Chapter 48: Racial Talent

The rain seemed ceaseless, gradually flooding the city. Shen Yanming received a notice at work: for employee safety during the downpours, departments could arrange their own shifts as long as daily work was covered. 

After discussing it with Bi Qiao’an, they agreed to take turns working on Thursdays, effectively turning the rain-induced disruption into a “vacation” where they only needed to work one day a week.

Of course, their situation wasn’t unique. The global rain had put many people on a “long vacation” from which they wouldn’t return.

On the weekend, Shen Yanming slept until nine. When he opened his eyes, his beloved was still asleep in his arms, her skin luminous and lips rosy. Lately, Qiao’an seemed even more beautiful to him. Gently lifting the blanket, Shen Yanming slipped out of bed and, after his morning routine, set about making breakfast.

Shen Yanming had taken to cooking, and while he wasn’t a master of complex dishes, breakfast was manageable. He set up a small steamer, added water, and placed six frozen veggie rolls inside, carefully arranging three washed eggs beside them before starting the timer for fifteen minutes.

As the food cooked, Shen Yanming sat on the sofa and turned on the television to watch the news. Recent broadcasts were dominated by reports on widespread flooding, detailing which villages were inundated and which dams had been compromised. 

Despite Qinghua’s early precautions, the economic losses due to the destruction of homes and property were staggering, and the situation remained dire.

After getting a grasp of the situation, Shen Yanming changed the channel to a recently popular variety show called “Dream Life.” 

The premise was simple: celebrities transformed their reinforced concrete homes into their idyllic garden dreams. Judging by reactions on Weibo, viewers were captivated as celebrities gradually built family gardens, complete with vegetable plots and orchards, seemingly stirring a restless desire within the audience.

This trend mirrored the recent internet and media buzz about “the racial talent of Qinghua.” Major outlets were heavily promoting a seemingly innate ability deeply rooted in Qinghua’s history – the talent for farming. 

Responding to a national directive, TV stations launched indoor variety shows like “I’m a Little Farming Expert,” “Drinking and Talking about Mulberry and Hemp,” and “Planting Rice in Qingnan,” all with the goal of showcasing the allure of farming while subtly educating viewers.

To widen their reach, major reading websites held writing competitions themed “I Love Farming,” enthusiastically recommending standout pieces to readers.

Qinghua’s bold actions signaled something unusual to those with keen observation, but without an official announcement, those with insights hesitated to speak openly and could only prepare in silence.

The alarm clock rang, and Shen Yanming turned off the stove, preparing two plates – one with two veggie rolls and an egg, the other with four veggie rolls and two eggs. He added two bottles of milk and a pack of shredded kelp from his space before returning to the bedroom to gently wake Bi Qiao’an.

“Darling, time to rise and shine! It’ll be noon if you sleep any longer,” he said softly.

Bi Qiao’an rubbed her sleepy eyes but obediently put on her slippers and headed to wash up. While she washed, Shen Yanming made the bed, and once she was ready, they sat down to eat breakfast together.

Using her mind, Bi Qiao’an retrieved a bowl of cherries from her space and set it on the table. “Darling, thank you for your hard work. Mwah!” she said, blowing him a kiss.

Seeing her tired expression, Shen Yanming felt a pang of concern. “Why don’t you take a nap after breakfast?”

Bi Qiao’an swallowed her egg and shook her head. “No need. I always get a boost of energy after eating.”

Shen Yanming nodded and quietly continued his meal.

Their late-night “sweet dew” missions kept them busy. Every night, they snuck out to bathe in the strange, energizing rain, waiting downstairs from 11:30 pm and only returning once the space calmed down, usually around 2:30 am. A hot rinse later, and they’d finally hit the bed around 3:00 am.

Bi Qiao’an, ever practical, brought two stools to make waiting easier, tilting her head back like a mushroom basking in the rain. 

Shen Yanming, on the other hand, started bringing large plastic basins from the space to maximize their collection, moving to a secluded spot at the back of Qingning Mountain.

Each night, after things inside the space settled, Shen Yanming would consolidate the rainwater and carefully transfer it into plastic buckets kept within the space, managing to collect at least five liters daily. 

When Bi Qiao’an questioned his motives, he explained that while they weren’t scientists and couldn’t fully understand the rain’s secrets, this water was clearly beneficial, so it was better to collect it while they could.

As a result, despite rising at nine each morning, Shen Yanming and Bi Qiao’an barely managed six hours of sleep a night.

After breakfast, Bi Qiao’an relaxed on the sofa, watching “Dream Life” with Shen Yanming joining her after clearing the dining table.

“Don’t you think the higher-ups seem to know something? All these shows could be preparing the public,” Bi Qiao’an said, gesturing towards the TV.

“Probably,” Shen Yanming agreed. “It looks like they’re taking action, which should make things easier for Qinghua in the future. Let’s clear out the guest rooms and start planting. Now’s a good time to act, and it aligns with the new policies.”

“Right!”

Shen Yanming led Bi Qiao’an to the sunny guest room, where they carefully stored away the existing items. To protect the floor, Shen Yanming retrieved floor mats from their space, cut them to size, and laid them out. Once the floor was ready, Bi Qiao’an brought out the flowerpots she’d previously purchased, lining the drainage holes with stones and filling them with soil from their space before sowing vegetable seeds and adding potted fruit plants with vibrant little fruits.

They repeated the process in the shady guest room, storing items, protecting the floor, and planting a variety of vegetable seeds. By the time they finished, it was already noon.

Shen Yanming’s phone rang, and as soon as he answered, Heping’s voice called out, “Yanming, are you home? Think you have enough food? The guys and I will be there soon!”

“Sure, let’s have hotpot. I’ll start prepping it, and you can handle the cooking when you arrive,” Shen Yanming replied.

He and Bi Qiao’an exchanged a glance. To save time, they quickly retrieved a selection of vegetables from their space, one heading to the kitchen while the other took a batch to the bathroom for a quick rinse, preparing for the arrival of their guests and the promise of a hearty meal.