Chapter 279: Seeking Harvest from the Mountains

Standing in the large playground of the sawmill, Li Xian and Wang Lin discussed matters for a long time. 

Based on Wang Lin's input, Li Xian believed that Schisandra chinensis and Acanthopanax seeds were indeed worth pursuing.

One regulates the central nervous system and respiratory system, benefiting the heart, liver, and blood pressure, while the other enhances appetite, boosts strength, and improves memory.

Excellent, a perfect template for brain supplements.

Li Xian couldn't help but feel a pang of regret thinking about how Shi Yuzhu had already entered the health supplement industry. If he had thought of this sooner, he might have come up with something like "No Gifts for the Holidays" earlier.

Wait a minute…

As he thought about it, Li Xian rubbed his temples.

When did the brain supplement ad come out?

Was it 1999? Or 2000?

Anyway, it wasn't 1994, right?

Perhaps, if the health supplement industry took off in the future, he could emulate it?

Imagining those little figures hopping around on TV, with the same ad running for over a decade just by changing the old couple's outfits, Li Xian couldn't help but feel a little excited.

This seemed like a possibility.

According to Wang Lin and the others, if they wanted to develop Schisandra and Acanthopanax, the current conditions were quite favorable. The raw materials in the mountainous area were abundant; Schisandra and Acanthopanax were everywhere. With mid-October just beginning, it was still timely to harvest. Moreover, the Berry Research Institute had a pharmaceutical factory with an oral liquid production line. Producing Schisandra and Acanthopanax as oral liquids was relatively simple, using water extraction and alcohol precipitation methods.

Having figured this out, Li Xian immediately took action.

He didn't have any available personnel at hand. The researchers at the Berry Research Institute could handle research but couldn't manage or operate the factory. He needed someone to help. The only person available was Xu Maohe, who had nothing better to do. Li Xian quickly called him, asking him to come over and join the effort.

With the arrangements made, Li Xian returned home with several researchers.

Upon arrival, he saw Li Daoyun entertaining his granddaughter Li Lingling at the front door. The little girl had been feeling down lately, knowing that her family was expecting a new baby brother or sister.

At four or five years old, although the child was young, she understood the situation. Her family's circumstances were already unusual; her biological father had remarried, and now the new couple was soon to have their own child. The little girl had been crying secretly during this time. Li Daoyun, feeling sorry for his great-granddaughter, had brought her home to stay.

In the autumn forestry farm, dragonflies were flying everywhere. When Li Xian and Wang Lin entered the house, Li Daoyun was catching dragonflies for his great-granddaughter, tying a piece of sewing thread to the dragonfly's abdomen so that Li Lingling could play with it.

The little girl was delighted, running back and forth with the dragonfly.

When she saw Li Xian return, she ran over excitedly. "Second Uncle! Second Uncle! The dragonfly Grandpa caught for me is so lazy, it won't fly and just crawls on the ground!"

Li Xian looked at the dragonfly. The one-meter-long thread was far too heavy for such a small creature. Dragging such a heavy thing, it could only crawl on the ground, being dragged around by Li Lingling.

Seeing this, Li Xian smiled and gently tugged a few strands of hair from Li Lingling's head to tie to the dragonfly instead of the thread. After removing the heavy thread and retying it with the lighter hair, the dragonfly, though exhausted, tried to take flight.

Seeing the dragonfly rise into the air, Li Lingling clapped her hands with joy.

"Second Uncle, you're amazing!"

Li Daoyun was also pleased to see his great-granddaughter so happy. However, noticing the guests, he patted Li Lingling on the head and asked her to play elsewhere, then invited everyone inside.

Inside the house, Li You, seeing the experts had returned, was extremely attentive, promptly serving tea and water. Wang Lin and the others, calling him "Director Li" with every sentence, made Li You feel quite flattered—his official appointment hadn't been made yet, so within the bureau, he was still addressed as "Old Li" or "Big Brother Li" by the staff. However, the forestry workers had been calling him "Director Li" for years, and they didn't add "Director" to the end.

This made Li You uncomfortable, but he had no way to address it.

Now, being addressed as "Director" by a group of intellectuals, Li You felt he had to show his gratitude by preparing a feast. In these times, killing a pig on a normal day was a big deal. Wang Lin and the others, not daring to accept such an honor, repeatedly declined.

At that moment, a child's cry was heard outside.

Soon after, Li Daoyun entered, holding Li Lingling with a wry smile.

"Oh, what happened?"

Li Xian quickly asked, seeing the little girl crying uncontrollably, clinging to Li Daoyun.

Li Daoyun chuckled. "This mischievous child took the dragonfly to tease the goose. The goose didn't like it and jumped up half a meter, eating the dragonfly in one bite."

Seeing his granddaughter's misfortune, Li You immediately decided that instead of going through the trouble of killing a pig, they would have a big goose stew for dinner. He said, "Forget the pig, let's cook a big goose tonight! And we'll have some dried potatoes too. Let's treat our expert friends!"

Half an hour later, the aroma of goose meat filled the new house.

In the pigpen, the large pig, battered by hail and looking a bit deranged, made silly snorts.

---

At the dining table, Li Xian finalized the plan to develop Schisandra and Acanthopanax oral liquids. To pursue this, they would need not only the research and production capabilities of the Berry Research Institute but also a primary processing factory in the mountainous area to dry Schisandra and sort Acanthopanax seeds.

With tasks divided, Wang Lin and the others headed back to the Forestry Bureau to begin preparations immediately. The urgency was due to the need for essential experiments before production to determine efficacy, medicinal properties, and production processes. Li Xian's eagerness and the dire situation at the 89th Forestry Farm deeply moved them.

After sending off the experts, Li You turned and went straight to the forestry office.

"Dad, where are you going?" 

Li You didn't turn around but waved his hand. "Mobilizing everyone to the mountains for the harvest!"

Li Xian was a bit surprised.

In the past few days, Li You had been unable to motivate the forestry staff at the office but now seemed to be adopting a more grassroots approach?

Nearby, Li Daoyun took a puff from his dry tobacco pipe and raised his eyebrows. "Even a broken bowl can be patched up, let alone my son?"

At noon, shortly after the people at the 89th Forestry Farm had finished their lunch, the farm's loudspeaker began broadcasting.

"Ding ding!"

"Ding ding ding! Hello? Attention everyone! Attention!"

"Dear fellow villagers, it seems this year's autumn harvest is hopeless. Experts have just arrived and said that Schisandra and Acanthopanax on our mountain have enormous economic value! I now announce the establishment of a primary processing factory for mountain products in our forestry farm. If you want to make a living and not be overwhelmed by this hailstorm, come to my house to sign up today! If the heavens don't provide food, we will fight with the heavens and the earth! The hail has smashed our bowls, so we will go to the mountains to seek a harvest!"

Hearing the call to "seek a harvest from the mountains," the people in the village began to emerge from their homes and listen intently.

Upon hearing "seeking a harvest," their worried expressions were replaced with hope.