Chapter 18: The Visitor
“Sister Ning Ning?”
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Su Ning raised her head, her emotions in her eyes returning to normal, and smilingly pinched her cheek, “Silly Ying Ying, what are you worrying about?”
How could a close father and daughter have any overnight grudge!
This was something her own dad often said to her. Fu Ying thought about it and realized it was indeed the case, so was she just being overly sensitive and overthinking earlier?
Her instantly tense expression relaxed, and she chuckled back, “Uncle Xu and Tingzi have both gone in, we should hurry and catch up too. Let’s go, Sister Ning Ning~”
After entering the house, everyone just exchanged simple greetings, after all, those who had to go to work or school tomorrow needed to get up early.
As Fu Ting rode off on his bicycle, Su Ning also took Fu Ying to wash up and returned to the room early to sleep.
……
“Ying Ying… Ying Ying?”
Probingly calling out twice, the person on the bed was still sleeping soundly without even turning over. Su Ning helplessly shook her head, pulled over the thin quilt from the side and draped it over her stomach, then gently got out of bed.
Glancing at the watch on the desk, she quickly flashed into the space while there was still time.
“How could it… be so fast?”
She had just come in and was stunned by the scene before her eyes.
In the experimental field next to the small courtyard, the things she had randomly planted had all matured, much earlier than expected.
She quickly stepped forward, squatted down to inspect, several wheat ears were golden yellow with heavy heads drooping, the rice grains wrapped in husks were large and plump.
Next to them, two or three corn stalks each bore five or six corn cobs, with the silks at the base turned black, each cob as big as two adult fists.
There were also chubby winter melons, round pumpkins, eggplants gleaming with purple light, and screw peppers bent in various shapes…
“Hiss—”
Su Ning, who drew in a sharp breath, did not first think of the bountiful harvest she could experience once every few days in the future.
Instead, she thought of the difficulties and hardships when manually transporting the rosewood box, and realizing even more clearly that with her trash stamina, what should she do then?
Even if she worked herself to death, she couldn’t harvest over a hundred mu of land, let alone doing it once every few days!
“If only these grains could automatically go into storage…”
Before the words even fell, the grains and vegetables and fruits in the field orderly detached themselves and flew toward the small courtyard.
She stared dumbfounded until this moment did she realize belatedly: so she could operate like this in the Peach Blossom Spring Space?
So there was also a super large underground storage room in the small courtyard?
So why didn’t she think of this earlier when transporting the box back then!
So why did she go to the trouble of transporting the box to the cave instead of directly putting it in the underground storage room!
Su Ning, with complex eyes unsure whether to be happy or angry, grabbed her disheveled long hair, suddenly thought of something, quickly went to the riverbank and then nonstop climbed up the small hillside.
“It really is.”
Not only had the fish, shrimp, and crabs she put in the river grown up and produced even more offspring, but the livestock on the small hill had also grown rapidly in size and put on weight, all kinds of eggs were almost overflowing!
Trying the method from earlier, she collected all the grown fish, shrimp, and crabs, and the eggs on the small hill into the underground storage room.
After continuous attempts, she controlled it more and more smoothly and proficiently.
She also learned again that things entering the underground storage room would automatically be categorized and even helpfully processed: for example, wheat ears would be threshed, fish, shrimp, and crabs turned into frozen goods, whole chickens, ducks, and geese plucked, pigs, cattle, and sheep slaughtered and broken down…
While marveling at it, she couldn’t help but be ecstatic.
“It really is a great treasure!”
She had originally planned to learn how to farm and do aquaculture after arriving in Xiangnan, but now it was all unnecessary!
Looking at the farmland that required no manual work and was planted in just a few short minutes, and the hilltop planted with various fruit trees and melon seeds, her heart felt wonderfully satisfied~
……
Qing University Affiliated No.1 High School.
Morning light sprinkled on the branches of two rows of tall sycamore trees, with the prominent eight big characters “Study hard every day” written on the mottled grey tile earthen walls.
In front of several not-too-old teaching buildings, students in groups of three or five continuously poured in with the first bell signaling entry to school.
“Sister Ning Ning, you should head back quickly!”
Waving vigorously at her, Fu Ying slung her schoolbag over her shoulder, hugged the aluminum lunchbox in both hands, and ran thump thump thump through the gate to smoothly meet up with her classmates.
“Hey! Fu Ying, is that your sister? So pretty!”
“Of course, how could my sister not be pretty~”
“You gonna say we’re good bros or not?”
“Yes, but don’t even think about hitting on her, get lost!”
“……”
Until turning the corner where her laughing and playful figure could no longer be seen, Su Ning turned around and slowly walked back from the school gate.
Today was the day to collect grain and oil. Elderly people and children with no work at home had taken their grain coupons and lined up before dawn.
Avoiding the alley with the long queue, she arrived at the courtyard in five or six minutes.
Just as she reached the home entrance, she saw two people who broke into broad smiles upon seeing her.
“Brother Zhang, Brother Mao! When did you arrive? Come on in!”
“We just got here too, heh heh heh, just arrived.”
Leading the two into the house and pouring each a cup of tea, Su Ning’s suspended heart finally relaxed a bit after seeing them.
Back then Grandpa Fu hadn’t retired yet, and Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian were both his JW members, said to be carefully selected from the TZ team, with top-notch skills and marksmanship.
Later because of health reasons Grandpa Fu retired, but he didn’t want to occupy national resources and had all his assigned personnel withdrawn, insisting on contributing his remaining value by going to the textile factory to guard the gate.
Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian thus did not continue to take up other positions, but chose to retire one after the other.
“Several years since we last met, Ning Ning has become a big girl, growing more and more radiant!”
“Heh heh, Brother Zhang is right.”
Zhang Ze sighed as he watched the person bustling about before him; time passed so quickly, the little girl from back then had grown up in the blink of an eye.
“Ning Ning, no need to fuss, your Brother Mao and I already ate breakfast before coming!”
After setting out the last plate of sunflower seeds and candy, Su Ning smiled and sat down, “No way, back then I ate plenty of candy from you two brothers, now that we’ve finally met, how can I not let the brothers get some return?”
“Hahaha!”
“You, you’re still the same as before, sweet-talking and eloquent.”
The three chatted and laughed, with no awkwardness from not seeing each other for a long time, the atmosphere very harmonious.
When it came to Grandpa Fu, Su Ning naturally spoke up and directly asked, “Brother Zhang, you should know why I asked you to come, right?”
When it came to serious matters, Zhang Ze and Mao Jinqian simultaneously stopped their actions and became serious.
“Old Fu mentioned it briefly, saying Ning Ning you would tell us the details when we met.”
“In less than a week I’ll set off for Xiangnan. You two brothers will not only need to protect me but also accompany me to stay in Xiangnan for several years. Will your wives be willing?”
“Rest assured Ning Ning, we’ve thought it all through. Worst case, we’ll bring your sisters-in-law and them to settle in Xiangnan together!”
“Yeah, Ning Ning, Brother Mao and I only agreed after thinking it over.”
It wasn’t just because this little sister was likable and both were willing to help when she faced difficulties, but also because the job welfare and treatment she offered were generous.
After having a family and kids, one had to consider too much and had no choice but to face reality.
“That’s good.”
Since both knew and had thought it through, Su Ning asked no more, “Then starting now, Brother Zhang, you’re responsible for protecting Fu Ying all day. Brother Mao, stay and secretly follow me.”
