The egg was gone by morning.
Not literally—its shell still sat by the stove, rinsed clean and placed upside down to dry—but the warmth it had brought lingered. For the first time in a long while, the Lin family woke with something like anticipation instead of dread.
Lin Yan woke early again.
His body still felt fragile, like thin pottery that might crack if handled roughly, but the dull pain in his limbs had lessened. He sat up, tested his strength, and managed to stand without the room spinning.
That alone was a victory.
Outside, the chickens were already awake.
The rooster stood atop the coop roof, chest puffed out, letting out a confident crow that echoed faintly across the neighboring yards. One hen scratched at the ground methodically, while the other pecked near the wall, unbothered by the thin soil.
They looked… content.
Lin Yan watched them for a moment, then opened the system panel.
[Ranch Development System]
[Land Status: 0.5 mu – Recovering]
Soil Fertility: Low → Slightly Improved
Recommended Action: Introduce fast-growing crops
Below it, a list appeared.
[Available Crop Options:]
Leafy Greens (short cycle)
Beans (soil-fixing)
Radish (low nutrient demand)
Lin Yan didn't hesitate.
"Leafy greens and beans," he thought.
The system responded instantly.
[Seeds Available]
Leafy Greens (Basic) x1 pack
Beans (Basic) x1 pack
He closed the panel.
Seeds alone wouldn't grow crops.
They needed labor, patience, and timing.
He stepped back inside.
His father was tying straw sandals near the door.
"Father," Lin Yan said, "I want to plant today."
Lin Shouzheng paused.
"Your body?"
"I won't overdo it," Lin Yan said. "I'll prepare the rows and show my brothers how to plant. They can do the rest."
The older man studied him, then nodded. "We'll all go."
That decision mattered.
They didn't send Lin Yan ahead like a child playing farmer.
They went together.
The half mu of land looked no better than yesterday.
Cracked soil.
Sparse weeds.
But when Lin Yan knelt and pressed his palm into the dirt, it yielded slightly instead of crumbling apart.
"That change happened fast," Lin Erniu muttered.
"It won't last if we don't work it," Lin Yan replied.
They began slowly.
Lin Dahu swung the hoe, breaking the surface layer carefully, not digging too deep. Lin Erniu followed, clearing stones and roots. Lin Yan worked beside them when he could, spacing the rows, checking depth, stopping often to rest.
Several villagers passed by.
At first, they barely glanced over.
Then someone laughed.
"Lin Shouzheng, you're still trying with that land?"
The voice belonged to Wang Hu, a broad-shouldered man from the western end of the village.
"That patch is cursed," Wang Hu continued, leaning on his hoe. "Even weeds won't grow there."
Lin Dahu bristled. "Mind your business."
Wang Hu shrugged. "Just saying. Don't blame me when nothing comes up."
Lin Yan didn't look up.
He focused on drawing a straight line in the dirt.
"If nothing grows," he said calmly, "then we'll know we failed."
Wang Hu snorted. "You sound confident for a sickly boy."
Lin Yan finally raised his head.
He smiled faintly.
"Confidence doesn't make crops grow," he said. "Work does."
Wang Hu blinked, caught off guard by the reply.
He muttered something under his breath and walked away.
Lin Shouzheng glanced at his son, then returned to his work without comment.
By noon, the rows were ready.
Lin Yan opened the seed packs carefully, dividing them evenly.
"Not too dense," he instructed. "If they crowd each other, they'll grow weak."
His brothers listened.
Not because they suddenly believed in him.
But because he spoke with quiet certainty—and because they had no better plan.
They planted the seeds, covered them lightly, and watered sparingly.
When it was done, Lin Yan sat on a rock, breathing hard.
The land looked unchanged.
Just dirt.
But beneath the surface, something had begun.
That afternoon, clouds rolled in.
Not rain—just a thin cover that dimmed the sun and cooled the air.
Lin Yan rested in the shade near the field, watching.
This was the hardest part.
Waiting.
The system panel flickered once.
[Crop Status: Planted]
Estimated Germination: 3–5 days
Days.
Not instant.
That was good.
Real.
That evening, his father spoke quietly over dinner.
"If this works," Lin Shouzheng said, "we'll have food that doesn't come from the market."
His wife nodded. "Even a little would help."
Lin Yan ate slowly, conserving strength.
"It will work," he said—not boastful, just certain.
On the second day, nothing happened.
On the third, a child from a neighboring house ran past shouting, "The Lin family's land is still dead!"
Lin Yan ignored it.
On the fourth morning, Lin Erniu came running back from the fields.
"There's green," he said breathlessly. "Just a little—but it's there."
Lin Yan stood at once.
They gathered at the field.
Tiny green shoots had broken through the soil.
Fragile.
Vulnerable.
Alive.
Lin Shouzheng stared at them for a long time.
"So it wasn't cursed," he said quietly.
"No," Lin Yan replied. "Just neglected."
By afternoon, more villagers had noticed.
They didn't say much.
They just watched.
That night, the system updated.
[Milestone Reached: First Crops Germinated]
Reward: Soil Stability +5%
Lin Yan lay back, exhaustion washing over him.
This wasn't wealth.
It wasn't security.
But it was proof.
Seeds could grow in dry ground.
And so could people.