CHAPTER 103: CHAPTER 98: REQUESTING LEAVE

In the past two days, they finally tidied up the house, and the firewood needed for winter was also prepared.

The piglets were delivered on time for the pigsty, and Li Dahu was really reliable. However, the chicks were hard to catch right now and would take some time.

Everyone was eager with anticipation, thinking about raising the ten big pigs. After handing over the assigned pigs, they could keep seven.

Selling them would bring in quite a bit of money.

Each person could at least get a decent share.

This prospect was definitely motivating.

Even Jiang Xiaoxiao thought it was worth putting effort into raising pigs.

At this point, everyone decided to first check out the land by the forestry farm.

After all, that plot had been barren for many years. Taking advantage of the fact that the ground hadn’t frozen yet, it needed to be tidied up quickly. Otherwise, it’d be difficult to do so next spring.

Upon seeing the land, it was clear that although it had been barren for many years, it was still good land. However, this forested area wasn’t suitable for growing crops, as they wouldn’t yield much.

Most forested land lies between wooded areas. Here, the mountains are dense with trees, and it seems growing ginseng might be more suitable than anything else.

Jiang Xiaoxiao knew the way well. She had lived on this land for decades, even though she later became a village doctor.

She knew the farm’s situation better than anyone.

This forest land was ideally suited for growing ginseng.

It’s just that growing ginseng seedlings is no easy task.

But wasn’t she here?

Just think of the methods.

In any case, at the worst, she still had her space. Growing seedlings shouldn’t be a problem, right?

Jiang Xiaoxiao made a suggestion.

"I think this land is good. Let’s turn the soil over these next few days. I also noticed there’s quite a lot of manure in the outhouse at the farm. We can discuss with the forestry farm chief to get some and fertilize this land.

While we’re at it, let’s cultivate some ginseng seedlings early, so we can plant them directly by then.

Although we don’t have much agricultural task grain, if we grow ginseng well, it could potentially create significant economic benefits that far surpass what any crops would bring. This plot looks to be at least 30 acres. If all of it were planted with ginseng, the yield should be quite good."

Jiang Xiaoxiao calculated that there were dedicated people to buy ginseng here.

Of course, these weren’t individuals; those buying ginseng were agents from the nearby counties and city.

The key is knowing how to plant the ginseng. If planted in the forest, it might not yield for a year. Moreover, the seeds are quite costly, a significant sum.

Usually, people lack the patience to care for something as precious as this.

To sell ginseng at a good price, it takes at least five to six years.

Ginseng that can be harvested within a year is generally very cheap. Growing ginseng is arduous, and pests and diseases are common.

No one wants to put in that kind of effort.

Everyone was startled.

Song Moting smiled and asked, "Jiang Xiaoxiao, it seems you know something?"

He was quite surprised; Jiang Xiaoxiao seemed to know a bit of everything. If he wasn’t mistaken, he’d seen Jiang Xiaoxiao’s resume.

Clean and simple individual.

Parents loving, siblings ordinary people, the youngest child in the family.

A typical pampered upbringing.

Yet, the person before him was different from what he expected.

Jiang Xiaoxiao was bending down, crushing a clump of dirt in her hand to check the soil quality. Hearing this, she looked up, and the dappled sunlight filtered through the forest, casting unique shadows on her face.

She was beautifully surreal.

"Song Moting, you guessed right. I do know a bit, but just a little. I’ve only heard about how to cultivate ginseng seeds and how to plant them, but I don’t know much more. I’ve never actually grown it myself."

There was nothing false about this.

Jiang Xiaoxiao indeed learned from others and saw how they did it, but had never done it herself.

Because her teacher was involved in this.

The elderly man had been looking after the land for the forestry farm until he passed away.

"Even if you haven’t grown it, it’s fine. We’ve never grown it either. At least you have some understanding and can guide us. We’re completely in the dark. How should we handle this forest land? We’ll rely on you!"

Gu Dali said cheerfully, and everyone else nodded in agreement.

The elderly production team members could teach how to grow crops, but there was no place to ask about growing ginseng.

Jiang Xiaoxiao accepted without hesitation.

They began turning over the soil that very day.

To plant ginseng next year, deep tillage and careful work were needed this year. But there were only 30 acres; they’d manage to finish somehow.

The soil was turned over once.

Jiang Xiaoxiao especially led people to gather decomposed leaves from where they had fallen in the forest, scattering them over the land repeatedly.

These were natural organic fertilizers.

More suitable for ginseng growth than manure.

Song Moting and the others carried back loads using shoulder poles.

Nobody minded the work.

Li Dahu and Captain Wang Zaihe from the Eleventh Team came to take a look.

Seeing that they had started assembling so quickly, and were working with enthusiasm, they nodded satisfied.

Whether or not there would be a yield from the land, their earnest attitude and energy were commendable.

When Jiang Xiaoxiao saw the captain, she went to ask for leave.

Asking for leave!?

Yes!

Jiang Xiaoxiao wanted to visit someone.

Her elder sister Jiang Yue was also here, but not on the same farm.

Taking advantage of the farming downtime in winter, she finally had the time to visit her. Simultaneously, she wanted to send some grain to her parents.

As Chinese New Year approached in the twelfth lunar month, even though her family wasn’t short on food, Jiang Xiaoxiao felt it was still good to send some.

Recently, many educated youths were sending food home, so it was proper for her to do the same.

Let her parents feel the filial piety of their daughter.

"Request leave! Do you want to return to the city?"

Li Dahu was uneasy when he heard this.

Many educated youths had started thinking about returning recently, with quite a few asking for leave.

But it had happened here before that someone took leave and never returned. The captains were wary of this trick.

Seeing Li Dahu’s skeptical expression, Jiang Xiaoxiao naturally understood why.

She laughed and explained, "Captain, I’m not going back to the city. My elder sister is in the First Brigade of the Northwest Farm. I just want to visit her. The two of us are in the same area; we can’t not see each other, I also want to see how she is doing!

I’m afraid if it snows during winter, it’ll be hard to travel. It’s just that there’s not much work lately!"

Speaking frankly, Li Dahu felt reassured.

The Northwest Farm was three hundred miles from there, which seemed far. But considering the distances they traveled to get there, it wasn’t too far.

To be exact, they belonged to the same region and even the same county.

It would indeed be unreasonable for the sisters not to meet up in the same place.

Feeling some sympathy for the family, as it seemed there were two sisters sent down together to work here.

The family probably didn’t have much backing, an ordinary household.

Jiang Xiaoxiao had always shown good behavior. Li Dahu waved his hand, "Okay! In a while, come with me to get a letter of introduction. A transport truck from the production team will head to the county tomorrow morning, and you can just catch a ride, saving you from walking there by yourself."

The distance to the county wasn’t short either.

Jiang Xiaoxiao thanked the captain with a smile, followed Li Dahu to get the letter of introduction, and came back to prepare some things.

Of course, she didn’t forget about the seedling cultivation.

She deliberately asked Guo Dongjun, the forestry farm chief, for seeds.

Jiang Xiaoxiao scattered them in her space. Just after a minute, she noticed the ginseng seedlings had grown significantly.

Startled, Jiang Xiaoxiao quickly took them out and placed them in the soil of a seedling greenhouse next door.

Any further delay, and she’d have grown the first batch of ginseng out completely.

That would be hard to explain.

But when everyone discovered the next day that the ginseng seedlings had sprouted, they were pleasantly surprised. Since no one knew how long it took, they didn’t suspect anything.

That night, Song Moting knocked at Jiang Xiaoxiao’s room door.

Jiang Xiaoxiao went out to look and was startled.

Song Moting was holding two wild rabbits in one hand and three wild chickens in the other, all slaughtered and cleaned.

"You’re going to see your sister; it’s not nice to go empty-handed. You deal with these; you cook well, and you surely know what to do. Take them as gifts."

Jiang Xiaoxiao stared at Song Moting in amazement.

This person was being too nice to her, wasn’t he?

Song Moting and the other male educated youths didn’t dare to act recklessly either.

They had gone twice to the mountains with the older residents of the forestry farm, watching how they caught rabbits and wild chickens.

The people in the forestry farm turned a blind eye to this.

They were aware of what was going on.

Song Moting ventured into the mountains today.

And, surprisingly, Song Moting had the skills to catch quite a bit by himself.

Jiang Xiaoxiao accepted with a smile, not being shy about it.

She initially didn’t know what to take to see Jiang Yue.

She’d get grain en route; she’d have to see in the county what could be bought for anything else.

Turns out, Song Moting had considered everything.

"Song Moting, thank you. I really didn’t expect you to have this skill. After I prepare them, you all can have a taste too."

Seeing so much, Jiang Xiaoxiao couldn’t possibly take it all.

Though it was a thoughtful gesture, she couldn’t be too selfish.