Chapter 147

Chapter 147

No Recognition

Amidst everyone's joy, Lin Nannan remained unmoved, even frowning slightly, which caught Lu Hang's attention. He asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

Thinking back to the effort and dedication she had poured into cultivating these seeds, Lin Nannan found the current harvest rather disappointing.

"Perhaps this isn't the best place for planting. I estimated the yield to be over 3,000 catties per acre."* Had she not been afraid of alarming them, she would have mentioned an even more staggering number.

"Whoa!" Everyone, including Hu Yunlai, inhaled sharply, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.

"Nan Nan, are you sure it's over 3,000 catties?" Hu Yunlai asked nervously.

The words nearly slipped out, but Lin Nannan remembered telling Lu Hang that these were seeds left by her master and had never been planted before. Her certainty would seem abrupt.

After a moment's thought, she said, "That’s what my teacher told me. She sounded so regretful, and I remember it clearly."

Had Hu Yunlai not witnessed the bountiful crops, he would have dismissed Lin Nannan's claim as a pipe dream. Despite their backbreaking work, they had only managed slight improvements, falling far short of doubling the yield, let alone multiplying it several times.

But seeing those fat, glossy seeds, Hu Yunlai knew that with careful cultivation, they could indeed achieve what Lin Nannan had described. He was shaking with excitement.

"Professor!" Wei Zhigao, worried about his mentor, stepped forward and urged, "Professor, you mustn’t get too worked up!"

Hu Yunlai waved him off. "Quit mothering me. I know my own condition." Then, turning to Lin Nannan, he asked, "Nan Nan, when do you plan to be hands-on with the remaining seeds?"

Lin Nannan had been pondering this herself but had been too busy to act.

Hearing his question, she replied, "Professor, I’m not sure if these seeds will adapt to the local environment, but for the first planting, I must be hands-on with it. No one else can take charge... As for the final yield, I’ll only keep a small portion. The rest can be handed over to you to handle."

Having already harvested once, Hu Yunlai shook his head this time. "I can’t take credit for this. Even if everyone knows it’s yours, the significance of me submitting it would be different. This achievement belongs to you, and no one can take it away."

At the mention of recognition, Lin Nannan felt a knot in her stomach. She wanted no acknowledgment, which was precisely why she wished to remain anonymous.

Moreover, even if she entrusted the matter to Hu Yunlai, her contribution couldn’t be erased—Zhang Dabang knew the truth, and for now, he was the last person who wanted her exposed.

"If you refuse, then these seeds cannot leave the village," Lin Nannan put her foot down.

Hu Yunlai was caught in a dilemma.

He didn’t want to waste the potential of these seeds, fearing the local climate might not suit them. If he didn’t report them, it would be a damn shame. After thinking hard, he said, "Very well, I’ll submit them, but the credit is yours alone. No one can steal it. I understand you’re reluctant to leave because of Lu Hang’s condition, but don’t worry. Any requests you have, I’ll move heaven and earth to fulfill them."

Hu Yunlai, who usually looked no different from a farmer—his skin darkened by the sun and his frame lean from hard labor—now carried himself with authority that left the Lu family in stunned silence. For the first time, they realized they weren’t dealing with ordinary folks. *Note: 1 mu ≈ 0.165 acres; 1 jin ≈ 0.5 kg