After the divorce, he settled in Northwest China and became a Shennong (a legendary Chinese farmer).

Chapter 124 A New Milestone, and a Second Floor?

After Gu Tong finished breakfast, Chen Liang, Dong Jun, and Ai Kebai arrived.

Chen Liang drove over an excavator, and Dong Jun borrowed a concrete mixer from the village. Everyone started digging the foundation.

Construction just started here, and another group of people came to my house.

When six young men, Diar, Zhang Peng, Yusup, Wu Tianming, Landis, and Mao Yong, heard that Gu Tong was going to build a boiler room, they volunteered to come and help, and they couldn't be driven away.

Gu Tong had no choice but to let them have their way; with many hands make light work, and they got the job done incredibly fast.

The boiler room doesn't need to be built too elaborately, but the foundation is still very solid, so that the main structure is already completed by the time someone comes to install the boiler.

Installing the boiler, pipes, and radiators was not difficult, but installing the underfloor heating in the smart greenhouse took a whole day.

"Boss, you're really willing to invest! The underfloor heating uses corrosion-resistant, high-strength materials, so you can use it with confidence. If it breaks within three years, I'll replace it with a new one."

After installation, the manager of the boiler sales company personally visited the site.

Gu Tong understood why they were making such nice claims. After the inspection was completed and the goods passed inspection, he immediately paid them the progress payment.

The final payment will be made after the smart greenhouse is completed and the heating system undergoes its final trial run. If there are no problems, the remaining payment will be made in full.

With the heating issue resolved, the agricultural technology company's construction workers began to arrive on site.

Building a greenhouse is a delicate task, and Gu Tong didn't rush them, but he did have one requirement: they absolutely must not damage the purple gromwell in the ground.

To build the smart greenhouse, he cleared away the vegetable plots and small garden, leaving only eight purple gromwell plants enclosed by a fence.

The greenhouse is currently under construction and not suitable for transplanting. It has an area of ​​80 square meters, which is spacious enough. We can consider transplanting after the greenhouse is fully completed.

For the next few days, Dong Jun and Li Yuxiu came over to help every day.

We can't let so many construction workers work on an empty stomach, so we provide them with a meal every day at noon. This isn't an obligation stipulated in the contract; it's entirely Gu Tong's voluntary action.

"Xiao Gu, you're still young, you can't stay single forever, right? Do you need your sister-in-law to introduce you to someone?"

In just a few days, the project progressed smoothly, and Li Yuxiu and Gu Tong became more familiar with each other, so she suggested introducing him to someone.

Gu Tong smiled slightly and said, "I don't want to think about that right now, thanks, sister-in-law!"

Li Yuxiu didn't say anything more, planning to ask her husband when she got home if Xiao Gu had someone in his heart.

While the courtyard was under construction, Gu Tong didn't rest. He took some time to lead Diar and others to plow through the 1000-mu demonstration field.

So, several days of on-site teaching were conducted.

"Tractors are the foundation of mechanized agricultural production. Knowing how to drive one and driving it well are two different things. Follow the route I'm telling you, and remember, never cross the markings. If the wheels cross the markings, it means you'll damage the crops."

Tilling the soil is secondary; teaching and training are the main tasks.

Diar, Zhang Peng, and others studied very diligently. Gu Tong taught them about the entire process of agricultural production, not just tilling the land.

Meanwhile, Dong Jun and Aikebai mingled with the construction workers in the yard, finding everything fascinating.

Breeding is a prestigious thing for them. They don't expect to master the technology in the short term, but at least they can be qualified to assist Gu Tong in the future.

During the off-season for farming, everyone was busy, and the six people, including Diya'er and Zhang Peng, had the biggest harvest.

After finishing her short training, Gu Tong went to the county agricultural technology station.

As it turned out, his submitted proposal had not yet passed the review. Station Chief Cui explained with a smile, "Comrade Gu, this is a big project worth over a million yuan. It needs to be reviewed by multiple departments. How can it be done so quickly? But don't worry, it will definitely not delay next year's spring planting."

"Okay, Station Chief Cui, I just happened to be passing by and wanted to ask. You're busy now, I'm leaving."

Gu Tong left the agricultural technology station, then went to the supermarket to buy a bag of snacks and delivered it to Gu Lixian.

Gulixian said she'd come over for a big plate of chicken, but the house's been under construction and a mess these past few days, so she couldn't come.

Gu Tong happened to be in the county today, so he went to visit the other party.

"I'm not a child anymore, why are you buying so many snacks?"

The two met outside the bank. Gulixian took a large bag of snacks and couldn't help but complain.

However, despite her words, she held onto the item tightly once it was in her hands, showing no intention of returning it to Gu Tong.

"The greenhouse construction is nearing completion. I'll call you when I'm done with this busy period, and I'll cook some delicious dishes for you to enjoy."

Gu Tong didn't stay long; after chatting with Gu Lixian for a while, she said goodbye and left.

The construction of the smart greenhouse took 18 days, and trial operation began on the 19th day.

"Mr. Gu, the entire greenhouse is divided into four relatively independent large spaces and several smaller spaces. The four large spaces include three planting areas and one sterile operation area."

An executive from the agricultural technology company came over in person to give Gu Tong a detailed introduction, and the technical materials he handed over were a whole boxful.

Gu Tong's understanding of smart greenhouses exceeded the executive's expectations. Whenever the executive asked a question, it hit the nail on the head, and he also pointed out a few minor flaws that even an expert would easily overlook.

"Mr. Wang, thank you for your help in making the changes. It's not a big problem; one day should be enough, right?"

Gu Tong was very polite because the company was quite reputable and its engineering quality was excellent.

He doesn't dismiss someone just because of a few minor flaws.

"That's enough! Mr. Gu, you are truly an expert among experts. I believe you will make good use of this greenhouse and achieve remarkable research results."

Mr. Wang felt relieved and personally led the team to carry out the rectification, which was completed in just half a day.

Gu Tong then began the acceptance process, which included the smart brain, IoT central control system, integrated water and fertilizer system, national standard hot-dip galvanized steel pipes, tempered glass, high-quality PC sun panels, temperature (humidity) control system, ventilation system, LED supplementary lighting, sterile operating area, and so on.

He meticulously checked every system and even the materials used, and only signed the acceptance form after confirming that everything was correct.

The heating system is the same; the boiler has not been shut down since the trial operation began, and the overall acceptance test was passed.

After the inspection was completed, Gu Tong readily paid the full amount, and the personnel from both companies left satisfied.

They all said that they would be there whenever there was a problem, even if it was snowing or raining knives, they would come as soon as possible.

He previously had 111.58 yuan in his bank account. He spent 0.56 yuan on materials for building the boiler room and daily expenses, and 9.3 yuan on the heating system and smart greenhouse. His current bank account balance is 101.72 yuan.

Although the amount was reduced by nearly 10 yuan, Gu Tong couldn't help but feel a surge of pride as he looked at the smart glass greenhouse standing in the yard.

He was determined to develop a high-yield, highly cold-resistant hybrid rapeseed, otherwise he would be letting down this magnificent building.

Just then, a notification sound suddenly rang in his mind, followed by a message that floated past his eyes.

[Milestone Achieved (Smart Greenhouse Completed), Shennong Value +1000]

Shennong Value: 10932 points

[New Mission: You've taken a giant step towards achieving your goal of becoming a legendary Chinese hermit. Please cultivate a high-yielding, highly cold-resistant, and early-maturing crop; variety is not limited. Successful completion will reward you with one Autumn Harvest Gift Box.]

[Note: The Autumn Harvest Gift Box reward will contain a key to the second level of the Shennong Pavilion, which can be used to unlock the second level of the Shennong Pavilion.]

After reading the message, Gu Tong couldn't help but swear: "Damn it!"

It's no wonder he lost his composure like that. First of all, he had achieved another milestone and received a reward of 1000 Shennong points.

Recalling when he built the sheepfold, he received a [milestone], but the reward was only 50 Shennong points.

The rewards for the two differ by a factor of twenty. Perhaps it's due to differences in importance or the amount of capital invested, but in any case, this further highlights the value of smart greenhouses.

Secondly, a new task arrived unexpectedly, and the reward was no longer opening blind boxes, but rather a clear answer was given.

The task is the breeding line. After passing the system's judgment, you can obtain the key to the second floor of the Shennong Pavilion, thus successfully opening the second floor of the Shennong Pavilion.

For so long, he had no idea that the Shennong Pavilion had a second floor, no wonder he cursed.

After a while, Gu Tong calmed down and then pondered the new task.

The new task is to cultivate new crop varieties. Although the evaluation criteria are unclear, they must at least not be inferior to the current mainstream crop varieties. This aligns with his original intention to prepare for breeding, but the time required for the entire process is uncertain.

Breeding involves not only technology but also luck; with good luck, it may take three to five years to succeed.

If you're unlucky, it's common to spend ten years honing your skills.

Of course, the application of modern new technologies will greatly accelerate the breeding process, so he can only take it one step at a time.

"Perfect timing, let's take advantage of the long winter to slowly carry out breeding research."

Gu Tong stopped worrying and decided to follow her own plan, realizing that overthinking would be pointless.

He then went to the sheepfold and started a live stream.

Before he could even begin his opening remarks, the live stream chat was already in an uproar.

[Lonely Swordsman]: "Dude, please have some decency. Tell me how long it's been since you last streamed?"

[Traveling with the Birds]: "Exactly, exactly! Everyone buys mutton all the time, and you, the big boss, don't even show your face. That's not fair!"

[I don't eat donkey meat]: "Did the ewe successfully breed?"

【Small Town Exam Taker 123】: "When will the new batch of mutton be on the shelves? They don't seem to care about doing business at all."

'

Gu Tong has been very busy lately. He didn't livestream the construction process of the smart greenhouse. He only chatted with his fans a few times while training Diya and the others.

Meanwhile, the link to sell mutton has always been displayed in the small shop. Although sales are not booming, they are steady and consistent.

To date (since starting the live-streaming sales in Tekos), 300 sheep have been sold. He and Ali maintain...

In the midst of exchanging information, he didn't even have time to do the accounting; after deducting platform fees, all the payments were transferred to Aili.

The lamb in the shop is sold out, and there are no new stock available yet.

"Anyone have objections? Let me tell you, I've been holding back a big surprise these past few days. Just wait, the mystery will be solved soon. Let's talk about the ewe breeding first. The breeding sheep were removed a few days ago, and you can see, aren't these ewes already showing signs of pregnancy?"

Gu Tong laughed it off, showing no intention of admitting his mistake.

He couldn't back down in front of those guys; if he did, they would definitely take advantage of him and make him lose face.

So he kept everyone in suspense for a moment, and then introduced the breeding work.

All 20 ewes have successfully conceived, and he has already returned two breeding ewes to Kurban, hoping for more lambs next year.

The live stream chat erupted in noise again, but although the details were omitted, at least there was a decent result that the fans found acceptable.

"Alright, let's not disturb the ewes' rest anymore. Everyone, please follow my camera and open your eyes wide to see what's that?"

Gu Tong then left the sheepfold and pointed the camera at the smart greenhouse, talking as she walked closer.

The smart greenhouse stands quietly in the yard, the setting sun shining on the glass surface, reflecting a dazzling light.

Fans are very familiar with his yard, and now that a smart greenhouse has suddenly appeared, they can't pretend they don't see it.

【Lonely Swordsman】: "This is... a greenhouse? Why does it look different from the greenhouses I remember?"

"Now it's time to reveal the mystery. That's right, this is the greenhouse—a smart glass greenhouse. As you can see, the greenhouse's support structure is made of national standard galvanized steel pipes, and the outer layer is tempered glass and high-quality PC sun panels..."

Seeing the fans' reactions, Gu Tong couldn't help but feel secretly pleased.

He first walked around the greenhouse, then went inside and gave everyone a detailed introduction.

They showcased everything to their fans, from the smart brain and IoT central control system to the temperature control system and the integrated water and fertilizer system.

After he finished his introduction, the live stream room fell silent.

Many fans may have heard of smart greenhouses, but they've never seen one in person. Now that they've seen the real thing, they're immediately amazed.

[I Don't Eat Donkey Meat]: "Are greenhouses this advanced now? Wow, you're really getting ahead of yourself!"

【Small Town Exam Taker 123】: "Isn't that right? I just earned a little hard-earned money, and now I'm investing it here. Is it worth it?"

[Lonely Swordsman]: "To be honest, this smart greenhouse is truly beautiful; it's packed with technology!"

Fans had all sorts of opinions, but none of them could hide the fact that they were stunned by Gu Tong's massive investment.

Although I don't know the exact amount, I can tell from a distance that it's definitely not cheap.

"High input, high output, right? I'll be conducting breeding research throughout the winter, and I hope everyone will continue to support me. As for selling mutton, I'll have to put that on hold for now. I'll do another live stream to sell it when I have some free time."

Gu Tong chatted with his fans for a while, then promptly ended the broadcast.

Maintaining the popularity of a live stream during the long winter is not easy, but now with smart greenhouses and breeding programs, Gu Tong no longer has to worry about his fans' enthusiasm waning.

This was also his main purpose in starting the live stream.

Gu Tong then went to check on the few purple grass plants, planning to transplant them into the greenhouse tomorrow to prevent them from going dormant in the cold weather.

Just then, a voice came from behind: "Gu Tong, are you planning to set up a research institute?"