……"

Yang Fan continued, "Professor Song specializes in tea research. He heard about our old tea garden in Nangezhuang and said he wanted to come and see it for himself."

Someone else asked, "What's the point of watching it? Can you make money from it?"

"Really?"

Yang Fan looked at that person and had no choice but to grit his teeth and make the statement first, otherwise these villagers would not move at all.

"Good quality tea can sell for tens or even hundreds of yuan per kilogram."

A commotion broke out in the crowd.

"Over a hundred yuan?"

"A pound of tea?"

"How many would we need to plant?"

Yang Fan and the others lowered their voices.

"Professor Song's arrival is the first step."

He looked at it and said the tea could be saved, so let's make it. He said it couldn't be saved, so let's think of another way.

But one thing is certain: the tea gardens must not be abandoned!

"Starting tomorrow, each household should prepare their own tea trees."

Weeds pulled out, vines cut down, fertilizer applied, and pruning done as needed.

Who pays for the fertilizer?

An old man squatting in the front row asked.

Yang Fan said, "Everyone just needs to empty their own latrines first!"

"The big professor is here. Anyone who doesn't work hard and hinders everyone's progress should think about their future!"

After the meeting, Geng Yan pulled Yang Fan aside.

"Mayor Yang, is it really the renowned professor?"

"real!"

He stared at Yang Fan for a long time.

"Mayor Yang, I heard you were also a top student at Handan University?"

Yang Fan smiled upon hearing this.

Geng Yan took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a deep drag.

"Alright, since you, Mayor Yang, are going all out, what am I afraid of?"

Tomorrow I'll take some people up the mountain to clear the area around that old tea tree.

"That old tea tree must be protected."

"Don't worry, it was planted by my grandfather's generation, it's more precious than my life."

Yang Fan returned to the township government; it was already completely dark. In his dormitory, he opened his notebook and added another line to the page about Nangezhuang:

"Put out tea as a selling point."

He circled the phrase "put out the tea brand".

The chirping of insects outside the window came in bursts.

A thought flashed through Yang Fan's mind—tea products can't be sold just as raw materials.

You need to have your own brand. Like Longjing tea, you know it's from West Lake; like Tieguanyin tea, you know it's from Anxi.

The tea from Nangezhuang also needs a name.

The packaging should be small and exquisite, making it a presentable gift and a high-quality drink for personal enjoyment.

He then wrote four more words in his notebook: small can packaging.

After finishing writing, the pen tip paused on the paper.

We'll have to wait until Professor Song arrives to discuss this further.

Let him see that old tea tree first, and see if it's worth it.

Yang Fan closed his notebook. Outside the window, the wind blew in from the south, carrying the scent of withered grass from the tea gardens on the mountain.