Would you like to take a break in Longquan Ancient Town?

Lin Jingchen did not return to his own home that day. He stayed at the old family residence.

His grandfather had left him this house.

Although it had been many years, the house still looked new.

It was renovated periodically, but its main structure remained unchanged, preserving its original appearance.

Lin Jingchen spent longer than usual in the shower that day. He disliked the smell of blood.

Unless it was necessary, he never resorted to violence. Even when something genuinely required force to resolve, he had his subordinates handle it. He never got his own hands dirty.

That day had been an exception.

He sat at the table and opened his phone to watch the video his bodyguard had sent him that day.

On the screen, the young man showed no fear as he faced a man bigger and taller than himself, taking all three men down in one fluid sequence.

He looked nothing like the way Bai Chen usually did.

Lin Jingchen watched for several minutes.

If a call had not suddenly come in, he might have watched it a few more times.

It was Lin Xiaoqian calling, and Lin Jingchen answered.

"Jingchen, I'm taking my students to S City for fieldwork tomorrow. The reception there might be poor, so you may not be able to reach me," Lin Xiaoqian said.

"Mm, got it. Be careful out there," Lin Jingchen said.

"Oh, right, Longquan Ancient Town has some lovely scenery, and there happens to be a festival over the next few days. Would you like to go have a look? You could relax a little instead of always holing up at the office. The bidding is over, and the biggest problem has been resolved. Take a break."

Lin Xiaoqian really did not know what to do with her younger brother. Ever since taking over the Lin Family, he had been busy working himself to death.

Otherwise, he was constantly flying abroad on business. He even spent the New Year overseas checking on operations.

Only occasionally could the family get together for a meal.

Without even thinking, Lin Jingchen refused. "Sis, I'll pass. I want to rest at the old house for the next few days."

Lin Xiaoqian was not surprised to hear that. Changing his mind was always difficult.

She could only say regretfully, "All right, then. I won't force you."

"Oh! Wait, I almost forgot something. I want to introduce you to someone. He's one of my students, a really nice young man. Haven't you been interested in pottery lately? He happens to know how to do it. I think you two might hit it off."

"And he's already agreed."

Lin Jingchen had no interest in making friends.

He was about to refuse outright when something occurred to him, and he asked, "What's that student's name?"

Seeing a possible opening, Lin Xiaoqian immediately told him Bai Chen's name. "His name is Bai Chen. He's a first-year student in the botany department, so he's your junior, too."

Hearing that answer, Lin Jingchen froze for a moment.

Perhaps it had never occurred to him before that Bai Chen was Lin Xiaoqian's student.

He did not even know what year Lin Xiaoqian taught. He had never expected such a coincidence.

A little thrill of happiness suddenly stirred in Lin Jingchen's chest. "Sure. Are you taking the first-years this time?"

Lin Xiaoqian was utterly baffled.

Why was he asking that?

"Yes. Why? Is there a problem?" Lin Xiaoqian asked, a little puzzled.

"On second thought, I really have been a little tired lately. Relaxing in the ancient town sounds nice." Lin Jingchen suddenly felt a little embarrassed, too. He had just turned her down.

Lin Xiaoqian was utterly baffled again.

What? Why had he suddenly agreed? That wasn't like him. Hadn't he just refused outright? He was acting very strangely today.

"Oh, okay, then. Drive me to the airport tomorrow. Bring a few changes of clothes. We'll be there for two days and one night."

Lin Xiaoqian did not know why Lin Jingchen had suddenly agreed, but it was a good thing nonetheless.

"Mm, got it."

Bai Chen had finished packing his clothes, both long-sleeved and short-sleeved. His backpack was stuffed full, and he would also have to carry his laptop with him tomorrow.

It had been raining a lot lately, so there might be plenty of mosquitoes and other insects in the village.

That meant he needed to bring extra long-sleeved clothes and insect repellent.

Watching Bai Chen gradually fill his backpack, Gu Yun walked over.

"Xiao Bai, are you going somewhere tomorrow?" he asked.

Bai Chen said, "I almost forgot to tell you guys. Tomorrow, the students in our major are splitting into two groups to go to Longquan Ancient Town in S City for fieldwork. It's two days and one night, so you don't need to leave the door unlocked for me."

Hearing that Bai Chen was going on a field trip, Lin Sen was incredibly envious. Their major offered no opportunities for outdoor fieldwork.

"Damn, I think I picked the wrong major," Lin Sen said enviously. "Your major is so great. You even get to go on field trips. Why doesn't mine have perks like that?"

Lin Sen and Gu Yun had chosen civil engineering. Drawing bridge designs every day was wearing him out, while the other students could quickly produce good designs with ease.

He could not. It took him ages.

And he had heard that their practical course involved going to a factory to shave wood for a week.

Or they would spend a week shaving wood in a special classroom at school, which had plenty of equipment. Either way, it definitely would not be as fun as Bai Chen's fieldwork.

It was not that he disliked the major. He just felt he was not particularly suited to it. Perhaps his CPU was no good-too outdated.

Bai Chen said, "We're not really going there to have fun. We'll be outside in the wind and sun for both days, and we might even have to work the fields."

Lin Sen had never worked the fields before, so that only made him more excited. "That sounds great! So much fun. I've never worked the fields before."

Bai Chen was speechless.

He genuinely had no response. Clearly, the other boy had yet to experience the harsh realities of life.

The more Lin Sen talked, the more envious he became. "Would you consider taking me? I can do the heavy lifting."

As he spoke, he even flexed his arms.

Bai Chen smiled helplessly. "Sure. As long as you can carry equipment weighing twenty-five kilos, you can come. And you'll have to walk more than ten kilometers along mountain trails."

"Twenty-five kilos? Piece of cake. What?! More than ten kilometers?! Aren't there any cars?" Lin Sen exclaimed in alarm.

"Cars can't get up there. There aren't any paved roads, either, just dirt tracks. You have to climb the mountain, too," Bai Chen replied.

Hearing Bai Chen say there were no paved roads there genuinely shocked Lin Sen.

"You're not pulling my leg, are you? How can places like that still exist these days?" he asked.

"I'm not lying. There really aren't any," Bai Chen replied.

The professor had chosen that village because prolonged rain had caused problems with its crops. They kept failing to sprout, dying as soon as they were planted, or failing to grow.

Those crops were the villagers' main source of income. To them, those seedlings were their lifeline.

That was why Professor Lin had chosen this village.

It had also been a last-minute change. Professor Lin hoped her students would not merely conduct research in the laboratory, but could also experience the actual conditions in which crops were grown.

True agricultural science existed to serve people, rather than remaining confined to one's own ideas.

Human-caused disasters could be prevented, but natural disasters could not be held back.

It was only because they lived somewhere with a high standard of living that they could not feel the hardship and exhaustion others endured.