Chen Lan and Xiang Xi's group of corn planters encountered Zhou Laoshi's group building houses at the exit of the valley. After exchanging greetings, Chen Lan suddenly remembered the waterproofing issue she had thought of that morning. She called out to Zhou Laoshi, "Teacher Zhou, did you check the waterproof layer today? Do we need to add another layer of waterproof coating to strengthen the waterproofing effect?"
Zhou Laoshi pondered and said, "If we have this kind of waterproof coating, adding another layer would be more secure and the waterproofing effect would be better."
"Okay! I understand. I'll bring it over when I come tomorrow morning. Just have them apply it evenly according to the instructions."
Zhou Laoshi grunted in agreement.
At dinner that evening, Chen Lan informed her mother-in-law about the need for manpower to quickly plant corn, potatoes, peanuts, soybeans, and vegetables.
Her mother-in-law waved her hand expansively and declared, "What's the big deal? We're all manpower. Tomorrow, only your mother-in-law and Xiao Shan's mother will stay behind to look after Jia Yao, Jia Hui, Hu Tou, and Xiao Shi Tou. You'll have to sort out your own lunch. Everyone else will go with me to the valley to plant vegetables. For tomorrow's lunch, I'll ask the women who are cooking to get up a little earlier, make more portable flatbreads or steamed buns. Tomorrow at noon, we'll eat Rou Jia Bing and Rou Jia Mo. Bring plenty of water too, it's too hot."
Ming Zhe quickly asked, "Mom, will Wen Kai and Wen Qi and I also go plant vegetables?"
His mother-in-law retorted, "You don't want to plant vegetables? Then you won't eat vegetables?"
Ming Zhe shook his head like a rattle drum and said, "Mom, no! We really want to help you all plant vegetables. Wen Kai, Wen Qi, what do you say, am I right?" He then looked at the two brothers, Wen Kai and Wen Qi.
Wen Kai and Wen Qi nodded repeatedly in agreement.
After everyone else had left, Chen Lan stayed behind to discuss lunch preparations for the next morning with her mother-in-law.
"Mother-in-law, how many pounds of braised meat do we need for the Rou Jia Mo tomorrow morning?" Chen Lan asked.
"There are over twenty people to feed, and they'll be doing strenuous physical labor. How about this, let's get up early tomorrow morning and cook with the others. We'll just make one thing to save time, and make flatbreads! Make the flatbreads soft and big so they're easy to stuff with meat. What do you think?"
Her mother-in-law continued, "Let's calculate the braised meat by person. Half a pound per person, is that enough? Is it a bit little?"
Chen Lan thought for a moment and nodded, "Half a pound of braised meat might be enough for children like Ming Zhe, Wen Kai, and Wen Qi, but it might be a bit little for the adults who are doing physical labor."
Her mother-in-law nodded and said, "That's true. Then adults will get one pound, and children half a pound. If there's any extra, whoever is hungry in the afternoon can have it to tide them over. That's decided then! Xiao Lan, remember to get up early tomorrow."
So, the next day, Chen Lan got up early to help her mother-in-law cut meat and stuff it into the flatbreads, while Lin Mai, Hu Yuzhen, Cui Qiao, and Zhao Xiaoyue were responsible for making the flatbreads. After everyone finished breakfast, the mother-in-law distributed straw hats to everyone who was going to work in the valley that day. The men carried the lunch and water and walked ahead, while the women and children, wearing straw hats and led by the mother-in-law, followed Chen Lan and the others to the valley. Standing on the mountain, they all gasped in amazement looking at the valley below, "This valley is so vast!"
Before everyone could finish marveling, the mother-in-law ordered the men to place the lunch and water under the shade of the trees and hurried them, "Don't dawdle, everyone, hurry up. The more we work this morning, the less we'll have to work in the hot sun. We have this much work to do today anyway."
Thus, everyone was driven down the mountain by the mother-in-law, like ducks being herded, and they arrived in the valley.
Chen Lan didn't wait for them. She quickly walked towards the house foundation and took out enough waterproof coating she had purchased in the system last night to cover the foundations of five houses.
After placing the materials, Chen Lan quickly walked to where she had parked the multi-functional agricultural tractor the day before, found the rotary tiller attachment, and installed it onto the tractor according to the diagram. Once installed, Chen Lan climbed onto the tractor, started it up quickly, and drove towards the untouched edge land that was close to the houses.
Having used the multi-functional agricultural tractor for a full day yesterday, Chen Lan found it even more effortless to operate today. She quickly finished the rotary tilling, furrowing, and ridging of the newly reclaimed land and then handed it over to them for planting.
Chen Lan pulled her mother-in-law aside and said, "Mother-in-law, you teach them how to plant vegetables here first. In a little while, you take two or three people to help chop potatoes over there, as we're planting potatoes today. There's no rush, I'll go reclaim land over there now."
Seeing Chen Lan about to leave, her mother-in-law anxiously asked, "The vegetable seeds need watering after being planted. Although it rained a few days ago and the ground isn't dry, look at this scorching sun. If we don't water the seeds thoroughly, it won't work, will it?"
Chen Lan quickly explained, "Mother-in-law, there's a water pump at the house construction site. You teach them how to plant vegetables first. Once they're all done, I'll bring the water pump and hoses over to you with the vehicle. You can just open the tap and water directly."
After clarifying with her mother-in-law, Chen Lan drove off in the tractor, thinking as she drove, "It seems we need to solve the problem of watering crops and vegetables as soon as possible. Forget it! For now, we'll use the water pump to solve the watering issue. Quick planting is the priority. We'll address the water supply and consumption problems after the quick planting is done."
With her mind made up, Chen Lan stopped dwelling on the "water" issue and plunged into the work of reclaiming wasteland and planting potatoes.
It wasn't until Xiang Xi drove the multi-functional agricultural tractor to find her that Chen Lan stopped to rest for a moment.
"Xiao Xi Gua, have you finished preparing all ninety acres of land?" Chen Lan asked.
Xiang Xi nodded. Since Xiang Xi was wearing a straw hat and Chen Lan was sitting high on the tractor, she couldn't see clearly. She asked again, "Xiao Xi Gua, what do you need me for?"
Xiang Xi looked up and said, "We four have finished preparing ninety acres of land! We can start planting directly. I'm here to get the corn seeds."
Chen Lan immediately took out thirty bags of each of the other two varieties of corn seeds from the system's warehouse, which had already been pre-packaged, and placed them on the iron rack of Xiang Xi's tractor. She then instructed, "Xiao Xi Gua, here are thirty bags each of Liang Yu and Jin Chong corn seeds. Plant thirty acres of each variety. Make sure they're careful and don't mix them up. You've already planted yesterday, so you know exactly how to operate. Explain clearly to Xiao Shan and the others how to plant. For the remaining thirty acres, plant fifteen acres of peanuts and fifteen acres of soybeans. After planting, remember to have them water the fields. The first watering must be thorough. Also, help water the thirty acres we planted yesterday. I forgot to water them yesterday! My memory! I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to water them!"
With that, she immediately took out peanut and soybean seeds, which had been prepared in sacks, from the system's warehouse and placed them on top of the corn seeds.
Xiang Xi replied, "Don't worry! I'll have Lin Mao and Xiao Shan each plant one variety of corn seeds, separately. How can they make a mistake? Xiao Shan and I will each plant peanuts and soybeans."
After speaking, he climbed onto the tractor and drove away with the seeds, the engine chugging along.