Chapter 116 - 114 — The Little Seed House and a Thousand Possibilities

Chapter 116: Chapter 114 — The Little Seed House and a Thousand Possibilities

The morning after their discovery of the old seed house, Lin Yue woke to find her husband standing beside the bed with a basket in his hands.

She blinked.

Then she looked at the basket.

Then at Shen Rui.

"What’s that?"

"Lunch."

Lin Yue sat up slowly. "You prepared lunch?"

"I supervised its preparation."

"Ah." She nodded solemnly. "So someone else prepared it."

Shen Rui placed the basket on the table. "I was afraid you might accuse me of neglecting your needs if I failed to provide food for our expedition."

"How thoughtful."

"I also brought water, a small first-aid kit, two pairs of gloves, a measuring rope, a hammer, a pry bar, and several pieces of wood."

Lin Yue stared at him.

He smiled.

"What?"

"Are we visiting a seed house or building a new village?"

"Depending on its condition, possibly both."

She laughed and climbed out of bed.

Shen Rui watched her gather her hair into a simple bun.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"Yes."

"What?"

He reached out and gently tucked a loose strand behind her ear.

"Please remember to eat lunch with me."

Lin Yue paused.

Then she smiled.

"That sounds like a very important item on your equipment list."

"It is the most important one."

By midmorning, the expedition had gathered at the far end of Moon Garden.

Old Liang arrived carrying a small lantern and a bundle of old keys. Mei and Jun came along, accompanied by Jun’s younger sister and two other apprentices.

They were all curious about the forgotten seed house.

Lumi had also appeared.

He was sitting inside the lunch basket.

Lin Yue stopped walking.

"Lumi."

The little dragon blinked innocently.

"Yes?"

"Why are you inside the basket?"

"Quality inspection."

"Of the lunch?"

"Of the basket."

Shen Rui lifted the lid.

Lumi immediately grabbed a peach-honey cake.

"Inspection complete!"

Aster appeared above the basket.

"Inspection result: one cake missing."

Lumi swallowed.

"An unfortunate accident."

"Your accidents are becoming remarkably consistent," Aster replied.

Jun burst into laughter.

Even Old Liang chuckled.

Shen Rui looked at the little dragon.

"You are not eating the seeds today."

Lumi’s eyes widened.

"Who said anything about eating seeds?"

Everyone looked at him.

Lumi slowly lowered the cake.

"Fine. I shall merely admire them."

Lin Yue patted his head.

"That’s a good beginning."

A faint golden spark escaped his nose.

It landed on Shen Rui’s sleeve.

Shen Rui looked down.

Lumi immediately hid behind Lin Yue.

The seed house stood beneath a cluster of old trees beyond the Moon Garden.

It was smaller than Lin Yue had imagined.

The building had a low stone foundation, timber walls, and a sloping roof almost hidden beneath vines. A few roof tiles had slipped out of place, while the wooden door had swollen from years of rain.

An old wooden sign hung crookedly above it.

The lettering had faded, but Old Liang carefully wiped away the dust.

"Seed House," he read.

His voice softened.

"I haven’t stood here in many years."

Lin Yue looked at him.

"You used to work here?"

"Not as often as my wife. She was the one who sorted the seeds." Old Liang smiled faintly. "She could recognize dozens of varieties by sight. I was better at digging holes."

"That sounds like a useful partnership," Shen Rui remarked.

"It was. She chose what to plant, and I made sure the ground was ready."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Then perhaps we should make sure her work continues."

Old Liang nodded.

Shen Rui stepped forward and examined the doorframe.

"Don’t push it yet. The lower hinge is loose."

He tested the wood, checked the frame, and examined the roofline from outside.

After a few minutes, he turned to the apprentices.

"Stay clear of the doorway. Mei, hold the lantern. Jun, bring me the wooden wedge."

Jun hurried over.

"I can do the repair!"

"You can hand me the wedge."

"That’s not quite the same."

"Today, it is."

Jun sighed dramatically.

Lin Yue covered her mouth to hide a laugh.

Shen Rui glanced at her.

"Something amusing?"

"Nothing."

"You’re smiling."

"I married a very capable man who can defeat a stubborn door."

"I’m beginning to suspect you married me for my carpentry."

"Your carpentry is certainly a valuable advantage."

He shook his head, but the smile on his face remained.

After carefully loosening the swollen frame, Shen Rui managed to open the door.

A cloud of dust drifted into the sunlight.

Everyone stepped back.

Lumi sneezed.

A tiny golden spark shot into the air.

Aster immediately appeared.

"Please refrain from igniting the historical structure."

"I wasn’t going to!"

"You have said that before."

Inside, the seed house was surprisingly well preserved.

Shelves lined both walls. Some had collapsed, but many remained sturdy. Clay jars stood in neat rows, and several wooden boxes were stacked beneath a long table.

Small labels hung from the shelves.

Northern Hill Beans.

Riverbank Millet.

Red Mountain Peppers.

Winter Leaf Cabbage.

Golden Summer Melon.

Lin Yue walked slowly through the room.

The seed house was not merely a storage building.

It was a record of journeys.

Some seeds had been collected from distant villages. Others had been brought by merchants, travelling farmers, and people returning from seasonal work.

Mei picked up a small wooden label.

"Miss Lin, this one says it came from the eastern coast."

Lin Yue examined it.

"Then we should record its origin before moving it."

She opened her notebook.

"Mei, let’s make three categories. Seeds that appear properly sealed and dry, seeds that need further inspection, and seeds that are damaged beyond recovery."

Jun peered into a clay jar.

"What about these?"

Lin Yue leaned closer.

The jar contained several shrivelled seeds.

"Those may be too old or poorly stored. We shouldn’t assume they’re still viable."

"Can we plant them anyway?"

"We can test a small sample. But we won’t waste an entire bed on something that may not grow."

Jun nodded seriously.

"Understood. We shall not gamble the garden."

His younger sister looked at him.

"You gambled three pumpkin seeds last month."

"That was different."

"How?"

"I was confident."

"You were wrong."

The apprentices laughed.

Lin Yue handed Mei a stack of small paper labels.

"Let’s record the variety, where it came from, the condition of the seeds, and the date we test them. We should never mix unidentified seeds."

Shen Rui carried a heavy wooden box away from the dampest corner.

"Where would you like this?"

"Near the window, but not directly under the sunlight."

He placed it exactly where she indicated.

Then he brushed the dust from his hands.

Lin Yue noticed a streak of dust across his cheek.

"Hold still."

She stepped closer and wiped it away with her thumb.

Shen Rui lowered his head slightly.

"Is it gone?"

"Almost."

"Perhaps you should inspect the other side."

She narrowed her eyes.

"You’re deliberately making this difficult."

"I’m merely cooperating with the inspection."

"Your cooperation is suspicious."

He smiled.

"Then I shall accept a second inspection."

Before she could reply, Jun called from the opposite shelf.

"Brother Shen! We found something!"

Shen Rui straightened.

Lin Yue sighed.

"Saved by the apprentices."

"An unfortunate interruption," he murmured.

She gave his hand a quick squeeze before following the others.

Behind the long table, Jun had discovered a narrow wooden drawer.

It was stuck.

He pulled.

Nothing happened.

He pulled harder.

Still nothing.

Then he placed one foot against the table.

"Jun," his younger sister warned.

"I know what I’m doing!"

The drawer suddenly came loose.

Jun fell backward.

A cloud of dust rose around him.

The little boy sat on the floor, looking offended.

"I opened it."

His sister folded her arms.

"And nearly became part of the furniture."

Lin Yue helped him up.

Inside the drawer lay a thick ledger wrapped in faded cloth.

Old Liang stared at it.

"My goodness..."

He carefully lifted the book.

The cover was worn, but the writing remained legible.

The Seed Exchange Record.

Lin Yue opened the first page.

The entries were written in several different hands.

Some were brief.

Three handfuls of red beans from the southern fields.

Five melon seeds from the river settlement.

Winter cabbage, given in exchange for medicinal mint.

Others contained longer notes about planting seasons, soil conditions, rainfall, and harvest results.

Mei leaned closer.

"People exchanged seeds here?"

Old Liang nodded slowly.

"Yes. Farmers who travelled would bring back seeds from places they visited. Some left a little. Others took something home."

He turned several pages.

"There were no strict rules. You simply brought what you could spare and took what you needed."

Lin Yue smiled.

"A community seed library."

"A what?"

"A place where people share seeds instead of keeping every variety for themselves."

Old Liang looked at the ledger.

"My wife used to say that a seed was more useful when it had somewhere to grow."

He ran his fingers over an old entry.

Then he smiled.

"She wrote this one."

The handwriting was delicate and slightly slanted.

If a family has more seeds than it can plant, let another family have some. A seed locked away forever is only a seed. A seed planted becomes a harvest.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Lumi leaned over the ledger.

"Does that mean we can share cake too?"

Aster appeared.

"You have already shared one cake with yourself."

"That was not sharing. That was quality inspection."

Lin Yue laughed.

Old Liang chuckled, and the quiet moment softened into something warm.

"Your wife would have liked these children," Lin Yue told him.

Old Liang looked at Mei and Jun.

"I think she would."

They continued sorting the shelves.

Most of the seeds needed careful inspection. Some packets were mouldy, others had been damaged by insects, and a few had lost their labels.

But near the back of the room, Lin Yue discovered a small wooden box that had been kept unusually dry.

Inside were several tightly wrapped packets.

One label caught her attention.

Cloudrunner Bean — Northern Slope Variety.

Old Liang frowned.

"I remember that name."

"Have you grown it before?" Lin Yue asked.

"No. My wife tried several times, but the seeds never produced a healthy crop. The plants grew weakly and yielded very little."

Lin Yue examined the packet.

The seeds were small, dark, and slightly flattened.

"Do you remember the growing conditions?"

"Cooler weather. A climbing frame. The soil needed to drain well, but it couldn’t dry out too quickly."

Lin Yue looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps the problem wasn’t the seed itself. It may have struggled with the local growing conditions."

She carefully opened the packet.

There were only a few dozen seeds.

"Let’s not plant all of them. We’ll test a small sample first."

Mei immediately reached for her notebook.

"Should I record the test?"

"Yes. We’ll use several seeds on damp cloth and a few in small planting trays. That way, we can compare germination."

Jun raised his hand.

"What if they all grow?"

"Then we learn something."

"What if they don’t?"

"Then we learn something else."

Jun considered this.

"Gardening is very difficult to lose at."

His sister nodded.

"Unless you eat the seeds."

Everyone turned toward Lumi.

The little dragon looked deeply wounded.

"I am being unfairly accused."

Aster displayed a small floating record.

"Previous incidents: seven."

Lumi covered his face with both paws.

The afternoon passed quickly.

By the time the sorting was finished, the apprentices had organized the seed packets into labelled boxes.

Mei had begun the first seed inventory.

Jun had been assigned to clean the shelves, although he seemed to spend more time talking than sweeping.

His younger sister had quietly completed half his work.

Shen Rui inspected the roof and marked the places requiring repair.

"The roof needs new support along this side," he said. "The shelves can be repaired, and we should add a raised storage platform to keep the boxes away from damp ground."

Lin Yue nodded.

"We also need proper ventilation. The seeds must remain dry, but the room shouldn’t become completely sealed."

"I’ll draw up a repair plan."

"Don’t do everything yourself. We can ask the village carpenters to help."

Shen Rui glanced at her.

"I know."

"Do you?"

"I have learned that if I volunteer for too much work, my wife will assign me even more."

Lin Yue smiled sweetly.

"An intelligent husband learns quickly."

"A dangerous wife."

"A fortunate husband."

He laughed.

"Very fortunate."

They finally took their lunch beneath the old trees.

The sunlight filtered through the leaves, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of damp earth from the garden.

Shen Rui spread a cloth over a flat stone.

Lin Yue opened the basket.

Inside were rice rolls, steamed buns, sliced fruit, and several small cakes.

Lumi appeared immediately.

"Lunch!"

Aster materialized beside him.

"Please wait until everyone has been served."

Lumi froze.

Then he slowly lowered his paw.

"I was only checking whether the food was still warm."

"Of course," Lin Yue said.

She handed him a small piece of cake.

His eyes sparkled.

"Miss Lin is the kindest person in the world."

Shen Rui looked at her.

"I have been married to you for some time, and I have yet to receive such enthusiastic praise."

Lin Yue handed him a rice roll.

"Here."

He accepted it.

"Thank you, beloved wife."

"Your praise is very affordable."

"I shall remember that."

They ate while Old Liang shared more stories about the old seed house.

He told them how travelling farmers used to leave small bundles of seeds in exchange for advice, how children would help sort beans, and how his wife kept a special shelf for unusual varieties.

"Sometimes people came with only a handful of seeds," he said. "But they left with something new to try."

Lin Yue looked toward the old building.

"Then we should bring that tradition back."

Old Liang nodded.

"Perhaps we can hold a seed exchange day when the repairs are complete."

Mei brightened.

"Could the children help?"

"Certainly."

Jun sat up.

"Could we have a competition?"

His sister sighed.

"What sort of competition?"

"Who can grow the tallest bean plant!"

Lin Yue laughed.

"That sounds interesting. But we should also have a prize for the healthiest plant, the most productive plant, and the best gardening records."

Jun looked slightly disappointed.

"Can I still win?"

"If you take care of your plant properly."

He considered this.

"Then I shall win everything."

His sister shook her head.

"Let’s start with keeping one plant alive."

When lunch was finished, Lin Yue and Shen Rui walked a little farther beneath the trees.

The others were busy packing the seed boxes for temporary storage.

Shen Rui reached for her hand.

"Are you tired?"

"A little."

"Then we should return."

"Not yet."

He glanced at her.

"Not yet?"

"I want to look at the old trees."

He smiled and slowed his steps.

They walked quietly for a while, their hands intertwined.

Then Lin Yue tilted her head.

"Are you disappointed?"

"About what?"

"That our expedition didn’t uncover a treasure chest."

Shen Rui looked toward the seed house.

"We found a room full of seeds, a community ledger, and the beginnings of a new garden project."

"Not exactly gold."

"Gold doesn’t grow into beans."

She laughed.

"That’s a very practical answer."

"I learned from my wife."

Lin Yue stopped beside him.

"You’re becoming quite good at this."

"At what?"

"Making me smile."

Shen Rui gently brushed a fallen leaf from her shoulder.

"I have an excellent teacher."

She rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek.

He turned toward her.

"Was that part of my reward?"

"For helping with the seed house."

"Then I hope there will be more repair work."

"Don’t get greedy."

"Too late."

He leaned closer and kissed her forehead.

For a moment, the garden seemed perfectly quiet.

Then—

"BROTHER SHEN!"

They turned.

Jun was running toward them.

"THE GOAT HAS FOUND SOMETHING!"

Shen Rui closed his eyes.

Lin Yue pressed her lips together.

"Pepper?"

Jun nodded enthusiastically.

"He’s carrying a bag!"

Shen Rui looked at his wife.

"I specifically requested no goats."

Lin Yue patted his arm.

"And I specifically promised nothing about goats."

He sighed.

"I should have negotiated more carefully."

Pepper stood beside the seed house.

A small cloth pouch hung from his mouth.

His white forehead patch was dusty, and his expression suggested that he had accomplished something magnificent.

Old Liang was trying to retrieve the pouch.

"Come here, you troublesome creature!"

Pepper trotted away.

Jun chased him.

His younger sister chased Jun.

Lumi chased everyone, shouting that he wanted to inspect the pouch.

Shen Rui caught Pepper by the collar before the goat could disappear into the orchard.

The pouch fell to the ground.

Lin Yue picked it up.

Inside were several small packets, carefully wrapped in old cloth.

One had slipped partly open.

A handful of pale, round seeds rested in the bottom.

Old Liang stared.

"Those..."

He knelt and examined the packet.

"My wife used to keep these separate. I thought they had been lost."

"What are they?" Mei asked.

Old Liang turned the packet over.

The faded label read:

Morning Bell Flower.

Lin Yue examined the seeds.

"Do you remember what they look like when they bloom?"

Old Liang smiled.

"Small golden flowers. They open just after sunrise. My wife used to plant them along the eastern wall."

He paused.

"She said they reminded her that every morning was a new beginning."

Lin Yue looked at the packet.

There were perhaps twenty seeds left.

"Let’s test them carefully. If they’re still viable, we can plant some along the Moon Garden path."

Old Liang nodded.

"And perhaps save a few for the children."

Jun raised his hand.

"I want to plant one!"

"So do I!" his sister added.

Mei smiled.

"We can record their growth."

Lin Yue carefully folded the packet closed.

"Then we’ll make sure they have a good place to grow."

Pepper bleated.

Shen Rui looked down at him.

"You are not receiving a reward."

Pepper chewed thoughtfully.

Lumi leaned toward the goat.

"Perhaps we can start a business together."

"No," Shen Rui and Lin Yue said at the same time.

Aster appeared.

"An unusually unanimous decision."

By sunset, the seed house had been cleaned enough for its shelves to be used again.

The old ledger was wrapped safely and entrusted to Old Liang.

The viable-looking seeds had been placed in dry storage, while the Cloudrunner Bean and Morning Bell Flower packets were taken to the teaching garden for careful testing.

Mei had already begun drafting a new inventory.

Jun had announced that he would become the greatest bean grower in the village.

His sister had privately written down a more realistic goal:

Prevent Jun from eating the harvest before it is measured.

Lin Yue and Shen Rui stood at the entrance of the old seed house.

The building still needed repairs, but it no longer looked forgotten.

Old Liang stood beside them.

"I never thought I would see this place busy again."

Lin Yue smiled.

"It was never truly empty. You and Auntie Qiao kept it alive all these years."

Old Liang looked at the apprentices carrying boxes.

"Perhaps now it will be even busier."

"That’s the plan."

Shen Rui slipped his hand into Lin Yue’s.

"And perhaps, once the roof is repaired, my wife will finally allow me to take a day off."

Lin Yue looked innocent.

"Of course."

He narrowed his eyes.

"That answer sounds suspicious."

"I was thinking we could visit the seed house again next week."

"Lin Yue."

"What?"

"That’s not a day off."

She laughed and leaned against his shoulder.

"Then I’ll make you peach-honey cakes."

He considered this.

"How many?"

"Two."

"Three."

"Two and a half."

"Agreed."

They shook hands as though completing an important business contract.

From behind them, Lumi shouted:

"THE GOLDEN DRAGON BAKERY ACCEPTS THIS AGREEMENT!"

Aster appeared.

"Your bakery has not been invited to participate."

"I’m providing refreshments!"

Pepper bleated.

Then, with astonishing confidence, he attempted to eat the corner of Shen Rui’s repair sketch.

Shen Rui rescued the paper just in time.

Lin Yue burst into laughter.

Their little kingdom, she thought, was becoming increasingly difficult to manage.

And somehow, she wouldn’t have traded a single troublesome moment.

That evening, back in Golden Space, Lin Yue placed a small tray near the warm eastern window.

The Cloudrunner Bean seeds had been arranged on damp cloth, each carefully labelled.

Beside them sat the Morning Bell Flower seeds.

Aster appeared above the tray.

"Initial germination records have been prepared."

Lin Yue adjusted the labels.

"Let’s give them time."

Shen Rui entered carrying two cups of tea.

He placed one beside her.

"Still working?"

"Just checking the seeds."

He looked at the little trays.

"Should I be jealous?"

Lin Yue turned.

"Of seeds?"

"You’ve spent more time looking at them than at me today."

She laughed.

"Would you like me to label you too?"

"Perhaps."

"What would the label say?"

He considered it.

"Favourite husband. Requires daily attention."

Lin Yue nearly spilled her tea.

"Your confidence is extraordinary."

"Is the label inaccurate?"

She looked at him, smiling.

"No. But it requires regular maintenance."

He pulled her gently into his arms.

"I believe I can manage that."

For a while, they stood together beside the little trays, watching the quiet garden beyond the window.

Then a tiny movement caught Lin Yue’s eye.

One of the Cloudrunner Bean seeds had split.

A delicate white root had begun to emerge.

She leaned closer.

"Shen Rui..."

He followed her gaze.

Their first seed had awakened.

Aster recorded the time.

"First germination observed."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Tomorrow, we’ll see whether the others follow."

Shen Rui kissed the top of her head.

"And tomorrow, perhaps, we’ll have another adventure."

She glanced up at him.

"Another?"

He nodded.

"Old Liang mentioned something about a forgotten orchard beyond the northern slope."

Lin Yue’s eyes brightened.

"A forgotten orchard?"

"Apparently, it once grew several varieties of fruit that no longer exist in the village."

She looked toward the little sprout.

Then toward her husband.

"Shen Rui..."

He already knew that expression.

"Yes?"

"Prepare another lunch basket."

He sighed dramatically.

"I knew it."

Lin Yue laughed and slipped her arms around his waist.

"Don’t worry. I’ll make the peach-honey cakes."

"Three?"

"Two and a half."

"I’m beginning to regret accepting that agreement."

But he was smiling when he kissed her.

And somewhere beyond Moon Garden, beneath the northern slope, an old orchard waited quietly for someone to remember it.

To be continued...