Jiang Ning immediately asked the system through his thoughts,
"System, can the vegetables in the garden really be accelerated too?"
The system replied proudly,
"Hmph! Of course, Host. Under normal conditions, the vegetables in the garden only take three days to mature."
"If you're in a hurry, I can make them sprout and ripen instantly. It's no big deal."
Jiang Ning quickly shook his head.
"No need to rush them. System, harvest all the vegetables and store them in the system space."
"Understood, Host."
Less than a minute later, the system's notification sounded again.
"Host, all the spirit rice and vegetables in the garden have been harvested and placed into the system storage."
After harvesting the spirit grain, Jiang Ning noticed that the amount of spirit grain seeds had increased significantly.
From now on, he wouldn't need to spend Dad Points to purchase more seeds.
With a thought, he replanted the entire patch of black soil with spirit grain.
Even after planting everything, there was still unused farmland left.
He deliberately kept less than a kilogram of spirit grain.
He was simply curious about what it tasted like.
"Um... System..."
He hesitated awkwardly.
The system looked at him speechlessly.
"Host, if you have something to say, just say it. Stop stammering."
Jiang Ning coughed lightly.
"Well... Mr. System... could you... maybe turn the spirit grain directly into spirit rice?"
Normally, just like ordinary rice, spirit grain had to be dried for several days before its husk could be milled away to produce edible rice.
The system snorted disdainfully.
"Host, you're seriously underestimating me."
"All I need to do is remove the moisture and strip off the husk."
"I'll just dry it instantly."
"Easy."
The next second—
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Inside the system storage, the spirit grain burst like popcorn.
The moisture vanished instantly.
The husks exploded open one after another.
What remained were crystal-clear, plump grains of spirit rice.
Each grain looked smoother and rounder than ordinary rice.
They looked incredibly appetizing.
Seeing how omnipotent the system was, Jiang Ning couldn't stop grinning.
"System, open the system shop."
"Certainly, Host."
A translucent screen that only Jiang Ning could see immediately appeared before his eyes.
He eagerly examined every item available.
"Let's buy one batch of Spirit Spring Water to irrigate the spirit grain."
Without hesitation, he purchased one portion.
Price: 100 Dad Points.
At present, Jiang Ning only had 390 Dad Points.
If he hadn't earned 2 points by cooking lunch for Mengmeng...
...and another 5 points from telling her a bedtime story during the afternoon nap...
...he would only have had 383 points.
Watching his balance drop to 290 Dad Points, Jiang Ning couldn't help lamenting,
"I'm so poor..."
Afterward, he browsed through the shop and bought all kinds of vegetable seeds.
Spirit fruit.
Eggplants.
Tomatoes.
Rapeseed.
Chinese cabbage.
Spinach.
Lettuce.
...
After that shopping spree, he was left with only 200 Dad Points.
Then his eyes landed on Spirit Wine.
He became curious.
"I wonder what spirit wine tastes like..."
Unfortunately...
It also cost 100 Dad Points.
If he bought it, he'd only have 100 points left.
He reluctantly shook his head.
"Forget it."
"I shouldn't spend points just satisfying my own curiosity."
"It's better to use them on Mengmeng."
"One hundred points can buy another portion of Spirit Spring Water."
"That can irrigate the system garden once more."
Although the system described the garden as having 1,000 cubic meters of space...
...the actual cultivable farmland was only around 100 square meters.
"Next harvest should produce plenty of spirit grain."
"Then we'll be able to eat spirit rice every day."
The more he thought about it, the happier he became.
According to the system...
Long-term consumption of spirit rice, spirit fruit, and vegetables grown in the system garden would improve physical health.
Mengmeng would rarely get sick in the future.
It could even extend one's lifespan.
Ordinary people lived only seventy or eighty years.
But with a long-term diet of spirit food...
Living past a hundred wouldn't be difficult.
As for the cultivation secret realms...
Divine weapons...
Magic treasures...
And heavenly treasures listed in the system shop...
Jiang Ning glanced at their prices and immediately gave up.
100,000,000 Dad Points.
It was an astronomical figure.
Even if he saved points his entire life without spending any...
He still wouldn't accumulate that many.
Better not dream about impossible things.
Being able to live a few extra decades was already more than enough.
Just as Jiang Ning was idly browsing the shop—
Ring... Ring... Ring...
His phone suddenly rang.
Taking it out, he saw that it was his father, Jiang Haichuan.
"Hello, Dad."
"Ning'er, where are you now?"
"I'm at the villa."
"Oh."
"Hurry over to the entrance of the residential complex."
"Your mother and I are already here."
"But the security guards won't let us in."
Jiang Ning was surprised.
"Dad, why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
"I could've driven over to pick you up."
"Wait there."
"I'll be right over."
"Alright."
After hanging up, Jiang Ning immediately rushed downstairs.
Sitting in the living room, Su Yunlong noticed his hurried expression and stood up.
"Jiang Ning, what's wrong?"
"My parents are here."
"They're waiting at the community entrance."
"I need to go pick them up."
Su Yunlong looked surprised.
"The in-laws are here?"
"Why didn't they let us know in advance?"
"Come on."
"I'll go welcome them with you."
Liu Mengyan also stood up.
"I'll come too."
Finally...
The two families were about to meet.
Now they could properly discuss Jiang Ning and Su Meng's engagement and wedding.
Both Su Yunlong and Liu Mengyan were excited.
Jiang Ning nodded.
"Let's go."
He knew his future father-in-law and mother-in-law disliked unnecessary formalities.
The three quickly left the villa and headed for the community gate.
When they arrived...
They saw Jiang Haichuan and Ye Shulan standing outside.
Each of them carried several large and small bags.
Their clothes were soaked with sweat.
They looked anxiously toward the entrance.
"Dad!"
"Mom!"
"You're here!"
"Why did you bring so many things?"
"If I'd known, I would've driven home to pick you up."
Jiang Ning looked at his parents with heartache.
Although he himself had only returned around noon...
Driving back to his hometown and returning would have taken only about four hours.
His parents were already getting old.
Yet they had still carried so many vegetables...
Chicken...
Duck...
And other food all the way here.
It was simply too exhausting.
Looking at the sweat covering their faces...
Jiang Ning felt a deep ache in his heart.