Chapter 120: Plan to Save Rare Species

“So disliking, hating, and giving the cold shoulder—aren’t those expected? Moreover, if the child’s father doesn’t care, why should she show concern as a stepmother? After all, she has her own son,” Shen Yanming said.

Bi Qiao’an nodded in agreement. “At the end of the day, it’s because his father is not a good person. He made a mistake in the first place, and yet doesn’t know how to make amends. Look at the poor child, imagine how much hardship he had to endure to grow up to this point.”

“His father is likely afraid that treating Kangyong well would make things difficult with the Zhu family. Plus, he has a younger son to consider,” Shen Yanming mused. “The Ji family’s company turns a good profit each year simply by relying on his ties to the Zhu family. Over time, he’s probably grown accustomed to playing favorites.”

Well, self-interest often trumps blood ties.

Shen Yanming stroked Bi Qiao’an’s long hair, his touch gentle and comforting. “They will regret it. That family won’t have a good ending.”

Bi Qiao’an smiled, her eyes twinkling with mirth. “That’s right. If the Ji family knew they missed an opportunity to live comfortably, they’d probably explode from anger!”

“Indeed, karma can be unpredictable. But darling, can we change the subject? Can we have a more in-depth discussion?” Shen Yanming’s voice took on a playful tone.

Bi Qiao’an poked Shen Yanming’s cheek with her finger, her laughter filling the room. “Oh you, your thoughts always turn to that when you’re well-fed.”

After indulging in passion, the next day Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an slept in until almost noon before getting up.

In early December, daytime temperatures had already dropped to around 8°C, dropping to near 0°C at night.

While scrolling through Weibo, Bi Qiao’an discovered a proposal called “Plan to Save Rare Species.”

It turned out that after a month of living with water scarcity, everyone had gained a thorough understanding of the dry season’s severity. 

At first, they thought that with so much water stored, they could surely make it through the dry season. However, to their surprise, many people had used up a third of their stored water in just a short month.

But according to official news, the dry season would last at least three more months. This meant that everyone would have to be even more frugal with their water usage. Many people were reluctant to water their plants at home. As for their small pets, having kept them for so long with deep emotional attachments, they really couldn’t bear to let them die. 

But plants and animals are all living creatures on this planet. Why should the status of plants be inferior to animals that can run and make sounds?  

So, some people started posting online, wanting to give their precious plants to netizens who had the ability to care for them, hoping that the other party would treat them well and give them a chance to survive. 

At first, only a few people posted about giving away plants online. Later, more and more people participated. After all, rather than keeping them at home to die, it was better to send them to someone else and give them a chance to live.

Gradually, this topic became popular, and the Qinghe Alliance’s official Weibo account also made a statement:

“Before the dry season, the Qinghe Alliance had done its best to collect species within the country and sent them to secret bases for careful care. We will do our best to preserve the species of Qinghua.

However, the Alliance’s ability is limited, and there are still some rare species left among the people or in the wild. Here, the Qinghe Alliance earnestly requests you to use your own power to preserve these species as much as possible.

If you have rare animals or plants in your hands, please take good care of them. If you have difficulties, please send the rare animals or plants to the Alliance. We will definitely treat them well. At the same time, as long as the rare animals or plants you send meet the standards, a gift will be prepared for you.

Alternatively, you can also join the public plan to save rare species. Here, the Qinghe Alliance expresses its sincere gratitude for your kindness!

However, the Qinghe Alliance would like to remind you that the Alliance ‘may’ open water purchase services in the future, but the specific time and standards are yet to be determined. Please make choices based on your own abilities.”

Netizens gave thumbs up to the Qinghe Alliance one after another, praising their government for its consideration and foresight.

In a few days, netizens began posting their gains in the comment section.

Netizen Flying Fish said they took an eighteen-scholar camellia to the Qinghe Alliance and exchanged it for a 5L bucket of drinking water, 3 kg of dried vegetables, and 3 kg of pickled vegetables.

Flying Fish wrote a long post expressing their thoughts. The main point was that they had invested heavily in this potted plant and had kept it for almost four years and had long developed an emotional attachment.

Flying Fish noted they still had water at home, and the Alliance hinted that water could be purchased in the future. They initially wanted to hold on longer but feared ultimately having to give away the plant.

“The rewards given by the Qinghe Alliance weren’t worth much compared to the plant’s initial cost,” Flying Fish wrote. “However, during the dry season, water and vegetables were incredibly valuable. I believe that without the Alliance’s preparations, we might also be struggling for sustenance like other countries.”

Therefore, Flying Fish had no regrets. After all, the Qinghe Alliance provided essential survival supplies, not money.

Furthermore, the eighteen-scholar camellia, precious to Flying Fish, wasn’t rare to the Alliance. The purchase was made simply because they were all citizens of Qinghua.

Netizens then realized the government had indeed made extensive preparations in advance, and what they now lacked were truly rare items.

Interestingly, this statement from the Qinghe Alliance also transformed the public rescue plan’s original “gifting” into a “paid transaction.”

Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an found this approach beneficial. If it was “gifting”, some recipients might not attach importance to the species they are adopting due to their lack of value.

Paid transactions, however, demonstrated that recipients had both the means and a genuine love for these animals and plants, ensuring they would receive proper care.

After careful consideration, Bi Qiao’an posted a Weibo message: “I’m interested in purchasing rare animals and plants. If you’d like to trade, please comment what species you have and what you’d like in return. For private transactions, you may send me a direct message. Transactions are limited to the Hai City area, and I can arrange for in-person pickup.”

Bi Qiao’an’s previous videos on foraging and creating dried vegetables had already attracted a dedicated following. While she maintained her anonymity, her fans knew she resided in Hai City based on her location tags.

Her Weibo message sparked a flurry of interest, with many Hai City residents offering potential trades. As comments and reposts multiplied, the post quickly evolved into a local trading hub.

Bi Qiao’an selectively browsed the comments, finding several items that caught her eye.

Ultimately, she exchanged two talking mynas for two packs of toilet paper and 10L of purified water, five medicinal lily bulbs for 5L of purified water, and a yew tree for 5L of purified water and 10 packs of instant noodles.

Despite her desire to acquire several young deer and monkeys, Bi Qiao’an recognized the impracticality of such purchases. She prioritized responsible transactions and lacked the resources to properly house these animals.

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Translator’s Note:

This is the end of today’s bulk release~ ɷ◡ɷ Thank you for reading!

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