"Is there something wrong with the mine?" Ye Zhinan asked as she examined Ye Yingfeng's body, fearing that he had encountered another mine collapse.
"Everything's fine at the mine." Ye Yingfeng pushed his sister away. "It's those government officers. They thought I had too little work, so they gave me another plot of farmland."
"Farmland?" Hearing this, Ye Zhinan and Lu Yanlai exclaimed in unison, "That's great!"
Ye Yingfeng looked at the two beaming faces and stroked Ye Zhinan's head.
"Are you tired out of your mind?" Ye Zhinan slapped away her brother's cold hand and looked at him expectantly. "Quickly tell me where the land is."
Ye Yingfeng pointed in the direction of the mine. "It's at the foot of the mountain."
"I really have to thank those government officers then." With that, Ye Zhinan grabbed Lu Yanlai and ran outside. "Let's go and have a look at the land. You take care of Xiaohu." Before the words faded, she left the big and the small looking at each other in bewilderment.
Xiaohu smacked his lips and murmured, "Soy milk, corn juice, bean curd pudding. Hehe!"
Ye Zhinan and Lu Yanlai ran to the land. It was a desolate expanse. It was more like uncultivated land than a farmland.
Lu Yanlai was dumbfounded. "Are they targeting your family? This is such a lousy plot of land!"
The plot in front of them was quite large, but the ground was dry and cracked. It was a typical saline - alkaline land.
Ye Zhinan looked at the land and instead of getting angry, her face lit up with joy.
"This land is wonderful. We can plant so many things on it!" For a medical practitioner like her, a saline - alkaline land was like a treasure trove.
Lu Yanlai looked at her in confusion. "Are you out of your mind with anger?"
Ye Zhinan gestured at the land as she spoke. "Look, I can plant some ice plants here, some Chinese wolfberries there, and some kendir beside them. Oh, it seems not enough. It would be great if they could give me the adjacent plot too."
Lu Yanlai didn't understand, but seeing Ye Zhinan excitedly planning everything, she couldn't help but nod.
"So this lousy land can actually grow so many things. What about our corn and soybeans?"
Ye Zhinan was reminded by her words and just remembered. "Oh, right. But every problem has a solution. Everything will be okay."
Bread, milk... Lu Yanlai forced a polite smile. Ye Zhinan was saying things she didn't understand again.
A gentle breeze blew.
Before dawn, Ye Zhinan got up early, shouldered a hoe and was about to go to the fields.
Han Xiangmei saw a dark figure flash by in front of the stove and quickly ran out.
"Have breakfast before you go!"
"I don't have time. I'm going to clear the wasteland today." Ye Zhinan didn't think clearing the wasteland was a hard job, because there would be a large amount of medicinal herbs in the near future.
Her mother and father were getting old. In the harsh environment of the northern border, they had to do heavy work every day, and their health was deteriorating. Although she had been secretly using the medicinal herbs from the space to nourish them, it would be better if she could use them openly. So when Ye Yingfeng brought back a plot of saline - alkaline land, she was extremely happy.
But not everyone was happy. Take Han Xiangmei for example. When she learned that the government officers had given their family another plot of land, she was so worried that she couldn't sleep well all night. She sighed until dawn, which was why she got up so early to prepare breakfast.
In Han Xiangmei's eyes, Ye Zhinan's joy was just to comfort her. So she quickly took two steamed buns out of the pot.
"Even if you're in a hurry, you should eat properly."
"Yes, yes, yes. You're right, Mom. I'll eat later. When brother wakes up, tell him to bring the seed - drill. I'm leaving." Before the words ended, she disappeared into the morning glow.
Ye Yingfeng, who was lying in bed, suddenly felt a tremor and sat up straight.
He looked at the sky outside. It was just getting light, and the sun was struggling to rise above the horizon. But a wisp of blue smoke was rising from the kitchen window.
"Mom, you got up so early?" Ye Yingfeng saw that the stove was already filled with steamed buns. A look of surprise flashed across his eyes.
Han Xiangmei frowned. The wrinkles on her face strongly indicated that she was angry and dissatisfied.
Ye Yingfeng carefully picked up a steamed bun and secretly glanced at Han Xiangmei's reaction with lowered eyebrows. When he put the bun into his mouth, Han Xiangmei finally couldn't help but speak.
"You still have the mood to eat. Your sister went to the fields early in the morning!"
Ye Yingfeng: ...
"Your sister is a girl after all. She used to be delicate. Now there are scars on every finger. How can she get married in the future? You..."
"Mom, I'll go to the fields right away!" Ye Yingfeng stuffed the bun into his mouth in a hurry, picked up the hoe and ran.
Han Xiangmei watched his departing figure and felt that there was still something she hadn't said.
She really did have something left unsaid. So when Ye Yingfeng just arrived at the fields, he was sent back by Ye Zhinan.
"Life is full of disappointments. In the old days, I fought on the battlefield. Now..."
"General Ye!" Hearing this address, Ye Yingfeng's heart churned with emotions. He looked in the direction of the voice and saw Chen Zhenhai standing behind him with a big smile. There was another person beside him, whose clear eyes were looking at him.
He quickly hid the emotions in his eyes and put on a calm expression.
"Inspector Qin, what a coincidence!"
"Not a coincidence. I came with the boss to have a look at the new plot of land."
Speaking of the new land, Ye Yingfeng's brows furrowed. He spoke coldly, and his voice instantly turned icy. "Is that a new plot of land? It's simply asking us to clear the wasteland." With that, he pushed the seed - drill and strode away.
Chen Zhenhai looked embarrassed and glanced at Qin Yihuai beside him.
"Boss, we should have given them a better plot of land. If they know that the land was specially given by you, won't it backfire?"
A cold light flashed in Qin Yihuai's deep eyes, making Chen Zhenhai shiver involuntarily.
"However, Miss Ye seems to be very happy." Chen Zhenhai quickly changed his tune and whispered.
Ye Zhinan was indeed very happy. At this moment, she was working hard under the scorching sun.
Labor makes people happy and fulfilled. She carefully planned every part of the land. As soon as the seed - drill arrived, she could plant the seeds taken out from the space.
From afar, Ye Yingfeng saw his sister standing in the field in a daze. Remembering what his mother had said, his heart ached.
"Brother, what are you standing there for? Come and help quickly!" Ye Zhinan waved to him.
Ye Yingfeng quickly stepped forward. At this time, Chen Zhenhai also followed.
"Does Miss Ye need any help?"
Ye Zhinan was stunned for a moment when she saw him and couldn't help but look behind him.
But there was nothing, only a layer of dust floating up after the wind blew over the land.
It seemed that something in her heart was sinking, and it sank deeper and deeper.
Huh? Why did it seem that she was expecting something?
Qin Yihuai was hiding behind a tree not far away, watching everything. He stared at the drops of sweat on Ye Zhinan's face, and a deep look flashed across his eyes.
Then he tightened the jade pendant in his arms.
Was this all he could do?