Chef Hua

""Yellowing?" Hua Xiaomai was momentarily stunned, "It’s been fine, how could it have turned yellow?"

In March, the two plots of land near the threshing ground were sown with chili as usual. She had been checking on them from time to time, and Qing You and Ji Xiang among others had also been helping to look after them. They had not noticed any problems and the plants were growing strong. Why then was only Feng Damei’s family experiencing an issue?

"Don’t take it to heart, Damei didn’t come here to demand an explanation from you."

Feng Damei glanced at her face and smiled, patting her hand: "I’ve been to your fields and have also looked at other families who planted chili, all of which are growing well. This proves that your chili seeds are not the problem. I just wanted to come and ask you for advice on how to remedy this situation."

Hua Xiaomai was not very proficient in farming matters and could not figure out the reason at the moment. She pondered for a moment with furrowed brows and said, "Could it be because the fertilizer was not sufficient? Although chili plants are not extremely delicate, they do have some requirements for fertilization, such as a mix of wood ash, manure, and bean dregs. Missing any of these could be a problem..."

"You’re speaking like an amateur,"

Feng Damei said with a smile and a shake of her head: "Indeed, it’s the first time my family has planted chili, but even if we didn’t understand, wouldn’t we copy what others do? We properly fertilized the ground before sowing the seeds, and we haven’t neglected it since—hoping to earn some money in the summer, so how could we be careless in taking care of it?"

"Could it... perhaps be diseased?"

Hua Xiaomai speculated and became a bit anxious herself: "This is no small matter, we cannot afford delays. You should first ask those experienced farmers in the village, and if there is still no clue, I will let Yuhuai inquire in the city tomorrow. I know a senior colleague whose gardener is very good at growing chili and should know how to deal with it."

Feng Damei was very happy that she was willing to help and repeatedly thanked her. She then chatted with Mother Meng in the front courtyard for a while. Hua Xiaomai went to the back courtyard with little Walnut, played with him for a while, watching him pucker his little mouth and blow bubbles, her laughter even causing her to stumble, all the while waiting for Meng Yuhuai to come home.