Chapter 249: Eating Watermelon
While Xie Chong was enthusiastically promoting locust governance, the watermelons Qin Wanwan planted in the manor had ripened.
Each one was round and particularly large.
Qin Wanwan could lie down on a whole watermelon.
One watermelon weighed about thirty jin, about the same as a child.
The crucial thing is that they were delicious.
The watermelons she grew were not only large but also sweet and juicy. Several large watermelons hung from a single vine, and each one was not small.
The family members certainly couldn’t eat them all, and the household animals could only eat one a day.
One of these would be enough for several people to share and eat to their heart’s content.
They couldn’t finish them at all.
In this hot weather, good things should naturally be shared with Daddy.
So Qin Wanwan called for a carriage. Wearing a small straw hat to shade her head, she happily hopped to the melon field to start picking.
She was only responsible for using scissors to cut the stems. A child like her naturally couldn’t carry such a large melon.
“Over here, over here, hurry and help carry them.”
The long-term laborers in the manor carefully placed the large watermelons onto the carriage.
“Carry these few over to the shore for Big Goldy and the others to eat.”
Although they were carnivorous animals, the lions and wolves at home really liked eating fruit, especially the fruit Qin Wanwan grew.
They even gnawed on the peel and flesh together.
Eating a large watermelon in this weather was truly satisfying.
The only downside was that after taking a bite, the fur on their bodies got wet and stained.
Their fur became sticky and dirty.
Three carriages were loaded. These melons were too big; a carriage could hold at most about twenty.
As they were about to leave, Qin Wanwan chased the animals whose fur had changed color into the small river for a bath, and only after they were clean did they come out.
Finally, sitting in front of the carriage, she waved her small hand and said, “Let’s go find Daddy~”
At this time, Xie Chong was in the wheat field.
The most important thing now was the impending harvest of grain.
Half a month was enough time to publicize the method of locust governance and for Xie Chong to prepare.
In the scorching summer heat, the wheat was nearing maturity.
Scattered locusts were appearing more and more frequently in the wheat field.
In the wheat fields, an occasional chicken, duck, or goose would dart out and snatch a locust that had fallen onto the wheat ears and was about to feast.
“Daddy, Daddy, your beloved daughter is here to bring you warmth.”
Although the little milk bun’s voice wasn’t loud, she was boisterously searching for her father everywhere.
Finally, someone led her to Xie Chong.
Xie Chong picked up the little milk bun and felt her forehead for sweat.
The weather was hot, and the sun was very strong.
Xie Chong had become several shades darker compared to winter.
It wasn’t just him; others were the same, with some turning as black as coal.
However, a tanned Daddy was also very handsome.
“Daddy, I brought you big watermelons.”
Qin Wanwan pointed at the round, large watermelons on the carriage.
Xie Chong swallowed.
He had eaten watermelons at home.
This was absolutely a special summer fruit for cooling down.
“They’re all ripe?”
Qin Wanwan nodded: “Many are edible. I can’t eat them all, my belly would explode even if I ate them all.”
Her stomach was small; she couldn’t even finish half a melon.
Xie Chong asked someone to get a clean knife.
He kept only two for himself and a few generals to eat, and the rest of the watermelons were distributed.
The watermelon was placed on a clean wooden board. With a clean cut, a crisp cracking sound was heard.
The watermelon split open along the cut on its own.
After that, no knife was needed; they easily broke it in half with their hands.
The red flesh, accompanied by the sweet aroma of watermelon, spread out, bringing a coolness that made one’s mouth water in the sweltering weather.
Although it wasn’t chilled, this watermelon had a natural cooling sensation.
Watermelon also had a name, “cold melon,” and the name suited the fruit.
“Sigh, what kind of fruit is this, so big?”
This was the first time Qin Wanwan had grown so many watermelons. The ones that ripened earlier were mostly eaten by family members, so this was the first time others had seen this type of fruit.
“Are these all edible?”
They looked at the red flesh in the middle of the watermelon in disbelief.
Qin Wanwan put her hands on her hips and nodded proudly.
“Yes, yes, I grew them!”
Xie Chong quickly cut the watermelon into evenly sized wedges, each about a hand’s width.
The rind was only a finger thick, and the rest was all edible flesh.
There were also black seeds on them, but not many. And with their large mouths, these tiny seeds could be ignored.
They were certain this watermelon had come to repay kindness.
One bite made them feel completely refreshed.
“It’s so delicious, General, what is this?”
Xie Chong cut a small piece for Qin Wanwan, the sweetest part from the center.
“Watermelon.”
“Why haven’t we had this before? This is great to eat at this season.”
“This is so refreshing to eat!”
Qin Wanwan, nibbling on the sweetest piece, said, “That black thing is a watermelon seed.”
Upon hearing this, the few people who were still swallowing the melon immediately and carefully spat out the seeds from their mouths.
They loved this thing so much; they had to plant it next year!
Qin Wanwan didn’t stay with her Daddy all the time. Holding a melon, she ambled around with Qin Xiaoe.
Walking through the wheat fields like a king surveying his territory, she looked around and occasionally nodded her little head with satisfaction.
“Not bad, not bad.”
After saying that, she took a bite of the melon, which was delicious (?ω?）
“Keep going, you must protect everyone’s wheat.”
The little one encouraged in a milky voice.
The sounds of chickens, ducks, and geese occasionally came from the wheat fields, as if responding to her.
“General…”
As everyone was eating melon, a scout reported that a swarm of locusts had been spotted flying this way.
Immediately, everyone hurriedly stuffed the remaining melon in their hands into their mouths.
“Damn it, we’ve been waiting nervously for so long, and the locusts have finally arrived!”
“Brothers, grab your weapons!”
Being soldiers, everyone had strong execution.
At the same time, Qin Xiaoe in the wheat field sensed something and let out a caw, tilting its neck.
The wheat field immediately erupted with noisy responses.
The calls of chickens, ducks, and geese mixed together.
“Caw~”
Snowflake and Eagle Boss circled in the sky. Qin Wanwan understood their words: the locusts they had been waiting for had arrived.
The first swarm of locusts wasn’t too numerous yet, but it was a dense mass flying from the grassland.
The sound of locust wings beating added much annoyance to the already sweltering weather.
Everyone quickly unfurled the nets, and some grabbed net bags.
The poultry hidden in the wheat field also stood ready under Qin Xiaoe’s summons.
Everyone stared in the same direction, waiting for the first swarm of locusts to arrive.
“Buzz buzz buzz…”
Qin Wanwan also gripped her small net bag. Today, she was also a tiny member of the pest control squad.
“They’re here!”
Xie Chong blew his whistle.
“Caw!”
Snowflake and Eagle Boss sprang into action, responsible for driving the numerous locusts into the large nets.
