Even though he had mentally prepared himself, Zhuang Qixiang still found the demand utterly absurd.
He thought the request for deferred payment last time was outrageous enough, but he never imagined the other party could be even more shameless than his wildest expectations.
What did they mean by "return the deposit"? A deposit was inherently non-refundable—that was the whole point of calling it a deposit!
He was so furious he nearly laughed, too exasperated to even respond. With a sharp "click," he hung up the phone.
No sooner had he ended the call than it rang again. He initially didn’t want to answer, but fearing it might be someone else, he exhaled sharply and picked up.
"Hey, Manager Zhuang, what’s the deal? Why’d you hang up? We were in the middle of discussing—"
"The fungal strains are yours if you want them, but the money isn’t getting refunded!" he cut in sharply, hanging up again before the other person could protest.
Yet the anger still simmered in his chest, especially when the phone rang yet again moments later, the incessant noise making his temple throb.
Zhuang Qixiang strode out of his office, deciding it was better to remove himself entirely—otherwise, he might just explode from frustration.
What kind of people were these? Back when he was a section chief, he’d never noticed this side of them—reneging on agreements while acting completely justified.
And now there was another headache: the Liuhu Town Forestry Bureau had ordered 5,000 bottles of fungal strains. Should they proceed with cultivation or not?
Logically, since the other party had backed out, they shouldn’t bother. But who knew if they’d change their minds again and demand the products later?
Given recent events, it was entirely possible they’d pull such a stunt if they couldn’t reclaim their deposit.
After stewing in the courtyard for a while, Zhuang Qixiang decided to seek out Yan Xue. "When cultivating fungal strains, do we have to finalize the quantity from the start?" he asked.
"Roughly, yes," Yan Xue replied. "Generally, one test tube of mother culture can produce three bottles of primary culture, and each primary culture can yield thirty to fifty bottles of cultivation strains. But to account for contamination and selecting optimal strains, the numbers might vary slightly."
Zhuang Qixiang did the math. For 5,000 bottles, the margin was about thirty to fifty test tubes of mother culture. At least until the mother culture stage, he still had time to sort things out with Liuhu Town.
As he mulled over the problem, Yan Xue asked, "Manager Zhuang, is someone trying to back out after placing an order?"
She hit the nail on the head with just one guess. He hadn’t even hinted at the issue, yet she immediately pieced it together.
Zhuang Qixiang glanced at her, then admitted, "It’s the Liuhu Town Forestry Bureau. They claim they don’t want the strains anymore and are demanding their deposit back."
Typical of them. Of course, Yan Xue wasn’t just guessing—changes in order quantities usually meant either new buyers or cancellations.
Judging by Zhuang Qixiang’s expression, it clearly wasn’t the former. "So, are you planning to refund them?" she asked.
"Of course not," Zhuang Qixiang snapped. "Deposits are non-refundable by definition. If we cave now, everyone will start demanding refunds whenever they feel like it. How would we ever operate?"
Business couldn’t tolerate such fickleness. Resources had already been allocated—if buyers could just cancel on a whim, who would bear the costs?
If they refunded Liuhu Town this time, what was stopping others from backing out after cultivation was complete and demanding their money back too?
His stance was firm, but the thought of Liuhu Town’s potential antics still gave him a headache.
He never should’ve sold to them in the first place. But since they were part of the same county’s forestry system, refusing had been awkward.
If they’d been from another county, he would’ve cut ties after the first request for deferred payment. None of this mess would’ve happened.
As he brooded, he noticed Yan Xue remained unflustered, showing neither anger nor concern.
Her composure was oddly calming. Zhuang Qixiang found himself asking, "What’s your take on this, Xiao Yan?"
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he was once again seeking a subordinate’s opinion. But since he’d already asked, he didn’t dwell on it.
"That depends on what they do next," Yan Xue said. "Given their track record, they won’t let go of that 30% easily. They’ll probably rope in higher-ups to pressure us."
That was the downside of working within the same system. You tried to argue rules and logic, but they’d counter with "relationships" and "face."
And you couldn’t outright ignore those, either—cross the wrong people, and they’d band together to isolate you, making your job impossible.
With over two decades in the system, Zhuang Qixiang knew this all too well. His expression darkened. "We can’t actually refund them, can we?"
When Yan Xue didn’t immediately respond, he frowned. "You’re not seriously considering it, are you? That’s not how things are done!"
"Not without consequences," Yan Xue said calmly. "They should pay a price for this. Otherwise, everyone will think our center is an easy target."
She was right. When Liuhu Town failed to sway Zhuang Qixiang, they soon enlisted higher-ups to intervene.
The script was predictable: "We’re all part of the same county forestry system. Can’t you be more flexible? You can’t just keep Liuhu’s money like this."
Perhaps because he’d anticipated it, Zhuang Qixiang listened with eerie calm. "So they’re dead set on getting this money back?"
"I know it’s not fair," said Deputy Director An, who’d been roped into mediating. "But you haven’t started cultivation yet. There’s no real loss."
"Then arrange a meeting at the bureau," Zhuang Qixiang said curtly. "And you’d better be there as a witness—so they can’t claim later that I never returned the money."
The bluntness was jarring. After hanging up, Deputy Director An called Liuhu Town’s representative. "Don’t involve me in this kind of thing again. I’ve already lost enough face."
"What choice did I have?" the Liuhu Town Forestry Bureau’s secretary whined. "But your word carries weight, Deputy Director An. One word from you, and it’s settled."
The meeting was set in Deputy Director An’s office. What was supposed to be a simple exchange—money returned, accounts cleared—took an unexpected turn when Zhuang Qixiang arrived with four people in tow.
Yan Xue and Zhou Wenhui, two junior staff from the cultivation center, were expected. But the fourth attendee made Deputy Director An rise to his feet.
"Director Qu, why are you here? This minor issue hardly warrants your involvement."
"It’s not minor," Qu Mingli said. "If mishandled, this will set a precedent that makes the cultivation center’s work even harder in the future."
The implication was clear: Liuhu Town was creating obstacles, and Deputy Director An’s mediation was part of the problem.
Deputy Director An flushed awkwardly, while the Liuhu Town secretary shifted uncomfortably—not out of guilt, but because Qu Mingli had once been his peer.
Now the matter became serious. Both parties took their seats, and Qu Mingli asked the secretary from Liuhu Town once more, "Are you certain about canceling the order?"
His tone was gentle, without any hint of accusation, so the Liuhu Town secretary naturally had no reservations. "It's nearly a thousand yuan—I have to be responsible for the bureau's finances."
If he truly cared about the bureau's finances, he wouldn’t have flip-flopped so capriciously. Zhuang Qixiang remained silent.
Only after seeing Qu Mingli nod without further comment did he finally speak up. "Cancellation is possible, but we have two conditions."
Eager to get the refund, the Liuhu Town Forestry Bureau secretary didn’t care about conditions. "Go ahead."
Zhuang Qixiang laid them out. "First, we don’t work with unreliable partners. Once this refund is processed, we won’t sell any products to Liuhu for at least three years."
This had been agreed upon earlier with Yan Xue. Who knew who would be in charge of Liuhu Town Forestry Bureau in three years? But for now, the cultivation center wouldn’t sell them a single bottle of fungal strains.
The Liuhu secretary had expected something major, but this was trivial—if he wasn’t planning to cultivate anymore, why would he need their strains?
He agreed readily. "What else?" His quick compliance made everyone present glance at him.
Zhuang Qixiang hoped he’d stay this agreeable next year and the year after. His expression remained neutral. "Second, we need to calculate the compensation for losses."
"Losses?" This struck a nerve. The Liuhu secretary frowned immediately.
"Of course there are losses." This time, Yan Xue spoke up, smiling sweetly. "Did you think we’d make no preparations after receiving your order?"
She produced a notebook while Zhou Wenhui pulled out an abacus. "You ordered 5,000 bottles of fungal strains, which means 5,000 glass jars. Our center pays more than recycling stations—three cents per jar, so 5,000 comes to..."
Zhou Wenhui’s abacus clattered. "150 yuan." The Liuhu secretary’s eye twitched, and he cut in, "But you haven’t given us the goods yet!"
"The jars were never meant for you. After cultivation, we take them back. This covers usage fees and labor costs."
Yan Xue’s smile didn’t waver. "If you hadn’t placed the order, we wouldn’t have needed to procure extra jars, assign staff for collection, or secure storage space."
She glanced at Zhou Wenhui. "Let’s keep it reasonable—15% will do. Then there’s the raw materials we purchased for cultivation..."
The Liuhu secretary’s face darkened. "We’re all part of the same county forestry system—brother units. Isn’t this excessive?"
"Even brothers settle accounts clearly. Would you let your brother eat your food, use your things, and spend your money without a word?"
Yan Xue’s polite yet pointed retort left him speechless. He turned to Deputy Director An, hoping for support.
But before Deputy Director An could speak, Qu Mingli interjected solemnly, "Preparations shouldn’t go uncompensated, even within the same system."
He fixed the Liuhu secretary with a look. "We’re all serving the nation and socialist construction. What you’re harming isn’t just the center’s interests—it’s collective interests."
As seasoned party workers, both knew how to escalate matters. Qu Mingli’s framing forced the Liuhu secretary to swallow his protests.
Moreover, the center’s calculations were meticulous. By the end, they’d tallied up 63 yuan and 52 cents—nearly a month and a half’s wages.
The secretary’s expression was beyond grim. "Must we be this exact?" Yan Xue paused. "Out of respect for our shared system, we can round it down."
In the end, Liuhu paid. Refusal meant no refund, and he knew which option was better.
But the deposit had shrunk by nearly 10% after its brief stay at the center. Before releasing the funds, they presented a contract for him to sign.
It stated his voluntary withdrawal of the deposit and forfeiture of fungal strain purchases for three years, with signatures from both parties and witnesses.
Once signed and stamped, any backtracking would disgrace not just him but also Deputy Director An and Qu Mingli.
With this document, Zhuang Qixiang no longer worried about mediators. He thanked Qu Mingli sincerely.
"No need. I recommended establishing this center—of course I want it to succeed." Qu Mingli waved it off.
Later, as they walked away, he turned back with encouragement. "Keep at it. Relying on nature is far less stable than relying on technology."
Yan Xue echoed this. Harvesting wild greens might have no cost, but the risks were high—a bad year could mean zero income.
Cultivated wood ear mushrooms, however, minimized environmental variables, ensuring stable yields.
And without barriers to entry, profits depended entirely on who controlled sales channels.
Whether Liuhu could secure—and keep—such channels was uncertain. Declining their strains now was premature.
Zhuang Qixiang exhaled, releasing days of frustration. "Director Qu, I’ll do my utmost to make the center thrive."
Reflecting on Yan Xue’s contributions, he added earnestly, "Comrade Yan Xue is exceptional."
For someone as traditional and meticulous as him, praising a younger colleague was rare.
Qu Mingli smiled, glancing at Yan Xue—who’d just outmaneuvered the Liuhu secretary but now stood quietly behind them—then back at Zhuang Qixiang. "A strong leader breeds capable subordinates."
The remark lightened Zhuang Qixiang’s mood, though it also reflected on Qu Mingli himself—after all, Yan Xue had been transferred from Jinchuan under his oversight.
Even Yan Xue’s team, brought from Chengshui, proved competent. Without them, the center might not have progressed so smoothly.
Back at the center, Zhuang Qixiang filed the contract securely before calling the other two town forestry bureaus to confirm their orders.
Fortunately, not everyone was as unreliable as Liuhu’s secretary. Both towns reaffirmed their commitments—their cultivation bases were already prepared.
This reassured Zhuang Qixiang. Losing Liuhu’s 5,000 bottles still left 20,000, ensuring the year’s efforts weren’t wasted.
By January, hundreds of mother tubes entered cultivation, labeled and organized—some for sale, others for the center’s comparative research.
Zhuang Qixiang had to wash his hands and disinfect before entering, then put on a white lab coat. He realized this was truly a technical job.
By the end of January, the mycelium in the test tubes had fully grown across the slanted surfaces, and everyone began dividing and transferring the strains into canned jars for cultivation.
This step only required one cultivation room to be open. After some thought, Yan Xue went to discuss with Zhuang Qixiang—those from the county could take turns overseeing the work while the others returned to Chengshui for the New Year.
Zhuang Qixiang didn’t hesitate at all. He immediately granted the others leave, while he and Yan Xue would take their turns later when the others returned.
Zhou Wenhui and Guo Chang'an had bought plenty of things, first delivering a share to Yan Xue before taking the rest home. Only Gao Daidi didn’t buy anything, simply sending Yan Xue a New Year’s gift.
After all, if she bought anything, her family would just demand money from her. Better not to buy anything at all. If they complained it wasn’t enough, she wouldn’t hear their scolding—and if they tried to hit her, she’d just run away. The small train would start running again on the second day of the New Year anyway.
If not for the fear that her family might cause trouble for Technician Yan at the center, she wouldn’t have come back at all. Life in the county was so much better—Technician Yan and Accountant Zhou treated her well.
With all the bags they carried, everyone who saw them remarked how different Accountant Zhou and Observer Guo had become since moving to the county. Their families were even happier to see them.
But amid the joy, Aunt Guo brought up an old topic again: "Since you’re back, Aunt Fan has introduced another girl for you."
Guo Chang'an paused, and Aunt Guo thought he was unwilling. "Just meet her. You’ll be twenty-six after the New Year—it’s time to settle down."
But Guo Chang'an surprised her by saying, "No, I meant to tell you there’s no need to introduce anyone. I’ve already found someone myself."
"What? You’ve found someone yourself?" Aunt Guo was stunned. Even Jin Baozhi and Guo Changping turned to look. "Chang'an has a girlfriend?"
Seeing that he didn’t deny it, Aunt Guo’s face immediately lit up with joy. She couldn’t help pressing further: "Where did you meet her? Someone from the county? What’s she like?"
Guo Changping couldn’t help interjecting, "Mom, you’re bombarding him with questions. Which one should he answer first?"
"I’m just happy!" Aunt Guo shot her eldest son a glance before turning back to the younger one. "It’s fine, Chang'an. Take your time."
Guo Chang'an answered methodically, "She’s not from the county. She’s from our forestry center—you know her. Lang Yue'e."
"Secretary Lang’s Yue'e?" Aunt Guo was so surprised she even forgot to adjust her usual way of addressing her.
Jin Baozhi, seeing her expression, worried she might disapprove and quickly added, "Yue'e is great—hardworking and good-natured."
"It’s not that I think she’s not good," Aunt Guo said, regaining her composure. "I just worry her family’s status is too high for ours."
Jin Baozhi found this amusing. "They’re not interested in our family. They admire Chang'an for his own abilities."
Over at the Lang household, they were thinking the same thing—especially Lang Zhongting, who held Guo Chang'an in high regard. "Most people would’ve given up after what he went through. How many could stand back up like he did?"
Lang Yue'e was straightforward about it too: "I think we suit each other well—neither of us looks down on the other. He’s capable and doesn’t want anything from our family."
Guo Chang'an’s transfer to the county hadn’t been due to the Lang family’s influence. Lang Zhongting was in Chengshui and couldn’t have helped him even if he wanted to.
To Guo Chang'an, Lang Yue'e was just Lang Yue'e—not someone’s daughter. That made her feel comfortable around him, and they always had things to talk about.
After the New Year, Yan Xue received a large package from Aunt Guo, delivered by Guo Chang'an, as thanks for "arranging such a good match."
Yan Xue was both amused and exasperated. "You two got together on your own. I didn’t even know about it—why thank me?"
But Guo Chang'an understood his mother’s reasoning. "If not for you, I wouldn’t be where I am today—and I wouldn’t have had the chance to be with Yue'e."
If he had remained the Guo Chang'an trapped in his pain, the one who just watched over the machinery shed at the forestry center, he couldn’t imagine what his life would’ve been like.
A few days later, Lang Yue'e came to the county to report for work and also brought Yan Xue a large package—another "thank you" for matchmaking.
The next time the two returned home, their families would meet to formalize the engagement before picking a warm, blossoming day later in the year for the wedding.
Since Guo Changping and Jin Baozhi would be busy with logging in the mountains, they couldn’t arrange things too early—there’d be no one to handle the preparations or attend otherwise.
After seeing them off, Qi Fang took a sip of water at the table and glanced at Yan Xue. "Guo Chang'an and Lang Yue'e—you said you’d tell me after the New Year?"
His memory was annoyingly sharp. Yan Xue didn’t deny it. "Right. I only found out last autumn."
Qi Fang didn’t comment further, just glanced at the gifts. "Should I send one to Qi Fang and… her too?"
It took Yan Xue a moment to realize "her" referred to the unnamed "Miss Yan."
How shameless—treating them both as matchmakers. She shot him a glare.
Unfazed, the man came over and wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his chin on her head as she organized the gifts.
He was like an oversized, heated accessory. Yan Xue swatted him. "Now that your son’s not around, you’re taking his place, huh?"
The biggest advantage of their new home was not having to fetch water, and electricity was available even during the day. The radio got frequent use, and even the little chubby boy had started listening along with his uncle.
Right now, the two were in the opposite room listening to the broadcast, occasionally interrupted by the little one’s shouts urging his uncle when a song ended.
Thus, the oversized accessory officially replaced the small one, holding her openly and answering her question with a shameless "Mm-hmm."
Yan Xue smacked his arm again. "If your hands are free, come help me sort this."
Time passed quietly. By April, the strains in over a dozen cultivation rooms were ready, and the center began preparing shipments.
Yan Xue and Guo Chang'an personally selected the strains, sealing them in canned jars with kraft paper and padding the delivery trucks with shredded straw for shock absorption.
Horse-drawn carts left the center for several days in a row until all 20,000 bottles had been shipped.
Zhuang Qixiang stayed in the office, waiting for confirmation calls from the forestry bureaus in each town after they received and counted the shipments.
They also needed to send people to teach two new towns how to inoculate. After discussions, Yan Xue and Zhou Wenhui would go to one town, while Guo Chang'an and Lang Yue'e went to another.
Given Guo Chang'an’s mobility limitations, he was assigned to Donggou Town in the same county, while Yan Xue and Zhou Wenhui went to Wugang Town in neighboring Baisong County.
This trip wouldn’t just involve teaching inoculation—they’d also need to explain proper management afterward, meaning they’d be away for several days. Everyone packed their things accordingly.
Just as they gathered at the center to depart, someone asked the guard at the gate, "Excuse me, is this the Edible Fungus Cultivation Center? I’m looking for someone."
Zhou Wenhui's expression changed instantly, and Yan Xue's eyes darkened upon seeing it.
Qi Fang, who had successfully climbed the ranks, said: "Son, what else do you like? Daddy will get it for you."
