Chapter 7

Lucy thought about her relationship with Viviana. They were from the same village and had been classmates, so when Viviana asked her to be a bridesmaid, she agreed without hesitation. "Alright!" Nowadays, she rarely attended her classmates' weddings. Reunion gatherings had changed; they became platforms for competition, whether it be jobs, partners, or financial status. After setting down her phone, Lucy retrieved some Plutings from her pocket space and began absorbing them by crushing them in her hands. There were seven in total, and she absorbed every single one. She used to dislike the strange smell they emitted, but now she was used to it. Once she finished, a wave of dizziness washed over her, and her vision blurred. She instinctively removed her glasses and was shocked that the world before her appeared so sharp and clear. She turned to look at her computer screen. Without her glasses, she could see the text clearly. "I… I'm not nearsighted anymore!" A surge of joy bubbled up inside her. She was free from her nearsightedness! Never in her wildest dreams had she expected the energy from the Plutings to have such an effect. Even knowing they came from zombie brains didn't matter anymore. Her eyesight was fully restored, and her entire body felt rejuvenated, brimming with newfound strength. She even considered heading to the fields to help her parents later. She also noticed that the pocket space had expanded by a few square feet—absorbing Plutings indeed helped upgrade the dimension! The jewelry Hans had collected was exquisite, with designs she had never seen before. Since Viviana had asked her to be a bridesmaid, she picked out a pink necklace. She packed the rest into a large box and planned to sell them later. Gordon had gone to work in the fields early in the morning, while Sharon had gone to the market. Only Tatiana was home, either basking in the sun or chatting with neighbors about village gossip. Their family and her uncle's family took turns caring for Tatiana, switching every month. After breakfast, Lucy hopped onto her electric bike and headed for the fields. On the way, she ran into a neighbor. "Lucy, what brings you back?" he asked. "You were doing well in the city!" Most young people were leaving the village, seeking better opportunities elsewhere. "I quit my job to help my parents with farming," she replied. The neighbor stared at her, incredulous. "You're not afraid of being laughed at, huh? Farming's tough work. A college graduate coming back to do farm work?" He shook his head in disbelief. Parents worked hard to send their kids to college so they wouldn't have to endure the hardships of farm life. Lucy wasn't offended. She smiled and said, "I used to help my parents with farm work when I was little!" "That doesn't count as real work." He chuckled. "Farm work is all about physical labor. You're too delicate for it. See this pesticide sprayer on my back? It weighs over 100 pounds when it's full, and I have to carry it around the entire field! "It's fine in spring, but in summer, it's sweltering, and the bugs are everywhere." This job was already much easier compared to others. Lucy had already planned to sell the gold and jewelry to raise money. She would buy machinery and hire people to help her parents, saving them from excessive labor. Although mechanized farming was costly, vegetable prices were too low to justify the investment, and hiring workers might lead to losses. The old man shook his head as he watched her ride off, still feeling it was a pity. When Lucy reached the fields, she saw Gordon hunched over, carrying the heavy pesticide sprayer. His clothes were soaked through with sweat. Upon spotting her, he quickly said, "Why did you come out here? Go back! I don't need your help." "I told you I'm back to help with the farming," Lucy replied. "Besides, the vegetables are ready, and I can sell them for you!" She had come to check on the vegetables. "You can sell them?" He was pleasantly surprised. Vegetable prices had been dismal lately. Despite all the hard work, they were being sold for next to nothing. With the advent of greenhouses, off-season vegetables were widely available. Everyone had been enjoying good harvests in recent years, driving prices even lower. Now, most farmers focused on premium-quality produce, which demanded higher standards and more expensive seeds—something regular farmers hesitated to try. First, they were afraid it wouldn't be planted well and the harvest would be poor. Second, they were worried it might not sell, which would be a significant loss. "I can! Why else would I come back? I have a big client, and they've already paid a deposit. We'll be able to sell all our vegetables!" Hearing about the deposit, Gordon believed her. After all, Lucy had been spending a lot lately, even buying smartphones. She must have struck a deal. "That's great! I was worried because we couldn't get a good price for our crops in town." "The tomatoes we planted this time are really nice," Lucy said, looking at the tomatoes. They would ripen in a few days. She had already sent them to Hans, who could be considered a major client, right? "Dad, take a break. I'll spray the fields," she added and grabbed the pesticide sprayer. "No, it's too heavy! You can't carry it!" Before he could protest, Lucy had easily slung the sprayer onto her back. If it had been before, she might have struggled. But after absorbing the Plutings, her strength had increased, and her overall health had improved significantly. She strode confidently into the field, moving swiftly without any sign of strain. Seeing her effortless movements, Gordon felt a pang of guilt. He and Sharon had always shielded Lucy from hard labor. They had scrimped and saved to put her through school, living frugally themselves. They lived below their means, enduring hardship while Lucy was away at school. In the village, their monthly expenses barely reached 100 dollars, and they mostly ate food from their farm. However, they still gave Lucy 500 dollars every month for living expenses. Even though she worked part-time, they were reluctant to spend money. They figured Lucy must have faced plenty of hardships while away. She was busy working overtime or commuting every time they talked on the phone. She probably endured a lot of grievances living on her own. If she wanted to come back and farm, so be it. Even though it was tough, at least she wouldn't have to suffer like she did before. Still, farming wasn't easy. Perhaps he could help her find a job in town later? Gordon was about to tell her to take a break, but he saw her carrying the load easily when he looked over. It was as if the container weighed like nothing. In no time, she had already finished spraying all the pesticides. After making a full round, Lucy didn't feel tired at all. She attributed her newfound stamina to absorbing Plutings. She had finished spraying the remaining crops easily—something that would have taken Gordon much longer, with several breaks in between. Yet she handled it all in one go, without even panting. Gordon, who had expected her to struggle with the task, was surprised to see her finish everything effortlessly, still smiling as if it had been nothing. He glanced down at his rough, calloused hands, feeling a sense of bewilderment. For him, spraying the crops would usually take over an hour, yet she completed it in barely ten minutes. Was he getting old? He wasn't even 50 yet! Without hesitation, she admired the fresh vegetables and transferred 5,000 dollars to him. "Dad, make sure to accept the money. And don't sell our vegetables anymore—I'll buy them all!"