dognovel Chapter 140 Rice Expert
Chapter 140 Rice Expert
Old Wang picked up a piece of food, put it in his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and then said, "Growing rice is no easy task. First, you have to choose a good location; if the land is bad, everything else is in vain. Second, you have to choose good seeds; if the seeds are bad, the yield won't be high. Third, you have to manage it well; fertilizing, watering, and weeding—you can't skip any of them."
Li Jianjun was completely bewildered; this wasn't a job for him. He buried himself in his food. Li Mu, on the other hand, nodded repeatedly, agreeing with Old Wang's assessment. He then asked, "Brother, in your opinion, is the land in the Greater Khingan Mountains suitable for growing rice?"
Old Wang pondered for a moment before speaking, "That land is indeed in a harsh environment, but it's not impossible to grow crops there. I've heard from older generations that some people have tried to grow rice on that land before, but the success rate was low. However, if you can manage it well, you might be able to succeed."
Upon hearing this, Li Mu's eyes lit up: "Really? Then, brother, do you have any good suggestions? How exactly should we plant this rice?"
I also asked the restaurant owner to bring me a few bottles of wine.
Old Wang took a sip of wine to moisten his throat before continuing, "If you really want to plant it, you'll have to put in some effort. First, you need to improve the soil; that land is too barren. You need to apply some organic fertilizer to increase the soil's fertility. Second, you need to choose good seeds; you need to choose varieties that are cold-resistant, drought-resistant, and disease-resistant."
"Also, we need to strengthen management, pay close attention to the growth of rice, fertilize, water, and weed in a timely manner, and also pay attention to the prevention and control of diseases and pests."
Li Mu listened attentively, nodding occasionally and glancing at the other two older brothers.
"Brothers, where are you working now?"
"Sigh, it's not even alive yet."
Old Wang took a swig of wine and laughed heartily, "Well, with the reform and opening up, we brothers are just thinking about finding some work. We're all old hands at farming. Although land is hard to find now, we can't lose our skills."
Upon hearing this, Li Mu's eyes lit up even more: "Brothers, would you like to work with us? We plan to grow rice in the Greater Khingan Mountains, and we're short-handed."
Old Wang and his two companions exchanged glances, both showing hesitation.
Seeing this, Li Mu quickly added, "Brothers, don't worry, we won't let you work for nothing. As long as you're willing to work with us, the salary and benefits will definitely satisfy you. Moreover, we can also discuss together how to grow rice well and make our rice a unique brand. You'll definitely reap the rewards then."
Old Wang touched his chin, subconsciously thinking that it's good to be young, without having to worry about the future, and assumed he was joking.
"How dare you, a young man, say you want to plant rice on that land? We've been farming for years and we don't dare to try it lightly. What makes you think you can do it?"
Li Mu put down his chopsticks, took out three cigarettes and handed one to each of Lao Wang and the two older brothers, saying with a smile, "Brothers, please have some."
"To be honest, the reason I'm confident in growing rice on that land is because I've done research. Although the environment there is harsh, the soil is fertile black soil with high organic matter content. As long as we manage it well, we're sure to grow high-yield, high-quality rice."
"Let's not talk about these formalities. Just tell us how much you're going to offer us."
Li Mu held up three fingers: "Three thousand yuan a month, food and lodging included, plus a year-end bonus."
These words stunned Old Wang and his two older brothers. They had been hesitant, but now they exchanged glances, a hint of surprise and interest flashing in their eyes. In this day and age, a monthly income of three thousand yuan, with room and board provided and a year-end bonus, was considered quite good. Especially at their age, finding a stable and well-paying job was incredibly difficult.
"Three thousand yuan? Are you sure you're not joking?" Old Wang couldn't help but ask again, afraid he had misheard.
Li Mu nodded seriously.
"Of course it's confirmed. As long as you're willing to work with us, this treatment is yours. You don't need to worry about sales channels. I've already negotiated with several restaurants. When our rice is harvested, we'll deliver it directly to them, and they'll give us a good price."
"Do you know the Lakeside Hotel? It's the biggest hotel in our city. I've already reached an agreement with them. As long as our rice is of good quality, they are willing to cooperate long-term."
Old Wang's eyes lit up. Who didn't know the Lakeside Hotel? It was one of the top hotels in the city. If we could cooperate with them, would we still have to worry about selling our rice?
He turned around and inquired again to see if such a person existed. If it was true, then he would have really struck gold. Old Wang secretly calculated in his heart that this treatment and sales channels were simply a windfall.
He glanced at the two older brothers beside him, and saw that they were also deeply moved.
"Brother, your offer is really tempting." After saying that, Old Wang turned to look at the two older brothers beside him and winked at them, signaling them to express their opinions.
The two older brothers nodded quickly, indicating their willingness to work with Li Mu and his team.
Seeing this, Li Mu was overjoyed. He knew that he had successfully persuaded the three elder brothers.
"Brothers, don't worry. Follow me, and I'll definitely not let you down. Let's work together to turn that land in the Greater Khingan Mountains into our golden rice bowl!"
Old Wang laughed heartily and said, "Alright! Then it's settled. Tomorrow we'll go check out the land, make some plans, and try to plant the rice as soon as possible. Li Mu, you have to keep your word; we're counting on you."
Li Mu patted his chest and assured them, "Brothers, don't worry, I, Li Mu, keep my word. Tomorrow we'll go to the fields together and discuss a planting plan."
After the four of them finished their meal, they agreed on a meeting place for the next day and then went their separate ways.
When Li Mu and his group returned to Lijia Village, Jiang Xuefen was making dumplings at home. Upon seeing them, she quickly greeted them, "Why are you so late? The food is getting cold. Wash your hands and eat the dumplings."
Li Mu washed his hands, sat down at the table, picked up his chopsticks, took a dumpling, and put it in his mouth, taking a bite.
What kind of filling is it?
"It's filled with cabbage and pork. Try it and see how it tastes."
Jiang Xuefen smiled. Now that she had enough money and no longer had to worry about making ends meet, she was in the mood to think about food. She would make some hot and sour shredded potatoes for dinner, which Li Mu loved. Li Mu chewed on a dumpling and mumbled, "Delicious, really delicious."
Jiang Xuefen put a few more dumplings into Li Mu's bowl: "Eat more if you like them, there are still some left in the pot."
"Where's Dad?"
"Where else could we go? We're going to have a drink with your fourth uncle!"