Chapter 56: Mutated Vegetables
Translator: Lonelytree
Xiao Lingyu’s excuse was temporary, and so was Mother Xiao’s consent. Xiao Lingyu wanted to delay until the appearance of Xiao Tong. Then, she’d have a better excuse to stay.
Mother Xiao agreed with her husband. When Xiao Lingyu realized how tiring farming really was, she would pack up and return to the city.
After getting Mother Xiao’s permission, Xiao Lingyu said, “Mom, I need to use the plot of land in our backyard.” Xiao Lingyu didn’t know how to use her farming space yet. She had to test it first, but she couldn’t do it too openly.
The Xiao Family was a quintessential small farming family in rural China. This kind of farming house had a wall about two meters high to separate the plots in the front and back yards.
Most families used the front yard to sun-dry produce or for leisure. The backyard was reserved for planting small vegetables like leeks and onions. These products could be picked at any time, so it was convenient.
“Okay!” Mother Xiao agreed easily.
Xiao Lingyu smiled, “Thank you, mom!”
Xiao Lingye asked curiously, “Sis, why do you need the backyard plot? If you ask me, the land in front of the Five Gods Temple is better for farming.”
Xiao Lingyu smiled mysteriously and said, “You’ll know in time.”
The dinner ended with many surprises along the way.
Xiao Lingyu helped her mother clean up the dishes and returned to her room. In the privacy of her room, Xiao Lingyu placed her hand on her stomach, and she whispered, “Xiao Tong, Grandma will love you.”
Mother Xiao was very against Xiao Lingyu having the child, but after the child was born, she would treat the child well. Such was the case in the previous life.
Xiao Lingyu gave birth to the child even though she didn’t want to. She was disgusted by the child who had an unknown father. Xiao Lingyu hated him since the child was direct evidence that she had betrayed Chen Ran. Therefore, Xiao Lingyu never once looked at the child, let alone loved him.
Mother Xiao was different. She cared so deeply about Xiao Tong. If any of the village children dared to call Xiao Tong a bastard, Mother Xiao would go to the child’s family to demand an explanation. Ever since Xiao Tong was born, Mother Xiao looked after him until his unfortunate death. Mother Xiao was Xiao Tong’s second mother.
But in this life, things were different. Xiao Lingyu knew Mother Xiao only wanted the best for her. Mother Xiao was a kind person.
Once Xiao Lingyu gave birth to Xiao Tong, Mother Xiao would love her grandson.
Xiao Lingyu believed she would convince Mother Xiao to let her have the baby. She only needed time.
1
However, for now, Xiao Lingyu needed to focus on something else. Xiao Lingyu thought for a moment and went looking for an empty bottle. She held the jade pendant and chanted, “Enter!”
The farming space hadn’t changed. Xiao Lingyu filled up the bottle with the spring water. Then she said, “Exit!” Xiao Lingyu returned to her room. Xiao Lingyu held the spring water bottle and ran to the backyard.
When Xiao Lingyu passed Mother Xiao, who was cleaning up the living room, Mother Xiao asked, “Yu ‘Er, where are you going?”
Xiao Lingyu answered, “Mom, I’m going to the backyard to water the vegetables!”
Mother Xiao nodded and continued her work.
Xiao Lingyu ran to the backyard.
The backyard had around four plots of black field that were about one meter wide and three meters long. The four plots had four different vegetables. The first plot had coriander and leek; the second garlic; the third celery; and the fourth white cabbage. The edge of each plot was lined with chives.
Mother Xiao came to look after the plots every day, so there was no weed. Everything was growing well.
Xiao Lingyu pondered for a moment. She poured the spring water on two sprigs of each vegetable. Soon, the bottle emptied. Xiao Lingyu took the empty bottle and left.
…
Early the next morning, Xiao Lingyu heard Mother Xiao screaming. “Dear! Dear!”
Father Xiao was made anxious, so he rushed out before he even had the chance to put his clothes on properly. Xiao Lingyu and Xiao Lingye also worried about their mother. They put on their clothes and hurried to the backyard.
When they arrived at the backyard, they were dumbfounded.
What a huge… plant!
No, wait, so many huge plants!
The cilantro grew bigger than celery; the leek and garlic looked more like reeds; the celery was as tall as sugarcane; the white cabbage was as big as a water barrel!
It was little wonder that Mother Xiao had cried out in surprise.
“Mom… What is going on?” Xiao Lingye asked with his mouth agape, “Have the plants mutated?” But if there was a mutation, all of the plants should have mutated, not just a select few of each plant.
Mother Xiao shook her head and said in surprise, “I don’t know either. I woke up and planned to make some noodles. So I came out to pick some coriander and chives. I was shocked when I saw the big vegetables.” Mother Xiao added in confusion, “When I was farming yesterday afternoon, everything was fine. So how did they get so big suddenly? They… should be edible, right?”
Anyone would be confused by this.
Xiao Lingye stammered, “I… su-suppose?”
The coriander still looked like coriander, and the leeks looked like leeks. The only change was that they had become so much bigger.
Xiao Lingyu offered, “They should be fine.” She had drunk the spring water. It cleansed her body, so it should be fine on the vegetables. For Xiao Lingyu, it was not that crazy the spring water could increase the affected plant’s size.
Still, as she looked at the frighteningly large vegetables, she was internally shocked. The affected plants were the ones that she had watered with the spring water.
While she was shocked, she was also glad. Thankfully, she was experimenting in her own family’s backyard. If this happened outside, she wouldn’t know what to say.
Xiao Lingyu analyzed the situation and believed the reason for the abnormal size was because the spring water was too effective. She should try diluting it with water next time.
She had to continue her experiment to find the perfect ratio.
After her children had given her the green light, Mother Xiao had less doubt. However, there was another problem.
“However, with so many big vegetables, how are we supposed to finish them? We can’t even finish one, much less so many of them..” Mother Xiao asked.