Chapter 169

He was a little worried that even after buying the book on planting techniques for grasses, his bamboo-growing skills wouldn't improve much.

Looking at the options before him, Ming Chunxi asked, "Which one do you currently prefer?"

Qing Mengzhu: "It's precisely because I don't have a preference that I'm so conflicted. I think I can buy either skill book."

Ming Chunxi: "From my current perspective, both skill books have their advantages."

Ming Chunxi slowly said, "The cultivation skill book for moso bamboo helps in cultivating new bamboo, while the cultivation skill books for the broader grass family have a very wide range of applications and are more conducive to long-term development."

Qing Mengzhu: "Yes, that's also what I was considering."

Ming Chunxi thought for a moment and said, "How about we draw lots? We'll choose one of the two options, and whichever we draw is the one we get."

Qing Mengzhu was a little surprised that he would come up with this idea. "Relying on metaphysics? Fine, you draw one, I'll write two slips of paper on them, and we'll choose whichever one you draw."

Qing Mengzhu always believed in Ming Chunxi's luck; in some ways, his luck was even more terrifying than his ability.

Since he said he wanted to try his luck, Qing Mengzhu didn't think much of it. She quickly wrote two characters, put them in a large bowl, covered the bowl with her hand, and shook it. "Come on, you draw one."

Ming Chunxi hadn't seen what was written on the two slips of paper, and without dwelling on it, she simply reached into the bowl with her slender fingers, picked out one slip of paper at random, and placed it in Qing Mengzhu's palm. "This one."

Qing Mengzhu unfolded the crumpled paper, and said, whether with disappointment or emotion, "Nan Zhu."

As she spoke, Qing Mengzhu showed the crumpled paper to Ming Chunxi, and indeed the words "nan bamboo" were written on it.

Ming Chunxi: "Then let's choose moso bamboo."

Without further hesitation, Qing Mengzhu directly purchased the "Intermediate Planting Skill Book) " from the Interstellar Mall.

After making the purchase, he immediately went to his personal center and selected to withdraw the funds.

The purchased skill book quickly transformed into light and entered Qing Mengzhu's body. He touched his forehead and muttered, "I feel a little dizzy."

Ming Chunxi helped him up. "Take a nap, I'll go make lunch and wake you up later."

Qing Mengzhu felt as if she had been drinking, her whole body was dizzy, but she didn't refuse. "Then I'll go to sleep first. I feel like knowledge is overwhelming my brain, it's so confusing!"

Ming Chunxi gently patted his forehead and told him to go lie down on the bed.

Qing Mengzhu originally planned to take a nap and then get up for lunch, but she ended up sleeping until dark. When she woke up, Ming Chunxi was sitting next to her reading a book.

Seeing that he was awake, Ming Chunxi closed the book in her hand and asked, "How are you feeling now?"

Qing Mengzhu, half-huddled in the blanket, murmured, "I have so much more knowledge about bamboo cultivation now—we did so many things wrong before, and I really want to go up the mountain to manage the bamboo right away."

Ming Chunxi: "Management?"

"Watering, fertilizing, loosening the soil, pruning branches, and readjusting the spacing between bamboo rows—" Qing Mengzhu finished in one breath, "And we can also adjust the fertilizer formula and add certain trace elements."

Ming Chunxi: "Looks like we're in for a busy day."

Qing Mengzhu: "Yes, I feel that the intermediate skill book contains more knowledge than I thought. Although it's just a skill book for planting bamboo, it has many planting tips."

Ming Chunxi smiled and said, "That's good. Get up and eat first. I've already cooked the food and it's in the pot."

Qing Mengzhu got up, washed up briefly, and went out to eat with Ming Chunxi.

Their two dogs were also waiting for food, lying on either side of the door. As soon as they saw them come out, they barked eagerly at them.

Ming Chunxi then went to prepare dog food for the two dogs.

After finishing her meal, following her usual routine, Qing Mengzhu would read for a while before preparing for bed.

He slept way too much today, and he also got a new skill book, so he's a bit excited and can't calm down.

Qing Mengzhu simply said to Ming Chunxi, "You rest first, I'll go up the mountain to check on the bamboo."

Ming Chunxi: "I'll go with you."

Qing Mengzhu stopped him. "No, you have to go to work tomorrow, don't bother."

Ming Chunxi: "I'm worried about you going up the mountain alone."

Unable to persuade Ming Chunxi, Qing Mengzhu, along with two dogs, prepared to go up the mountain, carrying flashlights.

Red foxes and otters are nocturnal animals, and upon hearing the commotion, they immediately ran over and followed them.

So, instead of the two of them going up the mountain, it became two people taking four little ones up the mountain.

They made quite a commotion here; they ran into people on the road, and those people even asked them a few questions.

Hearing that they were going up the mountain to see the bamboo, the person who asked the question remarked with admiration, "Going up the mountain so late at night, they're so dedicated, no wonder they can make money."

There aren't many people out at night, but there are quite a few animals.

In addition to insects and birds, there are also small mammals.

Once they reached the mountain, the owl noticed them coming out and circled above them for a while before flying away.

Qing Mengzhu, flashlight in hand, walked through the bamboo forest with Ming Chunxi: "You know, I never knew the bamboo forest was so lively at night. There are so many insects, and even frogs. I never expected there to be frogs on the mountain."

Ming Chunxi: "It might be a special species of frog. Be careful of the bamboo branch to your left."

Qing Mengzhu: "I'm already looking at it. To be honest, the planting density on the left front side is a bit too high. I'll make a mark and bring some people over tomorrow to cut some of it down."

Seeing him start taking notes with the memo, Ming Chunxi said, "I'll make you an electronic map, a more detailed one, like the one we used to collect data in the mountains, so it'll be easier for you to keep records."

Qing Mengzhu: "Great! Let's include the fields too. The map you made is very useful. If we can include the fields, then our work manual can directly use the map for display."

Ming Chunxi: "I'll give it to you next Monday."

At night, there is mist in the bamboo forest. The mist forms dew, and as people walk in, their clothes gradually become damp and stick to their bodies, which is not very comfortable.

Ming Chunxi shielded Qing Mengzhu, preventing the bamboo branch from touching his body. "Let's go, it's too late. Come back tomorrow."

Qing Mengzhu: "Let's go around to the other side and come down the mountain from the other side. Didn't I tell you before that we saw termite nests in the bamboo forest? I reckon there will be termite mushrooms this time of year."

Ming Chunxi: "Is it the season for termite mushrooms now?"

Qing Mengzhu: "We've arrived. There are many kinds of termite mushrooms. We should have reached this patch in our bamboo forest. The newly acquired planting skill book records that termite mushrooms usually appear in this situation, and even if they don't, we can still grow them."

Qing Mengzhu smiled and said, "Many things can be grown in the bamboo forest. I'll try it sometime."

Chapter 169

Although Qing Mengzhu and his group hadn't been planting bamboo for very long, he had walked through the bamboo forest countless times and was very familiar with every corner of it.

He led Ming Chunxi nimbly through the bamboo forest, heading towards the place where termite mushrooms might grow.

As they got closer to their destination, before they even reached it, the two dogs smelled the aroma, barked, and took off running.

Seeing their movement, Qing Mengzhu knew there must be something ahead. "I wonder how many termite mushrooms have grown? Come on, let's hurry."

Qing Mengzhu grabbed Ming Chunxi's hand and walked quickly forward, shining a flashlight.

The red fox and the otter also started running.

The otter was a little excited and whimpered several times. Seeing that it couldn't run fast, Ming Chunxi simply took Qing Mengzhu's hand with her left hand, picked it up with her right hand, and hurried forward together.

Qing Mengzhu and the others ran ahead and soon spotted the newly grown termite mushrooms in the woods.

Qing Mengzhu squatted on the ground, looking at the termite mushrooms, then turned to Ming Chunxi and said, "My guess was right after all."

His expression held a hint of smugness, his smile almost blindingly bright. Ming Chunxi looked at him and said, "Hmm."