Chapter 34: The Fragrance of Crops and the Beginning of a New Chapter
# Chapter 34: The fragrance of crops and the beginning of a new chapter
Seven days after the storm, Qingxi Village was enveloped in the sweet fragrance of its traditional crops. Even before the morning mist had dissipated, the strawberry beds in the parent-child planting area were already bursting with red. The fruits were so plump they were about to burst, and the light cracks on their skins, left by the sun, looked particularly vivid in the morning light. Tomato vines climbed high up the bamboo trellises, and the branches were dotted with the unique star-shaped fruits of the "Star Pattern" variety. The pale golden edges of the leaves were dazzling in the sunlight. The most eye-catching thing was the double-kernel walnut seedlings under the old pear tree. The newly sprouted branches were hung with clusters of green fruits, and the breeze brought a faint nutty fragrance.
"Sister Xiaoman, the study tour group's bus is almost at the village entrance!" The receptionist ran over, a strawberry petal in her hair and a handwritten itinerary in her hand. "The kids brought their sketchpads, saying they want to draw pictures of the fruits in the fields!"
Lin Xiaoman had just placed the last jar of strawberry jam on the cultural and creative exhibition stand—a ceramic jar with a label handwritten by the old accountant, "Qingxi Old Flavor," and a small pear wood spoon beside it. Hearing a sound, she straightened up and brushed off the dirt on the corner of her clothes. Chen Wang reached behind her and handed her a bunch of fresh lavender, gently tucking it into her hair. "It's windy today, these flowers will repel mosquitoes." As his fingertips brushed across the top of her hair, his gaze fell not far away: Xiaochen was squatting beside his tomato seedlings, paintbrush in hand, diligently copying branches laden with green fruit. Wangfu lay beside him, his tail occasionally brushing against his drawing board, not caring if it stained some paint.
"Xiaochen, you're going to be a guide. Come here and get ready." Lin Xiaoman shouted.
The child immediately jumped up and ran over with the drawing board in hand, with paint still on his fingers: "Look, Mom! I drew my seedlings!" The tomato seedlings on the paper were lush and leafy, with a few small star-shaped fruits hanging on the branches. Next to them was a crooked family of three, all holding strawberries in their hands, with a sun floating above their heads.
Chen Wang squatted down, ruffled his hair, and helped him wipe the paint off his fingertips. "Your painting is really good. You should tell your brothers and sisters about your planting story, such as how to water it and how to catch insects."
As we spoke, cheerful laughter emanated from the village entrance. More than a dozen buses pulled up, and children, dressed in their uniform blue school uniforms, streamed out. Seeing the spectacle in the fields, they gathered around the ridges, exclaiming, "Wow! The tomatoes are star-shaped!" "The strawberries are so red, they look so sweet!" The leading teacher, camera in hand, clicked the shutter non-stop, muttering, "This trip was worth it! These plants are so much more interesting than the plants in the textbooks."
Xiaochen immediately took on the role of "little guide," walking ahead with his drawing board in hand. His voice was earnest, "Everyone, follow me. These are the tomato seedlings I planted. They were nearly destroyed by hail, but we protected them with plastic wrap and bamboo poles, and they grew taller again!" He pointed to the ropes tying the tomato vines and said, "Look, this is how Dad taught me to tie them. It protects the seedlings from the wind."
The children gathered around, chattering questions like, "When can I eat tomatoes?" and "How do I grow strawberries to make them sweet?" Xiaochen patiently answered them one by one, occasionally looking back at Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman, his eyes full of confidence. Lin Xiaoman smiled and said to Chen Wang, "Our son can now talk about planting better than I do."
"It's up to you. You're attentive and remember details." Chen Wang held her hand, the silver ring on his fingertips gently touching her pear wood ring, a warm feeling of tacit understanding. Not far away, Uncle Li was teaching the children how to loosen the soil with a small shovel, emphasizing the importance of "staying away from the roots to avoid damaging the seedlings." Aunt Wang sat in the shade of a tree, teaching everyone how to use strawberry leaves as bookmarks and tying them with colorful string. Grandma Zhang handed each child a piece of freshly steamed mugwort cake, printed with a small tomato pattern. The sweet fragrance mixed with the aroma of crops, filling the air with the flavor of everyday life.
It was midday, the sun shining brightly. Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman sat down to rest under an old pear tree, watching the children chasing and playing on the edge of the field, their smiles sweeter than the fruits themselves, their hands clutching freshly picked strawberries. An agricultural expert approached, a smile on his face as he handed over a test report: "All indicators of the old varieties have returned to normal. The strawberries are two points sweeter than last year, and the vitamin C content of the tomatoes has also increased. Your variety improvement efforts have been a success!"
"They thrive on their own, but also thanks to everyone's careful care." Lin Xiaoman looked at the old pear tree. Where the branches had been broken by the wind, new leaves had grown as big as palms, and the scars on the trunk were gradually fading. "This land supports crops, and it also supports people."
The expert nodded and pointed to the walnut seedlings on the edge of the field. "I suggest applying for the Agricultural Product Innovation Award. These old varieties of yours have distinct characteristics and good taste. They are sure to attract attention."
Chen Wang's eyes lit up: "We also want to hold a science exhibition on old varieties to let more people know the benefits of these local varieties and not let good things be forgotten."
"I'll help you connect!" the expert agreed immediately. "There's a national ecological agriculture exhibition in the city next month. You can bring your samples and planting diaries to the exhibition to let more people know about Qingxi's traditional varieties."
The news spread like wildfire throughout Qingxi Village. The villagers, energized, rushed to produce exhibits overnight. The old accountant inscribed "Qingxi Old Varieties" on a bookmark with a brush, each stroke meticulously stroked. Aunt Wang brewed strawberry and tomato jams, jarring them in clear glass bottles with ingredient labels. Uncle Li wove small bamboo baskets for packaging, still bearing the fresh bamboo grain. Even Grandpa Zhang, a solitary, usually sedentary man, volunteered to help prune the crop specimens, pressing the tomato and strawberry leaves flat.
In the evening, after the study tour group left, hands full of bookmarks and mouths full of sweet aromas, the base gradually quieted down. Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman sat in the cultural and creative workshop, sorting through the materials for the exhibition—categorizing growth photos of old varieties, test reports, and villagers' planting experiences. Xiaochen lay nearby, decorating the information pack with colored pens. He drew a large strawberry on the cover, with him and Wangfu sitting inside, and the words "Qingxi's Sweetness" written next to it.
"Oh, by the way, the owner of the organic food chain I contacted earlier said he'll come to inspect this weekend." Lin Xiaoman suddenly remembered, "He wants to work with us to develop deep-processed products, such as freeze-dried strawberries and tomato sauce. He said that city dwellers now love this traditional taste without additives."
Chen Wang put down the information in his hand, his eyes full of anticipation. "We'll discuss this in detail after we get back from the exhibition. I can show him the expert's test report to reassure him about our quality." He looked out the window. The ridges of the fields were softly lit in the twilight, and the shadows of the old pear trees stretched out long. "Perhaps in the future, Qingxi's old varieties will find their way into more people's kitchens."
At this time, Grandma Zhang came over with a bowl of iced mung bean soup and placed it on the table. "Have some to cool down. You've been busy all day and your throat must be dry." She looked at the materials and Xiaochen's drawings on the table, her eyes full of satisfaction. "Who could have imagined that the old fruit we have been growing for a lifetime would be so prosperous today? It's all thanks to the good examples you two set."
"This is the result of everyone's hard work." Lin Xiaoman handed a bowl of mung bean soup to Grandma Zhang. "Without you teaching us how to make mugwort cakes, and without Uncle Li helping us build the bamboo frame, we wouldn't be here today."
Grandma Zhang smiled and shook her head. "You've given the village hope. Before, all the young people were leaving, but now many have returned. Uncle Li's son said the other day he'd come to help with the exhibition. He went to school in the city and knows a thing or two about publicity."
As night deepened, Chen Wang and Lin Xiaoman, after sending Grandma Zhang home, returned to the base for another walk. Moonlight shone on the ridges of the fields, and the evening breeze, carrying the sweet fragrance of strawberries and the scent of earth, was particularly refreshing. The two walked side by side, the soft, moist earth beneath their feet a comforting feeling unique after the rain.
"I still remember the first time we met. You were squatting on the edge of the field picking up the planting drawings blown away by the wind, with a tomato seed in your hand." Lin Xiaoman said softly, his eyes full of memories.
Chen Wang stopped, turned around, and took her hand, gently stroking her pear wood ring with his fingertips. "I remember you holding a strawberry leaf in your hand and saying, 'This variety is delicate, we need to take good care of it.' We could never have imagined then that this seed would grow into a field and connect our lives so closely."
He took out his cell phone, took a picture of the old pear tree and tomato patch under the moonlight, and edited it into an "Orchard Diary": "After the wind and rain, the crops are fragrant, and a new chapter has begun. With you, with my home, and with this land, let's spread the sweetness of Qingxi further." In the photo, the branches and leaves of the old pear tree stretched out in the moonlight, and the green fruits on the tomato vines glowed faintly, like stars scattered in the fields.
Xiaochen woke up at some point and leaned over his windowsill, shouting, "Mom and Dad! There's a noise in the field!"
They looked up and saw the night breeze blowing through the tomato vines, the leaves rustling against each other, and the green fruits occasionally touching each other, like gentle whispers. Wangfu had also woken up and ran to the edge of the field. He barked softly twice into the evening breeze, then lay down beside it obediently, his tail gently sweeping the ground as the leaves swayed.
Chen Wang held Lin Xiaoman's hand tightly, his heart filled with peace of mind and anticipation. He knew the story of the old varieties would continue, Qingxi Village would continue to thrive, and his and Lin Xiaoman's future would be like this fruit-laden field, forever vibrant, ever warm, and filled with sweet hope.
The night breeze blows through the backyard, carrying the fragrance of crops and the tenderness of moonlight, quietly telling this rural story that began with the land and ended with staying together.
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