Inheriting a Farm Made Me an Internet Sensation - Chapter 53

Lin Muhan wore a look of surprise, thinking she had hallucinated. Seeing the earnest expression on Su Han’s face, she immediately let out a light laugh. “Rather than worrying about me, you’d be better off worrying about yourself. We both know Jiang Mo is no saint, and Jiang Yue is determined to seize Huatai.” She shook her head slightly. “As sensible as you are, you wouldn’t go looking for trouble. Therefore, something must have happened between you and her that I don’t know about.”

As she spoke, she stared intently at Su Han, attempting to pierce through her expression to discover her true thoughts.

Unfortunately, she was unsuccessful; Su Han remained expressionless.

Seeing this, Lin Muhan didn’t feel discouraged. She set down her coffee cup. “There are still things at the office that need handling. I’m leaving.”

Her purpose for coming today was to get a reassurance from Su Han. Now that she had it, there was no need to stay any longer.

Su Han did not speak to ask her to stay. After watching her leave, she turned back to look out the window, her eyes filled with complexity.

Under the instigation of those with hidden agendas, even though twelve days had passed since the “toxic cabbage” incident, the fervor had not died down. People everywhere were clamoring to shut down Anxin Farm.

Tan Xiao, who rarely went online, was unaware of the specific comments from netizens. Currently, She Mingcan and his two classmates, Chu Qi and Chai Zitao, had arrived at Anxin Farm. After resting for two days, they began exchanging insights with Tan Xiao.

Professor Wu, hearing of this, also gave up his new hobby of teasing birds to participate in their meetings as a faithful listener.

Chen Cuihua, following Tan Xiao’s request, had leased a piece of nearby farmland to fully prepare for the experiments following the arrival of spring.

On this day, just as Tan Xiao and She Mingcan’s trio finished sowing the empty plots in the greenhouse and approached the small courtyard, they saw a police car driving toward them.

She Mingcan and his two companions gave her enough respect, pointing upstairs. “We’ll go up first.”

She nodded. “Alright.”

As the three left, the police officer who had stepped out of the car arrived in front of her.

“This is a summons. Please come with us.”

Tan Xiao looked up at the summons in the officer’s hand. Confirming it wasn’t a fake, she took off her apron, stuffed it into the stainless-steel gate, and said calmly, “Let’s go.”

The scene of her getting into the car was witnessed by She Mingcan, Chu Qi, and Chai Zitao standing on the third-floor balcony.

Chai Zitao sneered, “I really wonder how these useless fools passed the police academy. Instead of investigating where the cabbage went after leaving Anxin Farm, they bite down on Tan Xiao and won’t let go. Their heads must have been kicked by a donkey.”

Chu Qi withdrew her gaze and leaned against the balcony railing, crossing her arms. “I heard Tan Xiao moved someone’s cheese. They’re trying to ruin her.”

“Do you think Tan Xiao will be ruined?” She Mingcan turned and asked.

Chu Qi chuckled. “She will only grow more courageous with every setback.”

She had indeed only spent two days with Tan Xiao, but from those two days of interaction—the experimental subjects in the greenhouse and the detailed data records—it wasn’t hard to see that Tan Xiao was not someone who gave up easily.

Besides, without a resilient mindset, one wouldn’t embark on the path of research in the first place.

She Mingcan nodded. “My dad hasn’t given me a clear reply, but from what he implied, the people above are already preparing to close the net.”

Chu Qi perked up and looked at him. “Is the speed that fast?”

She Mingcan shrugged. “Logically, it wouldn’t be this fast. But what if there’s help?”

Chu Qi understood instantly, realization dawning on her. “It seems Tan Xiao hasn’t been completely unprepared either.”

“What part of her made you think she was harmless?” With that, She Mingcan reached out and ruffled Chu Qi’s hair. Ignoring her frantic protests, he entered the house laughing.

Chu Qi was his junior. According to her, she had chosen the Beijing Agricultural Institute out of spite—she didn’t want people saying she used her mother’s influence to get in through the back door, and her scores limited her choices. As she delved deeper into the studies, she developed a genuine interest in planting, and there was no turning back.

As for Chai Zitao, influenced by his father since childhood, he had a natural interest in planting. Even if his college entrance scores allowed for other choices, he decisively gave them up to choose the Beijing Agricultural Institute. He was in the same year as She Mingcan.

Chai Zitao watched the interaction between the two and rubbed his arm. “I say, can you two pay attention to the setting when you’re flirting?”

“Who’s flirting with him?” “Who’s flirting with her?”

The two spoke in unison.

Chai Zitao raised his hand to block his view. “See no evil, hear no evil.”

Meanwhile, Tan Xiao, who had arrived at the station with the police, was currently sitting in an interrogation room.

She waited for about ten minutes before two officers entered and sat across from her.

“Regarding the toxic cabbage grown at Anxin Farm, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Tan Xiao wasn’t panicked at all. She said composedly, “On the day the four patients were poisoned, nearly two tons of cabbage left Anxin Farm. If there really was a problem, why were only four people poisoned?”

The questioning officer slammed the table in anger. “You are the one being questioned right now!”

Tan Xiao nodded with an “Oh.” “I can have my lawyer present, right?”

“You can.”

Tan Xiao dialed Su Han. Before she could say anything specific, Su Han’s voice rang out first.

“The lawyer is already on the way. Until the lawyer arrives, you have the right to remain silent.”

Tan Xiao put down her phone and sat quietly in the chair waiting for the lawyer, though she harbored doubts about Su Han’s words.

Su Han seemed very aware of her movements. Was it out of concern, or some other reason?

It wasn’t that she was judging a noble person with a petty mind; it was just that the impression Su Han left her with was someone who prioritized profit. Logically, after such a major incident, Su Han should have at least scolded her, yet she didn’t.

So… could the poisoning incident be related to Su Han?

The lawyer arrived quickly. After nodding a greeting to her, he pulled a document from his briefcase and handed it to the police. “Based on the investigation, after the vendors took the cabbage from Anxin Farm, it went through two middlemen before reaching the vegetable vendor where the four poisoned victims purchased it. Many things could have happened during that time. Surely my client cannot be held responsible for all of them?”

Following this, the lawyer took out another document. “These are statements from other individuals who purchased cabbage from Anxin Farm on the same day. From their testimonies, it is clear there was no problem with the cabbage.”

The officer flipped through it cursorily and snorted. “Our forensic team has confirmed that the four patients consumed toxic cabbage, and those cabbages originated from Anxin Farm.” As he spoke, the officer’s gaze became sharp, as if trying to see through Tan Xiao.

Before Tan Xiao could speak, the lawyer cut in directly. “Officer Fang, I’ve already made it very clear, and the evidence submitted is also clear. Perhaps you should investigate in the direction of intentional poisoning.”

The lawyer stood up and nodded slightly. “May I ask, can I and my client leave now?”

Officer Fang checked the time. “What’s the rush? There are still 23 hours left out of the 24-hour hold.” With that, he and the other officer got up and left the interrogation room.

The lawyer looked at Tan Xiao with an apologetic expression. “Please wait a moment, I will go try to negotiate further.”

Tan Xiao looked around the interrogation room—which contained nothing but a desk and a surveillance camera—and nodded. “Thank you for the trouble.”

“It’s my duty,” the lawyer said before walking out.

Ten minutes later, the lawyer returned. “You can leave now.”

After thanking him, Tan Xiao followed the lawyer out of the police station.

She didn’t know where the reporters had gotten the news, but a crowd of them swarmed her as soon as she stepped outside.

“Tan Xiao, do you have anything to say about the toxic cabbage?” “The police summoned you; has it been confirmed that Anxin Farm’s cabbage is toxic?” “Do you feel guilty toward the four innocent poisoned patients?” “After this incident, do you still dare to insist on pure ecological planting and zero pesticide residue?”

Tan Xiao stopped her pace, looked directly into the camera, and said firmly: “I have absolute confidence in our farm. I will not give up on the idea of promoting green ecological planting nationwide, so that everyone can easily eat healthier fruits and vegetables.”

“Can I interpret your words as you believing someone is framing Anxin Farm?”

She curled her lips slightly. “I’ll say it again: on the day in question, over two tons of cabbage were sold from the farm. During that time, everyone at the farm was eating that same cabbage.” With that, she turned and, under the lawyer’s protection, got into the car.

“President Su said you don’t need to worry; this matter will end soon,” the lawyer said, twisting around from the front passenger seat to face Tan Xiao in the back.

Hearing this, Tan Xiao became even more certain of her suspicion. Su Han must be playing a certain role in this matter.

Anger was inevitable, but she wouldn’t let it cloud her judgment.

She only hoped this would finally make the mastermind behind the scenes stop. If “bombs” like this kept going off, her heart wouldn’t be able to take it.

The two sentences she spoke to the reporters were released two hours later in video format by the Binhai Social News Network.

Just like before, as soon as the video was posted, many people left comments to stir up trouble, trying to incite public outrage.

For some reason, the effect was minimal this time. It was as if the netizens’ rationality had suddenly returned, and they began to seriously analyze what Tan Xiao had said.

Chen Cuihua and Zhang Da, seeing the relatively rational comments online, finally let their hearts settle. This meant the storm was about to pass.

Some were happy, while others were worried. In a luxury villa in the Liren District, CEO Tu saw Tan Xiao’s bold statement to the reporters and was so angry he threw his phone.

Seeing this, the assistant quickly lowered his head, hands folded over his stomach, not daring to make a sound.

After a long while, the fire in CEO Tu’s heart dissipated slightly. He asked, “Have you found out who is targeting us?”

The assistant lowered his head even further and stammered, “Besides the Tax Bureau, there… there is also the Anti-Corruption Department.”

CEO Tu clenched his fists and said in a heavy voice, “Tell me the moment they make a move.” After speaking, he waved his other hand.

The assistant took the hint and turned to leave.

Hearing the door close, CEO Tu thought it over and decided to call CEO Zhang to explain the current situation.

“Stay calm. The sky isn’t going to fall just yet.”

CEO Tu’s eyes lit up. “You mean you have a way to handle this?”

“The situation is tense lately. Don’t call me if there’s nothing important.”

CEO Tu wanted to say more, but the “beep-beep” sound of a disconnected call already came through the phone.

He placed the phone on his lap and sank into thought. Did CEO Zhang’s words mean they could weather this storm smoothly?

No, just to be safe, he had to prepare a backup plan.

Anxin Farm, Small Courtyard

Tan Xiao finished organizing the data and went to the second-floor balcony. She gripped the railing with both hands and looked out into the distance.

Winter nights were devoid of the frog croaks and cricket chirps of summer; they became incredibly quiet. Even the lights in the distance were few and far between, making this long night feel even more lonely.

She thought she was used to loneliness; after all, she dealt with vegetables in the field all day. But now, she felt an unprecedented sense of isolation.

What was MuMu doing now? Was she asleep, or gathering with friends?

She was probably with friends. Before MuMu moved into the courtyard, wasn’t her nightlife very rich?

Was it because MuMu couldn’t stand this kind of loneliness that she refused to stay in a room alone?

Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but give a bitter smile, her eyes full of regret. Why had she only realized this now?

If she had understood sooner, would MuMu have left her?

Quickly, she dismissed the thought. MuMu left because she had kept things from her.

A cold wind-swept past, slapping her face and creeping into her collar, making her shiver involuntarily.

She rubbed her hands together. Just as she was about to turn back into the house, a beam of light illuminated the road in front of the courtyard, followed by the sound of an approaching car.

She stopped in her tracks immediately, casting the cold aside. Her heart was full of nervous anticipation. Was it MuMu?