March brings the vibrancy of spring, covering the land in fresh greenery.

The orchard on North Mountain is in full bloom, with butterflies dancing and bees buzzing—a scene brimming with life.

The children of Lao Hu Town, carrying bamboo baskets, roam through the woods in search of edible wild greens, lichens, and small mushrooms.

When thirsty, they pluck a tender sprout of wild rose, strip off its thorny skin, and chew on its sweet, juicy core.

The lucky ones might even find bright red sour berries or snake berries to satisfy their cravings.

The Qiao family children are completely unrestrained, heading out right after breakfast to run wild in the fields and forests, returning home covered in mud and dust.

The moment they step inside, they throw themselves into Qiao Xin’s and Nanny Qin’s arms, smothering the old woman in dust.

Even the well-mannered nanny can’t help but roar, “Get back here!”

Meanwhile, Qiao Xin watches from the side, laughing gleefully—only to receive a sharp glare from Nanny Qin.

“Don’t be mad, Nanny! They love you from the bottom of their hearts. Kids are naturally playful, and they only have a few years to enjoy carefree fun. Once they grow up, they won’t have such chances anymore.”

Nanny Qin snorts, refusing to be swayed by Qiao Xin’s words.

She turns around to change her clothes—but the corners of her mouth curl up in a smile.

Ever since returning from the city, Qiao Xin has thrown herself into transforming the forest.

She clears the main paths, removes unnecessary shrubs, and prunes the fruit trees.

It’s a long and tedious task that can’t be rushed.

Her plan is to start by fixing the peach grove at the foot of the mountain.

By April or May, they can harvest the fruits—finally bringing in some income.

Qiao Xin asked Fan Jihua to report to the local government, enlisting Lao Hu Town’s residents to participate in public labor for water infrastructure projects.

This large-scale land reclamation, canal construction, and road repair required every household to contribute manpower.

But unlike before, when people worked three months for the government in distant locations, this time, they were working for themselves.

Naturally, their enthusiasm was different.

Li Zhong led the villagers in clearing the clogged sections of abandoned canals.

The excess silt was used to fertilize nearby fields, and the newly dug-out land became a two-meter-wide road beside the waterway.

Zhang Yun led a construction team, diligently digging and extending the irrigation canals meter by meter under Qiao Xin’s guidance.

Everyone pitched in—elders, children, anyone who could help.

Some pushed wheelbarrows, others carried baskets, bit by bit moving soil and leveling the land.

They all understood: once the canal was completed, they wouldn’t have to carry water bucket by bucket to irrigate their fields.

Qiao Xin had made it clear—this canal was built for all of Lao Hu Town, and it would be up to the townspeople to maintain and manage it together.

Everyone would be responsible for its upkeep.

With seamless cooperation, they swore to complete a fully connected irrigation system within two months.

Qiao Xin believed in doing things thoroughly.

She ensured the canal covered every corner, personally inspected the work, and ordered any subpar sections to be redone.

Now, it was just wasteland, and nobody minded giving up some land for the roads and canals.

But once the fields were cultivated, any new construction would mean cutting into people’s livelihoods.

“A stream encircles the fields in green, and two mountains frame the scene in blue.”

When Qiao Yunqing returned to Lao Hu Town, this was the sight before him.

A network of crisscrossing paths and glistening water stretched across the landscape.

In the distance, people were still hard at work, bent over in labor.

It was a scene of bustling productivity and prosperity.

If not for the wooden sign at the corner, clearly marked “Lao Hu Town”, he would have thought he had arrived at the wrong place.

The roads beneath his feet were wide and smooth. To his right, a gentle stream flowed steadily into the distance.

The well-planned irrigation system was being utilized to perfection.

New willow branches and young saplings had been planted along both sides of the road.

At every crossroads, a simple pavilion had been built, complete with stone tables and benches.

In a year or two, the roadsides would be lush with trees and soft with grass.

Farmers would be able to rest in the pavilions after long hours in the fields.

Visitors were all amazed at the thoughtfulness of the road and canal builders.

Fan Jihua, who had been invited by Qiao Yunqing to conduct land surveys, was equally astonished.

The last time he visited, at the beginning of the year, Lao Hu Town had been the same as always—just with a few more people. But now?

The transformation was nothing short of a miracle.

This was no abandoned town; it was a paradise!

Fortunately, his family had purchased several courtyards here early on, following Qiao Xin’s lead. Otherwise, they would regret it for a lifetime.

Now, all the best houses in town had already been secretly secured by Qiao Xin.

By the end of the day, any remaining homes would likely be snapped up.

Once word got out, people from all over would flock to Lao Hu Town.

Given the Qiao family’s influence and strategic control, no one could challenge their position in the town anymore.

The Qiao family had truly risen to power—and it had happened so quickly!

When Qiao Yunqing pushed open the door to his home, he found Qiao Xin squatting in the workers’ courtyard, deep in discussion with Niu Dabao and his brother about a fully automated waterwheel.

The spacious yard was scattered with various wooden parts, each marked with strange symbols.

At first glance, it seemed chaotic, but in reality, it followed an intricate logic.

Villagers gathered around, watching with fascination as Qiao Xin swiftly sorted the pieces and assembled them.

Within moments, a half-meter-tall model of a waterwheel was complete.