Daily Life in the Countryside After Being Reborn
Chapter 86 - 67: The Farmer’s Ultimate Pest Control Method (Third Watch)_2

Chapter 86: Chapter 67: The Farmer’s Ultimate Pest Control Method (Third Watch)_2

Zhu Shijun had never been certain about the type of rice Xiao Xian was growing. It wasn’t until the rice matured and began to form ears that he could tell at a glance it was not common. The old man couldn’t contain his curiosity; he went into the city to consult with the oldest expert he could find. After comparing samples, it was confirmed that the rice Xiao Xian grew was genuinely Indian rice. This meant that Xiao Xian either had incredible luck or truly possessed a substantial talent for farming.

"Are you saying, like what Uncle San Gouzi’s family does, scattering some chemicals in the field to poison all the insects?" Xiao Xian shook her head dismissively.

"Grandpa also thought of some solutions, but their effects weren’t very good," Zhu Shijun’s own acre also suffered from pest damage, and although the prevention efforts meant only losing a third of the yield—trivial for someone who farmed part-time—others in the village could not sustain that kind of loss.

"Actually, it’s very simple. Grandpa, if you’ve finished eating, why don’t you come outside for a walk and take a look at the few acres Xiao Xian has been cultivating?" Xiao Xian hurriedly tossed her bowl and chopsticks into the basin. Since she became "sensible," she never let Sister-in-law Lian wash the dishes again.

Zhu Shijun didn’t understand what secret Xiao Xian was keeping, but a walk after a meal, letting the mountain air freshen the mind, sounded pleasant.

Arriving at Xiao Xian’s patch, Mr. Zhu smelled the aroma of the mature rice grains. The heavy ears of rice hung from the stalks, swaying in the night breeze, looking very pleasing.

"Grandpa, have you noticed?" Xiao Xian stood proudly on the field ridge, her three acres looking very much like her little kingdom.

"Noticed what?" Zhu Shijun stroked his beard, grinning as he watched Xiao Xian running back and forth on the field ridge, like a lark with wings, the rice variety good, Xiao Xian’s harvest from these three acres would certainly be bountiful. Achieving such a successful harvest on her first venture into farming, no wonder Xiao Xian was so cheerful.

This child seems to have gotten used to life in the countryside, but it’s uncertain whether this is good or bad.

The wind blew, and the rice leaves, bent from the weight of the ears, slapped against Zhu Shijun’s trouser legs. The moonlight made the leaves shine, and Zhu Shijun fixed his gaze on them, suddenly speechless.

What could there be about rice leaves worth looking at? Typically a rice leaf was about two fingers wide, with delicate, long veins. The leaves, having absorbed the Immortal Liquid, were maybe half a finger wider, and the color a rich, verdant green.

However, what attracted Zhu Shijun’s attention wasn’t this. This year the weather in the mountainous area was hotter than before, and even after the arrival of autumn, it remained as warm as summer, leading to particularly severe pest infestations. Over eighty percent of the rice fields in the village were affected by pests.

The villagers had tried many methods to prevent insect damage: applying pesticides, harvesting early. But the rice that suffered from pests and was harvested, turned out to be mostly shriveled and empty husks, with leaves full of unsightly holes, enough to make one uneasy at the sight.

"Xiao Xian, there’s not even a single hole in the rice crops of this acre?" Zhu Shijun was puzzled. It couldn’t be that insects were like Chinese, polite to foreign guests, even sparing the Indian rice variety from their bites.

"Grandpa, just listen," Xiao Xian raised her finger, making a gesture to quiet down and listen intently.

The mountain nights were truly tranquil, absent of the noisy din of the city and the restlessness of people’s hearts. Zhu Shijun held his breath, the rustling sound of wind sweeping through rice plants filled his ears, alongside the chorus of frogs croaking one after another. Summer lingered, and the frogs were still croaking incessantly.

Zhu Shijun listened patiently for a while, still not catching on, "Xiao Xian?" The old man suddenly fell silent, grasping his little granddaughter’s meaning. Amazement flashed across the old man’s eyes, followed by a hearty slap on his thigh, "Xiao Xian, you truly are Grandpa’s lucky star, it was the frogs all along."

Having been enlightened, Zhu Shijun hurried to Jin Dafu’s house that very night. He had lived in the city for too long, knowing only to use pesticides when dealing with pests. But these days, even the pests had learned to evade and resist, light application of pesticides could not eliminate them. Use too much pesticide, and both the soil and human health would suffer. Xiao Xian’s reminder had now shown Zhu Shijun a clear path; every creature has predators and pests, using the common mountain frog to control pest was indeed the most worry-free and labor-saving method.

The old man was so delighted that he even forgot how his granddaughter had thought to use frogs for pest control, nor could he figure out why other fields had fewer frogs while Xiao Xian’s acres had particularly many.

It turned out that at the beginning of planting the rice seedlings, Xiao Xian had noticed that the warm, rainy weather with long hours of sunlight in the Southwest not only favored the growth of rice but also the proliferation of insects. After hearing Sister-in-law Lian speak of using pesticides for pest control, Xiao Xian disagreed and privately organized a few village kids. With the promise of three pieces of nougat each, they collected nearly a hundred tadpoles.

To prevent the tadpoles from hopping out of the field ridge, Xiao Xian built up her field ridges a bit higher. She also regularly caught snakes in the fields, eliminating the natural predators of frogs. Consequently, the frogs naturally bred, and by late summer, they devoured the insects floating on the water and on the rice stems, leaving Xiao Xian’s fields clean and clear of pests.

"It looks like Grandpa’s rice experiment project can be launched soon," Xiao Xian was very happy to see Zhu Shijun’s mental and physical condition improve.

She is now Zhu Xiaoxian, and from the memories of the past six years as "Xiao Xian," she learned many things. Including that her grandmother had passed away before "Xiao Xian" was born. Zhu Shijun took his only daughter around the country, and when Xiao Xian was six years old, Zhu Shijun received the devastating news of his daughter and son-in-law’s death. Zhu Xiaoxian only wished she could have inhabited this body sooner; perhaps she could have been a support to the old man when he was most vulnerable.

These were things Zhu Shijun kept from Xiao Xian. During this year’s Tomb-Sweeping Festival, the old man locked himself in the room, staring blankly at an old photo. Xiao Xian later sneaked in and found that photo. It was Zhu Xiaoxian’s full-moon photo, where Zhu Shijun stood with his daughter and son-in-law, all smiling brightly.

"Xiao Xian also has never-seen parents; I will definitely take good care of Grandpa for you." Xiao Xian stood bowing her head, facing the moon, and made a solemn promise.

**

The third watch, delivered as promised, in the midst of a torrential downpour, all kinds of discomfiture engulfing me.

Thank you for the pink ticket from Fourty-four, just three more Fan Tickets to add an extra Chapter, I’m trying hard, and everyone else too, let’s be honest, I’ve run out of pre-written Chapters, even my hand trembled today. The first story to double update upon listing, I need time to acclimate, thanks again everyone~(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with your recommendation ticket, monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.)