dognovel Chapter 1219
Chapter 1219
The next afternoon, Zhong Tiyun arrived at the classroom early.
She took out several paper packets from her cloth bag and carefully placed them on the podium.
Inside were several pieces of fish fried to a golden brown, and two steaming hot white steamed buns, all prepared specially this morning.
After the school bell rang, the students entered the classroom one after another.
They remained silent, heads down, searching for seats. But as they passed the podium, their gazes would linger on the oil paper package for a moment, their noses twitching slightly.
Zhong Tiyun cleared her throat and said with a smile, "Today in class, we'll learn how to prepare mushroom spawn bags. Whoever listens attentively and answers my questions correctly after class will receive these as a reward."
She pointed to the paper package on the podium.
For the first time, a clear light appeared in the children's eyes.
They sat up straighter, their eyes fixed on Zhong Tiyun, afraid of missing any detail.
Zhong Tiyun placed the prepared mushroom bag materials on the table and demonstrated while explaining: "The mushroom bag needs to use wheat straw, wheat bran, and a little gypsum and lime. The proportions must be accurate."
She slowed down her speech and explained each step clearly. When she encountered something difficult to understand, she emphasized it repeatedly and even picked up the ingredients to let the children touch and feel them.
"During fermentation, the temperature must be controlled at around 25°C; too cold or too hot is not good. The pile must also be turned over once a day to ensure that the raw materials ferment evenly."
The classroom was no longer deathly silent.
Some children would quietly ask questions, such as why lime is added, or what would happen if fermentation didn't go well.
Zhong Tiyun patiently answered all her questions, always with a gentle smile on her face.
When asked questions after class, the children eagerly raised their hands.
A thin boy gave the most accurate answer, and Zhong Tiyun handed him a white steamed bun.
The boy took it with both hands, clutching it tightly. He moved his lips and said, "Thank you, Teacher Zhong," his voice soft but clear.
This was the first time Zhong Tiyun had heard him speak.
She felt a warmth in her heart and said with a smile, "You're welcome, just don't waste it."
From then on, Zhong Tiyun's class became lively.
She would bring different rewards each time; sometimes it was smoked fish, sometimes dried seaweed, and sometimes a small handful of flour.
The children are becoming more and more enthusiastic about learning. They listen attentively in class and actively surround Zhong Tiyun with questions after class. They also smile more often.
Zhong Tiyun also applied to the base for a small, sealed room.
This room used to be used for storing tools. It's not very big, but it's well-sealed, and the temperature and humidity are easy to control, making it ideal for cultivating mushrooms.
The base quickly approved her application.
Zhong Tiyun and the children cleaned the house and set up a simple mushroom rack.
She distributed the inoculum to each child and taught them how to inoculate, cover with soil, and control the temperature and humidity.
“From today onwards, these mushrooms will be in your care,” Zhong Tiyun said. “Remember to spray them with water, ventilate them, and observe their growth every day.”
The children studied with exceptional seriousness.
Even if it wasn't Zhong Tiyun's class, they would still come to the small house on time every day, carefully spraying water on the mushrooms and checking the mycelium growth by digging into the soil.
Xiao Sheng is also one of Zhong Tiyun's students.
Because of his innate and unique sense of smell, he has a more obvious advantage than his peers in mushroom cultivation.
While others rely on thermometers and hygrometers to determine whether the environment is suitable, he can discern the growth status of mushrooms simply by smell.
He remained silent throughout the class.
He only became more enthusiastic when Zhong Tiyun started rewarding him with food in class.
Once, in the cultivation shed, he suddenly told Zhong Tiyun, "It's too dry here, and it smells astringent."
This was something that even Zhong Tiyun hadn't noticed.
Remembering what everyone had said about Xiao Sheng's keen sense of smell, she quickly grabbed a hygrometer and tested it; sure enough, the humidity was too low.
After becoming a teacher, she developed a great fondness for gifted children.
A surprised smile appeared on her face.
After testing Xiao Sheng several more times, it was found that his results were even more accurate than those monitored by various instruments.
Zhong Tiyun was both surprised and delighted, and specially entrusted Xiao Sheng with the most core cultivation area.
Xiao Sheng did not disappoint. Under his care, the mushrooms in that area grew quickly and well, with thick caps and a rich aroma.
Moreover, interacting with peers has gradually changed Xiao Sheng.
He no longer always keeps to himself; he discusses the growth of mushrooms with other children and quietly steps forward to help others when they encounter difficulties.
He also made a few close friends.
Zhang Jia saw this and was delighted.
She could clearly sense that Xiao Sheng was talking more and smiling more.
Sometimes when I get home from school, I'll tell her about what happened in class, and how much the mushrooms have grown.
Although Tao Zheng still had a cold demeanor, he would always prepare Xiao Sheng's tools in advance before class.
No matter how busy I am, I will personally pick him up after school.
As the days went by, the mushrooms in the hut grew vigorously.
Plump shiitake mushrooms, tender oyster mushrooms, and slender enoki mushrooms sprouted one by one from the mushroom bag, densely packed, with an irresistible aroma.
Zhong Tiyun led the children in carefully picking the fruit, and the joy of a bountiful harvest was written on everyone's face.
As agreed, one-third of the harvested mushrooms were handed over to the base, and the remaining two-thirds were given to the children.
Xiao Sheng was assigned a full fifteen kilograms of mushrooms because the area he was responsible for had the highest yield and the best quality.
He carried the heavy load of mushrooms home and handed two bags to Zhang Jia.
Zhang Jia assumed it was the mushrooms he had brought back, and immediately said with a smile, "So many!"
Upon opening one of the black bags, I found a dozen or so salted duck eggs inside. The eggshells had a faint bluish tint and a subtle salty aroma.
“This is…” Zhang Jia looked at him in surprise.
"I traded five catties of mushrooms for it," Xiao Sheng said casually.
Actually, it was because he accidentally discovered that Zhang Jia liked to eat salted duck egg yolks, and she really liked that sandy texture.
Salted duck eggs are more expensive than fresh duck eggs and chicken eggs, but their family can only afford to eat a few eggs sporadically.
It's impossible to imagine eating chicken and duck eggs like before the apocalypse.
So when the reward was given out, Xiao Sheng went to the base's exchange office and exchanged five catties of mushrooms for three catties of salted duck eggs.
Three catties of salted duck eggs isn't much, just a dozen or so.
Perhaps because it was the first time he had given someone a gift, Xiao Sheng was a little nervous. He turned his head away from Zhang Jia's eyes, and there was a faint blush on his ears.
A warm feeling instantly welled up in Zhang Jia's heart.
She does indeed like salted duck egg yolks.
Unexpectedly, Xiao Sheng remembered it and even traded it back with the mushrooms he had painstakingly cultivated.
"How could you be so foolish?" Zhang Jia gripped the bag tightly in her hand. "Mushrooms are so rare, and salted duck eggs are much more expensive than fresh chicken or duck eggs. Why did you trade them for salted duck eggs?"
Xiao Sheng remained silent.
He then took out another black cloth bag and handed it to Zhang Jia: "This is the remaining ten catties of shiitake mushrooms. Sister, you can decide how to eat them, or you can use them to exchange for supplies."