Initial Plan

The next day, everyone woke up one after another. They had slept so well that they slept until broad daylight. Pushing open the door, they breathed in the earthy air and felt a surge of emotion. The air in the city nowadays was truly bad, with heavy smog. How could it compare to this, standing in the yard and taking deep breaths of fresh air? Living in the countryside had many benefits.

Golden millet porridge, with sweet potato added, served with crisp cucumber and green radish as two cold dishes, a plate of spicy pickled mustard greens, a plate of stir-fried bean sprouts, and homemade guokui. This simple breakfast made the few people eat heartily, even questioning life. Apart from the pickled mustard greens and bean sprouts, how could the two cold dishes be so delicious? Not only was the texture good, but there was also a sweet fragrance when eaten, making them incredibly tasty.

When asked Chen Mo, he explained that the vegetables were homegrown, which immediately made everyone very envious. Chen Mo felt a hint of disdain. These vegetables were merely grown by his mother in their backyard, and he had only watered them with stream water for a few days. He wondered what their reaction would be if they tasted the vegetables from the Universe Bead.

"I've never encountered such vegetables at the city market, and my mom never did when she went grocery shopping," Zhang Mei said.

The others chimed in with agreement.

"Of course, you wouldn't have. These are usually grown by villagers using organic fertilizer for their own consumption. There aren't many to begin with, so how could they be sold in the city?" Chen Mo explained with a smile.

"Then where do the city vegetables come from?" a few people were somewhat curious.

"Those are grown by vegetable farmers, and the vast majority use chemical fertilizers and pesticides. We generally don't eat these vegetables; they are all sold to the city," Chen Mo said. Although not entirely accurate, it was mostly true. In the countryside, people usually grow some vegetables themselves. For large-scale cultivation, farmers themselves generally don't eat them.

"Ah! How could that be? You rural people are really cunning!" Liang Huaishan said indignantly.

"Heh! This isn't cunning; it's just for survival. It's not easy for anyone!" Chen Mo didn't explain further. He wouldn't talk about stories like Monsanto. Even the old farmers in the village now knew what high-yield seeds were. They generally didn't eat them themselves, preferring to grow local produce. As for the high-yield seeds bought from the grain station, they were planted in the fields, and fertilizers and pesticides were applied liberally before selling them.

He didn't want to explain or say more to others. The simple explanation of "just for survival" left the group feeling stifled, yet they couldn't say anything.

After eating, the group wanted to pay Chen Mo, but he refused. He then saw the four of them off to the long-distance bus back to the city. Before they boarded, they exchanged contact information. Chen Mo also reminded Yang Yantong to get a check-up after returning to the city, not for any particular reason, but just to put her mind at ease.

As the village gradually receded from view, Yang Yantong and the others felt a pang of emotion. The past few days had been a psychological journey, evoking not only a sense of deep feeling but also revealing the best and worst of human nature. They gained a new understanding of their classmate and made new friends.

"Tongtong, I didn't expect this Chen Mo to be so interesting. A top student from a prestigious university returning to his hometown to farm, I wonder what he's thinking," Chen Mo had shared some of his plans during their chat yesterday, giving them all a preliminary understanding of him.

"Whatever he's thinking, I think him returning to his hometown to farm is a life goal, isn't it?" Zhang Mei said.

"Tch! A goal? Isn't he just a farmer!" Sun Hongkai sneered. Although he was grateful to Chen Mo, after interacting with him, he lost any desire to associate with him. Someone who planned to be a farmer was not worth befriending. As for the help he received yesterday, he could repay it if he had the chance in the future.

"What's wrong with being a farmer? Did farmers offend you? Pick anyone from all of China and trace their lineage back three generations, see if they weren't farmers! You've forgotten your roots!" Liang Huaishan immediately retorted, unwilling to let it slide.

"My grandfather was a farmer!" Yang Yantong didn't retort but said this, hitting the mark directly.

"My family is too!" Zhang Mei added, glaring at Sun Hongkai.

Seeing the situation, Sun Hongkai knew he had said the wrong thing and could only turn away in silence. If he argued any further, he would definitely be thoroughly chastised by the three girls. "Can you speak? If you can't, just shut up!"

"But speaking of which, does Chen Mo have any prospects staying in the countryside? A good university student not being fully utilized, isn't that a waste of his education?" Zhang Mei said.

"Yeah! I think so too. I hope Chen Mo can have a good development, otherwise, it would be a waste of talent," Liang Huaishan said with some indignation.

"I don't think it's a waste. He studied biology, and although there's a gap with agriculture, there are many similarities. It depends on what he wants to do in the countryside. If he chooses the right industry, there are huge prospects. Like the current specialized breeding industry, and the cultivation of cash crops, etc., all can bring significant economic benefits," Yang Yantong said seriously.

"Oh my, Tongtong, you're not even married yet, and you're already defending that guy named Chen so much. That's too much!" Liang Huaishan teased playfully.

"Exactly, exactly! Even though our Tongtong is leaving with us today, her heart is still left behind, isn't it!" Zhang Mei also said with a smile.

"Shanshan, you guys!..." Yang Yantong was momentarily speechless. In the two days she had interacted with Chen Mo, despite some fantasies, she wouldn't fall for him. But who could say for sure about matters of the heart? However, the pair of bright eyes she saw when she opened her eyes while in a coma still lingered, unforgettable.

"Alright, alright! Let's not talk about Tongtong anymore, or this fellow will get embarrassed and flip out. Hahaha..." Zhang Mei said.

"Then, when school holidays come, shall we come here again?" Liang Huaishan suggested.

"Okay!" "No problem!" The other two agreed in unison.

The three girls chattered happily in the car the whole way, their joy even infecting those in the same vehicle. The feeling of youth was truly enviable, especially with three beautiful girls, which made them even more eye-catching.

After Chen Mo saw the four off, he didn't dwell on it further, treating them as passing travelers. He still had many things to do.

Yesterday, he had surveyed the entire Gourd Valley and taken many photos, all in preparation for its future development. He needed a place to cultivate, but he couldn't isolate himself from everyone else to focus solely on cultivation. Not to mention his parents; he couldn't possibly focus on cultivation and ignore everything in the mortal world. Therefore, having a place that generated income and allowed him to purchase cultivation resources was essential. This was Chen Mo's idea for developing Gourd Valley. However, he hadn't fully considered what kind of place Gourd Valley should become and needed to think about it more.

Still, the two hundred mu of land outside Gourd Valley could be developed first. Directly planting vegetables would also be a source of income. Although he had some money now, it wouldn't suffice without ongoing income. Wouldn't his parents worry themselves to death? So, developing the two hundred mu first, even if it was just to grow and sell vegetables, would be fine.

Elementary school students request everyone to cast a recommendation ticket after reading, thank you!