Chapter 234: Opening a Red Worm Feed Processing Plant

The little boy, feeling aggrieved, snuggled into Qiao Lian’s mother’s arms, not daring to make a sound. He used to be the little tyrant of the house; whenever his sister bullied him, he would cry out loud, and his mother would rush to punish the sister without asking any questions. But now, things had flipped—the whole family depended on his sister, so he didn’t dare to cause trouble anymore.

Jing Shu felt a headache brewing. If this family drama continued, it really would look like they were here just to mooch off food. She had to intervene.

“Uncle, no need to go to any trouble. We really did have breakfast before we came. You all finish eating first. I actually have some things I wanted to discuss with you afterward.”

Hearing that Jing Shu’s family truly wasn’t planning on eating, and that she had something important to discuss, her uncle nodded. “Alright, we’ll eat first, and then we can talk.”

As everyone else settled down to finish their breakfast, Jing Shu’s mother took the opportunity to unpack and organize their things.

After breakfast, when Qiao Lian took her family back to their room and Aunt finished cleaning up, everyone gathered on the living room sofa.

“So, Jing Shu, what did you want to ask?” her uncle inquired.

“How’s the pig farming going? What have Wei Zheng and Qiao Lian been up to lately?” Jing Shu asked.

Her uncle smiled. “Thanks to the red worms, we have no shortage of feed. I handed over my position at the farm to Wei Zheng, and your aunt helps around the house. As for Qiao Lian, she’s mostly resting at home due to the pregnancy. In times like these, even having a job is a blessing.”

Aunt added, “I’m needed at home, so letting Wei Zheng take over at the farm was a good decision.”

Jing Shu understood now. Aunt had given her position at the pig farm to Wei Zheng.

“And do you have any long-term plans?” Jing Shu asked, already guessing that they hadn’t thought too far ahead.

“Well, we’re planning to raise a few more pigs this year—ten or so more, and maybe twenty the following year. With your black pig breeding stock, we’ll be set for meat,” Uncle said, visibly excited. "We wouldn’t be where we are today without those pigs. You’ve saved us, Jing Shu."

The once humble apple farmers had become a source of envy in Wuxian. It wasn’t just about wealth; being able to provide meat in an era where food scarcity was rampant made their family desirable. Even Qiao Lian’s pregnancy was seen as a luxury few could afford in these times.

“And what about the feed?” Jing Shu pressed.

“We’ve got more than enough. We could easily raise hundreds of pigs if we wanted to, and the government is already ramping up chicken and duck production, feeding them the same worms that flood our fields.”

Jing Shu shook her head slightly. “Uncle, I’ve got a business proposal I was originally going to pitch to Wei Zheng. But since he’s working full-time at the farm, I figured it might be better to offer it to Aunt.”

Uncle’s eyes lit up. “Another money-making idea?”

Jing Shu smiled. “I want to partner with Aunt to open a factory. I’ll provide the equipment and the initial capital. Aunt will handle the workers and management.”

Just then, Second Aunt chimed in, “Jing Shu, if you’re opening a factory, don’t forget about your second aunt! Look at us—we’ve been without steady work for so long.”

“Let me finish explaining first,” Jing Shu said.

“What kind of factory?” Aunt asked, clearly intrigued.

“A red worm feed processing plant,” Jing Shu answered.

“What?” Uncle was taken aback.

“Yes, we’ll take the red worms, process them into feed, and make it so the feed can be stored long-term,” Jing Shu explained.

Aunt cleared her throat. “But red worms are everywhere, Jing Shu. Anyone can collect them—there’s no shortage. And the price is so low that people are practically giving them away. The floodwaters won’t recede anytime soon, so I don’t see how this will work.”

Wei Zheng nodded in agreement. “Yeah, I heard red worms evolved from bacteria. There are millions of them in a single drop of water. We’ve been using them as feed for a year now, and the government’s stockpiles are huge.”

Uncle chimed in, “What would you even sell this feed for? Starting a factory is a big investment. If you price it too high, no one will buy it. Too low, and you’ll lose money.”

Jing Shu’s father added, “Yeah, even if you sell 200 pounds for 1 virtual coin, who would buy it? They could just collect it themselves.”

Jing Shu smirked. “Who said I’m selling it at that price? Once the feed is processed, I’ll sell it at 1 virtual coin for just 20 pounds. And it’ll be in such high demand that only those with connections will get it.”

Her family was stunned. At 1 virtual coin for 20 pounds, it was clear she was banking on future scarcity. When the floods finally receded, red worms would no longer be plentiful, and everyone would realize how valuable the stored feed was.

“Crazy,” Second Aunt’s husband muttered under his breath. “Only a fool would buy that.”

But Uncle, sharp as ever, caught on. “You’re saying that once the worms are gone, we’ll have this feed stockpiled and ready to sell for a high price?”

Jing Shu nodded. Finally, someone understood her vision.

“But that could take a year, maybe more,” Uncle said, cautiously optimistic. “Maybe two, even three years.”

Jing Shu didn’t answer directly. Instead, she asked, “Aunt, are you in?”

Aunt smiled. “I don’t know all the details, but I trust you, Jing Shu. Whatever you say, I’m in.”

Second Aunt jumped in, “What about me, Jing Shu? You can’t just leave me out of this.”

“You’ll have to talk to Aunt once we get the factory running,” Jing Shu said, cutting her off.

Looking to her father, Jing Shu added, “The government’s been stockpiling, so we should follow their lead.”

That statement sealed the deal. Uncle’s eyes gleamed with understanding, and even Aunt nodded with approval.

“Let’s get this factory set up over the next few days,” Jing Shu said, ready to get to work.