"Auntie, agricultural students don't get holidays. Fields can lie fallow, but not us. We attend classes when the land rests, and during spring ploughing and autumn harvest, we're out in the fields doing hands-on work."
Talking about it brought tears to their eyes, but since they'd earned their spots through exam scores, they had to grit their teeth and push through.
"My, isn't that harder than the village mules?"
Aunt Wang added with a chuckle, watching the agricultural students with amusement.
Director Zhou had asked around repeatedly before finally tracking down Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang.
"Finally found you! Aunt Wang, have you made up your minds? The sooner we settle this, the sooner you can start working. Farming waits for no one—miss the season, and you'll have to wait another year. What a shame that'd be."
"You're in such a hurry. Aren't you afraid we might not rent it after all?"
Yang Yufen eyed Director Zhou, who was still catching his breath. They'd come by gasoline-powered tricycle, yet the director had chased them down so quickly.
"With words like that, you must be ready to rent! Excellent! Come on, let's head back and get the paperwork done."
How could he not be anxious? If no one leased the land soon, others would snatch it up. Then what would happen to the students' coursework? All the hard-won subsidies would go to waste.
Money aside, he needed to secure the contract for the mountain land first. The ownership still belonged to the Agricultural Academy, but if not for the rules against internal manipulation, Director Zhou might have been tempted to cut corners.
Didn't people know that food was the priority? Some even claimed the Agricultural Academy occupied too much land unnecessarily.
They'd barely escaped hunger, yet these folks had lost their heads, chasing economic growth while dismissing the academy's projects as unprofitable.
Yang Yfen exchanged a glance with her good friend. Aunt Wang removed the sleeves from her arms.
"Then let's go back with Director Zhou. We came today to get this settled anyway."
They hadn't been here long, but at least they'd already unloaded the fertilizer.
"Director Zhou, why don't you ride in the cargo bed? We can have a student pedal your bicycle back. It’ll save you the back-and-forth exhaustion."
Yang Yufen glanced at the bicycle leaning against her vehicle, then at the director.
"Alright."
After a moment’s thought, Director Zhou realized he couldn’t keep up on the bike. Handing the keys to a student with quick instructions, he climbed into the cargo bed.
Spotting a fertilizer bag underfoot, he nudged it aside carelessly—just enough to make room for his feet.
Aunt Wang settled behind Yang Yufen, and the tricycle roared to life, speeding off.
Director Zhou grabbed the sides to steady himself. Surprisingly, the ride was comfortable—the breeze lulling him into drowsiness, far better than a tractor.
They pulled up right in front of the office building. Yang Yufen locked the vehicle and grabbed the fertilizer bag from the cargo bed.
Director Zhou and Aunt Wang walked ahead, the stairway too narrow for more.
"If money's tight, we can help arrange a loan. We guarantee the saplings will be planted on time. In just three years, you'll start seeing returns."
"A loan? Does it come with interest? What’s the rate?"
Aunt Wang zeroed in on the key point.
Director Zhou checked that no one was around before whispering a number.
"That low?"
Even Aunt Wang was stunned.
"Mm. Old Zhao fought tooth and nail for it—five-year term. The trees bear fruit in the third year, and by the fifth, they’ll be at peak yield."
"Hold on a moment. We need to discuss something."
Aunt Wang suddenly pulled Yang Yufen aside after hearing Director Zhou’s offer.
"I think this loan is a steal. Borrowing for five years at practically no interest—we can use it for the orchard and keep our savings for other ventures. Anything we do with the money would outpace the interest."
Aunt Wang ran the numbers while Yang Yufen thought of gold—cash just sat there, but other assets, like property, had skyrocketed in value.
"Agreed."
Yang Yufen nodded. This way, their savings would stay intact, ready if their children ever needed it.
"If it works out, let’s lease more. No sense passing up such a good deal."
With their decision made, they rejoined Director Zhou.
Inside the office, Dean Li and Deputy Director Zhao were waiting, paperwork already prepared.
"These are the approved mountain plots. You’ve seen them all, so we’ll skip the details. My suggestion? Lease this one—it’s the smallest."
"If we take them all, are there any extra benefits?"
Aunt Wang cut straight to the point.
"You want to lease everything?"
Director Zhou was floored.
"Old Zhou, policy won’t allow it. The maximum is two plots at once. The terms are already extremely favorable—there’s not much wiggle room beyond that."
Deputy Director Zhao clarified.
Aunt Wang and Yang Yufen exchanged a glance.
"Not much" meant there was still some.
"We’ll pick two adjacent ones—easier to manage. This area has water access for irrigation. Is it usable?"
Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang began evaluating.
"Absolutely. This whole stretch belongs to the academy. Students conduct their research here regularly."
"Then we’ll take these two—one each."
Dean Li and the others were thrilled. Just when they’d resigned themselves to leasing the smallest plot, the two largest were snapped up.
Ahem. "The acreage numbers can’t be adjusted, but this surrounding land is included in the lease. For convenience, you’re allowed to build housing here."
Deputy Director Zhao lowered his voice. Yang Yufen and Aunt Wang caught on immediately, while Dean Li and Director Zhou sipped their tea, pretending not to hear.
"Payment can wait a few days. First—"
Before Deputy Director Zhao could finish, Yang Yufen plopped the fertilizer bag onto the table.
Director Zhou watched, wide-eyed, as she pulled out a thick stack of cash.
Each woman leased forty-eight acres at ten yuan per acre, prepaying three years—1,440 yuan total.
The two elderly women counted out the money and placed it on the table.
"Please verify the amount."
"We’ll lease for fifteen years."
Longer would’ve been better, but if their children weren’t interested in taking over or pursued other paths, fifteen years was manageable—enough time for their aging bones to hold out.
Director Zhou glanced at his foot—the same one that had kicked the bag earlier. Why did he have to be so careless?
Deputy Director Zhao finished counting. The money was correct, the contract duration recorded, and the receipt issued. Dean Li signed and stamped the documents.
"Will the saplings be enough?"
Yang Yufen pressed her thumbprint onto the contract before voicing her biggest concern.
"Plenty to go around, guaranteed. Planted at optimal spacing, our academy’s saplings are more than sufficient."
Director Zhou thumped his chest in assurance.
