Chapter 140: Bamboo Leaves
It was freezing cold, but Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi went outside.
A bonfire blazed in front of them as they sat under the starry sky, surrounded by endless snowy plains.
The dogs lay near the fire, their soft snores mixed with the crackling of the flames, creating a soothing sound.
Xia Lu Nong took a deep breath of the cold air and looked up at the stars. “I think our life right now is pretty good.”
Kong Zhi replied, “It’s good because you’re here. Hungry? I can fry you some fish.”
Xia Lu Nong’s stomach rumbled. He was indeed a bit hungry. After all, turning back into human form had consumed a lot of energy, and everything he’d eaten earlier seemed to have been digested.
Seeing this, Kong Zhi sliced off a large chunk of fish from the frozen giant fish nearby.
He placed the fish in an iron pan, set it over the fire, and added a small amount of oil, slowly frying it.
The hot oil bubbled, turning the fish golden brown, and soon a delicious aroma filled the air.
Xia Lu Nong leaned over to watch, taking the pan from Kong Zhi. “Let me do it.”
Kong Zhi said, “I’ll go grind some peppercorns then.”
The peppercorns came from Xia Hua Jiao—rich, spicy, and aromatic. Paired with their homegrown chili powder, the flavor was unmatched.
Xia Lu Nong fried the fish until both sides were golden brown, then sprinkled it with pepper powder, chili powder, and a pinch of salt. And just like that, a simple late-night snack was ready.
The dogs, tempted by the smell, woke up and whined for attention.
Xia Lu Nong thought they’d come over to beg for food, so he planned to make more. But instead, after whining a bit, the dogs trotted upwind, lay down, and went back to sleep.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes were full of surprise.
Kong Zhi glanced over and said, “This dog has become quite intelligent.”
Xia Lu Nong sat back down on the small stool, sighing in amazement, “That’s no small feat.”
It’s difficult enough for humans to learn self-restraint, but it’s even harder for animals. It must be this very ability that has allowed them to survive in such a chaotic world.
After sharing a midnight snack with Kong Zhi, Xia Lu Nong felt a warm sensation in his stomach. He yawned, tightened his down jacket, and leaned against Kong Zhi, both of them keeping watch while he pondered.
Kong Zhi stretched out his long legs and nudged Xia Lu Nong, saying, “If you’re sleepy, just lie down and rest for a bit.”
“I’m not that sleepy,” Xia Lu Nong replied. “I was just thinking, maybe I should start growing the bamboo now. That way, I can focus on work during the day.”
“Can bamboo even grow in this cold weather?”
“In theory, yes. Bamboo stays green year-round, and we’ve seen bamboo along the way,” Xia Lu Nong explained. “Plus, the bamboo we have now is much tougher than before the catastrophe.”
Kong Zhi looked at him and said, “Well, why not give it a try?”
“Alright, I’ll give it a go,” Xia Lu Nong agreed, standing up. “I’ll go grab the bamboo seeds from the truck.”
The bamboo seeds Xia Lu Nong used for growth were from the bamboo he had previously cultivated. The seeds were large, full, and vibrant, brimming with life.
Worried that the snow was too cold, Xia Lu Nong chose a spot near the campfire, where there was no snow and it wasn’t too close to the fire. He dug a hole, buried the seeds, and began using his powers to accelerate their growth.
His ability had become more tangible now, with a slight substance seeping out each time he used it. The feeling of control was solid and pronounced.
Xia Lu Nong quickly realized that his control over his powers had improved. The energy flowed out of him like droplets of water, landing precisely on the bamboo seeds.
The seeds soon sprouted and rooted, pushing up a small mound of soil. Tender green leaves emerged, swaying in the cold wind.
Xia Lu Nong wasn’t in a hurry. He used his power steadily, aiming for the bamboo to grow as thick and spacious as possible.
Perhaps because the bamboo had space inside it, the growth was particularly slow this time. Xia Lu Nong started working on it at 3:30 AM, and by 6:30 AM, when Xia Huo Qu and the others woke up, the bamboo had only grown to knee height.
As soon as Xia Huo Qu came outside, he noticed the sweat on Xia Lu Nong’s forehead and his slightly labored breathing. He walked over and asked, “Why did you start growing the bamboo so early?”
“I wanted to plant it early and see how big it can grow, to help us gauge today’s fish catch,” Xia Lu Nong explained.
Yan Xi Nian glanced at the thickening bamboo and then at Xia Lu Nong, who appeared both tired and exhilarated. “Xiao Nong, don’t push yourself too hard. We should pace ourselves. Your health is more important than this storage bamboo.”
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes sparkled with determination. “I’ll give it a try.”
Yan Xi Nian patted him on the shoulder. “Alright, we’ll go pull the nets.”
Last night, they had cast all the fishing nets into the river, and now they needed to pull them in quickly before setting the second and third rounds.
Kong Zhi said, “Brother Huo Qu, you stay here and watch over Xiao Nong. I’ll go help pull the nets.”
Xia Huo Qu replied, “You stay here and cook breakfast, maybe fry some fish. If anyone gets tired, we’ll switch.”
Kong Zhi nodded. “Alright, you two go ahead. I’ll keep watch here.”
The dogs, having heard about the net pulling, were already wagging their tails enthusiastically, running around and barking excitedly.
As Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian pulled in the nets, the dogs grabbed hold of the ropes with their mouths, helping them drag the nets ashore.
Since the catastrophe, no one had fished in this river for a long time, so the fish were large and plump, and they weren’t wary of the nets. Each net they pulled up was teeming with fish and shrimp.
The river was abundant with various species, and they caught fish, shrimp, and even large crabs.
While sorting the catch, Yan Xi Nian said with a grin, “Three crabs so far—looks like we’re in for a treat today.”
Xia Huo Qu cautioned, “Be careful not to get pinched.”
“Don’t worry, with my quick hands, how could a crab—” Before he could finish, he yelped in surprise as a crab snapped at him.
Xia Huo Qu immediately rushed over, abandoning the fish he was handling. “What happened?”
Yan Xi Nian held up his hand, laughing as he revealed he was just fine. “Just kidding.”
With a stern expression, Xia Huo Qu kicked him lightly in the rear. “Don’t joke around like that.”
Yan Xi Nian, unfazed by the kick, smiled cheerfully. “Relax, no need to be so tense.”
In the distance, Xia Lu Nong, startled by Yan Xi Nian’s yell, almost lost focus on his power. But when he saw Yan Xi Nian being kicked, he realized what had happened and quietly mumbled to himself, “Brother Xi Nian is really brave.”
Kong Zhi, who had also noticed, commented, “He brought that on himself.”
Xia Lu Nong returned to his stool, concentrating once again on channeling his power into the bamboo. The bamboo’s diameter had already grown as thick as a badminton racket, and the inner space seemed to be reaching its limit. The process was becoming more laborious.
Sensing it was about time, Xia Lu Nong gradually shifted his power to guide the bamboo’s vertical growth.
The bamboo grew slowly, producing one section after another. When it reached its ninth section, Xia Lu Nong felt his powers nearly drained and decided to stop. He focused instead on expanding the inner space of the bamboo without further upward growth.
The bamboo leaves slowly turned yellow and began to fall, drifting gracefully in the cold wind.
Kong Zhi caught one of the falling leaves and gently sniffed it. “These leaves smell pretty good.”
Touched by his words, Xia Lu Nong asked, “Do you really think they smell nice?”
Kong Zhi directly brought the bamboo leaf in his hand to Xia Lu Nong’s nose. “Smell it.”
Xia Lu Nong sniffed it, catching the light fragrance of the bamboo leaf, and suddenly had an idea. “What do you think about collecting these bamboo leaves to make tea?”
Kong Zhi chuckled. “Most people make tea from tender bamboo leaves that are dried, but here we are using dried, yellowed old leaves?”
“What’s wrong with old bamboo leaves? They probably have even more flavor stored inside!” Xia Lu Nong said confidently. “I’ll give it a try. Since these were grown using my powers, they might even have special effects.”
Kong Zhi thought about it and agreed. “We can brew some now and find out.”
The two of them casually picked up about ten bamboo leaves, cleaned them, and placed them in a pot with water to boil.
The water soon came to a boil, and the bamboo leaves floated up and down in the pot, turning the clear water a light yellow. A subtle fragrance of bamboo wafted through the air.
Xia Lu Nong ladled out a cup first, blew on it, and took a sip.
The freshly brewed bamboo leaf tea was clear, sweet, and slightly bitter, with a strong bamboo aroma. As he swallowed, Xia Lu Nong felt his mind sharpen a bit.
He raised his cup to eye level and said, “It’s really good.”
“You’re not just saying that?” Kong Zhi leaned in, took a sip from the cup Xia Lu Nong was holding, and carefully tasted it.
Xia Lu Nong looked at him expectantly. “Well?”
Kong Zhi responded, “It’s better than most of the teas I’ve had.”
“Most? I think it’s the best tea I’ve ever had!” Xia Lu Nong took another sip, feeling the warmth spread through his chest.
Kong Zhi smiled, not reminding him of the honeysuckle tea he’d had before.
Though bamboo leaf tea was delicious, it still fell just short of the honeysuckle tea.
Meanwhile, Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu were collecting nets further down the river, already over a hundred meters away.
Xia Lu Nong called out to them, “Brother, have you finished pulling in the nets? We made some really good bamboo leaf tea!”
Yan Xi Nian shouted back, “Almost done! Has the bamboo finished growing?”
Xia Lu Nong replied, “Yes, and it’s much thicker than last time! The space inside is also a lot bigger.”
Yan Xi Nian said, “Wait for us there, we’ll come over after we’ve reset the nets in the water!”
Braving the wind and snow, they finished their difficult conversation.
Xia Lu Nong continued brewing the tea, and together with Kong Zhi, they picked all the bamboo leaves and began sawing the bamboo.
Only by sawing down the bamboo could they prevent it from cracking, which was essential for turning it into storage bamboo tubes.
