Chapter 4

With Zhao Yan handling the procedures in the county, it took less than three days to get the company up and running. The full name of the company was Tianyuan Agricultural Products Co., Ltd., a name chosen by Liu Yunxuan. Since everything would rely on the land for future development, he named it Tianyuan.

For now, Zhao Yan was assigned to manage the pig farm. According to Liu Yunxuan, the pigs would grow fatter just by looking at Zhao Yan every day, and he wouldn't die of anger.

Liu Yunhai was in charge of the watermelon section, while Liu Yunxuan had to run back and forth between both.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, two months had passed, and the land was covered in a layer of green.

First, they renovated the pig farm. The construction team was contacted by Zhao Yan's father. The original brick factory's office remained, and three rooms were converted into dormitories for the workers at the pig farm. The rest would temporarily serve as the company's office.

Liu Yunxuan's only requirement was to handle the pig manure properly. He had a biogas digester installed; he didn't want to smell pig manure every day while working.

Money was tight, and the renovation of the pig farm, along with the purchase of 200 piglets, cost nearly 200,000 yuan. Fortunately, there wouldn't be many other major expenses besides pig feed, and the watermelons would mature quickly, bringing in some income soon.

The watermelon seeds were already planted, and Liu Yunxuan had done all the seedling cultivation himself. He had also brought in chicken manure fertilizer, 40 truckloads costing 40,000 yuan. Knowing the growth of his watermelon seedlings, he was concerned about the nutrient supply and had doubled the amount of fertilizer.

Two permanent workers were hired for the pig farm at 3,000 yuan per month, specifically to manage it.

When planting the watermelon seedlings, the villagers also helped as temporary workers. Regardless of gender, they were paid 100 yuan per day and provided dinner. This was considered a generous offer in the village, and Liu Yunxuan's only requirement was that they work diligently, as if tending to their own land.

Another sunny day. Liu Yunxuan first went to the pig farm and secretly added some space water to each water trough. The piglets, now over 100 pounds, were growing rapidly.

"Xuanzi, do you think these pigs will grow to 400 pounds by the New Year?" Zhao Yan, who had been busy lately, had lost a few pounds. His father praised him, believing the initial decision was correct.

"Rubbish, they won't grow that fast. They're growing quickly now, but once they pass 200 pounds, their growth will slow down. I estimate they'll be around 300 pounds when they're ready for market. How about it? Isn't this better than idling in the store all day?" Liu Yunxuan asked.

"Of course, I come to feed them every day and watch them eat. It makes me feel good," Zhao Yan replied with a smile.

"Alright, you keep an eye on them. I'll go around the village. The watermelons are about to flower, and I need to find people to help with pollination," Liu Yunxuan said, getting into his pickup truck.

Pollination was done manually. During the flowering period, artificial pollination was necessary to ensure fruiting. The flowering period was short, and if it rained, the pollen could be washed away.

Liu Yunxuan drove to Li Yong's house at the western end of the village. Li Yong was a well-known helper in the village, and the term "helper" here was not derogatory. For weddings, funerals, or temporary labor, finding a helper was the most convenient. They would receive a small tip for weddings and funerals, and a bit more for daily wages, making it convenient for everyone.

"Brother Li, I need your help. Can you organize 20 people for me? 100 yuan per day, with dinner provided. It will take two days to pollinate the watermelons, and if you have time, you can check for any missed flowers in the morning for 50 yuan a day, for three days," Liu Yunxuan estimated that two days of collective work and three days of checking would be enough.

"Sure, no problem. I'll bring the people to your field tomorrow morning," Li Yong agreed readily. Working for Liu Yunxuan was comfortable, the pay was good, and there was good food and drink. He also gained respect in the village.

"Thanks, Brother Li, I trust you," Liu Yunxuan said, not sparing the flattery.

The next day, Liu Yunxuan arrived at the field around 8:00 AM. Pollination couldn't start too early because of the dew, which would affect fruiting. When he arrived, Li Yong was already there with the workers. They all knew each other and greeted each other.

"Everyone, I won't say much. Just be careful when pollinating," Liu Yunxuan reminded them again.

"Don't worry, it's easy as long as you're careful," one of the workers said.

"Relax, we'll do a good job. Just make sure there's wine tonight," another added.

"You're paying so well, we'll do our best," another worker chimed in.

Everyone laughed and walked into the field.

"Thanks in advance, everyone. You start working, and I'll go to town to buy wine and meat. We'll have a good drink tonight," Liu Yunxuan said. Women in the northeast were not to be underestimated; they could drink half a catty of liquor, and some could drink more than men.

In town, it was market day, and there were many people. He bought half a pig, which the butcher cut into large pieces. The vegetables from his garden hadn't grown yet, so he bought several dozen pounds of vegetables, a dozen bottles of white wine, and several cases of beer. These filled the back of his pickup truck. He also bought a box of drinks for Fangfang, so she wouldn't be upset seeing all the other items without anything for her.

The market was crowded, and Liu Yunxuan moved slowly. He noticed an old man smoking by the side of the market, with a basket of puppies in front of him. People occasionally stopped to ask, but most shook their heads and walked away, leaving only a few children playing with the puppies.

Liu Yunxuan parked his car and walked over to look. There were two puppies in the basket, one yellow and one brown. The yellow one looked a bit listless.

"Old man, how much for the puppies?" Liu Yunxuan asked.

"100 yuan each, and I'll give you the basket if you buy both," the old man said, a bit disappointed that no one had bought them.

"What kind of breed are they, and why are they so expensive?" Liu Yunxuan was surprised. They looked like ordinary mixed-breed dogs, and he didn't expect the old man to ask such a high price.

"These aren't ordinary mixed-breed dogs. They were born to a hunting dog that was hit by a car. The old lady cries thinking of the old dog. If you buy them, feed them some porridge or milk, and they'll survive," the old man explained, seeing Liu Yunxuan's interest.

Liu Yunxuan thought about it. If they were hunting dog puppies, 100 yuan each wasn't too expensive. His watermelon field was large, and having dogs to watch it at night would be useful.

"Alright, I'll take both puppies for 200 yuan," Liu Yunxuan said, handing over the money.

Seeing the two red bills, the old man hesitated, "Young man, don't mind me asking, but what do you plan to do with these dogs? You're not going to eat them, are you?"

"Oh, I'll use them to guard my watermelon field. Who would spend so much on mixed-breed puppies just to eat them? I'm from the Lao Liu family in the nearby village. You can ask around, and they'll tell you I'm trustworthy," Liu Yunxuan explained.

The old man didn't say anything more, but he seemed a bit reluctant as he handed over the basket.

Liu Yunxuan poured out the water in the bowl in the basket and added some space water. The puppies immediately perked up. Even the listless yellow puppy crawled over to drink.

The two puppies circled around, vying for the water. Liu Yunxuan found it amusing and added more water, gently petting their heads.

Back home, he saw Fangfang playing in the yard. He quickly got out of the car and showed her the puppies.

"Look, Fangfang, what did Uncle bring you?"

"Wow, puppies! Uncle is so nice!" Fangfang, who had been upset earlier because Liu Yunxuan wasn't there to play with her, immediately forgot her anger.

The puppies, having drunk the space water, were much more lively than at the market. Fangfang took them out of the basket and they began to explore their new home, albeit a bit unsteadily.

"Grandma, look, Uncle bought me puppies!" Fangfang called out to her grandmother, who was coming out of the house.

Liu Yunxuan didn't dare to say they cost 100 yuan each, only 10 yuan, to avoid his mother scolding him for spending too much.

Fangfang, being generous, offered her milk to the puppies. However, they had just drunk the space water and were full, showing no interest in her milk.

"Fangfang, don't worry. They just ate, so they're not hungry yet," Liu Yunxuan said, seeing her trying to force-feed them.

"Okay, Uncle, call me when you feed them," Fangfang said, and the puppies, now free, scampered away.

They had a simple lunch. In the afternoon, they prepared for dinner.

Dinner was simple: pork and sauerkraut stew, and a few vegetable dishes. The half pig looked like a lot, but it had to feed nearly 30 people for two days, and they needed to eat well, especially during the busy farming season.

The food was good, with plenty of oil and alcohol. During the meal, everyone praised Liu Yunxuan. He was generous, fitting for someone who had returned from the city.

They also encouraged him to let them know if there was more work, as working for Liu Yunxuan was comfortable.

In the countryside, there was less petty calculation than in the city. Everyone lived in the same village and relied on their good intentions.

The next day, Liu Yunxuan didn't go to the field. He gave the money to Li Yong and let him handle it. He also gave Li Yong 200 yuan to check for any missed flowers, which made Li Yong very happy. No one complained about earning money.

The puppies grew bigger each day. Perhaps because of the space water or their good genes, they seemed very intelligent. Under Liu Yunxuan's training, they could understand simple commands and never defecated inside, always going to the designated spot outside.

The yellow one was named Dahuang, and the brown one with a reddish tint was named Banli. Liu Yunxuan chose these names, and Zhao Yan thought they were unfair to such intelligent puppies.

Liu Yunxuan ignored Zhao Yan's comments. "What do you know? A humble name is easier to raise."

Fortunately, it didn't rain for a few days, and the watermelon vines began to bear fruit.

Thus, Liu Yunxuan spent his days visiting the pig farm and checking on the watermelon field, living a rather leisurely life.