Chapter 16 (continued)

As he spoke, Qing Mengzhu bent down until he was almost touching the water and reached beneath it, feeling around carefully. He found a lotus plant and smiled at Ming Chunxi. "Look, this is a lotus shoot."

The lotus shoot had just sprouted from the root. It was only as thick as a finger, and its tip resembled the point of a writing brush.

Ming Chunxi's gaze fell on the shoot, then on Qing Mengzhu's fingers, and finally on his smiling face. "That's a fine-looking lotus shoot."

Qing Mengzhu snapped it gently, breaking off the tender white shoot with its faint yellow tint. "I didn't expect it to be this good either."

He held it out to Ming Chunxi. "Take a look."

Ming Chunxi took the shoot and examined it. "It's a little different from the ones I've seen before."

Qing Mengzhu thought it looked different too. "Maybe I planted a new variety?"

The two searched the pond for lotus leaves that were still curled up, then bent down to feel around beneath them.

Ming Chunxi was tall, so his body was still some distance above the water as he searched. Qing Mengzhu, on the other hand, had to lean right down to the surface.

When Ming Chunxi looked at him, he could see his intent expression. Whenever Qing Mengzhu found a lotus shoot of particularly good quality, that concentration turned to delight, making his expression especially vivid.

Even so, Ming Chunxi paid more attention to how difficult it was for him to search. "Can lotus shoots grow into lotus roots? If we pick too many, will there be fewer roots?"

Qing Mengzhu said, "Not necessarily. They can only grow into roots if the conditions are right. After the shoots are picked, new ones will grow underneath, so it's fine as long as we don't pick too many."

Only then did Ming Chunxi say no more.

The two felt along the submerged lotus stems for shoots and found quite a few that had grown very long and sprouted new leaf buds.

Those buds would develop into new lotus leaves and grow into plants, so it was best to leave them in the pond.

As Qing Mengzhu picked the shoots, he also felt around the pond. Gradually, he gained a better understanding of the lotus plants growing there.

The search for lotus shoots had brought quite a few problems to light today.

"That's enough," Ming Chunxi said. "Let's go back."

Qing Mengzhu came back to his senses and looked at Ming Chunxi.

Ming Chunxi raised the shoots in his hand. "If we pick any more, we won't be able to finish them."

Qing Mengzhu smiled. "All right."

The two straightened up and slowly made their way to the edge of the pond, carrying the shoots wrapped in lotus leaves.

By the time they reached the bank, both their legs were covered in mud.

Qing Mengzhu looked at Ming Chunxi and asked, "Shall we wash off in the river?"

Ming Chunxi nodded. "All right."

So the two went down to the river, one behind the other, to wash off the mud.

By the time they were done at the pond, it was already past eleven in the morning.

The sun was high in the sky, scorching the earth. Its glare was so bright it made their eyes a little uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Qing Mengzhu returned home with Ming Chunxi.

Once home, they washed their hands again with hand soap. Qing Mengzhu took out a watermelon and cut it. "Have some watermelon and rest for a while. We'll have lunch later."

Ming Chunxi said, "This watermelon is good."

Qing Mengzhu said, "The villagers grow them for themselves. They occasionally sell a few elsewhere, but most are eaten right here in the village. This watermelon has a fresh, fruity aroma and a clean flavor. I'll give you two to take back when you leave."

Before Ming Chunxi could refuse, Qing Mengzhu looked up and smiled. "They're for Auntie."

After they finished the watermelon, Qing Mengzhu told Ming Chunxi to rest while he went into the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Ming Chunxi refused and went into the kitchen to help Qing Mengzhu.

Qing Mengzhu took the ingredients out of the fridge and showed him. "There's really no need. I've already got everything ready. We're having steamed ribs in lotus leaves, stir-fried beef with lotus shoots, water spinach with minced garlic, and chicken soup. Apart from the chicken soup, which is already done, the other three are all quick dishes."

Ming Chunxi glanced over them. "I'll peel the garlic."

Qing Mengzhu glanced at Ming Chunxi's long, slender fingers and thought it was a bit of a waste.

As if he knew what Qing Mengzhu was thinking, Ming Chunxi pointed to himself, then to him. "Garlic-peeling little brother number one, garlic-peeling little brother number two."

Qing Mengzhu laughed at once, remembering how, when they were young, Ming Lexin and Qing Yan would cook while the two younger brothers went into the kitchen to help.

Although those days now seemed like a lifetime ago, neither of them was the sort who shied away from work.

With Ming Chunxi helping, Qing Mengzhu spent less time cooking than he had expected. In less than half an hour, the three dishes and soup were on the table—the chicken soup had been simmering in a clay pot since early that morning.

The two sat down to eat, and the distance that time had created between them had mostly disappeared.

Qing Mengzhu ladled some soup for Ming Chunxi. "Try the chicken soup. He Xi is especially fond of it."

Ming Chunxi looked up. "Do you two still see each other often?"

Qing Mengzhu said, "He came over and stayed last week. He really likes it here because he can catch fish."

Ming Chunxi took a sip of chicken soup and set his bowl down. He didn't seem particularly impressed with it.

Qing Mengzhu moved the stir-fried beef and lotus shoots closer to him. "Then try the lotus shoots. They were just picked, so they're bound to taste fresher than the ones you buy."

As he spoke, Qing Mengzhu picked up a bite with his own chopsticks.

He had already caught the aroma while stir-frying them. The lotus shoots smelled wonderful.

These shoots had grown from Fine Grade lotus seeds and had been carefully tended, so they were bound to taste good. He just didn't know exactly how good.

Full of anticipation, Qing Mengzhu gently placed the lotus shoots in his mouth.

Both the lotus shoots and beef cooked quickly. He had heated the iron wok until it was scorching, swirled cold oil around it and poured it out, then added fresh cold oil and heated it before quickly stir-frying the marinated beef and the lotus shoots, which had been soaked in a little white vinegar.

The stir-fried beef and lotus shoots were ready in a matter of seconds. The shoots were white, crisp, tender, and fragrant, while the reddish-brown beef was tender and rich. The glossy sauce brought the two together, lending the shoots the beef's savoriness and the beef the shoots' delicate fragrance. Eaten together, their crispness and tenderness mingled on the tongue, creating a texture that was superb, exquisite.

Qing Mengzhu had eaten delicacies from all over the country, but this really was the first time he had tasted stir-fried beef and lotus shoots like this.

That natural savoriness was unlike any flavor he had known before, and the full, delicate fragrance was unlike any fragrance he had known before, too.

At that moment, he even wondered whether his cooking had improved tremendously. Otherwise, how could it taste so delicious?

After swallowing his bite of beef and lotus shoots, Qing Mengzhu looked up just as Ming Chunxi did the same across from him.

Their eyes met, and each saw the other's amazement.

Ming Chunxi said, "Delicious. The work you do now really does make people happier."

Thinking of the sincere comments beneath his report, Qing Mengzhu said, "So does yours."

The two raised their soup bowls and toasted each other with soup in place of wine.

Qing Mengzhu said, "Eat up. It won't taste as good once it gets cold."

Ming Chunxi asked, "You hadn't eaten the lotus shoots you grew before?"

Qing Mengzhu said, "No. It really hasn't been long since I planted the lotus seeds. If you hadn't come, I wouldn't even have thought of eating the shoots."

Ming Chunxi said, "The lotus plants are growing very well."

Qing Mengzhu nodded in agreement. "Better than I imagined."

After lunch, the two cleared the dishes and tidied the kitchen, then went inside to make tea and chat.

Once their food had settled, they took a leisurely nap, then brought their fishing rods and bait out to fish.

That evening, Qing Mengzhu took Ming Chunxi to pick lotus shoots again.

Ming Chunxi was a little worried that picking them too often would keep the lotus plants from growing well.

Qing Mengzhu said it was fine. As long as he applied enough fertilizer, more would grow after they were picked. Besides, he hadn't picked any before; he had only picked them twice today.

As they picked, Qing Mengzhu secretly scanned the shoots with the Mall Assistant.

Their quality was "Fine Grade-," and the mall offered 1.54 Star Coins per jin.

That price was much higher than the previous price for lotus leaves. Although they hadn't been growing for very long and hadn't accumulated enough substance for their quality to reach "Fine Grade" yet, they held great promise for the future.

After seeing the Mall Assistant's scan results, Qing Mengzhu remained in a very good mood and picked quite a lot of lotus shoots.