Chapter 11: Capacity Expansion
Expanding the space was a wonderful thing, but it was also incredibly exhausting.
Only yesterday, she had painstakingly turned over the soil, sown seeds, and planted fruit saplings.
Now that the space had expanded, all the newly revealed land was barren. She would have to spend another half a day working on it.
The seedlings she had planted earlier were all clustered on one side, while a vast stretch of empty land lay beside them.
Supporting her aching lower back, she let out a helpless sigh.
This surprise had come far too suddenly, leaving her completely unprepared.
She was genuinely exhausted, but genuinely happy too—a perfect case of suffering and joy at the same time.
Fortunately, she had received a complete set of smart, fully automatic agricultural machinery from today’s sign-in reward.
With a thought, she took the entire set of machines out of the space.
There was a tiller, a seeder, a watering machine, a harvester—in short, everything she could possibly need.
She pressed the start button, and the machines began operating automatically with a steady hum.
The newly expanded fields beside her were turned into neat, orderly rows. The soil was even smoother and finer than anything she could have managed by hand.
This was great!
With these machines, most of her workload would be taken care of.
She would never again have to exhaust herself plowing the land manually. It was practically a blessing for lazy people.
Zhang Yanyan took out the seeds left over from yesterday and began sowing them in separate sections.
Three mu of land were dedicated to vegetables: bok choy, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, chili peppers, and more.
The crops were planted in neat rows with even spacing. Just looking at them was satisfying.
Another three mu were reserved for grain crops: rice, wheat, corn, and soybeans.
With the space’s tenfold time acceleration, the seeds would sprout and grow into seedlings in just a few days.
Once the seeds had been sown, the watering machine automatically began spraying them with water from the fishpond, enhanced with a small amount of spirit spring water.
Nourished by the spirit spring water, the seeds would germinate faster and grow more vigorously.
After tidying up the fields, Zhang Yanyan turned her attention to the expanded fishpond and the rear mountain.
The fish fry and young livestock and poultry she had bought yesterday were nowhere near enough to fill the new areas.
She would also need to buy more fruit saplings. Otherwise, leaving the rear mountain empty would be a waste.
She rubbed her aching shoulders, panting from exhaustion. Her back and waist were sore all over.
The expanded space would keep her busy for several days.
Still, when she imagined the future harvest, she felt as though she had regained all her energy.
She walked over to the spirit spring, crouched down, and cupped a handful of water to drink.
The sweet, clear spring water slid down her throat, and a warm current instantly spread throughout her body.
Most of her fatigue vanished. Her entire body felt relaxed, and her strength returned as well.
The spirit spring really was a top-tier treasure. One drink when she was tired, and she was immediately revived at full strength.
Looking at the vast, empty new areas in the space, Zhang Yanyan’s heart filled with anticipation.
Tomorrow, she would definitely go on a major shopping trip to the agricultural supply market and the livestock and poultry market.
She would buy more fruit saplings, fish fry, and young livestock and poultry, filling every available space.
Once the fruit trees covered the rear mountain, the fish fry filled the pond, and the livestock and poultry occupied the foot of the mountain, the entire place would soon be overflowing with fragrant fruits under the tenfold growth rate.
Before long, there would be more vegetables than she could eat and mountains of grain. She would never have to worry about food again.
The fishpond would be full of plump fish and prawns, while chickens and ducks would flock across the rear mountain, with cattle and sheep roaming everywhere.
With such a treasure of a space, she could live comfortably for the rest of her life.
As for the male lead in the novel, Song Ze, and the white lotus, Tang Tang, she could not be bothered to spare them even a glance.
She had no desire whatsoever to get involved with them and would avoid them at all costs.
She would never allow the original host’s tragic fate to repeat itself.
Love and hatred, family feuds among wealthy clans—all of it had nothing to do with her.
Zhang Yanyan withdrew her consciousness from the space and opened the door to the vault.
Outside, dusk had already settled in. The setting sun had dyed the estate a warm golden color.
Auntie Chen had prepared an entire table of delicious dishes and was waiting for her in the living room.
There was braised fish, sweet-and-sour ribs, stir-fried lettuce stems, and mushroom soup.
They were all her favorite home-cooked dishes, steaming hot and fragrant.
The aroma drifted over, and Zhang Yanyan’s stomach immediately began to growl.
After washing her hands, she sat down at the dining table, her appetite instantly awakened.
Auntie Chen sat beside her and kept piling food onto her plate, her eyes full of affection.
“Miss, you must be exhausted today. Eat some more. This braised fish was just made. It’ll help restore your energy.”
Zhang Yanyan’s mouth was stuffed full, so she answered indistinctly.
“Auntie Chen, your cooking is the best! I could eat three whole bowls of rice!”
The hot food warmed her from the inside out, and happiness flooded her heart.
After working hard all day, being able to enjoy such a comforting meal was incredibly satisfying.
She ate in great gulps, leaving all the day’s fatigue behind.
Seeing how heartily she was eating, Auntie Chen’s smile grew even gentler.
“Slow down, sweetheart. Don’t choke. The soup is still hot—have another two bowls.”
“You’ve been out all day, so you must be starving. If it’s not enough, I’ll fry another dish for you.”
Zhang Yanyan waved her hand. “No need, Auntie Chen. This is plenty. It’s delicious!”
After dinner, Zhang Yanyan returned to the bedroom on the second floor.
She was too tired to practice the Spirit Refining Art again. After such a long day, she needed a good rest.
Lying on the bed, she took out her phone and began browsing information about the agricultural supply market.
She already had a clear plan for tomorrow’s shopping trip.
She would buy dozens more fruit saplings and plant them all over the expanded rear mountain.
She would double the amount of fish fry, adding carp, grass carp, crucian carp, prawns, crabs, and more.
She would also increase the number of young livestock and poultry—chickens, ducks, geese, cattle, sheep, pigs, and anything else she could find.
She would fill the breeding area at the foot of the mountain until it was packed and lively.
Zhang Yanyan woke up and stretched luxuriously.
She looked at the bright sunlight outside the window and called out to the system in her mind, “Eighteen, today’s sign-in.”
The next second, Eighteen’s mechanical prompt sounded in her mind right on schedule.
[Sign-in successful! Congratulations, Host. You have received today’s daily sign-in rewards—]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a purple-tier reward: One Intelligent Agricultural Management Hub for the Entire Space. Once bound to the space, it can automatically manage the entire process of cultivation, irrigation, fertilization, harvesting, and animal husbandry. It is perfectly compatible with the space’s tenfold time acceleration and allows customized planting and breeding plans, freeing your hands from all manual operations.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a blue-tier reward: One Customized Four-Wheel-Drive Off-Road RV. It comes equipped with an independent kitchen and bathroom, a constant-temperature energy storage system, smart devices throughout the vehicle, and an oversized sealed storage compartment. Its registration and licensing have already been completed, and it can be retrieved for use at any time!]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a blue-tier reward: One Complete Seed and Seedling Gift Pack of Rare, High-Yield Varieties. It includes vegetables, grain and oil crops, fruit trees, and rare medicinal herbs. All varieties have a 100% germination rate, are suited to the space’s soil and water conditions, and can be planted directly.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a green-tier reward: One Complete Set of Top-Tier Professional Gaming Equipment. It includes a customized high-performance computer, an ultra-high-definition monitor, an ergonomic controller, and immersive noise-canceling headphones. Its performance is maxed out and compatible with all kinds of games.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a green-tier reward: One Customized Ladies’ Mechanical Wristwatch. It has a simple, versatile casual design, is waterproof and scratch-resistant, and is suitable for daily commutes and outings.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a green-tier reward: One Full-Body Smart Massage Chair. It supports multiple professional massage modes, deeply relieves muscle soreness, soothes fatigue, and allows its position to be adjusted with a single button.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a white-tier reward: Three Sets of Waterproof, Stain-Resistant, Wear-Resistant Protective Work Clothes. They are breathable without feeling stuffy and are suitable for farm work, transporting supplies, and other tasks.]
[Congratulations, Host, on receiving a white-tier reward: Ten Pairs of Thickened, Non-Slip, Wear-Resistant Protective Work Gloves. They are puncture-resistant and waterproof, and are suitable for cultivation, transporting supplies, and a variety of other situations.]
【Congratulations, Host, on obtaining a white-tier reward: ×4 Home HD Night-Vision Security Camera Sets. They can be remotely controlled via smartphone, are waterproof and dustproof, and provide all-around protection for the safety of the estate.】
【Congratulations, Host, on obtaining a white-tier reward: ×6 Complete Sets of Blackout, Thickened, Soundproof Curtains. They provide heat and sound insulation, are suitable for bedrooms and studies, and greatly improve sleep quality.】
【Congratulations, Host, on obtaining a white-tier reward: ×4 Sets of Pure Cotton, Skin-Friendly All-Season Loungewear. Soft, breathable, and comfortable for relaxing at home.】
【All rewards have been stored in the system space. The Host may withdraw them freely at any time.】
Zhang Yanyan’s eyes lit up at once, and her thoughts instantly swept through the system space.
The silver-gray off-road motorhome was parked steadily in an empty area of the space. Every detail of its interior was clearly visible, and its features were even more impressive than those of several mass-produced models she had looked at before. Its oversized storage compartment was just the right size to hold the seedlings and supplies she would be purchasing later.
What delighted her most was the intelligent control hub for the space. With it, whenever the space expanded in the future, she would only need to tap a few buttons on the hub, completely freeing her hands from the work.
The remaining rewards were all incredibly practical as well, perfectly suited to her current needs. She casually arranged the various items in their designated storage areas within the space, leaving the motorhome and the agricultural management hub where they were for the time being, her heart brimming with satisfaction.
She rolled out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom in her slippers.
After washing her face with warm water, she was completely awake. She changed into a loose black casual outfit, paired it with a versatile pair of white sneakers, casually tied her hair into a high ponytail, and went downstairs bare-faced.
In the dining room, Auntie Chen had already set out breakfast. There were freshly steamed pork buns, millet porridge simmered until smooth and creamy, boiled eggs, and a dish of crisp pickled radish—all simple, homestyle foods with flavors that were easy to enjoy.