Chapter 24: Fruit Tree Saplings

Ever since the dinner gathering, Shen Yanming had practically confined Bi Qiao’an to their home, refusing to let her go outside.

“Brother Yanming, please, let me go out for a little while! I haven’t stepped out for an entire week!” Bi Qiao’an pleaded, clinging to his arm and shaking it.

“No, you’re almost there. Study hard!” Shen Yanming laughed and patted Bi Qiao’an’s head, but didn’t show any signs of compromising.

“I’ll just take a quick spin around the block, please? Darling, my written exam score is so good, I’ll easily pass the interview!” Bi Qiao’an had calculated that, barring some unforeseen event, she could pass with a casual interview.

“Qiao’an, that kind of attitude won’t do. There are always people better than you. We can’t know for sure how many points the second place scored, right? We both know how important this is!” Shen Yanming’s tone suddenly turned serious, determined to nip her playful attitude in the bud.

“I know, I know. I was just saying,” she mumbled, a touch of sulk in her voice. She let go of his hand and turned back to the guest room.

Seeing the closed door, a pang of regret hit him for being so strict.

“Okay, I’ll take you out for a trip tomorrow, but after we return, you have to study hard. No more going out before the interview,” Shen Yanming finally compromised, knocking on the door and calling out to her.

“Okay!” Bi Qiao’an answered through the door.

Seeing that she didn’t come out, Shen Yanming didn’t linger. He made a few phone calls and went back to his room.

The next early morning, a fully geared-up Bi Qiao’an practically bounced with excitement beside Shen Yanming. Outfitted for adventure, they set off on a mysterious outing! First, they went to the car rental agency to pick up the van they had rented the day before, then headed to the orchard on the outskirts of the city that they had previously contacted.

On the way, Shen Yanming explained, “We’ll pick out some young trees today and bring them back to try cultivating within the space. Let’s see if we can get a sustainable yield going.”

Having slept off last night’s mild funk, Bi Qiao’an already bounced back to high spirits upon seeing him again. She understood perfectly that his strictness was born of wanting her to succeed.

“Great idea! During the apocalypse, food production will suffer massively, especially agriculture. Fruits eventually became a luxury product. I remember going whole years without a single fresh piece.” A shiver of remembered hardship ran through her at the thought.

“But now, we can change that! We can focus on vegetables indoors and farm staple grains outdoors, all while keeping our orchards safely tucked away in the space. Not only does it give us fresh produce, but it helps us avoid unwanted attention,” she added, a smile brightening her face as she envisioned their expanding base.

They arrived at their destination two hours later. Immediately seeking out the orchard owner, they directly explained their purpose.

“I’m rather reluctant to sell the trees to you. Look, they’re already bearing fruit. If I keep them, I have income every year,” Boss Lin said as he led Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an into the orchard.

“Tourists can come to pick the fruits themselves. Cherry season has passed, but right now, peaches are in season. The peaches and apples are still green, they’re edible but sour. Wait another two months and they’ll be ripe.”

Shen Yanming smiled as he listened to Boss Lin’s non-stop chatter. “Is Boss Lin unsatisfied with the price?”

Boss Lin was startled and laughed.”The price is quite satisfactory. It’s just that I’ve raised these trees for many years, so I’m a bit hesitant to part with them. Some folks buy trees from me, saying they’ll plant them in their villas or yards, but few can grow them well and most of them die. I feel sorry for them!”

“Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of these trees!” Bi Qiao’an nodded after hearing this. She felt that Boss Lin was someone who truly loved his work, and she respected that.

“Actually, Boss Lin, we’d prefer young trees that have just started bearing fruit. We’re also planting them at a villa, and we’ll nurture them carefully,” Shen Yanming said with a smile.

He knew that older trees with higher fruit yields wouldn’t be easy to dig up and transport. It was better to select the ones just beginning to fruit. With Bi Qiao’an’s space to nurture them, he wasn’t worried about them not bearing well in the future.

Boss Lin’s eyes lit up. “Are you serious? That would be fantastic! I’ve run this orchard for years, cultivating young trees every season. These seedlings take time to bear fruit, but this year, I have a batch that’s just getting started. They haven’t produced much yet, but that’s perfect for you, hehe.”

Shen Yanming nodded. “Excellent. Boss Lin, could you please select healthy trees without any pests or diseases?”

Boss Lin led Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an through the orchard, introducing the different varieties of fruit trees along the way. He explained their management and care methods in detail. As they walked, he untied a red ribbon from his wrist and used it to mark the saplings Shen Yanming chose.

In the end, they purchased a diverse selection: three apple trees, three pear trees, five cherry trees, two pomegranate trees, two walnut trees, one date tree, one apricot tree, and one fig tree. It might have seemed like a lot, but it was only one of each kind.

Even though they focused on small seedlings, the rented van was quickly filled up to the brim which required them for another pick up. Then, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an drove out into the countryside.

They reached the secluded foot of a mountain an hour later. As Shen Yanming carefully surveyed the area before nodding to Bi Qiao’an, she then swiftly climbed into the back of the van and stored the first batch of seedlings within her space.

With the first batch of seedlings safely stored in the space, the couple rested briefly in the car. Shen Yanming took out two lunch boxes he had prepared in advance. After having a quick meal, they drove back to the orchard.

Shen Yanming enlisted the workers’ help to load the remaining seedlings, then ordered several boxes of fresh fruit from Boss Lin.

Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an made one more trip to the mountain, storing all the seedlings before returning to the orchard.

Boss Lin had their order ready: five boxes of peaches and one of red dates. As a thank you, he also gifted them a pack of assorted seeds: watermelon, cantaloupe, passion fruit, cherry tomatoes, and more, each neatly labeled in small plastic bags.

They expressed their gratitude to Boss Lin and took their leave as dusk began to settle. On their way back, they stopped at a farm tool store to purchase a set of necessary tools.

Dusk had given way to night when they finally pulled into the car rental agency. Shen Yanming wasted no time in returning the van. He shifted the boxes of fruit and their newly acquired tools to his personal vehicle before setting off for Qingyu Community.

Since they had quite a bit to carry, Shen Yanming called two young security guards from the community to assist them. The four of them managed to move everything back to apartment 1602 in a single trip.

Just as the guards were about to leave, Bi Qiao’an stopped them. She went back to the kitchen and returned with two plastic bags overflowing with peaches, one for each guard.

The young men seemed overjoyed yet hesitant. In this luxurious community, they often helped residents, but it was rare to receive anything in return. They felt a bit awkward accepting such a generous gift for a small favor.

“Please, take them. It’s nothing fancy,” Shen Yanming said, taking the bags and placing it in their hands with a warm smile.

The guards, clearly relieved, expressed their gratitude again while introducing themselves. They told Shen Yanming to feel free to call on them anytime he required help.

Shen Yanming smiled and said he would keep that in mind. He and Bi Qiao’an waited until the two guards had entered the elevator before finally stepping into their own apartment.