The plump, round potatoes looked so delicious.

After weighing, the total yield was 25,000 jin.

Last time, the sweet potatoes and potatoes together weighed only 18,000 jin.

This time, potatoes alone weighed 25,000 jin (12,500 catties).

Everyone was cheering and celebrating, congratulating each other.

Bai Hongwei, Lin Wang, Li Mingli, and He Guizi were all beaming with joy, their mouths practically twisted in laughter.

Researcher Tang looked bitter. She refused to believe it and planted several pots at home, taking even better care of them than those in the greenhouse, with the temperature one or two degrees higher.

But neither the yield nor the size is as good as those grown in greenhouses. My intuition tells me the problem isn't with the temperature. I'm so worried, but I still can't figure out the cause.

She told Professor Jin in private.

Professor Jin also found it strange: "The greenhouse cultivation method is the same as ours, but the yield is completely different..."

A flash of inspiration struck: "There's only one difference."

Researcher Tang asked anxiously, "Where? How is it different?"

Professor Jin did not answer but asked a question in return:

"Why is Zuo Ling able to grow such high-quality sweet potatoes and potatoes? She wasn't involved in the first two crops you planted. It wasn't until she came to the planting team to find you..."

Researcher Tang's eyes widened: "You mean it's on Zuo Ling?"

Professor Jin nodded.

Researcher Tang recalled:

"Ever since that incident, she's been going to the planting group to play from time to time. I thought she was just bored staying at home, but I haven't seen her doing anything."

"Think back carefully, there are definitely differences."

Researcher Tang pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Indeed, no, they just stood on the edge of the field and walked around looking at things."

Professor Jin was puzzled: "It really isn't her?"

His suspicion of Zuo Ling stemmed primarily from the fact that his wife, who had dedicated her life to planting research, had failed to grow high-quality, cold-resistant sweet potatoes and potatoes. Zuo Ling clearly knew nothing about planting; how did she manage to grow them?

Researcher Tang added:

“Now that you mention it, I also find it suspicious. Zuo Ling doesn’t lack supplies; she can go to the market to sell things or not. For her, working in the planting group every day is clearly a chore, so why would she go? Something’s fishy going on.”

After pondering for a while, Tang went to look for his shoes and said, "No, I'll go find her and ask her."

Professor Jin pulled his wife back: "If she could talk, she would have said so already."

Researcher Tang said urgently, "What time is it? This concerns the lives of millions of people. How can we let our personal interests interfere?"

Professor Jin patted his wife's hand:

“You know, Zuo Ling may not have much sense of national righteousness, but she's not petty either. If she's willing to speak up, she won't stay silent.”

If Zuo Lingruo were truly a greedy and petty person, the old couple would never have survived to this day.

Professor Jin has deep feelings about this.

"I know you're grateful to Zuo Ling, and I am too. Without her, the two of us old folks wouldn't be able to..."

With none of her three sons living with her, Researcher Tang felt heartbroken whenever she thought about it.

"But the sweet potato and potato issue is too big, I..."

Professor Jin stopped his wife:

"I know, I know all of this, but have you considered the consequences if Zuo Ling really has something she can't say? If you expose her, you're forcing her to leave."

The consequences? Researcher Tang felt a chill run down his spine.

With a significant reduction in sweet potato and potato production, she will be condemned by everyone, and even if she were to atone with her death, it would be to no avail.