Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Cheng Mo was still nervous as he spoke, his skills, after all, seemed quite lacking. When Zhi Yu emerged from the bathroom, his expression had grown noticeably colder.

Cheng Mo thought Cheng Zhiyu was being too pragmatic! So what if his technique wasn't top-notch?

Fortunately, Zhi Yu was fond of his body, which gave him some leverage.

“So? Don’t be mad,” Cheng Mo pleaded, his eyes wide.

Cheng Zhiyu sighed, bewildered by the whole situation.

“I’m not angry,” he stated.

If he wasn't angry, why the cold demeanor? Cheng Mo refused to consider other reasons: “Liar!”

Cheng Zhiyu gave him a deadpan stare, truly at a loss for what to do. Should he forcefully create distance between them? He couldn't bring himself to do it. The moment Cheng Mo showed a wronged or hurt expression, he just couldn't bear it.

Forget it, let nature take its course, Cheng Zhiyu thought wearily.

He pulled the covers over himself and closed his eyes. “I’m tired. Let’s sleep.”

Seeing his exhaustion, Cheng Mo said nothing more. He quickly washed up, slipped into bed, hugged Cheng Zhiyu, and kissed the base of his ear. “Good night, Zhi Yu.”

Cheng Zhiyu: “…Good night.”

Cheng Mo smiled, feeling immensely happy.

However, his happiness was soon to be short-lived.

After two days of intense work, the riverbed was cleared, and water pumps were installed, channeling water directly into the base. Finally, the base had access to running water.

That day, everyone spread the news excitedly, their faces beaming with joy.

They no longer had to laboriously exchange precious contribution points for meager amounts of water.

The stream had never run dry in their memory, which meant they could now draw water freely.

Upon hearing the news, every household joyfully grabbed buckets and lined up to fetch water.

Some, fearing the water would run out before their turn, sprinted ahead. Yet, upon reaching the water point, they found a long queue had already formed.

“I rushed as fast as I could, how are there still so many people?” someone grumbled, peering anxiously ahead. “Will the water run out by the time it’s my turn?”

“Don't be such a pessimist! How could that happen?” someone nearby retorted. “Haven’t you heard they’re pumping water from our stream? We’re only so many people; there’s no way we’ll run out of water!”

“Exactly, don't be a jinx. Hey, can you hold my place in line? I’ll go check up front.” Though the speaker claimed there was plenty of water, they were still uneasy and tried to negotiate with others.

Others were equally worried and urged, “Go check, see if there’s still enough water!”

So, the person went to check ahead and returned shortly with a smile, reassuring them, “I saw that pump is pumping fast. It fills a bucket in no time flat. There’s plenty of water—we’ll definitely get some when it’s our turn!”

Hearing this, the others instantly relaxed. “That’s good, that’s good.”

Some started crying right then. “Thank heavens, we finally have water to drink.”

No one laughed at those crying; they felt like crying too.

As predicted, the line moved quickly. Those who fetched water earlier carried brimming buckets back happily.

When asked, they said, “Gee, if I’d known, I wouldn’t have rushed so much. Sooner or later, everyone gets water. It doesn’t matter if you’re early or late.”

“Yeah right, I bet you’d still run like hell if you had to do it again.”

Everyone laughed, and the teased person snorted without taking offense. “As if you wouldn’t run fast too! Anyway, I’m heading back.”

When it was their turn to fetch water, people first drank deeply. The stream water was sweet, not only quenching their thirst but also bringing a sense of joy to their hearts.

Some even expressed their gratitude toward Cheng Zhiyu and the others, remembering their kindness.

“I think young Cheng and young Tian are like blessings for our village.”

“How so?”

“Look, since they returned, we have rice to eat, water to drink, and now we’re even planning to farm. Once the crops grow, we won’t have to worry about food anymore!”

“Hey, now that you mention it, you’ve got a point!”

“Of course, I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true.”

“…”

Cheng Zhiyu and the others had no idea they were being talked about. At that moment, they were discussing who would be responsible for planting the variant wheat.

Although Cheng Zhiyu provided the variant seeds and publicly presented himself as a Plant Superhuman, his abilities were bogus, so he had no intention of taking charge.

Seeing his lack of interest, Lin Kang decided to choose one from among the other Plant Superhumans.

They eventually settled on a man in his forties named Fang Guowei. Unlike other Plant Superhumans who had to choose farming due to their abilities, Fang Guowei was different; he genuinely enjoyed it.

Before the apocalypse, he had been a farmer. When he discovered his ability could be applied to agriculture, he was truly happy.

Among the five Plant Superhumans, he was the most dedicated to farming and had made the fastest progress. Cheng Zhiyu realized that even without bringing variant seeds, Fang Guowei would eventually have cultivated seeds suitable for large-scale planting—it just would have taken longer.

Still, compared to the other four, his progress was relatively swift. He was already on his fifth cultivation cycle of variant rice, though the yield was low. The seeds from the fifth harvest were only enough to plant half an acre.

But it was estimated that by the sixth generation, a qualitative change would occur.

Once the seeds from half an acre matured, there would be plenty to plant.

The other four, however, could only cultivate enough for a small plot, and their results were unstable.

It wasn’t that they weren’t diligent—they just lacked passion.

When Fang Guowei learned he had been chosen to oversee the planting of variant seeds, he felt somewhat overwhelmed and felt he wasn't up to the task.

“Why not choose young Cheng? I think he’s much more capable than me,” the simple middle-aged man said, rubbing his hands uneasily and lacking confidence.

He looked at Cheng Zhiyu with admiration.

Cheng Zhiyu felt embarrassed. Honestly, if it weren’t for his spatial ability, how could he possibly compare to Fang Guowei?

Lin Kang smiled and said, “Brother Fang, since you were chosen, everyone certainly believes you’re up to the task.”

Lin Kang, in his thirties, felt calling Fang Guowei “uncle” would make him sound too old, so he addressed him as “brother” instead.

“As for young Cheng, he’s a versatile talent. There are other places that need him more,” Lin Kang explained. “Farming is vital to the base’s survival plan. Can you guarantee you’ll handle it well?”

Fang Guowei felt a surge of excitement. He had always loved farming, and with Lin Kang saying that, he immediately declared, "Captain Lin, don’t worry. I, Old Fang, will treat these fields like my own kids!"

After speaking, he rubbed his nose sheepishly and looked at Cheng Zhiyu, "But if I run into any problems, can I ask Little Cheng for advice?"

Cheng Zhiyu felt the pressure, "Uncle Fang, I might not be as skilled at farming as you are."

"Don’t be so modest!" Fang Guowei didn’t believe it at all, "You managed to grow so many mutated seeds—how could you not be better than me?"

Fang Guowei immediately promised, "Don’t worry, if it’s something I can handle, I won’t bother you. Only when I really can’t solve it will I come to you. Is that alright?"

With things put that way, what could Cheng Zhiyu say? He could only brace himself and agree.

Seeing his agreement, Fang Guowei’s honest face broke into a smile, and he sighed, "Little Cheng is too modest. How could you not be better at farming than me? Haha."

Cheng Zhiyu thought to himself: I’m really not being modest.

He turned his head and noticed Cheng Mo trying not to laugh.

Cheng Zhiyu gave him a look.

Cheng Mo quickly put on a straight face and teased, "Zhi Yu is too modest. What could you possibly not know?"

Fang Guowei, unaware of the context, chimed in with a laugh, "Yes, yes, young people have a promising future."

Annoyed, Cheng Zhiyu gave Cheng Mo’s waist a pinch. The latter barely reacted and blinked, "Zhi Yu, is it really appropriate to be getting so handsy in front of so many people?"

Cheng Zhiyu’s ears turned red as he pulled his hand back, not in the mood to engage with Cheng Mo anymore.

Seeing that Cheng Zhiyu was ignoring him, Cheng Mo got worried and leaned in, "Zhi Yu? Are you angry?"

"Zhi Yu? …Zhi Yu? You’re really not going to talk to me?"

His handsome face moved closer, almost pressing against Cheng Zhiyu’s, who raised a finger to push against Cheng Mo’s forehead and gently shoved him back, "Stop fooling around."

Seeing that Cheng Zhiyu was speaking again, Cheng Mo broke into a smile and said coaxingly, "Zhi Yu, when we get back, I’ll shape-shift my ears for you to pet. Don’t be angry, okay?"

Cheng Zhiyu really wanted to refuse, but having seen that handsome face paired with a pair of fluffy ears—who could possibly resist?

"How about it?" Cheng Mo pressed, "Do you want to pet them?"

Cheng Zhiyu: "...Yes."

Cheng Mo smirked triumphantly—seems he still had quite the effect on Zhi Yu.

Fang Guowei was put in charge of managing the farming efforts. The other four Plant Superhumans had no objections; they truly weren’t as diligent or skilled as Fang Guowei, and since Fang Guowei was older, they had no issue following his lead.

"Just the five of you definitely won’t be enough," Lin Kang said, "We mentioned earlier about recruiting a group of skilled farmers. These people will be under your management, Brother Fang. How about you take charge of this?"

Fang Guowei smiled, "Of course, that’s good. But… are there any age requirements?"

Lin Kang raised an eyebrow, "Do you have someone in mind?"

Fang Guowei scratched his head sheepishly, "Not exactly. I was thinking of recruiting older people as much as possible. For one, most of us are native country folk—aside from the young ones, who doesn’t know how to farm? But when it comes to real experience, it’s the older generation who have it. Secondly, some elderly are having a hard time making ends meet. If they have a way to earn contribution points, life could be a bit easier for them."

Cheng Zhiyu listened nearby and thought Fang Guowei’s reasoning made sense. However, Lin Kang had more considerations, "Brother Fang, your idea isn’t wrong, but besides that, we also need to recruit some strong, young people."

"The elderly have experience and can serve as technical guides, but they definitely can’t handle the physical labor. And how can farming lack physical labor? So, we must also recruit some sturdy individuals. These people don’t need much experience—just willingness to listen to you and work hard."

After hearing this, Fang Guowei nodded, "Captain Lin makes sense. Let’s do it that way then."

Cheng Zhiyu originally thought he had nothing more to do, but when Fang Guowei heard he was free, he roped him into helping with the recruitment.

Since he had nothing else to do anyway, Cheng Zhiyu decided to pitch in and help.

So, they wrote up a notice and posted it in the busiest part of the base—next to the water pump—announcing that the farming department was hiring, with good benefits. Those interested were to come to a fixed location after 3 p.m. to apply.

Just like that, the base’s farming department began recruiting in full swing.

This recruitment was targeted at ordinary people, and many were excited, spreading the word and planning to apply together.

By 3 p.m., Cheng Zhiyu noticed people were already lining up. After all, the farming department offered good benefits, and it was related to their future livelihood.

Moreover, the recruitment notice stated that once the first harvest came in, those working in the farming department would get one meal covered per day.

For everyone currently struggling to eat enough, this was a huge temptation. Many came to see what it was about.

However, not everyone who showed up was genuinely there to work.

For instance, right at the start, Fang Guowei spotted an acquaintance. As soon as he saw him, he waved him off, "You’re not suitable. Next."

The acquaintance immediately got upset, "Why can’t I? You didn’t even ask me anything yet, and you’re saying I won’t do? You… you’re abusing your authority!"

Bystanders laughed, "Oh my, Lazy Chen, you even know what 'abusing power' means?"

Lazy Chen, as if oblivious to the mockery, planted his hands on his hips and retorted, "Why wouldn’t I know? He’s totally abusing his power! I’m perfectly capable—why are you sending me away the moment I show up?"

Fang Guowei was annoyed, "Lazy Chen, before the apocalypse, the weeds in your field grew taller than the crops. Are we hiring you to grow weeds?"

The crowd burst into laughter.

Lazy Chen showed no shame, standing there without a hint of shame, "That was before! Even criminals get a second chance—why can’t I get a chance?"

Fang Guowei wasn’t in the mood to argue. He was here to recruit, not put on a show. He waved his hand, "Enough nonsense. Next."

Lazy Chen stood firm, "I’m not leaving!"

Fang Guowei’s face turned cold, "If you don’t leave, I’ll have to have someone remove you."

Seeing there were other Superhumans nearby, Lazy Chen felt a bit intimidated. Before leaving, he muttered grudgingly, "So unfair! Everyone, better leave with me! I bet this is Old Fang only hiring his friends. If you’re not on good terms with him, you’ve got no chance!"

Everyone knew Lazy Chen’s character and didn’t believe a word he said. They continued waiting in line for their turn.

On Cheng Zhiyu’s end, things went smoothly. His mother, hearing he was helping with recruitment, came to assist voluntarily.

Cheng’s mother said, "You’re not too familiar with everyone in the village—who’s lazy, who’s hardworking, who cuts corners. Farming is a big deal for the village; we need to hire honest, diligent people. I can help keep an eye out."

With Cheng’s mother’s help, Cheng Zhiyu’s screening went faster. She was completely fair—no matter how well she knew someone, she pointed out everyone’s flaws.

Those who were rejected left dejected, while those who passed the first round were delighted.

Of course, there were some who tried to cause trouble, but Cheng Zhiyu used Little Roll to throw them out. After seeing what happened to troublemakers, those later in line thought twice—even if screened out, they at most grumbled a little.

Being thrown out didn’t hurt, but it was embarrassing.

Moreover, they realized Cheng Zhiyu was a Superhuman—it’s just that he usually had an easygoing nature.

As for Cheng Mo’s line, hardly anyone dared cause trouble, and very few were lining up in his column.

Cheng Zhiyu took a moment to glance at Cheng Mo, who immediately rested his chin in his hand and smiled at him.

"He doesn't look fierce at all."

Just then, someone too lazy to wait in line came straight over to Cheng Mo's side. He watched as the person, who had been all smiles, instantly turned cold upon looking at him: "Can you operate a harvester?"

The person shook his head.

Cheng Mo: "What about a tiller?"

The person continued shaking his head.

Cheng Mo pointed to a 220-pound bag nearby: "Try lifting it."

The person obediently went to lift the bag but strained until his face turned red, only managing to lift it about a foot and a half.

Cheng Mo frowned, and the person immediately dropped the bag: "I'm leaving then!"

Cheng Mo: "?" I haven't even said anything yet?

But oh well, he wasn't qualified anyway.

Seeing that there was no one left in his line again, Cheng Mo continued glancing at Cheng Zhiyu.

"Zhi Yu, I really want to hug you." Cheng Zhiyu's hand trembled as he held his pen upon hearing Cheng Mo's telepathic voice in his ear. He instinctively glanced at his mother beside him.

Cheng's mother was puzzled: "What are you looking at me for? Hurry up and get the next person."

Cheng Zhiyu: "...Next."

Thankfully, Cheng Mo was using telepathy, so no one else could hear. It had been a long time since Cheng Mo had spoken to him like that, and he didn't react fast enough.

Cheng Zhiyu turned his head and saw Cheng Mo smiling. He shot him a glare.

"Why are you glaring at Xiao Mo for no reason?" Cheng's mother scolded her son. "I think you're taking advantage of his good temper. Cut it out and stop glaring at him."

Cheng Zhiyu: "..."

Nearby, Cheng Mo coughed lightly, realizing he had upset Cheng Zhiyu again, and felt a bit guilty.

Cheng Mo: "Zhi Yu?"

As expected, Cheng Zhiyu ignored him. Cheng Mo rubbed his nose, seriously thinking about how to smooth things over.

Most of the base's ordinary residents had come to participate in the recruitment, including Xiang Qizheng.

Xiang Qizheng looked around from the back of the line and decisively decided against lining up behind Cheng Zhiyu. Hmph, he had a grudge against Cheng Zhiyu, and he was sure the other would abuse his power.

After waiting in Fang Guowei's line for a long time, it was finally his turn. Fang Guowei asked a few questions and then shook his head, saying, "Next."

Xiang Qizheng refused to believe it and asked, "Was I selected?"

Fang Guowei said kindly, "You don't quite fit our farming department."

Xiang Qizheng was immediately furious: "Why am I not suitable? I've been farming for over thirty years. How could I not be suitable?"

Fang Guowei patiently explained: "Pretty much everyone here has farmed for decades. If we selected everyone who could farm, we wouldn't need a screening process. Our requirements are: able to operate a tiller or harvester, or exceptionally strong. If neither, having professional farming skills would work. You don't meet either criteria."

"What about her?" Xiang Qizheng pointed at the elderly lady who had just left. "She's almost seventy, right? Is she exceptionally strong? Can she operate a tractor or a tiller?"

Fang Guowei explained helplessly: "She has professional farming skills. Auntie Wu can judge what needs to be done for the crops based on her experience."

Xiang Qizheng retorted: "I can do that too!"

Fang Guowei: "The crops grown from mutant seeds are different from ordinary ones. You can't rely on past experience. Only veteran farmers who've spent their lives farming can make those judgments."

Having said that, he stopped explaining and waved his hand: "Alright, next."

However, Xiang Qizheng wouldn't let it go and started making wild theories, pointing at Cheng Zhiyu: "Are you in cahoots with him? Just because I offended him, you're not hiring me, right?"

Fang Guowei was baffled. If Xiang Qizheng hadn't mentioned it, he wouldn't have even known there was any issue between him and Cheng Zhiyu.

Cheng Zhiyu: "?" What does this have to do with me?

Cheng Mo glanced over darkly, licking his canine teeth, wondering if Cheng Zhiyu would stop being angry if he helped take care of this guy.

Fang Guowei said sternly: "It has nothing to do with Xiao Cheng. He didn't even mention you!"

But Xiang Qizheng didn't believe it, firmly convinced that he lost this opportunity because he offended Cheng Zhiyu. He was determined to seek justice.

Someone asked: "How did he offend him?"

"You don't know, he... went on and on..."

Whether he got justice or not is unknown, but those who hadn't known what he did before now heard about it and spat in disgust, saying, "Shameless!"

As for Xiang Qizheng's insistence on seeking justice, it seriously disrupted the queue. People started saying one after another: "Lao Xiang, stop embarrassing yourself!"

"Hurry up and leave! Have you no shame? We're still waiting! Go, go, go! Don't waste our time!"

"Xiao Cheng, hurry up and use your shame-power or whatever to throw him out. He's wasting our time."

Before Xiang Qizheng could react, he was entangled by something and then flung out.

Little Roll, perhaps sensing Cheng Zhiyu's dislike for this person, deliberately didn't throw him out directly but gave him a toss in the air first.

Hearing Xiang Qizheng's near-screaming voice, Cheng Zhiyu gently tapped Little Roll: "Stop messing around."

It wasn't that he was particularly kind-hearted; he mainly worried Xiang Qizheng might get scared out of his wits and then blame him later.

Little Roll reluctantly dropped him, shaking its vines as if it had just discarded something dirty.

Xiang Qizheng, who had face-planted in the dirt, got up, spat out a mouthful of mud, shot a venomous glare at Cheng Zhiyu, gritted his teeth fiercely, and left.

This time, he would remember Cheng Zhiyu for sure!

After Xiang Qizheng left, there were no more oddballs encountered. By the time Cheng Zhiyu and the others finished their work, it was already dark.

Fang Guowei looked over those who made it to the first round. Aside from Granny Wu, who was quite old, the oldest among the rest was only in their fifties.

The other Plant Superhumans finished their work and left. Seeing Fang Guowei frowning, Cheng Zhiyu asked, "Is there a problem?"

Fang Guowei shook his head: "Not really a problem, it's just... I still want to recruit one more person."

Cheng Zhiyu curious: "Who?"

Fang Guowei said: "Old Zhao."

Cheng Zhiyu was momentarily stunned before remembering who it was: "Is it Grandpa Zhao from the third team?"

Fang Guowei nodded.

When Grandpa Zhao was young, he was a renowned farming expert in the area. At that time, other villages even organized groups to come and learn from him.

Cheng Zhiyu had also heard about this. In the past, the county had even presented Grandpa Zhao with an award.

Speaking of which, Grandpa Zhao must be around seventy this year, right?

Cheng Zhiyu felt that Grandpa Zhao was indeed quite suitable. His experience and passion for farming were unquestionable. Although he was a bit older, he wasn’t being brought on for manual labor—his role would mainly be advisory.

Moreover, Fang Guowei had already mentioned earlier that he wanted to recruit a few experienced elders.

"Ah, speaking of which, Uncle Zhao’s household consists of just him now…" On the way to Grandpa Zhao’s house, Uncle Fang sighed in the darkness. "Both of his sons were bitten by zombies, and he had a daughter who married and moved to another area. After the apocalypse, there’s been no news from her. His grandson was working elsewhere…"

Cheng Zhiyu listened, and his heart grew heavy. They arrived at the shabby front door of Grandpa Zhao’s house and knocked.