When I am reborn, I just want to be a top student

The next morning, Wu Qingsong adjusted all his travel plans.

He dialed Wang Donglai's private number directly, his tone noticeably different from yesterday in the office. Yesterday's shock and excitement had been transformed overnight into a more resolute determination.

"Donglai, I need to see this super crop in person. Is it convenient for you to arrange it this afternoon?"

Wang Donglai chuckled on the other end of the phone: "You're welcome anytime. The experimental field is in the suburbs. I'll have Baili Xiu accompany you the whole time. You can see whatever you want, leader."

That afternoon, two black minivans and a Toyota Coaster drove into the crop breeding experimental base of Yinhe Agriculture located on the outskirts of Tangdu City.

The experimental field is surrounded by layers of bird-proof netting and security fences, which are up to eight meters high. Infrared thermal imaging monitoring and drone jammers are installed on the outside, and the security post at the entrance is equipped with a biometric access control system and dedicated security personnel.

The convoy was stopped at the entrance, and security personnel checked the identity and registered the license plates of each vehicle before allowing them to pass.

Wu Qingsong got out of the first car, followed by the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, the Director of the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and the Research Office of the Municipal Government, among others—a large group of people.

Today he changed into a pair of dark rubber shoes suitable for working in the fields, and the zipper of his jacket was not zipped up, with the sleeves habitually rolled up a bit.

He had visited Galaxy Technology in Tangdu for many years, including Galaxy Energy's battery factory, Galaxy Entertainment's virtual filming studio, and Galaxy Aerospace's assembly workshop. But this was his first time visiting Galaxy Agriculture's experimental fields.

The vast breeding area, precisely divided into squares, made him unconsciously slow his pace. The air was filled with the unique sweet aroma of rice during its booting stage.

Wang Donglai and Baili Xiu were already waiting at the entrance of the experimental field.

Wang Donglai was wearing a dark blue Galaxy Technology work jacket and a pair of rubber boots covered in dried mud. He blended in with his surroundings, looking more like a farmer who had just finished working in the fields than someone receiving a leader's inspection.

Baili Xiu stood beside him, holding a thick folder in her hands, her face calm but her posture exceptionally upright.

"Welcome, Steward Wu."

Wang Donglai stepped forward and shook Wu Qingsong's hand naturally, without any deliberate formality: "You've come at the perfect time. The rice has just entered the grain-filling stage, and the ears have taken shape, so it's the most visually appealing. The afternoon sunlight will also make for beautiful photos."

Wu Qingsong grasped his hand and shook it vigorously, his gaze already passing over his shoulder and landing on the lush green rice paddy.

The rice in the field grew so neatly that it looked as if it had been measured with a ruler. The rice ears drooped low, the grains were plump, and they gleamed with a healthy sheen in the sunlight.

"Donglai, do you know how I slept last night?"

He lowered his voice and said in a volume that only the two of them could hear, "Nothing much. I've spent most of my life in administration, and I'm still struggling with a number. Nobody would believe me if I told them."

Wang Donglai didn't reply, but just smiled slightly and gestured for him to enter.

Baili Xiu led Wu Qingsong along the field ridge into the first super rice experimental plot.

He walked along, pointing to different signs in the neighborhood and explaining them to everyone.

This is an adaptation test for different ecological zones: temperate zone of Qinshui Province, tropical zone of South China, and subtropical zone of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. A scaled-down planting test version of each typical rice-growing area was conducted here.

Different sowing dates, different water and fertilizer management schemes, and different planting densities were all arranged using orthogonal experimental design, and each combination was displayed on a stainless steel sign at the entrance of the community.

"The preliminary data on rice yield per mu were measured in the temperate single-season rice ecological zone, with an average of 1,850 kilograms. In some areas of the hot zone, the yield has been even higher. We used a quadratic orthogonal rotational combination design, with three replicates for each treatment. The coefficient of variation was below the standard threshold."

Baili Xiu squatted down and gently lifted a rice stalk. The stalk was heavy in his palm, and the grains were as plump as a string of golden pearls.

He gently pinched the base of the rice ear with his thumb to check the grain filling. His movements were skillful and natural. He said calmly, "This ear has a much higher number of effective grains than conventional varieties. The grain filling rate is consistently above 95%, and the thousand-grain weight is slightly higher than that of traditional varieties."

Wu Qingsong also squatted down and looked closely at the ear of rice.

He wasn't formally trained in agriculture, but he had spent decades conducting field research and had some understanding of how crops were growing.

He pinched the ears of grain, then stepped back to examine the neatness of the entire field. When he stood up, he forced a calm expression on his face, but inside he was incredibly excited.

"1,850 kilograms".

He repeated the number, his voice low, as if talking to himself: "When I surveyed the construction of high-standard farmland across the province last year, the average yield of rice per mu was just over 600 kilograms. Your single variety has tripled the provincial average. Comrade Baili Xiu, do you know what this means? With the same arable land area, how much more grain will Qin Province produce? Those hilly terraces that were abandoned due to low yields, if planted with this variety, how much could the multiple cropping index recover? It's unimaginable!"

Baili Xiu did not respond.

He knew that Wu Qingsong wasn't asking him a question, but rather using a question to process the arithmetic that was rapidly processing in his mind.

The group continued walking along the ridges between the fields.

As Baili Xiu walked, she opened the folder, flipped to the page on gene lock verification, and handed the report to Wu Qingsong.

The three-generation genetic stability data in the report were clearly illustrated with a line graph, each line so smooth it looked as if it had been drawn with a ruler.

"All three gene locks have been verified, and the traits remain stable in each generation. When the first generation seeds are planted, the yield remains within the target range; if the second generation seeds are not pollinated with restorer lines, the high-yield gene is automatically silenced, and the traits of ordinary varieties are restored; the third generation directly degenerates to a level close to that of wild species. In other words, this seed is exclusively controlled by us, and even if others take it, they cannot grow a second season."

Wu Qingsong read the report from beginning to end, then closed the folder and handed it to the director of the Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs behind him, saying meaningfully, "The confidentiality work is in place. Your Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs should organize a study of this technical standard. From now on, all agricultural technology confidentiality regulations in the city should follow this. I will personally oversee it."

After passing the super rice experimental field, the view suddenly opened up, and a whole breeding area of ​​super soybeans stretched out in front of us.

Unlike the lush and verdant rice paddies, the super soybeans exude a vigorous and robust vitality.

The plant is waist-high, with a thick stem that resembles a miniature sugarcane. Its leaves are dark green and thick, with a glossy sheen on the surface.

Each stem was laden with bean pods, plump and full, their yellow shells gleaming like they were coated with beeswax in the sunlight.

Wu Qingsong stood at the edge of the bean field, silent for several seconds.

Baili Xiu went down into the field and squatted next to a bean plant.

He parted the dense leaves with his hands, revealing layers upon layers of bean pods underneath, the fuzz on the pods resembling a layer of golden mist in the backlight.

"Super soybeans have achieved an average yield of over 2,000 kilograms per mu in multiple trials. The yield of conventional soybeans in China is currently only around 150 kilograms per mu, which is more than an order of magnitude higher. The soybean protein content is also significantly higher than that of conventional varieties."

"but……"

Baili Xiu paused for a moment, and Wu Qingsong immediately looked at her with a puzzled expression. "The yield of 2,000 kilograms per mu is because this is an experimental field, a high-standard fertile field. Whether it is sunlight or irrigation, it is the best, so the yield can be so high. If it is planted on a large scale, the yield should be around 400 to 800 kilograms per mu."

Wu Qingsong was taken aback, not expecting Baili Xiu to say this.

He was naturally aware of the gap between the data from the experimental fields and that after large-scale planting. For example, soybean seeds that can yield 400 kilograms per mu have already been developed in international laboratories, but that is based on very high planting conditions.

It requires land improvement, and then increasing fertilizer input, etc.

If it were to become truly widespread, an average yield of 200 kilograms per mu would be considered quite good.

Only some large-scale, high-standard farmland can achieve a yield of more than 300 kilograms.

"This data is already excellent. I understand the gap between theory and practice, but even so, the Super Seed Project you developed is an extremely successful research achievement."

Wu Qingsong said with admiration and great satisfaction.

At this moment, Baili Xiu glanced at Wang Donglai before speaking calmly: "Leader, we have unexpectedly discovered a special component in the super rice seeds that has never been reported before and cannot be obtained through conventional breeding methods."

"Hmm?" Wu Qingsong's tone revealed a hint of doubt, not understanding why Baili Xiu brought this up at this time.

"This is a flavonoid derivative that has not been detected in any known crop varieties in nature. We identified it through genome-wide association analysis and metabolomics screening in a mutant population returned from space mutation breeding."

"For this special component, we extract it through enzymatic enrichment and supercritical fluid extraction and then make it into a medicine."

"Through biological component analysis, it was discovered that this special component can efficiently cross the blood-brain barrier, with an apparent permeability coefficient exceeding that of conventional drugs by more than an order of magnitude. Animal experiments showed that in the aging model rats treated with the drug, the deposition of β-amyloid protein in the brain was reduced by nearly 90%, the level of Tau protein hyperphosphorylation returned to normal, the density of neurons in the hippocampus increased by about half, and the expression of the synaptic plasticity marker Synaptophysin was upregulated by nearly two times."

As she spoke, Baili Xiu took out a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) spectrum and handed it to Wu Qingsong. Pointing to the highest absorption peak, she explained in simpler terms that didn't require specialized knowledge: "Boss, to put it simply, this ingredient can treat Alzheimer's disease, and it has achieved a reversal of pathological indicators in animal models. Currently, none of the Alzheimer's drugs that are on the market or under development worldwide can achieve this level."

These words were like a pebble thrown into the rapidly spinning gears of Wu Qingsong's mind, causing the gears to suddenly slow down and jam.

He looked at the chromatogram from different angles twice, and then looked at the summary table of animal experiment data again.

Then he raised his hand and pressed his temple hard with his knuckles.

"Treatment for Alzheimer's disease, reversal?!"

Wu Qingsong repeated those words in a low voice, his eyebrows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito.

Just as Wu Qingsong was shocked and puzzled.

Baili Xiu then added, "The preliminary assessment of the mechanism of action of SN-1 factor is that it is related to the activation of the neuronal PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and the inhibition of GSK-3β hyperphosphorylation. Since it can reverse this pathway, theoretically it also has potential intervention value for other tau protein diseases, such as frontotemporal dementia, progressive supranuclear palsy, and even the neurodegenerative pathological changes associated with Parkinson's disease. Of course, there is currently no animal experimental data to support these indications, but the molecular pathway is reproducible."

Upon hearing this, Wu Qingsong immediately closed the folder, pressed his hands on the cover, and relaxed his furrowed brows.

The bright sunlight shone directly onto the bird netting in the breeding area, casting a grid-like shadow on his face through the fine mesh.

His expression shifted several times in the shadows; the corner of his mouth trembled slightly as his emotions surged, then he forced himself to purse it.

He has dedicated most of his life to this field, rising from a township cadre to his current position. He knows which figures represent achievements within the conventional framework and which figures are capable of rewriting the entire framework itself.

An annual increase of a few percent in total grain output is considered a bumper year, and complete self-sufficiency in soybeans is a red line that no agricultural economist dares to draw on the planning map.

Now, with rice at 1,800 yuan, soybeans at 2,000 yuan, and the reversal effect of SN-1 factor on Alzheimer's disease, the combination of these three is not just a breakthrough in a single field, but a strategic asset that can simultaneously rewrite the domestic food security equation and the global landscape of neurodegenerative disease drugs.

He looked up at Wang Donglai, the excitement in his eyes no longer the shock he felt in the office yesterday, but an excitement that had been tempered by more information and deeper meaning.

"Donglai, you have so many good things here. If these varieties can be promoted more quickly, their significance will not only be a few more kilograms of grain, but also have a profound impact on food security, the competitiveness of independent seed sources, and even the health of the whole people. The advantage we have now is related not only to Qin Province, but also to the strategic initiative for the long-term development of the entire country."

He didn't deliberately lower his voice, but the solemnity in his tone was already evident.

Wang Donglai stood on the edge of the field, his hands in the pockets of his work jacket.

The setting sun shone from the west of the bean field, casting a long shadow on his shoulder, which spread obliquely across the water's surface.

“Manager Wu, that’s why we invited you to the fields today instead of looking at a PowerPoint presentation in the conference room. Some things are just a line of data on a slide, but you can only feel their weight when you step on the edge of the field.”

Wang Donglai's tone was very calm, so calm that it sounded like he was talking about what to eat tonight.

"There's another thing that just happened to coincide with you. GalaxySpace just signed an international cooperation agreement today, with the European Space Agency, NASA, and JAXA signing a total of eight billion US dollars. The global market is now fully open to GalaxySpace, and tariff barriers have been eliminated."

Wu Qingsong's eyes narrowed slightly, then relaxed.

"Eight billion. Your 'synchronization' has come at just the right time."

He grasped Wang Donglai's intention almost instantly: from space to low altitudes, from energy to agriculture, Galaxy Technology's technological shockwaves are reshaping the global industrial landscape in an unstoppable way.

Once the Super Seed is officially revealed, it will be the most crucial piece of the puzzle.

"Manager Wu, I think it's time to put the matter of expanding the planting area on the agenda."

Wang Donglai steered the conversation back on track: "I have a suggestion. Let's wait for the joint yield measurement results this season. Once we have the official yield data, we can speak with facts and be supported by authoritative third-party data, which will minimize the resistance to promotion. In addition, although the third-generation gene lock verification has been successfully completed, the data on adaptability to multiple ecological zones is still not complete. Shaanxi Province spans too much from northern to southern Shaanxi, and the soil types range from loess to paddy soil to mountain brown soil. We need to conduct at least one full planting season of field trials in each typical ecological zone. We can't rush it."

Wu Qingsong pondered for a few seconds and nodded: "A steady and pragmatic approach is the right thing to do. If we're going to push it, we should push it in a way that leaves no room for controversy. When the yield measurement results come out, I will personally lead a team to hold an on-site meeting here, and bring together all the agricultural cadres and technicians from across the province. Not only Qin Province, but I can also coordinate with the agricultural departments of the neighboring provinces."

With Wu Qingsong's words, the matter was settled.

Wu Qingsong's mind was now filled with the information Baili Xiu had just mentioned. He needed to think carefully about how to take advantage of this opportunity to develop Tangdu City and even Qin Province.

Because he understands Wang Donglai, he knows that other companies would definitely try to take advantage of this opportunity to make more profits, but Wang Donglai would not.

Even if they sell at a high price, they will distribute the high profits through other means to drive more industries and make more people rich.

It was precisely because Wang Donglai did this that he trusted and felt at ease with him. (End of Chapter)