Inheriting a Farm Made Me an Internet Sensation - Chapter 48

President Zhang’s tone, coupled with the contempt in his eyes, made Su Han feel extremely uncomfortable.

She took a step forward. “Since President Zhang knows Tan Xiao so well, you must have some understanding of me as well. It’s true that I value profit,” a cold light flashed in her eyes, “but I detest being threatened.”

President Zhang stared at her with icy eyes. Not a single person among the twenty present, including Jiang Yue, dared to make a sound.

At that moment, in this private room of nearly sixty square meters, one could have heard a pin drop.

After a long silence, President Zhang finally withdrew his gaze and threw his head back, laughing loudly. “I had long heard that President Su is a woman who outshines many men, and seeing you today, it is indeed true.”

Su Han’s expression remained calm. “To receive President Zhang’s praise is my honor.”

After today, this struggle will reach its climax, and Huangtian International will face unprecedented challenges.

For some reason, instead of being worried this time, she felt strangely excited.

If they won, Huangtian International would easily ascend to a new level.

If they lost—no, she wouldn’t lose. As long as Tan Xiao didn’t drop the ball, she wouldn’t lose.

However, Tan Xiao’s rice experiments should be put on the agenda soon; only then would the chemical fertilizer market become a thing of the past.

President Tu gave a cold snort, stood up, and straightened his clothes. “President Su, one must know how to adapt to the circumstances. Your adoptive father was precisely because he didn’t know how to adapt that he let Huangtian International become half-dead.” He pointed his finger at Su Han. “Are you going to follow in your father’s footsteps now?”

“If my father were here, he would also stand by my choice,” Su Han said firmly. Matters had developed to this point, and it wasn’t something she could stop even if she wanted to.

She didn’t like high-stakes gambling, but this time, she had no choice but to go all in.

Tan Xiao was unaware of the “smoke of war” on that side. After returning to her room and reading for a while, she drifted into a dreamland.

In the early winter of Binhai, the sky didn’t fully brighten until after seven o’clock.

After Tan Xiao got up, washed, and dressed, she lightened her steps and walked slowly downstairs.

After finishing breakfast, she chatted with the CCTV reporters for a while before heading to the fields.

Today was Saturday, so the students didn’t have classes. In the fields, there were only the hired hands and the trainees who had come to learn.

“Everyone has been at the farm for nine days now and has developed a certain understanding of how to grow some of the vegetables. Please remember that planting is just like learning, it cannot remain stagnant. The data I provide may not be 100% accurate. I hope everyone will dare to experiment; only in this way can our planting methods continue to progress,” Tan Xiao said solemnly. The initial learning cycle she had set was only ten days.

During these ten days, she had provided the trainees with the data from her successful vegetable trials. Due to temperature factors and the long growth cycles of the crops, it was impossible for the trainees to plant them from scratch themselves.

Regarding this issue, she had also come up with a solution: she would set up a group chat. If any problems were encountered in future planting, including issues with yield, she would answer them one by one online.

“Has it really been nine days already? I thought I’d only been here for two,” Chu Shan said, scratching his head.

Jiang Hu took over the conversation as well. “Yeah, it’s the first time I’ve felt time pass so quickly. But I’ve really learned a lot these past few days.”

As soon as those words landed, everyone nodded one after another, their words filled with praise and gratitude for Tan Xiao.

Tan Xiao raised her hand high. “Alright, everyone, let’s not get sentimental. In a moment, my assistants and I will teach you how to identify pests and diseases. Plants are like people; they need the right medicine for the right symptoms. To completely solve a problem, you must identify exactly what kind of pest or disease it is. We’ll divide into four groups with the same old rules, watch your step.”

After she finished speaking, everyone fanned out in an orderly fashion to queue up and follow the assistants into the distance.

For this day, Tan Xiao had specifically instructed Chen Cuihua not to remove the pests for the time being, but to wait for the trainees to do it.

Tan Xiao led a group to a spot about two kilometers away from the greenhouses to conduct identification training. Only after she finished her explanation did she let the trainees get hands-on with applying the “medicine.”

Ring, ring, ring…

Tan Xiao took out her phone, walked to a less crowded area, and chose to answer.

“I am Hanhan’s mother. I want to talk to you.”

She gripped her phone a bit tighter, turned to look back at the trainees bending over in the fields and the CCTV reporters filming, and stammered, “Hello, Auntie. I can’t get away right now. Can it be later?”

“I almost forgot, you’re a busy person now.” Zhu Manli paused for a moment before saying, “You pick a time then.”

Tan Xiao could hear the displeasure in Zhu Manli’s voice and said with difficulty, “Three in the afternoon?”

“Fine. I’ll send the address to your phone later.”

Just as Tan Xiao was about to respond, she heard the “beep, beep, beep” from the phone.

She moved the phone away from her ear, her brow furrowed slightly. It was over—her path was becoming increasingly difficult to walk.

Even if it was difficult, she had to bite the bullet and keep going. After eating lunch, she found an excuse to avoid Lin Muhan and drove Zhang Da’s car to the cafe Zhu Manli had mentioned.

The style of this cafe was somewhat retro. Perhaps because it was the weekend, almost every table was occupied.

As she walked inside, she discreetly observed the people on both sides, finally spotting Zhu Manli in a corner.

She bowed slightly and carefully placed the scarf she had just bought on the table. “Hello, Auntie. I didn’t know your preferences; I hope you like it.”

Zhu Manli glanced at the gift box on the table and said softly, “Sit down.”

Only then did Tan Xiao sit down awkwardly. She wanted to speak but didn’t know what to say.

“I heard you went to the law firm to find Hanhan’s father, so you should know what we mean,” Zhu Manli said bluntly. Her thoughts were the same as Lin Kun’s; neither of them believed Tan Xiao could give Lin Muhan happiness.

She couldn’t convince herself that a person with such a tarnished record could bring her daughter happiness.

Zhu Manli’s bluntness left Tan Xiao both embarrassed and distressed. After reflecting for a few seconds, she looked up at Zhu Manli. “I know your and Uncle’s concerns. I have no way to argue against everything in the past, but I still hope you and Uncle can give me a chance to prove that I can give Mumu happiness.”

“Can two people from such different backgrounds be happy?” Zhu Manli leaned back against the chair, looking directly at Tan Xiao. “What common topics do you and Hanhan have now? Law? Business?” She spread her hands slightly. “Or farming?”

Tan Xiao was choked up, thinking back to the common topics between herself and Mumu.

It seemed that besides discussing the troubles they faced together, they really didn’t have many topics to talk about in their daily lives.

“The common topics are pitifully few now. What about three, five, or even ten years from now? Will you and her have nothing left to say to each other?” Zhu Manli pressed.

“Topics can be created; I don’t think that is a difficult problem,” Tan Xiao argued, though she was reflecting in her heart.

Zhu Manli picked up her coffee and took a light sip before saying slowly, “I have seen many people whose families were not of equal status get married and even have children.” She shook her head slightly. “Differences in values and upbringing brought many conflicts to their married lives. Over time, they both forgot their original feelings for each other.”

She set the coffee cup down gently and looked seriously at Tan Xiao. “Emotionally, I want to trust my daughter’s choice, but my experience as someone who has lived through it makes me afraid to gamble my daughter’s lifelong happiness on you.”

Tan Xiao really wanted to tell Zhu Manli that her original background wasn’t bad—in fact, her family conditions could rival the Lin family’s.

But she couldn’t. This body had grown up in a struggling single-parent family and had spent years drifting through the chaotic environment of the entertainment industry. Therefore, she could understand why Zhu Manli and Lin Kun wanted to kick her out of the game directly.

To Zhu Manli and Lin Kun, she was just a “loser” who had made a mess of her own life.

“Do you know what kind of love is the most beautiful?” Zhu Manli gave the answer directly. “It’s ending the relationship when both parties are at their best. Only then will the memory be the most beautiful.”

Tan Xiao tightened her hand at her side. After some hesitation, she spoke with difficulty. “Then what about you and Uncle Lin? Are you happy?”

A flash of embarrassment crossed Zhu Manli’s eyes. She didn’t know exactly what her daughter had told her about her and Lin Kun’s affairs. She steadied her mind and replied, “In my view, we are happy.”

“What about Mumu? Do you think Mumu has been happy over the past twenty years?”

The two words at the tip of Zhu Manli’s tongue were swallowed back into her stomach when she remembered her daughter’s accusations against her over the phone.

“A lot of times, I feel like I’m not your daughter, but just a marionette. Whatever you tell me to do, I must do. If I don’t, you just constantly condemn my faults like you’re doing now. But what about you? Are you two completely without fault? Mom, sometimes I’m just so tired.”

Those were her daughter’s original words. When she heard them, she was both shocked and terrified. She had never known her daughter felt that way.

She clearly just wanted her to take fewer detours and avoid falling, so she could live a stable and happy life. In the end, her daughter told her that she was exhausted in this home.

Seeing that Zhu Manli was moved, Tan Xiao seized the opportunity and continued, “I know I’m very selfish and can’t bear to let go of Mumu, but I still want to have the thick skin to ask you for a chance. Words can lie, but a person’s happy gaze cannot. I will let Mumu use her eyes to tell you that she will be happy being with me.”

She said this, but in reality, she had no confidence in her heart.

Zhu Manli’s words told her that there was still quite a distance between her and Mumu. Only by truly bridging these gaps could she give Mumu real happiness.

Zhu Manli looked down at the coffee cup held in both hands. After a long while, she spoke. “Two months. I will only give you two months.” She looked up at Tan Xiao. “If you can’t do it, please leave Hanhan of your own accord.”