It was the sixteenth year of Great Liang Dezheng, and the June sun, like molten gold, poured down on the barren slopes of the back mountain.
Wu Guohua squatted between the ridges, his fingertips gently caressing a tender tomato leaf. The leaves were thick and shiny, glowing with a healthy luster in the sun, and unripe fruits already hung heavy on the branches.
He narrowed his eyes, watching the busy figures of his family in the distance, a smile unconsciously curving his lips. The conversation on that rainy night two months ago had completely changed the Wu Family's destiny.
"Grandfather, there's something I need to tell you." That night, Wu Guohua stood by his Grandfather's kang, his voice barely a whisper. The halo of the kerosene lamp cast flickering shadows on the old man's face, making the furrow-like wrinkles appear even deeper.
His Grandfather said nothing, only stared at him with those cloudy yet sharp eyes, the fire in his pipe flickering.
"I... I seem to have a special ability," Wu Guohua swallowed, fine beads of sweat forming on his palms. "It can make crops grow better..."
The pipe suddenly clacked against the edge of the kang, sending sparks flying. His Grandfather lunged forward, his tree-bark-like hands gripping his shoulders tightly: "Who else knows?"
"No, no one else..." Wu Guohua was startled by his Grandfather's reaction.
"Remember," his Grandfather's voice seemed to be squeezed from between his teeth, "keep this to yourself, don't tell anyone! Not even your parents!"
His memories were interrupted by footsteps. Wu Guohua turned around and saw Grandfather Wu Jiulong standing on the field path, leaning on a hoe, sweat dripping down his bronzed cheeks, glistening in the sun.
"Guohua, come see how this plot of land has been prepared?" His Grandfather's voice held a rare vitality.
Wu Guohua jogged over, and the sight before him made him gasp—the originally overgrown barren slope had been cultivated into neat terraced fields, and the loose sandy soil gleamed golden in the sunlight.
His father and two uncles were digging drainage ditches in the distance, their bare torsos sunburned red, yet full of vigor.
"This is great!" Wu Guohua couldn't help but cheer, "This kind of sandy soil is most suitable for Farming..."
"Shh!" His Grandfather quickly covered his mouth, looking around cautiously. Only after confirming no one was nearby did he lower his voice and say, "Be careful, walls have ears."
Wu Guohua nodded, but a warm current surged through him. For the past two months, his Grandfather had been like a solid wall, silently shielding him from all doubts and ridicule.
The villagers all said the Wu Family was starving, to actually bother with a barren sandy plot where not even a blade of grass grew. But his Grandfather just puffed on his dry pipe, letting the gossip drift away with the wind.
"Grandfather, I want to plant eggplants and tomatoes in this most sun-facing plot," Wu Guohua said, pointing. "The low-lying area over there can be used for cucumbers and loofahs..."
His Grandfather narrowed his eyes, noting each spot as Wu Guohua pointed, then turned and shouted to the fields: "Wenbin! Turn over that plot on the east side again! Wenzhang, Wenwu, go get some fences, we need to build trellises!"
Watching his elders busy at work, Wu Guohua suddenly felt a lump in his throat. In his previous life, he was an only child and had never experienced the feeling of an entire family working together towards a single goal.
Now, although he couldn't directly reveal the secret of his talent, seeing his dream gradually come true with the sweat of his entire family, this sense of satisfaction was more precious than any reward.
【Planting tomatoes, experience +10】
【Watering, experience +1】
【Planting eggplants, experience +10】
【Weeding, experience +1】
In the days that followed, the notification sounds almost became background music in Wu Guohua's mind. Every morning, when the first ray of sunlight pierced through the morning mist, the entire family was already busy in the fields.
His Grandfather, along with his father and uncles, was responsible for the heavy work of tilling the land, carrying water, and building trellises; his Grandmother, along with his mother and aunts, helped with watering and weeding.
As for Wu Guohua, he only needed to complete the final crucial step—burying the seeds in the soil, gently pressing them down, and then watering them to set the roots.
Every time his fingers touched the soil, he could feel a subtle warm current flowing from his fingertips into the ground.
【Planting cucumbers, experience +10】
【Watering, experience +1】
【Planting peppers, experience +10】
【Weeding, experience +1】
Day after day, the landscape on the barren slope changed at an astonishing speed. Verdant seedlings broke through the soil, vines climbed along bamboo trellises, and various flowers bloomed competitively.
Most astonishing were the fruit trees—wild peach, pear, plum, jujube, and hawthorn trees dug from the back mountain, after being personally planted by Wu Guohua, actually grew half a foot taller within just one month.
"It's miraculous! Truly miraculous!" Third Uncle Wu Wenwu squatted in front of a peach tree, his rough fingers gently touching the tender green leaves, his eyes full of disbelief. "I recognize this wild peach tree; it's been growing in the back mountain for five or six years and never bore fruit..."
Wu Guohua pretended not to hear, lowering his head to continue watering a pear tree. In truth, he knew these changes stemmed from his constantly upgrading Farming talent.
Now he could gain fifty to sixty points of experience every day; at this rate, his Farming talent would reach level four within half a year.
"Guohua!" His Grandfather's shout came from a distance, "Come see what's wrong with this pumpkin?"
Wu Guohua wiped his sweat and jogged over. He saw that a pumpkin vine was unusually thick, its leaves as large as palm-leaf fans, and even more astonishing—its flowers were golden yellow, shining brightly in the sun!
【Discovered mutated pumpkin, experience +20】
【Mutated pumpkin characteristics: High yield, strong adaptability, three-month growth cycle】
Wu Guohua strongly suppressed the urge to cheer, pretending to casually inspect the plant: "Grandfather, this one is growing exceptionally well, let's save it for seeds."
His Grandfather gave him a meaningful look, tapping his pipe on the sole of his shoe: "Hmm, I'll listen to you."
As the sun set, Wu Guohua sat resting on the field path.
In the distance, his father and uncles were still mounding soil around the fruit trees; his mother and aunts carried baskets, picking the first batch of ripe vegetables; children ran and played on the field paths, their laughter drifting on the evening breeze.
He looked down at his hands—his once delicate palms were now covered with calluses, but every line recorded the miracles of the past six months.
From the initial few wild vegetables to the current ten-plus acres of vibrant farmland; from secretly "picking up" potatoes to the entire family openly enjoying the joy of a bountiful harvest...
"Dinner's ready!" His Grandmother's call interrupted Wu Guohua's thoughts. He stood up, patted the dirt off his pants, and walked towards home.
Passing the mutated pumpkin, he couldn't help but look at it again. The golden flowers were still striking in the twilight, like a small lamp illuminating the Wu Family's future path.
Dinner was exceptionally rich—stir-fried cucumbers, garlic eggplant, stir-fried peppers with wild vegetables, and a fragrant bowl of pumpkin soup.
The whole family sat around the newly made wooden table in the courtyard. Although everyone's bowls still contained bran and wild vegetable porridge, there were now more potato pieces than before.
"Eat." His Grandfather's voice was a little choked. He picked up a piece of pumpkin and placed it in Wu Guohua's bowl, "Eat more, you... you've worked the hardest."
Wu Guohua lowered his head and ate, afraid his family would see his reddened eyes.
At the dinner table, the adults discussed tomorrow's tasks, and the children chattered, comparing whose tomatoes were the reddest. Such an ordinary and warm scene was an unimaginable luxury just two months ago.
Late at night, Wu Guohua lay on the kang, pulling up his talent attribute panel:
Name: Wu Guohua
Talent: Farming
Level 3 Talent (2687/10000): Crop survival rate increased by 300%, growth speed increased by 40%, mutation evolution chance 20%
Outside the window, moonlight was like water, quietly spilling over the vibrant land. The new branches of the fruit trees swayed gently in the breeze, as if beckoning to him.
Wu Guohua closed his eyes contentedly, his dreams filled with golden wheat waves and heavy fruits. He was only nine years old, and had plenty of time to make this land even more fertile and to ensure his entire family lived a life of abundance.
