Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The fine drizzle, like woven silk, quickly soaked through clothes.

Wang Ying felt no cold, only a surge of excitement. He ran through the field, thrilled that the experimental plot was real, not just a dream.

He soon calmed down and hurried to inspect the wheat.

Based on his previous life's timeline, it should be mid-April. The wheat in the experimental field was nearing the flag-leaf or booting stage, meaning it would be ready for harvest in about a month!

Looking at the thriving wheat, Wang Ying felt an inexpressible joy, quickly followed by a host of questions.

What were the entry requirements for this experimental field? How long could he stay each day? Was it permanent, or did it have a time limit?

Yet, these questions remained unanswered. The experimental field seemed to have appeared out of thin air.

Unable to find answers, Wang Ying decided to let it go. He plucked two wheat stalks and tucked them into his robe, wondering if he could take them back with him.

After inspecting the wheat, Wang Ying walked toward the edge of the experimental field. Each time he neared the boundary, an invisible force pushed him back to the center, much like being caught in an illusion.

It seemed he couldn't use the experimental field to return to his original world.

The rain gradually ceased, and the sky turned a brilliant blue again. A gentle breeze caressed his face, and the only sound was the rustling of wheat.

The post-rain field exuded the fragrance of earth and fresh grass. Wang Ying took a deep breath, slowly accepting the fact that he couldn't leave.

A flash of white light appeared again, and Wang Ying found himself back in his bedroom.

"Whew…" He sat up from the floor, panting heavily, the wheat stalks falling from his chest.

"Just as I thought!" This time, he had timed it—he had spent about an hour in the experimental field.

Unsure if he could enter again tomorrow, Wang Ying drifted off to sleep, his mind filled with questions.

*

Almost half a month had passed since his transmigration to this dynasty, and Wang Ying had gradually grown familiar with the Chen family.

His mother-in-law, Li Shi, was a hands-off matriarch, gentle and timid. She spent her days chanting Buddhist prayers for her children's safety, embroidering, and writing poetry in her spare time, showing no signs of being a household manager.

His sister-in-law, Chen Qingyun, was a clever and capable girl. Despite her young age, she managed household affairs, though her innocence often led her to be deceived by servants.

The third brother, Chen Qingsong, was still young, his main task being school. He was said to be doing well and planned to take the imperial exams next year.

As for Chen Qingyan, he remained bedridden, seemingly lifeless. Wang Ying tried various methods to coax him into eating, and thankfully, his condition hadn't worsened.

In the morning, Uncle Chen finally returned with the wheelchair. It was almost identical to the blueprint.

Wang Ying tested it, pushing it around. It was no different from a modern stroller, even replicating the swivel wheels at the back!

He happily wheeled it into the room. "Hey, Chen Qingyan, look at this!"

The person on the bed glanced up. "A wooden cart? A wooden chair?"

"This is called a wheelchair. Let Uncle Chen help you onto it. I'll take you out for a stroll."

"No!" Chen Qingyan refused without hesitation.

"We went to all that trouble to make it. At least give it a try."

"I never asked you to make it."

Uncle Chen stood by, flustered, not daring to move the young master without permission.

Wang Ying clicked his tongue, rolled up his sleeves, and swiftly moved to lift the person from the bed. Despite being a "ger" (a male who can bear children), the original body had done plenty of heavy labor and possessed considerable strength.

Chen Qingyan froze, his face shifting from pale to red and back again. After a moment, he roared, "You—what are you doing?!"

"Come on, let's get some sun. You're practically growing mold." Wang Ying placed him in the wheelchair and pushed him out of the room without another word.

"Outrageous! How dare—" The dazzling sunlight poured down, making Chen Qingyan shield his eyes. He raised his arm to block his face, a complex feeling surging within him.

How long had it been since he’d seen such bright sunlight? It felt as though his life had been shrouded in damp gloom since the day he failed the imperial exams.

After a long while, Chen Qingyan slowly lowered his hand, allowing the sunlight to wash over him, a warmth trembling through his body.

Uncle Chen followed behind, discreetly wiping away a tear. Thankfully, Young Master was here—without him, the young master might never have stepped outside again.

The sun was too intense, so Wang Ying pushed the wheelchair under the old locust tree in the center of the courtyard to avoid heatstroke.

"Stay here. I'm going to tidy up the vegetable garden."

Originally, there were three flower beds in the backyard, planted with roses, peonies, and crabapples. Wang Ying had no particular interest in flowers, so after discussing with Li Shi, he had replaced them with vegetables.

The vegetable garden wasn't large but contained a variety of plants: scallions, cilantro, garlic, and celery on one side, and climbing plants like cucumbers, squash, and long beans on the other.

These were the most commonly used vegetables among the locals. Besides these, a few unfamiliar seedlings grew in the corner—tomatoes, chili peppers, and several watermelon sprouts.

These seedlings had been transplanted by Wang Ying from the experimental field. Why were there chili and tomato seedlings in the experimental field? It all came down to the land.

When he initially rented the experimental field, Wang Ying had also bought some farmyard manure from nearby households.

Farmyard manure, which included human and animal waste, likely contained undigested seeds that eventually sprouted in the experimental field.

The weather was hot, and the seedlings were wilting. Wang Ying fetched two buckets of water and carefully watered them with a ladle.

After watering, he needed to build frames. Plants like cucumbers, squash, and long beans needed to climb upward to grow well.

Skillfully, he twisted straw into ropes, stuck wooden poles into the ground, and tied the plants to them.

In his previous life, he had lived with his grandparents and learned many farming techniques—some even beyond what books could teach.

Chen Qingyan sat under the tree, watching Wang Ying work. What had initially seemed dull gradually piqued his interest. He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you tying those branches to the poles?"

"Because these are climbing plants. During the vine stage, they need support frames. Without them, the vines would sprawl everywhere, blocking sunlight and causing the leaves to rot, which reduces yield."

Wang Ying stood up and continued, "With frames, the vines climb upward, reducing leaf crowding. This allows better ventilation, light, and ultimately, more produce."

Chen Qingyan nodded thoughtfully. "So even growing vegetables involves so much knowledge."

"See, even plants need sunlight and fresh air—how much more do people need? When the weather's nice, I'll push you out for some fresh air."

This time, Chen Qingyan didn't refuse. "Only in the backyard."

Wang Ying smiled. It seemed this guy wasn't beyond saving.

"Big brother? You're out!" Chen Sanlang had just returned from school. Seeing his brother under the tree, he ran over in surprise.

"Yes… The weather is nice today, so I came out for some air."

"It's about time! What's this little wooden cart?"

"Wang... your sister-in-law put together what she calls a wheelchair."

Wang Ying washed his hands and went up to San Lang. "What did you learn in school today?"

"We studied the Analects, the 'Wei Zheng' chapter. Confucius said, 'If you guide them with policies and keep them in line with punishments, the people will avoid wrongdoing but have no sense of shame. If you guide them with virtue and unify them with rituals, they will have a sense of shame and correct themselves.'"

"Do you know what it means?"

"Confucius meant that governing the people with decrees and disciplining them with punishments will make them comply but not feel ashamed of wrongdoing. But if you guide them with virtue and teach them with rituals and music, they will develop a sense of shame and correct their mistakes." He looked intently at his elder brother. "Did I get it right?"

Chen Qingyan nodded slightly. "You've only grasped the surface meaning of this passage but haven't understood its deeper significance." He cited classical texts and expanded the short saying to a more profound level, leaving Chen Qingsong full of admiration.

It had to be said, Chen Qingyan was quite charming when he lectured seriously, meticulous and scholarly, like a pedant.

He had good character too. Although he was easily irritated, he had never mistreated Wang Ying—giving him clothes to wear, and fearing he'd be cold sleeping on the floor, he even had the servants prepare two extra quilts for the room.

If Wang Ying were in his shoes, suddenly married to a complete stranger, he certainly couldn't have handled it as calmly as Chen Qingyan did.

In his previous life, Wang Ying had never been in a relationship. In high school, he was busy with studies. After finally getting into his ideal university, his grandparents fell ill one after another.

In his sophomore year, a girl had pursued him, but he was too busy with part-time jobs to earn money for the elders' medical treatment and had no time for dating, so he missed the chance.

Time flew by until his senior year, when a friend introduced him to a girlfriend, but before he could even spend time with her, he ended up here.

His gaze returned to Chen Qingyan, noticing his breathing heavily. Wang Ying quickly stood up and said, "Alright, wheel your brother inside to rest. He's weak and shouldn't sit for too long."

"Okay!" San Lang obediently pushed the wooden wheelchair into the house and, together with Uncle Chen, got him back into bed.

Perhaps exhausted from the day, Chen Qingyan ate more than usual, finishing a large bowl of noodle soup.

The ancient noodle soup was similar to modern ones, with added vegetable leaves and meat strips, and they tasted quite good.

"Thank you for today."

Wang Ying looked up at his words. "What are you thanking me for?"

Chen Qingyan's ears reddened. "The wheelchair is very good. I like it."

"Hey, after all, we are husband and wife. I don't want to be widowed too early..."

...

Chen Qingyan angrily pulled the quilt over himself. This guy really never says anything nice!

"Knock, knock, knock—is Sister-in-law there?" Suddenly, the voice of Second Sister, Chen Qingyun came from outside the door.

Opening the door, he saw her looking anxious and gesturing with her eyes.

Wang Ying quickly pulled her outside. "What happened?"

"It's bad! Second Uncle's family is here again, and Mother is about to loan out the dowry!"