CHAPTER 227: CHAPTER 219: TANG QINGYING ARRIVES

After watering the rice paddies, Han Qiwu stretched lazily.

A full-coverage sprinkler is really convenient!

Not only does it save time, but it also improves your mood.

Just then, a faint and unusual fragrance caught his nose.

How unusual was this scent?

It was simultaneously fragrant and stinky.

Simply put, it was like the aroma of stinky tofu, but a bit fresher.

Very complex.

"Strange, what’s giving off that smell?" Han Qiwu, full of curiosity, followed the scent into the yard.

After a few minutes of searching, he figured it out.

It was the mutated Little Prince Flower blooming.

In the corner, two mutated Little Prince Flowers were already in full bloom. Their short tentacles bore some resemblance to their parent plant, but they looked far less menacing.

[Mutated Little Prince Flower]

[Usage: Cultivation]

[Planting Conditions: Sowing year-round, flowers bloom in 10 days]

[Special Effect: Attracts insects after blooming, increases farm crop yields. Each flower requires a 2×2 plot of land.]

[Mutated Little Prince Flower]

[Flowering Period: One quarter]

[Produce - Decay-loving Insects: These insects loosen soil, enrich humus levels, and increase farm crop yields by 5%. The effect is stackable, up to 20 layers maximum.]

[Produce - Mutated Little Prince Flower: One petal can be harvested every ten days, emitting a unique fragrance]

[Produce - Mutated Little Prince Flower Seeds: Seeds (1–3) can be obtained at the end of the flowering period]

[Notes: The scent is intoxicating!]

Once up close, Han Qiwu had to admit, the notes were spot on.

The scent was so intoxicating.

"If these were turned into face masks, would they have an antidotal effect by leveraging poison against poison?" Han Qiwu stepped back to test the flower’s fragrance range.

Fortunately, the smell wasn’t intense when he moved away, so it was still tolerable.

Which made sense—mutated Little Prince Flowers are meant to attract decay-loving insects. Without some scent, how would they draw them in?

They need to earn their keep!

"The decay-loving insect effect is pretty strong. One flower adds 5%, two flowers give 10%, and with 20 flowers, productivity can increase by 100%," Han Qiwu was tempted.

But so far, he’d only encountered this species in polluted mines—other mining layers didn’t even have a trace of them.

"I’ll have to ask Egger later to see if there’s a way to access the polluted mine directly," Han Qiwu noted to himself.

He also needed to prioritize buying more liquor.

After some thought, he donned gloves, plucked a single petal from the mutated Little Prince Flower, and stored it in his inventory.

Since there was still some time left, Han Qiwu proceeded to feed the chickens, terror birds, flame birds, and all kinds of cattle kept at home. After finishing, he called Xiao Lai, Little Shui, Little Electric, and Little Prince together and said sternly:

"Alright, time for a meeting. Little Prince, later take Little Shui out to forage. You need to come back later tonight, about three hours after dark."

"Roar!" Little Prince was thrilled, nodding quickly and heading out with Little Shui on his back.

"Little Electric, Xiao Lai, the two of you stay home. If you see me return with someone else, don’t come over, okay?" Han Qiwu continued to instruct.

"Chirp chirp."

"Thud thud."

After running away, Little Electric couldn’t help but feel smug.

Master didn’t notice I fed that lightning fish to the Angus cattle.

Brilliant as always!

After clearly outlining tasks for his mobile helpers, Han Qiwu used the camouflage function to disguise everything in the yard that couldn’t move – making it look like the old experimental field.

Just in case Mr. Tang felt like dropping by out of the blue.

Better to prepare in advance.

Once he was done with everything, Han Qiwu took a glance at his phone. Mr. Tang had messaged 16 minutes earlier: "I’m on my way, should arrive by 8."

"Stay safe, and have a smooth journey," Han Qiwu replied before noting he still had roughly twenty minutes. Why not cook three bowls of lobster noodles and eat his fill before heading out?

While boiling the noodles, he turned on the TV for a quick look.

[Weather Forecast]

Tomorrow will be clear and sunny.

[Daily Tips]

The mountains are full of surprises.

[Almanac]

Good for fishing, avoid solitude.

[Shennong’s Recipes]

[Shennong is busy, check back next time.]

"Another sunny day, huh." Han Qiwu sighed. Though he didn’t currently need rainy days to avoid watering tasks, rainy days did yield better fishing results.

After reading through the daily tips and almanac, he noted them mentally, planning to take a closer look once he got to the mountains.

Shennong’s recipes... he’d just go with the flow.

Half an hour later.

"Beep beep beep."

Outside, Aunt Hong Mei’s horn signaled her arrival.

"Xiao Han, are you up yet?"

Han Qiwu heard her call and quickly pulled the door open, greeting her with a smile: "I’m up! Auntie, come in and share a bowl of noodles."

Aunt Hong Mei, dressed in a bright red sweater, looked lively. Hearing Han Qiwu’s words, she waved her hand, "I already ate at home. You’re still growing—eat more yourself."

Han Qiwu ignored her polite refusal, gently pulling her inside by the arm.

You can’t take elderly people’s words too literally.

"Even if you’re not hungry, at least try the flavor. There’s plenty of noodles—I’ll have enough too," Han Qiwu said, placing a bowl of lobster noodles in front of Aunt Hong Mei and handing her a pair of chopsticks.

To make sure she wouldn’t feel embarrassed, Han Qiwu handed her the chopsticks and sat down to eat alongside her.

Large chunks of lobster meat floated in the chili-oil broth, their pale tenderness contrasting beautifully with the vibrant soup. The noodles, freshly cooked, were delightfully springy.

The warmth spread straight to his stomach.

"Alright, I won’t hold back then," Hong Mei said with a laugh, lowering her head to take a bite. After only a few mouthfuls, she raised her thumb in approval.

"Your noodles are fantastic!"

Han Qiwu smiled modestly. At that moment, a musical ringtone echoed from his phone.

"I’m still the same young guy, unchanged in the least."

Answering the call, he heard Tang Qingying’s crisp voice: "I’m at the door. Should we head out straight away or...?"

"No rush, come in for a bowl of noodles first." Han Qiwu opened the door, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Tang Qingying was dressed in camo athletic wear today, her sleek ponytail lending her a youthful charm.

"Tang Qingying looks great today," Han Qiwu said honestly.

"You look great too," Tang Qingying replied perfunctorily, bypassing Han Qiwu and heading straight to the table.

She knew Aunt Hong Mei as well, exchanged a few pleasantries, and quickly settled in with her own bowl of noodles, eating voraciously.

Han Qiwu: "....."

I doubt I look better than this bowl of noodles.

He quietly returned to his seat and resumed eating.

Truthfully, Tang Qingying had been famished. After finishing two bowls of noodles, she even drained a large bowl of soup.

"Whew, whew," she exhaled contentedly. Last night, she stayed up until 4 a.m. reviewing materials, and before leaving this morning, she’d only had two small buns to tide her over.

She’d been saving her appetite for this meal!

"Han Qiwu, these noodles are amazing, and the lobster tastes so good. Where’d you get such big lobsters?" Tang Qingying praised.

Han Qiwu replied, "Caught them while fishing in the sea a few days ago—got lucky."

Aunt Hong Mei chuckled, "Xiao Han’s fishing skills are top-notch. You should bring your fishing rod along—I know of a hidden pond up in the mountains with some great catches."

"Sure," Han Qiwu nodded. "Shall we head out then?"

Tang Qingying agreed, stood up, and asked Hong Mei, "Auntie, is the mountain road easy to navigate? Can I drive my car in?"

"You can’t drive in—the road’s full of ruts and potholes; your car’s undercarriage would get scraped." Hong Mei explained, "But don’t worry, I’ve got a bigger car. Xiao Han will ride his bike, you can hold onto him, and I’ll sit in the back."

Seasoned and experienced, Aunt Hong Mei had the seating arrangements down pat.