My 1995 Small Farm.

Chen Ling bit the pen.

I snapped out of my reverie from my notebook notes.

Looking at this field of hydroponic vegetables, all I can think of is insects eating insects.

"This thing could probably be turned into a research paper."

"Unfortunately, I only have the data, but I don't know how to write it."

"I'm afraid Professor LaHan and the others will have to help me organize this..."

He closed the notebook and left the cave.

We arrived at the vegetable greenhouse.

They squatted down, turned over stones, dug up grass roots, and started catching insects.

The first thing to look for is ladybugs.

This thing is an expert at eating aphids. A single ladybug can eat fifty or sixty aphids a day, and it's not picky about food; it will eat aphids on any kind of vegetable.

Chen Ling found quite a few wild goji berries on several plants in a corner of the greenhouse.

The undersides of the goji berry leaves were covered with aphids, which were dark green and disgusting to look at.

A dozen or so ladybugs were feasting inside; some were mating, and some had already laid their eggs.

"Perfect, let's wipe them all out."

He pulled out a glass jar he had prepared beforehand from his pocket; this was an essential item for insect collectors.

Moreover, if you want to conduct experiments, you need a transparent container to clearly observe the situation.

Chen Ling asked Han Chuang for a lot of glass jars at once, just for this purpose.

He carefully used a bamboo skewer to push the ladybugs, along with the wolfberry leaves infested with aphids, inside.

I found a few more leaves with ladybug eggs and placed them there as well.

Cover with gauze and tie it tightly with a rubber band to allow air to pass through and prevent insects from escaping.

Next up are lacewings.

This thing is even more ruthless; its larvae are called aphid lions, which specifically eat aphids, spider mites, and scale insects.

It has two straws in its mouth that it pierces into the insect's body and sucks it dry, making it even more ferocious than a vampire.

Adult lacewings are green, with wings as thin as gauze, and they look quite pretty.

Chen Ling found several of them by the ditch, lying on a sapling laying eggs.

The eggs are connected by threads, each thread tipped with a white dot, like a small balloon.

"Goodness, it's already laid eggs, so I don't have to raise them."

He cut off the grass leaves with eggs on them and carefully placed them into another jar.

Finally, the ants.

This is something you can't find in greenhouses.

To be honest, there aren't many insects in the greenhouse.

Some of these were geese that used to eat and live here, and they used to defecate here a lot.

Goose droppings contain grains and undigested grass, which can attract insects.

These insects don't eat goose droppings; they're used for laying eggs.

Ants don't lay their eggs in this place.

Besides, ordinary ants aren't strong enough.

What we need are those large, blackish-red ants from the cave, which are highly aggressive and eat everything.

Chen Ling had previously observed that they not only ate carrion but also live insects, especially soft-bodied pests such as caterpillars and cabbage worms.

"Give it a try, it would be even better if it ate aphids."

He lured dozens of worker ants from the weaver ant nest, put them into a third jar, and placed some damp cotton at the bottom of the jar to keep them moist.

After catching the insects, Chen Ling returned to the vegetable greenhouse and began conducting experiments.

The lettuce on the floating beds by the irrigation ditch has already grown quite large.

The leaves were lush and green, but when I turned them over, I saw aphids on the underside.

"Perfect as a testing ground."

Chen Ling first placed the ladybug on it.

He held the jar up to the lettuce leaves and gently patted the inside of the jar.

Ladybugs slowly crawled out, some even climbing onto the back of the leaves. As soon as they saw an aphid, they immediately began to eat it, one bite at a time, at an astonishing speed.

One female ladybug was even more amazing; she started laying eggs directly on the leaves, raising her abdomen so that a row of eggs was neatly arranged next to the pile of aphids.

"Okay, so this is a long-term plan."

Chen Ling smiled and opened the second jar of lacewings.

Adult lacewings flew out, circled the greenhouse twice, and landed on the cabbage seedlings.

They don't rush to eat; they lay eggs first, with silken threads hanging down and the eggs clinging to the leaves.

After hatching, the aphid lions can eat even more than the adults.

When the third can of ants was poured on, things got a bit chaotic.

Ants poured out of the can opening, a dark mass, and scattered across the floating bed.

They are not picky eaters; they eat aphids when they see them, chase ladybugs when they see them, and even lacewing eggs are not spared—they pick them up and run away.

"Holy crap, no way!"

Chen Ling quickly used tweezers to pick out a few ants that were chasing the ladybug and threw them back into the jar.

"You only eat the pests, don't eat my beneficial insects!"

The ant ignored the warning and kept chasing.

Having no other choice, Chen Ling moved the ant jar to the other end, placing it separately on a pot of bok choy infested with cabbage worms.

This time the ants got really into it.

The cabbage caterpillars are about the thickness of a little finger, and they are green and crawl on the leaves, gnawing holes in them.

The ants swarmed forward, three or five of them crawling onto the insect's body, biting its skin with their mandibles and tearing it apart with all their might.

The cabbage worm writhed in pain, trying to roll off, but the ants held on tightly, and it couldn't shake them off even after rolling twice.

Several more ants crawled over, specifically targeting the crevices on the insect's abdomen, its vulnerable spot.

Within minutes, the cabbage worm stopped moving.

The ants began to break it down, biting off small pieces of meat and carrying them back to their nest.

"Yes, ants have a knack for dealing with big insects."

Chen Ling wrote it down in his notebook:
"Ladybugs are effective against aphids, do not harm vegetables, and can be used long-term."

"Lacelaceae lay eggs as adults and eat insects as larvae. This process is very persistent and suitable for prevention."

"Ants are highly efficient at dealing with large insects such as cabbage caterpillars, but they are aggressive and their numbers need to be controlled. They should not be used in combination with ladybugs."

After taking notes, he used a plastic sheet to create a simple barrier between the lettuce and cabbage sections to prevent ants from crossing the boundary.

After finishing all that, Chen Ling squatted down by the ditch and washed his hands. Looking at the busy little insects on the floating bed, he felt quite satisfied.

Biological control is neither particularly difficult nor particularly easy.

The key is to identify which insect is causing which pest, and to balance the number of beneficial and harmful insects, so as not to kill off the beneficial insects as well.

"Try it slowly, no rush."

He stood up, patted the dirt off his knees, and left the greenhouse.

……

Back at the farm, Wang Cunye and Li Lianjie had already returned.

The two sat drinking tea at the stone table. Afu and Ashou were dozing off beside them, while Heiwa and Xiaojin were squatting in the corner, each holding a wild rabbit in their mouths and gnawing on it.

They both love to eat venison and rabbit meat.

"You're back? How was it?" Chen Ling walked over.

"Good! Great!"

Li Lianjie, beaming with excitement, picked up his teacup and took a sip: "Boss Chen, your father-in-law is amazing! We just took a trip into the mountains, and he could point to the grass on the ground and tell us its medicinal properties and effects, like a living pharmacopoeia!"

Wang Cunye waved his hand modestly and said, "It's nothing. I've been in the mountains a lot and seen a lot, so I remember it."

“That’s different!” Li Lianjie said seriously, “I’ve seen a lot of Chinese medicine doctors in Hong Kong, but what they say is all from books. What your father-in-law says is real, from the mountains and the fields, and it makes sense.”

"What medicinal herbs did you look at?" Chen Ling sat down and poured himself a cup of tea.

"Too many!"

Li Lianjie counted on his fingers: "Polygonatum, Epimedium, Codonopsis, Astragalus, Schisandra... Your father-in-law said now is the best time to dig up Polygonatum. The medicinal effect of Polygonatum is best in winter. We dug up several plants, and we'll soak them in wine to drink later!"

Chen Ling looked at Wang Cunye: "Dad, did you take him to dig for Solomon's Seal?"

"I dug up a few, but not many."

Wang Cunye laughed and said, "Boss Li is really interested in this stuff. He's squatting on the ground asking all sorts of questions. He's more diligent than a college student."

"I genuinely find traditional Chinese medicine interesting."

Li Lianjie put down his teacup, his eyes shining: "I've seen Chinese medicine doctors in Hong Kong before, but I always felt they were mysterious. After listening to your father-in-law's explanation today, all those mysterious things suddenly made sense. It turns out they all have a basis in reality."

Chen Ling smiled, thinking to himself that this person was indeed interested in things like metaphysics.

I had heard in my past life that this kung fu emperor liked things like dzi beads, Tibetan medicine, and Buddhism. Now that he has come into contact with authentic traditional Chinese medicine, it would be strange if he wasn't interested.

"If Mr. Li is interested, he can go and have a chat with Sister Xiufen."

Chen Ling casually mentioned, "She's over sixty years old this year, and she's well-known in our village area for treating difficult and complicated diseases. There are some diseases that hospitals can't cure, but she can."

"Really?"

Li Lianjie's eyes lit up: "Then I must go and pay them a visit!"

"Her house isn't far from here, in the village's main brigade, which is the first house east of the village committee," Wang Cunye pointed in a direction.

I'll go first thing tomorrow morning!

Li Lianjie, impatient, suddenly remembered something and asked, "Boss Chen, did you learn your method of treating diseases with sterile maggots from Sister-in-law Xiufen?"

Chen Ling shook his head: "That's something I figured out myself, it's a bit different. Sister-in-law Xiufen's method, how should I put it, is a bit mystical, but you know what, sometimes it really works."

"Mysterious?"

Li Lianjie became even more interested: "How exactly does it work?"

You'll see when you get there.

Chen Ling kept everyone in suspense.

……

The next morning, Li Lianjie went out after breakfast.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming, having heard the news from somewhere, eagerly followed behind.

"Uncle Li, are you going to see Aunt Xiufen?" Rui Rui asked, tilting her head up.

"Yes, you know her?"

"I know her! Aunt Xiufen is amazing; she can tell stories and even heal the sick!"

Xiao Ming chimed in, "Last time, when Sister Xizi had a stomachache, her uncle took her to see Aunt Xiufen. Aunt Xiufen gave Sister Xizi a bowl of water and recited a few words, and her stomachache stopped!"

Li Lianjie was surprised: "You only read a few lines?"

"Hmm! I didn't understand what they were chanting, but the pain stopped after they finished chanting."

Rui Rui chimed in, "Last year, the snotty-nosed kid's grandpa kept having dreams that the dead were looking for him. Aunt Xiufen got him a demon-revealing mirror, and then he was cured! Grandpa told me this when he was herding sheep..."

Li Lianjie became more and more interested as he listened, and his pace quickened.

Xiufen's house is easy to find; it's the first house on the east side of the brigade, with two jujube trees planted in front of it.

In the courtyard, right next to the main hall on the north side, there is a rather large shrine.

There was an incense burner in the shrine, with several half-burnt incense sticks stuck in it.

The courtyard, inside and out, was kept spotless.

A red cloth hangs above the main door, with a couplet pasted on both sides: "Buddha's light shines on thousands of families, bringing them happiness," and "Divine grace spreads to every household, bringing them spring." The horizontal inscription reads "All requests will be answered."

"Is anyone home?" Li Lianjie called out from the gate of the courtyard.

"Who?"

An old woman's voice came from inside the house, and then the curtain was lifted, and Sister-in-law Xiufen came out.

He was in his sixties, with gray hair, but he was in good spirits, with bright eyes, wearing a dark blue cotton-padded jacket, and his back was ramrod straight.

"Oh, it's you, young man. We met at the reservoir before the flood. You've come looking for Fugui again?"

Sister-in-law Xiufen looked Li Lianjie up and down and said with a smile, "Come in and sit down."

"Hello, ma'am." Li Lianjie quickly stepped forward and greeted her politely.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming had already entered the yard with practiced ease, squatted under the jujube tree, and looked at Sister Xiu Fen with bright eyes, waiting to hear a story.

"Rui Rui is here too? And Xiao Ming too?"

Sister-in-law Xiufen smiled and patted the two children's heads: "You two are quite clever, knowing that there are fun things to do here."

"Aunt Xiufen, please tell Uncle Li about those amazing things!"

Rui Rui urged him impatiently.

Sister-in-law Xiufen ushered Li Lianjie into the main room, poured him a cup of tea, and then sat down herself.

The main room houses a Buddha statue, incense burns continuously, and the air is filled with the scent of sandalwood.

Several banners hung on the wall, bearing inscriptions such as "Miraculous Healing Hands" and "Divine Physician Reborn."

These were gifts from tourists from other places in the past two years.

The local people don't talk about this.

"Sister-in-law, I heard from Mr. Chen that you can treat difficult and complicated diseases here. I came here this time to see for myself and also to ask you to take a look at my case."

Li Lianjie said very politely.

Sister-in-law Xiufen waved her hand: "I'm just an old woman from the countryside. What do I know about medicine? I'm far inferior to Su Su from the wealthy family. I just worship gods and Buddhas to put my mind at ease. But since you're here, let me take your pulse first."

As she spoke, she placed two fingers on Li Lianjie's wrist, closed her eyes, and felt it for a while.

Rui Rui and Xiao Ming squatted down beside them, barely daring to breathe, their eyes wide open.

About two minutes later, Sister-in-law Xiufen opened her eyes and said, "You look strong, but you're actually weak inside. You must have suffered some injuries in your younger years. You don't feel it now, but you'll suffer when you get old."

Li Lianjie was taken aback, then nodded: "You're right, I have indeed suffered quite a few injuries over the years of filming."

"besides."

Sister-in-law Xiufen looked at him and said, "You're a thoughtful person, you overthink things, and you don't sleep well at night, do you?"

"Yes!"

Li Lianjie was truly convinced: "Sister-in-law, you're absolutely right! I do have trouble sleeping and often suffer from insomnia."

"now it's right."

Sister-in-law Xiufen let go of her hand: "People like you are prone to attracting evil spirits and petty people. Remember not to do anything that harms your karma."

Li Lianjie was stunned.

The old lady's explanation seemed a bit far-fetched, but he was indeed prone to getting into trouble.

Very strange.

Among celebrities of similar status.

No one else has it, only he does.

"No need for medicine, just cultivate your mind and body. If you have money, learn from the rich and noble, don't think about eating, drinking and having fun, or do more good deeds when you have free time, and you will get better slowly."

“Look at Fugui, he has a mountain god protecting his house and he even leads the whole county in building roads. If he doesn’t get rich, who will?”

"Does the old lady mean for me to live in seclusion?" Li Lianjie asked curiously.

"That's what you intellectuals say. If you ask us, it's about staying away from all that trouble and avoiding some peace and quiet. You seem to have some connections with officials."

Li Lianjie was startled by what his sister-in-law Xiufen said.

Wow, this old lady in the village is something else.

Can I become a Buddhist?

"Sure, but it's useless if you can't even get started."

Sister-in-law Xiufen laughed and said, "What kind of person do you think Fugui is in the eyes of people around here?"

Li Lianjie was stunned again, then remembered what Chen Ling had done, and suddenly realized: "Damn, Fugui is a living Bodhisattva."

"So that's how it is, I understand now, I finally understand..." (End of Chapter)