Chapter 275: Watermelon Seedlings
The extremely clever Xu Wei immediately understood. She gently held Sun Shangxiang’s hand. “You are my best friend. I understand you better than anyone. Shang Xiang, actually, I noticed it early on—the way you look at my husband.”
“I didn’t!” Sun Shangxiang hurriedly shook her head. “I-I”
She couldn’t continue. Finally, she lowered her head, her voice very low. “Yun Qing, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have developed those feelings for your husband.”
Xu Wei did not let go of her hand. She said softly again: “Let’s not talk about feelings for now, nor whether it will really happen. We’re just talking about a hypothesis. If… I mean if, if we are willing to accept you but cannot give you the position of main wife, can you accept that?”
Sun Shangxiang bit her lip. “I-I don’t know!”
Xu Wei laughed. “So don’t overthink it. If you can’t even get past your own hurdle, how can you get past your mother and elder brother’s? How could they possibly agree to you not being the main wife!”
“But… but I want to marry a man I like.”
“Then go find a man you like who can also marry you as his main wife.”
“The man I like…”
Sun Shangxiang was at a loss. In her mind appeared the man who had gently picked up food for Xu Wei during dinner. The gentleness in that man’s eyes melted her heart.
In the afternoon, Gan Ning returned home. He did not go straight to the study, but instead excitedly came to the back garden. Half a month ago, he had planted a few watermelon seeds with great interest.
He had originally thought they wouldn’t sprout, but yesterday he accidentally discovered that three tender sprouts had grown, which suddenly filled him with anticipation.
There was a small vegetable plot in the back yard, about one mu of land, mainly for growing beans, but this year he did not plan to plant beans. He intended to plant some melons and fruits.
It was now mid-March, which was mid-April on the solar calendar. The soil temperature was sufficient.
Gan Ning came to the vegetable plot, squatted down to carefully look at the three watermelon seedlings. They were growing very sturdy and seemed a bit taller than yesterday. It had just rained lightly today, so no watering was needed. The soil fertility was also sufficient, so no additional fertilizing was needed.
Once they grew a bit larger, he could build a trellis for them.
“General, what are you doing?” A soft voice came from behind.
Gan Ning turned around and saw Sun Shangxiang standing behind him. She was wearing a red warrior outfit with a long sword on her back. Her face was slightly flushed, and there were fine beads of sweat on her forehead.
“Were you practicing swordsmanship?” Gan Ning asked with a smile.
Sun Shangxiang nodded lightly. “I come to the garden every day at this time to practice sword for a while.”
Gan Ning smiled and pointed to the three small seedlings in the soil. “I planted a few watermelon seeds, and they’ve sprouted!”
“Watermelon?” Sun Shangxiang’s eyes lit up. “It’s my favorite, but I’ve never seen how it grows.”
She walked over lightly, squatted down, and looked at the three small seedlings. Her eyes sparkled. “Are these them?”
Gan Ning nodded. “They’re too close together and will affect each other. I need to transplant two seedlings to the other side.”
“C-can I help you?” Sun Shangxiang said softly.
Gan Ning nodded. “Give me your dagger!”
Sun Shangxiang quickly pulled the dagger from her boot sheath and handed it to Gan Ning. Gan Ning used the dagger to dig up one seedling along with the surrounding soil and transplanted it to the northeast corner.
Sun Shangxiang drew another dagger and imitated Gan Ning’s movements, carefully digging up another seedling with the soil and quickly walking to the northwest corner.
She watched Gan Ning dig and plant, then did the same and planted the other seedling.
“General, should we water them?”
Gan Ning shook his head and returned the dagger to her.
“The soil is already moist. No extra watering is needed. Too much water will rot the roots.”
“Next month the plum rain season begins. What then?”
This was also what Gan Ning was worried about. In his previous life, he had tried growing bottle gourds twice, both failures due to too much rain soaking the roots.
He thought for a moment and said: “We’ll build a shed then! The ground here is higher, so a shed should be fine.”
Sun Shangxiang looked at the seedlings she had personally transplanted. Her heart gently connected with the seedlings.
She pursed her lips and said softly: “Can I be responsible for watering them from now on?”
Gan Ning glanced at her and nodded with a smile. “Good! One teacup’s worth of water per seedling is enough. Don’t use too much.”
“I understand. I guarantee to come every morning to water them.”
At this time, a maidservant ran over and said: “Master, Madam asks you to go to the dining hall.”
It was time for dinner. Gan Ning smiled at Sun Shangxiang and said: “Let’s go! Time to eat.”
Sun Shangxiang had originally wanted to go back to her room to change clothes first, but for some reason, she inexplicably followed Gan Ning toward the dining hall, still holding two daggers covered in soil.
“General, is there any news from Jiangdong?” Sun Shangxiang asked softly.
Gan Ning pondered for a moment and said: “Sun Ben may attack Jiangdong.”
Sun Shangxiang was startled. “Didn’t Jiangdong sign a seven-year peace agreement with Cao Cao?”
Gan Ning smiled faintly. “What significance does an agreement signed between a wolf and a sheep have?”
“But…”
Sun Shangxiang felt some anxiety rising in her heart. “Then will the general…”
Gan Ning shook his head. “Not this time. It’s not that I don’t want to help, but Cao Cao has amassed an army of 300,000 on the other side of the Yangtze River in Chaisang, with thousands of warships. I can barely protect myself now and truly have no strength left to save Jiangdong again. But Jiangdong learned from the last incident and shouldn’t let Sun Ben succeed so easily. You don’t need to worry too much.”
How could Sun Shangxiang not worry? Last time, Jiangdong escaped disaster because of Gan Ning’s rescue. This time, if they couldn’t save it, could Jiangdong escape again?
For a moment, Sun Shangxiang felt anxiety in her heart. What would happen to Jiangdong?
Entering the dining hall, Da Qiao saw that both had hands covered in soil and was stunned for a moment. She quickly arranged for maidservants to bring water for them to wash their hands.
“Husband, what were you doing?” After sitting down, Da Qiao asked softly.
Gan Ning smiled. “I planted a few watermelon seedlings in the back garden vegetable plot. I happened to run into Shang Xiang, and she helped me plant them too.”
“Oh—” Da Qiao fell silent.
Xu Wei, however, gave Sun Shangxiang a meaningful look. She hadn’t changed her clothes, hadn’t put away her treasure sword, and had just come with her husband like this. Did this little girl think she couldn’t see through her intentions?
After dinner, Gan Ning returned to the study. Soon after, Da Qiao brought ginseng tea to her husband.
Gan Ning pointed to the chair opposite, signaling his wife to sit.
“Husband, what is it?”
Gan Ning hesitated and asked: “Does Shang Xiang want to go home?”
“She hasn’t mentioned it. Did something happen?”
Gan Ning nodded. “Today, news came from the Jiangdong Liaison Office. Her mother is ill, and the message hopes she returns.”
“Ah! Her mother is sick?”
Gan Ning shook his head. “Actually, it’s not really an illness. It’s that Cao Cao is asking to marry Shang Xiang to his son Cao Zhi for her. Her mother wants Shang Xiang to return to complete the marriage and used illness as an excuse.”
