Chapter 410: Show everyone a trick

Chen Dafu panicked when he heard the landlord had eaten something poisonous.

He recalled that someone in the village had once used poisonous herbs in chicken soup, and the village doctor would first give water to induce vomiting when treating them.

"I'll go get water! Then I'll fetch the doctor right away!"

"Landlord, drink plenty of water; as long as you vomit first, once the doctor arrives and gives you medicine, you'll be fine!"

Lv Jing nodded nervously, "Okay, I'll watch Xixi and make her drink water."

Gu Xixi swallowed calmly and stopped the panicked Lv Jing and Chen Dafu.

"Stay calm! Uncle Dafu, don't run! You two listen to me first."

While the two were stunned, Gu Xixi said, "The tomato is non-toxic, absolutely edible, and even delicious!"

Knowing it wouldn't be easily believed, she added solemnly, "When have I ever lied to you?"

"Besides, if this were toxic and so dangerous, how could I possibly grow it on the farm?"

Chen Dafu furrowed his brows, thinking, "That's true too."

"The landlord always acts prudently, and there are two little kids on the estate—how could he possibly grow poisonous fruit?"

Now Lv Jing, who claimed to know the tomato, couldn't help doubting herself.

"It's just a tree bearing red and green fruits, with leaves that look similar too."

"But it hasn't grown this tall or large; the red fruits are half the size of these—couldn't they be the same thing?"

Gu Xixi stood up, took another bite of the tomato, and heard the sound of juicy flesh.

"Where did you see it? Who told you it's poisonous? Such a delicious thing..."

To her taste, this tomato is really delicious.

Original variety, ecologically grown.

Although compared to later cultivated varieties, the skin is a bit thicker and the sweetness slightly lower.

Yet the tomato's distinctive flavor is fresh and rich, and the red fruit soaked in sunshine is sweet‑sour and juicy.

Lv Jing and Chen Dafu watched Gu Xixi eat heartily with complex expressions.

In their view, the plant is low‑growing, covered with fine prickly hairs, and the ripe tomato is uniformly bright red and striking, with a strange shape.

Such traits, if found in the wild, would surely be regarded as poisonous fruit that everyone avoids and dares not pick.

Yet Gu Xixi ate it in big mouthfuls, exceptionally fragrant and sweet, and she seemed perfectly fine.

Lv Jing felt somewhat relieved and then said, "Didn't Fan Dongping abduct me to his home?"

"I saw it at his house, planted in a flowerpot and placed on a high shelf—it looked quite rare."

"His maidservant boasted to me that it was a tribute from the Duoluo Kingdom, meant only for viewing."

"The fruit looks lovely, but it's highly toxic; she warned me not to be greedy and sneak a bite."

Chen Dafu, hearing this part of Lv Jing's past for the first time, couldn't help but be startled.

The name Fan Dongping sounds male at first hearing.

A young woman seized by a man naturally endures heartache and tears.

Moreover, considering Lv Jing is about the same age as their own child.

At this moment Chen Dafu feels only sympathy for this young woman.

He controlled his expression and did not show his surprise.

However, he felt that since it concerned the young woman's reputation, it wasn't proper for him to listen so openly here.

So he said, "I'll go pick cucumbers, take them back first, and come later to move the tomatoes."

Lv Jing, however, understood Chen Dafu's good intention and said, "Uncle Dafu, you don't need to avoid suspicion."

"From now on we're all one family; you'll eventually learn about my affairs."

"I had already escaped from that bully's household when I met Xixi and the others."

Chen Dafu breathed a sigh of relief and genuinely rejoiced, "It's good that you got away."

Lv Jing nodded, "That bully has already been convicted and executed by the government office."

Chen Dafu clapped his hands, "Serves him right! Evil meets evil reward!"

Gu Xixi looked at Lv Jing, feeling a faint sense of relief.

Although Lv Jing didn't mention her parents.

But her ability to speak openly to Chen Dafu about the past perhaps indicates her emotional wounds are gradually healing.

Gu Xixi laughed, "Saying the tomato is inedible might be an overgeneralization, plus a case of rumor spreading."

"It's also possible that the person who first claimed it was poisonous ate an unripe green fruit."

"Green fruit?!" Chen Dafu and Lv Jing exclaimed in unison.

Chen Dafu, who has farmed half his life, immediately understood, "This thing is toxic when unripe, but safe to eat when ripe?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "Why don't you try it?"

Beyond the tomato field lies a expanse of cold‑melon vines, and farther off a grape trellis.

Pale bluish‑green patterned cold melons hide among the leaves.

Gu Xixi squatted in the melon field, shifting left and right, tapping this one, patting that one.

Compared to watermelons grown in winter makeshift greenhouses, the open‑air ripe melons are impressively sized.

The largest can rival a small piglet.

Gu Xixi smiled, "I'll find you some work to do."

She stood up and pointed out eight melons in turn, "Pick them all."

Lv Jing instantly rolled up her sleeves, "No problem!"

Harvesting, rooted in the blood of agrarian peoples, is both instinct and hobby.

Chen Dafu had tried bitter melon last winter, and as he walked to the field, he happily said to Lv Jing,

"Don't judge by its hard exterior."

"When you cut it open, it's sweet and thirst-quenching, incredibly delicious!"

Lv Jing excitedly said, "After we've been out in the sun and finished our work, eating it, how could it not be wonderful?"

The bitter melons Gu Xixi picked are all ripe; if not eaten soon, they'll rot in the ground.

She laughed and said, "Uncle Dafu can first pick a big one to take back."

"Soaking it in well water beforehand makes it cooler and tastier."

Chen Dafu loudly agreed.

Gu Xixi also said, "You go ahead with that; I'll go check over at the grapes."

The grapes were planted in their first year, and now they've only grown as high as the trellis.

The vine leaves are sparse; it's still far from forming shade.

But Gu Xixi didn't come just to cool off.

She examined the grape roots, vines, and leaves in turn, then searched for the fruiting branches.

As expected, she didn't see any fruiting branches; this year she definitely won't get to eat fresh grapes.

Such original varieties haven't undergone generations of selection, hybridization, or other improvement methods.

From sowing and raising seedlings to maturity and fruiting, it likely still needs two to three years.

Although it's still early to eat the fruit, for now we can't just leave it unattended.

While Gu Xixi was looking at the grapes, Lv Jing and Chen Dafu picked many persimmons and cucumbers, including the portion Gu Xixi would take away.

The six big baskets were too full to move, so Chen Dafu insisted on not letting the two girls help.

He swiftly loaded the baskets onto a two-wheeled cart and then pushed it back himself.

From afar he could smell the aroma of stewed meat wafting from the kitchen.

Lv Jing laughed and said, "In the blink of an eye it's already noon; picking produce in the field feels like time flies!"

Gu Xixi chuckled, "From what you're saying, it sounds like you haven't picked enough yet."

Lv Jing winked at Gu Xixi and said, "If you gave me another plot of bitter melon, I could still pick more!"

Seeing so much stuff pushed back, Aunt Tao, Wu Niangzi, Xiu Lan, and Xiu He all came to help.

With fresh produce in season, Gu Xixi was in a good mood and decided to make two dishes to show off her skills.

Lv Jing has always been Gu Xixi's biggest supporter, but now she hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.

Watching Gu Xixi pick up the kitchen knife, Lv Jing finally couldn't help blurting out, "Watch your hands!"