"Wait, Comrade Fan Juan is also joining the matchmaking event?"
Liao Yuanjie froze for a moment.
"Mhm, it’s fine. Many comrades want to participate. There are plenty of bachelors in our military district, and when they heard about the opportunity, they practically fought for spots. You giving up your place works out perfectly."
As Hu Jun finished speaking, he reached for Liao Yuanjie’s registration form to pull it out, but Liao Yuanjie pressed his hand down.
"I fully obey the organization’s arrangements. It’s high time I settled down—start a family first, then focus on my career. Can’t keep troubling my old man to pull strings for me everywhere."
Liao Yuanjie spotted his own form in Hu Jun’s hand, snatched it back, and slipped it back into the pile.
"The organization won’t force any comrade. What are you doing?"
Hu Jun pretended to search through the forms again.
"My mistake."
Liao Yuanjie immediately admitted fault.
"I’ll go! I really want to go—can’t wait!"
Liao Yuanjie was practically ready to swear an oath, and Hu Jun stifled a laugh.
"Now that’s the spirit of a soldier—bold and responsible, charging ahead. Since you’ve taken a liking to that female comrade, be brave and step up."
"Yes, sir!"
Liao Yuanjie straightened up and saluted.
He had arrived with a frown, but when he left the office, he couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
When he ran into Shen Xianjun, he flashed a wide, toothy smile, startling him.
"Did you find money or something? That grin is downright creepy."
"Don’t talk nonsense. Hmph, you think you’re the only one with a good wife? Just you wait."
Liao Yuanjie puffed out his chest and strode off, but after a few steps, he turned back and sidled up to Shen Xianjun, his expression shifting.
"How did you win your wife over? What made her agree to marry you?"
"Are you here to mock me on purpose?"
Shen Xianjun snapped irritably.
"Oh, right—I forgot. Your mother and your wife get along like mother and daughter. Meanwhile, you? You’re just riding on your mom’s coattails. Never mind, I’ll ask someone else."
Liao Yuanjie dodged Shen Xianjun’s kick with a laugh and scampered off.
The two elderly ladies’ flashy tricycle had become a spectacle at the Agricultural Science Institute.
"Aunt Yang, I’ll leave these fertilizers to you. Our dean is waiting at the foot of the mountain—just deliver them there, and someone will unload them."
"Got it. We’ll head out now. Anything else you need us to bring?"
Yang Yufen reminded them cheerfully.
"No, no, we can handle the rest ourselves. You two go on ahead."
"Alright, old sister, hold on tight."
Yang Yufen set off with the fertilizers and Aunt Wang in tow, zooming toward their destination.
"This tricycle is fantastic—so much power!"
Aunt Wang sat behind Yang Yufen, marveling happily.
"Absolutely! It even helps us earn some gas money while hauling things. Makes getting around so much easier for us."
Yang Yufen chuckled as they navigated the winding roads. After half an hour, they finally reached the spot—thanks to the signs, or they might’ve gotten lost. The path wasn’t great, but at least it was wide.
"Over here! Thanks for the hard work."
Dean Li waved them over, and Yang Yufen pulled up right in front of him.
Two others beside Dean Li helped unload the fertilizers.
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang tied their pant legs with twine and picked up their sickles, ready to work.
"Dean Li, where should we start today?"
Aunt Wang asked.
"Right here, this whole area."
Dean Li pointed out the section. After a quick look, the two women nodded, adjusted their straw hats and gloves, and got to work.
"Dean, our grafting techniques are getting more advanced, but hardly anyone’s willing to try these saplings. Look at this patch—if we don’t transplant them by next year, they’ll all go to waste."
"We’ve already sent people to promote them in the villages, but these things take time. If we don’t fertilize them this year, the saplings will be ruined for sure."
Dean Li bent down to pluck weeds from the roots of the saplings.
"Dean, isn’t there any other way?"
"We’ve tried everything. But growing fruit trees is risky, and the returns take years. Most folks can’t afford the investment, and those who can? They’d rather put their money into business than farming."
Dean Li’s face was as grim as Director Zhou’s.
"Then why do the dean and the director look so troubled?"
Aunt Wang nudged Yang Yufen with her elbow, eyeing Dean Li’s group.
"True, what are they talking about?"
Yang Yfen glanced over, then was tugged along as Aunt Wang stealthily moved closer.
"You’ve always been the one with ideas. Got any now?"
Director Zhou turned to Deputy Director Zhao.
"Don’t put him on the spot. He’s already run himself ragged for this—applying for subsidies, negotiating the lowest rent for those mountains. If nothing else, we could have our students plant them."
"Dean, if the institute had the funds, I’d agree in a heartbeat. But where would we get that kind of money? The students are already swamped with coursework—how could they handle planting all these trees?"
Director Zhou scratched his head in frustration.
"If someone were willing to lease the land, I could push for more subsidies. But no one’s even looking."
Deputy Director Zhao finally spoke up.
"I went out of my way to find potential lessees—people who could afford mountain plots, even villagers with land. I promised them free saplings and expert guidance, but all they asked was whether they could grow something else or how they’d sell the fruit. Not a single one cared about the saplings themselves."
No one wanted the risk, yet everyone wanted the benefits. Since when did things work that way?
"Dean Li, Directors, this whole mountain-leasing and fruit-growing business sounds fascinating. Could you tell us more?"
Aunt Wang suddenly chimed in.
"Well, it’s about the state encouraging folks to make the most of the land—not just for crops but for other uses too. See these saplings? They’re all top-quality fruit tree cuttings, grafted to speed up fruiting and guarantee quality."
Director Zhou launched into an eager explanation, pent-up frustration pouring out.
"That sounds amazing! So the fruit quality is guaranteed now?"
Aunt Wang played along.
"Handpicked and tested—almost no room for error. Follow the care instructions, and they’ll bear fruit in three years, guaranteed."
Director Zhou spoke with conviction, holding back only because absolute promises were unwise.
"Such good trees going to waste is a real shame."
Aunt Wang sighed.
"Exactly! Fruit trees need spacing as they grow. We can crowd the saplings now, but if we don’t transplant them soon, the roots will tangle, and it’ll all be for nothing."
Director Zhou’s heart ached at the thought.
