Back to 1980: Farming the Sea and Expanding the Island

Around 11 a.m.

A small motorized barge trailing black smoke stopped at the temporary pier on Canhong Island, and someone shouted, "Qingpingzhou, is this the place?"

Several figures immediately peered out from the side of the ship; it was Li Shen from the bamboo and wood factory, who had brought two people with him.

The small barge doesn't have a very deep draft. Two wooden platforms built on the island extend into the river, just enough for people to get on and off; otherwise, the three of them would have had to wade to the island.

"That's right, Master, thank you!"

Technician Li thanked them and then carefully stood on the wooden bridge with his companion. The bridge was supported by wooden beams at both ends, with two wooden beams supporting it from above.

It doesn't look very stable at all; you could easily fall into the river while taking a bath if you're not careful.

Seeing the commotion, Lin Chuan hurriedly came down from the island to meet them, with Su Yanqiu following behind, ready to lend a hand.

Lin Chuan introduced himself to both parties. Li Shen shook hands with Su Yanqiu and politely addressed her as "Teacher Su".

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Shen immediately got to work, spread out the blueprints, and squatted down with Lin Chuan to discuss them.

Su Yanqiu listened curiously from the side; these were quite cutting-edge technologies.

"Mr. Lin, this is the plan determined based on your last suggestion. The foundation depth is sufficient."

Considering the rainy season and ventilation issues, it's best to divide the materials for one acre of land into two sheds.

"We've significantly enhanced the wind resistance design, using double clamps. We've also improved the angles," Li Shen said, pointing to the blueprints.

Lin Chuan carefully examined the blueprints. This was indeed the optimal solution under the current material and technological conditions. He smiled and said, "Technician Li, you guys are professionals. I'll listen to you."

Su Yanqiu could read the blueprints and her eyes lit up when she saw the layout and the irrigation system on them.

Listening to the technician's explanation, and glancing at Lin Chuan again, the surprise in her heart was much less than when she arrived. She hadn't expected Lin Chuan to know even these things.

He had misunderstood. Although Lin Chuan had offered some suggestions, he had zero practical experience. Overall, it was the technician's skill that mattered.

Lin Chuan was unaware of Su Yanqiu's thoughts, and even if he did, he wouldn't explain. It would be best to leave a good impression on his brother-in-law.

With Li Shen's arrival, the construction site made some adjustments, and the work became more orderly.

At midday, the sun hung high overhead, its bright rays illuminating the earth.

"Dinner's ready!" Lin's mother called out loudly.

There were no tables or chairs, nor any fancy bowls or chopsticks. Everyone found their own place, some squatting, some sitting, and some simply leaning against a dirt embankment, all holding large, rough porcelain bowls in their hands.

The dish was simple yet substantial: a large pot of pork and cabbage stew with glass noodles, with oil bubbling on the surface of the soup and chunks of lean and fatty meat trembling precariously.

There was also a large pot of crucian carp stewed with tofu, filling it to the brim.

There was also a bowl of stir-fried radish shreds, garnished with bright red chili peppers, and the rice was mixed grain rice, piled up in a wooden bucket, and there was plenty to go around.

Lin's mother took a large iron ladle and scooped a full spoonful of vegetables into everyone's bowl, giving them plenty of vermicelli and meat.

The bowls for Su Yanqiu, Li Jianguo, and the technician Li were specially filled with extra pieces of solid, good meat.

Following everyone else's example, Su Yanqiu squatted down on a slightly dry earthen slope.

The bowl was heavy, the food steaming hot and fragrant. He took a bite of the stew; it was perfectly seasoned, the pork tender, and the glass noodles soaked up the broth.

"fragrant."

"It smells wonderful! This soup makes me feel so comfortable and delicious."

"You know what, your sister-in-law's cooking skills are really top-notch. No wonder Xiao Chuan is doing so well in his studies."

If my mom cooked this delicious food for me every day, I might have graduated high school by now.

A helper, shoveling food into his mouth, quickly replied amidst his busy work.

"Don't even mention the delicious meat, I could easily eat three bowls of rice. My sister-in-law is amazing; she eats the same food much better than my husband."

The first person to finish eating swallowed the last bite and ran up to Lin's mother with a smile, flattering her.

Lin's mother smiled and said, "Don't rush, there's plenty of food, eat slowly." As she spoke, she served the man another large bowl.

The helpers wolfed down their food, their cheeks bulging, and every now and then someone would call out, "Auntie, another spoonful of soup!"

"This meat is stewed until tender and smells delicious!"

Just as Lin Chuan sat down to start eating, a second line formed in front of his mother.

After taking a few bites, Lin Chuan realized that what everyone said was true; the food today was exceptionally delicious.

At home on weekdays, perhaps because Lin's mother doesn't use much lard, I don't usually feel this way.

There was a lot of lard in the rice today, making it taste delicious. After shoveling a few mouthfuls of rice into his mouth, Lin Chuan noticed something was off. The rice was exceptionally sweet and fragrant, with each grain translucent.

A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately guessed that it wasn't just the lard that was responsible, but also the sweet water well.

Lin Chuan looked up and exchanged a glance with his father. His father guessed what was going on, and the old man on the other side understood as well.

The Lin family members exchanged smiles, offered no explanation, and silently began to eat heartily. The old man, unusually, had a large appetite and ate an extra bowl of rice than usual.

Fortunately, there was plenty of food prepared today, and in the end, nothing was left over; almost everyone ate until they were stuffed.

After a short rest following the meal, the workers continued digging the foundation, while Technician Li and his apprentice began marking out locations and laying out lines, preparing for the formal erection of the framework the next day.

Li Shen then carefully examined the pre-selected locations of several observation stakes in the plan and marked them.

As the sun gradually set in the west, the river breeze turned cool, carrying a hint of chill.

Before returning, Su Yanqiu gestured to Lin Chuan, and the two walked slowly along the water's edge for a while.

"Lin Chuan," Su Yanqiu stopped and looked at the river water dyed golden red by the setting sun, "What I saw and heard on the island today touched me deeply."

The conditions at Canhong Island are even better than you described in your application, and your preparations are more thorough and comprehensive than I imagined.

Lin Chuan listened quietly without interrupting.

"I will write a detailed report, highlighting my recommendation to establish this place as a county-level monitoring point for tidal flat management, and I will do my best to include it in the province's inspection network."

Su Yanqiu said solemnly, "Not only because of the natural resources here, but also because you are here. I believe you can manage Canhong Island very well."

Lin Chuan nodded, feeling a warmth in his heart, knowing that he had gained Su Yanqiu's approval.

From beginning to end, this was the most crucial point; as for the observation point, it was merely an unexpected bonus.

"If approved, there will be some support, such as some observation funding, some simple measuring instruments, and regular technical guidance."

"But more than anything, it's a responsibility," Su Yanqiu turned to Lin Chuan, her gaze serious. "I don't know who will be sent down from above, but I hope you can serve as the observer."

Lin Chuan opened his mouth, preparing to reply.

Su Yanqiu waved his hand and said, "Observation location and observer are two different things. This is a long-term, tedious, and uninterrupted data recording job."

Regardless of wind or rain, or holidays, the water level should be measured and soil samples should be taken as needed.

This could take up a significant amount of your energy for the next few years, or even longer.

I hope you will seriously consider this. You don't need to reply to me yet; I will go to other places to conduct further research.

You can give me your answer when I get back.

Lin Chuan met Su Yanqiu's gaze without flinching and smiled, "Don't worry, from the moment I took on the task of managing the deserted island, I will wholeheartedly dedicate myself to its restoration."

Even if I'm not an observer, I will still diligently record the data. I will absolutely not be careless about anything that benefits the governance of Canhong Island.