Chapter 259: First Time Hearing Of Raising A Tree As A Pet!
It’s strange to say.
In the past, our family was in a lot of debt and didn’t have the conditions to have a second child.
Jiang Tao and Xu Li took necessary measures every time they played poker.
It was understandable that she couldn’t get pregnant then.
Starting from the Spring Festival, he and Xu Li had stopped taking any measures.
Besides occasional verbal praise from Xu Li, most of the time they hit the bullseye.
But it’s been two or three months and there’s been no sign of anything.
The couple even went to the hospital for a physical check-up because of this.
Both of them were very healthy, with no problems, and could conceive normally.
But they just couldn’t get pregnant.
Because of this, Xu Li was very anxious and had learned a lot about easy-to-conceive positions online herself.
But there was no noticeable effect.
Jiang Tao was also speechless about this, but there was nothing he could do, so he could only let nature take its course.
This afternoon, there was nothing urgent that needed to be handled.
Just as Jiang Tao stood up and headed for the bedroom to take a nap, the mobile phone in his hand suddenly rang.
Ring ring ring——
He raised his hand and looked at the phone screen, the caller ID showed “Liu Pingmei”.
Seeing this name, Jiang Tao was slightly surprised, but he still swiped his finger to answer the call.
Liu Pingmei is a sister-in-law who lived next door to the west of Jiang Tao’s hometown village.
Jiang Tao used to be home for only a few days a year, and he would just nod and say hello to Liu Pingmei when they met.
They had added contact information years ago and had only made a handful of phone calls.
“Hello, sister-in-law, what’s up?”
After the call connected, Jiang Tao smiled and greeted the person on the other end.
“Really? Thank you for the reminder, sister-in-law. I’ll go back and check.”
“Okay, goodbye.”
He only exchanged a few brief words on the phone before hanging up.
Jiang Tao couldn’t afford to nap anymore, so he hurried out, went downstairs, got into his Mercedes-Benz G-wagon, and headed straight for Jiang Family Village.
In about 15 minutes, the Mercedes-Benz G-wagon stopped at the entrance of Jiang Tao’s house in Jiang Family Village.
After parking the car, he opened the door and got out, then used the key to unlock the main gate.
As soon as he entered, Jiang Tao’s gaze quickly shifted to the walnut tree he had planted on the west side of the yard.
He didn’t plant this walnut tree for eating walnuts.
This was a mutant hairy walnut tree.
According to the information provided by the Daily Intelligence System at the time, when it matures and enters the fruiting period, its annual output value would be around 600,000!
He walked a few steps closer to the mutant hairy walnut tree, and Jiang Tao’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Just as sister-in-law Liu Pingmei had said, the leaves of this mutant hairy walnut tree had all withered.
Most of them had fallen to the ground, with a small number still hanging on the branches.
“Brother Tree, please don’t die!”
Jiang Tao stepped forward and touched the trunk, his face full of distress.
This thing doesn’t eat grass or feed, and doesn’t require much care, yet its annual output value can reach 600,000 per year.
It makes more money than the supermarket that Jiang Tao entrusted to his elder brother and sister-in-law to manage, and it’s easier.
This is not an ordinary tree; it can be called Jiang Tao’s money tree!
“Brother Tree, hold on. I’ll find an expert to rescue you. You must hold on!”
Jiang Tao didn’t understand anything about trees. Seeing the wilted mutant hairy walnut tree, he could only scratch his head.
Professional matters should be left to professional people.
Jiang Tao took out his mobile phone and quickly scrolled through his contact list.
Soon, his gaze locked onto the contact “Old Soldier Farm”.
Jiang Tao had previously gone to Old Soldier Farm with Xu Li and others to pick strawberries, and later went alone to pick strawberries again.
Over time, he got to know the boss of Old Soldier Farm, not necessarily close, but they knew each other and exchanged contact information.
Yu Shuai, the farm owner, majored in agriculture and forestry in university. After graduation, he took over the farm from his father, so it was a relevant profession.
Among the people Jiang Tao knew, Yu Shuai was probably the only one who had knowledge of fruit trees.
The situation was urgent, so Jiang Tao immediately pressed his finger and dialed Yu Shuai’s number.
Beep beep beep——
The call was connected after a few rings, and a man’s voice answered.
“Hello Manager Jiang, you finally remembered me. Are you coming to pick fruit at our orchard?”
“Recently, the apricots at our orchard are in full bloom and it’s a great time to pick them.”
“I’ll definitely go when I have time, Boss Yu. This time, there’s something I’d like to ask for your advice on.”
“Manager Jiang, please tell me. I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“It’s like this…”
Jiang Tao carefully explained the situation of his mutant hairy walnut tree to Yu Shuai and asked if it could still be rescued.
Yu Shuai did not give a definite answer on the phone.
He needed to see the condition of the walnut tree with his own eyes before he could provide a corresponding rescue strategy.
He also enthusiastically said that he would drive over immediately.
“Then we’ll talk when we meet. Thank you, Boss Yu. I’ll definitely come to your farm to pick fruit again when I have time.”
“Manager Jiang, you’re too kind! Old Soldier Farm always welcomes Manager Jiang and his friends!”
They chatted briefly on the phone before ending the call.
Less than 15 minutes after hanging up the phone.
A truck identical to the 4.2-meter truck Jiang Tao drove in the Capital City stopped at the alley entrance of his house.
The moment he saw this truck, Jiang Tao, who was waiting at the alley entrance to welcome Yu Shuai, was slightly stunned.
In a daze, he thought he had turned back into a truck driver.
That everything that had happened in the past few months was just a dream.
Screeeech~
Yu Shuai, seeing Jiang Tao standing by the roadside, waved and smiled at him while braking.
“Manager Jiang, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting!”
Yu Shuai quickly turned off the engine, pulled out the key, opened the car door, and leaped out of the car.
However, Yu Shuai’s heroic moment lasted less than a second.
The moment he landed, his feet landed on a branch.
“Ouch, damn…”
With a yelp, Yu Shuai slid forward for more than a meter and landed on his butt with a thud.
“…”
“…”
Awkward!
At this moment, Yu Shuai felt extremely awkward!
“Ahem, Boss Yu, are you hurt?”
Jiang Tao, trying to suppress his laughter, asked about Yu Shuai’s condition and reached out to help him up.
“Ahem, it’s fine, it’s fine. I accidentally stepped on a branch. Ahem, I’m okay.”
Yu Shuai, feeling embarrassed to be helped by Jiang Tao, pushed himself up from the ground with his right hand.
“Manager Jiang, have a smoke.”
As he spoke, Yu Shuai took out a pack of Su-brand cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out, and offered it to Jiang Tao with a look of earnestness.
“I’m sorry to trouble you to come all this way, Boss Yu. I’ll take you to see the tree first.”
Jiang Tao smiled, took the cigarette Yu Shuai offered, and they walked side-by-side towards Jiang Tao’s house.
Upon returning home, they went straight to the base of the mutant hairy walnut tree.
Yu Shuai first examined the branches and leaves with his eyes, then he squatted down and pinched the trunk near the ground with his hand.
“Root rot.”
After observing for about ten seconds, Yu Shuai diagnosed the condition of the mutant hairy walnut tree.
“What? Root rot?”
Hearing the diagnosis from Yu Shuai, Jiang Tao’s heart tightened.
If the roots are rotten, can it still live?
If it dies, his loss will be huge!
“Yes, root rot. Manager Jiang, look, the bark has already softened.”
Yu Shuai said as he squeezed the trunk of the mutant hairy walnut tree with two fingers.
As he said, Jiang Tao saw that Yu Shuai’s two fingers easily deformed the bark on the trunk.
Jiang Tao asked somewhat unwillingly, “Boss Yu, can this tree still be saved? Can it still live?”
“It can live, but it will be a bit difficult, and it’s not necessary.”
Yu Shuai said as he stood up from the ground, and then slapped the mutant hairy walnut tree with his palm.
With a rustle, the few remaining withered yellow leaves on the tree instantly fell.
Jiang Tao’s eye twitched when he saw Yu Shuai’s action, and he really wanted to slap him too.
Big brother, this is my buddy’s money tree, can you just slap it casually!
It was already dying, and you’re just making things worse!
“Manager Jiang, if you want to plant a walnut tree, you can just come to my orchard and transplant one, or I can send one over and plant it for you.”
“This time I guarantee it will survive.”
Yu Shuai said, reaching out to pat the tree trunk again.
*Slap!*
Jiang Tao reached out and grabbed Yu Shuai’s wrist, stopping him from patting it.
It could have been saved, but don’t let your few slaps kill it completely!
“Boss Yu, you just said this tree of mine can still be saved, right? Then please help me save it!”
“This tree is called Little Green. My daughter planted it. It’s her pet.”
“To my daughter, this tree is not just a tree, it’s her companion.”
“So, if it can still be rescued, I’d rather try to rescue it.”
Jiang Tao smiled gently, released Yu Shuai’s hand, and explained to him.
“Uh…”
Yu Shuai looked at Jiang Tao with a bewildered expression.
Many people keep pets.
This was the first time he had heard of keeping a tree as a pet!
However…
This wasn’t too outrageous.
“Okay! Then I’ll help you rescue this tree.”
“I can’t guarantee a 100% success rate, but the chance of survival is at least over 90%.”
Although he didn’t understand, Yu Shuai chose to respect other people’s preferences.
Jiang Tao said, “Then I’ll trouble you, Boss Yu. It would be best if you can save it, otherwise, I won’t be able to explain it to my daughter.”
“I’ll do my best! Manager Jiang, do you have a shovel at home? I’ll dig out its roots and treat them first.”
“Yes, I’ll go get it.”
After saying that, Jiang Tao turned and walked towards a small storage room at the root of the south wall.
Living in the countryside, even if you don’t farm, you’ll still plant a vegetable garden.
Jiang Tao’s family also had farm tools like shovels.
Soon, Jiang Tao brought two shovels.
The two of them started digging together!
“Manager Jiang, I didn’t expect this! You’re so good at strenuous work like digging holes.”
Yu Shuai showed an expression of immense surprise as he watched Jiang Tao easily and quickly shovel the soil.
Jiang Tao’s physique of 132 points is very high. In terms of strength, perhaps no one in the world could match him.
Digging holes with a shovel was a piece of cake for him, like a child digging in the sand with a shovel, effortless and graceful.
“Hehe, I’m from a farming background too. I did a lot of farm work when I was young. This little bit of work is nothing.”
Jiang Tao spoke casually with Yu Shuai while quickly shoveling soil and digging holes.
While chatting, they didn’t neglect the work.
In less than five minutes, they had dug a pit about half a meter in diameter and over a meter deep.
The roots of the mutant hairy walnut tree were all dug out.
As Yu Shuai had said, more than half of the walnut tree’s roots were black and rotten.
Yu Shuai first went back to his car to get a large pair of pruning shears.
Then, he transformed into a plant doctor and swiftly cut off all the rotten roots of the walnut tree.
After filling the pit with fertilizer that he had the farm workers specially deliver, he replanted the tree in the pit.
After filling the soil and watering it, Yu Shuai hung a bottle of nutrient solution specifically for trees on the walnut tree.
With all these operations, it really was like a doctor treating a patient in a hospital.
“Alright Manager Jiang, there shouldn’t be any major problems!”
After hanging the “IV drip” for the walnut tree, Yu Shuai looked at Jiang Tao with a smile.
“I’ve really troubled you today, Boss Yu!”
Jiang Tao looked at Yu Shuai, his good impression of this Boss Yu growing significantly!
He had only visited the other man’s orchard twice to pick fruit, and today he drove all the way over just to “treat a tree” after a phone call.
All this commotion took at least an hour.
“Hehe, it’s no trouble, no trouble. Manager Jiang, if you need anything from me in the future, just give me a call.”
Yu Shuai looked at Jiang Tao with a sincere expression, showing no desire for credit.
Jiang Tao: “By the way, Boss Yu, you mentioned earlier that the apricots at your farm are ripe, right?”
Yu Shuai smiled: “Yes, Boss Jiang can bring his family to pick them when he has time.”
“My family has already returned to the Capital City, and I’m also planning to return tomorrow. So, Boss Yu…”
Jiang Tao thought for a moment and said, “Could you send me 200 catties of apricots? I’ll take them back to the Capital City for my friends and relatives to try.”
“No problem! Manager Jiang is generous! I’ll call the farm now and have the workers pick them for you.”
When Yu Shuai heard that Jiang Tao intended to support his business, he didn’t refuse and readily agreed.
Then, he immediately took out his mobile phone, opened a communication app with a person in charge at the farm, and told them to hurry up and pick apricots for Jiang Tao.
“Pick the big ones, the best quality! Hurry up.”
“Okay, we’ll deliver them directly to Jiang Family Village later.”
After a few simple instructions on the phone, Yu Shuai hung up and looked at Jiang Tao, smiling.
“Manager Jiang, I’ve arranged it for you. They’ll be delivered soon.”
Jiang Tao took out his cigarette case, offered Yu Shuai a Da Tian Ye cigarette, and said, “How much is it in total? I’ll transfer it to you first.”
Yu Shuai smiled: “Our retail price is 8 yuan per jin, but I’ll charge you 5 yuan per jin.”
“8 yuan it is! Boss Yu, you’ve helped me out a lot today, and you’ve even mobilized your workers to pick apricots for me. I feel a bit embarrassed.”
As Jiang Tao spoke, he took out his mobile phone, found Yu Shuai’s WeChat, and directly transferred 1600 yuan to him.
This amount of money was insignificant compared to the huge benefits the mutant hairy walnut tree would bring to Jiang Tao in the future.
“Manager Jiang, you’re too kind. I, Old Yu, like dealing with people like you!”
Yu Shuai said with a smile, and then no longer refused, directly clicking to receive the payment.
