Chapter Summaries

Qing Mengzhu fed jerky to Dharma Protector, Guard, the otter, and the red fox, gradually building their trust. Later, Tan Wenlei warned him about declining chili crops, and Qing learned that pests, diseases, and hot, wet weather had reduced yields and raised prices, though his plants still looked healthy.

• Qing Mengzhu called the otter and red fox over and fed them jerky alongside Dharma Protector and Guard.
• The otter and red fox cautiously accepted more jerky, and Qing Mengzhu planned to keep feeding them gradually.
• Tan Wenlei warned Qing Mengzhu that chili plants in the area were yellowing and developing spots.
• Feng Ningxiang and the others explained that chili crops had varied diseases and were affected by the hot, rainy weather and differences in planting schedules.
• Qing Mengzhu learned that local chili yields had fallen and prices had risen, but his plants remained healthy.

Qing Mengzhu agreed to sell five fruiting chili plants to Nian Xinfei, who brought students and a tree spade to remove them. Later, Qing Mengzhu gave Tan Wenlei insect traps and began spraying his tomatoes and chilies with matrine as a precaution against pests and disease.

• Nian Xinfei advised Qing Mengzhu to monitor his chili plants during the hot, humid weather and avoid unnecessary pesticide use.
• Qing Mengzhu agreed to sell Nian Xinfei five chili plants for two thousand yuan each, and they arranged a pickup for the next afternoon.
• Nian Xinfei arrived with Jing Chi and another student, and Jing Chi used a tree spade to lift the chili plants with soil around their roots.
• Qing Mengzhu gave Tan Wenlei sixty yellow sticky insect traps, and Tan Wenlei praised how carefully Qing tended his crops.
• Qing Mengzhu mixed matrine with water and began spraying his tomatoes and chilies to guard against aphids, whiteflies, and virus disease.

Qing Mengzhu received a safety report confirming the Interstellar Mall river shrimp were ordinary East Asian river shrimp with strong farming potential, and Chen Yi helped him prepare a rearing pool. The eggs hatched into zoea larvae, which Chen Yi said could remain in the hatching tank until their feeding organs developed.

• Qing Mengzhu read the testing agency's report and learned the shrimp were safe, high-quality East Asian river shrimp.
• Qing Mengzhu asked Chen Yi for help, and Chen Yi built a temporary rearing pool in the courtyard and advised him on caring for the shrimp.
• Dharma Protector and Guard barked at the hatching tank, where Qing Mengzhu and Chen Yi discovered that the eggs had begun hatching.
• Qing Mengzhu and Chen Yi watched as the eggs hatched into zoea larvae, and Chen Yi advised waiting a day or two before moving them to the rearing pool.

Qing Mengzhu transferred healthy zoea larvae into the rearing pond with Chen Yi’s help, but many died after he began feeding them. Hoping higher-grade food might improve their survival, Qing Mengzhu went to gather lotus plants and decided to try lotus seeds.

• Chen Yi and Qing Mengzhu moved the zoea larvae from the hatchery tank into the rearing pond after checking that the pond was ready.
• Qing Mengzhu fed the larvae soy milk and egg yolk, but many died, so he called Chen Yi for advice.
• Qing Mengzhu checked the Interstellar Mall and researched larval mortality, learning that his losses were within the normal range.
• Qing Mengzhu suspected that higher-grade food might help the larvae and went to his field to gather produce for an experiment.
• Qing Mengzhu chose to gather lotus leaves and flowers, then spotted seedpods and rowed toward deeper water to collect lotus seeds.

Qing Mengzhu found that lotus seed slurry kept his freshwater prawn larvae alive, then prepared his pond to raise them by clearing it with tea seed cake. The larvae developed into mysis, while the pond still needed further repairs and protective netting before they could be moved.

• Qing Mengzhu fed test groups of zoea larvae different lotus seed mixtures and found that every larva given plain lotus seed slurry survived.
• Qing Mengzhu switched the rearing pool to lotus seed slurry, and the zoea larvae stopped dying and molted into mysis larvae.
• Qing Mengzhu estimated that about thirty-five percent of the batch had died, a strong result for a first-time prawn farmer.
• Qing Mengzhu explained to Tan Wenlei that he bought tea seed cake to clear unwanted fish and shrimp from his pond without harming the lotuses with pesticides.
• Qing Mengzhu squeezed tea seed cake liquid into the pond from bags, then climbed out and saw the otter and red fox watching him.

Qing Mengzhu bought Spirit Pearl Dregs from the Interstellar Mall, hoping they would benefit his ponds. After receiving the two small bags, he buried them in brocade pouches in his long ponds under cover of darkness.

• Qing Mengzhu scooped poisoned fish and shrimp from the pond before driving the ducks over, leaving the otter upset that its pond fish were gone.
• Qing Mengzhu shared jerky with the otter, the red fox, Dharma Protector, and Guard, then bought extra packets after they begged for more.
• Qing Mengzhu found discounted Spirit Pearl Dregs in the Interstellar Mall and decided to spend nearly all his Star Coins on two bags.
• Qing Mengzhu retrieved the Spirit Pearl Dregs, packed them into brocade pouches, and buried one in the mud at the center of each long pond.

Qing Mengzhu’s lotus ponds suddenly flourished, and their tender lotus seeds impressed Tan Wenlei and Qing Guozhi. He offered to give Tan Wenlei lotus roots for planting next year and visited Qing Guozhi, who had just returned to the village.

• Qing Mengzhu’s lotus ponds filled with flowers and new leaves, drawing curious neighbors who asked about his fertilizer.
• Qing Mengzhu warned Tong Jiangang that tea seed cake could harm the crayfish he raised among his lotuses.
• Tan Wenlei tasted Qing Mengzhu’s lotus seeds, praised their flavor, and asked to buy lotus roots for his mountain pond next year.
• Tan Wenlei told Qing Mengzhu that Qing Guozhi might have returned, so Qing Mengzhu picked lotus pods and went to visit him.
• Qing Guozhi welcomed Qing Mengzhu home and shared the fresh lotus pods with him over tea.

Qing Mengzhu gave Old Master Qing Guozhi dried vegetables and lotus plumules, which the old man brought home for his son Qing Xun. After drinking the tea, Qing Xun’s recurring mouth blisters nearly healed, and he sent Qing Mengzhu a gift box in thanks.

• Qing Mengzhu offered Old Master Qing Guozhi dried lotus plumules and vegetables, and the old man happily took them home.
• Old Master Qing Guozhi invited Qing Xun to dinner and served dishes made with Qing Mengzhu’s vegetables alongside lotus plumule tea.
• Qing Xun drank the tea and swallowed the plumules, though he doubted they would help his work-related stress.
• The next morning, Qing Xun noticed his mouth blisters had almost healed, and his wife praised the village produce.
• Qing Xun arranged a gift box for Qing Mengzhu, which reached him within two days.

Qing Mengzhu welcomed Ming Chunxi for a weeklong visit and learned that he had been feeling some pressure from work. During the visit, Ming Chunxi helped with farmwork, and the two released Qing Mengzhu’s shrimp postlarvae into the ponds, leaving Qing Mengzhu uncertain about how many would survive.

• Qing Mengzhu agreed to host Ming Chunxi for a week and prepared his room for the visit.
• Ming Chunxi arrived while Qing Mengzhu was picking peppers, then helped him carry and dry the harvest.
• Ming Chunxi admired Qing Mengzhu’s shrimp larvae, and Qing Mengzhu asked whether he had been under pressure; Ming Chunxi admitted that he had.
• Ming Chunxi spent his vacation doing farmwork with Qing Mengzhu and said he wanted physical work after leading a demanding project.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi carried the postlarvae to the ponds and released them, and Qing Mengzhu asked the nearby otters and red foxes to guard the shrimp.

Qing Mengzhu hosted Zhao Hexi after inviting him to join Ming Chunxi, and the three spent the next day working and relaxing together. They checked that most of the shrimp had survived in Qing Mengzhu’s pond, and Zhao Hexi later headed out to fish and take the ducks to forage.

• Qing Mengzhu finished checking the pond’s protective netting and embankment, then went home with Ming Chunxi.
• Zhao Hexi learned from Ming Chunxi’s Moments that he was staying with Qing Mengzhu and drove over that night to escape his family’s blind-date pressure.
• The next morning, Ming Chunxi and Zhao Hexi helped Qing Mengzhu pick vegetables before visiting the lotus pond.
• Zhao Hexi tasted Qing Mengzhu’s lotus seeds and admired their flavor, while Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi checked that most of the young shrimp had survived.
• After spending the hot afternoon indoors, Zhao Hexi went to fish and offered to take the ducks out to forage.

Qing Mengzhu discovered that one of his ducks had laid a fertilized egg, then decided to cook a drake with Ming Chunxi and Zhao Hexi. After Zhao Hexi expertly prepared the duck, Qing Mengzhu began cooking it with pickled water spinach stems, chilies, and garlic.

• Zhao Hexi rushed back to show Qing Mengzhu a warm, pale blue-green duck egg, and Ming Chunxi confirmed it was fertilized by holding it to the sun.
• Qing Mengzhu used the Mall Assistant to identify a drake and learned that his ducks were Good Grade+; he chose one for dinner.
• Qing Mengzhu weighed the drake at 5.7 jin, and Zhao Hexi volunteered to slaughter, scald, and pluck it.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi prepared the other ingredients while Zhao Hexi expertly finished cleaning the duck.
• Qing Mengzhu stir-fried the duck with pickled water spinach stems, chilies, garlic stalks, and garlic shoots as the meal began to take shape.

Qing Mengzhu, Ming Chunxi, and Zhao Hexi shared a hearty farmhouse meal before feeding the animals and watching the otters and red foxes hunt. Zhao Hexi was startled when a red fox and an otter swiftly killed and shared a water snake, and Qing Mengzhu reassured him that the area’s small animals were manageable.

• Zhao Hexi, Qing Mengzhu, and Ming Chunxi ate duck and vegetables, then cleaned the kitchen together.
• Qing Mengzhu took duck to the otters and red foxes, who eagerly ate while the dogs begged for more.
• Zhao Hexi followed Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi to watch the animals hunt at the pond.
• An otter surfaced as a large water snake swam toward shore, and a red fox sprang from the grass and killed it.
• The otter and red fox shared the snake, while Qing Mengzhu told the shaken Zhao Hexi that small animals were common but usually feared people.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi inspected their thriving shrimp ponds and discussed protecting the lotus pods from thieves. After Tan Wenlei suggested using geese as guards, Qing Mengzhu decided to raise some and went to look for goslings, but their ordinary quality disappointed him.

• Zhao Hexi left after the weekend, leaving Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi to work and live together.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi inspected the ponds and found that the river shrimp were thriving among the lotus leaves.
• Tan Wenlei suggested raising geese, which Qing Mengzhu could use to guard the ponds and drive away intruders.
• Qing Mengzhu asked around for goslings, and Qing Guozhi advised him to visit a hatchery.
• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi visited hatcheries, but Qing Mengzhu found the goslings' quality unimpressive and continued searching the Interstellar Mall for fertilized goose eggs.

Qing Mengzhu visited Longhao’s hatchery with Ming Chunxi and selected 172 high-grade Chuanhui 99 goslings. After bringing them home, he planned how to raise them alongside his other animals.

• Ming Chunxi arranged for Qing Mengzhu to visit Longhao’s hatchery, and they agreed to go the next morning.
• Qing Mengzhu studied Longhao’s goose breeds before driving with Ming Chunxi to the hatchery.
• Qing Mengzhu used the Mall Assistant to identify and select the hatchery’s Fine Grade+ goslings.
• Qing Mengzhu chose 172 Chuanhui 99 goslings, paid for them, and drove them home.
• Qing Mengzhu kept the goslings indoors with Longhao’s feed and told Dharma Protector and Guard not to frighten them.
• Qing Mengzhu planned to take the goslings to the pond the next morning and build separate pens for the geese and ducks.

Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi built pens and settled the geese into the ponds, where the flock thrived. After Ming Chunxi left, Qing Mengzhu discovered his older tomatoes were aging, and ended the chapter finding the ponds empty when he went to bring the geese home.

• Qing Mengzhu and Ming Chunxi followed Qing Pingdun's directions to cut bamboo and built a duck pen and goose pen, while reinforcing the hazel grouse enclosure.
• Qing Mengzhu's 172 geese adapted to a vegetable diet, divided themselves between the ponds, and helped drive away animals that threatened the shrimp.
• Ming Chunxi returned to work after promising to visit Qing Mengzhu again in August.
• Tan Wenlei and Nian Xinfei identified the older tomato plants' decline as normal aging and advised Qing Mengzhu to focus on the new crop and rotate to radishes afterward.
• Qing Mengzhu went to herd the geese back at dusk but found the ponds empty, and asked the otter and red fox if they had seen the flock.

Qing Mengzhu found that Dharma Protector and Guard had herded all his missing geese safely back into their pen, then rewarded the dogs with jerky. After accidentally opening the Interstellar Mall discount section, he discovered a Superior Grade Cloud Realm Bamboo for 9999 Star Coins.

• Qing Mengzhu searched downstream for his missing geese until a man told him Dharma Protector and Guard were herding them home.
• Qing Mengzhu watched Dharma Protector and Guard guide all 172 geese into the pen and secure its gate.
• Qing Mengzhu praised and hugged the dogs, then bought them ten packs of jerky, with ten free packs included.
• Qing Mengzhu accidentally opened the Interstellar Mall discount section and spotted bamboo with roots for sale.
• Qing Mengzhu learned the bamboo was Superior Grade Cloud Realm Bamboo, downgraded from Superior Grade+ after its vitality declined, and saw that it cost 9999 Star Coins.

Qing Mengzhu tried to earn enough Star Coins to buy a rare bamboo cutting by harvesting and selling peppers and other vegetables. A torrential storm then damaged parts of his farm, and he left the chapter draining the fields after checking that his ponds and shrimp were mostly safe.

• Qing Mengzhu decided to sell as many vegetables as possible and arranged for Feng Ningxiang and the others to pick peppers early.
• Feng Ningxiang's team harvested peppers despite the rain forecast, while Qing Mengzhu gathered seven bags of peppers and five bags of other vegetables.
• Qing Mengzhu sold the harvest through the Interstellar Mall, raising his balance to 1,073.52 Star Coins, still far short of the 9,999 needed for the bamboo cutting.
• A torrential downpour struck, and Qing Mengzhu secured the hazel grouse, cleared the drainage ditch, and checked on the poultry.
• Qing Mengzhu found that the pond nets had broken but still kept the shrimp contained, while the older tomato plants had suffered serious damage.
• Qing Mengzhu dug open the field ridges to drain the farmland.

After heavy rain damaged Qing Mengzhu’s crops, he drained the fields and rescued his shrimp from an oxygen shortage with borrowed aerators. Back home, sorting lotus leaves gave him an idea for using his leftover fertilizer fermentation powder.

• Qing Mengzhu and Tan Wenlei drained their fields and discussed storm damage to their crops and nearby farms.
• Qing Mengzhu harvested tomatoes, yardlong beans, and winter melons from plants he planned to clear for autumn crops.
• Tan Wenlei warned Qing Mengzhu that shrimp were floating at his pond, and Chen Yi diagnosed a pond turnover that was reducing oxygen.
• Qing Mengzhu asked around for aerators, and Chen Yi found two small ones that stopped the shrimp from surfacing.
• After eating and feeding Dharma Protector and Guard, Qing Mengzhu reconsidered selling lotus leaves and fetched his leftover fertilizer fermentation powder.

Qing Mengzhu bought more than 1,100 jin of dead fish to make fertilizer for sale to the Interstellar Mall, and learned that fish farmers could insure their losses. He returned home and began preparing a carefully chosen compost batch, spending most of his remaining Star Coins on high-grade hay.

• Qing Mengzhu asked Chen Yi to find him large, older fish for compost, and Chen Yi directed him to fish farmers whose ponds had overflowed in the rain.
• Qing Mengzhu bought 636 jin of fish from the owner at Full Ear Slope, then bought more from other farmers until he had over 1,100 jin.
• Chen Yi reassured Qing Mengzhu that the farmers could recover much of their losses through the sale and insurance, and told him agricultural insurance was available too.
• Qing Mengzhu brought the fish home and gathered fresh greens and plant ash for compost, but hesitated to use ordinary rice straw as hay.
• Qing Mengzhu bought 600 jin of Good Grade hay from the Interstellar Mall for 720 Star Coins and began making the fertilizer.

Qing Mengzhu prepared a new batch of fertilizer and agreed to supply ingredients for Zhou Yan’s group, who planned to host a banquet in Pingkou Village. As the village buzzed about their elaborate preparations, Zhou Yan explained that they had chosen the village for its setting, transport, and Qing Mengzhu’s vegetables.

• Qing Mengzhu hired six villagers to chop fish and prepare ingredients for fertilizer, then checked the vats the next day and stirred the fermenting mixture.
• Qing Mengzhu fed chopped vegetables to the shrimp in his recovering ponds and arranged to have the aerator taken away.
• Zhou Yan asked Qing Mengzhu to supply lotus pods, young lotus stems, and vegetables for a banquet in the village, and Qing Mengzhu agreed.
• A renovation company repaired and furnished a rented courtyard house while the group bought local ingredients and requested particular ways of raising and preparing them.
• Tan Wenlei told Qing Mengzhu about the group’s preparations, and Zhou Yan explained that he had recommended the village and asked to pick vegetables at Qing Mengzhu’s farm.