Chapter 218: Space Inventory

Just like that, three days passed in a row. Zhang Ping'an would go out every day to check on the germination of the pasture seeds, and it wasn't until the fifth day that green sprouts emerged, making his daily squatting and watering with the team, along with the infusion of Space Water, well worth it.

"That's great, Factory Director Zhang, they've finally sprouted!" Liu Feng looked at this plot of nearly ten mu of land, which was now covered in a layer of green.

"It's also fortunate that the temperature hasn't been very low these past few days; they sprouted two days earlier than I expected."

"This is all thanks to your daily guidance, Factory Director Zhang."

"Eh, I'm just doing my duty."

Liu Feng nodded, feeling even more satisfied with Zhang Ping'an. It wasn't often that an Imperial Envoy like him could come over to supervise and provide guidance punctually every single day.

Nan Yi had also been diligent these past five days, working hard every night without pause; he wasn't even afraid of kidney deficiency, which resulted in him sleeping in the space every day.

However, Liang Ladi was well-nourished by him, and she seemed to be experiencing a second spring.

"Nan Yi, it seems your small frame was well-trained in your youth; you can still be so energetic during the day after working so hard every night."

"Cough, cough, Brother Zhang, you're being immoral," Nan Yi almost choked on his wine.

"I'm not deaf, you know, with how loud you two are every day."

"Are we?"

Nan Yi smiled awkwardly. He remembered that he and Laidi were quite restrained with their noise, only crying out at the critical moments.

Zhang Ping'an didn't know that his words had caused Nan Yi to switch rooms with the children, moving five or six meters further away from Zhang Ping'an's sleeping quarters. Surely he wouldn't be able to hear them now, right?

At night, although Zhang Ping'an heard the two of them performing their "Yellow Plum Opera" again, the sound was indeed much quieter. He assumed that Nan Yi and his partner were deliberately suppressing their voices.

Every night before sleeping, Zhang Ping'an spent these five days taking a rough inventory of the space. Over the previous two years of full-scale planting of sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and pumpkins, he had over three million jin of each, though half of the sweet potatoes had already been taken out; less than a small fraction of the potatoes, pumpkins, and corn had been used.

Various meats were overflowing, with Black-skinned Pig, wild rabbits, and eggs being the most abundant. About half of the Wild Boar had been taken out sporadically over the last two years, and he had also stored quite a few rare species obtained from the Jilin Forest Farm.

Various fruits were also stockpiled in large quantities; except for a few tropical fruits from the south, Zhang Ping'an's space had almost everything.

Most of the things from the sea had been made into dried goods, such as shrimp skins, dried shrimp, abalone, dried scallops, and sea cucumbers, while others like Big Yellow Fish, lobsters, and mantis shrimp were slaughtered and kept fresh.

The two mountain peaks were now barely at full capacity; in the future, the surplus could be slaughtered and stored at any time each year, so there would be no need to hold back.

The two tigers now did nothing but eat and sleep every day. Fortunately, the ecosystem in the main peak had already formed, and they needed to hunt for themselves, otherwise, they might have just grown fat.

Once he returned, he would bring Dahu in as well. Their offspring would be North China Tigers, and with four or five cubs left for each tiger, they shouldn't go extinct in future generations.

The gold in his space, especially the savings from the adults that were once hidden in the mountain cave, now seemed to be turning into a mineral vein, while the ones kept in boxes remained intact.

However, if it could turn into a complete gold mine in the future, it wouldn't be a loss; then he would have an inexhaustible supply of gold.

The trunks of the two Tea Trees by the pond were now like coiling dragons; although they were only about three meters high, they were shaped like umbrellas. It was fortunate they were planted on opposite banks, otherwise, the two Tea Trees would have surely fought.

The tea leaves accumulated over these years amounted to nearly two tons. Anyway, as long as the Tea Trees were full, Zhang Ping'an would strip them bare and then stir-fry them. He could harvest them four or five times a year, and aside from drinking them himself or giving them away, he had naturally accumulated quite a lot.

Zhang Ping'an fell asleep again while taking inventory, as he had done almost every day; counting and counting, he would happily drift off to sleep.

Meanwhile, at the Scar Black Market, two men sat facing each other.

"Why do you think he hasn't come over these past few days?"

For the previous month or so, Zhang Ping'an had brought one hundred thousand jin of sweet potatoes, potatoes, or pumpkins every two or three days, but now he had disappeared for five or six days.

"Maybe he went to stock up? After all, since the new year, there have been over a million jin of sweet potatoes alone, and nearly a million jin of potatoes," Daoba replied uncertainly.

"Hmm, that's true."

The middle-aged man had completely given up hope. He had registered every vehicle entering and leaving the major ports and Sijiucheng over the past few days, but none of them seemed capable of easily obtaining millions of jin of grain; it felt as if it had just appeared out of thin air.

"You don't need to wait here anymore, sir. I'll let you know if there's any news."

"Alright then, you should try to keep a low profile from now on."

"Yes, okay."

In the morning, Zhang Ping'an got up, washed, and exercised as usual. Today was the day he would return home; he could finally go back and sleep while holding his fragrant and soft wife.

"Factory Director Zhang, have a safe trip. Once everything at the pig farm is built, I will personally come over to pick up the piglets."

"Good, good, good. I'll wait for you at the Rolling Mill. Go back now, Factory Director Liu."

Having not been home for five days, Zhang Ping'an really missed his wife and children and wished he could fly back immediately.

"Director Zhang, the factory broadcast for the past two days has been all about your tireless efforts in helping the branch factory build the pig farm. That Factory Director Liu and the few farmers responsible for hoeing, sowing, and watering have all sent you letters of thanks and commendation."

"Ah? Hu Shifu, I really didn't know about that."

Zhang Ping'an truly didn't know. This Liu Feng was quite good at handling things; those ten men who did the sowing and watering were likely mobilized by Liu Feng as well.

However, their letters of thanks were sincere; after all, Zhang Ping'an had done many things personally, which they had all seen with their own eyes, and more importantly, there was fish to be had.

"Hahaha, Director Zhang, I reckon you'll be promoted in the next two years."

As a member of the Logistics Transport Team, Hu Shifu knew that the current Logistics Director was already sixty-one this year and would retire in at most two or three years; Zhang Ping'an was definitely the strongest contender.

"Hu Shifu, you mustn't talk nonsense."

"Understood, understood. It's me, old Hu, who is muddled."

Hu Shifu feigned apology and patted his mouth. He also knew that before such things were finalized, one had to be extra careful about their reputation; he had just been so happy that he let it slip.

Half an hour later, the vehicle stopped steadily at the Transport Team.

"Director Zhang, just give a shout if you need anything in the future."

"Hehe, alright."

Zhang Ping'an carried his luggage and went straight to Li Huaide's office.

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Come in. Hahaha, Ping'an, our great hero is back."

Li Huaide's eyes lit up when he saw it was Zhang Ping'an. Now, because of the pig farm, the major steel mills were in a honeymoon period with the Rolling Mill, and in the future, he was very likely to advance a step further than the Deputy Factory Director, Yang Zhiguo.

"Sit down quickly, sit down and rest. You are worthy of being the capable general who walked out of our logistics department; you are praised wherever you go."

"Factory Director, if you keep praising me, I'm going to get carried away."

"Hahaha, Ping'an, you did a beautiful job this time. You must be exhausted, so drink some tea to relax and go home to rest for two days."

"Alright!" This was exactly what Zhang Ping'an wanted to hear; he picked up his luggage and ran off.

"Heh, this kid."

It was only a little past ten, just in time to get home for lunch, and he ran into Yan Bugui, who was also returning, at the entrance of the Siheyuan.

"Yo, Ping'an, are you back from a business trip?"

"That's right, is Teacher Yan finished with school for the day?"

"Ahem, just about, going home to prepare lessons, hahaha, you kid."

The old guy couldn't help but laugh himself after saying that; there was no trace left of the awkwardness he had shown when Zhang Ping'an first caught him red-handed.

Moreover, although Yan Bugui had gotten a bit thinner over the past two years, he didn't look too gaunt overall; Jiecheng's job had relieved some of the pressure on him.