Chapter 83 Zhizhi, can I teach you?
On the way back, Sang Zhixia had already made a list of everything in her mind, and she tried her best to answer the old man's questions.
This was the first time the old man had heard of such a thing, but after thinking about it for a while, he found that this might actually be a feasible solution.
Since the combination of ice and snow makes farming difficult, wouldn't it be enough to just try to keep out the cold?
As long as the greenhouse concept can be realized, wouldn’t the biggest problem be solved?
Seeing his expression, Sang Zhixia continued, "In the northwest, the winter is long, and farming can only produce one crop a year. But it's different in the south where the spring is warm and the water is thawed. There, whether it's wheat or rice, you can harvest two crops a year."
"The main reason for doubling the harvest in the same year is that the winters in the south are not cold. While it's difficult to change the weather and human effort, it's not completely impossible to find a way."
"I've read in a book that the greenhouse idea is feasible, but I'm afraid it will take some time to put it into practice for the first time, and I'm afraid it won't be very effective at first."
Farming is not something that can be rushed; it requires time to develop.
The old man, standing on a high vantage point, could see further. After a moment's thought, he said, "If, as you say, we can use greenhouses to increase our annual grain harvest to two, could this method be promoted among the people of Northwest China?"
Sang Zhixia was stunned.
"If the experiment is successful, of course."
This isn't a rare skill, so she wouldn't keep it to herself.
"Then try it!"
The old man suppressed the heat that surged in his heart and said hoarsely, "The Northwest is vast and cold, and insufficient grain harvests have always been the source of famine. Whenever disaster strikes, if it weren't for the relief grain shipped from the south, who knows how many people would freeze to death or starve to death every year. Ultimately, it's all due to the poor harvest."
"If this law can be implemented, it will benefit both families and the people, and it will also improve people's livelihoods. It will be a great thing to help those in need."
When Sang Zhixia first thought of this, he was simply unwilling to work hard in the fields for a year and harvest so little, feeling unworthy of his former status as a doctor of agronomy.
As soon as the old man said this, he immediately raised the topic to a level that ordinary people could not reach.
She felt guilty for forgetting the fundamentals of her agricultural studies. She exhaled and said, "Then I'll get started tomorrow and try to come up with a template as soon as possible."
"I'll go with you tomorrow."
The old man suppressed his excitement and made a decision. He stood up and said, "Where are the paper and pen you bought? Move out a stack of paper. I want to record the whole process of our practice. If it is successful, we can compile it into a book so that we can promote it among the people in the future."
Sang Zhixia quickly signaled Xu Yu to find paper and pen. Seeing the old man with gray hair and beard but full of energy, the corners of her lips began to curl up involuntarily.
The Xu family has been able to stand firm in the court for a hundred years not by relying on false reputation.
It is no coincidence that the old man was able to raise a descendant like Xu Yu.
No matter how dilapidated, poor and miserable the world is, there are always people standing on the muddy ground, caring about the happiness and misfortune of more people.
She actually seems to be quite lucky to have such a kind-hearted elder who can call on her grandfather to guide her.
In order not to let the old man's passion be in vain, Sang Zhixia hurriedly finished dinner and returned to the west shed with paper and pen. She wrapped herself in a quilt and lay on the bed to start writing and drawing.
At first, Xu Yu couldn't bear to disturb her, so he just quietly turned the oil lamp to make it brighter and sat beside it to sharpen the dagger in his hand.
He had promised to hunt enough fox fur for Sang Zhixia to make a cloak. After working for more than a month, he had already collected two sleeves and was ready to get the rest before the New Year. He wanted to make sure the edge of the knife was sharp.
At three o'clock in the morning, Xu Yu and Sang Zhixia, who had already finished their work, seemed to be getting more and more excited as they wrote. They couldn't help but say, "Zhizhi, it's getting late."
Sang Zhixia absentmindedly moved to the outside of the bed, making room for him to lie down: "You go to sleep first."
"How can I sleep if you don't?"
Xu Yu waited until she finished the last stroke, then reached out and grabbed her wrist which was stained with ink at some point.
Sang Zhixia was a little confused: "What?"
Xu Yu didn't answer her, but pulled the wrist he was holding closer, and in his other hand he held the warm handkerchief he had prepared.
He carefully wiped the ink spots off Sang Zhixia's hands, put down his handkerchief and went to collect the things she had been messing with all night.
"Since you have an idea, there's no need to rush. Just take your time."
"How many days can your body last, staying up all night?"
After he finished speaking, Sang Zhixia tried to stop him and folded up the densely written papers one by one and put them away. He looked at the line of words on the paper and laughed in silence.
"Zhizhi, you..."
Sang Zhixia noticed something and looked unhappy: "Shut up."
"No, I just..."
"If you dare to say that, I'll kick you out right now!"
Sang Zhixia snatched the paper from his hand and said angrily, "What's wrong with the ugly handwriting? Isn't it enough to be recognizable?"
To be fair, her handwriting isn't actually ugly.
But she has an unavoidable flaw: she can't write calligraphy.
Sang Zhixia had observed the old man's enlightenment process for the little ones. Putting aside the fact that Xu Mingxu was still in the stage of drawing large characters, Xu Mingyang and Xu Yanran's brush strokes were much better than hers now.
Her dog paddling skills are really terrible.
Xu Yu's shoulders were shaking as if he was enduring so much difficulty. Sang Zhixia was in a panic and a little annoyed. She stretched out her foot from under the quilt and kicked Xu Yu directly on the back.
"Do you believe it or not, I'll kick you out if you laugh again?!"
“I… cough cough…”
"I'm not laughing."
Xu Yu suppressed his laughter with a face twisted from trying to hold back his laughter. Looking at Sang Zhixia's earlobes which were red with anger, his heart seemed to have been hit by a large area of tenderness that rippled.
He coughed and suppressed his spit. While Sang Zhixia was on guard and was about to jump up and hit him on the top of his head, he stretched out his long arm and directly embraced the jumping person in his arms through the quilt.
The breath coming from behind gave Sang Zhixia goosebumps all over her body, but before she could struggle, Xu Yu's hand fell in front of her following her flapping movements.
He held her hand and picked up the pen that had spread ink all over the paper.
Sang Zhixia stared at him helplessly: "Xu Yu, you..."
"I'll teach you."
Xu Yu placed his large hand over hers like a little kid, adjusted his pen grip, and whispered in her ear, "Zhizhi, can I teach you?"
As the words fell, the pen began to move.
Sang Zhixia couldn't feel the movement of her hands, and couldn't even grasp what thoughts were running through her mind at the moment. The only thing she could feel was the hot breath blowing from behind her ears.
It is obvious that human body temperature is constant, so Xu Yu's body temperature should be the same as hers.
But it's hot.
Like a red-hot iron, strands of fire spread down along the skin at the base of the ear, along the ends of the hair, and then exploded to the fingertips with sparks.
If the hairs were visible, they would probably be standing up at this time.
Sang Zhixia stared blankly at the two words "zhizhi" written on the paper, her eyelashes trembling at the sharp pen strokes.
In order to prevent her from breaking free, Xu Yu had placed his left hand on her waist. Noticing that her breathing was no longer steady, he simply pulled her into his arms without making a sound.
As he leaned closer, he rested his chin on Sang Zhixia's trembling shoulder and whispered, "Did you see that?"
"Zhizhi, look at what we wrote?"
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