Chapter 22: Growing Grains

As the end of the month approached, Ye Xin and Shen Zhuo were preparing for another trip into the mountains.

“Here, wear this,” Shen Zhuo handed her a small pouch of herbal repellent to keep snakes and insects away, just in case something like last time happened again.

Ye Xin took it, bringing it up to her nose. The sharp scent hit her immediately—this wasn’t just regular sulfur powder; it was a blend of various ingredients. The smell was so intense, it wasn’t just snakes that would keep their distance—she felt like backing away from it too!

After their last trip, she had asked Shen Zhuo to scatter snake-repellent materials around the courtyard. Some of the garlic they had bought had even started sprouting, so she planted some in the vegetable garden. What she hadn’t expected was that Shen Zhuo would go so far as to sew a protective pouch by hand. The fabric was a deep, familiar blue—something commonly found in everyday clothes.

Seeing her examine the stitching, Shen Zhuo seemed a little embarrassed. “It’s not very well-made. Stop looking at it so closely.”

Ye Xin glanced up at him, a smile on her face. “I think it’s great. You’ve got quite the talent—I can’t even sew.”

Her compliment brought a slight flush to Shen Zhuo’s face. “As long as you don’t mind,” he said, looking down shyly.

Ye Xin found it amusing how easily he blushed. Normally, he was so calm and steady, but now, his face turned red so quickly. She couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances at him.

Noticing her gaze, Shen Zhuo quickly turned away and began walking ahead.

With a quiet chuckle, Ye Xin tucked the pouch into her pocket and followed him, basket slung over her back.

This trip into the mountains had two goals: first, to gather medicinal herbs, which they could sell for some income. Harvesting herbs also helped her refresh her knowledge of herbal medicine—if she stayed away from it too long, she worried she might forget things. Second, they wanted to check if the wild bamboo fruit they had discovered last time was ripe for picking. It had been about ten days since their last visit, and it was worth checking out.

Catching up to Shen Zhuo, Ye Xin proposed, “How about we start going to the town once a month?”

Shen Zhuo hesitated. “Wouldn’t that make us stand out too much? Most families barely go to town once or twice a year.”

Ye Xin thought for a moment. “Maybe we could go twice a month instead? What we buy barely lasts us two weeks as it is.”

Shen Zhuo blinked, as if he hadn’t heard her correctly. “…What?”

She wasn’t kidding.

Going into town once a month already felt like too long of a wait for her, and since he seemed opposed to the idea, she decided to stand her ground. After all, she spent every day working the fields, overwhelmed by the relentless labor. She needed some fresh air, a change of scenery.

Back in her previous life, Ye Xin wasn’t particularly fond of shopping, but at least going to and from work allowed her to see bustling streets and lively shops. It offered some form of release. Here, in this secluded village, she didn’t want to trap herself in isolation.

Staying in a small place for too long could make a person narrow-minded. It was important to stay connected to the outside world, to keep up with news and broaden one’s horizons.

Shen Zhuo glanced at her thoughtfully. “If there’s a reason, we can go. But it’s better not to go too often without a good excuse. People might start to wonder where we’re getting the money to buy all these things.”

Ye Xin nodded seriously, “Fine, we’ll make sure to go at least once a month.”

Shen Zhuo paused, then nodded, “…Alright.”

He figured it was best to keep her happy. And with that, the decision was made.

As they continued their climb, Shen Zhuo focused on gathering herbs, while Ye Xin’s thoughts wandered to the secret space she managed. Watching him dig up plants with his hoe, an idea popped into her mind—why not plant a herb garden there?

Medicinal herbs had a much higher economic value than regular crops. With the help of the space’s spiritual spring and its special energy, not only would they grow faster, but their medicinal properties might be enhanced as well.

Yes, she decided. She would plant an entire field of herbs!

Ye Xin was eager to gather some herbs and plant them in her secret space. However, her plan quickly fell apart.

Every time they found a good patch of herbs, Shen Zhuo would swiftly collect them in his basket. When Ye Xin tried to help, he gently stopped her, saying, “I’ll take care of it.”

She had to agree—it made sense. These herbs were for sale, and they were already hard to come by. If she took a portion for herself, there would be even less to sell.

Resigned, she reached for some herbs that weren’t quite ready for harvest yet. But once again, Shen Zhuo intervened, “They’re too small. Let them grow a little longer.”

Ye Xin sighed. She had been scolded before about sustainable harvesting practices, so it wasn’t a good idea to go against him now. She considered going off on her own to find something, but Shen Zhuo called after her, “Don’t wander too far, or I might lose track of you.”

“…Fine,” she muttered, abandoning her plan.

She realized that relying on the mountain’s herbs would take forever to fill even a small plot of land. Maybe on their next trip to town, she could look for medicinal seeds. That would be a much more efficient way to plant her herb garden.

To change the subject and shake off the awkwardness, she asked, “Which way to the wild fruit trees? I can’t remember.”

With his sharp memory, Shen Zhuo led her in the direction of the three wild bamboo fruit trees they had discovered last time. Ye Xin followed closely behind.

Soon enough, familiar sights came into view, and the three trees were visible in the distance.

“Wow, so many have ripened!” she exclaimed, spotting clusters of yellow fruit from afar. Excited, she hurried over. The air was filled with the sweet fragrance of the ripe fruit, attracting buzzing wasps. The scene was completely different from their last visit.

She turned to Shen Zhuo, who had just caught up, “We can pick them now, right?”

Seeing her bright, lively expression and hearing her cheerful tone, Shen Zhuo couldn’t help but feel uplifted himself. “Yes, they’re ready to pick.”

Thrilled, Ye Xin set down her basket and reached for the hoe to knock some of the fruit off the branches.

But Shen Zhuo stopped her. “You’ll damage the fruit. It’s better to climb up and pick them.”

“Huh?” Ye Xin blinked and looked up at the tree. “I can’t climb that high.”

“I’ll do it,” Shen Zhuo said, setting his basket down as well.

“Wait, you know how to climb trees?” Ye Xin asked, surprised. He always seemed so calm and mature, and she hadn’t imagined him doing something as boyish as tree climbing. Then again, he was only seventeen.

“In the countryside, everyone knows how to climb trees,” Shen Zhuo replied with a faint smile. Rolling up his sleeves, he inspected the tree briefly and then started climbing.

He moved nimbly, his long limbs making it easy for him to ascend, quickly reaching a sturdy branch.

Ye Xin watched anxiously from below. The tree wasn’t too tall, but it was high enough to make her nervous. “Be careful up there!”

The branches didn’t look very thick, but Shen Zhuo was lean and didn’t cause much shaking. Once he was steady, he looked down and said, “Hang the basket on the hoe and pass it up to me.”

Ye Xin hurried to follow his instructions. Using the hoe, Shen Zhuo hoisted the basket up into the tree, then secured the hoe on a branch and began picking the ripened fruit.

From the ground, Ye Xin watched eagerly, occasionally directing him. “There’s more on the left! And right above you… Hey, why aren’t you picking those yellow ones?”

“They’re not fully ripe yet,” Shen Zhuo explained. “We can leave them for next time.”

“But won’t they be overripe and fall off before we get back?” Ye Xin asked, a little concerned.

Shen Zhuo thought for a moment. “I’ll pick them now. They’ll continue to ripen after we bring them home.”

After finishing the first tree, he lowered the basket carefully using the hoe, letting the fruit spill gently onto the ground before moving on to the next two trees.

Shen Zhuo was still

As Ye Xin eagerly picked the ripe fruit, she couldn’t resist squatting under the tree and digging in. The ripe ones peeled easily with just a little squeeze, revealing a sweet, fragrant taste. The less ripe ones were still a bit hard and tangy, but not unpleasant.

When Shen Zhuo climbed down from the tree, she enthusiastically peeled a perfectly ripe fruit and held it right up to his mouth. “This one is so good, try it!” she said, smiling.

Shen Zhuo looked at her, then leaned down to take a bite. A sweet flavor spread in his mouth. He had eaten wild fruit many times growing up, but somehow this one tasted different—maybe because she had peeled it for him. The sweetness seemed to linger longer.

His face reddened slightly, and in a low voice, he murmured, “It’s delicious.”

Ye Xin’s eyes crinkled with happiness as she laughed. “Right? I never knew wild fruit could taste this good!”

Squatting beside her, Shen Zhuo started packing the fallen fruit into his basket. “You’ve never had wild fruit before?”

“Nope!” Ye Xin replied.

She was born and raised in the city and had never visited the countryside. Even the school trips she went on were to parks, where all the plants were carefully cultivated. Those trips never exposed her to real, untouched nature, let alone wild fruit. In her previous life, the countryside didn’t even have ecosystems like this anymore—deforestation and agricultural development had destroyed much of the natural landscape.

The original owner of this body had also been a city girl, so this really was Ye Xin’s first time experiencing the joys of picking wild fruit. She couldn’t help but peel and eat one after another, savoring the sweet flavors until she couldn’t stop.

Noticing her delight, Shen Zhuo stopped packing for a moment and handed her a large, perfectly ripe fruit. “Here, this one’s really ripe.”

“You eat some too!” she insisted.

The thick canopy above shaded them from the sun, bringing a coolness to the air. They sat under the tree, eating their fill of wild fruit until their hands were sticky with juice. Even after eating so many, there were still enough to fill half of Shen Zhuo’s basket. The trees were full of unripe fruit too, promising another good harvest when they returned.

Satisfied, Ye Xin hoisted her basket onto her back, and they continued their herb-gathering journey. Though it would’ve been easier to pick the fruit on the way back, she couldn’t wait and had jumped right into it.

As they moved on from the three wild bamboo fruit trees, a thought suddenly struck Ye Xin: Could she transplant these fruit trees into her hidden space?

The idea excited her. The sacred tree in her space had been moved there by a cultivator before, so it should be possible to transplant other trees too. The space was rich in spiritual energy, which could speed up the fruit’s growth and make them even sweeter. Growing an orchard would be a great idea! The trees would thrive with minimal care, and the fruit could be eaten fresh or made into preserves and dried fruit—maybe even sold!

The more she thought about it, the more excited she became. But then she felt a twinge of regret. Shen Zhuo already knew about these three trees, so moving them into her space would be difficult without him noticing.

Looking at Shen Zhuo’s back as he walked ahead, she asked, “Do you think someone else might come and pick the fruit?”

He glanced back at her, “Kids might pick some. After all, these are wild fruits, free for anyone to take.”

Ye Xin pondered for a moment and then asked, “Could we dig one up and plant it by the vegetable garden?”

Shen Zhuo gave her a slightly exasperated look. “We’ve already picked plenty. You’ve never had them before, so they’re new to you, but you’ll get tired of them eventually.”

Ye Xin felt misunderstood. “It’s not that I want to hoard all the fruit for myself. I just think it’d be nice to have a fruit tree behind the house. We could dig up just one and plant it by the garden. It would help with soil erosion too. What do you think?”

Shen Zhuo looked back at the three bountiful fruit trees, hesitating. “Those trees are pretty big. It might be hard to dig them up, and they might not survive the transplant…”

“It would be a waste of effort,” Shen Zhuo said.

Ye Xin thought about it and realized he was right. Digging up a fully grown fruit tree with just a hoe would be nearly impossible, and even if they managed to dig it up, transporting it back home would be a nightmare.

Noticing her disappointment, Shen Zhuo added, “If we find any small saplings, we could give it a try.”

Ye Xin nodded, “Good idea! I’ll keep an eye out for young saplings to transplant.”

At least it was a plan. She could divide the land in her hidden space into three sections—one for vegetables, one for medicinal herbs, and one for fruit trees. That way, everything would be neatly organized.

“Hmm, next time I visit the town, I’ll check if they sell fruit saplings,” she thought, her mental shopping list growing ever longer.

After a day of gathering herbs, they headed home with their baskets full. They passed the vegetable garden, which was now flourishing. The leafy greens were vibrant and healthy, a sight that made anyone smile.

Shen Zhuo marveled at the garden, “Our vegetables are growing so well!”

Ye Xin, walking behind him, smiled to herself, knowing why. Every day after work, while Shen Zhuo cooked, she would sneak out to tend the garden—replanting mature vegetables, replacing the slow-growing ones, and generally speeding up the whole process thanks to her secret abilities. It was no wonder the garden seemed to thrive overnight, providing them with a constant supply of fresh produce.

Shen Zhuo, though a little puzzled by the garden’s rapid growth, was mostly just pleased with the harvest. He glanced around and exclaimed, “The tomatoes are ripe!”

Ye Xin looked over and saw that two or three tomatoes had turned a deep, inviting red. She grinned. “We’ll pick them and make stir-fried eggs with tomatoes for dinner!”

It had been half a month since they’d finished the last of the smoked meat and chicken, and now they had fresh eggs to go with their vegetables.

They went home to drop off their baskets. While Ye Xin gathered the dried sweet potato slices—sun-dried over the past few days—Shen Zhuo spread out the herbs to dry. Once everything was sorted, Ye Xin said, “You start cooking, I’ll go pick some vegetables.”

Shen Zhuo, already used to this routine, nodded, “Alright.”

Ye Xin busied herself in the garden, picking the ripe tomatoes and gathering some leafy greens to go with them. When Shen Zhuo started cooking, she brought out a large clay jar from the corner of the main room and opened the lid.

Originally, Lin Meihua had said the pickled vegetables would be ready in two days, but with all the fresh vegetables they’d been eating, Ye Xin had left them to ferment for ten days. Now, as she scooped them out, the vegetables had turned a beautiful golden color, perfect for eating with rice.

She brought a bowl of the pickled vegetables to the kitchen and asked Shen Zhuo to stir-fry them with some oil and chili after he finished the main dish. Since the midday heat often made them too lazy to cook, the pickled vegetables would be great to eat cold. The jar of pork paste from the family was also finished, so she figured she’d use that jar to store the pickles.

Shen Zhuo looked at the pickled vegetables with a bit of surprise. “When did you make these?”

“Just a few days ago, while you were cooking,” Ye Xin said casually. “It didn’t take much effort—just a bit of salt. Next time we go to town, remember to buy more salt.”

Her tone was so natural that Shen Zhuo didn’t doubt her for a second. He simply nodded and made a mental note to buy more salt.

Later that evening, after they’d finished dinner, Ye Xin slipped into her hidden space to dry another batch of leafy greens and bright red chilies. Whatever they couldn’t eat fresh, she preserved for later. She squatted by the stream, staring at the golden stalks of rice, her mind racing.

The rice in her space had already ripened, even though the rice outside was still growing. The stalks were heavy with plump grains, and though she couldn’t compare the yield, she could tell the quality was superb.

Carefully, she harvested the rice, threshed it, and ended up with a bowl full of golden rice grains. That settled it—she knew what she would plant on the fourth plot of land: rice.

They ate rice every day, and it disappeared fast. The ten pounds she had bought last time were already gone, and buying more would cost money and mean lugging it back from town. Growing her own would be so much more convenient.

She planned to use all of the grains from this harvest as seeds, hoping the next crop would grow even faster than the one outside.

With that decision made, Ye Xin felt a sense of accomplishment. Half of the eight plots in her hidden space were now fully planned out.

Content, she spread the rice grains out to dry, imagining the fluffy, white rice they’d soon enjoy.