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Gastronomic Revolutionary: How Outsider Woman Transforms Peach Blossom Village Destiny
墨書 Inktalez
“Old Village Chief, please don’t be anxious.” I handed him the rice stalks, speaking in a calm tone, “Seeing is believing, hearing is deceiving, wouldn’t you agree?”
The Old Village Chief trembled slightly as he took the rice stalks, his murky eyes filled with disbelief. He repeatedly stroked the plump grains, as if trying to confirm their existence. I didn’t rush him; I simply stood quietly by, waiting for him to digest this “miracle.”
“W-What… how is this possible?” After a long while, the Old Village Chief finally regained his voice, his tone tinged with a hint of trembling excitement.
“Do you remember what I said about selecting seeds and fertilizing?” I walked to the edge of the field, pointing at the lush green rice paddies. “These are all carefully selected seeds, combined with scientific fertilization methods, that allow them to grow so well.”
“Science?” The Old Village Chief furrowed his brow in confusion. “What is that?”
I had anticipated his question and patiently explained, “Science is…” I paused, carefully choosing my words, “it’s about summarizing laws and finding the best methods for development.” I pointed at the rice field. “Just like farming; it requires proper methods to achieve better results with less effort.”
The Old Village Chief listened, seeming to grasp it but still unsure, yet his eyes were filled with curiosity. The villagers who had originally gathered to watch also began to draw closer, their faces showing curiosity and anticipation.
I smiled slightly, knowing my plan was already halfway successful.
“How about this, Old Village Chief,” I pointed at the children playing in the distance, “look at that boy Xiaoming; he’s clever and bright. Why not let him follow me? I guarantee I can train him to become the best farmer in our village!”
The Old Village Chief followed my gaze; Xiaoming was playing with other children, sweat pouring down his face and dirt covering his tattered clothes. He hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded.
“Then it’s up to you.”
I smiled in response and turned to walk towards Xiaoming.
“Xiaoming, would you like to learn how to farm?” I squatted down and asked kindly.
Xiaoming looked up at me with a puzzled expression, his dirty little face showing signs of wariness.
“If you follow me, not only will you have enough food and clothing,” I pulled out a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped the sweat from his face, “but you’ll also learn a lot of knowledge that isn’t found in books and become the most skilled ‘little teacher’ in the village. What do you think?”
Xiao Ming hesitated for a moment, but ultimately he was moved by the words "Little Mister." He nodded, his eyes sparkling with hope.
I took Xiao Ming's hand and led him to the edge of the field, beginning my first lesson on "Agricultural Knowledge Popularization." The villagers gradually lowered their guard and listened attentively as I explained.
As the sun set, golden rays spilled over the fields, illuminating the eager faces of the villagers and nurturing the seeds of hope in my heart.
---
I placed my hand on Xiao Ming's frail shoulder and looked around, saying, "Dear uncles and aunts, starting today, I officially take Xiao Ming as my apprentice to teach him the methods of scientific farming!"
The villagers whispered among themselves, discussing excitedly. Aunt Zhang clapped her hands enthusiastically and exclaimed, "Great! This child Xiao Ming is smart; he will surely succeed in his studies!"
"That's right! Finally, someone in our village knows how to farm!"
"We won't have to worry about poor harvests or going hungry anymore!"
The villagers' praises echoed one after another. I smiled and cupped my hands in gratitude towards everyone.
On the outskirts of the crowd, a few idle men from the tea house stood around bored. One short and chubby man with a face full of freckles sarcastically remarked, "Oh, he hasn't even started teaching yet, and he's already bragging? Who knows if what he teaches is real or not!"
Another tall and thin man chimed in mockingly, "Exactly! Don't let it turn out to be a wild goose chase that wastes everyone's time!"
Their words were filled with ridicule and disdain, causing the previously relaxed atmosphere in the crowd to become tense. I noticed that Old Village Chief's expression also darkened; he frowned with concern as he looked at me.
Taking a deep breath, I walked up to those idle men from the tea house. With a determined gaze, I calmly said to them, "Whether what I teach is real or not cannot be determined by mere words. How about this: I'll choose one plot of land to cultivate using my methods and another plot using everyone's traditional methods. When autumn harvest comes, we'll let the yield speak for itself. What do you think?"
My confident words stirred up a buzz among the crowd. The villagers began to discuss animatedly; some expressed their support while others showed signs of worry.
"This..." the Old Village Chief hesitated for a moment, "this method is indeed fair, but..."
"Old Village Chief, you can rest assured!" I patted his shoulder and said confidently, "I guarantee that my method will lead everyone to a bountiful harvest!"
The Old Village Chief looked into my determined eyes and eventually nodded, agreeing to my proposal.
I glanced around, my gaze sweeping over everyone before finally landing on the group of idle men at the teahouse. A slight smile of confidence appeared on my lips.
"Then it's settled; we will see the results at the autumn harvest!"
With that, I began preparing for the competition of the "experimental fields." I carefully selected two adjacent plots of land—one to be cultivated using the seeds and scientific planting methods I brought from modern times, while the other would follow the villagers' traditional planting techniques.
Days passed, and the crops in both fields thrived. I spent a significant amount of time each day in the fields, observing the growth of the plants and promptly fertilizing, weeding, and irrigating as needed. I patiently shared this knowledge with Xiao Ming.
Xiao Ming gradually transformed from being clueless at first to developing a keen interest in farming. He followed me closely every day, diligently learning and practicing until he quickly mastered the basic planting skills.
However, the village gossip did not cease. The idle men at the teahouse continued to spread rumors, questioning my abilities and even encouraging villagers not to trust me. Some villagers were swayed by these whispers and began to doubt my teaching methods. The Old Village Chief felt immense pressure as he repeatedly approached me, hoping I could dispel the villagers' concerns.
I understood the Old Village Chief's worries and knew I bore the villagers' expectations on my shoulders. Yet, I was confident in my methods. I firmly believed that as long as we persevered, we would prove everything with facts.
"Old Village Chief, don't worry; I know what I'm doing," I said resolutely. "In this competition, not only do I want to win, but I want to win convincingly so that everyone will be convinced!"
====================
I patted the Old Village Chief's shoulder firmly, my eyes filled with reassurance and determination. The Old Village Chief looked at me; a flicker of uncertainty crossed his murky eyes before it turned into a long sigh.
"Alas, young man, I know you mean well, but human nature is hard to predict..." The Old Village Chief gazed toward the distant teahouse with a furrowed brow. "Those idle men have nothing better to do than gossip; you must be careful not to let them lead you astray."
I followed the gaze of the Old Village Chief and saw several idlers from the tea houses gathered in small groups, sipping tea while pointing and whispering about me, their faces filled with mockery and disdain. I withdrew my gaze, sneering inwardly, but calmly said, "Old Village Chief, rest assured, a person of integrity has nothing to fear from shadows; the pure will remain pure, and the impure will reveal themselves. Time will prove everything."
After saying this, I ignored the gossip and turned back to my busy work in the fields. I knew that to truly earn the villagers' trust, mere words were not enough; I needed to deliver tangible results.
I worked diligently every day, carefully tending to my "experimental field." Based on the growth habits of different crops, I developed scientific plans for fertilization, irrigation, and pest control, teaching Xiao Ming and the villagers who came to learn step by step. In my spare time, I compiled the agricultural knowledge I had learned into a booklet for the villagers to study and reference.
The villagers noticed my hard work and dedication. Gradually, more people began to believe in my methods and actively participated in field management. Aunt Zhang became one of my staunch supporters; she not only came to help in the fields every day but also often promoted my "scientific farming" philosophy to other villagers.
"Don't underestimate this young man," Aunt Zhang said while standing on the ridge of the field with her hands on her hips, addressing other villagers. "He comes from a big city and has great knowledge. Just wait and see; this year's harvest will definitely be several times better than in previous years!"
However, those idlers from the tea houses continued their rumors. Seeing my experimental field thriving made them envious, so they worked even harder to spread falsehoods in an attempt to shake the villagers' trust in me.
"I heard that what this kid is growing is just flashy stuff—looks good but is useless. When harvest time comes, he’ll surely end up with nothing!" said a short, chubby man with a pockmarked face as he cracked sunflower seeds.
"Exactly! I think he's just a fraud here to swindle food and drink from us!" chimed in another tall, skinny man.
Their remarks were absurd and laughable, yet they planted seeds of doubt in some uninformed villagers' minds. Some began to worry that if my methods truly failed, it would mean wasting their time and effort.
Faced with these doubts and challenges, I did not feel discouraged; instead, it strengthened my resolve. I knew that the power of science was limitless, and as long as I persevered, I could lead the villagers toward prosperity.
Taking a deep breath, I decided to take action to dispel the rumors. I approached the Old Village Chief and proposed holding a "Harvest Competition," allowing my experimental field to compete against the villagers' traditional plots, using the final yield as proof.
Although the Old Village Chief had confidence in me, he understood that the villagers held stubborn beliefs. This competition was not only about their trust but also about the future of Peach Blossom Village; he had to consider it carefully.
"You have good intentions," said the Old Village Chief with a furrowed brow and a heavy tone. "But if your methods ultimately..."
"Old Village Chief, don't worry!" I interrupted him firmly. "I have confidence in my methods, and I will definitely win this competition!"
I fixed my intense gaze on Old Village Chief, leaning slightly forward with my hands on the table to show my determination. Old Village Chief looked into my resolute eyes and eventually nodded.
"Alright! Since you are so confident, I will join you and bet on this!" Old Village Chief slammed his hand on the table, his eyes filled with determination.
However, an unexpected plague shattered the once peaceful life of Peach Blossom Village.
At first, only a few villagers showed symptoms of fever and cough, but soon the plague spread through the village at an alarming rate. The sounds of coughing and groaning echoed, and the originally tranquil village was suddenly enveloped in panic and despair.
"Oh my God, what kind of illness is this?" Aunt Zhang anxiously slapped her thigh as she looked at her child's flushed face, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I heard it's an incurable disease; once you get it, you won't survive!" a woman said in terror while holding her child.
The atmosphere of panic spread among the villagers like the plague itself. The idle men in the teahouse seized the opportunity to fan the flames, blaming the outbreak on the "heretical" methods I had brought.
"I told you, this kid is no good! Those strange things he brought are definitely the source of the plague!" a man with a pockmarked face shouted while pointing at me.
"Yes, drive him out! Get him out!" a tall, thin man joined in the uproar.
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