Seedlings only could be planted in Shen's Family's paddy field after two days of soaking. Early that morning, Shen Yanbei and others went to the fields to plant seedlings. The seedlings were bought by the village head's help, who happened to be bought from the family of Third Brother Shen.
When Shen Yanbei arrived in the rice field, Wu sān-gē was already there waiting for him.
"Wu sān-gē, so early? Have you had breakfast?"
"I have!" Wu sān-gē smiled kindly. His own seedlings had already been planted. So after hearing that Shen Yanbei's Family was gonna planting seedlings today, he came over to take a look.
The eight acres of paddy fields in the Shen's Family were connected, you even couldn't see the edge at a glance. Perhaps, they couldn't finish seedling all the fields even after one day of busywork.
Uncle Xu and others were all experienced hands. After taking the seedlings, they started to work.
Gu Changfeng took off his shoes and rolled up his trousers, got ready to come into the rice field.
Actually, Shen Yanbei didn't want him to do this job. Kept bending over while repeating the same action for a long time, his arms and waist might be sore. But when Gu Changfeng looked at him with those quiet black eyes, he became softhearted.
His wife said: Husband, you've told me, I do what I am good at, and you do what you are good at, the division of work between us is very good. Since you want to increase food production, I will be responsible for farming.
What else could he say then?
Gu Changfeng actually had never planted seedlings, but it was not difficult to do it. After asking Uncle Xu for advice, his work was quite good.
"Shen Yan, has your husband done farming before? His planting seedlings work is really amazing!" Wu sān-gē said that while looked at Gu Changfeng, who had already finished to planted seedlings in one line and was about to start another line, with shock in his eyes.
Shen Yanbei smiled without saying a word, feeling very depressed. How could his wife's work be bad? He might take advantage of his martial arts skills to do plant seedlings! He bet that all over the world, only his family would use martial arts skills to plant seedlings!
With the four worked together, one mu of land was quickly be filled with seedlings. Shen Yanbei carefully lifted the wooden barrel that was full of water.
"Shen Yan, what are you doing?" Watching Shen Yanbei poured water from the wooden barrel into the rice field, Wu sān-gē walked towards him curiously. When he got closer, he discovered that the barrel was not only filled with water but also some fish seeds!
Wu sān-gē changed his face in an instant and hurriedly stopped him. "Shen Yan, don't mess around! These fishes will ruin the rice fields." Farmers relied on the rice field to eat. If these fishes ate seedlings and destroyed the soil, didn't expect to have a harvest this year!
"It's okay." Shen Yanbei patiently explained to him the symbiosis between fishes and rice fields.
"This fish is not as big as a finger, they will not hinder the growth of seedlings. On the contrary, since the fish swimming in the water, it will increase the water activity and nutrients..."
Seeing that Wu sān-gē was still at a loss, Shen Yanbei tried his best to use straightforward words to explain. "These fish seeds are small, only draft the things in the water and won't eat the seedlings. The manure produced by the fish seeds can also fertilize the seedlings. When these fish seeds grow up, the roots of the seedlings have grown stable..."
Wu sān-gē thought about it carefully, felt that the reason quite made sense.
But……
"If the rice seedlings have turned into paddy, wouldn't the fishes eat the paddy instead?" Wu Wu sān-gē said distressedly.
"This is the place we should concern to. We should pay attention to how many fish seeds that we'll put in the field. If it was too much, it might eat the paddy, which is not worth the loss. On the contrary, If less, it will not achieve the goal of symbiosis..."
To fortify the credibility, Shen Yanbei had to show him the book. "This is what I saw from the miscellaneous book. This is how the villages in other places grow the paddy. This method is mutually beneficial for fish and paddy, it increases the quantity of the production and the paddy itself also became fatter."
Was that really true? Wu sān-gē was still a bit uncertain.
Was this really unacceptable? At the exact time, he will also put ducks in the farm field! Shen Yanbei smiled and looked up at the sky. Fortunately, the sun today was not poisonous. Otherwise, his wife will be sunburned. He would be depressed if it really happened.
Wu sān-gē thought for a moment, said solemnly to Shen Yanbei, "Shen Yan, if this method really works, teach me the next time you plant seedlings. I will give the best seedlings for you!" All farmers were wishing for a good harvest. If it really could increase grain production, who could refuse this benefit?
Shen Yanbei responded, "No problem. When we harvest the rice, Wu sān-gē can come and take a look. Actually, I've told the village chief to let everyone who wants to learn come together. I will teach you all how to do it."
"Thank you so much!" Wu sān-gē was full of excitement.
Shen Yanbei smiled slightly and saw that the third acre of paddy field had been filled with the seedling. He then beckoned to Gu Changfeng, "Wife, come here. Let's go home and cook."
Gu Changfeng did not insist. They had promised to take care of their meal, so he had to go back with Shen Yanbei. Even if he himself didn't cook the meal, people outside would not know that Shen Yanbei cooked it.
"Here, take a drink." Gu Changfeng's nose was covered with fine beads of sweat that dripped from his forehead. Shen Yanbei didn't care if anyone was looking, he pulled his sleeve to wipe Gu Changfeng's sweat.
Gu Changfeng's face was red, didn't know if it because of the sunburn or shyness, but he didn't stop Shen Yanbei.
Wu sān-gē was surprised when he saw them. Shen Yan's temperament really had changed drastically, even his preferences also had changed! Now he didn't interest in a pretty and charming woman, on the contrary, he loved his husband, who had a vigorous face and as strong as a man. Incredible!
After Gu Changfeng put on his socks and shoes, Shen Yanbei led the person to the house.
"Tired?"
Gu Changfeng shook his head. Doing this work was like warming up, he even didn't use his internal strength.
"Wifey, you can teach me some martial arts skills, the kind used to strengthen the body."
The physical quality of this body was really too bad, even didn't reach half of his wife's. He had been thinking about exercising well before, but the exercise method he knew would be too weird to others. Fortunately, his wife was a master. It would be better if he asked Gu Changfeng to teach him directly instead of doing it in his own way.
Gu Changfeng hesitated. "You have to do it persistently to make the exercise effective. It will be tiring you."
"It's okay, I'm a big man. I must be better than that kid, right?"
Zhou Yu came to their house every day to report. Even if his wife was not there, he obediently exercised and waited for his wife to come back to check the lesson. He really admired that kid's perseverance.
Gu Changfeng pondered for a while and said, "I will teach you a set of boxing techniques."
"Okay!" Shen Yanbei was a little excited and asked with interest, "Wife, what skills do you use? Do you have any weapons you are used to?"
Gu Changfeng thought hard, his eyes darkened. "I don't remember..."
Shen Yanbei felt a pity in his heart. His wife must be very handsome with a sword and a spear! Seeing Gu Changfeng frowned, he hurriedly comforted. "It doesn't matter if you don't remember. These days are peaceful, you don't need to wield the sword. Let's just do farming and a small business!"
Gu Changfeng responded softly "um".
When the two returned home, Zhou Yu was feeding the rabbit. There was a fat man sat in the yard in bored and watched Zhou You feeding the rabbit.
"Shen Yan!" Seeing them come back, Fatty's eyes lit up. He quickly stood up.
"Laifu-gē, you must be waiting a long time." Shen Yanbei smiled apologetically.
"It's okay, I just arrived, haha..." Shen Laifu looked a little anxious. "Then we can start now?"
Gu Changfeng looked puzzled. Shen Yanbei smiled lightly and explained to him, "He is the chef I want to invite, so he naturally has to understand what he will cook."
Gu Changfeng was stunned and suddenly understood. "He will make those meals?"
"What do you think?" Shen Yanbei teased. "I only cook for my wife. Others don't get this treatment."
Gu Changfeng's eyes gleamed. His heart warmed, felt like he soaked in warm water.
"Wife, I..."
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt warm on the side of his face. As soon as that temperature touched him, he even had no time to react. When Gu Changfeng took Zhou Yu out of the house, he could only see his wife's red ear.
Shen Laifu. "..." He didn't see anything!
Shen Yanbei touched his cheek, happy and sad in his heart. The happy thing was that his wife becoming more and more active, but the sad thing was that his spirit was willing, but his flesh was weak*.
*xīnyǒuyúérlìbùzú: unable to do what one wants very much to do.
What to do?
How about... went to see the doctor again and ask?
Uncle Xu and others, who were still busy in the field, finished planting the seedlings. They went to the edge of the field to drink water and rest.
"Father, What kind of food will Shen Xiucai's Family serve today?" The younger son Xu Da wiped his sweat and asked expectantly.
Xu Dayong glared at him and cursed angrily. "You child, did you have insufficient food or drink in the past? I take you here to do a seasonal job, yet you are concerned about what the Master house's meals look like!"
"Indeed, I'm not short of food and drink, but you have to see what kind of dishes mother cooks!" Xu Da was aggrieved. "Her fried dishes felt like boiled water, tasteless. When she cooks the whole fish, it’s too fishy. Even for the stewed meat, we only can drink a sip of soup..."
"Your mother worked so hard to cook for you, yet you still picky. Geez!" Xu Dayong kicked his younger son.
Xu Da jumped up and said, "The meal that the Shen Xiucai's family made is so delicious! Even the common stir-fried vegetables felt very fresh. It increases my appetite!"
The eldest son, Xu Zhi, who always was silent all this time, also admitted it. "The fish is indeed delicious."
Xu Dayong. "..."
Originally, after hearing Shen Yanbei was responsible for the meal, he thought that it was just some pickles and steamed buns. But unexpectedly, Shen Yanbei really prepared the meal solemnly: mixed grain rice, a stir-fried vegetable dish, meat, and a soup.
Two dishes and one soup might not be that expensive. But the color and taste really made people eating the tongue! On the first day, his two sons almost picked up all the food on the plates! Caused him to lose his old face!
"Ugh, I'm so hungry. When will Shen Xiucai deliver the meals?" Xu Da muttered.
"All you do just thinking about eating. Just finish the work quickly!" Xu Dayong blushed and pushed his two sons back to the farm field.
These two brats! Because blabbing hungry all the time, he became hungry too!
Ah I'm very happy that you're translating this story! It is very sweet how the two main characters interact, how soft they are with each other. And seeing how Changfeng is starting to feel more comfortable around Yanbei makes me happy for both of them. Thanks again for translating 😊