Recaps

Qing Mengzhu and his companions discovered that bamboo water made their lotus tea exceptionally fragrant and helped clear their sore throats. He then planned the next planting season and set limits on expanding the company’s community-supported agriculture program, while considering a branch in the frontier.

• Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and the others drank lotus tea brewed with bamboo water and noticed its remarkable flavor and clarifying effect.
• Zhao Hexi and Zhou Yan found their hoarseness had cleared, while Chu Yanhuan praised Qing Mengzhu’s agricultural company and its prospects.
• Qing Mengzhu examined selected tomato and chili seeds and planned to start seedlings in two greenhouses before transplanting them in March.
• Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi decided to plant radishes in the fields where tomatoes and chilies had been harvested.
• Qing Mengzhu set a limit of seventy thousand community-supported agriculture memberships and proposed a fair lottery for applicants.
• Qing Mengzhu rejected leasing more local land and considered opening a frontier branch to grow vegetables suited to long-distance transport.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi bought the discounted Seed Gene Agent, which could improve plant quality, and decided to try it on their prized bamboo. They planned to dig up the parent bamboo so they could apply the agent to its roots.

• Zhao Hexi agreed to survey the frontier and test its soil before preparing a planting plan.
• Qing Mengzhu inspected the new tomato and chili pepper seeds and found their quality had improved.
• Qing Mengzhu discovered the discounted Seed Gene Agent in the Interstellar Mall and discussed its cost and effects with Ming Chunxi.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi bought the agent and extracted its jade bottle into the real world.
• Qing Mengzhu decided to dig up the parent bamboo and use the Seed Gene Agent on its roots.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi dug up their mother bamboo and learned that bamboo water could improve the effects of Seed Gene Agent. After consulting the upgraded Mall Assistant, they returned to the mountain to collect high-quality bamboo water for the treatment.

• Qing Mengzhu found that Superior Grade cow manure fertilizer had not improved the bamboo, so Ming Chunxi supported his decision to dig it up.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi heard water inside the mother bamboo, then cut it down and carried it home to soak its roots in Seed Gene Agent.
• Qing Mengzhu discovered that the Interstellar Mall had upgraded their Mall Assistant, which explained how water quality affected Seed Gene Agent.
• The Mall Assistant told Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi that bamboo water counted as high-quality Spirit Spring Water and would not interfere with preparing the agent.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi returned to the bamboo grove and collected water from higher-quality bamboo for the Seed Gene Agent.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi used Seed Gene Agent to rejuvenate a bamboo section, then Qing Mengzhu prepared a large batch of tomato and chili seedlings. With the greenhouse crops underway and too little land available, he told Ming Chunxi he planned to lease a farm at the frontier after New Year's Day.

• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi soaked a bamboo section in a Seed Gene Agent solution, which quickly sprouted new shoots and reached Superior Grade+, thirteen percent short of Supreme Grade-.
• They planted the rejuvenated bamboo on the mountain, and Qing Mengzhu used the remaining solution to soak tomato and chili seeds.
• Zhao Hexi discussed selling premium vegetables and fruit through the online store, while Qing Mengzhu asked for workers to help prepare seedling cups.
• Feng Ningxiang brought workers to fill one hundred thousand seedling cups, and Qing Mengzhu's team sowed more than sixty-seven thousand tomato seeds and twenty-four thousand chili seeds.
• After seeing the seedlings sprout, Qing Mengzhu told Ming Chunxi that he planned to lease a frontier farm after New Year's Day because they lacked enough land.

Qing Mengzhu checked the livestock and bamboo on the mountains, then caught a goose and gathered ingredients for a meal with Zhao Hexi. The chapter ended with him digging a large lotus root from the pond.

• Qing Mengzhu checked the pregnant cattle, the growing hazel grouse flock, and the mother bamboo on the mountains.
• Qing Mengzhu found a plump Superior Grade+ winter bamboo shoot growing where the mother bamboo had stood, but left it undisturbed.
• Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi caught a goose, and Qing Mengzhu recorded it with the company and invited Zhou Yan to dinner.
• Zhou Yan offered to braise the goose and vegetables, while Zhao Hexi suggested adding shrimp.
• Qing Mengzhu gathered large shrimp and dug a thick, tender lotus root from the pond.

Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi discussed expanding lotus root production and selling the best roots separately, then Qing Mengzhu and his friends gathered at home to prepare Zhou Yan’s braised goose dinner. After sharing a meal and enjoying the winter-grown asparagus and other vegetables, the group ended the evening warm and satisfied.

• Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi agreed to plant lotus shoots in two ponds next year and discussed selling the best lotus roots separately for 99 yuan a jin.
• Qing Mengzhu returned home to find Zhou Yan preparing goose while Ming Chunxi, Chu Yanhuan, and others helped get dinner ready.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi uncovered and picked the asparagus shoots they had protected beneath rice straw.
• Qing Mengzhu took Zhou Yan to pet Little Fox and Little Otter, and Dharma Protector and Guard joined them to beg for food.
• Everyone gathered around a brazier and ate Zhou Yan’s braised goose, asparagus, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and other vegetables.

Qing Mengzhu and his companions opened the fermented liquor jar and discovered it was full of rice-white liquor. With Qing Guozhi’s help, they began distilling it and learned to discard the first and last portions.

• Chu Yanhuan enjoyed the spicy meal with Zhou Yan’s chocolate fermented rice drink while everyone discussed their food and drinks.
• Qing Mengzhu uncovered the jar under the stairs, and the group found it contained far more liquor than expected.
• Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and the others tasted the fragrant but weak liquor and discussed how to distill it.
• Qing Guozhi brought his old distilling equipment to Qing Mengzhu’s house and guided Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi through the process.
• Qing Guozhi caught the first drops separately and explained that the first and last portions should be discarded because they contained harmful impurities.

Qing Mengzhu and his family distilled a fragrant, exceptionally strong liquor, which they sampled and decided to age until New Year. The next morning, Zhao Hexi brought Superior Grade strawberries to sell and suggested Qing Mengzhu raise free-range pigs on his mountains.

• Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and Qing Guozhi tasted the freshly distilled liquor and found it strong, fragrant, and smooth, though Qing Mengzhu and Qing Guozhi became tipsy.
• Qing Mengzhu turned away curious villagers who came to ask about the liquor, giving only Qing Guozhi a small bottle to take home.
• Zhou Yan, Zhao Hexi, and Chu Yanhuan sampled the liquor that evening, and Zhou Yan recommended aging it until New Year.
• The following morning, Qing Mengzhu scooped out the distillers' grains to mix with hay and fermented bamboo leaves for the cattle.
• Zhao Hexi brought a basket of bright red strawberries to sell and suggested Qing Mengzhu raise free-range black pigs on his mountains using grass and leftover swill.

After New Year’s Day, Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi traveled to the frontier with Ming Chunxi to inspect farms. Qing Mengzhu liked a vast, flat farm and planned crops for it, then asked Duan Yu'ang to show him another property where he could try growing rice.

• Zhao Hexi persuaded Qing Mengzhu to hire help for the animals and joined his planned frontier farm inspection, leaving Maike in charge of the company.
• Zhuxi Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. handled the New Year's Day holiday smoothly, and Qing Mengzhu, Zhao Hexi, and Ming Chunxi flew to the frontier afterward.
• Duan Yu'ang met them at the airport and took them to inspect a 134-hectare former state-owned farm that had black soil, abundant water, and a flat landscape.
• Qing Mengzhu approved of the farm and outlined plans to grow ryegrass, onions, chives, carrots, tomatoes, and strawberries there.
• Qing Mengzhu asked Duan Yu'ang to take him to a larger farm with rivers and marshes so he could assess whether it was suitable for rice.

Qing Mengzhu and his companions leased two large frontier farms and began preparing for spring planting while harvesting a bumper crop of radishes. As Zhou Yan arranged to make preserved radish, he also suggested taking over a struggling upscale restaurant as a branch, and Qing Mengzhu considered the idea.

• Qing Mengzhu and the others leased the 134-hectare and 178-hectare state-owned farms for fifty years and planned spring construction and planting.
• Qing Mengzhu called a meeting to arrange seeds and farm repairs, then hired workers to harvest the ripe radishes.
• Zhou Yan praised the radishes, agreed to use twenty thousand jin to make preserved radish, and brought workers to wash and cut them for drying.
• Zhou Yan told Qing Mengzhu that a Japanese restaurant in Vine City's central business district might close and suggested taking it over as a branch.
• Qing Mengzhu considered the restaurant's location and finances, and Zhou Yan said his team could split up and hire additional staff.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi agreed to rent Flying White for a farm restaurant branch, and Zhou Yan said the deal was nearly settled for a trial opening after the Lunar New Year. Back at home, Qing Mengzhu showed Ming Chunxi a video filmed at the restaurant and said he had missed some major gossip.

• Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and Zhou Yan toured Flying White and considered taking over the lavish restaurant as a branch.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi agreed to rent Flying White, and Zhou Yan went to negotiate with its owner.
• Qing Mengzhu visited the busy farm restaurant, where young diners mistook several foreign guests for someone else and excitedly approached them.
• Zhou Yan told Qing Mengzhu that the Flying White negotiations were nearly complete and the branch might begin a trial opening after the Lunar New Year.
• Ming Chunxi returned home and found Qing Mengzhu watching a video from the farm restaurant; Qing Mengzhu said he had missed major gossip.

Zhuxi Farm was named to the Global Top 100 Restaurants and received an award, ranking ninety-seventh in the world and sixth in the country. Zhou Yan celebrated the achievement with Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and Zhao Hexi, while the others stayed behind to prepare for spring planting.

• Qing Mengzhu discovered that chefs visiting the farm were judges for the Global Top 100 Restaurants and suspected Zhuxi Farm was a candidate.
• Zhou Yan learned the farm was a candidate and accepted that it might not win, since it had only recently opened.
• A week later, Zhuxi Farm appeared on the official list, and Zhou Yan confirmed the invitation and praise were genuine.
• Zhou Yan traveled to Country N and told Qing Mengzhu and the others that the farm ranked ninety-seventh in the world and sixth in the country.
• Zhou Yan promised to keep leading the team to improve, while Qing Mengzhu and the others prepared seedlings and soil for spring.

Qing Mengzhu arranged to advance trials for the company’s saved tomato and chili pepper seeds after local farmers asked to participate. As spring arrived, the tea trees sprouted, easing his worries about his stalled planting skills and leaving him discussing New Year plans with Ming Chunxi.

• Feng Ningxiang told Qing Mengzhu that local farmers wanted to sign up to trial the company’s seeds, especially tomatoes and chili peppers.
• Li Ba confirmed the company had plenty of both seeds, and Qing Mengzhu decided to move up the planting trials by a year.
• Zhao Hexi agreed to work with Li Ba on a trial plan, including selecting farmers and providing subsidies.
• Qing Mengzhu told Zhao Hexi he felt his planting skills had hit a bottleneck, and Zhao Hexi encouraged him to wait for new insights.
• Ming Chunxi told Qing Mengzhu the tea trees had sprouted, and Qing Mengzhu found their buds and leaves had improved since last year.
• Qing Mengzhu felt more at ease about their progress and asked Ming Chunxi whether they should spend New Year at home and invite Auntie to visit.

Qing Mengzhu attended a chili cultivation lecture at Tengcheng Agricultural University and gained a clearer understanding of the subject. During the talk, he experienced a sudden breakthrough that left him able to sense people’s areas of expertise, including the expert’s and Nian Xinfei’s mastery of chili cultivation.

• Qing Mengzhu agreed to attend a chili cultivation meeting after Nian Xinfei invited him.
• Qing Mengzhu finished farm chores, sold winter bamboo shoots to the Interstellar Mall, and drove to Tengcheng Agricultural University the next morning.
• Director Chu and Nian Xinfei welcomed Qing Mengzhu, and several teachers and professors asked him technical questions about his tomato paper.
• Qing Mengzhu listened closely to the visiting expert’s chili cultivation talk and took notes as his own understanding developed.
• Qing Mengzhu experienced a sudden mental breakthrough and then sensed that the visiting expert and Nian Xinfei were experts in chili cultivation, while Director Chu was an expert in soybean cultivation.

After Qing Mengzhu became an Intermediate Grower, he discovered he could sense and scan people’s professional skills, then used the ability to identify promising employees. He continued experimenting with his improved growing system and offered Zhao Hexi New Year gifts before Zhao went home for the holiday.

• Qing Mengzhu visited Ming Chunxi and discovered that his Grower level had risen to Intermediate, granting him the ability to sense people’s professional skills.
• Qing Mengzhu scanned Ming Chunxi and himself with the Mall Assistant, which displayed their specialties and skill levels.
• After getting used to his new ability, Qing Mengzhu used it to identify capable young employees and promoted several of them to team leaders.
• Qing Mengzhu told Zhao Hexi that he wanted to test a new growing method on the tomato and chili pepper seedlings.
• Qing Mengzhu offered Zhao Hexi hazel grouse, winter bamboo shoots, and homemade liquor to take home for the New Year.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi dug up gastrodia and caught a hazel grouse to make soup for Ming Lexin, who had come to spend the New Year with them while struggling with poor sleep. After they returned, Ming Lexin rested in the courtyard, shared strawberries with the household animals, and relaxed with them.

• Qing Mengzhu told Ming Chunxi that Ming Lexin had trouble sleeping, and they decided not to look at her private account and instead prepare gastrodia soup for her.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi drove up the mountain, dug up Fine Grade+ gastrodia tubers, and caught a hazel grouse for dinner.
• Qing Mengzhu picked strawberries from their own field to bring home for Ming Lexin.
• Ming Lexin came out to greet them, admired their homegrown produce, and washed the strawberries.
• Ming Lexin shared strawberries with Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi, then fed some to the dogs, red fox, and otter after getting their permission.

Ming Lexin enjoyed Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi’s hospitality and slept deeply after drinking their gastrodia soup. She asked Qing Mengzhu to send fresh gastrodia to a friend with insomnia, and he arranged a delivery before the story left them together at the village.

• Ming Lexin praised the meal and soup, while Ming Chunxi invited her to move to the village and she declined.
• After drinking gastrodia and hazel grouse soup, Ming Lexin fell asleep early and slept soundly until the next morning.
• Ming Lexin told Qing Mengzhu that the soup had helped her feel rested and asked him to send gastrodia to a friend with long-term insomnia.
• Qing Mengzhu explained that they might grow medicinal herbs on their newly leased farms in the borderlands, using a professional team to manage them.
• Ming Lexin shared that her insomnia had begun after a mutual breakup and encouraged Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi to cherish their relationship.
• Qing Mengzhu dug up extra gastrodia, packed it for delivery to Ming Lexin’s friend, and advised her to refrigerate, dry, or freeze it.

Ming Lexin’s friend praised the gastrodia after it helped her sleep, while Zhuxi Farm’s growing fame made its holiday reservations impossible to get. After celebrating New Year’s with family, Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi traveled to Qiongwei City, where they enjoyed the warm weather and went snorkeling together.

• Ming Lexin’s friend tried the gastrodia and told her it had finally given her a good night’s sleep after seven years of insomnia.
• Ming Lexin’s friend tried to book New Year’s Eve dinner at Zhuxi Farm but found it and the following fifteen days fully booked.
• Ming Chunxi packed for the trip, and the family celebrated New Year’s Eve with dinner and baijiu in the courtyard.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi flew to Qiongwei City with Dharma Protector and Guard, then enjoyed the beach and other activities.
• Ming Chunxi guided a nervous Qing Mengzhu underwater snorkeling, where they admired the seabed, coral, and fish.

During their holiday, Ming Chunxi proposed to Qing Mengzhu underwater, and they exchanged rings and shared the news with friends. After enjoying the New Year together, they returned to the orchard, where Qing Mengzhu saw that the fruit trees had begun growing new leaves.

• Ming Chunxi proposed to Qing Mengzhu while they were diving, and Qing Mengzhu accepted; Guard and Dharma Protector helped them exchange rings.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi posted photos of their rings, and Zhao Hexi congratulated them and agreed to be a groomsman.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi spent the New Year holiday enjoying their engagement, while Ming Lexin left with the dogs because she couldn't stand their lovey-dovey atmosphere.
• After the tenth day of the New Year, Qing Mengzhu took Ming Chunxi to the orchard to resume work.
• Qing Mengzhu saw that the durian and mangosteen trees had grown many tender new leaves.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi inspected the orchard’s durian and coffee trees, then discovered that ryegrass had spread widely and improved the soil. Testing confirmed that the ryegrass restored soil more effectively than ordinary ryegrass and released a secretion that promoted plant growth, leaving Qing Mengzhu considering expanding its use.

• Qing Mengzhu assessed the durian trees and told Ming Chunxi that they would likely bear fewer fruits this year but recover by next year.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi inspected their coffee trees, which had grown many branches and needed pruning.
• Ming Chunxi noticed the lush ryegrass, and Ping Lin explained that workers had propagated it from cuttings to support possible pet treats.
• Qing Mengzhu found that the ryegrass remained high quality and that the soil beneath it had improved, so he asked Ping Lin to collect samples for testing.
• Zhuxi Agricultural Technology Co., Ltd. tested the samples and found that the ryegrass restored soil better than ordinary ryegrass, increased organic matter, and released a secretion that promoted plant growth.

Qing Mengzhu expanded the company’s spring workforce and prioritized ryegrass research, then helped Dr. Xu Qilin investigate ways to improve the grass’s growth. The ryegrass flourished and fed the company’s geese, while Xu proposed inoculating it with mycorrhizal fungi and using the company’s earthworms to support her research.

• Qing Mengzhu approved hiring staff for ryegrass research, and Ke Shuwen recommended Xu Qilin as the project lead.
• During spring recruitment, Qing Mengzhu selected capable candidates, and Zhao Hexi arranged the new staff into teams.
• Qing Mengzhu agreed to buy planting machinery and inspect and repair warehouses, while spring planting plans expanded to the borderland farms.
• The ryegrass grew quickly in the fields, and the company’s geese eagerly fed on it.
• Xu Qilin told Qing Mengzhu that the ryegrass and soil appeared unusually healthy but lacked mycorrhizal fungi, and she suggested inoculating the plants.
• Qing Mengzhu assigned Xu Qilin to obtain mycorrhizal inoculant and brought her to the compost heap to collect earthworms for her research.

Qing Mengzhu saw the orchard’s fruit trees and bee colonies thriving, while inoculated ryegrass improved his cows’ grazing. After inviting Zhao Hexi to dinner with Zhou Yan, Qing Mengzhu saw Zhao return with two fish, a red fox, an otter, and fresh mugwort.

• Zhao Hexi brought Qing Mengzhu mulberries and described the orchard’s fruit trees and growing bee colonies; Qing Mengzhu said his mountain had six hives.
• Qing Mengzhu’s ryegrass grew lush after inoculation, and his cows began grazing in the fields, where they regularly clashed with the geese.
• Qing Mengzhu found Zhao Hexi fishing by the river and invited him to dinner with Zhou Yan; Zhao promised to bring fish.
• Zhou Yan arrived for dinner, and Zhao Hexi returned on his motorcycle with two fish, the red fox and otter, and freshly picked mugwort.

Qing Mengzhu and his companions enjoyed a dinner of fresh ingredients, then planned a trip to Zhaiqian Village. On Tuesday, they arrived in the misty mountains and saw how the bamboo and tea partnership had given villagers more work at home.

• Zhou Yan prepared cured pork stir-fried with mugwort, fish with pickled mustard greens, and hand-shredded drunken hazel grouse, and everyone ate until they were full.
• Qing Mengzhu, Zhou Yan, Zhao Hexi, Chu Yanhuan, and Ming Chunxi agreed to visit Zhaiqian Village on Tuesday and arranged to have lunch at Yi Yanbai's home.
• Chu Yanhuan packed snacks for the outing, and the group drove two cars through the spring rain into the mountains.
• Chu Yanhuan asked why so many people were in Zhaiqian Village, and Qing Mengzhu and Zhao Hexi explained that the bamboo and tea work let more middle-aged villagers earn a living locally.

Qing Mengzhu took Zhou Yan, Chu Yanhuan, Ming Chunxi, and their friends around the village to inspect its bamboo and tea crops and gather ingredients. They returned to Yi Yanbai’s house, where Chen Meimei and Yi Ousheng had prepared a welcoming meal featuring the tea leaves, bamboo shoots, and wild vegetables.

• Qing Mengzhu showed his friends the misty mountain views and explained plans to expand the tea garden by working with local households.
• Qing Mengzhu and his friends met villagers gathering wild vegetables, then continued up the mountain to inspect the bamboo.
• Qing Mengzhu taught the group which bamboo shoots were small enough to harvest, and they gathered shoots and wild vegetables.
• Qing Mengzhu and Zhou Yan visited Zhou Minyue in the tea grove, inspected the bushes, and picked fragrant tea leaves for cooking.
• Chen Meimei and Yi Ousheng served Qing Mengzhu and his friends a meal featuring tea leaves, bamboo shoots, and wild vegetables.

Chen Meimei and Yi Ousheng impressed Qing Mengzhu’s group with their cooking, while Zhou Yan learned that the village’s tea and produce were gaining skilled workers and customers. Over several months, Zhou Yan studied the company’s successful online store and noticed its vegetables improving in flavor, leaving him astonished at how much better they might become.

• Chen Meimei served a country meal, and Yi Yanbai revealed that his parents were apprenticing under a master banquet chef.
• Qing Mengzhu explained that a self-taught tea roaster from Zhaiqian Village had joined the company, and Zhou Yan learned its first-grade tea was selling for 299 yuan per half jin.
• After returning home, Zhou Yan checked the company’s positive reviews, and Wu Yi told him customers especially liked the old duck and tea stew.
• Zhou Yan discussed menu choices with Wu Yi and began regularly studying the company’s reviews and customer-service practices to improve his own restaurant.
• From February through May, Qing Mengzhu’s company listed more produce online and supplied it to the restaurant, where customers noticed the vegetables’ improving quality.
• Zhou Yan tasted a tomato and told Qing Mengzhu that its richer flavors felt like seeing the world come into focus.