CHAPTER 122: 122 FOUND

Everyone had the same thought, but they also knew that saying anything would be pointless.

"If our farm doesn’t yield any harvest this year, what will we eat next year?" When this question was asked, the silence grew even deeper.

Everyone felt especially heavy-hearted. What to eat? This was the most pressing issue.

Although every household still had some grain left, it wasn’t much. In their hometowns, they used to sell the surplus grain for cash. No one thought much of it, so by the end of last year, every family only kept enough grain for themselves and sold the rest.

Who could have foreseen such a situation? Now, every household had little grain left.

There’s still a family waiting to be fed, what can be done in such a situation? Without food, people could die.

And two families are in even worse situations. "You guys are worried about food, but we two families don’t even have water to drink now."

Anyway, everyone was in a particularly heavy mood. Ma Changshun didn’t know how to comfort them.

They arrived at the farm’s office, which also served as a grain storage.

Seeing a truckload of people coming his way, Feng Baoshan felt a headache. Several groups had already come to him, but what could he do?

Ma Changshun and his group sat in the director’s office before they could say anything. Feng Baoshan started speaking.

"You came to see me, and without you saying it, I already know why.

But I have no solution either. There’s no directive from above yet, what can I do? Orders come from above, everyone just go back and wait for news."

These ten people had thought halfway on how to speak when coming here, but before they could say anything, the director was already about to dismiss them.

"Director Feng. We understand it’s difficult for you, but now our family doesn’t even have water to drink. What should we do?" Zhu Changlin asked with a frown.

"You need to figure something out yourselves, see if you can dig the well deeper? There are several households with the same problem. I went to the city yesterday and reported it, and I suppose the well-digging team should come over."

In truth, everyone knew. Even if the well-digging team came, what could they do? The well wasn’t clogged.

"Director Feng, we really can’t wait. We can eat less, but we can’t go without drinking water, right?"

Feng Baoshan sighed, "Then see if the neighbors around you have water and go to their homes to fetch some water.

The well-digging team will come eventually. I know not drinking water will result in death, but we can only wait and resolve our own difficulties."

Feng Baoshan realized this explanation was unreasonable, but he often went to the city, and now the hardship wasn’t unique to his station. Even the city leaders were stumped.

"Director Feng, you’ve seen the situation this year. If it doesn’t rain a single drop, we can expect no harvest. What should we do? We won’t even recover the seeds?"

Feng Baoshan held his cheek, suffering from a toothache.

"You’re asking me now, but I don’t know either. This is a widespread issue; we can only do our best."

"Director, our group has two hundred acres of well-growing land."

In the end, someone voiced their dissatisfaction, saying these words.

Feng Baoshan looked at Ma Changshun, implying he wanted to know the situation.

"There’s a young girl, who came this year to take over for her parents. There’s a big pit full of water at the edge of her land. So her one hundred acres, along with another one hundred acres she’s partnered in, have good crops."

"There’s such a situation? Let’s go have a look."

Feng Baoshan feared nothing more than someone bringing issues to his attention, as he was genuinely powerless. He’d rather go out in the hot weather.

The group returned, this time heading straight to Yuanyuan’s home.

The two were weeding in their respective fields. Although the weeds in the cornfield weren’t yet a problem, the potato and sweet potato fields still needed tending.

Yuanyuan was a bit surprised to see the group approaching. She recognized Group Leader Ma and the neighbor Tang Wanfu, and quickly came out of the field.

"Group Leader Ma, are you looking for me?"

"Yuanyuan, this is our Second Farm’s Director Feng Baoshan. These are other members of our group."

Yuanyuan smiled and nodded, "Hello, Director Feng, hello, everyone."

"May I ask what brings you here?"

Yuanyuan noticed everyone was staring at her field and had a rough idea why they had come.

"You’re still a young girl; did you farm these one hundred acres by yourself?"

Yuanyuan shook her head, "I partnered with Tan Shaoting. He’s alone as well. We started planting early."

"Did you take out all the weeds yourself?"

Yuanyuan nodded, "I bought a donkey and a sheep myself, and these weeds are just right for them to eat."

Feng Baoshan took another look at the little girl in front of him. She really had guts, "But isn’t it the rule that one only needs to plant one hundred acres to get a donkey? Why did you buy one yourself?"

Yuanyuan nodded, "I know. Group Leader Ma told me. But I figured buying a small donkey myself wouldn’t trouble Group Leader Ma, Director Feng, or the farm."

These words were pleasing to Feng Baoshan, so his smile grew wider.

Tan Shaoting noticed a lot of people had come over to the field and promptly shouldered his hoe to come over.

"This young girl is quite aware. We came over to have a look at your crops. While everyone else might not harvest a single grain, your crops are growing well?"

Yuanyuan had expected to attract attention. "Director Feng, since planting started, I’ve been watering the fields daily."

"Just you? Even if it’s the two of you, it’s unrealistic?" Someone nearby commented, but it was a rather displeasing remark.

"Whether it’s realistic or not, the crops are right here. Haha, do you think this is a feng shui treasure land?

I took over when I came here. But I heard that no one wanted this land, and ultimately it went to the Su Family.

What? Now the crops look good, you’re envious?

We take a nap at noon every day, and spend the whole night watering. Achieving this result is through our hard work and sweat."

Feng Baoshan saw that although this young girl wasn’t old, she had quite the temper and wasn’t one to suffer losses.

After she finished speaking, those who had been sarcastic before were left speechless.

"But you alone used up all the water."

This time Yuanyuan laughed, "There’s still water in the pit. If you want to carry water to irrigate, you can.

Also, this pit doesn’t belong to me, nor to you. If I can use it, so can you. Conversely, I don’t need your permission to use the water from the pit."

Tan Shaoting came over just as the young girl began to retort, and he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. Her words had a punch!