Chapter 44: Questions

The process of making insecticide from the Bai Bu plant didn't take long.

There was no sophisticated lab equipment nor were there any advanced measurement and extraction tools.

So, all Fu Mei Li could do was pound and crush a few handfuls of Bai Bu leaves and roots inside a big wooden basin until the juices came out. She then mixed the extracted plant juice with some water and filtered the mush out. She made enough pesticide solution for one row of vegetables first.

She hoped that the solution she made was strong and effective enough despite the very crude processing.

Mei Li then asked Wen Laohuang and his son to water the vegetables with the Bai Bu solution, concentrating on those heavily infested plants.

Now, the next step was to wait.

Mei Li didn't know how soon the effect could be seen or if there would be any effect at all. All she had was theoretical knowledge and had never really tried this before.

Seeing as it was getting late in the afternoon, she exhorted the Wen father and son to keep an eye on things. And if the green flies indeed fall off and die, then they can simply follow the process she did to create the Bai Bu insecticide.

Since there was a big problem here, Mei Li didn't push the Wen family to give her the vegetable seeds and cuttings she wanted to buy. It won't be too late to ask again the next day.

She bid goodbye to the worried Aunt and Uncle Wen and, together with Shufen and Haoran, she returned to their own home.

Shufen and Haoran kept quiet the whole way.

They were also worried about what just happened. Green flies could easily become a huge problem for farmers. If not controlled and eliminated right away, the insects can quickly spread from household to household and ruin many crops.

Ruined crops mean a reduction of food and a loss of income for the villagers. All sorts of trouble would definitely come after.

Aunt Li told the rest of the Jin brothers the situation when she went home that afternoon.

Knowing that the problem can be blown out of proportion if not handled carefully, everyone was affected and dinner that night was subdued.

That night in the main room, before going to sleep, Mei Li was still full of thoughts regarding the aphids issue. She was busy pondering over the right and most effective plant juice and water mixture. So she didn't mind much when Shufen entered the room, ready for bed.

Shufen, on the other hand, was truly curious how Mei Li knew about Bai Bu being helpful against green flies. And she looked confident too that it would work.

What kind of education did she have in the Fu mansion for her to know all these things about plants and agriculture? It's just not Bai Bu. How did she know about those decorative berries? In fact, looking back further, she was quite knowledgeable about Handkerchief trees and Lingzhi as well.

Were these things something a lady from a rich family based in the capital can be familiar with? Even they, who grew up in a farming village, didn't know any of these things.

This wasn't the first day that Shufen thought of these questions. In fact, he knew his brothers were wondering about these things as well.

Their wife seems to be hiding many secrets. But she clearly didn't want to clarify these matters and they were loath to question her deeply as well.

Forget it. In time, perhaps she will tell them.

Right now, there's another thing Shufen wanted to discuss with her.

"Xiaomei," Shufen interrupted Mei Li's thoughts.

Mei Li looked at him inquiringly.

"Let's go visit my master tomorrow."

Mei Li had to think for a bit before she realized that the master in Shufen's mouth was the village doctor.

"What's wrong? Is Longwei not feeling well?"

Shufen looked at her sideways. "I'm talking about you. I've taken your pulse before and your body really needs raising up. It's best if we check with the master for a more comprehensive treatment approach."

Mei Li was silent. She too knew that her current body wasn't in perfect condition. She had been thinking of exercising more these days; doing yoga or dancing as she did in her previous life. But one thing came up after another and she always forgot.

Seeing a doctor was definitely a good idea.

"Don't worry. Master is a kind person and his skills are really good." Shufen told her.

Mei Li felt a little happy. Shufen often teases her. It was a rare thing for him to talk to her seriously. She was surprised to know that he had been thinking about her health.

This guy can be intolerable sometimes, but he was still good to her in the end.

"Okay, let's go. As your wife, I should also pay respects to your master."

She has been in Shenghuo village for many weeks now and hasn't really seen the village doctor. Now that she thought about it, she seemed to have neglected this respected elder. She couldn't keep putting off paying respects to Shufen's master anymore.

"Hmm, you still know you're my wife. How about doing some of your wifely duties tonight?" So saying, Shufen wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her close to his body.

Her face was inadvertently plastered to his warm chest.

All of a sudden, the pleasant scent of the man mixed with a refreshing whiff of herbs filled Mei Li's nostrils. She could also feel his warm breath at the top of her head.

Damn it, she was just praising this guy a while ago and now he has gone rogue again!

She pinched his waist in protest but her strength was really nothing to Shufen, so Mei Li just heard him chuckle and she was hugged tighter.

"Okay, go to sleep. Many things still need to be done tomorrow." Shufen murmured.

Mei Li tried to push him away but where would Shufen let her go? He finally caught a warm and soft hug. It feels pretty good. Hugging the wife like this feels inexplicably satisfying!