Jing Mo nodded. "I haven't tried any of these things before. Never even had Happy Water."
Su Nian raised an eyebrow. "???"
Not even Happy Water? What kind of life did Jing Mo used to lead?
Su Nian glanced sympathetically at Jing Mo but refrained from asking further.
She figured those memories were probably not ones Jing Mo wanted to revisit, so she decided not to pry.
After some thought, Su Nian consoled earnestly, "It's okay. You have plenty of contribution points now. You can eat whatever you want in the future."
Jing Mo replied, "Yeah."
Jing Mo had been expecting Su Nian to continue questioning him, but to his surprise, Su Nian took a different approach.
Instead of probing further, she offered comfort.
This made Jing Mo feel as though his past years had been quite bitter.
But upon careful consideration, despite the advancements in technology in the interstellar era and his own fame, wealth, and power, the food here was still better!
With this realization, Jing Mo couldn't help but feel that his previous years hadn't been that great after all.
Su Nian had been watching Jing Mo all this while. Seeing his mood gradually darken, she decided to change the subject.
"Oh, by the way, I wanted to discuss something with you."
Perking up at this, Jing Mo asked eagerly, "What is it?"
"It's about potatoes and sweet potatoes," Su Nian said seriously. "I've tasted both at noon, and they taste decent. If we could grow them, whether to sell them to the base or to others inside the base, it should bring in some income."
"So, you're planning to grow them yourself?"
"I have the idea. Just wanted to ask if you're interested in joining."
Scratching his head in distress, Jing Mo admitted, "But I don't know how!"
His hands were skilled in weapon modification without any issues. But when it came to farming...
Even though it was his own hands, he wasn't sure what he could grow.
"I don't know either. But I have plenty of books and videos on cultivation. We can learn together."
"Alright! Let's do it! When do we start?"
Seeing Jing Mo's eager response, Su Nian's eyes curved with a smile. "I'll watch some videos and research tonight when I get back."
Staring at Su Nian, Jing Mo waited for her to continue, but when she didn't, he had to ask, "What about me?"
Looking into Jing Mo's dark eyes filled with seriousness, Su Nian finally spoke slowly, "How about you go find Captain Kong tomorrow and ask him whether these potatoes and sweet potatoes are grown in soil or hydroponically, and what kind of fertilizers or nutrients they use?"
"Okay! I'll go after breakfast tomorrow!"
Jing Mo agreed promptly, as if afraid that if he hesitated, Su Nian might change her mind.
It was getting late, and everything that needed to be said had been said. Su Nian stood up.
"Well, I'll head home now."
Putting on her mask, gloves, and hat, Su Nian prepared to leave. It would only take her two minutes to get back to her bedroom from here, but she couldn't skip any of her protective gear. Frostbite wasn't something to take lightly.
As Su Nian got ready to leave, she noticed Jing Mo doing the same.
"You—"
"I'll walk you home and close the door on the way."
Hearing Jing Mo's offer, Su Nian swallowed her next words.
After bidding farewell to Jing Mo, Su Nian returned home and quickly entered her bedroom.
Just a wall away, the living room was colder than an ice cellar, but her bedroom remained warm as early spring.
Su Nian changed into her pajamas and sat on the cushion by the bed, taking out an iPad from her space.
She had many iPads, each with different downloads. This one contained all the materials and videos related to cultivation.
Fortunately, she hadn't been lazy before and had organized everything well. Now it was easy to find what she needed.
Before she knew it, it was already 9 p.m.
It was late, but Su Nian had gained some insights from her hours of research.
At least she now knew that both potatoes and sweet potatoes needed to be nurtured into seedlings before transplanting. The growth cycle for potatoes was shorter, typically between 60 to 100 days, depending on the variety. Sweet potatoes, on the other hand, had a longer growth cycle, ranging from three to six months.
But that was before the apocalypse.
Neither potatoes nor sweet potatoes were cold-resistant crops. Under current temperatures, normal varieties couldn't grow at all.
So, how were these new varieties cultivated?
Su Nian sighed helplessly.
She couldn't figure out a solution herself. She'd have to wait for news from Jing Mo.
Before noon the next day, Jing Mo knocked on her door.
Su Nian opened the door, but before she could say anything, Jing Mo spoke, "I've inquired. The soil has changed after the apocalypse and isn't suitable for cultivation. The sweet potatoes and potatoes we bought are grown hydroponically and require special nutrient solutions from the base. I've bought them, and I've also obtained the cultivation methods. Captain Kong said as long as we can control the temperature well, there's a good chance of success. The base will also buy back the harvested potatoes and sweet potatoes at a good price. Many people in the base are already trying to cultivate them."
Jing Mo finished in one breath and then raised his hand, indicating that everything was in the bag.
Since they were doing this together, they had to research together.
Su Nian opened the door wider, letting Jing Mo in. "Come in. Let's discuss inside."
Jing Mo hesitated. "How about we go to my place?"
Su Nian looked at him in confusion. "Why?"
"Nothing. Let's go then!"
With that, Jing Mo strode in through the door.
Su Nian glanced at Jing Mo inexplicably, closed the door, and followed him to her bedroom.