Chapter 155: Introducing Tropical Fruit Trees

Thinking of this, Zhong Di decided to arrange everything immediately. There was no room for delay; the sooner these matters were settled, the better, as procrastination would only lead to complications.

The initial work involved nursery preparation, purchasing basic production equipment, and sanitizing and organizing the greenhouses. Purchasing supplies and organizing the greenhouses could be done concurrently, as they did not conflict.

"Hey, Sis, perfect timing. I need to buy some things. Could you take a look, find sources, and negotiate the prices?"

Just as Zhong Di was about to go look for his sister, he happened to see her coming out. Zhong Di rarely handled purchasing himself nowadays; he left it all to his sister. It made accounting and inventory much easier and prevented any unnecessary confusion.

When buying raw materials, prices must be negotiated. For example, regarding the nursery trays—you might think saving ten cents per tray is negligible, but when you buy in large quantities, the total cost savings become significant. Zhong Di knew he wasn't particularly good at this; when it came to bargaining, it was a task best suited for women. They had a natural talent for it.

"Sure, tell me what you need, and I'll find the sources and negotiate the prices," Zhong Hui said, understanding his intentions immediately.

"One thousand 108-cell trays, five hundred 50-cell trays. As for the substrate, you look into it—buy plenty. Don't worry about having too much; just make sure to pick the best. For the substrate, buy some of that imported peat from Madan; theirs is excellent."

Zhong Di listed the items as he thought them through. These were for starting seedlings, not for selling vegetable starts, where a few hundred trays might suffice. Buying extra to keep in stock wasn't expensive, and it would be ready whenever needed. Plastic goods like these, as long as they were kept in a storeroom away from direct sunlight, could last for years. Moreover, they were affordable; even after picking high-quality ones, a thousand trays would only cost around a thousand yuan.

The substrate was more expensive, but buying a larger quantity was fine—it could be used for seedlings, potted fruit trees, or flowers. Even if it wasn't all used, it would keep just fine in storage. Zhong Di knew how to mix his own substrate, but he was simply too lazy to do it. It required too many steps, and since he didn't need a massive amount, he’d rather spend his time fishing than put in the effort to save that bit of money.

"Also, buy some two-tone plastic pots in various sizes. Start from 120mm, get some 150mm, and definitely get more of the 180mm ones. If you find those small white starter pots or ceramic ones, order some of those too, and get the large flower pots as well."

Zhong Di listed quite a lot. Once these items arrived, they could be stacked in the isolation room, or he could build a small shed or warehouse to store them. Aside from these, he would have to handle the rest himself. His sister wasn't very familiar with tropical fruits, so it was better for him to handle those purchases personally.

"Alright, I've got it all written down. Is there anything else?"

"Not for now. I'll take care of the rest, and if I need anything else, I'll let you know."

After clarifying a few more details, Zhong Hui went off to source the goods.

Zhong Di began searching for sources himself. For the tropical fruits, he categorized them into primary and secondary varieties. For plants with larger growth habits, he would only get a few for ornamental purposes, not expecting to make a profit from them. For plants with a more compact growth habit, he would order more, aiming for actual yield.

Zhong Di quickly filtered his thoughts. Banana trees and papaya shouldn't be overdone, but he could get more dragon fruit, lemon, mango, passion fruit, and kiwi trees. As for durian or jackfruit, he would just introduce a few dwarf varieties; as for whether they would bear fruit or even survive the transition, he would leave that to fate.

Zhong Di carefully selected and confirmed his list, then contacted the sellers. He ordered medium-sized saplings to be shipped with their root balls intact. The costs were higher, but the survival rate was much better. He wasn't buying a huge batch yet—just enough for a basic experiment. Once all the greenhouses were constructed later on, he would have a large truck deliver them in bulk, already potted.

When choosing saplings, he avoided both the very small and the very large. Small saplings would take too long to bear fruit, while large trees often struggled to establish themselves, which could be fatal. Medium-sized ones were the perfect balance.

After finalizing his choices, Zhong Di made the payments and sat back to wait for the delivery.

*Whew, I'm exhausted.*

After finishing the purchases, Zhong Di collapsed into his chair. He checked the time; it was almost lunch. With a little time to spare, he decided to go check on the Pallas's cats. Perhaps because of the ongoing construction and the fact that it wasn't the weekend, there were very few visitors—just a few scattered individuals, and those who did eat only ordered simple things like mixed noodles.

Knowing they were planning to have roasted lamb chops for lunch, Zhong Di headed toward the guest room where the Pallas's cats were kept. He had originally planned to build them a separate shelter, but he found that they were quite attached to him, so he considered letting them live with him in the future. The inner and outer rooms provided plenty of space; the only downside was having to clean up after them occasionally, which was manageable. Once they grew a bit older, they would learn to go outside to relieve themselves.

The sun was bright, and white clouds drifted lazily by. The air was filled with birdsong, and occasionally, a turtle dove would fly into the chicken coop to steal feed. Ever since he started his farming venture, various small animals enjoyed visiting his garden, and since he never chased them away, the variety of wildlife continued to grow.

"Damao, Ermao, Sanmao, want to go for a stroll outside today?" Zhong Di asked softly.

The moment Damao saw him, it began rubbing against his leg, acting affectionately. Zhong Di stroked the white fur on Damao's nose—it was getting even whiter. *Why did I name him Damao? Wouldn't 'Dabai' be better?*

*Never mind, let's stick with Damao. Since I already have Ermao and Sanmao, suddenly changing to Dabai would feel a bit awkward.*

"Wuu... wuu..."

Damao bit playfully at Zhong Di's pant leg, clearly not understanding his suggestion. Seeing this, Zhong Di took the initiative to pick them up and head outside. Since they arrived, they hadn't stepped out of this room. It was fine for a short period, but long-term, it wasn't healthy. Even though Pallas's cats were nocturnal, they still needed their sunshine.

As soon as Zhong Di carried them toward the door, the cats showed their displeasure, acting quite agitated as if they didn't want to go out. This wouldn't do—he couldn't have housebound pets. If they didn't get out and move around, how could it be good for their physical and mental health?

"There, there, don't be afraid. It's really fun outside," Zhong Di channeled his inner professional nanny, soothing the cats until they gradually calmed down.

Under his comfort, the cats quieted and hid in his arms, cautiously observing their surroundings. They looked as if they were seeing the world for the very first time.