The plan Secretary Lang presented was, of course, not the original one handed to him by Yan Xue. It had been revised, polished, and partially redacted.
Yet it was enough to astonish everyone. After just one year of reaping benefits, was the Jinchuan Forestry Farm really willing to share their methods? Were they truly that selfless?
But upon opening it, they realized—oh, he wasn’t planning to share the technology. He intended to sell the fungal strains to other forestry farms instead...
Before Director Liu could even voice his objections, Secretary Lang had already explained, "It’s not that I’m unwilling to share the technology. It’s just that, at this point, other farms wouldn’t be able to use it anyway."
He wore a helpless expression. "Cultivating these strains is quite complicated. The spores must be extracted the year before. At this stage, where would we even find fresh spores?"
That was indeed a valid point. It was already November, and the land was frozen solid. Where would one find fresh black fungus now?
Director Liu, however, wasn’t ready to give up. "What about dried ones? Dried fungus hasn’t been cooked."
"Our technician Yan hasn’t tried that method," Secretary Lang replied. "If you’d like, I can go back and ask her about the extraction process. You could give it a try?"
His words were polite, but the underlying message was far less courteous—Are you suggesting you know better than our Technician Yan?
Director Liu was momentarily speechless. He realized this Lang Zhongting had grown bolder, emboldened by Qu Mingli’s backing, to the point of disregarding his authority.
Secretary Lang, however, knew full well that he was already firmly aboard Qu Mingli’s ship. Whether or not he humored Director Liu made little difference.
When Director Liu fell silent, he continued, "Moreover, cultivating these strains requires a specialized incubation room. With December approaching, other farms wouldn’t have time to construct one."
Another reasonable obstacle. The ground was frozen—no construction could begin now, and even if they started next year, it would be too late.
Besides, the cultivation process sounded intricate. Even if other farms had the facilities, success wasn’t guaranteed.
With Director Liu saying nothing further, the others naturally kept their opinions to themselves. If other forestry farms wanted to grow black fungus next year, they’d have no choice but to purchase the strains from Jinchuan.
What a twist—instead of forcing them to disclose their technology, they’d inadvertently handed them another lucrative business opportunity. Director Liu was fuming.
"Does anyone have objections to Comrade Lang Zhongting’s proposal?" Qu Mingli still made a show of consulting the group.
Having just been thoroughly humbled, who would dare oppose it now? Everyone unanimously voiced their agreement.
And so, the matter was settled. But then a new question arose—which forestry farms would be allowed to participate? Surely not all of them?
Jinchuan’s impressive yield this year was due to utilizing timber from three other farms. Even with this year’s logging quota being higher, they could only expand to two additional sites at most.
Someone pondered aloud, "Didn’t Jinchuan request timber from three farms last year? Why not select from those three?"
A reasonable suggestion. "After all, those farms have been cooperative with the bureau’s directives. They should be prioritized."
"Not that the others haven’t cooperated," another countered. "Didn’t Jinchuan later drop their request?"
Who didn’t have connections in the lower-level farms? And who wouldn’t want to secure such an opportunity for their allies?
Soon, other farms were proposed. "They’re all along the same narrow-gauge railway line. Transporting strains and exchanging techniques would be convenient."
"Then what about Wangshan Forestry Farm? They just built a road this year. They wouldn’t even need to rely on the train or diesel engines—horse-drawn carts could handle the commute."
Opinions clashed, and Director Liu only stirred the pot further. "For something this important, shouldn’t we consult the farms themselves?"
He borrowed Qu Mingli’s own words from the road construction debate. "What if some farms lack the funds? What if they’re not even interested?"
He concluded, "We should summon representatives from all the farms and hold a proper discussion."
But the moment this meeting adjourned, word would spread, and every farm would scramble to pull strings—may the most resourceful prevail.
Qu Mingli saw right through it. Director Liu’s suggestion was either meant to undermine someone or benefit himself.
Still, he didn’t oppose it. "Very well. We’ll discuss this at the end-of-month meeting with all the farms in attendance."
True to form, news spread quickly. Calls soon flooded Secretary Lang’s office, probing for details.
"You’re asking about the fungus cultivation? It worked—yield? Over three thousand jin. Would I lie? I’ve already submitted the earnings to the bureau."
He fielded multiple calls that day. For nearby farms like Wangshan, their secretary even pedaled over on a bicycle.
"Why didn’t you mention the yield was this high sooner?" The man had braved the cold wind, only to be hit by a wave of warmth upon entering. "Your office is quite cozy."
"Little Qi installed heated walls, connected to the boiler." Secretary Lang gestured to the walls before pouring him a cup of water.
But the Wangshan secretary had no interest in drinking. "You’ve really outdone yourself—kept this under wraps. I assumed the first year would be trial and error."
"Our Technician Yan did the experimenting last year," Secretary Lang said with a smile. "I wouldn’t have approached the bureau without confidence."
At the mention of Technician Yan, the Wangshan secretary grew even more curious. "Where did you find someone like that? In all my years, I’ve never heard of cultivated fungus."
Secretary Lang’s smile deepened. He leisurely sipped from his enamel mug. "Actually, you’ve met Technician Yan before."
"I have?" The Wangshan secretary was taken aback. "I don’t recall. Where?"
"Last year’s poetry recital. The female lead." Secretary Lang replied casually.
The Wangshan secretary finally remembered—and was stunned. "That young girl? How old is she? And she’s capable of this?"
Oh, her capabilities run far deeper. You’ll see at the meeting. Secretary Lang added, "Qi Fang is her husband."
The Wangshan secretary was thoroughly one-upped. So your farm just happens to have all the talented and good-looking people, huh?
What incredible luck—Jinchuan not only stumbled upon Qi Fang but also gained a fungus-cultivating technician through him...
The Wangshan secretary tried not to sound bitter but couldn’t help it. After a pause, he asked, "Is your Technician Yan at the pilot site? I’d like to take a look."
"You’re welcome to visit, but Observer Guo will have to accompany you," Secretary Lang said. "Technician Yan is still in confinement."
Ah, so she was pregnant while running the pilot project. Your Technician Yan is just that impressive, isn’t she?
The Wangshan secretary had nothing left to say. But when he finally arrived at the site and saw Guo Chang'an, he was surprised—though he didn’t show it.
After inspecting the pilot site and carefully examining the logs cultivated with wood ear mushrooms, he finally had a rough idea in mind and prepared to take his leave. Before departing, he made a point of telling Secretary Lang, "There’s a meeting at the bureau in a couple of days. You’ve got to put in a good word for me, brother. Our two forest farms are so close—who else would be more convenient to partner with than us?"
The last time the Jinchuan Forest Farm had enjoyed such good relations was when Qi Fang repaired the tractor. Secretary Lang nodded repeatedly, "Sure, sure. Absolutely."
No sooner had he seen the visitor off than the motor cart from the Xiaojinchuan Forest Farm arrived. Their secretary also conducted a thorough inspection of the site and, before leaving, made a similar request.
Secretary Lang smiled and nodded again, "Sure, sure. Absolutely," as if he had no intention of turning anyone away.
Acting Director Ning’s office was right next door, so he overheard some of it. He couldn’t fathom how Secretary Lang planned to fulfill all these promises—who would he actually support when the time came?
But Acting Director Ning was only the deputy, and attending bureau meetings wasn’t his responsibility. His job was simply to handle his own duties.
Still, with one secretary after another visiting the pilot site, word spread quickly in the small forest farm.
Yan Xue was at home on maternity leave and couldn’t be disturbed, but Lang Yue'e had been hearing plenty of concerns lately—worries that other forest farms might copy their pilot project, jeopardizing Jinchuan’s initiative.
When Lang Yue'e visited Yan Xue and the baby, she casually mentioned, "People are afraid other farms will steal the idea, and next year we might not even get the log tops."
Everyone remembered how Yan Xue had been outmaneuvered when others rushed to claim the log tops, and they feared Jinchuan might face the same problem.
But Yan Xue just laughed. "Don’t worry, it won’t affect us. In fact, it might even bring in extra income."
Back when Yan Xue had specifically requested Lang Yue'e from Secretary Lang, it wasn’t just because she was his daughter—Lang Yue'e was also discreet and knew when to keep quiet. True to form, she didn’t press further and instead turned her attention to the baby. "You know, I think he looks like his dad."
Yan Xue had eaten well and stayed active during her pregnancy, so the baby was healthy, opening his eyes just days after birth. Indeed, he took after his father.
Both Yan Xue and Yan Jigang had inherited their mother’s large, round eyes, but this little one had his father’s distinct features—inner corners slightly downturned, outer corners lifted.
Sometimes, when Yan Xue looked at him, she knew he was still too young to focus, yet she couldn’t shake the feeling he was watching her. She’d gently tap his nose and tease, "Why don’t you look like me?"
The baby would gaze at her, wiggling his tiny hands and feet, even letting out a few soft sounds as if responding.
Lang Yue'e’s heart melted. She scooped him up, cooing, "How are you so adorable?" Then she asked Yan Xue, "Have you picked a name yet?"
At this, Yan Xue lowered her eyes to the infant’s face. "Yes. Qi Yanyu."
Lang Yue'e blinked, then burst into laughter. "Wait—is that the Yan from your surname?"
Yan Xue stayed silent, which only made Lang Yue'e laugh harder. "It really is! I thought your Qi Fang was the reserved type."
Yan Xue had once thought so too, but lately, the man had been anything but reserved—especially when it came to naming their child.
In this era, names usually followed patriotic themes—like Jianguo ("Build the Nation") or Jianjun ("Build the Army")—or adhered to family traditions. Even when breaking from convention, parents typically chose names expressing hopes or blessings for their child.
But Qi Yanyu? It was a blatant nod to how she and Qi Fang had met—a coincidence, a twist of fate.
Yet the man had seemed utterly convinced, his peach-blossom eyes fixed on her as he insisted the name held deep meaning.
What could Yan Xue say? Commemorating their meeting was still better than letting this straight-laced engineering nerd name their child something like "Hydrostatic Black Fungus."
Little Qi Yanyu had no say in the matter, oblivious to his father’s not-so-subtle flex.
If Liu Weiguo heard about it when he returned from the mountains, he’d surely exclaim, "Now that’s next-level." After all, he’d agonized for days before settling on "Airong."
Meanwhile, Yan Xue continued her peaceful postpartum recovery, unaware of the stir her proposal had caused beyond these walls.
Jinchuan Forest Farm had hosted multiple visitors, and the town’s forestry bureau was equally busy. By the time the meeting rolled around, every forest farm vying for the project had prepared detailed plans.
Of course, there was always that one guy who, realizing his farm had no competitive edge, couldn’t be bothered to try—content to lounge at the bottom of the ladder.
Then came the meeting day, where he stood out like a sore thumb—the only one unprepared, the only one sticking out...
The man instantly regretted his life choices, especially under the collective gaze of his peers.
It was as if everyone else was a model of diligence while he alone slacked off—which, admittedly, he did. But shouldn’t this have been announced earlier?
Amid his internal crisis, Qu Mingli solemnly outlined the plan before opening the floor for discussion.
The room erupted with pledges of cooperation, each farm listing its advantages—proximity to Jinchuan, larger workforce, exceptionally progressive leadership...
When his turn came, the slacker had no choice but to mumble agreement, though his pitch paled next to the others’. Unsurprisingly, no bureau officials spoke up for him.
The remaining five farms turned it into a spectacle, two even recruiting Director Liu and others to lobby on their behalf.
Qu Mingli observed the fray calmly, watching Director Liu openly favor certain farms. Only when the debate wound down did he remark, "Seems everyone’s quite enthusiastic."
Nods all around. One particularly sycophantic attendee declared it their duty to support the bureau’s work and contribute to the nation.
Then Qu Mingli dropped the bombshell: "Since the enthusiasm is unanimous, let’s all do it together."
Silence. Then confusion. Together? As in, all six farms running separate pilot sites?
Turns out, that was exactly his plan. The room frowned collectively, Director Liu leading the opposition. "Where would we get enough log tops and substandard timber? Jinchuan used three farms’ worth just for their current output. Splitting resources this way isn’t worth the hassle."
He pointedly challenged Qu Mingli, "Are you suggesting we fell more trees specifically for fungus cultivation? This timber belongs to the state—it has higher priorities."
"Of course not." Qu Mingli adjusted his glasses, smiling. "Our bureau may lack resources, but other towns’ forestry bureaus don’t."
His gaze swept the room. "We’ll purchase from them—at firewood prices."
This was the most crucial part of Yan Xue's proposal. From the moment she submitted it, she had no intention of playing small—merely earning a bit from selling mushroom spawn to a couple of forest farms.
And as it happened, he wasn’t planning to think small either, limiting the pilot program to just three sites in Chengshui constrained by logging quotas.
Qu Mingli tapped the table. "So it’s up to you. If you’re interested, give me the numbers, and I’ll approach the Party secretaries of other towns to buy."
That’s when it dawned on everyone. Why hadn’t they considered purchasing from other towns’ forestry bureaus?
Their Chengshui Forestry Bureau might not have enough tree stumps, but the county had three towns with forest farms. And beyond their county, there were others in the city…
Who would bother fighting over internal resources now? They could just buy from outside. Even if they couldn’t get firewood prices, it wouldn’t cost much.
After all, here, tree stumps and substandard timber could be used to grow wood ear mushrooms and generate income. But elsewhere, they were just firewood, practically worthless.
No one paid Director Liu any mind now. Every forest farm could cultivate mushrooms—why bother currying favor with him?
Besides, Director Liu’s vision was clearly lacking. Secretary Qu was already looking beyond Chengshui to the entire county, while he was still stuck squabbling in his own backyard.
Of course, this meant their original plans had to change. They’d need to reassess how much their respective forest farms could handle.
Even the most straightforward among them started calculating—if this succeeded, it wouldn’t just be about political achievements. Sliding a family member into the operation would be effortless.
And who would complain about their forest farm’s profits improving? It wouldn’t even require formal staff—just family teams for planting and harvesting.
The meeting had lost most attendees’ attention, except for Secretary Lang, who remained smiling. "If anyone’s interested, I have a guide here from Technician Yan on selecting wood ear cultivation sites. Take a look."
Hearing that site selection had its nuances, they eagerly grabbed the notes, with some even copying them down.
The Wangshan Forest Farm, closest to Jinchuan, asked Secretary Lang, "When will Technician Yan finish her maternity leave? We’d love her to visit our farm."
Secretary Lang casually added, "Technician Yan was the lead reciter in last year’s poetry event. She just had a baby this month."
Once again, he’d impressed them. The Wangshan secretary even helped, adding, "Qi Fang is her husband," watching as the others reacted with the same mix of exasperation and envy he once had.
Beyond site selection, Yan Xue’s notes also covered wood choices and how many logs one bottle of spawn could inoculate, giving everyone a reference.
"Review this and decide how many bottles of spawn you’ll need. Let me know soon—preparations start in January," Secretary Lang said.
Afterward, everyone hurried back to hold their own meetings, finalizing timber and spawn quantities.
The former was reported to Qu Mingli, who handled purchases, while the latter went to Secretary Lang, then relayed by Lang Yue'e and Guo Chang'an to Yan Xue.
"No wonder you weren’t worried," Lang Yue'e, Secretary Lang’s daughter, remarked, knowing the timber-buying idea had been Yan Xue’s.
Initially, when other farms joined the pilot, she’d assumed they’d sell at most 2,000 bottles of spawn. She never expected this scale.
Pulling out her notes, she said, "Four farms have reported so far. The largest order is from Shisanxian—2,000 bottles."
The number startled her, but Yan Xue wasn’t surprised. "Their farm is big and remote, with few side ventures."
Shisanxian was at the end of the rail line, near the reserve. Getting supplies was a hassle, so they often sold directly to their procurement station.
But their large operations meant plenty of leftover timber. Supplemented with external purchases, they could easily handle the demand.
"Wangshan ordered 1,800 bottles." Yan Xue didn’t need to explain—they’d visited Jinchuan, understood the process, and had confidence.
Just these two farms meant nearly 4,000 bottles and 2,000 yuan in revenue. This year’s spawn sales alone would be lucrative.
It reminded Guo Chang'an of Yan Xue’s words: "If everyone starts cultivating, even better. I can sell spawn and the materials to grow it."
In just over a year, she was doing exactly that—selling spawn beyond Jinchuan, reaching every Chengshui forest farm.
Guo Chang'an listened quietly before reporting, "I’ve calculated the pilot cultivation rooms. They can handle 10,000 bottles. Sawdust is easy, and rice bran/corn husks can be bought from nearby villages. The issue is glass jars."
That was their biggest hurdle. Even if all pilot sites collected jars year-round, plus Yan Xue’s existing stock, they’d barely have 2,000—nowhere near enough.
"I’ll ask my father," Lang Yue'e said. "He can contact other farm secretaries to gather more."
Since the spawn was for those farms, they’d cooperate to avoid losses.
Yan Xue added, "Offer three fen per jar. Have Secretary Lang ask Qu Mingli to set up a collection point in town."
If they still fell short, they’d have to buy at higher prices from procurement stations—even reaching other counties if needed.
Soon, Chengshui Forestry Bureau opened a jar collection point, paying one fen more than procurement stations.
That extra fen made a difference. Many switched to selling there, even Director Liu’s wife, who grumbled, "You didn’t tell me the bureau was buying jars! I sold two to the station days ago."
Director Liu didn’t want to hear it.
Since Qu Mingli expanded mushroom cultivation to all farms, his standing had worsened.
Following him meant fighting over Chengshui’s limited resources, while Qu Mingli let farms cultivate freely.
His misjudgment cost him influence. Many no longer deferred to him as before.
Losing the secretary position to Qu Mingli had felt like rock bottom. Yet life’s ups and downs proved him wrong—it could always get worse.
Meanwhile, Yan Xue’s fortunes soared. Qi Fang got a raise, and Secretary Lang nominated both for bureau commendations.
Given their contributions, both were shoo-ins for "Outstanding Individual" awards, and Jinchuan Forest Farm would likely be named "Advanced Unit."
It was also at this moment that Zhou Li, who had been silent all along, finally replied to Qi Fang.
Qi Fang: From now on, anyone who hears my son's name better bow their head and kowtow to me!
