He Yuyang: The tough eldest brother of the courtyard house

The night was as deep as spilled ink, and the courtyard was completely silent. Only the crickets in the corner continued their tireless chirping, one chirp after another, making the night seem even more intense.

He Yuyang lay in bed, listening to He Yuzhu's even breathing beside him, and the slight noises coming from his parents' side. His eyes were closed, his eyelashes casting faint shadows in the dim light. He seemed to be asleep, but his consciousness was already poised to take flight.

After waiting for about an hour and confirming that his whole family was asleep, he slowly adjusted his breathing, concentrated his mind, and let his consciousness sink silently into his secret space, like a current probing the deep sea.

"Buzz—"

As if passing through a thin film of water, the darkness before my eyes was instantly dispelled.

The scene of the Spirit Spring space unfolded before my eyes once more—vast black earth stretched beyond the hazy boundaries of the space, so fertile it seemed as if oil could be squeezed out of it. The air was filled with the moist scent of earth, mixed with the fragrance of grass and trees, more refreshing than any incense. The central spring still gurgled with white steam, its clear water reflecting the chaos above, shimmering with a warm luster, and the faint light of the pebbles flowing at the bottom of the spring could be seen.

He Yuyang's "consciousness body" hovered in the air, like an invisible wind gently sweeping across the land. Nourished by these heavenly springs, the already fertile land became even darker and shinier. Touching it with one's consciousness, one could feel a full vitality, as if as long as a seed was sown, it would immediately sprout from the soil.

"It's time to begin."

He silently recited the mantra, and his consciousness floated to the edge of the spring. Looking at the pool of spiritual spring water shimmering with white steam, he could clearly feel the pure energy contained within, warm and full of life, a hundred times more concentrated than the internal energy flow in his dantian.

He tried to guide the spring water with his mind, and saw the water at the springhead ripple slightly, then turn into a thin line of water, as if it had come to life, and slowly flowed towards the distant land following his consciousness.

The water flow landed on the black soil and was instantly absorbed, leaving no standing water. The irrigated land seemed to come alive, its surface gleaming with a faint sheen, and even the earthy scent in the air seemed fresher. He Yuyang controlled the water flow, evenly sweeping across every inch of the land to ensure that every patch of land received the nourishment of the spiritual spring water.

This task, though seemingly simple, was actually extremely mentally taxing. His consciousness acted like a precise instrument, controlling the speed and volume of the water flow—not too much, which would cause the soil to compact, nor too little, which would prevent it from soaking through. Half an hour later, when the last patch of land was thoroughly irrigated, He Yuyang's consciousness was already somewhat blurred, like the dizziness after staring at a bright light for a long time.

He quickly "floated" to the edge of the spring, immersing his consciousness in the energy of the spiritual spring. A warm current immediately enveloped him, and his mental energy, which had been depleted, was rapidly restored, like parched earth nourished by spring rain, becoming even more abundant than before.

"The spiritual spring can nourish not only the land, but also consciousness?" He Yuyang's heart stirred; this was undoubtedly an unexpected delight.

After a short rest, he turned his consciousness toward the small villa with white walls and red tiles. He hadn't looked closely before in his haste, but now that he was closer, he noticed a slightly worn wooden box at the entrance of the villa, containing a few scattered farming tools—a small hoe, a wooden plow, and a bamboo winnowing basket. They were simple in style but very sturdy, as if they had been prepared for farming long ago.

"This saves me the trouble of making my own tools." He Yuyang chuckled and used his mind to pick up the small hoe and tried to draw a line on the ground.

As the hoe fell, the black soil was easily turned over like slices of butter, revealing a fine, smooth surface without any clumps or even a single pebble. He Yuyang was secretly delighted; this land was simply made for farming.

But he didn't immediately begin large-scale cultivation. The most important thing right now was to verify one thing—whether the things grown in this space were edible and whether they could grow and mature normally like they would outside.

He pulled his consciousness back to his physical body and carefully reached under his pillow. There lay the "treasure" he had specifically sought out during the day—half a shriveled grain of wheat. (And the germ.)

He found the wheat seed in a corner of the kitchen, mixed in with a pile of inconspicuous dust. It must have fallen off accidentally when the family was grinding flour last time. It was small and shriveled, with some mold spots on its surface. It probably wouldn't have been able to germinate long ago if it were outside, but He Yuyang still carefully put it away.

Only by using the worst seeds to experiment can we most realistically test the capabilities of space.

He immersed his consciousness into the space once more, and the half-grain of wheat was brought in with him, hovering above the black soil. He Yuyang controlled the small hoe, cultivating a small patch of land about the size of a palm near the spring, carefully raking the soil flat, then gently burying the half-grain of wheat in it, and covering it lightly with fine soil.

做完这一切，他「飘」到别墅墙上的电子钟旁。屏幕上清晰地显示着「空间时间流速：1:5000」，下方还有一行小字：「可调节範围1:1至1:10000，当前锁定1:5000」。

A ratio of 1:5000 means that one day in the outside world is equivalent to five thousand days in space, which translates to approximately fourteen years.

"Keep this flow rate." He Yuyang didn't adjust it. He needed to see the results as quickly as possible, even if it was just half a seed, it carried his hopes for the future.

Finally, he used his mind to guide a small stream of spiritual spring water and gently poured it onto the planting site, just enough to moisten that small patch of soil.

Having done all this, his consciousness was somewhat exhausted. He took one last look at the land where the wheat seeds were buried, as if looking at a sleeping hope, before reluctantly exiting the space.

Back in the darkness of reality, He Yuyang let out a long sigh, a fine layer of cold sweat beading on his forehead. Maintaining such intense concentration for so long, controlling his consciousness, was still somewhat of a burden on his eight-year-old body. He turned to the side, looking at the faint moonlight filtering through the window, his heart filled with both anticipation and trepidation.

Can that half a grain of wheat germinate?

Over the next few days, He Yuyang suppressed the urge to immediately enter the space to check it out. He ate, helped his mother with chores, and played with his younger brother as usual, but he slept more soundly at night—he needed to be well-rested to deal with any situation that might arise in the space.

During the day, he would secretly observe the dust in the corner of the kitchen when his family wasn't looking, making sure no new wheat seeds had fallen and that no one had noticed him taking that inconspicuous half-seed. The courtyard house remained that little world full of calculation and friction. Jia Zhangshi would occasionally make veiled insults in the courtyard, Yan Bugui's abacus would still ring out on time, and Yi Zhonghai would continue to play the role of the "good guy." Everything was the same as usual.

But He Yuyang knew that something had changed. That dark land hidden deep within his consciousness was quietly nurturing the power to change everything.

Finally, the fifth night arrived.

Five days have passed outside, but at a flow rate of 1:5000, nearly seventy years have passed inside the space.

This amount of time is enough for a single seed to complete countless cycles of reincarnation.

He Yuyang's heart pounded, even more nervous than when he first activated the system. He took a deep breath and once again immersed his consciousness into the space.

This time, instead of going to the field where the seeds were sown, he first "floated" to the spring to replenish his energy. After making thorough preparations, he slowly "descended" above the small experimental field with a trembling anticipation.

The next second, his consciousness seemed to be frozen in place, completely immobilized.

Where is that tiny piece of land anymore?

Where the seeds were originally sown, now stood a single stalk... no, a small patch of wheat!

To be precise, the wheat plant that grew from that half-grain of wheat has, after more than seventy years of natural propagation, grown into a small, lush wheat field. The golden ears of wheat bow their heads heavily, the plump grains bending the stalks. A gentle breeze (an airflow that seemed to come from nowhere) blows by, and the ears of wheat sway gently, making a "rustling" sound, as if telling of the joy of growth.

What shocked him even more was how robust the wheat was. The stalks were thick and upright, without a single sign of lodging. The ears of wheat were nearly twice the size of those outside, and the grains were so plump they seemed about to burst through their husks. The golden shells gleamed with a healthy sheen in the dim light of the room, radiating vitality.

This is nothing like what could have grown from a half-dried, moldy wheat seed! It's clearly a superior variety that has undergone preferential growth and natural selection!

He Yuyang's consciousness trembled slightly with excitement. He "stretched out" his mind and gently touched a stalk of wheat, the plump grains immediately conveying a firm touch. He carefully plucked a stalk of wheat, rubbed it with his mind, and the golden grains immediately fell off and landed in the "palm" of his consciousness.

The wheat grains are round and plump, with a golden color. When you bring them close, you can smell a fresh wheat aroma that is pure and rich, without any off-flavors.

Become!

Space planting is really feasible!

An immense joy surged through his consciousness like a spring of spiritual water, almost making him want to shout out loud. He quickly steadied himself, suppressing the joy within him—now was not the time to be happy; there were more important things to do.

He used his mind to pluck enough wheat grains, about a small handful, and then "floated" towards the villa. The villa was simply furnished; the living room contained a wooden table and a few chairs, and in the corner there was an old-fashioned stone mill. Although it looked somewhat worn, the millstone was smooth and clearly still usable.

He Yuyang's consciousness "moved" the wheat grains and put them into the millstone's funnel, then pushed the millstone. The millstone creaked and turned, crushing the golden wheat grains into fine white powder, which leaked through the gaps between the millstones and fell into the wooden basin below.

He ground the wheat very carefully until all the grains were turned into flour. Looking at the small pile of snow-white flour in the wooden basin, so fine and without any impurities, and smelling the pure aroma of wheat, He Yuyang's consciousness finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The flour is normal, no different from flour ground in the market, and even looks purer because it has no impurities.

He picked up a bit of flour with his mind and tried to "feel" its components. A gentle energy came through his mind, similar to the energy of the spiritual spring water he had secretly added to his mother's body, but weaker and more peaceful, as if it had been absorbed and transformed by the food itself.

"It seems that crops irrigated with spiritual spring water also contain a small amount of spiritual spring energy. If you eat them for a long time, they should be able to gradually improve your physique, but it won't be as obvious as drinking spiritual spring water directly, and it won't be easily noticed," He Yuyang analyzed to himself.

This is the best possible outcome. It allows us to take advantage of the space to improve our family's health and meals without worrying about the energy being too potent and attracting suspicion.

He carefully stored the ground flour in the villa's kitchen—there were several empty earthenware jars there, perfect for storage. Having done all this, he looked again at the wheat field. After more than seventy years of growth, the wheat stalks had begun to wither, completing their life cycle, but new seeds had clearly been left in the soil. With just a little more spiritual spring water, new wheat seedlings would soon sprout.

"A cycle that repeats endlessly, a never-ending cycle of life," He Yuyang thought to himself. This space was simply an inexhaustible granary!

Instead of immediately planting new crops, he controlled his consciousness to carefully survey the space.

How big is this land? He flew outwards with all his might using his consciousness, and after about half an hour, he still couldn't see the boundary. He could only see the black earth stretching into the gray mist. He estimated that it was at least tens of thousands of acres, enough to feed a small village.

Besides the black soil, there are rolling hills in the distance, covered with a thin layer of vegetation that looks like wild grass and trees. Perhaps fruit trees can be planted and livestock raised there in the future?

He Yuyang's mind started racing. But he quickly forced himself to calm down.

One must eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time. The most important thing now is not to covet vast spaces, but to solve the most pressing problem—food.

In chaotic times, gold and silver are meaningless; only food is true currency. Having food in hand brings peace of mind—this is an age-old truth. Moreover, growing food and vegetables is the least likely to arouse suspicion. The food grown in his spatial dimension can be ground into flour and claimed to have been purchased; the vegetables can be said to have been grown in a small garden in the suburbs. As long as it's handled properly, no one will suspect he possesses a miraculous spatial dimension.

As for crops that require complex processing or high-value cash crops, now is not the time. Exposing abnormalities too early will only lead to catastrophic consequences.

He formulated a preliminary planting plan in his mind:

The first step is to cultivate a few acres of land and plant high-yield, storable grain crops such as wheat, corn, and sweet potatoes. With enough spiritual spring water and an adjustable flow rate, the first batch of grain can be harvested in no time. The family's stored grain will be completely replaced with products from the space to ensure their basic needs are met.

The second step is to expand vegetable cultivation. The bok choy we planted earlier has already been harvested twice, and it tastes much better than what we find elsewhere. The vegetables, irrigated with the spiritual spring water, are tender, juicy, and have a subtle sweetness—perfect for improving our meals. Next, we'll plant some radishes, potatoes, eggplants, and green beans to ensure we have fresh vegetables all year round.

The third step is to try planting some medicinal herbs. Although Mother's health has improved under the care of the spiritual spring water, her constitution is still weak, and she will likely suffer again when giving birth to He Yushui. The environment in this space is suitable for the growth of medicinal herbs, so planting some blood-nourishing and qi-tonifying herbs can not only help Mother's health but also be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

With the plan set, He Yuyang felt as if his heart was filled with something, a sense of peace and warmth. He returned to the spring, filled a "bucket" with spiritual spring water with his mind, and then "floated" to a wide-open area to begin large-scale irrigation.

This time, he was no longer as cautious as before, but let the spring water fall evenly like sweet rain, nourishing every inch of the land. The black soil greedily absorbed the spring water, making a soft "sizzling" sound, as if it were cheering and jumping for joy.

After watering the land, he used a small hoe to cultivate several acres of land, dividing it into different areas for planting wheat, corn, and sweet potatoes. He had prepared the seeds well in advance—whole corn kernels picked from corn grits he found at home, and a small piece of sprouted sweet potato stored in the sweet potato cellar.

He planted the seeds according to their categories, covered them with fine soil, and watered them with spiritual spring water. Then he adjusted the time flow rate of these areas to 1:10000 separately—for grains that needed to be harvested quickly, he didn't mind making time run faster.

By the time he finished, it was almost dawn. He Yuyang's consciousness was exhausted and on the verge of collapse, but his heart was filled with unprecedented hope.

Exiting the space, he slowly opened his eyes. The sky outside the window was already turning a pale white, and the first rays of dawn were struggling to pierce through the clouds.

He gently sat up, looked at his sleeping younger brother, and then at the direction of his parents' kang (heated brick bed), and couldn't help but smile slightly.

With this space and a steady supply of food and vegetables, he was able to provide a safe haven for his family in this chaotic world.

He will not let the tragedy in the original work repeat itself, he will not let his mother have a difficult childbirth, he will not let his father leave, and he will not let his younger brother become a "foolish Zhu" who can be bullied by everyone.

He will protect this family in his own way.

The sound of a door opening came from the courtyard; Yan Bugui was probably up early, plotting something. He Yuyang took a deep breath, threw off the covers, and got out of bed.

A new day has begun, and his work has only just begun. Whether it's the land in the space or the life in this courtyard, he will cultivate it with his heart, so that the seeds of hope will bear the fullest fruit.