The refugee farming the land was using a very crude method. After simply turning over the soil, he directly scattered the seeds onto the ground. Seeing the seeds being sown in such large handfuls made Lin Yi wince—
Lin Yi could tell at a glance that these were dry seeds, freshly bought, and had not gone through soaking or germination.
Soaking seeds in warm water was an essential step before planting most crops. Sowing seeds without soaking them not only reduced the germination rate but also slowed the subsequent growth of the crops.
Although Lin Yi already knew that farming techniques in the interstellar era were severely lacking, he didn’t expect people to have lost even this basic knowledge. After frowning at the scene for a while, he finally couldn’t help but step forward. “Uncle, these seeds of yours…”
Before he could finish, the middle-aged man straightening up from his work hugged the bag of seeds protectively to his chest, looking at Lin Yi warily as if afraid he might snatch them. “What is it?”
Not knowing whether to laugh or cry, Lin Yi continued, “Uncle, I was just wondering, haven’t you soaked these seeds yet?”
“Soaking? What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.” Seeing that Lin Yi meant no harm, the man’s expression softened slightly, but he still looked skeptical.
“Soaking means…” Lin Yi was momentarily at a loss for words. In his era, this was common knowledge for any agricultural student. He had never imagined he would one day need to explain such basic concepts to someone else.
He thought for a moment, trying to phrase it in the simplest terms possible so the man could understand. “Before sowing, if you soak the seeds in warm water for one to two days, it increases their activity. This can improve the germination rate by about thirty to forty percent.”
Unexpectedly, as soon as Lin Yi mentioned that last figure, the man’s expression turned impatient. He sneered, “Improve the germination rate by thirty to forty percent? Young man, do you even know what kind of seeds I’m planting here?”
The middle-aged man pointed to the seeds he had just scattered. “These are the highest-quality seeds you can buy from the spacecraft, and their germination rate is still less than thirty percent. With just one little trick, you claim to more than double that? Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m not joking,” Lin Yi replied calmly.
The man paused, clearly not expecting Lin Yi to remain so composed in the face of his less-than-friendly skepticism. He finally lifted his head and took a good look at the young man before him.
As he looked, he noticed Lin Yi’s eyes. They hardly seemed like the eyes of a young man, calm, deep, carrying a certain convincing certainty.
For a moment, under Lin Yi’s steady gaze, he almost wavered.
But the next instant, he shook his head, laughing at himself for his hesitation. This young man, so young and appearing out of nowhere, how could he possibly know more than someone who had farmed for half his life?
With that thought, he decided not to engage with Lin Yi any further. Deliberately raising his voice and putting on a gruff tone, he said, “Get lost, get lost. I’m not listening to your nonsense. Don’t waste my time while I’m trying to farm.”
The two of them had been arguing in the field, and several nearby refugees had already turned their heads to curiously watch. Now, with the middle-aged man raising his voice impatiently, the commotion drew even more people over, eager to see the spectacle.
Lin Yi noticed this and suddenly realized it was a perfect opportunity.
He subtly curled the corner of his mouth and deliberately raised his own voice as well. “The method I mentioned definitely works! Let’s make a bet. If, using my method, the germination rate doesn’t increase by more than thirty percent, I’ll give you a packet of vegetable seeds. How about that?”
The moment he finished speaking, the middle-aged man froze in disbelief.
If he won, that would be a whole packet of vegetable seeds. Considering that most of the existing crop varieties were staple grains, natural vegetables were extremely rare and hard to come by. A packet of vegetable seeds, once planted, could mean a fortune.
But if he lost, not only would he lose face, but more importantly—
“If you lose, what do you want from me?” The middle-aged man eyed Lin Yi suspiciously, not believing that such a good deal could come out of nowhere.
By now, the refugees who had been eavesdropping from the sidelines couldn’t hold back any longer. One of them rushed over and gave the man a shove, urging him on. “What’s there to hesitate about? You’re being offered free seeds! Even experts from the capital planet might not be able to boost germination rates by thirty percent. This kid is clearly bluffing.”
“Exactly! Brother Hong, it’s not like you could lose, right?” Several other refugees joined in, enjoying the drama.
Prodded by the onlookers, the middle-aged man’s lingering hesitation turned into smug confidence. “Fine! Let’s make the bet. It’s not like I could lose. One packet of vegetable seeds, it’s a deal.”
“Agreed.” Lin Yi suddenly shifted his tone. “But if I win…”
He deliberately drew out the pause, waiting until the tension had built before continuing lightly:
“If I win, from now on, you have to farm according to my methods.”
Unexpectedly, that was his answer. The onlookers were momentarily stunned. The man he had bet with looked especially incredulous. “That’s it?”
If Lin Yi’s method actually worked, he would want to learn it even without being told. If he won, he would get a free packet of vegetable seeds. Either way, the bet seemed like no loss.
Lin Yi smiled and ignored the man’s skepticism. “If you want to bet with me, meet here tomorrow at seven in the morning. I’ll teach you the specific method for soaking the seeds.”
With that, he waved his hand rather casually, turned, and walked away, disappearing into the distance without another word.
…
For Lin Yi, a packet of vegetable seeds was of little consequence. What mattered was using this opportunity as an opening to teach the refugees on Blue Star some basic farming knowledge.
He had been worried about how to quickly earn the refugees’ trust, and now this was like a pillow arriving just as he felt drowsy.
Lin Yi knew well how gossipy people could be. He was certain that news of today’s bet would spread to every refugee within a single evening, and almost everyone would be curious about how it turned out.
And that curiosity was precisely the first step in Lin Yi’s plan.
He returned to the house in high spirits. Even Ah Yun noticed his good mood and took the chance to act coy. “Big brother, that mutant rabbit last time was so delicious. Could you catch another beast to roast?”
Lin Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Under his feeding, Ah Yun’s tastes had grown increasingly picky, and now she had started turning her nose up at synthetic ingredients.
He, too, missed the rich, oily flavor of roasted meat, but…
Lin Yi said helplessly, “Mutant animals aren’t that easy to catch. Last time, I had to stake out for half a day just to get one. Don’t get your hopes up.”
The number of mutant beasts on Blue Star had greatly diminished, and most of those that remained were small species. Otherwise, the refugees on Blue Star wouldn’t be able to survive here at all.
Lin Yi checked the clay pot where the medicine was warming. The medicine was still inside.
He frowned. Footsteps sounded behind him, and assuming it was Ah Yun, he said:
“Ah Yun, is he still not awake?”
“Thank you for taking care of me these past few days.”
Two voices spoke at the same time.