Chapter 30: Side by side and temptation in the dim light
# Chapter 30: Side by side and temptation in the dim light
Dark red clouds pressed lower and lower, and the air was shrouded in a searing heat, burning even the breeze against his skin. Chen Wang hung up the phone with the agricultural expert, his knuckles still white from the strain, but he immediately calmed his voice and shouted, "Everyone, don't panic! First, spread the shade nets Su Qing sent over the tomato and strawberry beds, securing the edges with plastic wrap. Move out the sunshades from the research lab, prioritizing the old pear trees and the nursery shed!"
The villagers, recovering from their panic, instantly set to work with their tools. Uncle Li, carrying the heaviest metal baffle, ran towards the tomato field, his shoulders slumping slightly under the weight, but he didn't utter a word. Aunt Wang led the women in pulling at the sunshade net, her palms red from the ropes, only reminding each other, "Tighten it tighter, don't leave any gaps." Grandma Zhang and her children brought old sheets from home to cover the strawberry patch—even though they knew they wouldn't block the strong UV rays, no one wanted to see their painstakingly cultivated varieties exposed to the risk.
Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman walked side by side, carrying a sunscreen shield. The iron sheeting scraped their arms painfully, and their shoulders bumped against each other from time to time. Passing Xiaochen's "Star Pattern" tomato seedling, Lin Xiaoman paused—the stalk was bare, even the last dead leaf had fallen. She touched the stalk lightly with her fingertips, feeling dry but not completely brittle. "Hold on, we'll find a way," she whispered, as if she were talking to the seedling, or to herself.
Chen Wang watched her drooping eyelashes, the sweat trickling down her cheek. He raised his hand to wipe it away, but paused just as his fingertips were about to touch her skin. That morning's meeting with Su Qing beneath the old locust tree, though it was for information, had still left her worried. Before he could withdraw his hand, Lin Xiaoman had already fished a folded tissue from her pocket and handed it to him. "Wipe it off! Sweat will sting your eyes." Her tone was natural, not mentioning the pause, but quietly dispelling the subtle awkwardness.
As night fell, the entire old variety base was covered tightly with layers of sunshade nets, baffles, and old cloth, like a huge gray tent. The villagers gathered under the old pear tree, no one spoke much, only Wangfu lay at Lin Xiaoman's feet, occasionally looking up to rub her trouser leg. Lin Xiaoman held Xiaochen, helped the child put on his hat, and coaxed him softly, "Don't be afraid, let's wait with Miaomiao, everything will be fine once the clouds disperse."
Suddenly, a crisp "crash" sound was heard in the distance, followed by Uncle Li's roar: "Who the hell did this?"
Everyone ran over to take a look. The sunshade netting near the village entrance had been ripped open with a long gash. The plastic film had shattered into strips, fluttering in the wind. Next to it lay a bloody utility knife—the blood hadn't dried on the blade yet, and the blade was stained with a green powder, similar in color to the coolant used earlier. Lin Xiaoman didn't panic. He squatted down, avoiding the bloodstains, and took a detailed photo of the blade with his phone. He then carefully wrapped the knife in a plastic bag. "There's green powder on the knife; it might be related to the coolant used earlier. I'll keep it as evidence."
"I'll go chase her!" Xiao Zhou, who was in charge of patrol, picked up a wooden stick and ran towards the village entrance.
"Don't go." Chen Wang reached out to stop him, his voice deep but firm. "Since she dared to leave the knife behind, she must have already run far away. Chasing after her is useless, and it will only delay the repair of the net." He turned to look at Lin Xiaoman, his eyes a little questioning. "Take a few people to guard this side and make sure nothing goes wrong. I'll go get a spare net and nylon rope."
Lin Xiaoman nodded, watching his back disappear into the night, then turned back to help Aunt Wang fix the corner of the net that had been loosened by the wind. Grandma Zhang came over and patted her arm gently: "Xiao Wang has you and these seedlings in his heart. What happened this morning was just Su Qing being mean and deliberately provoking trouble. Don't take it to heart."
"I know." Lin Xiaoman smiled and helped Grandma Zhang straighten her wind-blown skirt. "He was so anxious to save the seedlings that he didn't bother explaining. I understand. Let's fix the net first to prevent radiation from leaking in. That's more important than anything else."
Chen Wang quickly returned carrying a spare sunshade net and a coil of sturdy nylon rope. As they squatted on the ground mending the net, their fingers occasionally brushed against each other. Lin Xiaoman didn't shy away, simply continuing to wind the rope. After a long silence, Chen Wang spoke first, his voice apologetic. "I'm sorry this morning for going to see her alone without telling you. I worried you."
Lin Xiaoman paused with the knot in her hand and looked up at him. The light from her phone's flashlight fell on his face, and she could see the bloodshot under his eyes. She shook her head gently, her tone without blame, only understanding: "I don't blame you, you're just anxious for the seedlings to be well. No matter where you go or who you meet in the future, tell me in advance. I'll have a better idea and can help you pay more attention to details - such as whether there are any missing pages in the information, or whether there is anything wrong when the other party hands over the things." As she spoke, she took the initiative to shake his hand. The warmth from her palm transmitted through the sweat, like a warm current, quietly melting the remaining barriers.
"Okay, I'll discuss everything with you next time." Chen Wang shook her hand back vigorously, and the guilt in his heart gradually dissipated.
In the early hours of the morning, strong ultraviolet radiation arrived as expected. The dark red clouds suddenly brightened, revealing an eerie red light that leaked through the cracks in the sunshade net, casting a pale blood-red glow on the ground. The base was eerily quiet, with only the rustling of the sunshade net in the wind and the gentle breathing of the children. Lin Xiaoman held Xiaochen in his arms, his other hand quietly grasping Grandma Zhang's, and whispered, "Don't be afraid, we've built two layers of netting; we can handle it."
After an unknown amount of time, the red glow gradually dimmed, the dark red clouds slowly dissipated, and a faint starlight appeared on the horizon. An agricultural expert called just in time, his voice filled with surprise: "The radiation has arrived! How are you doing there? Have the crops been burned?"
Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman quickly lifted a piece of shade netting and saw that although the strawberry seedlings underneath were wilted and the edges of their leaves were a little curled, they were not burnt as expected; the leaves of the tomato vines were drooping, but still had a hint of green; even the old pear tree had not lost many new leaves, and the trunk was still strong.
"It's saved! The old variety is saved!" The villagers finally breathed a sigh of relief, smiles appeared on their tired faces, and some took out dry food from their pockets and distributed it to those around them.
But the joy didn't last long, as new troubles arose. The next morning, Xiao Zhou, who was in charge of e-commerce, came running over in a panic, his phone screen glaring. "Mr. Chen, Ms. Xiaoman, this is bad! Su Qing cut a section of the surveillance video and posted it on the forum, with awful captions!"
Chen Wang took the phone and looked at it. The video only contained the fragment of him and Su Qing talking under the old locust tree. The parts where he asked for information and scolded Su Qing had been edited out, leaving only the scene where they were close together. The caption read, "Unforgettable old love! Amidst the crop crisis in Qingxi Village, Chen Wang secretly met with his ex, ignoring his wife and children." The comment section was already in an uproar, with some people cursing and former customers demanding refunds.
Lin Xiaoman leaned over to take a look, his fingers gently pinching the edge of the phone. Instead of getting upset immediately, he said calmly, "Don't panic. The complete video is on the lab's hard drive, along with the utility knife from yesterday, the cooling agent powder Su Qing sent, and the sunshade coating sample. I asked the testing agency to expedite it yesterday, and the results should be out soon. Organizing all this evidence and issuing a clarification statement together will be more convincing than simply saying the video was edited."
Chen Wang nodded, turned and walked towards the laboratory. When passing by Xiaochen's tomato seedlings, he suddenly stopped - a tiny green bud had actually emerged from the top of the bare stem, with a crystal dewdrop on the tip of the bud, gleaming in the morning light.
Lin Xiaoman also saw it, his eyes lit up, he squatted down, gently touched the tip of the bud with his fingertips, and said to Chen Wang with a smile: "Look, it hasn't given up either."
Chen Wang looked at the green buds, then at Lin Xiaoman, who was smiling gently beside him. Suddenly, a surge of energy surged in his heart. He reached out and gently hugged her, resting his chin on the top of her head. His voice was deep but steady: "No matter what tricks Su Qing plays, no matter how many difficulties these old breeds face, I will bear them with you. I will never let you worry alone again."
Lin Xiaoman leaned into his embrace, letting out a soft "hmm." She didn't shed a tear, only feeling at peace. Wangfu ran over, a dry branch in his mouth, placing it at their feet. He wagged his tail merrily and nuzzled Xiaochen's hand. The old pear tree in the distance glowed warmly in the sunlight. Though the old crops on the ridges hadn't yet recovered, the tiny green shoots grew like sparks in the morning light, revealing a relentless spirit.
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