The Calamity of Lens 03

Fang Zhiyi personally demonstrated to his daughter how to till the soil, weed, fertilize, and other farming tasks. While he wore a cheerful smile on the surface, inwardly he was groaning in exhaustion. Little Hei, however, found it amusing: "So, even you have your day?"

Truth be told, Fang Zhiyi wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about farming. He relied mostly on bits of experience he’d picked up and theoretical knowledge from his university studies in previous worlds, piecing things together through trial and error.

Fortunately, the original owner of this body had indeed worked the land in his younger years, or else he wouldn’t have been able to fool his daughter.

Fang Xiaoyu, on the other hand, surprised him. Despite her slender frame, she swung the hoe without hesitation, showing no sign of reluctance.

By the end, both of them were exhausted.

"So this is how hard farming is," Fang Xiaoyu panted.

Fang Zhiyi sat beside her, catching his breath. "What did you expect?" He ran his fingers through the soil beside him. "The land nourishes all living things. If you want to farm, you must first learn to love the land."

Fang Xiaoyu blinked, turning to stare at her father in disbelief. Half of his body was bathed in sunlight, making it hard to look directly at him.

"What?" Fang Zhiyi turned to her.

She shook her head, laughing. "Dad, I never realized it before, but you really sound like a poetic old man."

Fang Zhiyi instinctively touched his face. "Old?"

"Not at all! Just teasing you!"

Under Fang Zhiyi’s guidance, Fang Xiaoyu began farming in the real world. It made her suddenly appreciate the advantages of her space—fertile, loose soil, no scorching sun, no pests, and perfect weather.

Her active mind quickly started scheming. Maybe she could convince her father to move back to their hometown. That way, she could both conceal her secret and make a fortune.

But for now, it was just a thought. After all, her space hadn’t yielded its first harvest yet, and Fang Zhiyi had no intention of leaving anytime soon. That blogger still hadn’t shown up.

If someone wronged them, they had to pay it back—that was only fair.

Both of them had their own plans, but they continued running their stall. They’d already paid the rental fee, and Fang Xiaoyu wasn’t about to let it go to waste. A little extra exhaustion? She could handle it.

The vegetables in her space were thriving, lush and green. Every day, Fang Xiaoyu’s mood was lifted by the sight. She discovered she loved farming, especially watching the seeds sprout and grow—it filled her with a sense of accomplishment.

Only one thing bothered her: while the vegetables in their hometown plot had barely sprouted, her space was already ready for harvest. The timing just didn’t match up.

So she came up with an idea. She told her father she wanted to buy some vegetables to sell.

As she spoke, she silently apologized in her heart—she was lying to him.

Fang Zhiyi, who saw right through her, didn’t object. In fact, he thought it was a good thing. It was better for his daughter to have her own ideas than for him to constantly clean up after her.

Fang Xiaoyu left, pretending to go purchase stock. Instead, she found a secluded spot to harvest the vegetables from her space.

"Little tomatoes~!"

"Little lettuce~!"

"Little... well, you’re not little, so you don’t get a nickname."

Harvesting filled her with joy, though she couldn’t help but wish her space was bigger—like the plot back in their hometown.

She sighed but quickly shook it off. Having a space at all was already a blessing.

But just as she plucked the last little tomato, the space trembled.

The sudden quake startled her so much she fell onto her backside. It ended as abruptly as it began, and to her amazement, the space had expanded—now four times its original size!

Even more astonishing, a small hut had appeared in one corner. Hesitantly, she approached and pulled open the door. Inside were farming tools—a sharp, sturdy little hoe, a gourd dipper, pruning shears, and more. But the biggest surprise was the tiny water pit, which had transformed into a spring, water bubbling up from its depths.

Instantly, Fang Xiaoyu knew what she had to do. She grabbed the little hoe and struck the ground. To her delight, it required far less effort than the tools she’d bought.

Without wasting time, she worked for two hours, digging a crooked little irrigation channel from the spring, creating a miniature directed watering system.

Thank goodness she’d gone with her father to their hometown—they used this method there. Otherwise, watering all this land would’ve been backbreaking.

While she was busy, unexpected changes were unfolding at home.

Fang Zhiyi had sold their house—with the condition that the transfer would happen a month later.

Their home was in a prime location, part of a school district, so potential buyers flocked in. One person immediately put down a deposit and secured the deal.

That evening at dinner, Fang Zhiyi glanced at the baskets of vegetables piled by the door but said nothing. Fang Xiaoyu, meanwhile, sat with her head bowed, grinning to herself.

Both father and daughter were keeping secrets from each other.

The next morning, however, Fang Zhiyi helped his daughter sell vegetables at the neighborhood entrance.

An elderly woman tasted one of the little tomatoes, her face lighting up in astonishment. "These are wonderful! Juicy, sweet, and tangy! Give me ten pounds!"

Her loud praise drew a crowd. The crisp lettuce, bright red tomatoes, and fresh mint leaves, all priced reasonably, sold out in no time. Some customers even returned, hoping to buy more, only to leave disappointed when told there was nothing left.

Fang Xiaoyu was overjoyed. It felt like she’d found a new purpose in life. That night, she pestered Fang Zhiyi to teach her more—how to till properly, which crops needed specific terrain, and so on.

Fang Zhiyi was patient, and Fang Xiaoyu found herself looking at her father in a new light. She hadn’t realized he wasn’t just knowledgeable about crops but also well-versed in flowers and fruit trees. She began considering when to tell him the truth.

The days that followed were busy for both of them—running the stall, making trips to their hometown, and squeezing in time for their own projects. Fang Xiaoyu spent her free moments tilling and planting in her space, deciding to add flowers and fruit trees this time. Fang Zhiyi, meanwhile, was busy spending money.

Life was hectic but fulfilling.

Fang Xiaoyu had made up her mind—she would convince her father to return to their hometown. As soon as their rental period ended, she’d leave!

But just as she solidified her resolve, Fang Zhiyi suddenly said something cryptic.

"Lately, there’s been a rise in those foodie influencers visiting stalls. Be careful when you’re selling."

"Huh?"

He looked at her seriously. "You’re capable and hardworking, but you still have a bit of a temper. If one of those influencers shows up, you might end up offending them."

Fang Xiaoyu was baffled. Lately, her mind had been entirely on farming. Though she still ran the stall, her thoughts were elsewhere, and she hadn’t paid much attention to anything else.

"Memorize this," he said. "I’ll teach you what to say."