Chapter 43: The Space Growth Chart on the Wall

The pharmaceutical factory’s office white walls were mostly bare. Lu Xingchen brought over a small stool and stood on it to paste up a sheet of paper. The paper was discarded blueprint paper from the stationery factory, cut into a neat square. Using a pencil, he drew a vertical line down the center. On the left side, he wrote “Ordinary Tomato,” and on the right side, he left it blank except for the heading “Space Tomato.”

“Mom, does this look alright?” he called back to Su Yao, clutching a piece of chalk. “When Professor Zhang sends the seeds into space, I’ll draw what they look like on the right side, so we can see the difference at a glance.”

Su Yao had just finished organizing some medicinal herbs and came over to help hold the paper steady. “Looks good, but make the line straighter. If it’s crooked, the comparison won’t look right, and it won’t seem professional.”

Lu Xingchen nodded and used a ruler to carefully trace a straight vertical line. On the left side, he began drawing tomato seedlings with slender stems and serrated leaves. Next to it, he labeled, “Day 7: Seedling height 5 cm.” Moving upward, he sketched the flowers—round little yellow blossoms—and wrote, “Day 21: Three flowers in bloom.” At the top, he drew three ripe red tomatoes, marking, “Day 45: Fruit mature, individual fruit weight 100 grams.”

“These are all from research I did. Ordinary tomatoes are roughly like this,” Lu Xingchen said, pointing at the drawing, his eyes full of anticipation. “I wonder what space tomatoes will look like. Will they grow taller? Will the fruit be bigger?”

Su Yao patted his head gently. “Maybe. Once the seeds come back and we plant them, we’ll observe them every day and find out.”

Just then, Lu Shihan ran in clutching crayons. “Brother, I want to draw too!” Without waiting for permission, she sprawled on the wall and drew a round sun next to the seedlings, then a few raindrops beneath. “This way, the tomatoes can get sunlight and water, so they’ll grow faster and better.”

Lu Xingchen frowned. “This is a scientific chart. It needs to be serious. Your drawings are too fancy.”

“Not fancy at all!” Lu Shihan pouted. “Mom says plants need sun and water to grow, so I’m helping the tomatoes grow. How’s that not serious?”

Su Yao quickly intervened, “Don’t argue. Shihan’s drawings are good. Sun and rain are what tomatoes need. Adding them makes the chart complete. Xingchen, scientific charts need to be realistic, not just tomatoes—you have to show the growing conditions too. That makes it comprehensive.”

Lu Xingchen thought it over and agreed with his mother, no longer objecting. Lu Shihan happily continued drawing and added a little bee near the sun. “Bees help pollinate tomatoes so they make more fruit.”

Watching his sister’s drawing, Lu Xingchen used his pencil to add small words next to the ordinary tomatoes: “Growing conditions: 6 hours of sunlight daily, watered once, temperature 20–25°C.”

Soon the diagram on the wall was complete. On the left, ordinary tomatoes were clearly shown from seedlings to fruit, accompanied by the sun, raindrops, and a bee. The right side for space tomatoes remained blank, but Lu Xingchen drew a small rocket at the bottom with the words “Waiting for seeds to return,” full of hope.

Villagers passing by the office stopped to look. Widow Li pointed at the drawing and asked, “Xingchen, can the space tomatoes really be different? Could they grow fruit bigger than a bowl?”

“Maybe!” Lu Xingchen said proudly. “Grandpa Zhang said there’s no gravity and cosmic rays in space, so the seeds might mutate and grow better. When that happens, the fruit will be bigger and sweeter. We can all eat them.”

Er Zhuzi leaned in. “If that’s true, our village can plant space tomatoes. High yield and tasty—could sell a lot.”

Su Yao smiled. “Don’t get too excited yet. We have to wait for the seeds to come back and grow first. Then Xingchen can record everything daily, and we’ll all see the changes.”

In the following days, Lu Xingchen checked the growth chart every day. Occasionally, he lightly sketched on the blank right side, imagining what the space tomatoes might look like. Lu Shihan often came along, coloring the sun red and the raindrops blue, making the picture more vibrant.

One day, Professor Zhang called to say the provincial research institute would come to collect the seeds tomorrow. Su Yao was to bring the selected tomato and isatis seeds. Hanging up, she went to the storage room to fetch the seeds—carefully chosen “BJ Early Red” tomato seeds, plump and free of pests, and isatis seeds each full and healthy.

She divided the seeds into two small cloth bags. Just as she was about to seal them, she suddenly remembered the special spring water used to dilute penicillin. If she dripped some onto the seeds, maybe it would help the seeds mutate better in space and grow superior varieties.

Su Yao quietly took a small bottle from her pocket, poured a few drops into her palm, rubbed it, and then slowly mixed the tomato seeds in, making sure each seed was coated. She treated the isatis seeds the same way, whispering, “Hope for some surprises, hope for strong seedlings.”

Lu Xingchen and Lu Shihan came in just then, curious about what their mother was doing. “Mom, what are you doing?” Lu Xingchen asked.

“Nothing much, just giving the seeds a little extra nutrition so they grow better in space,” Su Yao said, avoiding too much explanation to prevent the children from spreading rumors.

Lu Shihan reached out to touch the seeds but was stopped. “Don’t touch. The seeds have to stay clean or they won’t sprout.”

Lu Xingchen nodded. “Mom, tomorrow I want to come with you to deliver the seeds. I want to see what the people at the provincial institute are like and ask when the seeds will be sent to space.”

“All right, we’ll go early tomorrow,” Su Yao agreed.

The next morning, Su Yao and Lu Xingchen carried the seed bags to the county research institute. Professor Zhang was waiting at the door, accompanied by two men in white lab coats from the provincial research institute.

“Comrade Su, are the seeds ready?” Professor Zhang asked.

“All ready. Carefully selected and guaranteed quality,” Su Yao replied, handing over the bags.

Researcher Wang from the provincial institute took the bags, opened them, and nodded approvingly. “Good, the seeds are plump and meet our standards. They’ll be sent to space tomorrow. They should return in about three months. We’ll notify you immediately.”

Lu Xingchen quickly asked, “Uncle Wang, where exactly will the seeds go in space? Won’t the cosmic rays damage them?”

Researcher Wang smiled. “Little one, the seeds will be placed in a special sealed capsule that blocks most cosmic rays, allowing only a small amount through. That’s what causes beneficial mutations without harm. Don’t worry, we’ll protect them well.”

“Will the seeds change when they come back?” Lu Xingchen asked again.

“They might not look different at first. You’ll see the differences only after planting and sprouting,” Wang explained. “If you observe and record every day, you’ll find a lot of interesting changes.”

Lu Xingchen took the words seriously. “I’ve already drawn a growth chart on the wall. When the seeds return, I’ll draw the changes to compare with ordinary tomatoes.”

Wang smiled. “Great! I’ll come see your chart then and marvel at how amazing the space-grown plants are.”

After delivering the seeds, Su Yao took Lu Xingchen home. On the way, he asked nonstop—from what space looks like to how seeds mutate. Su Yao answered what she knew and said to ask Grandpa Zhang when he came.

Back at the factory, Lu Xingchen’s first task was to update the growth chart. On the blank right side, he wrote, “Seeds sent to provincial research institute, expected back in three months.” Lu Shihan ran over and drew a small calendar marking the seed delivery date.

In the days that followed, the children eagerly awaited the seeds’ return. Lu Xingchen copied space breeding notes from the library into a small notebook, sometimes reading aloud to his younger siblings. Lu Shihan added colors to the sun and raindrops on the growth chart, making the drawing more lively.

Su Yao often checked the chart too, sometimes recalling how she treated the seeds with the special water. She felt both hopeful and anxious—wondering if it would work. If the seeds grew better plants, it would boost the factory’s yield and help the villagers harvest more.

One day, Widow Li came to buy penicillin and noticed the drawings on the wall. Curious, she asked, “Comrade Su, can space seeds really grow better crops? I’ve lived so long and never seen seeds come back from space.”

“I haven’t either, but Grandpa Zhang says it will work,” Su Yao smiled. “When the seeds come back and grow, you’ll be the first to taste the fruit.”

“That’s wonderful!” Widow Li said joyfully. “If the tomatoes grow big and sweet, I’ll plant a few too, so my grandson can taste space tomatoes.”

Er Zhuzi joined in, “If the isatis grows better, I’ll plant more acres to sell to the factory and make some extra money.”

The villagers’ expectations gave Su Yao confidence. She knew that no matter how the seeds turned out, their hopes represented support for the research and faith in the future.

Lu Zhanye also came to see the growth chart, smiling. “Xingchen really has the spirit of a scientist. If a good variety grows, our village can become a model for space breeding and gain fame.”

“Yes,” Su Yao said. “Then we can grow not only space tomatoes and isatis but other space vegetables too. Life will improve for everyone.”

Lu Qingmiao and Lu Suisui were still small but often brought by their older siblings to look at the chart. Lu Qingmiao stretched out her little finger toward the tomato seedlings on the left, babbling as if asking why the right side was blank. Lu Shihan patiently explained, “Little brother, the right side has to wait for the space seeds to come back. Then they’ll grow bigger and better tomatoes.”

Days passed, and the growth chart remained on the wall. The left side showed ordinary tomatoes clearly; the right side for space tomatoes was still blank, but the little rocket and “Waiting for seeds to return” written beneath it were full of hope.

Every day Lu Xingchen recorded the countdown in his notebook. The closer the seeds’ return, the stronger his anticipation. He had already prepared the planting site behind the factory, turning the soil and ready for the seeds.

Su Yao looked at her son with deep satisfaction. Whether the seeds would grow better varieties or not, this waiting period had taught the children much and deepened their interest in science.

That night, Lu Xingchen wrote beside the growth chart in chalk: “30 days until seeds return.” Lu Shihan drew a smiling face beside it, eagerly waiting for the seeds to come home.

Su Yao stood nearby, gazing at the drawings and the children’s hopeful faces, her heart full of happiness. She believed that when the seeds did return, there would be surprises—surprises that would improve everyone’s lives and bring new vitality to the village.

Late into the night, the factory lights remained on. Su Yao sat at her desk, looking out at the moonlight, thinking about the seeds. She imagined a few months from now: the empty yard behind the factory filled with towering tomato plants heavy with large, red fruit; the isatis lush and full. Children running through the fields, villagers smiling nearby—the whole village bathed in the joy of harvest.

She knew it was just a dream, but with hope and effort, dreams often become reality. The growth chart on the wall would witness it all—from anticipation to harvest. She closed the window, muttering to herself, “Witnessing all that can wait… tomorrow I have to go weeding on the back hill, or those tomato seedlings will be swallowed up by weeds.”