"Camellia oil?" Cai Lihua and Meng Shaode's pupils constricted, and they exchanged a glance.
Looking at the tea seeds in their hands, something felt off.
"You're too kind. Little Yan Yan helped us a lot on the way, this small matter is nothing."
A Jiu quickly helped Zhao Kun up.
"I was planning to plant a few more, then you and Xiao Yan wouldn't have to worry about lacking do...do..."
"Kinetic energy," Zhao Kun finished the sentence.
"Right, right, right, we won't lack kinetic energy." A Jiu beamed like a flower.
Mao Junlan understood nothing, but she knew this would help that child Tuoba Yan, so she grinned along.
Meng Shaode's face contorted as if he had eaten a fly, his lips twitching several times.
Cai Lihua sniffled, looking at her daughter as if she were a monster.
The couple understood each other without speaking, yet didn't know where to start.
In the evening, A Jiu acted immediately. She and Mao Junlan spent half the night shelling tea seeds.
Cai Lihua was in charge of stir-frying, and Zhao Kun helped with the mill, working with great vigor.
The family worked all night, and the next day they had a pot full of oil.
This was enough to fill three oil lamps for lighting. The rest was stored in jars for cooking.
Cai Lihua yawned, "Shaode, our daughter doesn't understand that hydrogen oil is a chemical fuel. If she were to pour this into Tuoba Yan's ears, wouldn't that kill him?"
Seeing that their daughter had already fallen asleep, the couple finally spoke in hushed tones.
Meng Shaode frowned, "How do we explain it to our daughter? Besides, neither of us understands where Tuoba Yan actually came from. Who knows if this camellia oil can actually kill him."
"Right, tsk tsk," Cai Lihua clicked her tongue. "We can't tell our daughter the truth. Shaode, why don't you teach her some professional knowledge? You're a physics teacher, after all, and quite accomplished in chemistry."
Meng Shaode pinched his temples. "How can our daughter in this era understand those things? I don't even know where to start teaching her. It's like trying to explain English to people here; it's impossible."
"Mom, aren't you going to sleep yet? We have to farm at dawn."
A Jiu appeared in the kitchen like a ghost.
"Weren't you asleep?" the couple said in unison.
"I can't sleep." As soon as A Jiu lay down, she thought of Grandma. She hadn't returned for two days.
And Grandpa Niu. If they were going to farm, they needed to know which land belonged to Grandpa Niu, and they couldn't just randomly dig it up.
"Look at this child, she's even having insomnia. Just tell us where to farm; we, Zhao Kun, and Tongzi will do the heavy labor. Your mother will just scatter the seeds, and you can rest."
Meng Shaode quickly changed the subject.
"Mhm." A Jiu let out a big yawn. Making camellia oil all night hadn't been this tiring before; her fingernails were almost bleeding from digging.
"I'll go ask the village chief where Grandpa Niu's land is. Later, when you're farming, I'll go to the city."
"Why are you going to the city? We finally got out." Cai Lihua wasn't fond of the city anymore.
"I'm going to inquire about Grandma's whereabouts. Dad, Mom, don't worry, I have local residency, so entering and exiting the city is quite simple. I've already asked the village chief."
A Jiu said resolutely.
So that's how it was. Fortunately, she wasn't going to send camellia oil to Tuoba Yan.
When that Tuoba Yan kid comes back, Meng Shaode had to find out exactly what species he was before they could determine if camellia oil could kill him.
"Right, Shaode, you unfilial son! Our mother has been missing for several days, and you haven't said a word."
Cai Lihua finally realized.
Meng Shaode's eyes widened, and after a long moment, he blinked.
"She never pays attention to anyone; her disappearing isn't anything unusual. How could I have imagined that Mother might have gone somewhere to meditate?"
Meng Shaode felt indignant.