Chapter 109 - 107 — The Giant Pumpkin and the Dragon’s Bakery Dream

Chapter 109: Chapter 107 — The Giant Pumpkin and the Dragon’s Bakery Dream

The trouble began before breakfast.

Not with a broken fence.

Not with an escaped chicken.

Not even with Lumi setting fire to another batch of peach cakes.

It began with a scream.

"IT HAS GROWN!"

Lin Yue opened her eyes.

Beside her, Shen Rui remained perfectly still.

Another scream followed.

"IT HAS GROWN AGAIN!"

Lin Yue slowly turned toward her husband.

"Is that Jun?"

"I believe so."

"Is something chasing him?"

"Possibly."

A third shout rang across Open Garden.

"WHY IS IT SO BIG?!"

Lin Yue sighed and pulled the blanket over her head.

"Perhaps if we pretend to be asleep, it will go away."

Shen Rui chuckled.

"I would happily pretend with you."

Unfortunately, their peaceful plan lasted only three seconds.

A tiny golden creature burst through the doorway.

"MASTER! THE PUMPKIN HAS BECOME A MONSTER!"

Lin Yue closed her eyes.

Shen Rui sat up.

"Good morning, Lumi."

"IT IS NOT A GOOD MORNING!"

"Why not?"

"THE PUMPKIN IS BIGGER THAN MY BAKERY!"

Lin Yue blinked.

"Your bakery doesn’t exist yet."

"EXACTLY! HOW CAN I BUILD IT IF THE PUMPKIN TAKES ALL THE SPACE?"

Shen Rui rubbed his forehead.

"First, tell us what happened."

Lumi pointed dramatically toward the eastern shed.

"The pumpkin!"

Then it whispered, as though revealing a terrible secret.

"It has eaten the garden."

By the time Lin Yue and Shen Rui reached the eastern shed, half of Open Garden had gathered around an enormous pumpkin.

And enormous was an understatement.

The pumpkin had grown so large that its round orange body occupied nearly the entire patch. Its thick vine stretched across the ground, winding around two wooden supports and threatening to invade the neighbouring vegetable beds.

Jun stood with his hands on his hips.

"I told you it would be impressive!"

His younger sister folded her arms.

"You said it would be bigger than a melon."

"It is!"

"It is bigger than the chicken coop!"

"That’s what makes it impressive!"

Mei was holding her notebook.

"I recorded its measurements yesterday. It has grown nearly a handspan since then."

Lin Yue crouched beside the vine.

"Interesting."

Shen Rui examined the wooden supports.

"Who built this frame?"

Jun raised his hand.

"I did!"

His younger sister immediately added, "With help."

Jun glared at her.

"Why must you always mention that?"

"Because you tried to tie the vine to your own waist yesterday."

"It needed support!"

Lin Yue burst out laughing.

Shen Rui shook his head.

"Let’s make sure nobody attempts that again."

Lumi squeezed through the crowd.

It stared at the pumpkin.

Then at Lin Yue.

Then at Shen Rui.

"Can we eat it?"

Lin Yue smiled.

"Not yet."

"Can we sell it?"

"Perhaps."

"Can we turn it into a bakery?"

Shen Rui looked down at the little dragon.

"How exactly would that work?"

Lumi spread its wings.

"Simple! We hollow it out, put in an oven, and open the Golden Dragon Bakery!"

There was a long silence.

Then Moss, standing nearby with his usual grumpy expression, spoke.

"I refuse to work inside a vegetable."

Lumi gasped.

"You haven’t even seen the kitchen!"

"I have seen enough."

Aster appeared beside them.

"Based on current measurements, the pumpkin could accommodate several small tables if hollowed out."

Lumi’s eyes sparkled.

"SEE?"

Aster continued.

"However, it would not be suitable for an oven."

Lumi’s wings drooped.

"Why?"

"Because pumpkins are not buildings."

"Not with that attitude."

Lin Yue laughed so hard that she had to lean against Shen Rui.

He placed a hand at her back.

"Careful."

"I’m fine."

"You are laughing at a dragon’s business proposal."

"It’s a very creative proposal."

"It’s a very dangerous proposal."

Lumi looked between them.

"Are you two supporting me or not?"

Lin Yue patted its head.

"We support your bakery dream."

Shen Rui added, "But not your pumpkin architecture."

After examining the pumpkin, Lin Yue discovered something interesting.

The plant was healthy, but its growth had been encouraged by a small amount of Golden Space energy that had spilled into the soil during the previous week’s irrigation.

It was not dangerous.

It simply had an extraordinary appetite for nutrients and water.

"That’s why it grew so quickly," she explained.

Mei leaned closer.

"Can we keep it growing?"

"We can, but we need to manage the soil and support the vine. Otherwise, the stem may break under its own weight."

Jun looked alarmed.

"Then it might fall?"

"Possibly."

Lumi gasped.

"NO! MY BAKERY!"

Shen Rui crouched beside the wooden frame.

"We can reinforce the supports and extend the platform."

Jun immediately volunteered.

"I can help!"

His younger sister raised her hand.

"I can help too."

Mei opened her notebook.

"I will organise the materials."

Lin Yue smiled.

"Good. But remember, we are not trying to make the pumpkin grow endlessly. We want it to remain healthy until the Harvest Fair."

Jun nodded.

"What if it becomes the biggest pumpkin in Willowbank?"

"Then we will need a very large cart," Shen Rui replied.

"And a very large bakery!" Lumi added.

Moss groaned.

"I am going back to the orchard."

The preparations for the Harvest Fair began immediately.

Shen Rui and the apprentices strengthened the pumpkin’s wooden support frame. Lin Yue prepared a nutrient mixture and showed Mei how to monitor the soil.

Jun was given the important task of measuring the pumpkin every morning.

His younger sister was appointed as the official record keeper.

Jun objected.

"Why does she get to write everything?"

"Because you wrote yesterday’s measurement upside down," she replied.

"That was artistic!"

"It was unreadable."

Meanwhile, Lumi had started planning the Golden Dragon Bakery.

It had drawn a large sign on a piece of wood.

Unfortunately, the letters were crooked.

The words read:

GOLEN DRAGN BAKRY

Lin Yue examined the sign.

"Very impressive."

Lumi puffed up proudly.

"Thank you!"

"Would you like me to help with the spelling?"

"No. This is a special dragon writing style."

Shen Rui studied the sign.

"Perhaps you should let Mei check it."

Lumi looked horrified.

"Why?"

"Because customers should know where to find you."

Lumi considered this.

Then it reluctantly handed the sign to Mei.

"Only a little correction."

Mei smiled.

"Of course."

A moment later, the sign returned with all the missing letters restored.

Lumi stared at it.

Then it nodded.

"Excellent. Now it looks more expensive."

Lin Yue laughed.

By noon, the garden had become a lively workshop.

The apprentices were preparing little decorations for the Harvest Fair. Madam He had sent baskets of fruit, Auntie Feng had promised fresh tea leaves, and the old Willowbank orchard keeper had volunteered to bring his famous roasted chestnuts.

The villagers were excited.

Some wanted to sell vegetables.

Others planned to bring homemade preserves, flower arrangements, woven baskets, and handmade toys.

Lin Yue suggested a small cooking corner where visitors could learn to make simple seasonal dishes.

Mei immediately wrote it down.

Jun proposed a pumpkin contest.

His younger sister proposed a prize for the most creative vegetable display.

Lumi proposed a pastry competition.

Moss proposed that nobody disturb his seed cakes.

Aster recorded everything.

Then Shen Rui placed a large sheet of paper on the table.

"I have one more suggestion."

Everyone turned toward him.

"What is it?" Lin Yue asked.

"A small resting area beneath the peach trees. Visitors can sit, drink tea, and enjoy the fair without standing in the sun."

Lin Yue smiled.

"That sounds lovely."

Jun raised his hand.

"Can we decorate it?"

"Of course."

"With lanterns?"

"Yes."

"With ribbons?"

"Yes."

"With a giant pumpkin throne?"

Shen Rui paused.

Lin Yue looked at Jun.

"Why a throne?"

"For the pumpkin champion!"

Lumi immediately jumped onto a wooden stool.

"I shall be the pumpkin champion!"

"You are not a pumpkin," Jun’s sister pointed out.

"I can become one."

"Please don’t," Lin Yue said quickly.

Later that afternoon, Lin Yue found Shen Rui working alone near the new resting area.

He was measuring the distance between two wooden posts.

She approached quietly and wrapped her arms around his waist from behind.

Shen Rui paused.

"Finished with the pumpkin?"

"For now."

"Then what brings you here?"

"My husband."

He turned slightly.

"Am I needed?"

"Very much."

"For another construction task?"

Lin Yue rested her chin against his shoulder.

"No. I came to distract you."

He smiled.

"That sounds considerably more interesting."

She pointed toward the measuring rope.

"You have been working for hours."

"Only a little."

"You said the same thing yesterday."

"Yesterday was different."

"How?"

"Yesterday, I was working on a philosophical beam."

Lin Yue laughed.

"And today?"

"A practical resting area."

"Then why are you measuring it so carefully?"

"Because I want you to enjoy it."

Her expression softened.

Shen Rui placed the measuring rope aside and turned to face her.

"I know we have been busy lately," he said. "I wanted to make sure the fair would be comfortable for everyone."

Lin Yue smiled.

"You always think about everyone."

"Someone has to."

"And who thinks about you?"

He looked at her.

"You do."

She nodded.

"Correct answer."

He laughed and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

"Then perhaps you should remind me to rest."

"I can do that."

"How?"

Lin Yue rose onto her toes and kissed his cheek.

Shen Rui smiled.

"Is that your reminder?"

"Would you prefer a written notice?"

"No."

He gently drew her closer.

"I prefer this."

Their lips met in a soft kiss.

For a brief moment, the garden, the apprentices, and the giant pumpkin all disappeared from Lin Yue’s thoughts.

Then—

"MASTER!"

They separated.

Lumi was standing several steps away, holding a tray.

"I HAVE MADE A NEW RECIPE!"

Lin Yue closed her eyes.

Shen Rui looked toward the sky.

"Of course you have."

Lumi approached proudly.

"Peach honey cakes!"

Lin Yue looked at the tray.

The cakes were golden and fragrant.

They were also shaped like tiny dragons.

One had a missing wing.

Another had three tails.

The final one looked suspiciously like a potato.

"What happened to this one?" Lin Yue asked.

Lumi followed her gaze.

"That is the special edition."

"Why?"

"Because it is a dragon that has not finished growing."

Shen Rui picked it up.

"Interesting."

Lumi beamed.

"Do you like it?"

Shen Rui took a bite.

He chewed thoughtfully.

Then nodded.

"Quite good."

Lumi nearly fainted with happiness.

Lin Yue tasted one too.

The cake was surprisingly delicious, with a gentle peach fragrance and a sweet honey filling.

She smiled.

"You have improved."

Lumi puffed up.

"I know!"

Shen Rui looked at the little dragon.

"Perhaps the bakery dream is not impossible after all."

Lumi’s eyes widened.

"REALLY?"

"With proper supervision."

Lumi immediately looked at Aster.

"I accept."

Aster replied calmly.

"I have not volunteered."

The following morning, the pumpkin measurements caused another commotion.

Jun came running across the garden.

"IT HAS GROWN!"

Lin Yue, who was drinking tea with Shen Rui, slowly lowered her cup.

Shen Rui sighed.

"Again?"

Jun nodded enthusiastically.

"It is enormous!"

His younger sister followed behind him.

"It has grown, but not as much as he claims."

"How much?" Lin Yue asked.

Mei checked her notebook.

"About three finger-widths since yesterday."

Jun spread his arms.

"Three finger-widths is a lot!"

"It is not the same as becoming a monster," his sister replied.

Lumi appeared from behind the pumpkin.

"IT IS A MONSTER!"

Moss, who had been quietly watering his plants, muttered, "The only monster here is the one making all that noise."

Lin Yue laughed.

Then she noticed something unusual.

A small crack had appeared along the pumpkin’s lower side.

Her smile faded slightly.

"Shen Rui."

He immediately came over.

They examined the crack together.

"The skin is stretching," Lin Yue explained. "It may be growing too quickly."

Shen Rui inspected the support frame.

"We should relieve some of the pressure on this side."

Mei hurried over with her notebook.

"Should we harvest it?"

"Not yet," Lin Yue said. "Let’s see whether we can stabilise it first."

Shen Rui gathered the apprentices.

Together, they carefully adjusted the supports and placed a soft layer beneath the heaviest part of the pumpkin.

It took nearly an hour.

But when they finished, the crack had stopped widening.

Jun wiped his forehead.

"We saved it!"

His younger sister smiled.

"We helped it."

Jun considered this.

"We saved it together."

"Better."

Lumi circled the pumpkin.

"My future bakery is safe!"

Moss groaned.

"I am beginning to regret living here."

That evening, Lin Yue and Shen Rui sat beneath the peach tree with two cups of tea.

The garden was quiet again.

The apprentices had gone home.

The pumpkin had been secured.

The bakery sign had been corrected.

And Lumi was asleep beside a basket of peach cakes, dreaming of customers.

Shen Rui handed Lin Yue a small piece of paper.

She looked at it.

"What is this?"

"A schedule."

Lin Yue stared.

"Another schedule?"

"This one is different."

She unfolded it.

At the top were the words:

OUR NEXT DAY OFF.

Beneath them were three simple plans.

Sleep late.

Have breakfast together.

Go somewhere without taking any tools.

Lin Yue looked up.

"You made this?"

"I thought we should plan ahead."

She smiled.

"Very sensible."

"There is one more condition."

"What?"

He leaned closer.

"No dragons."

Lin Yue laughed.

"That may be difficult."

"I am willing to negotiate."

"Then I want something in return."

"Anything."

"Two days off instead of one."

Shen Rui pretended to consider it.

"Agreed."

She narrowed her eyes.

"That was too easy."

"I have learned that negotiating with my wife is more difficult than negotiating with an entire village."

Lin Yue laughed and rested her head against his shoulder.

"Wise man."

He kissed the top of her head.

For a while, they simply sat together.

Then a sleepy little voice came from behind them.

"Can the bakery have a day off too?"

Lin Yue looked over her shoulder.

Lumi was standing there with one eye open.

"Why?"

"Because I am the owner."

Shen Rui shook his head.

"You haven’t opened yet."

Lumi yawned.

"Then I shall take a holiday before opening."

Lin Yue laughed.

"Very good business planning."

Lumi nodded sleepily.

"Tomorrow, I shall make a grand announcement."

Shen Rui looked at Lin Yue.

"What have we encouraged?"

She smiled.

"An entrepreneur."

"An expensive one."

"Probably."

They laughed together beneath the peach tree.

And in the eastern garden, the enormous pumpkin rested peacefully beneath its carefully built supports.

It had no idea that it was about to become the centrepiece of the biggest celebration Open Garden had ever hosted.

Nor did anyone suspect that, before the Harvest Fair arrived, a certain little dragon would announce a bakery opening, a pumpkin contest, and one rather unusual surprise.

To be continued...