Her Cultivation Diary
Chapter 998 - 978. Divine Brush

Chapter 998: 978. Divine Brush

Secretary Xiaozu clicked his tongue in amazement at Song Tan: "Sometimes I feel like your family has zero political sensitivity, but other times, each of your brilliant moves is really fascinating..."

Take inviting the leaders over for the pig-slaughtering feast, for example. That food is bound to make anyone exclaim in awe upon tasting it!

If the leaders have some vision, they’ll know such top-notch products shouldn’t face forced reduction in production due to environmental factors. They might even casually mention rural electricity usage...

Wouldn’t it just fall into place effortlessly?

If we build something new next year, considering that it creates jobs locally, doesn’t that make the process a lot smoother?

She pondered and suggested, "Since you’ve already invited the city leaders, make sure to write a proper post about the pig-slaughtering banquet. I’ll send it to city governance and bring a few copies to the county, too."

Although, to be fair, the county leaders focus on doing as little as possible, but when it comes to advancing a project, not being an obstacle makes for a good leader!

Song Tan thought about it seriously for a moment, then sincerely thanked her: "It’s probably from being influenced by you and Teacher Tang. You both view things so differently. Even if I don’t have great ideas, I occasionally gain some insights from you."

"Ah!" Secretary Xiaozu waved her hand casually. "All of this depends on your own capability. If it’s just an ordinary pig-slaughtering banquet, do you think you’d have the nerve to invite the leaders?"

Song Tan, however, was seriously calculating: "It’s the end of the year, and people from the ten miles and eight villages are all back home. I’m thinking if the city leaders come over for a meal, hiring workers after the New Year might be much easier."

"Definitely!" Secretary Xiaozu agreed: "You’ve got the goods that sell well, but when you hit the New Year rush with nothing to sell, people might not believe it. But if the leaders come to your house, it shows you’ve got connections at the top, and your business will run steady as a rock."

The two exchanged a glance, both feeling a strong sense of ambition and readiness to expand their horizons.

...

When the trophy was brought home, Qiaoqiao shouted excitedly again: "Sis, the strawberries are ripening even more! The greenhouse smells so good! The cherry tomatoes are ripe, too—clusters of them are so red!"

He joyfully held up his phone: "I want to show the kids!"

Meanwhile, Professor Song was scraping the mud off his shoe sole with a bamboo stick. He had just taken a stroll in the greenhouse earlier, where the morning’s watering left some sticky residue. Now he was feeling confident: "Song Tan, the official evaluation on January 5th—just to be sure, you’d better leave as early as the 3rd."

"I’m confident this year’s Best Agricultural Product award is ours!"

Seeing the fruits ripen now filled Professor Song with immense assurance: "If they don’t give you the award, I’ll personally rush to the Imperial City overnight and shove it in their mouths! I only believe someone can resist eating it if they can prove it!"

When he glanced at the trophy she was hugging, he couldn’t help but grin: "Come, come, take a picture with the trophy. I’ll have Yan Ran fill in the details, and we’ll aim to get you a spot in the opening group."

Song Tan shook her head: "This is a crushing victory. If I appear too early, what about those coming afterward? They won’t get any points."

"Switch to the final performance instead."

For most people, appearing last isn’t particularly advantageous—after all, by that point, taste buds are fatigued, not to mention everyone’s already full.

But Professor Song thought it over; it made sense! He agreed briskly.

He was so excited he could barely contain himself: "If I weren’t unable to attend in person, I’d really want to tag along and see for myself!"

Then, he reminded her again: "Make sure you’re fully prepared!"

But Song Tan was far from nervous; she simply heaved a sigh of relief: "I’ve been waiting for this."

Yet now, she had another concern: "How am I supposed to transport all this stuff to the Imperial City?"

High-speed rail and airplanes were out of the question; the fruits and veggies were delicate, plentiful, and scattered...

"Drive!" Song Sancheng muttered to himself, "Heading to the Imperial City—I haven’t been there yet. You’re finally getting this rare trip, and you still have to drive that beat-up pickup? Should’ve bought a new car earlier!"

When he finished speaking, he stared intently at Song Tan.

Sigh, this old father was bitter at heart!

Although his daughter gives plenty of money each month, and the couple has saved up tens of thousands now, somehow, unless she gives the word, he doesn’t dare buy a car... Now the year’s end is almost here, and the family still has that same beat-up pickup!

Song Tan did feel a little regret: "Pickups aren’t allowed into the Imperial City."

Song Sancheng’s eyes lit up: "Exactly! Pickups aren’t allowed into the Imperial City! We’ve still got a few days; why don’t we go look at cars today?"

Song Tan: ...She had just returned from the urban area.

Moreover...

"Looking at cars is trouble." Teacher Tang, unaware of Song Sancheng’s new car fantasy, said earnestly at this moment, "If you buy a new car, you’ll have to deal with getting it registered, and taking a long trip before it’s broken in isn’t ideal."

"Besides, an out-of-town car in the Imperial City needs a pass there... You might as well look for a rental car online and swap vehicles once you’re outside the Sixth Ring Road—it’s much simpler."

When it comes to enjoying life and making arrangements for convenience, no one beats Lady Tang’s acumen. She even suggested again: "The road in the Imperial City is unfamiliar; if it’s not license plate restrictions, it’s traffic limits. You could even hire a local driver directly ahead of time—sure, it costs money, but it saves hassle."

The ever-averse-to-trouble Song Tan: ...Great idea!

But turning back, seeing Song Sancheng’s eyes dim from gleaming optimism to disappointment, Song Tan couldn’t bear it. Still, her father’s driving skills hadn’t improved much despite his fervent practice. For everyone’s safety, she could only let him endure the disappointment for now!

To soften the blow, she offered a consolation prize: "Dad, if you’re bored, take the pickup keys. Drive around the village casually every day."

"When people ask, just say you’re practicing for when we buy a new car."

"I estimate that by February, you’ll be good enough."

By then—whether he mastered it or not—they’d first have to buy her mom a car. After all, spring next year would bring lots of running back and forth.

Song Sancheng was already feeling content!

Although his dream scenario of casually lowering the window of a fancy new car to subtly showcase it couldn’t yet become reality, driving around more and engaging people in discussions was still great!

After all, he hadn’t yet decided what type of car to buy!

Meanwhile, Zhang Yanping came out of the house and asked, "Tantan, the audience in Qiaoqiao’s livestream are asking about New Year’s perks... Do we ignore them or announce something?"

Song Tan was stunned: "Our store... has festival perks?" No one asked during Mid-Autumn Festival or Dragon Boat Festival!

Zhang Yanping laughed: "Let’s put something together. The start and end of the year are significant days after all—by Lunar New Year’s Eve, there won’t even be courier services anymore. It’s perfect to do something for New Year’s."

He casually mentioned a statistic: "Qiaoqiao’s follower count is already at 900,000 and growing fast. He’s about to hit a million soon. A million is a big milestone, worth taking seriously."

Song Tan didn’t mind giving something away—but they genuinely had nothing left now! Whatever could be sold had already been sold.

She thought about it thoroughly: "Have Qiaoqiao tell everyone. Winter doesn’t offer much, but if they don’t mind, we can do a 9.9 carrot gift bundle."

Carrots were sure to be overweight, and with the shipping cost she’d supplement, she’d be giving way too much!