"With this skill panel, I won't have to worry about what to plant anymore!" Lin Wanqiu was overjoyed. She now understood that this space was not only a "storage room" but also a "multi-purpose farm." With it, she and Niannian's lives would definitely get better and better.
She took the picked Shanghai bok choy and exited the spatial dimension. Just as she returned to the outer room, she heard Shen Nian'an's soft murmurs coming from the inner room. She quickly went over and saw her son smacking his lips, as if he were having a sweet dream. She couldn't help but smile, gently wiping the drool from the corner of his mouth before turning to go to the stove.
These are special times, so she can't use the modern kitchen appliances from her space; she can only use the traditional earthen stove at home. Lin Wanqiu added some firewood to the stove, lit it, and first boiled a pot of water. Then, she took out a box of soft tofu from her space, cut it into small pieces, and washed and cut the Shanghai bok choy into sections. After the water boiled, she put the tofu pieces into the pot and cooked them for a few minutes. Then she added the Shanghai bok choy and finally sprinkled some salt and chopped green onions—there were also some sealed seasonings in her space. Although she didn't dare use too much, a little to enhance the flavor was enough.
Soon, an enticing aroma wafted from the pot, the sweetness of the greens mingling with the bean fragrance of the tofu, making one's mouth water. Lin Wanqiu ladled out a bowl, blew on it to cool it down, and then took it into the inner room.
"Niannian, wake up, Mom made you some vegetable and tofu soup, try it." She gently shook Chen Nian'an's arm.
Shen Nian'an opened his eyes groggily, and the aroma instantly woke him up. He sat up, looked at the bright green vegetables in the bowl, and asked curiously, "Mom, what's this? It smells so good."
"This is green vegetable, it can supplement vitamins, and eating it will help you grow strong." Lin Wanqiu scooped up a spoonful of tofu, blew on it to cool it down, and fed it to her son. "Try it, it's delicious."
Shen Nian'an opened her mouth, took a bite of the tofu, and her eyes lit up instantly: "Mom, this is so delicious! It's even better than corn porridge!"
"Eat more if you like it." Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart as she watched her son wolf down his food. She scooped up another spoonful of vegetables and fed it to her son. "Try the vegetables, they're delicious too."
Shen Nian'an took a bite of the greens, the sweet taste spreading in his mouth. He nodded vigorously, "Mom, the greens are delicious too! I want more!"
Seeing her son quickly finish his bowl of soup, Lin Wanqiu ladled out another and drank it herself. Although it was just a simple vegetable and tofu soup, in these times of scarcity, it was a rare treat. As she drank the soup, she mentally planned—tomorrow she could plant some other vegetables, like spinach and romaine lettuce, and maybe try planting some potatoes and sweet potatoes. These were all crops that could be stored for a long time, so even in years of famine, they wouldn't have to worry about going hungry.
After finishing her meal, Lin Wanqiu washed the dishes and then checked on the Shanghai bok choy in her spatial storage. The bok choy was growing even more lush and green, a reassuring sight. She picked up the seed bag, thinking of planting a few more rows of spinach tomorrow, and also learning about pest and disease control on her skill panel to ensure the vegetables grew even better.
Just as she was about to leave the space, she suddenly heard light footsteps outside. Her heart tightened, and she quickly exited the space, walked to the door, and looked out through the crack in the door. In the moonlight, she saw a figure lurking suspiciously outside the courtyard wall. Judging from the figure, it looked like Sister-in-law Shen, Zhang Lan.
"Why is Zhang Lan here outside my house in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?" Lin Wanqiu frowned, a sense of unease rising in her heart. She recalled the incident of Old Lady Shen and Zhang Lan coming to her door to steal grain during the day, and guessed that they were still determined to steal something under the cover of night.
She didn't open the door immediately, but quietly went back to the inner room, put away the farm tools and seeds in her spatial storage, and hid the remaining vegetables and tofu in her space. After doing all this, she went to the outer room, picked up a wooden stick, stood behind the door, and waited for Zhang Lan to come.
Sure enough, not long after, a slight "click" was heard from the bolt on the courtyard gate, clearly Zhang Lan was trying to pry it open. Lin Wanqiu held her breath, gripped the wooden stick in her hand, and prepared to catch Zhang Lan off guard when she came in.
Just then, a dog barked outside the courtyard wall. Immediately afterward, Zhang Lan's voice was filled with panic as she muttered, "Damn dog!" Then she heard footsteps hurrying away.
Lin Wanqiu breathed a sigh of relief and put down the wooden stick in her hand. She walked to the door, peeked through the crack, and only dared to open the door after confirming that Zhang Lan had left. She then checked the bolt on the gate. Fortunately, the bolt was sturdy enough that Zhang Lan hadn't pried it open.
"Looks like I'll have to be more careful from now on," Lin Wanqiu thought to herself. Old Mrs. Shen and Zhang Lan certainly wouldn't give up easily; they might come back to steal things, or even team up with others to make things difficult for her. She had to become stronger as soon as possible, not only to grow the vegetables in her space well, but also to find a way to earn money, improve her family's conditions, and reinforce the courtyard wall so that those with ill intentions would have no opportunity to take advantage.
Back inside, Lin Wanqiu went to check on Shen Nian'an again. The little guy was sleeping soundly, a smile on his lips. She gently tucked him in, silently vowing to herself—no matter how great the difficulties, she would protect Nian'an and ensure he could grow up healthy and happy in this era.
The next morning, Lin Wanqiu woke up before dawn. She got up quietly, washed up, and first planted several rows of spinach in her spatial storage. Then she studied the planting knowledge on the skill panel. By the time she finished these tasks, it was already daylight outside, and Chen Nian'an had also woken up.
"Mother, I still want to drink yesterday's vegetable and tofu soup," Shen Nian'an said softly, rubbing her eyes.
"Okay, Mom will make you some more today." Lin Wanqiu smiled and patted her son's head. "After dinner, Mom will take you to the yard to bask in the sun, okay?"
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