Chapter 12 Seed Selection Day
# Chapter 12 Seed Selection Day
On the third day after the celebration, Chen Wang stared at the order list on his computer screen, his brows knitted into knots. The red words "pending shipment" were densely packed all over the table. The orders for strawberry jam from the e-commerce platform alone had piled up to 500, but the new batch of strawberries in the backyard strawberry patch was still green and would take at least a week to ripen. Lin Xiaoman came over with freshly brewed mint tea, a mint leaf stained the rim of the cup. Seeing his gloomy expression, she sighed softly, "I just checked, and the tomato vines can't bear the fruit anymore. We're only picking the ones that ripened before. If we pick more, they'll be gone."
Chen Wang took the teacup, but the coolness on his fingertips did not dispel the anxiety in his heart: "If I had known there would be so many orders, I should have saved seeds and expanded the planting in advance. Now we can't keep up with the temporary seedling cultivation." He opened the "Orchard Diary" on his phone. The latest entry was a group photo taken on the night of the celebration party. The caption read "Life will get sweeter and sweeter", which now became a sweet burden.
Wangfu suddenly barked at the tomato vines in the backyard, his tail erect. The two ran over to the sound and saw that under the vine of the old tomato variety they had planted at the beginning, there were more than a dozen plump seeds scattered. They were a circle larger than ordinary tomato seeds, with dark brown shells with a faint sheen. They were the old variety that fell off after naturally ripening. Lin Xiaoman squatted down and gently picked up one with his fingertips, moving so gently that he didn't crush it. "This is the seed of the old tomato. Grandpa used to say that the old tomato varieties in our village have plump seeds and a high germination rate. You can save them and plant them."
Chen Wang's eyes lit up: "In other words, we can use these seeds to expand the planting?"
"Yes," Lin Xiaoman nodded, putting the seeds into the small cloth bag she carried with her - the same grape skin dye bag Chen Wang had given her earlier. "But we have to choose the right land. Tomatoes love the sun, so we need to find a field with plenty of light. Strawberries are afraid of waterlogging, so we need to choose a field that is a little higher. Blueberries like loose soil, and the land over at the old orchard is perfect." As she spoke, she took out the old variety notes she had given Chen Wang, turned to the page that read "Site Selection Guide," and lightly tapped the words with her fingertips. "Look, Grandpa once wrote that different varieties require different soils."
As the two were discussing, Uncle Li passed by carrying a hoe. Seeing them squatting under the tomato vines, he came over and asked, "What are you two looking at? Is there something wrong with the tomatoes?"
"Uncle Li, is your field empty right now?" Chen Wang quickly stood up. "We'd like to borrow your field to grow old tomatoes to help with our emergency needs. When the tomatoes bear fruit, we'll give you 30% of the profits and rent as well."
Uncle Li waved his hands and laughed, "What's the point of talking about rental income! You've made our village's old varieties famous, so what's the point of me contributing a little land? My sunny field is empty. I'll plow the soil this afternoon and make sure it's soft and fluffy, perfect for growing tomatoes!"
As word spread, the villagers flocked to the backyard. Aunt Wang, clutching her bamboo basket, smiled and said, "I want to grow strawberries! I've grown regular strawberries before, and I can take care of the older varieties. I can pick them and make jam straight away, saving you the trouble!" Several young people came over and said, "We want to grow lemons and grapes! We've helped pick them before, so we know how to set up the trellises. We can also make lemon tea, raisins, and other creative products." Even the usually taciturn old accountant showed up, clutching a small ledger: "I'll help you keep track of the accounts. We'll keep track of who planted how much and how much we harvested, so we can share the profits."
The seed selection ceremony was scheduled for the next morning. Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman packed old variety seeds into bamboo baskets. Each basket had a small cardboard sign with the variety name and key planting instructions. The tomato basket had "Old variety 'Star Pattern' tomatoes, prefers sun, water daily, avoid standing water" written on it; the strawberry basket had "Old variety 'Cream' strawberries, prefers high ground, apply a thin layer of fertilizer once a week"; and the blueberry basket had a bag of leaf mold with a note: "Mix into the soil to loosen and allow for ventilation."
Villagers lined up to receive seeds, and those who received them carefully held the bamboo baskets, as if they were holding treasures. Grandma Zhang walked to the end, looked at the small packet of seeds left in the basket, and asked curiously, "Xiaoman, what variety is this? It looks different from the others."
Lin Xiaoman took the seed packet with a hint of nostalgia in her eyes. "These are seeds of the 'Honey Heart Fruit', an old variety that my grandfather used to grow. The flesh is sweet and can be made into dried fruit. It's a little delicate though, so it takes two people to take care of it. The soil needs to be loose and the water should be evenly distributed, otherwise it won't grow well."
The aunt next to them immediately started to make a noise: "Then we have to let Xiaowang and Xiaoman plant together! You two are so careful, you will definitely be able to plant it well!"
Lin Xiaoman's ears turned red instantly, and she quickly lowered her head to fiddle with the seed packet. Seeing this, Chen Wang smiled and came to the rescue: "If we all help take care of it together, there is strength in numbers, and it will definitely grow fast." Having said that, he still quietly moved to the open space in the center of the backyard - there was good sunlight and loose soil, which was most suitable for growing "Honey Heart Fruit".
After all the villagers had received their seeds, they were the only two left in the backyard. Chen Wang picked up a small shovel and dug a shallow hole in the open space. Lin Xiaoman squatted down and gently placed the "Honey Heart Fruit" seeds into the hole. As soon as her fingers touched the soil, she was touched by the small watering can handed to her by Chen Wang: "Water it first, moisten the soil so it will germinate."
They covered the soil together, their fingertips accidentally touching, and then they both drew back as if they had been electrocuted. Chen Wang cleared his throat: "The soil should be loose, not too compacted, so that the seeds can breathe." Lin Xiaoman hummed, her voice as soft as a mosquito's, but her hands moved slower, her eyes fixed on the grass blades at the edge of the pit, not daring to look at him.
Wangfu ran over, holding a small bamboo sign in his mouth, and placed it beside the pit. On it was a small tomato design Lin Xiaoman had drawn, a leftover from a cultural creation project. Chen Wang picked it up and stuck it in the pit. "Just use it as a marker, so you don't forget it's a 'Honey Heart Fruit.'"
Over the next few days, Qingxi Village was bustling with activity. In Uncle Li's field, old tomato vines scrambled along their newly constructed bamboo trellises, sprouting new leaves in just three days. In Aunt Wang's strawberry patch, the young seedlings were vibrant and green. Next to the blueberry seedlings in the old orchard, villagers were mixing leaf mold into the soil, their movements as meticulous as if they were caring for children.
Lin Xiaoman leads daily inspections with villagers, teaching them to identify the "little tempers" of older varieties—curling tomato leaves indicate a lack of water, yellowing strawberry leaves indicate excessive fertilizer, and limp blueberry branches indicate insufficient light. Chen Wang, on the other hand, has launched a "Live Broadcast of Old Varieties" online, capturing the tomato vines sprouting and strawberry seedlings unfurling their leaves. Netizens are leaving comments like, "I'll order them when they bear fruit!" and "These old varieties look so vibrant!"
A week later, the first batch of expanded old tomatoes finally ripened. The red fruits, with the distinctive star-shaped corners of the old variety, clung to the vines. A bite of them was bursting with sweetness. The villagers happily gathered the fruits. As they packed them into baskets, they noticed a small mark next to the stem of each tomato—the color of the cloth they'd been tied with. The red cloth belonged to Uncle Li's family, and the blue cloth belonged to Aunt Wang's family. This made it easy to distinguish which family grew them, almost like the old variety was "rewarding" its members.
"It's so worry-free! This old variety is just great, the fruits are sweet and plentiful!" Uncle Li held up the tomatoes, grinning from ear to ear.
Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman stood on the edge of a field, watching the busy villagers and the branches laden with fruit, and smiled at each other. As the sun set, its golden rays cast a cascade across the fields. Tomato vines, strawberry beds, and blueberry bushes stretched out like a colorful carpet. The villagers' laughter, the rustling of swaying leaves, and the barking of Wangfu's dog blended together, filling the air with the scent of happiness.
Chen Wang pulled a small cloth bag from his pocket. It was made of fresh grape skin dye and contained freshly harvested "Honey Heart Fruit" seeds—they had already sprouted in the clearing. He handed it to Lin Xiaoman and said, "Let's try a few more old varieties and plant all the ones Grandpa remembered."
Lin Xiaoman took the cloth bag, touched his hand lightly with her fingertips, then quickly retracted her fingertips and whispered, "Okay, let's remember and plant together."
The wind swept across the fields, picking up the tips of her hair. Chen Wang reached out to brush away the grass that had clung to her cheek, his movements so gentle as if he wasn't afraid to break anything. The setting sun stretched their shadows, casting them beside the newly sprouted "honey heart fruit," as if carving the most gentle footnote to their days rooted in the land.
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