HLM -Chapter 1163 The Land Beneath the Hills

Sunset Town had a large Chinese population, especially many Chinese tourists. To prevent conflicts between different cultures, Wang Bo often had Kidd give lessons to the townspeople so they could learn about Chinese culture.

So, after hearing Eva’s words, Doctor Yi suddenly understood.

LMC had a very close relationship with pregnant women, involving some physical examinations even more intimate than marital relations. If Wang Bo’s parents knew about them, they would certainly feel uncomfortable. In fact, even Wang Bo felt uneasy just thinking about it.

The town’s hospital also had nurses with LMC qualifications. After all, there were over ten nurses now, many of whom were elite immigrants, and they were all excellent. Wang Bo hadn’t been to the hospital for a while. He knew the hospital had expanded: it now had six doctors and fourteen nurses, and recruitment was still ongoing.

But numbers alone couldn’t compare to firsthand experience. A team of twenty medical staff was sizable. Walking through the hospital, almost every few minutes a doctor or nurse would greet him. Just two years ago, there were only four or five people.

During dinner, Wang Bo’s parents specially made shrimp and tofu patties, a nourishing dish considered a staple for pregnant women in economically well-off families in his hometown. They also prepared pork rib soup. While serving the soup, his father said, “Xiao Bo, do you want to take her to a big hospital in Auckland or Wellington? Give the baby a full-body check.”

Wang Bo replied, “No need. Eva is only one month pregnant. LMC has already given her a comprehensive examination. Everything’s fine—she’s very healthy. The hospital here is capable, so don’t worry.”

His father said, “You need to be attentive to the baby.”

“Big baby or small baby?” Wang Bo teased, making Eva laugh.

His father rolled his eyes. “You never grow up—everything is a joke to you!”

Wang Bo wasn’t joking. He cared deeply for Eva, but the hospital in town, in terms of both staff and equipment, was quite good for a small country like New Zealand. He had confidence in his people.

Eva continued teaching her students, while the role of the head of the Education Committee was handed over, a position that was more demanding.

After New Year, Oladi, the artist who had designed the Life Passage at the central square, came to see him again. “Mayor, I’ve recently had an interesting idea. Do you want to hear it?”

Wang Bo invited him to sit. “I’d love to.”

Oladi explained, “I’ve been walking around the town and noticed there are many small hills that aren’t being utilized.”

Wang Bo asked, “Aren’t there pavilions and towers on them already?”

Oladi nodded. “Yes, but that’s only on some of them. Many are still vacant. So I thought, why not turn these hills into some sort of building? Underground houses, maybe underground bars…”

“Imagine living in an underground house, with the entrance somewhere on the hill, and the roof and surroundings covered with natural grass and gardens.”

“Open the door in the morning and see fresh greenery everywhere—no pollution, no trash, no noise, just the fragrance of grass.”

“Wake up to birdsong, fall asleep to crickets—how does that sound?”

Listening to his description, Wang Bo exclaimed, “That would be beautiful!”

“Not just that,” Oladi said excitedly, “the hills can be utilized further. You could plant fruits and vegetables on the roof and sloped walls—tomatoes, cucumbers, whatever you like.”

“That would be amazing!” Wang Bo nodded.

“And if you think that’s all, you’re wrong. Using these hills as building foundations also allows the creation of a micro-world,” Oladi added.

Wang Bo asked, “Micro-world? What’s that?”

Oladi explained, “It’s about decorating the hills. If someone likes deserts, you can remove the vegetation, cover it with sand, plant some cacti, and place a few electric scorpions.

“If someone likes rainforests, it’s a bit harder but still possible. Just transplant some tall trees and set up sprinklers.

“In the same way, you could recreate any terrain. Isn’t that interesting?”

It truly was an interesting idea. Wang Bo nodded. “Indeed. Maybe we can create a Hobbit-like world?”

“The hill world becomes a Hobbit world, and Sunset Town could be called Middle-earth, right?” Oladi laughed.

They chatted happily, and Wang Bo approved the design plan.

Oladi didn’t just have ideas; he also laid out practical possibilities. He helped Wang Bo choose a building material: a new type developed in an Australian lab, using fiber and resin for modular construction. It was very sturdy and could be assembled into small houses.

In other words, the lab had developed a new type of “building block” material—more durable and stronger, though a bit costly.

Oladi said, “It’s not suitable for large houses on the market, but for small houses, like capsule hotels by the lakeside, it’s perfect for assembling the framework.”

Wang Bo nodded in agreement. “Then what are we waiting for? You design the house styles, and I’ll arrange for people to contact the company. Let’s get started!”

Wang Bo was extremely action-oriented. Once he decided, he immediately began ordering materials and selected a small hill for testing. Larger hills in town already had pavilions, so the smaller ones were perfect for these houses.

Bowen was put in charge of this project, while Wang Bo had other things to attend to: preparing for the Alaskan dog sled race.

The race was in mid-January, and it was now early January. They needed to get there in advance so the participating dogs could adapt to Alaska’s freezing climate.

The main participating Chinese rural dogs had already gone to the Iditarod with Tony Jackson. Zhuang Ding and the Queen stayed in Sunset Town—they would have to adapt to the icy conditions.

Wang Bo had initially planned to bring Eva, but she was just pregnant, so it wasn’t a suitable time for such an adventure.

When his parents learned he was going to Alaska, they firmly refused to let Eva go. “You have to consider the baby’s health. If anything happens there, it’ll be too late for you to cry!”