19. "Witty Bean"
Cheng Yun explained to Yang Hongjin for a long time before he could clarify the meaning of paying him to help with farming.
Cheng Yun initially thought that this simpleton would no longer have to work on the farm, and wondered if he would feel a bit unhappy about it since farming had been a part of his life from childhood. However, Yang Hongjin just nodded and said, "Then I can make tables and chairs for my wife."
Cheng Yun felt as sweet as if he had eaten honey and couldn't help but kiss him on the head.
Yang Hongjin's eyes shone as he was kissed and he followed suit, kissing Cheng Yun's head a few times. Cheng Yun blushed, while the simpleton just laughed.
After washing up in the evening, Yang Hongjin continued to work on his woodworking outside while Cheng Yun lit candles throughout the house that would not be extinguished until bedtime. With sufficient light, Cheng Yun allowed Yang Hongjin to tinker while he went to the backyard to observe the fruits and vegetables he had planted.
It had been over half a month since he had planted the first batch of fruits and vegetables, and some of them had already produced small fruits, although they were still small a few days ago. Cheng Yun watered them every day with rice water, and the plants, which had been affected by the language spirit system, grew vigorously. In just a few days, they had grown large enough to be harvested.
Cheng Yun only planted less than ten types of crops this time, but in the system, each type of crop could earn two points. It only required ten points to upgrade to the first level, fifteen points for the second level, and an additional five points for each subsequent level. The ninth level required fifty points, and to upgrade from the ninth to the tenth level required one hundred points.
Cheng Yun could upgrade to the first level now. If he planted more crops next time, he could upgrade two levels at once. He planned to use the language spirit system on farming in the early stages. After leveling up, he might be able to "correct" Yang Hongjin's intelligence through the language spirit.
Of course, in addition to the upgrade system, upgrading would also unlock the crops in the special illustrated guide. The first level had a crop called the 'Witty Bean', which Cheng Yun had chosen at first glance. After waiting patiently for the first batch of crops to mature, he carefully harvested them one by one, and each crop he harvested illuminated the corresponding illustration in the plant guide.
Once the points triggered the first level upgrade system, the illustrated guide for the first level special crop was unlocked. Cheng Yun then exchanged for the Witty Bean, and the points column in the interface instantly decreased by ten points, while the growth points remained on the progress bar.
In this way, Cheng Yun finally understood the exchange system of this system and was able to put his mind at ease.
The points obtained from activating the illustrated handbook and the points exchanged for a large amount of crops can both be used to upgrade the system. Additionally, points can also be directly used to exchange for crops on special illustrated handbooks or seeds of ordinary crops. The deducted points will not affect the experience bar for upgrading.
This meant that as long as he grew the crops on the illustrated handbook and activated more illustrations, he could upgrade the system while also exchanging for crops.
He tightly grasped the witty beans, which are the size of green beans, with one hand and continues to harvest the remaining crops with the other. After lighting up all the illustrations one by one, his experience bar for upgrading to the second level had increased by half. However, there were still eight points left in the points column that can be used.
Cheng Yun put the harvested fruits in the kitchen, washed his hands, and walked directly to Yang Hongjin with the witty beans in his hand. He pinched Yang Hongjin's face and said, "Open your mouth."
Yang Hongjin obediently let him roll the witty bean into a ball and press it flat, then Cheng Yun used his right hand to support his chin and closed his mouth, ordering him to "swallow it."
He didn't know what the witty bean tasted like, and he dared not even lick it. He looked at Yang Hongjin expectantly as he ate it.
With his chin held up, Yang Hongjin reported in a muffled voice, "I finished eating."
Cheng Yun pinched his chin and looked left and right, up and down, but couldn't see any changes at all. He could only ask, "Do you feel anything?"
"It's delicious!" Yang Hongjin answered happily.
Cheng Yun: "..."
It seems that this thing doesn't have any effect.
Actually, he didn't know if these special crops could have any effect on Yang Hongjin's intelligence, but he can only do his best to try. From the 'witty beans' to the later 'sharp green onion', 'intelligent vegetables,' and the tenth-level exchangeable "universal ginseng," he will try everything that has the chance to restore Yang Hongjin's intelligence.
It's disappointing that the special crops he exchanged for through hard work seem to have no effect. However, Cheng Yun is not discouraged. Even if these things do not harm the body and only benefit it, he can still try to upgrade a few more levels and talk to Yang Hongjin's head every month. He doesn't believe that this fool cannot recover.
He touched Yang Hongjin's head, tidied up what he had fiddled with, pulled him to wash his hands, blew out the candles in the room, and then the two lay in bed early.
Recently, Cheng Yun had developed a habit of chatting with Yang Hongjin before going to bed. It may be because he had become closer to Yang Hongjin these days, and now the two rely on each other for survival. Yang Hongjin can be said to be Cheng Yun's closest person, and fortunately, this person does not understand what he is saying and will not reveal his secrets. Plus, the darkness gave him the best barrier, allowing Cheng Yun to speak out his innermost thoughts with peace of mind.
"Where did we stop talking yesterday?" Cheng Yun raised himself on the bed, not expecting an answer from Yang Hongjin, and murmured to himself, "Oh, right, I said that I'm not really from this world. In our world, we don't need to light candles at night. There is something called electricity, and there are electric lights, TVs, computers, telephones. Even at night, everything is brightly lit, and everyone uses their phones to surf the internet or play games..."
Cheng Yun spoke his mind freely, his thoughts flying, regardless of whether Yang Hongjin could understand him or not, or maybe what he valued was that Yang Hongjin couldn't understand.
At first, Yang Hongjin would ask a few questions, such as "what is modern era" and "what are ancient people," but later he realized that Cheng Yun couldn't answer him at all. Sometimes, when he felt like it, he would answer a few words, but Yang Hongjin still couldn't understand. Afraid that his wife would think he was dumb, he stopped asking altogether, gradually developing the habit of letting Cheng Yun talk to himself, while he listened like he was listening to a bedtime story.
"At that time, it was really comfortable. If you wanted to eat something delicious, you could just go to a restaurant or order takeout and someone will prepare it and bring it to your door. Unlike now, where you have to do everything yourself. Going to a restaurant for a meal could wipe out a whole year's savings."
Things that were once within easy reach now seemed like extravagant desires. Cheng Yun didn't even know what those young girls he saw in the news before were thinking. Watching a TV show made them want to travel back in time to ancient times, but time travel is not that easy. It would be more normal for someone like him, who returned to the past to farm.
Cheng Yun sighed, his thoughts still immersed in his past life. The air suddenly became quiet, and the sound of cicadas in the summer made the environment even more silent. He closed his eyes and started to feel sleepy. Just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly heard Yang Hongjin say something.
"Hmm?" Cheng Yun didn't hear it clearly and asked again.
Yang Hongjin paused for a moment, then repeated it softly, with a hint of pity in his tone, "Do you still want to go back now, wife?"
Author's note:
I also want a witty bean ☆ Thank you for voting for me or watering me with nutrient solution, my little angels~
Thank you to the following nutrient solution donors:
7 bottles of nutrient solution from Heiheihei; 2 bottles of nutrient solution from Xiaolizi
20. "Make wood"
Upon hearing these words, Cheng Yun was momentarily stunned. On one hand, Yang Hongjin hadn't asked him a question during his nightly soliloquies for a long time, and on the other hand, he hadn't really thought about this question before.
'Do you still want to go back?' If he had been asked this question half a month ago, Cheng Yun's answer would have been a definite yes.
After all, his way of life for over twenty years had undergone a 360-degree transformation overnight. In a world without the internet, everything was inconvenient, and at that time, he was burdened with heavy responsibilities and his family was struggling to make ends meet. He also had to take care of a big idiot, and every morning, the first thing he did was check if everything around him was a dream, and if he had been transported back in time.
But now that he had been here for almost a month, he had gradually become accustomed to the daily chores and had found a way to make money. His pockets were starting to fill up, and everything was slowly getting better, without the initial chaos and embarrassment.
Moreover, he now had a significant other. Although their relationship was more like that of a mother and son, it was undeniable that Yang Hongjin was the person closest to him, more than anyone else in the world, even surpassing his biological parents who had ignored him in the past.
Although Yang Hongjin seemed to be clueless about everything, he knew better than anyone else who was good to him. Cheng Yun thought it would be difficult to find a partner in modern times, let alone with his sexual orientation, which was extremely difficult to navigate in modern society.
If he exchanged this idiot for the bustling and colorful modern society, Cheng Yun seriously thought about it...
He really wouldn't want to.
At the thought of leaving and Yang Hongjin becoming the pitiful little boy with no mother or father, Cheng Yun's heart ached.
He turned around and faced Yang Hongjin in the darkness, reaching for his head, he softly said, "I won't leave, I'll stay and take care of you, okay?"
Yang Hongjin's eyes shone like obsidian in the dim night, looking intently at Cheng Yun. He swept away his earlier grievance and replied loudly, "Okay!"
It had been almost a month since Cheng Yun first used the speech spirit. He wasn't in a hurry to plant new crops in large quantities, but the land in the backyard was still vacant, so he planted some fast-growing vegetable seeds on his own.
Aunt Wang had previously taught him how to soak and sprout mung bean sprouts, and Cheng Yun bought two pounds of green beans from town to try it out. In just a few days, the green beans sprouted and grew small bean sprouts. Cheng Yun lit up the illustartion and in addition, could add another dish to the dinner table.
Liu Wen has completed the initial stage of the work, and Cheng Yun doesn't need to go to town during this time. He spends his time at home, planting vegetables in the backyard and researching new dishes. When he has nothing to do, he sits next to Yang Hongjin and watches him do carpentry work, enjoying his relaxed life.
To help Yang Hongjin with carpentry work, the two of them occasionally go to the mountains to chop wood.
There is a family in the village, surnamed Lin, who earns a living by doing carpentry work. Occasionally, they help the villagers repair furniture. At first, when they saw Cheng Yun and Yang Hongjin come to the mountains, picking out larger trees and chopping them down on the spot to take them away, the man named Lin Yimu's face looked a bit unhappy.
He has lived in the village for more than thirty years and naturally knows this unusual couple. Recently, he heard from his wife that they always went to town. He originally thought that the two of them had nothing to do with him. However, now that they have appeared here, Lin Yimu panicked for a moment.
He has a cooperative relationship with a furniture store in town and helps make furniture to earn money every month. Although there are other people in the village who know carpentry, only Lin Yimu specializes in it. There have never been any competitors in the past. Unexpectedly, these two rumored people appeared here.
Cheng Yun knows nothing about this. Recently, he suddenly discovered that the tables and chairs at home were damaged by termites. Aunt Wang told him that it's easy to attract termites during this season. Fortunately, they found out early. Except for the tables and chairs in the main hall, which were slightly damaged, the others were not heavily corroded. He asked Aunt Wang for some medicine to sprinkle around the house, but the ones that have been damaged have to be replaced.
Yang Hongjin only knows how to focus on his 'carpentry work'thud, thud, thud' and Cheng Yun also knows nothing about wood. It was rare to encounter someone chopping wood in the back mountains, so Cheng Yun was very happy and quickly greeted the woodcutter while leading Yang Hongjin forward. But before he could explain his intentions, Lin Yimu looked at them and turned to do his own work without giving them a proper face.
Cheng Yun was stunned and stopped his steps. After thinking for a moment, he quickly understood what the other party meant.
He didn't force others to accept them. There are many people in the village who look down on them, so he didn't bother to make fun of himself. He just pulled Yang Hongjin and turned around to do his own thing.
There are many types of trees in the back mountains, but they all look the same in Cheng Yun's eyes. He tried to ask Yang Hongjin, "Idiot, what kind of tree did you use for making furniture before?"
Yang Hongjin looked at him and blinked, then grinned, "Brother did it!"
Cheng Yun: "..." He knew it.
He had heard of something called 'hongmu' (red wood) and 'suanzhi' (rosewood) before, but only had a vague impression of these names. He couldn't distinguish suanzhi and didn't know whether it was a type of tree or a name for furniture. However, the name hongmu, as the name suggests, probably meant red wood.
Cheng Yun made up his mind and started looking for red wood. He and Yang Hongjin wandered around the mountains and forests, looking here and touching there. Finally, they found a tree with a yellowish-red trunk.
He asked Yang Hongjin to chop off a piece. The wood had a unique woody fragrance with a pleasant smell, similar to the scent of sandalwood used in Buddhist prayer beads. Cheng Yun didn't know if this was considered hongmu, but he imagined the pleasant scent of this wood in his home as a kind of enjoyment.
So, he didn't bother to look for other wood and asked Yang Hongjin to chop down the tree and save more wood to make a whole set of furniture. He imagined the appearance of the furniture and felt very satisfied.
Lin Yimu, who had been watching their movements, frowned when he saw the tree they found. He originally thought of ignoring them and letting them do whatever they wanted. Some wood materials were particularly brittle and not suitable for furniture making. However, he didn't expect these two people to accidentally find Huanghuali wood (Chinese rosewood)!
Huanghuali wood is wear-resistant, heavy, and has a high strength. Even without painting, it is not easily decayed after being crafted. Over time, it will become deeper and more stable in color due to the air's effect. It's wood emits a quiet fragrance, making it one of the most precious furniture materials after zitan wood (purple sandalwood) and the favored wood for nobles in the city.
There are many Huanghuali trees in the mountainous area behind Tiejia Village, including a whole area in the forest. Several furniture stores in the Nanming City area come here to obtain materials.
However, ordinary people who are not knowledgeable about wood cannot easily identify this kind of wood. Many people tend to randomly cut down wood that looks white and clean, but they do not know that such wood is often brittle and prone to termite infestation, making it unsuitable for furniture making. In contrast, this kind of wood with a darker hue is the best choice.
Lin Yimu had also been an apprentice when he was young, and at first, he didn't know anything about identifying wood. He slowly learned how to distinguish good wood from bad wood. However, these two people had quickly identified the high-quality wood at a glance and planned to cut down a lot of it. They must have the ability to recognize good wood.
If he had just been wary of them before, he was now starting to panic. Combined with recent rumors that they had been going to town frequently, he worried that they might be competing with him for business. If that were the case, he would lose his advantage as the only one in the village who could make furniture.
Lin Yimu regretted not responding to Cheng Yun when he greeted him earlier. He should have probed him more about his intentions. He absent-mindedly chopped the wood while occasionally glancing at Cheng Yun. Inadvertently, he cut his hand.
"Ouch!" The pain caused his hand to shake, and although the wound was not too deep, blood gushed out continuously.
Lin Yimu quickly pressed on the wound, tears welling up in his eyes from the pain. He looked at the wood stained with blood and then at his injured hand, which throbbed in agony.
He cursed inwardly, realizing that he might not be able to deliver the chairs he was supposed to this month on time. He immediately thought of Cheng Yun and Yang Hongjin, hoping they could help him. If not, he would have to compensate his clients for the delay.
However, the couple who were playing and chopping wood just now had disappeared without a trace, leaving Lin Yimu alone in the vast forest, feeling helpless and on the verge of tears.