The Second Awakening Experiment

Strictly speaking, the Lou Family is selling third-generation seeds, but they previously claimed that the second-generation seeds were cultivated by themselves. In order to avoid exposure, they had to change the third-generation to the second-generation.

Even though they said that, people still flocked to buy the seeds. It didn't matter if the results were a little worse; it was better than having the Lou Family completely monopolize the market.

The Lou Family didn't sell many seeds, but quite a few people still managed to buy them.

The Lou Family made another fortune through this opportunity, and the hostility those people displayed towards the Lou Family lessened considerably.

Among those who bought the seeds was the Shen Family. Since they couldn't cultivate it themselves, surely they could improve it, right?

They believed that the seeds they improved would be just as effective as the first-generation seeds from the Lou Family.

The Shen Family wasn't the only ones with this plan; everyone who bought the seeds thought the same way.

Once they improve the seeds and grow and sell the grain, they'll be able to recoup the money they spent at the Lou Family.

If you're lucky, their improved seeds might even be of higher quality than the original seeds from the Lou Family.

With this in mind, several families threw themselves into a vigorous effort to improve the seeds, only to fail as expected.

It's okay, if we can't improve it, we can just plant it directly. After it matures, we can lower the price of the grain and sell it to people who can't afford to buy Lou Family grain.

Summer passed and the autumn harvest arrived amidst the eager anticipation of several families.

Just by smelling and tasting their harvest, you could tell it was several grades worse than the Lou Family's. And sure enough, the nutritional value was lower in tests.

The only consolation for them was that, just as they had predicted, lowering the price of grains and selling them under the name of "Lou Family Premium Rice and Flour Alternatives" did indeed attract quite a few customers.

The fact that they sell second-generation seeds and that the resulting grains have lower nutritional value is widely publicized by the Lou Family. This is partly to prevent those who bought the seeds from turning against them, and partly to help the public distinguish Lou Family's rice and flour from those of other brands.

The Lou Family doesn't want to be scammed, nor do they want them to earn the same amount of money as them using low-quality rice and flour.

Therefore, customers who buy the cheaper alternative rice and noodles are aware of the inside story.

If they could afford the premium rice and flour from the Lou Family, they wouldn't have to settle for cheaper alternatives.

The Lou Family's business wasn't significantly affected, because those powerful and influential people are unwilling to lower their living standards. Since there's a more nutritious option, why would they choose to eat inferior food?

They use low-quality rice and flour to recoup their losses, then continue buying high-quality rice and flour from the Lou Family. The Lou Family is happy, and this makes them feel a little more balanced.

Even so, they did not give up imitating and improving the Lou Family's seed. The Shen Family invested the most, largely out of spite.

They didn't believe they would fall behind the Lou Family.

Shen Family Jiaben thought that the Lou Family's offering of rice and flour to make money off them was enough to anger him, but he didn't expect the Lou Family to have a backup plan.

Shortly after the Shen Family and several other families launched their substandard rice and flour products, the Lou Family introduced their premium radishes, claiming they were vegetables with the same nutritional value as rice and wheat, and even meticulously attached test reports.

Shen Family: "..."

There is reasonable suspicion that the Lou Family did this on purpose.

Those old men in the Lou Family really did it on purpose.

The Yong'an Base started selling fruits and vegetables in the first half of this year. Lou Quan was worried that if he kept this a secret from the old men in the Lou Family, and they found out about it through other channels, and the Lou Family's informants in the Yong'an Base hadn't reported it, the fact that he controlled the informants would be exposed.

Therefore, he had to have his informants tell a few old men about the new fruits and vegetables. And as he expected, the old men came to buy vegetables and seeds from him.

Lou Quan only sold them radishes.

Considering that they had just sold rice and wheat seeds to other families, and the jealousy of those families hadn't subsided yet, the Lou Family shouldn't attract attention again.

After discussing it, the old men of the Lou Family concealed the existence of the radishes, enjoyed them themselves first, and then secretly planted the radish seeds in the ground.

It wasn't until the latter half of the year, when several other families had also recovered their losses by selling grain, that the Lou Family began to sell radishes publicly.

While the other families cursed and swore at the Lou Family's cunning and envied Lou Family ability to cultivate new seeds so quickly, they also rushed to buy radishes.

The radishes grown by the Lou Family, judging by their size alone, are only one-third the size of those radishes in Tao Qiu Valley, not to mention their taste and health benefits.

But for these people at the Central Base who had never tasted truly special crops, these radishes, like the new rice and flour, were already considered high-quality.

They originally felt that even the best quality vegetables and meats from the Central Base were not worthy of being used to accompany the rice and steamed buns made from the new rice and flour, and they often regretted that there were no suitable dishes to match them.

They finally found a radish where the entire plant was edible, even if they were very...

Red Mansion

Home, huh? Or did you obediently pay for it?

This radish is not only delicious on its own, but it can also be used to stew meat or be paired with other vegetables, giving them a unique radish flavor.

The good sales of radishes have also boosted the sales of rice and flour.

Last few days, family members came again, eagerly asking to buy radish seeds.

The Lou Family is absolutely smug about winning.

At the Yong'an Base.

Tao Qiu took her three kids shopping today, and the various odds and ends she bought filled the entire trunk of her car.

Lou Quan's sale of radishes and radish seeds not only yielded weapons from several old men, but also opened up several new supply channels for general merchandise. The shopping mall at Yong'an Base has more than doubled in size, with many new shops and products now available.

Among them are all sorts of snacks that kids love.

Last month, when the shopping mall opened, Tao Qiu and Lou Yu took the kids there. There was also an indoor children's playground that opened nearby, and Tao Qiu often took the kids there to play and buy some things along the way.

"This one? It's my brother's. This one? It's my sister's. This one? It's mine. This one? It's Lou Yu's father's..."

The Third Cub squatted among a pile of shopping bags, sorting out their belongings, which were then placed aside by their older siblings.

Tao Qiu went to the restroom and came back to find Third Cub carrying a pink shopping bag. He immediately ran over, took the bag, and said with a grin, "This is mine."

Children shouldn't see what's inside, and even if they did, they wouldn't be able to guess its purpose, but Tao Qiu couldn't take that risk.

"Oh, it's Daddy's? Daddy, take it." The Third Cub didn't suspect anything and continued sorting.

Tao Qiu first put the things back in the upstairs bedroom before coming back to help the three kids sort through the things.

When Lou Yu home in the evening, Tao Qiu had just finished cooking.

After figuring out Lou Yu's off-work time, Tao Qiu started cooking right on time.

Tao Qiu usually gets a break after the autumn harvest, and occasionally goes back to work overtime, unlike Lou Yu, who doesn't get a break until almost the New Year. So recently, Tao Qiu has been the one cooking.

"Lou Yu's dad, you're back?!" The kids happily went to greet him.

Lou Yu had just entered, still carrying a chill with him, and didn't hold the baby, only responding with a smile.

After taking off his coat and getting used to the temperature inside, Lou Yu hugged the three kids and chatted with them about their experiences that day.

Lou Yu was wearing a matching family sweater with Tao Qiu and their three children under his coat. When Tao Qiu came out with the dishes, she saw the three children chatting happily.

Seeing that the food was ready, Lou Yu got up and led the children to help serve the dishes. Once the food was on the table, the family ate and chatted.

Late at night, after coaxing the three kids to sleep, Tao Qiu returned to the bedroom and pounced on Lou Yu on the bed.

Not long after, sticky breathing and the crisp sound of bells filled the bedroom.

Fortunately, the door was soundproof enough, otherwise Tao Qiu wouldn't dare to play like that.

Her snow-white skin shimmered delicately under the light, and crimson ribbons were wrapped around her wrists and waist, with several strings of small bells hanging from them, tinkling as they were shaken.

The rhythmic ringing of bells was like gusts of wind, making the already raging fire burn even more fiercely. The flames soared high and fell heavily with the wind, and the boulders and trees in the flames groaned and screamed, like a series of harmonious and beautiful songs.

Even after all the combustibles in sight have burned out, the residual heat in the fire area remains intense.

Tao Qiu and Lou Yu looked as if they were in the sweltering heat, their sheets and blankets soaked with sweat and grime.

"I don't want to move. Carry me to the bathroom and then help me wash."

Tao Qiu's laziness flared up again, and she refused to get up from Lou Yu's arms.

Lou Yu had just enjoyed Tao Qiu's passion, so there was no reason for him not to. He got up and carried Tao Qiu to take a bath. As he walked, the bells on Tao Qiu's body, which were still undone, made a soft sound again.

Tao Qiu noticed Lou Yu's muscles tensing upon hearing the voice, and lazily said, "Don't come again, I'm sleepy."

Lou Yu in a soft, coquettish voice, "Qiuqiu..."

"No."

"My dear Qiuqiu, please?"

"... Then? The last time."

"Mua~ I love Qiuqiu the most!"

Chapter 106 The Second Awakening Experiment

Tao Qiu thought she could get through the winter peacefully, until one day Lou Yu said he had a night shift and told Tao Qiu not to wait for him, and that he should go to sleep first.

Tao Qiu thought Lou Yu wouldn't be back until the morning, so she went to sleep alone after the appointed time.

To his surprise, in the middle of the night he heard the large iron gate open and a car drive into the yard.

He knew Lou Yu had returned, so he stayed awake, wanting to wait for Lou Yu to come upstairs, say a few words to him, and then go to sleep.

Lou Yu didn't keep Tao Qiu waiting for long; within minutes, he parked his car and came upstairs.

The door creaked open, Lou Yu didn't turn on the light; he even turned off the flashlight after entering.

His breathing was heavy and disordered; something seemed wrong.

Tao Qiu had just sat up, and before he could utter a single word, Lou Yu suddenly pounced on him and pulled him tightly into his arms.