Chapter 17: Giving the Place of Five Grains Reincarnation a makeover? And while we're at it, grabbing some spices! ...

Lin Yue felt that his dignity as an engineer had been challenged like never before.

Lin Yue, a highly educated architect who has drawn blueprints for projects worth hundreds of millions, though he failed to win most of them, is now racking his brains over the aesthetics of a... a latrine?!

If this gets out, it will be an absolute disgrace to his career!

But there was nothing he could do. The system's threat of punishment hung over his head: random tool damage, random food spoilage, and the chilling "aesthetic disciplinary team biological harassment"... Just thinking about it made Lin Yue's anus tighten.

It's just beautifying the toilets, right? Let's do it! We absolutely must! And we'll go all out! It's just a C grade, right? Let's aim for an A+! Let's dazzle the system's titanium alloy eyes!

Thus, a project called "Lin's Restaurant Five-Star Eco-Friendly Luxury Dry Toilet Beautification Project" was officially launched amidst the enthusiastic anticipation of everyone in the restaurant, mainly Lin Yue!

Chief Project Manager, Chief Designer, and Frontline Construction Worker: Lin Yue.

Pillar of strength and atmosphere: Gray.

Honorary supervisor and expert in delivering sarcastic remarks: Uncle Stone Fist.

Xiao Fen: A professional troublemaker and a walking meme.

Lin Yue's beautification plan has a simple core idea: since there's no money or materials for hard decoration—tiling and painting—they can only rely on soft furnishings, greenery, and decorations to make up for it! The main theme is a pastoral forest style that learns from nature and returns to simplicity!

Step 1: Greening!

Lin Yue's goal is to use various vines and flowering plants to transform that square, matchbox-like dry toilet into... well, an art installation covered in plants that produces its own fertilizer?

He took Gray with him and began a journey to find beautifying materials.

They ventured deep into the nearby mountains and forests, carefully searching for plants that looked rather artistic.

"Look, Gray! What do you think of this vine? The leaves are so green and have a little curled edge. It would look great wrapped around the bathroom wall!" Lin Yue said excitedly, pointing to a vine climbing on a tree trunk.

Gray walked over expressionlessly, plucked a leaf, twirled it, and then shook his head: "...'Itchy Vine'. Touching it...makes my whole body itch."

[System scan: Confirmed, 'Itch Vine'. Contains irritating sap; contact with skin can cause severe allergic reactions. Aesthetic value: Low. Practical value: Can be used to make traps or pranks.]

Lin Yue: "..." Okay, PASS.

He then pointed to a cluster of plants with vibrant purple flowers that looked dreamy: "And this one? The color of these flowers is so beautiful! Planting it by the toilet entrance would definitely elevate the ambiance!"

Gray shook his head again: "...'Bewitching Flower'. Smelling it...makes me dizzy...makes me sleepy."

[System scan: Confirmed, 'Sleeping Thistle'. Pollen has a mild anesthetic effect; prolonged inhalation can cause drowsiness. Aesthetic value: Moderate. Side effects: Serious. Not recommended for planting near residential areas.]

Lin Yue: "..." Another PASS. None of the plants in the Cursed Land are normal after all!

Just as Lin Yue was about to give up and prepare to casually pick some weeds to fool the system, his gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous little plant growing in a crack in the rock.

The plant wasn't tall, with slender, needle-like leaves that were a deep, dark green. Most notably, when Lin Yue approached, he smelled a very unique aroma—a blend of the fresh scent of pine needles and a certain spicy fragrance!

"Huh? What's this?" Lin Yue squatted down curiously, picked a leaf, and rubbed it between his fingertips.

A richer aroma wafted out, somewhat like rosemary from Earth, with a hint of peppery spiciness, and a touch of... indescribable exoticism.

[System scan: Unknown aromatic plant detected. Main components: α-pinene, camphene, borneol, unknown aromatic ketones. Preliminary assessment: Non-toxic, possesses a strong, distinctive aroma; small amounts can significantly improve food flavor and may have some invigorating and insect-repelling effects. Suggested name: 'Scented Pine Needles'.]

Lin Yue's eyes widened instantly!

Spices! They're actually spice plants! And they're the kind that's been certified by the system as non-toxic and incredibly effective!

He simply couldn't believe his luck!

I was just looking for some flowers and plants to decorate the bathroom, but I unexpectedly discovered a new seasoning?!

This is simply... winning a Ferrari while buying instant noodles!

"I've struck it rich!" Lin Yue was so excited he almost kowtowed to the fragrant pine needle on the spot. "Gray! Come and see! This is amazing! Absolutely amazing!"

Gray walked over and smelled the unique aroma, a hint of curiosity in his eyes, but he was clearly not as excited as Lin Yue. For him, anything that couldn't fill his stomach had limited appeal.

Lin Yue didn't care about anything else. He carefully dug up the fragrant pine needles, roots and all, intending to take it back and transplant it near the restaurant so that he could pick it whenever he wanted.

At the same time, he carefully observed the surrounding environment and found that this plant seemed to prefer growing in dry, sunny rock crevices. The number of plants was not large, but it was not particularly rare either.

The unexpected discovery of precious spices gave Lin Yue even more motivation for his beautification project!

He ultimately selected several vines that were identified by the system as non-toxic, fast-growing, and strong climbing ability, such as a "heart-shaped vine" with leaves shaped like small hearts, and several shrubs with simple white or pale yellow flowers and a mild scent, to avoid mixing with the special smell of the toilet and creating a biological weapon.

The two carried their spoils back to the restaurant.

When Shi Quan saw the flowers and plants they brought back, he launched into another round of sarcastic remarks: "Hmph, what did I tell you? What a waste of time! Why don't you use your energy to mine more ore instead of messing around with this useless stuff!"

Lin Yue ignored his complaints and began his toilet beautification project with great enthusiasm.

He first directed Gray to dig several small holes around the toilet and plant the shrubs in them. Gray: I'm just a heartless tool.

Then, he personally guided the heart-leaf vines carefully to the wooden supports and thatched walls of the toilet, securing them with thin straw ropes.

To add an artistic touch, Lin Yue also found some pretty pebbles and paved a crooked pebble path at the entrance of the toilet.

Finally, he planted that precious fragrant pine needle near the toilet vent, calling it a natural air freshener.

After all that fuss, the dry toilet that originally looked like an illegal structure actually... looks much better now?

Although it's still clearly a toilet, the green vines and small flowers have made it less shabby and rough, and more... well, more like a vibrant, rustic countryside? At least it doesn't look so out of place anymore.

Lin Yue stood with his hands on his hips, admiring his masterpiece with pride. "How about it? Gray? Stonefist? Doesn't it instantly elevate the style? Doesn't this toilet now look brimming with artistic flair?"

Gray: "...Not bad." His assessment was extremely restrained.

Shi Quan: "...Hmph, all flashy and fancy," he said, but his actions betrayed his true feelings as he glanced at the stone.

Xiao Fen was quite cooperative, wagging her tail and running around on the paved pebble path. She even tried to nibble on the leaves of the fragrant pine tree, but Lin Yue quickly picked her up and carried her away.

Just then, the system notification sounded again:

[Ding! The community's basic dry toilet has been beautified and renovated!]

[Aesthetic rating under reassessment... Current rating: C+ (above average)!]

[Reason for judgment: Through reasonable green coverage and detailed decoration, the building's visual effect has been effectively improved, enhancing its harmony with the surrounding environment. Although it's still essentially a latrine, at least it looks like a latrine that has been designed with care.]

[Rectification approved! Risk of penalty eliminated!]

[Reward received: 50 system points, slight increase in overall community satisfaction.]

"Phew—finally done!" Lin Yue breathed a long sigh of relief, feeling as if he had completed an extremely difficult project.

Although the process was full of complaints and hardships, and I was forced by the system to do something about toilet aesthetics, the result was good in the end.

Not only did it eliminate the risk of punishment and improve the community environment, but even though it was just a toilet, it also unexpectedly yielded new spices!

This was a great deal!

He plucked a few fragrant pine needles, held them under his nose, and inhaled their unique aroma, a smile involuntarily spreading across his face.

"It seems that sometimes experimenting can yield unexpected surprises," he thought cheerfully. "I wonder what delicious dishes I can make with this new spice? I could upgrade the baked potatoes! I could also try roasting meat! Maybe I could even use it to make tea to refresh myself?"

The head chef and manager of this small restaurant has already started brainstorming a brand new menu.

As for that toilet that just had its renovation?

Yes, it's still a toilet. But at least it's a more pleasing-to-the-eye, rustic-style toilet, occasionally wafting with the aroma of pine needles and pepper... a five-star eco-friendly luxury dry toilet!