Chapter 027: A New Year, A New Beginning

“Greenhouse vegetables!” Yang Tian declared firmly. Although greenhouse cultivation had already begun to develop in some regions of the Northeast and the South, in Great Willow Village it was still an unprecedented innovation.

“Greenhouse vegetables?” Yang Bao and his wife exchanged bewildered glances. They hadn't had much schooling and naturally had no concept of greenhouse vegetables.

“Yes, it means creating an environment suitable for the vegetables to grow, so they can flourish in any season. Basically, they mature every month or two!” Yang Tian began to analyze. “This year’s heavy snow has covered most of the vegetables in the fields, causing severe losses. After the New Year, whether in the city or the town, vegetable prices will surely rise. So no matter what we plant, we’ll definitely make a profit!”

“We understand that, but are you sure about these greenhouse vegetables? Can you really grow vegetables whenever you want? Mature every month or two?” Yang Bao and his wife voiced their doubts.

“As long as you follow my advice, I guarantee nothing will go wrong!” Yang Tian spoke with confidence. He knew his parents would trust him, especially since he had already succeeded once before.

“Alright, then we won’t go to Great-Uncle’s house tomorrow. Let’s get started!” Yang Bao clapped his hands. The last time they hoarded grain, he tasted success. These past few years had been stifling, always tending to just those few acres. Even as a country man, he never felt truly secure.

This was an era brimming with opportunity and change. Seeing young people around the village making a fortune in business or gaining fame working outside, Yang Bao and his family naturally didn’t want to be left behind.

“No, we still need to visit Great-Uncle’s house or he’ll be upset. How about this: tomorrow I’ll go with Xuelin, and you and Tian can work out the details together, see if it’s doable!” Li Xiuying always left room in her words. Actually, Yang Tian could tell she was excited too.

Early the next morning, Yang Tian and Yang Bao went out. With Yang Tian’s counsel, the two first picked a plot of land.

To save costs, Yang Tian chose the patch behind their house, one side against the wall, the other making use of tree trunks. In the countryside, there was no shortage of big trees.

After sweeping away the snow, Yang Tian and Yang Bao turned the small plot, less than an acre, together, mixing in organic fertilizer. Then they wrapped it in straw and began burning it—both to drive away the dampness left by the snow, and to enrich the soil. Mixing soil with organic fertilizer and burning it was the rural method of making fertilizer.

Once everything was ready, next came building the greenhouse. Modern techniques mostly used plastic film or glass greenhouses.

Since greenhouse technology hadn’t yet reached Binhai, plastic film was hard to buy, and glass greenhouses were even more out of reach.

But Yang Tian wouldn’t waste money. He adapted to local conditions, using what was available. He’d already planned it out: there was a stretch of reeds by the White Wave River. Chopping them down, he wove them into thick mats and curtains with straw rope—not much worse than plastic film.

When Li Xiuying and Yang Xuelin returned from Great-Uncle’s house, it was already dusk. By then, Yang Tian and Yang Bao had nearly finished building the greenhouse. Both were dripping with sweat but smiling broadly. Li Xiuying and Yang Xuelin were both surprised and concerned.

“Wow, what a big grass hut!” Yang Xuelin shouted, running to Yang Tian’s side to wipe his sweat.

“You two really work hard! Don’t tire yourselves out—if you can’t finish, leave it for tomorrow,” Li Xiuying smiled with concern, hurrying home to boil water and prepare tea for Yang Tian and Yang Bao.

“Yang Bao, what are you up to?” The neighbors were astonished. Right at New Year, in the cold, Yang Bao and his son were building a grass hut, sweating in thin clothes—it made no sense to them.

“Growing vegetables!” Yang Bao replied with pride.

“Vegetables? Are you out of your mind? It’s only the third day of the New Year—what kind of vegetables could you possibly plant?” The neighbors, shocked, soon began to mock. In the countryside, sowing seeds was usually done in March, transplanting in April, and harvesting in July or August.

Yang Bao only smiled, saying nothing. He seemed to know in his heart that once the vegetables grew, this year would bring big profits, and perhaps their family would rely on this in the future.

The family joyfully enjoyed supper together, and Yang Tian and Yang Bao’s wife began selecting seeds. Whether grain or vegetable seeds, country folk preserved them well, usually stored in gourds or sacks, placed in the granary or in dry, ventilated spots in the house.

Yet vegetable seeds in the countryside were somewhat limited. Yang Tian’s family only had seeds for cabbage, tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, potatoes, and winter melon, and not many of each.

After some study, Yang Tian decided to focus on cultivating tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, and obtained some pumpkin, cucumber, and sponge gourd seeds from the neighbors. These were all early spring vegetables, loved warmth, and had a good chance of surviving.

In the greenhouse, Yang Tian and Yang Bao’s wife prepared a small patch for seedlings. Yang Tian wasn’t skilled at raising seedlings, but Yang Bao’s wife was seasoned—once the environment was settled, she could handle it expertly.

So Yang Tian focused on improving the greenhouse. At that time, outside temperatures were low, sunlight weak, and rain frequent. The reed mats insulated well and kept out rain, but sunlight was a problem. Warm-loving vegetables needed plenty of light.

Thinking it over, Yang Tian set his sights on Huang Biao’s glass. Huang Biao was preparing to build a new house and had bought a lot of glass. Though the pieces were large and already cut, Yang Tian cleverly borrowed a few and set them on the southern side of the greenhouse roof, right over the square plot inside.

With the greenhouse completed and seeds planted, the whole family was enveloped in happiness and anticipation. Yang Tian would go in from time to time to check the temperature and whether humidity needed to be released or ventilation improved.

Yang Bao’s wife would visit morning, noon, and night, tending the seedlings as carefully as newborn calves or piglets. Even Yang Xuelin would sneak in for a peek whenever she had a moment, as joyful as a lark.

The rest of the time, the family still enjoyed the festive New Year atmosphere.

After three years of rigorous training, Yang Tian’s martial arts hadn’t made much progress—he’d only learned some basics and understood the steps and methods of study.

However, his physical condition had improved greatly. He was no longer the sickly, frail boy he once was. Though not as strong as the adults, he was ahead of his peers. Even kids four or five years older than him would be easily bested.

“Tian, your father and I are going to Third Granduncle’s house. The weather’s warm today—give your sister a bath, will you?” That morning, Yang Tian was lying in the snow outside the door, reading, when Li Xiuying called out.

“Uh… What? Me give my sister a bath?” Yang Tian was stunned for a moment, then, as if bitten by an ant, he jumped up abruptly.