Chapter 614: Planting Tea Trees

“Huh, why does it smell like medicine again? Also, Bin, all your other dishes look so good. Why does this porridge look a bit off? Did you get careless at the end?” Xia Shixuan looked at the porridge with some disdain. “Forget it, I’m on a diet lately. I won’t have any. You guys go ahead.”

“Alright, Shi Qing, pass me your bowl.” ‘If you don’t want any, fine. You’ll be begging for it later,’ Shen Yibin thought, not taking it to heart. He took Li Shiqing’s bowl and ladled some for her. Soon, only a thin layer was left at the bottom of the tureen.

“It tastes a little bitter, but it becomes very fragrant after the bitterness fades,” Sun Qian said as she ate. “Bin, is this a medicated porridge? What are its specific effects?”

“I’m not sure of the specifics yet. I just know that it makes you more energetic after eating it. You’ll have to discover the rest for yourselves. In any case, it’s definitely good for your body. I’ve felt a lot healthier these past few days.” For example, when he had just practiced Swordsmanship with Xiaoliu, he’d gotten hit far less often. The red marks from the hits also faded much faster than usual. And that was just from eating it for two or three days. The effects would surely be even more pronounced if he ate it long-term.

“Really? In that case, I’d better finish every last drop.” Shen Yibin’s words piqued everyone’s interest, and they all began to eat faster. Xia Shixuan wanted to scrape the last bit of porridge from the bottom into her bowl, but she felt too embarrassed, remembering what she had said earlier.

After the meal, they cleared the table and rested for a bit before everyone got back to work. Shen Yibin took Maphario downstairs to help it tend to the garden. The peach and apple trees in the garden had already grown quite tall. It looked very likely they would be able to eat fruit that Maphario had personally planted this year. ‘The fruit will definitely taste better than the ones bought from a fruit stand, right? And they’ll surely make for a more fragrant and mellow Monkey Wine.’

“Shi Qing, how come you don’t seem tired at all? I feel so drained!” Just as Shen Yibin was using a trowel to help loosen the soil, he heard Xia Shixuan talking to Li Shiqing nearby.

“I don’t know. Around this time yesterday, I was getting a little drowsy, but today I feel exceptionally energetic,” Li Shiqing replied, also a bit puzzled. Their workload had increased significantly after the New Year, and they were busy all day long. It was gradually starting to take a toll on them. Before yesterday, they would always start feeling sleepy around this time, but that wasn’t happening at all today.

“Hey, me too! I don’t feel tired at all right now. Also, a couple of days ago, when I saw guests out, I’d shiver uncontrollably the moment the cold wind hit me. But today, I feel all warm and cozy, and it doesn’t feel cold at all when I go outside,” Xie Nannan chimed in.

“All three of you feel that way? Am I the only one who feels sleepy?” Xia Shixuan turned her gaze to Gao Shu, who silently nodded, confirming her suspicion. At last, Xia Shixuan figured it out. “I get it! It must be because of that medicated porridge you all ate!” ‘They all had some, so they aren’t tired. I was the only one who didn’t, so I still feel the same as yesterday.’

“Boss, you haven’t thrown out that last bit of porridge, have you? Can I go heat it up and eat it?” Xia Shixuan finally understood that the tureen of porridge Shen Yibin had served earlier was the real deal.

“It’s in the fridge. Go heat it up yourself if you want to eat it. I’ll make another pot for you all in a bit. You can have it for dinner,” Shen Yibin replied while shoveling dirt.

“What? Boss, are you not eating at the store tonight?” Xia Shixuan caught the implication in his words.

“Yeah, I have to go home tonight. I’ve got some things to take care of. I’ll come back tomorrow at noon to cook for you all.” ‘When I left,’ he thought, ‘the tea tree seeds were almost done soaking. I can probably go back and plant them now. This is a big deal—it determines whether or not I’ll get to eat tea eggs in the future. I absolutely can’t miss it.’

“Sigh, it’s takeout again tonight. This is so depressing,” Li Shiqing muttered dejectedly. They had been eating takeout for several days in a row. It wasn’t often that Shen Yibin came and they could have a proper meal. Generally, they had guests visiting during lunch, so lunch was always simpler than dinner. They had been looking forward to a big feast for dinner, but who knew that Shen Yibin would be leaving? With their anticipated feast falling through, they were naturally disappointed.

The other girls looked equally disappointed. Hearing this, Grandma Li chuckled and said, “Don’t worry. Isn’t Mr. Shen making porridge for you? I’ll go make a few side dishes to go with it in a bit. This old woman’s cooking can’t compare to Mr. Shen’s, but I’ve been making these few dishes for decades.”

“Huh? Grandma Li, do you have the strength for that?” Grandma Li’s cooking was indeed quite good; even Shen Yibin loved her pickled vegetables. Unfortunately, due to her age and lack of stamina, she could usually only make one or two dishes at most, which wasn’t nearly enough for so many people.

“I don’t know why, but after drinking that porridge today, I feel like I have much more strength than usual. Look, I’ve already woven three of these in just a short time.” She showed them the woven items in her hands. “Making a few side dishes tonight shouldn’t be a problem.”

“I’ll help you wash and chop the vegetables! Leave the rough work to me. You just need to handle the cooking!” The girls eagerly volunteered, and just like that, the dinner problem was solved.

A little while later, Shen Yibin and Maphario finished their work. He went to check the pool and saw Turtle Immortal resting at the bottom with its eyes closed, so he didn’t disturb it. He went upstairs to the kitchen, took out the remaining ingredients, and started cooking the porridge for them. Soon, the faint, fresh scent of medicinal herbs wafted from upstairs.

“Alright, it’s simmering on low heat now. Just ladle it out and eat it when it’s time for dinner. Hah’Er, the others, and I are heading back now!” After setting the porridge to cook, Shen Yibin called for Hah’Er and the others. Hah’Er ran to the edge of the pool, pulled Turtle Immortal out, and carried it to the car with a HUFF and a PUFF.

He closed the car door, started the engine, and drove toward the manor in the suburbs. Without Carmen’s help, the journey wasn’t as fast as usual. He hit two red lights in a row on the way, and it took him several extra minutes to get back to the manor.

There were still some herbs left over from his morning harvest, so there was no need to go gather more. The first thing Shen Yibin did when he got home was check on the Junshan Silver Needle Tea tree seeds soaking in Maphario’s special nutrient solution.

After staring at them for a while, he couldn’t see any changes himself, so he had to call Maphario over. “Here, take a look. Can these be planted now?”

SQUEAK! SQUEAK! Maphario scooped up a tea seed and studied it for a long time before giving Shen Yibin a slight nod. It seemed they were ready.