Chapter 186: Adapting
Xia Lu Nong was momentarily stunned.
He hadn’t quite heard what the person said clearly.
Or perhaps he didn’t understand—what did they mean by the wheat sprouts growing faster than the ones at the Fireseed Base?
The person running toward him quickly came into view. In no time, they were standing in front of him.
When the runner reached him, Xia Lu Nong recognized him as Xie Kangjie, a young assistant from the White Building who usually followed Yan Ming Qing around. Xia Lu Nong had seen him a few times, so his face was familiar.
Grabbing him by the collar, Xia Lu Nong asked suspiciously, “What did you just say? What’s wrong with the wheat sprouts?”
Xie Kangjie’s face was flushed with excitement, and he gestured wildly as he spoke, “I’m not explaining it well—just come and see for yourself.”
Xia Lu Nong instinctively took a step forward.
Kong Zhi grabbed his wrist, “There’s no rush. Come inside first, have some water and food, then we’ll go.”
Xie Kangjie’s lips moved as if he wanted to argue, but when he met Kong Zhi’s gaze, he took a step back and awkwardly smiled, “You’re right. Rest for a couple of minutes, then head over.”
“Hey, aren’t you forgetting something?” The cactus wobbled its petals, looking from one person to the other, nervously shaking. “Aren’t you supposed to settle me down first?”
Xia Lu Nong looked down and said, “I haven’t forgotten. I’ll take care of you in a moment.”
Only then did Xie Kangjie notice the talking potted cactus and look startled.
Xia Lu Nong gave him a reassuring smile.
Xie Kangjie, looking a bit dazed, finally remembered the rumors about Xia Lu Nong.
His status in the base wasn’t just because of his formidable brother.
Kong Zhi addressed Xie Kangjie, “We’ll come by later to take a look.”
Xie Kangjie scratched his nose, “Alright then, I’ll go ahead. Don’t forget to come by. Professor Yan will be waiting no matter how late it gets.”
Xia Lu Nong gave an apologetic nod, “Please wait a little longer for us. We’ll come by in an hour.”
After delivering the message, Xie Kangjie dashed off again.
Watching his energetic retreating figure, Xia Lu Nong turned to Kong Zhi and said, “The new recruits at the White Building seem pretty motivated. They’re passionate about the field, too.”
Kong Zhi lazily raised an eyebrow and glanced over, “With the White Building’s generous benefits, their enthusiasm is only natural.”
Xia Lu Nong grinned and playfully elbowed him, draping his right arm over his shoulder with a mischievous smile, “Kong Zhi, do you have a problem with them?”
Since Xia Lu Nong was shorter than Kong Zhi, he had to stand on tiptoe to reach his shoulder.
Seeing him struggle, Kong Zhi chuckled and pulled him into a playful headlock, “Why would I be jealous of that guy? He just doesn’t know how to read the room.”
The cactus, swaying its petals, was about to say something when Kong Zhi glanced down at it, “Even the cactus has better sense than him.”
Cactus: “…”
The perceptive cactus wisely remained silent, not daring to interrupt.
Xia Lu Nong laughed, pulling a key from the side pocket of his backpack, “Let’s head inside first.”
There was already food and water waiting for them. It seemed their brothers had anticipated their return and had prepared everything in advance.
Xia Lu Nong poured a large cup of tea for both himself and Kong Zhi, drinking it all in one go, feeling completely refreshed.
After finishing his tea, Xia Lu Nong didn’t dawdle. He grabbed a basket of ash and a shovel, heading out to the yard to plant the cactus.
Holding the shovel, he scanned the courtyard and said to the cactus, “According to the ‘first come, first served’ rule, you can choose any empty spot here to settle down.”
Spring had already arrived, and the greenhouse in the courtyard had been dismantled, leaving the whole yard mostly empty, except for a corner where roses were growing.
Thanks to Xia Lu Nong’s care, there wasn’t a single weed in sight, and the dark soil looked rich and fertile.
The cactus, as a plant, couldn’t resist such soil. The two flowers on its top swayed as it looked around and pointed to a patch of land next to the roses. “I want that spot!”
Xia Lu Nong was surprised it chose such a prime location, but he coughed lightly and brought the cactus over with his shovel.
Although the roses couldn’t speak, Xia Lu Nong could communicate with them once he sensed the chemicals they secreted. The first thing the rose said, in a sarcastic tone, was, “How nice, you’ve got yourself a new favorite.”
Xia Lu Nong pinched the tip of its leaves and, with a smile in front of the cactus, said, “We’ve known each other longer. Even with the cactus here, I still favor you more.”
The cactus, knowing the reputation of the roses, remained silent after hearing this, its petals trembling slightly.
The roses, feeling pleased, raised their branches and waved them toward the cactus in a taunting gesture.
The cactus, however, stayed still like a quail, showing remarkable tact.
Seeing how easily the newcomer was subdued, the roses relaxed.
Xia Lu Nong, noticing the roses were calmer, smiled and asked, “So, do you mind if I plant the cactus next to you?”
The roses huffed, “You’ve already brought it over. Would it matter if I said no?”
“If you really don’t want it here, I’ll help it find another spot.”
The roses huffed again, which meant they agreed.
Xia Lu Nong dug a deep pit about two meters from the roses, poured in some ash, refilled most of the soil, and finally planted the cactus.
The cactus had been confined to its pot for too long, with its roots tightly wound inside. Once Xia Lu Nong lifted it out and placed it gently into the pit, its roots immediately spread out in all directions. Swaying its flowers, it sighed with relief, “I’ve been cramped for so long, this feels amazing.”
Xia Lu Nong smiled, “You’ll feel even better soon. I’ll water you today. If there’s anything you’re not used to, let me know tomorrow.”
The cactus replied, “This place is already perfect.”
Kong Zhi, who had finished organizing their supplies, came out with a bucket of water and asked, “Shall we water the cactus first?”
“Yes,” Xia Lu Nong said, “You water it, and I’ll use my ability on the roses and Xia Hua Jiao (the pepper tree).”
Since Xia Lu Nong had just planted a new addition, he made sure not to neglect the existing plants. He went around the courtyard, watering, fertilizing, and using his abilities where needed. Every plant, even the temperamental roses, got their fair share and had no complaints.
After Kong Zhi finished watering, he checked the time and said, “That should be enough. Let’s go check on the wheat.”
Xia Lu Nong watched him lock the door and followed, saying, “To be honest, I can’t quite imagine how our wheat is doing now. The growth speed shouldn’t be any faster than last year.”
Last year’s wheat was the first generation, and Xia Lu Nong had used plenty of his abilities on it. It should have been the best batch possible.
Yan Ming Qing and the others had seen last year’s wheat. So why were they so excited about this year’s crop?
Still curious, Xia Lu Nong went with Kong Zhi to the base’s wheat field.
There were five or six people working in the field, including Yan Ming Qing and Xie Kangjie.
Xie Kangjie had been watching the road for a while. When he finally saw them approaching, he shouted excitedly, “Xiao Xia is here!”
Yan Ming Qing quickly came over, “Xiao Nong, Kong Zhi, come take a look at the wheat.”
Xia Lu Nong glanced at the field from a distance but didn’t notice anything unusual. He asked, “What’s going on? Is something wrong with the wheat?”
“No, nothing wrong. It’s growing exceptionally well!” Yan Ming Qing replied. “Last year’s wheat had weak stalks and heavy leaves, which caused a lot of it to collapse. But look at this year’s wheat!”
Xia Lu Nong looked closer and realized this year’s crop was standing straight, like a field of tall, sturdy saplings.
Surprised, Xia Lu Nong said, “This wheat is impressive! Have the stalks adapted to support the leaves now?”
“Exactly!” Yan Ming Qing exclaimed, “That’s what I’ve been trying to say. The wheat has adapted all on its own, without us having to intervene or crossbreed it!”
Xia Lu Nong entered the field and examined each plant carefully.
Yan Ming Qing added excitedly, “The best part is that it hasn’t lost any of its previous advantages. It’s growing faster and better than the wheat at the Fireseed Base!”
After inspecting the wheat closely, Xia Lu Nong said, “That’s a bold claim. We’ll have to wait until the wheat heads form to be sure.”
Yan Ming Qing nodded, “True, but after all my years of studying wheat, I can tell it’s a good crop even without seeing the full harvest.”
Xia Lu Nong smiled, “I don’t know what the final result will be, but it definitely won’t be bad. You’ve all worked hard.”
“It’s not hard at all; we’re getting paid for it,” Yan Ming Qing laughed. “We called you here just to get your opinion on the field. Any thoughts or suggestions?”
Shaking his head, Xia Lu Nong said, “I’m not an expert. I just go by instinct when it comes to growing wheat. But my gut says this batch is thriving—full of life. I don’t have any special suggestions.”
Hearing this, Xie Kangjie and the others all stand straight, proudly.
Xia Lu Nong looked at everyone and said, “This batch of wheat is growing really well. It’ll be hard work for everyone in the upcoming days, but if we can grow stable, high-yield wheat, the base will definitely hold a celebration for all of you.”
A young man standing behind Xie Kangjie raised his hand and said, “Whether there’s a celebration or not, we’ll do our best to grow this wheat—for all of humanity!”
Xia Lu Nong responded seriously, “For all of humanity!”
Yan Ming Qing, feeling a bit embarrassed, patted the young student’s shoulder, but his wrinkled face showed pride.
Xia Lu Nong said, “It’s too late today, and we can’t see much. I’ll come back tomorrow morning to check again, and after that, we can have a meeting. Professor Yan, does that work for you?”
Yan Ming Qing quickly nodded, “No problem. After you check the wheat, I’d appreciate it if you could take a look at some other things and give any feedback or suggestions. We’d love your guidance.”
Xia Lu Nong smiled, “Sure, I’ll take a look and point out anything that needs attention.”
Xie Kangjie, standing behind Yan Ming Qing, shouted, “No problem! Say whatever you need, we can handle it.”
His remark made everyone laugh.
