Chapter 149

Chapter 149

Altered Seeds

She hadn’t started collecting seeds yet because the ones around here were all handed down through generations—nothing extraordinary. They were readily available anytime, so she saw no need to use them. Instead, she was thinking about how to leave the village…

Only by leaving could she have a broader range of choices. But now, with Lu Hang still recovering and dangers outside, she couldn’t go anywhere. She had to take things slow.

“That was all your master’s achievement. If I spread it, wouldn’t that be inappropriate?” Hu Yunlai was tempted but hesitated, afraid of being seen as taking credit.

Lin Nannan chuckled lightly. “My master devoted his life to researching seeds and crops—not to hoard secrets but in hopes that someone could make breakthroughs so our people wouldn’t go hungry.”

Hu Yunlai paused for a long moment before saying with admiration, “I feel ashamed in comparison.”

His research on crops was for bountiful harvests, for the people’s sustenance, but truthfully, he sought fame and wealth—completely different from Lin Nannan’s master.

“Sir, there’s no need for such modesty. Everything you’ve done, both the nation and its people have seen and remembered.” No one who contributes should be overlooked.

Hu Yunlai was deeply moved by the praise, torn between joy and self-reproach. In the end, Wei Zhigao helped him leave first.

After the two left, the entire Lu family looked at Lin Nannan, leaving her puzzled. “What’s wrong with me?”

Did she have something on her face?

As she raised her hand to rub her cheek, Lu Hang stopped her.

“Your face is fine. It’s just what you said—it was too shocking. They’re still processing it,” he said, amused by her thoughts.

“What’s so surprising about it? All crop cultivation started from nothing. Innovation is the only path to breakthroughs.” She explained calmly, though her mind wandered back to their original plan—choosing ancient times for farming precisely because of the untouched, fertile land. Yet through some accident, she ended up here.

The soil here couldn’t compare to ancient times, resulting in failed harvests.

“Sister-in-law, you’re amazing!” Lu Yuan praised softly.

She was confused. How could someone as remarkable as her sister-in-law end up marrying into their family, marrying her paralyzed elder brother? That’s just how things were.

“If you want to learn, I’ll teach you!” Lin Nannan patted her head.

Lu Yuan, inspired by what she described, eagerly agreed.

The Lu family didn’t interfere with the sisters-in-law’s exchange. In fact, they watched with quiet anticipation.

Meanwhile, Lu Ming, who was usually the first to jump in like an excitable puppy, stayed unusually silent this time, not saying a word or drawing attention.

…

Though Lin Nannan wasn’t entirely sure about the seeds, she gave in to the Lu family's curiosity.

When they first planted, they hadn’t seen such high-quality seeds, leaving them a little disappointed. Now, after hearing Hu Yunlai’s remarks, everyone was curious and asked if they could take a look. She didn’t refuse, just went inside to get some, then returned with the seeds.

Lu Hang watched the box in her hand, wondering—had that box been there before?

How had he never noticed?

Lin Nannan had no intention of explaining his doubts. After all, he’d been paralyzed back then—her word was final.

“These seeds… they’re so full!” Grandma Lu picked one up, studying it carefully before saying.

"Grandma, do you recognize it?" Lin Nannan asked.

This question left Grandma Lu stumped.

If it were the old seeds, she could have identified them at a glance, but the seeds Lin Nannan brought out were much plumper and glossier—they didn’t even look like seeds, which made her doubt herself.

"This seems like peanuts, but they're so much bigger than our peanut seeds. They don’t look like them at all!" Grandma Lu hesitated.

Lu Zheng and the others took a glance and agreed, thinking Grandma had a point.

"Is this mung bean?" Zhang Xiaofeng was completely thrown off.

Having farmed for most of her life, she couldn’t even recognize seeds anymore.

The mung bean seeds were much larger, and if not for their light green husks, you’d think they were black beans...

Grandma Lu took a look and wasn’t sure either. Eventually, everyone turned to Lin Nannan, which left her stumped too.

"I’ve never farmed before. As you know, my master was in a tough spot back then—every move she made was watched. How could she dare to experiment? So, everything she taught me was verbal, with no actual fieldwork. These seeds were given to me during her final moments. Apart from the earlier rice seeds, she didn’t explain the rest. Whatever they are, we’ll know once we plant them."

Her words left everyone amazed and a little sad. Someone so capable, yet so unpredictable—even the seeds had become completely different.

Lu Hang picked up a few seeds, examined them, and asked uncertainly, "Nan Nan, are these potatoes?"

Regular potatoes were large, but the ones Lin Nannan had were several times smaller, making folks question if they’d even produce much.

Lin Nannan compared them to the potatoes she’d seen in her references and was baffled. "I don’t know!"

Even Lu Zheng was clueless. Nobody knew for sure.

After some discussion, most remained unsure. They really needed to invite Sir Hu Yunlai to take a look.

Lu Hang didn’t object to the old man’s visit, but he didn’t want to see Wei Zhigao. So, he sent Lu Ming to extend the invitation, with a ready excuse: the Lu family wasn’t up for visitors, effectively keeping Wei Zhigao out.

The rest of the Lu family didn’t notice, but Lin Nannan did. However, since it involved someone else, she didn’t bother asking, completely unaware that Wei Zhigao had missed this opportunity because of her.

Sir Hu knew his stuff. Though the seeds had changed, he could still identify them. But faced with seeds that were either shrunken or enlarged, he was totally torn between hope and worry.

"We don’t know what results these seeds will ultimately yield, but one thing is clear—they’ll at least match our usual harvest. So, we should still plant them according to the seasons to avoid mistakes..." Sir Hu suggested.

But Lin Nannan shook her head firmly. "These seeds have been treated with special herbs and don’t need to adapt to seasonal changes. The only requirement is the right soil. If conditions are right, the harvest will be greater and better, making the next batch of seeds even plumper..."

Sir Hu actually disagreed—since when do seeds ignore the seasons? But since Lin Nannan insisted, he only made one request: to save some seeds, even just a few.