Chapter 157: Are the Jujubes Ripe?

“Hmm... Is there anything else I need to pay attention to?”

“Not for now. If anything comes up, I’ll let you know immediately. This needs to be done quickly; the fruit trees should be arriving soon.” It was rare for Zhong Di to push for speed on something.

For most other matters, Zhong Di preferred to delay whenever possible, never rushing to meet any deadlines. But this was an exception.

Once the trees arrived, they couldn’t just be left out to dry. They had to be planted as soon as the greenhouse was ready. Although there was the option of temporary planting, that would affect their survival rate.

“All right, it’ll be soon. This is our top priority.”

After discussing some detailed issues, the two went to eat.

Mutton soup soaked with flatbread—delicious beyond words. To put it in Northwest dialect, it was “really awesome.”

Zaker’s mutton soup was different from others’. He liked to remove all the mutton fat and cook only the meat. Usually, mutton fat was left in for flavor, but Zaker’s version was surprisingly tasty despite this.

That taste couldn’t be described—it had to be experienced firsthand to appreciate the subtlety.

After finishing the soup, they ate the mutton, gnawing on the bones, savoring the thin layer of meat, tendons, and crispy cartilage—pure delight.

In the end, they brought out chilled watermelon, refreshing to the bone.

After lunch, it was time to rest or attend to whatever else needed doing. It wasn’t until afternoon that Zhong Di got up and looked around, ready to help wherever he could.

By the pond, the sandy beach was basically formed; only minor refinements were left. Besides the initial two loads of river sand, two more loads had been brought in.

Regarding the fish pond, there was only one principle: if you’re going to do it, do it properly. Half measures would only make it look messy and unprofessional.

Zhong Di strolled around the pond. In some completed areas, he could clearly see crabs burrowed in the sand, as well as some clams.

Wow, it was already starting. Once everything was fully done, wouldn’t it be fun to try clam digging? Zhong Di was mildly tempted—another leisurely pastime to enjoy.

“Zhong Di, how’s the fish pond beach shaping up?”

“Good, very good.”

Zhong Di answered his father’s question briefly and directly—no rambling.

“Although I haven’t been to a beach, I’ve seen plenty on TV. Don’t worry.”

“Alright, Dad, don’t tire yourself out. Rest when you need to.”

After chatting with his father, Zhong Di left the pond. He was looking forward to how things would turn out.

He arrived at the greenhouse. Since his break earlier, Zhong Di knew that Shao Hong had given up his nap. In fact, Shao Hong had been gradually shortening his midday rest for several days.

Now, as nights grew longer, skipping a nap during the day wasn’t a big deal.

But Zhong Di preferred to nap; even just an hour made a difference in his spirits—unless the night was very long, he wouldn’t forgo the rest.

Just then, Zhong Di saw Shao Hong working with others.

From the way the crew was arranged, Shao Hong was quite experienced by now. Some were clearing debris while others were removing the topsoil.

In inland areas, removing the topsoil was taboo because nutrients concentrated there—discarding it was like digging your own grave. But the Northwest was different.

In some places here, greenhouses were built, but the soil inside wasn’t suitable for planting due to salinity and other issues.

Like Zhong Di’s orchard, simply removing twenty centimeters of topsoil was minimal. In many spots, digging down fifty centimeters and replacing the soil was common.

Zhong Di himself didn’t plan on changing the soil. Since it was a fruit orchard, except for some surface salinity, the soil wasn’t that bad. Adding five centimeters of well-rotted sheep manure and flooding with water wouldn’t be a problem.

“Zhong Di, how does this look to you?” Shao Hong asked, wanting to ensure there was nothing unreasonable that needed adjustment.

“Looks fine, no issues.”

Even without considering the untouched areas, the cleared portions were flat and even, with no depressions or raised spots—one smooth level surface. If you didn’t know better, you’d think a level had been used.

Clearly, Shao Hong had been meticulous. During lunch, Zhong Di had specifically mentioned this, and anyone would have taken it seriously.

After a quick look around, Zhong Di left the greenhouse. With these two tasks completed, there was nothing else to worry about.

“Zhong Di, what about those two girls? Haven’t they come by to hang out today?” His mother asked as he exited the greenhouse.

Hearing this, Zhong Di felt a headache coming on. This wasn’t the main issue. What did she mean two girls? His mother only knew of one, Sun Miaomiao.

Why was she suddenly aware of two? Something was definitely off.

“What two girls? None at all.”

“The other day you had a day off, and two girls came looking for you—one named Su Rou, the other Sun Miaomiao. Oh, Zhong Di, your mom thinks both are nice girls, so just pick one already. I’m waiting to hold my grandchild.”

Di Chunhua spoke anxiously. To her, nagging daily might make her son see reason.

“Mom, you’re spying on me.” Zhong Di guessed the truth immediately. The two girls might be a coincidence, but knowing their names like that? Definitely suspicious.

“Don’t question how I know. Just hurry up. You’re getting older; if you wait too long, you won’t find anyone suitable.”

“Mom, I’ve got some things to do. You go take your time.”

Zhong Di quickly made a getaway. He finally understood the dread of being pressured to marry—the feeling was inescapable and overwhelming.

Hmm?

Zhong Di uttered softly. The jujubes had changed color. Yesterday they were still green; today, they looked ripe. Had they been artificially colored overnight?

The ripest one was already well-colored; the speed was impressive.

Zhong Di decisively picked the jujube in front of him, wiped it, and popped it into his mouth.

One bite—crisp, sweet, and tender. The texture was excellent!

Considering it wasn’t even half-ripened, this was remarkable. Fully ripe winter jujubes might not even taste this good.

This showed the quality of the jujubes clearly.

Gray jujubes weren’t only eaten dried; fresh ones were edible too, and quite sweet. They just didn’t have as much moisture as winter jujubes, so they were mainly consumed dried.

Zhong Di began picking the best-colored jujubes nearby, quickly gathering a large handful. One jujube a day keeps illness away.

As he ate, he wandered around, looking for places where he could lend a hand.

Yes... these jujubes really were delicious.

“Zhong Di, come quick! What’s going on here?” While strolling leisurely, Zhong Di suddenly heard his elder sister’s urgent call.

The tone was anxious enough to make Zhong Di tense.

What could have happened?