Chapter 459: She had no way either

The lychee seed in Gu Xixi's mouth almost slipped into her throat.

She looked at An Qinghe, her expression no less than that of an old man who couldn't understand why a child was acting up, loving you.

"Ha?!"

An Qinghe fervently expressed his lofty ambitions:

"Let me tell you, don't look down on the lychee fruit just because it's not pretty now and inconspicuous."

"This is because it starts to change color after being left out for a day."

"Originally it's bright red and very beautiful!"

"Isn't the flesh sweet, moist, and juicy, one bite and it's stunning?"

"Why can't we people of the Northwest eat lychees!"

Lv Jing and Zhang Shen nodded, "Stunning... indeed that's correct."

Lao Langzhong, meanwhile, held a lychee seed in his mouth, savoring the flavor, immersed in his own medicinal world.

"Since the lychee fruit is recorded in the materia medica, do the lychee peel and seed perhaps have other medicinal properties?"

Lao Langzhong took the lychee peels everyone was clutching, turned and left, saying as he walked:

"Don't throw away the seeds you've eaten; keep them for me, they're useful!"

Zhang Shen shook her head and scolded, "This old ginger-head! Turning a fruit into medicinal ingredients! She's gone mad!"

Gu Xixi silently looked across, "The truly mad person is right here!"

An Qinghe continued to chatter on: "Our pinpo fruit, although tasty, is also relatively rare within the Great Enterprise territory."

"But when it comes to novelty, rarity, and stunning quality, it's still this lychee."

"If we just plant lychee trees in the Northwest, later representing Qing Tian County to offer tribute fruit, wouldn't that be a sure thing?"

"I know you've invested in the Cha Yuan, funds are tight. When the time comes, you pick the place, I'll provide the money, you say..."

An Qinghe was thus full of passionate zeal.

Although Gu Xixi hated to pour cold water on a burning brazier, she still had to interrupt An Qinghe's fantasy.

"No."

"Lychee trees cannot be transplanted to the Northwest. Even I can't find any way."

An Qinghe suddenly froze.

His whole body stiffened for a moment before he regained his voice.

"No way? Tea trees can be grown in the Northwest, so why can't lychee trees?"

Gu Xixi said, "Planting tea trees in the Northwest is because I found local wild tea trees that are cold-resistant and adapt to the soil and water."

"Lychee is different."

"Have you ever heard the saying 'an orange grown south of the Huai becomes a bitter orange north of it'?"

An Qinghe nodded.

Gu Xixi continued, "Let alone the fact that the Northwest suffers four or five months of bitter cold and ice each year."

"Even in places further south, as long as you don't cross the Great Enterprise's watershed, transplanted orange trees either bear no fruit, or if a few trees do fruit, the fruit is small and bitter."

"And lychee trees are even worse than orange trees; in the north, not to mention flowering and fruiting, even taking root and surviving is impossible."

An Qinghe fell silent, lowering his head, looking as if he were dejected and disheartened.

Gu Xixi and the others felt some pity for him, thinking about how to speak to comfort him.

An Qinghe suddenly lifted his head, laughing loudly, "Turns out it's simply impossible! Hahaha..."

"Heaven's timing, earth's conditions, and climate—these are all under heaven's control; sometimes there's just no way."

"However, since we can't plant in the Northwest, I can plant in Shu region; after all, Jiangnan is prosperous with many wealthy people."

"In the future I'll sell the lychee fruit to Jiangnan, making a huge profit just the same!"

Gu Xixi exchanged an amused glance with Lv Jing.

Being able to quickly rekindle his fighting spirit and even come up with a new business plan.

No wonder he's the An boss they know.

An Qinghe's face lit up as he turned to Gu Xixi, "How should lychee trees be cultivated, cared for, and planted?"

"Xixi, do you know?"

This time, she didn't disappoint An Qinghe.

Gu Xixi smiled and nodded, "If you want to grow lychee in Shu region, I might be able to help you."

"Besides the many key points of planting and care throughout the process, I can also provide methods for improving the variety."

"But it's not free, though."

An Qinghe beamed with a smile, "Understood! Understood!"

"If you're willing to help me, my heart will be at ease! No matter what conditions you set, I swear by the mountains and seas, I will never regret it!"

This time even Zhang Shen, who hasn't read a book, noticed the mistake and asked uncertainly:

"Is this phrase being used incorrectly?"

"The oath 'mountains and seas' is often heard on stage; these are verses sung by talented scholars and beauties."

An Qinghe was still a bit dazed, "Isn't that right? Isn't it just an oath as eternal as mountains and seas?"

Gu Xixi and Lv Jing couldn't help but laugh.

Gu Xixi now needs to prioritize getting the Cha Yuan in good shape, avoiding spreading herself too thin; she doesn't plan to get too involved in a Shu region lychee orchard.

An Qinghe is also one of the major shareholders of the Cha Yuan.

He hardly has any money left to begin with, and furthermore the Cha Yuan's future trade routes need his help managing them.

Therefore he also cannot independently establish a lychee orchard in Shu region.

After discussing, they decided that An Qinghe would first try to persuade the Cloud Ridge Seedling Merchants Association.

Gu Xixi, serving as technical advisor, this time did not take cash but switched to a shareholding arrangement.

When there are profits in the future, they can be divided according to proportion.

For the investing merchants, this both boosts confidence and saves an initial cost.

Of course, whether this proceeds still depends on whether the Cloud Ridge Seedling Merchants Association is interested in lychee trees.

After finishing the lychee matter, there is also the tea garden.

Gu Xixi, He Jinglan, and An Qinghe make a three-way investment, while the government office provides the land.

This amounts to a four-way cooperation.

Among them, Gu Xixi holds the largest investment share, followed by He Jinglan and An Qinghe.

He Jinglan, far away in the capital, had long decided to be a hands-off shareholder.

Leaving An Qinghe to stay, he must follow Gu Xixi's directions.

The latest task is to purchase the rootstock needed for grafting tea trees.

Because the quantity is large, one must go farther southeast to find sources, negotiate prices, and then find a transport team.

This trip will likely take more than half a month to return.

An Qinghe laughed, "Don't worry, I've got this covered."

"I guarantee a quick go and quick return, not delaying your schedule."

During the earlier overall planning, Gu Xixi had already mentioned this.

So An Qinghe knows well that tea trees must not be planted when it's too hot.

But we must also finish before autumn turns cold, so that all tea trees take root and survive.

Therefore, it must not be later than five days after the start of autumn.

Thus, An Qinghe ate a fine meal prepared by Zhang Shen at home and rested for a night.

The next morning at the village entrance, he bade farewell to Gu Xixi and Lv Jing, and each went their own way.

Border, Dependents Village.

Now, outside the busy farming season, each household basically finishes its daily farm chores before noon.

Lv Jing drove into the village, along the way repeatedly encountering many acquaintances.

Gu Xixi sat in the car, responding to each, exchanging greetings and laughter.

Zao Hua carried a hoe and followed the car for a stretch, saying, "My grandmother always cooks too much."

"It looks like we're having dumpling soup today; I'll bring you two some later."

The sisters of Dependents Village are already like one family.

Gu Xixi smiled and didn't decline, saying, "Thank the auntie on our behalf."

Last time when leaving, there was still some stored grain in the kitchen cabinet.

Gu Xixi planned to, when Zao Hua brought the meal, return some japonica rice, saying it was for the elderly and children to make porridge.

Returning to the small courtyard.

Lv Jing first went to the kitchen to get black beans to mix with fodder for Lai Fu to eat.

Gu Xixi was holding a bundle and about to enter the house when she heard a commotion of running outside.