Chapter 49: Sprouting in Less Than a Day?!

Although the Chen Family had previously sent people to give the courtyard a rough cleaning, certain fine details still needed another once-over.

Once the Cheng Family started tidying up, they were busy until dark.

"Finally cleaned up."

Cheng Qiuluo slumped into a chair, legs propped on the low table, right leg over the left, tilting her head back to look at the ceiling and roof beams.

Mm, spotless, very clean!

This was all territory she had conquered by running about and leaping up and down.

"So tired."

Seeing her two legs brazenly propped up on the table, Wang Shi gave her an exasperated glare.

No posture at all when sitting — where's a girl's manners?

She walked over and swatted her legs down to the floor with a slap.

"Rest for just a little while, then hurry off to chop firewood. We still need to light the fire and cook in a bit."

Cheng Qiuluo sighed and answered listlessly.

"Got it."

Then she resignedly stood up, took the axe, and prepared to head to the courtyard.

Meanwhile, on the other side, An Luo had long since ordered a whole table of dishes at the restaurant.

Looking at the suspicious gazes of the takeout delivery guys.

An Luo's tendency to get embarrassed easily flared up again.

"Um, I have guests at home."

The takeout was all there, but she was afraid there wouldn't be enough staples, so she steamed a whole rice cooker full of rice, along with over a dozen big steamed buns.

When the rice and buns were done steaming, she happened to hear Wang Shi say she was going to cook, so she quickly had Yu'an go to the dining table to get ready.

When he heard this, Yu'an was obediently tilting his head back, letting his mother wipe the sweat from his face and neck.

He was small with short arms and couldn't help clean the rooms, but the little fellow didn't just stand by idly while his elders were busy.

One moment helping this person carry a broom, the next helping that person hand over a rag.

Running here and there, in and out, his little short legs going nonstop, dozens of trips in and out — the little fellow was thoroughly worn out.

Hearing Fairy Sister say food was being sent over, Yu'an immediately perked up, happily showing a row of little rice-teeth, and jumped down from the stool on the spot.

"Great-Grandmother, wait a moment, no need to cook dinner tonight."

After saying that, the little fellow pattered over to the dining table, huffed and puffed as he climbed onto the stool, then placed his hands on the table.

【Fairy Sister, Yu'an is ready.】

With that call, a ring of light flashed, and the next moment, the table was covered with all manner of dishes, bowls, chopsticks, plates, and basins.

"Wow!"

"There's my favorite roast duck and pork knuckle!"

Cheng Qiuluo ran to the table, glancing at this dish one moment, sniffing over there the next, feeling her nose and eyes were almost not enough!

"Grandmother?"

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Cheng Old Madam, her face full of anticipation.

Cheng Old Madam first led the women in bowing to the table, giving thanks to the Immortal, before nodding.

"Let everyone come in and eat."

Cheng Qiuluo said this as she ran outside.

"Okay! I'm going right now!"

Before long, her excited voice rang out in the courtyard.

"Elder Sister, Aunt by Cousin, Jiuling, Big Brother Cheng Feng, stop what you're doing for now, hurry wash your hands and come eat!"

Outside the courtyard, Cheng Feng and the others were repairing the fence, preparing to enclose those two plots of land.

Cheng Jiuling and her mother were squatting on the ground, hoeing and loosening the soil, watering the watermelon seeds they had just planted.

Hearing the call, the few of them stood up and returned to the courtyard.

Upon entering the main room and seeing the table laden with food, they were mildly astonished for a few seconds, after which Cheng Feng and the others sat down on the stools with composed expressions.

Cheng Jiuling turned her head to glance at Xu Shi, then said timidly.

"Mother?"

Earlier, the stove in the Study had never even been lit, and no one had even entered the Chu Fang.

They had also been outside the courtyard the whole time and hadn't seen anyone come by.

It couldn't have been sent by the Chen Family either.

So, where did all this food come from?

Xu Shi smiled, helped tuck her mischievous strands of hair behind her ear, then took her hand and walked to the dining table to sit down.

Some things, there's no need to be overly clear about them, is there?

Just like those two plots of land outside the courtyard — the seeds had just been planted, and in such a short time, they were already showing signs of sprouting and breaking through the soil.

Seeing that although the mother and daughter had their doubts, they didn't ask any untimely questions.

Meng Shi and Wang Shi, the sisters-in-law, exchanged a glance, and when they looked at Xu Shi and her daughter again, a hint of approval flickered in their eyes.

Cheng Old Madam showed no particular reaction on her face, but lowered her eyes in thought.

It wasn't that they were being overly guarded — it was simply that the secret on Yu'an's person was too great; even if a single thread of information leaked out, it was something they could not bear the consequences of.

As Cheng Old Madam picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Yu'an's bowl.

"Let's eat."

Only then did everyone pick up their chopsticks.

After eating and drinking their fill, everyone slept soundly through the night.

Early the next morning, a sudden cry of alarm rang out from outside the courtyard.

"Oh my heavens!"

Hearing the voice, several people hurried out.

"What happened?"

Cheng Old Madam hurried out of the courtyard with her two daughters-in-law.

They saw Cheng Jiuling standing in a daze, pointing at the ground, her words stumbling over one another.

"Th-they sprouted."

Cheng Old Madam looked over and saw a row of lush green seedlings on the ground, swaying gently in the morning breeze, their tender green leaves unfurling.

"This… could it be because that watermelon was no ordinary item?"

Are all the things an Immortal eats this miraculous?

In less than a single day, they've already sprouted?!

Meng Shi, standing to the side, slowly shook her head. She pointed to the tiny green sprouts in the corner on the other side, completely different from the watermelon seedlings.

"No, yesterday I also planted a few ginseng seeds, and overnight, they've sprouted too!"

She looked solemnly toward Cheng Old Madam.

"Pomo, it seems the truly miraculous things are these two plots of land."

At that moment, Yu'an came out rubbing his big eyes, still half-asleep.

His just-awakened little milk-voice sounded especially sweet and innocent.

It made one's heart soften at the sound.

"Great-grandmother, what happened?"

Cheng Old Madam took the little fellow's hand and led him to the fence, whispering in his ear.

"Yu'an, think carefully. Did the Immortal mention anything wondrous about these two plots of land?"

Yu'an was about to shake his head when suddenly his eyes widened slightly and his little mouth fell open unconsciously.

He actually saw a few characters on the soil!

He whispered this secret to his own great-grandmother.

Cheng Old Madam narrowed her eyes slightly, carefully examining those two plots of land. After looking for quite a while, she still couldn't see anything.

She asked again in a low voice.

"What characters are written on it?"

Yu'an's delicate little brows knit together.

He sounded out each word carefully, struggling to make out those characters.

"Thirty, times, growth, speed."

After saying it, the little fellow curled his small mouth and unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, he recognized every one of those characters.

"Thirty times?!"

Even Cheng Old Madam, who had seen her share of great storms, couldn't help crying out in shock at this moment.

After the shock passed, she began calculating in her mind.

From what they could see so far, these two plots of land were not bound by temperature or season.

Millet takes a hundred and forty-some days to mature; wheat needs over two hundred days.

What does thirty times growth speed mean?

It meant that, with these two plots of land, they could harvest a batch of grain in at most seven or eight days!!!