I'm a Druid at a farmhouse.

Chapter 50 Nourishment

Song You carried the large bag of bayberries back to the yard, and looking in the direction of the bayberry tree that had been stripped bare, he felt a strong urge to return.

Transplanting.

Once the thought popped into his head, it grew wildly in his mind like a vine.

But he quickly calmed down and realized that transplanting a mature tree is not as simple as digging a hole and burying it.

How big should the root ball be, how to protect the root system, how to keep it moist during transportation, and how to follow up with subsequent care are all important considerations.

He doesn't have the time or energy for that right now.

"Eat one bite at a time, walk one step at a time." Song You hid the heavy bag of bayberries in the cellar, where it was cool and shady and could keep them for a few more days.

He clapped his hands and decided to get down to business first.

In the morning, there weren't many guests at the farmhouse; only two tables were occupied by people fishing.

Song You took a break, slung his camera tripod over his shoulder, and headed back to the orchard on the back hill.

This time, he had Jiang Milu's professional notes, as well as a newly acquired skill: pathological examination.

Standing in front of a sickly plum tree, Song You turned on the recording.

He didn't rush to do anything, but instead walked around the tree twice, his fingers gently gliding over the rough bark.

"Look, everyone, the leaves of this tree have irregular brown spots, which will eventually perforate. These are typical symptoms of brown spot disease." His voice, coming through the microphone, sounded calm and professional.

"And here," he pointed to a spot on the tree trunk where an amber-colored, gum-like substance was oozing out, "this is gummosis, where the tree's wound is bleeding. If it's not treated promptly, it will seriously affect the tree's growth and fruit production."

His diagnosis was so accurate that it didn't sound like that of a self-taught agritainment business owner, but rather like that of an experienced fruit farmer.

Next, he began to take action.

He scraped away the diseased spots and pruned the diseased branches, each movement clean and efficient, without the slightest waste. He could even clearly determine which section of the branch had been eroded by pathogens and needed to be cut off at the root.

[Jungle Druid Beginner Progress +2%]

[Jungle Druid Beginner Progress +1%]

As he prescribed the right remedies for each diseased tree, prompts kept popping up in the Druid's log.

After more than an hour of busy work, he not only recorded enough video footage, but the progress bar for "Jungle Druid" also stubbornly climbed to 18%.

After finishing work and heading down the mountain, Song You leaned back in a recliner in the yard and sent a WeChat message to Jiang Milu.

He took a picture of the fruit trees he had pruned that day; in the photo, the pruned trees looked much cleaner and tidier.

Song You: "Expert, look at my skills, am I ready to graduate?"

A few minutes later, Jiang Milu finally replied.

Mi Lu: "Your movements are quite standard; you're quick to learn."

Following behind was a cool-looking person wearing sunglasses.

Song You smiled and was about to reply when the other party sent another message.

Milu: "I got to school, I'm exhausted. That village bus drives like a tractor."

Song You: "Thank you for your hard work. I'll take you there in my tricycle next time."

Mi Lu: "Hehe."

……

Shonan University, girls' dormitory.

Jiang Milu threw her backpack onto the chair, collapsed onto the bed, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"My dear lady, you're finally back." Jiang Yuexian, who was applying a face mask on the bed opposite, turned her head. Her voice came from under the mask, somewhat muffled, "How was it? Your childhood sweetheart's farm stay didn't disappoint you, did it?"

"It's alright, just a little tired." Jiang Milu turned over and buried her face in the pillow.

Jiang Yuexian sat up in bed, peeled off her face mask, and moved closer to Jiang Milu's bedside to carefully examine her face.

"Is it that tiring? Hehe." Jiang Yuexian pinched her chin, her eyes holding a strange look.

"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Milu lifted her head from under the pillow, looking completely bewildered.

"Your face is so much rosier than when you left yesterday!" Jiang Yuexian reached out and poked Jiang Milu's cheek. "It's so soft and supple. You must have been well-moisturized last night!"

Jiang Milu completely failed to understand the deeper meaning behind her words.

She sat up, touched her face, and said matter-of-factly, "Of course! The food there is especially delicious, and the air is so fresh. I also ate so many bayberries—they were big and sweet! Let me tell you, they were absolutely amazing!"

As she spoke, she savored the sweet and sour taste.

Jiang Yuexian looked at her innocent and naive face, rubbed his forehead, and gave her a look that said, "She's hopeless."

"My silly Milu, that's not the kind of nourishment I'm talking about."

"What is that?" Jiang Milu blinked, her curiosity piqued.

Jiang Yuexian cleared her throat, then mysteriously leaned close to her ear and quickly explained a few words in a voice only the two of them could hear.

At first, Jiang Milu was completely confused, but when she heard a few keywords, the color on her face suddenly surged from the base of her neck to the tips of her ears.

He looked like a boiled shrimp.

"Jiang Yuexian!" she screamed, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at Jiang Yuexian. "What nonsense are you spouting!"

"Oh dear, are you getting angry?" Jiang Yuexian laughed and dodged away. "I'm not making this up. Go look in the mirror yourself. Your complexion doesn't lie."

"I...I ate well and slept well!" Jiang Milu was filled with shame and indignation, and she and Jiang Yuexian wrestled and played on the bed. "How do you know all this?!"

"Ahem," Jiang Yuexian quickly changed the subject, pleading repeatedly, "I saw it online, I saw it online! That's what relationship bloggers say!"

Jiang Milu stopped, glaring at her angrily, her pretty face so red it looked like it was about to bleed.

......

Song You made clear arrangements for the next two days.

At night, after the guests left, the entire courtyard became his slaughterhouse.

Dealing with that nearly 600-pound male wild boar was a huge undertaking.

Bleeding, skinning, and cutting.

Fortunately, the strength brought by [Body Strengthening] was strong enough that he could easily flip over the hundreds of pounds of pig carcass by himself. With the ability of [Divine Arts], the boning knife in his hands was precise and efficient, and pieces of wild boar meat with distinct textures were quickly cut off.

Tenderloin, hind leg, pork belly, spare ribs...

Some were vacuum-sealed and then frozen in a large freezer.

He deliberately preserved the most valuable few intact hind legs, waiting until a few key clients arrived before asking how to handle them.

By the time he had completely dismantled the huge creature, it was already late at night two days later.

A faint smell of blood lingered in the courtyard, but it was quickly masked by the fresh scent of soil and plants.

Song You glanced at the reservation messages in his WeChat Moments and posted a new update.

"All the wild boar meat has been pre-ordered. Thank you to all the owners for your support. If you want to eat it again, just wait for my message."

After sending the message, he threw down his phone and lay down on the deck chair in the yard, not wanting to move a single finger.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, his phone vibrated.

It was a message from Wang Guoming.

Wang Guoming: "Brother Song, I'll be there tomorrow afternoon! You'd better make sure you don't hold me back!"

Song You replied with an "OK" emoji.

Immediately afterwards, Wang Guoming sent another message, which instantly brought Song You to his senses.

Wang Guoming: "By the way, my master came with me this time. He watched the video of your last competition and insisted on meeting you in person."

Master?

The image of Wang Tong, the master of Hunan cuisine, that he had seen on the website, immediately popped into Song You's mind.

I stood him up last time, so this old man probably won't hold it against a young man like me.

Song You sat up straight and tapped his fingers on the screen.

He wasn't thinking about whether he'd get into trouble; he was thinking that the opportunity had arrived!

This is a living advertisement for Hunan cuisine, a walking GG brand!

If we can get him to praise our agritainment business, the publicity effect will be much better than winning a food festival.

Song You's eyes lit up.

He replied, "Welcome, Senior Wang, to visit and offer your guidance. I am honored to welcome you with open arms."

After putting down his phone, Song You couldn't fall asleep.

He stood up and paced around the yard.

If Wang Tong is coming, ordinary home-cooked dishes probably won't meet his standards.

We need to come up with something real.

He thought of the large bag of bayberries in the cellar, and then of the top-quality wild boar meat in the freezer that had been processed with "divine skills".

The ingredients are top-notch.

In terms of cooking skills, he has excellent control over the stove and his knife skills are absolutely top-notch.

But I always feel like something's missing.

They were missing a signature dish, a dish that would impress even a master like Wang Tong.

Song You's gaze finally fell on the earthenware jar containing the pickled cabbage that Jiang Milu had brought in the corner of the courtyard.

Sour, crisp, fresh, and refreshing.

A brilliant idea flashed into his mind, and a bold culinary concept gradually took shape.