Shen Yao stepped aside, ushering the rest of the group inside.
With so many people, it wasn't suitable for them to remain at her family's doorstep, especially with many onlookers peeking from nearby.
Professor Zhang and Professor He led a large group into the house.
Fortunately, the Shen family's living room was spacious; otherwise, there wouldn't have been enough room for everyone.
Shen Yao went to the storeroom to find several folding stools. By the time she had prepared tea and brought it over, she saw that Professor Zhang's guests were already shaking hands and conversing with Xu Weiguo and the others.
It seemed they were acquainted. Professor Zhang and his companions must have been quite influential to be acquainted with Major General Xu Weiguo.
Shen Yao didn't dwell on it and immediately called her father, asking them all to come home.
Upon hearing that they had more guests, Father Shen and the others hurried back to the Shen residence.
As soon as they entered, they saw a full house in the living room.
As Father Shen and the others walked in, Professor Zhang pulled him over to introduce him to one of the men in the group, "This is the patriarch of the Shen family."
Being the center of attention for so many people made Father Shen a bit flustered, and he could only repeatedly offer greetings.
The others, upon seeing the Shen family, were struck by how good-looking each member was!
They were a feast for the eyes. If they hadn't known this was their home, they might have mistaken them for members of a prominent wealthy family.
Xu Weiguo and his companions, having received what they came for and seeing guests at Shen Yao's house, were preparing to leave. However, they unexpectedly ran into friends.
This made him even more curious as to why his friend, who rarely left his laboratory, was out today.
Listening to the conversation between Professor Zhang and his group, and cross-referencing it with the information he had, Xu Weiguo began to grasp the situation.
It turned out that the land contracted by the Shen family had yielded its soil test results.
Not only was the concentration of trace elements in the soil extremely high, but it also contained properties that could accelerate crop growth, enhance flavor, and increase nutritional value.
Furthermore, the crops grown there yielded ten times or even more than ordinary crops.
Even without a background in agriculture, Xu Weiguo understood the implications.
No wonder Shen Yao had mentioned that the medicinal herbs grown by their family could be used to refine more potent elixirs.
The crops grown here had ten times, or even more, the nutrients and efficacy of ordinary crops.
Did this also mean that the medicinal herbs grown here possessed ten times or more medicinal value than others?
Xu Weiguo's speculation made his breathing quicken.
If this were truly the case, he absolutely had to obtain these medicinal herbs!
Upon hearing his friend express a desire to see the Shen family's land, Xu Weiguo decided to accompany him.
Given his status, he walked at the forefront, with others accompanying him.
Shen Yao had not intended to go, but since Xu Weiguo specifically requested her presence, she had no choice but to join them.
Their first stop was the reserved plot behind the agritainment center, as the vegetables sent for testing were picked from this very plot.
The group, a considerable procession, entered the agritainment center, followed by people carrying various instruments and equipment.
This caused the guests to look on with surprise, some even doubting their own eyes, wondering how public figures they'd seen on the news were appearing here.
The reserved plot, which had initially been bare, was now transformed.
Every row in the reserved plot now bore ready-to-pick vegetables.
Previously, only vegetables like amaranth, baby bok choy, and small choy sum were edible.
But now, tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans had also begun to bear fruit and climb their trellises, ready for harvest.
The lotus pond, which previously only had lotus leaves, was now covered in blooming lotus flowers, and small ducks and geese occasionally swam in the pond.
"This place is truly remarkable," Xu Weiguo remarked sincerely.
"It is indeed," replied Sun Yue, Xu Weiguo's friend.
Sun Yue then immediately led his team into the reserved plot, beginning to conduct tests with various instruments.
Sun Yue, Professor Zhang, and the others became engrossed in their work: some conducting tests, others recording data, and some collecting samples – no one was idle.
Only Xu Weiguo and his four companions remained standing.
"Gentlemen, would you like to experience the joy of harvesting? You can pick some vegetables to eat later, as it's almost lunchtime."
Shen Huaijin was holding several vegetable baskets, which had been given to them by guests who had visited earlier.
They had been told they could keep them and try their hand at harvesting once the vegetables were ripe.
Xu Weiguo and the others were each handed a basket by Shen Huaijin. They then followed him, listening as he explained which vegetables were ready for picking and how to eat them.
They even imitated him, each picking a large cucumber and eating it.
The moment they tasted it, they were astonished. The flavor was indeed far superior to that of other cucumbers.
Their army also cultivated its own vegetables, as many soldiers found themselves with too much idle time when not on duty.
Of course, this applied only to the ordinary soldiers. Individuals like Shen Huaisang were constantly undergoing training.
After eating more tomatoes and papayas, Xu Weiguo and the others each carried a large basket of vegetables.
Shen Huaimin watched his younger brother, impressed by how adeptly he handled the distinguished guests.
"Yaoyao, second brother shouldn't have given up on a political career back then," Shen Huaimin said sincerely.
Indeed, after graduating, Shen Huaijin had initially taken the civil service examinations and secured a position in a county government department.
Later, for reasons unknown, he resigned and returned home to engage in animal husbandry.
Shen Yao couldn't help but smile when she heard this, as she was quite aware of the situation.
Previously, when her second brother had a stable government job, his good looks and capabilities caught the eye of a superior who intended for him to become his son-in-law and mentor him.
However, Shen Huaijin was unwilling; he had no intention of marrying at the time and therefore refused.
The leader, feeling his authority challenged, began to make things difficult for him. Initially, Shen Huaijin paid it no mind.
But as the troubles mounted, he became weary and eventually resigned.
At the time, the Shen family faced considerable mockery from the villagers, who accused him of being unambitious for abandoning a secure government job to raise chickens and ducks.
The leader's daughter was actually quite pretty and had even bought Shen Yao treats in the past. It was a shame that her second brother had no feelings for her; Shen Yao had felt it was a pity back then.
Thinking about it, Shen Yao felt her second brother had a rather unfortunate situation, as everyone seemed to want him to be a live-in son-in-law.
She wondered if her second brother might now have a phobia of the term "live-in son-in-law."