Drama Couple in the 80s

Chapter 44

When He Cheng returned that afternoon, he brought not only plastic mulch and seeds but also several pages of agricultural technical information and two agriculture books purchased from Yongcha City.

After receiving explanations from the agricultural technicians, He Cheng learned that planting watermelons with plastic mulch was impractical. Instead, for growing melons like watermelon or honeydew, small hoop houses should be used.

Both plastic mulching and small hoop houses were cutting edge agricultural techniques at the time. Food production remained paramount, and as for using small hoop houses to grow fruits and vegetables, even their county had yet to conduct any practical experiments, which the technicians themselves could only theorize based on written knowledge.

He Cheng brought the materials home, and the two novices, who had only seen small hoop tunnels during rural tourism trips, began studying scientific farming techniques.

When Jiang Fengchan heard about this endeavor, he chuckled to Jiang Ya, "Second Sister, you're really going through with it? No offense meant, but between you and Brother in law, you both struggle even with your own fields. If father and I didn't regularly come over to weed for you, the grass in your plot would grow taller than the crops."

Jiang Ya replied, "I just want to give it a try and see if we can grow some melons to eat. It's fine if you don't help, I never expected much from you anyway. What use is there in having such a rotten little brother?"

Her words struck true. With Jiang Fengshou away at school, Old Man Jiang disdained getting involved in their "fancies," and without Jiang Fengchan's assistance, He Cheng alone wouldn't suffice. Moreover, He Cheng frequently needed to go out, leaving pregnant Jiang Ya unable to handle the work by herself.

Jiang Fengchan hastily agreed, not daring to protest further.

Thus, He Cheng set off with Jiang Fengchan, first creating a heated bed in the small dark room near the kitchen to start seedlings.

In those days, many materials were unavailable so they lacked ready made seedling pots. So, He Cheng obtained some newspapers from the brigade office, and together, the duo sat down to roll paper tubes.

Old Man Jiang glanced over and saw his son in law sitting with their son, folding newspaper pots together. He sighed deeply, thinking how impractical it was to go such lengths just for growing melons.

Returning home, Old Man Jiang remarked to Song Shixia, "This daughter of yours is truly too indulgent."

Song Shixia immediately responded, "She's pregnant, what can you do? She might have just mentioned it casually, but that dimwitted Dacheng took her seriously."

With He Cheng leading the way, they sowed the seeds, watched them germinate, sprout leaves, and become more intriguing day by day.

Later, when a new shipment arrived at the store, He Cheng had to travel to Yongcha City for a few days. Upon returning, he found Jiang Ya directing Jiang Fengchan and Shi Qiaoling to set up small arch-shaped greenhouses in their field using bamboo frames about thirty centimeters wide, covered with plastic film. Once back, the group transplanted the seedlings from the paper pots into these mini-greenhouses.

In early spring, the vast fields were largely empty, making their family's patch with its row of small arches particularly noticeable under the sunlight, shimmering brightly through the plastic film.

Villagers, curious, flocked over to see the spectacle upon hearing that it was all because Jiang Ya craved watermelons, prompting He Dacheng to grow them. The villagers genuinely didn't know what to say—what an embarrassment this was!