"Yeah, can this land still grow vegetables? These vegetables are all frozen. Do we keep planting or pull them out and start over?"
"Brother Zhang, …"
"Brother Zhang, …"
"Brother Zhang, …"
Hearing their calls made Brother Zhang's head ache even more. He said, "Don't rush. I need to discuss with the experts before giving you an answer. From the current situation, if it's the soil, the vegetables definitely cannot grow. If it's natural causes, the base will compensate your losses. But if I have to find out it's human-caused…"
Anyone who dared harm the vegetables would face death. But judging from the scene, it was likely a natural disaster. While the people on this side worried about their half-grown vegetables, Lan Qiaoqiao, who had also received the news, had Grandma Ling take her to the garden right after school.
Seeing the frost-bitten greens in front of her, she couldn't hold back and cried until she was drenched in tears. "Wa, Mama, vegetables gone!"
Lan Jin hurried forward to comfort her. "It's okay. If they're gone, we can plant again."
No one had expected that Lan Qiaoqiao would feel so strongly about the vegetables, as if losing them meant losing her hope of survival.
In reality, the child had been thinking about giving the vegetables she planted herself to Doctor Zhou. Now that the vegetables were gone, of course she was upset.
But others didn't know. Just as Brother Zhang was about to comfort the tearful little one, Lan Qiaoqiao said, "But these were for Uncle Zhou. Qiao Qiao's own vegetables. Gone, gone, cannot give."
In the base, the only person with the surname Zhou whom Lan Qiaoqiao had met was the psychologist.
Brother Zhang stopped halfway, understanding the key point, and couldn't help feeling speechless. That Lao Zhou, causing trouble for adults was one thing, but now he was affecting little girls too.
Brother Zhang quickly asked, "Uncle Zhou is Doctor Zhou, right? Qiao Qiao has only met him once, right?"
"Yes, just because only once…"
She cried as if Doctor Zhou had abandoned her, and it left everyone unsure what to say.
Amid the silence, Lan Jin quickly comforted her. "Qiao Qiao, it's okay. After the land is fixed, we'll plant again. This time you plow, you sow, you water. When the vegetables grow, we'll send them together. Doctor Zhou is in the base. He won't go anywhere. Planting later is fine."
Clearly, the reassurance that Doctor Zhou would not leave worked. Lan Qiaoqiao sniffled, choking back tears, and looked at Brother Zhang. "Uncle Zhang, Mama, Mama said true… really… really true?"
"Yes, Doctor Zhou is with the base. If he stays here, how could he not eat the vegetables you planted?"
"Okay."
Lan Qiaoqiao reluctantly agreed. Once she stopped crying, the area became much calmer. At this moment, the people who had been investigating also discovered some issues in the vegetable patch.
Brother Zhang, upon hearing, immediately cleared everyone out. "You all go first. Don't come here for now. When we figure things out, the base will give you an answer."
After leaving, Lan Qiaoqiao remained upset all the way home. Even watching cartoons with Lan Jin didn't help. It wasn't until the next day, after another private talk with Doctor Zhou, that she finally felt better.
Afterwards, Lan Jin said in disbelief, "You really like Uncle Zhou, huh? Just a comfort from him and you're fine?"
"Mm. Surprise gone. But Uncle Zhou said he will wait. Mama, after vegetables grow, we send to him."
"Okay."
As for when the vegetables could be planted and when they would grow, nobody knew. As long as the frost problem remained unresolved, everyone in the base was restless. There was no other way. Attacking the food supply threatened everyone's life. Under such conditions, who could feel truly comfortable?
Because they couldn't maintain a vegetable supply at first, everyone ate vegetables that could not be stored daily. With so many people, the vegetables ran out in two or three days. After losing leafy greens, their diet switched to potatoes and radishes. Potato strips, radish strips, potato chunks, radish chunks…
Eating potatoes and radishes alternately, they felt like they were turning into potatoes and radishes themselves.
In just one week, not only the gardeners but many others in the base became dissatisfied. Of course, their frustration wasn't with the base, but with this 'natural disaster'. Was it really just a natural disaster?
Everyone wanted a clear explanation.
Since the base was first established, a transparent suggestion box had been placed in the hall. But no one ever used it. After this incident, the little box could not hold everyone's complaints, and letters overflowed onto the floor.
The base couldn't ignore the complaints, so instead of the small box, they provided a large one.
Roughly half a person tall, it was more like a large trash bin, placed prominently in the hall, with the words "Suggestion Box" written in red marker. This way, everyone's precious suggestions didn't seem scattered.
The base understood psychology well. This move slightly calmed the crowd, but the problem wasn't fully solved. Potatoes and radishes were tasty, but everyone wanted a different flavor.
If that was the case, then everyone just wanted variety. After all, this was a military base. Good resources were concentrated here. Every day they had rice, vegetables, and meat. Expensive but better than some places that only had potatoes.
Yes, in official or private bases, meals weren't always like this. In some official bases, those who contributed little got only a bowl of potato soup and a bread cake. Enough to fill the stomach, but nothing compared to here.
That was why people hadn't suffered greatly yet; otherwise, they would not dare voice complaints. No matter what people thought, the base kept working. The process was slow because of a lack of proper tools.
The tools referred to the instruments used by Professor Pei's research team.