A Field Unlike Any Other
Morning sunlight bathed the Li family's farmland in a golden glow. The once barren soil now flourished with lush greenery, standing tall and vibrant compared to the neighboring fields. It was a sight no one in the village had ever seen before.
Li Qingyun stood in the middle of the field, her hands brushing over the leaves of the thriving vegetables. Her carefully selected radishes, cabbages, and spring onions had grown bigger and healthier than any other farmer's in town.
Her younger brother, Li Jun, grinned in excitement as he tugged at a large radish. "Jiejie, look at this! It's huge!"
With one final pull, the radish came free from the soil, its size almost twice that of a normal one. Its skin was smooth and unblemished, a deep, healthy shade of white with bright green leaves.
Qingyun smiled in satisfaction. The spiritual spring water worked even better than expected.
Each crop in their field was superior in quality, crispier, and more fragrant than any other in the village.
This would be their key to success.
A Crowd Gathers
It didn't take long for word to spread.
By mid-morning, a small crowd of villagers had gathered outside the Li family's farmland, their eyes wide with astonishment.
Aunt Wang, as always, was the loudest. "Impossible! How can their crops grow so well in such a short time?"
Uncle Guo, an experienced farmer, picked up a cabbage and inspected it. His wrinkled face twisted in disbelief. "This… this isn't normal. The leaves are perfect. There's not a single pest bite on them!"
Aunt Liu, a woman known for her gossip, leaned closer and sniffed the vegetables. "Even the smell is different! It's so fresh!"
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"Could it be… they found a special fertilizer?"
"Maybe the Li girl really knows some farming secret…"
Qingyun, standing tall, simply smiled. "Hard work and good farming methods. That's all."
She knew they wouldn't believe her, but it didn't matter. Let them wonder.
The Market's Reaction
Two days later, Qingyun, her father Li Shengtian, and Li Jun loaded a cart with their finest produce and made their way to the town market.
Unlike their first visit, this time, the stall was surrounded by customers within minutes.
A wealthy restaurant owner, Master Zhang, inspected a bundle of spring onions, rubbing the leaves between his fingers. "In all my years, I have never seen such quality. Young lady, where did you source these from?"
Qingyun calmly met his gaze. "From our family farm, sir. All freshly grown."
The restaurant owner stroked his beard, clearly impressed. "I want ten bundles of everything you have."
The other merchants quickly followed.
"I'll take five cabbages!"
"Give me a dozen radishes!"
The demand was overwhelming. In less than an hour, their entire stock was sold out.
Li Jun gaped in amazement. "Jiejie, this is even faster than last time!"
Qingyun smiled. "This is just the beginning."
Jealousy and Trouble Brewing
Not everyone was happy with their success.
As they were packing up, Shopkeeper Wang, the owner of one of the biggest vegetable stalls in town, glared at them from across the market.
His business had suffered ever since Qingyun started selling, and today, he had barely made any sales.
As Qingyun and her family left, Shopkeeper Wang spat on the ground. "That little girl… she's ruining my business. I won't let this continue."
Nearby, another man watched with sharp eyes. He was dressed in expensive robes, a sign of wealth and influence.
"This girl… she's interesting," he murmured to himself.
Unknown to Qingyun, her success had begun attracting attention from powerful people—some friendly, some dangerous.
But she was ready.
Whatever came next, she would protect her family and her farm.
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Would you like me to continue with Chapter 16: Learning to Cook in Secret?