The infant appeared to be only a few months old, with skin as delicate as white porcelain and rosy, flushed cheeks. His large, dark eyes were glossy and round, like two ripe black grapes. Clad in a red bellyband, his chubby arms and legs resembled lotus roots, jointed and plump in the most adorable way.
Catching sight of Zhou Xing'er, the baby showed no hint of fear; instead, he broke into an incomparably radiant smile. Waving his fleshy little hands and kicking his legs against the blanket, he let out cheerful, gurgling giggles.
Beholding this baby who looked as though he had stepped right out of a traditional New Year painting, Zhou Xing'er felt her heart melt into a puddle.
Unable to resist, she bent down and gingerly lifted him from the wooden tub.
Held in her arms, the little fellow was soft and warm, carrying a pleasant scent of sweet milk. Zhou Xing'er could not help but gently tap his chubby cheek with her fingertip.
The baby instantly grabbed hold of her finger, clutching it tightly while giggling ceaselessly.
Just as Zhou Xing'er was playing with him, a tender, childish voice sounded directly inside her head.
[Pretty Mommy! You're finally holding me! I've waited for you for so, so long!]
Zhou Xing'er was jolted by a fierce shock. Her hands trembled so hard she nearly dropped the child.
Her eyes went wide, and she stared down at the baby in sheer horror.
The baby blinked his big eyes, looking at her with an innocent expression. His small mouth was firmly shut, not moving in the slightest.
Yet that tender, milky voice continued to resonate crystal clear within her mind.
[Don't be scared, Mommy. It's me talking to you in your mind! It feels so cozy in your arms, and you smell so good, Mommy!]
Zhou Xing'er swallowed hard, her heart pounding with shock.
Looking down at the little guy in her embrace, she tested the waters and whispered, "You… are you talking to me? Can you hear what I'm thinking?"
The infant blinked, and a smug chuckle echoed in her mind.
[Of course! I'm Mommy's baby, so naturally I can hear you.]
[I'm no ordinary child, you know. I'm an Immortal Child from heaven. Because I made a tiny little mistake in the Immortal Realm, I was sent down to the mortal world for my Tribulation! I searched for a long time before I picked you to be my pretty Mommy!]
Zhou Xing'er looked at him, feeling half-amused.
"An Immortal Child? A Tribulation?" Zhou Xing'er teased him in her thoughts. "You're an immortal descending for a Tribulation, so why choose me? Don't you know I'm just a cannon-fodder supporting character who's fated to die a miserable death?"
Hearing this, the baby's smile vanished. He heaved a long sigh in her mind, his chubby little face crumpling into an expression of deep sympathy and grievance.
[Sigh… why else do you think it's called a Tribulation?]
Right at that moment, the river, the flowers, the grass, and the vast white mist began to violently shudder.
The baby in her arms grew increasingly faint.
"Wait! You haven't told me—" Zhou Xing'er cried out anxiously.
The dreamscape, however, shattered completely.
All Zhou Xing'er could register was a rapid, thunderous banging on a door, accompanied by Zhou Dazhu's shrill, frantic shout.
"Dad! Mom! Get out here, quick! Something huge happened! Hurry!"
Zhou Xing'er snapped her eyes open.
Broad daylight already filled the world outside. Dazzling golden sunlight seeped through the cracks of the curtains, stinging her eyes.
Sitting up in bed, Zhou Xing'er panted heavily. Her forehead was slick with cold sweat, and her palms were clammy.
The knocking and shouting outside grew even more urgent.
"Dazhu, what are you hollering about in the yard so early in the morning? Has the sky fallen or what? You're giving me a splitting headache!" Liu Guihua's annoyed voice rang out from the courtyard.
Zhou Dazhu's breathless, utterly shocked response followed immediately.
"Mom! No! Go check the backyard, quick! Our vegetable plot… our vegetable plot has gone mad!"
"Gone mad? What nonsense are you spouting this early? How can a vegetable plot go mad?" Liu Guihua sounded skeptical.
"Aiya, I can't explain it! You'll understand once you see it! Dad, come with me, quick! Erzhu, you guys come too!" Zhou Dazhu's voice was edged with sheer panic, sounding as if he had seen a ghost.
Hearing this, Zhou Xing'er felt her heart skip a beat.
She suddenly remembered that yesterday she had secretly sprinkled Spirit Spring Water over the backyard plot.
Could the Spirit Spring Water have taken effect? And on an enormous scale?
Zhou Xing'er dared not delay. To avoid drawing suspicion, she scrambled out of bed, threw on her clothes and shoes, swiftly smoothed her messy hair, and pushed open the door to run outside.
By now, the Zhou family compound was in total chaos.
Old Man Zhou, pipe still in hand and trousers not even rolled up, was being dragged toward the backyard by Zhou Dazhu.
Zhou Erzhu and Zhang Fangfang trailed behind, looking completely dazed.
Holding the six-month-old Xiao Tiedan, Li Xiulan stood at the threshold of the main room, watching the commotion with a bewildered expression.
Zhou Xing'er hurried to catch up, trotting all the way to the vegetable plot behind the house.
The moment everyone stopped at the edge of the plot, the air seemed to freeze.
Clatter. The pipe slipped from Old Man Zhou's hand, hitting the dirt.
Zhou Erzhu's jaw dropped so wide it could have swallowed an egg whole.
Zhang Fangfang let out a sharp gasp, clapping both hands over her mouth, her eyes bulging.
How could this plot be the dry, withered patch of yellow earth from yesterday?
It had transformed into a lush, vibrant "forest of giant vegetables"!
The Chinese cabbages, which had been no bigger than a palm yesterday, were now each larger than a washbasin. Their leaves were of such a deep, verdant green they seemed to drip with life, tightly wrapped together and studded with translucent dewdrops that sparkled in the morning sun.
The tomato vines had grown taller than an adult, laden with heavy fruit. Every single tomato was the size of a grown man's fist—plump, round, and fiery red, with skins so smooth and glossy they could reflect a person's silhouette. One look was enough to make anyone's mouth water.
Most outrageous of all were the radishes. They were colossal, pale, and fat, with more than half their bulk bursting right out of the soil. They looked for all the world like chubby babies sitting in the dirt.
The air was filled with an indescribable, exceedingly crisp and fragrant aroma of rich soil and fresh vegetables.
"How… how is this possible?" Zhou Erzhu rubbed his eyes vigorously, then pinched his thigh hard, wincing in pain. "Am I dreaming? Is this really our vegetable plot from yesterday? Those tomatoes were only the size of a fingernail yesterday—how did they grow this big overnight? And they're all fully ripe?!"
Trembling, Zhang Fangfang stepped forward and gingerly poked one of the massive tomatoes.
It was succulent and firm to the touch—undeniably real.
"Uncle, this… this tomato is real. What on earth is going on? Did an immortal descend last night and cast Immortal Arts on our land?" Zhang Fangfang's voice shook, her eyes wide with terror and disbelief.