Chapter 123: Two-in-One

Chapter 123: Two-in-One

After getting ready, Zhou Ye returned to work.

The thatch for the courtyard roof needed to dry after being plastered with mud before the next step could be taken. So, Zhou Ye began crafting the bamboo rocking chair Lin Shu had long been wishing for.

It was impossible to finish it in one day, but Zhou Ye intended to make as much progress as he could.

Having just tasted Lin Shu's affection, he was now brimming with inexhaustible energy. With his mind completely focused on the task, his efficiency was astonishingly high.

Lin Shu sat on a small bamboo stool, watching him work. She thought to herself that even a seasoned artisan like Grandpa Gao might not be able to work as fast as A Ye.

Zhou Ye was truly captivating in this state. Lin Shu propped her chin in her hands, watching him, gradually lost in thought.

She genuinely liked Zhou Ye as a person, but she couldn't deny that she also desired him physically.

Men could desire women, and women could desire men—appetites and desires are human nature. She didn't feel the slightest bit ashamed.

"A Shu, you don’t have to keep me company here. You can go inside and rest," Zhou Ye said, stealing a glance while working, worried she might get bored.

Lin Shu shook her head. "I’m not going anywhere. I’ll sit right here with you. A Ye, I like watching you work."

She wasn’t foolish. The courtyard fence was tall, casting a wide shadow that provided ample shade. The woodshed and stove area also offered cool spots. She found a shady place to sit—it wasn’t too hot.

Most importantly, she felt it would be plain inconsiderate for A Ye to work alone in the courtyard while she went inside to sleep the day away. She couldn't bear the thought.

Zhou Ye paused slightly at her words, then murmured after a moment, "Then if you get tired or hot, go inside to cool off."

"Mm, I understand."

However, Lin Shu’s "pity" lasted less than two *ke* (about 30 minutes).

It was so hot outside—she was practically heat-stupefied.

As she continued watching, her eyelids began drooping.

By the time Zhou Ye finished making the two armrests and looked up, Lin Shu had already fallen asleep with her head propped in her hands.

He quietly set down his tools, cleaned his hands, then crouched in front of Lin Shu and called softly, "A Shu?"

Lin Shu mumbled incoherently.

Zhou Ye picked her up from the small bamboo stool and carried her back to her own bed.

The moment her body touched the bed, Lin Shu curled up, found a comfortable position, and lay still, sleeping soundly.

Zhou Ye stood by the bed watching her for a long while, covered her stomach with a thin blanket, then went back to the courtyard to continue working.

Even he didn’t realize that, alone in the courtyard, he worked with a slight smile on his lips the entire time, his eyes sparkling with the warmth of spring.

~

Since they had eaten a hearty breakfast, He Guixiang kept dinner simple that evening.

Congee with pickles, plus a few scallion pancakes.

Although Old Man Liao had said earlier that he wouldn’t be joining them for dinner, He Guixiang still asked Zhou Ye to deliver a large scallion pancake to him.

When Old Man Liao received the scallion pancake, he grumbled under his breath, but after polishing off the large scallion and egg pancake, he was left speechless.

How could even a simple pancake taste so good!

Compared to the bowl of porridge the neighbors had sent over—which had barely any rice in it—it was clear who truly cared about him.

As the saying goes, accept favors, and your hands are tied; accept food, and your words are sweetened. Having eaten their food, Old Man Liao put even more effort into handling matters for them.

After finishing the pancake and freshening himself up a bit, Old Man Liao went to Old Gao’s house before nightfall.

The Gao family was one of the wealthiest households in Sweetwater Village. Brother Miao’s family was rich because their ancestors had owned a lot of land, and he inherited a large share. The Gao family’s wealth, however, came from the bamboo-weaving craft passed down through generations.

Although Old Gao wasn’t cut out for this trade, Grandpa Gao had worked hard over the years and saved up a considerable amount of money for the family. Moreover, after giving birth to three daughters, Old Gao’s wife finally had a son. Although the youngest was still small, Grandpa Gao was hale and hearty and could live long enough to pass the bamboo-weaving craft on to his grandson.

When Old Man Liao arrived, Grandpa Gao was playing with his grandson, which made Old Man Liao feel a pang of envy.

Ah, everyone has their own fate. He had long accepted that he was fated to die alone and miserable.

"Brother Gao, playing with your grandson?"

Lin Laoer called him Brother Liao, but Old Man Liao addressed Grandpa Gao as Brother Gao.

However, when the two stood together, one looked older and the other younger, making them appear around the same age. Grandpa Gao didn’t work in the fields; instead, he spent his days sitting in the courtyard doing bamboo work. Although his hands were rough and worn, he was much fairer than those who worked in the fields, and his face was still full, making him look younger than his peers.

"Brother, I’ve got some fantastic news to tell you! Old Gao, put down what you’re doing and come listen too…"

~

As night deepened, most households in the village had already turned in for the night, and Lin Laoer’s family was no exception.

Zhou Ye, however, lay in bed unable to sleep.

He waited for a long time but heard no movement from the next room.

Sure that A Shu wouldn’t be visiting tonight, Zhou Ye couldn’t tell whether he was disappointed or relieved.

Perhaps a bit of both.

Recalling the sensation of A Shu sitting on his waist last night, and today how she wrapped her legs around him, a blush spreading across her face from his kisses, her eyes glistening with moisture—

Zhou Ye had countless moments where he wanted to trace his tongue along the corner of her eye, but he feared his reckless passion would startle her.

Even now, without doing anything, just thinking about what had happened made the already stuffy room feel even more hard to breathe.

Unconsciously, a fine layer of sweat had formed on Zhou Ye’s forehead.

His breathing grew heavier until, at one point, he abruptly grabbed the thin blanket piled beside him and draped it over his waist.

Then he turned on his side, slightly arching his back…

In the darkness, Zhou Ye’s panting and gasping echoed, ending with a stifled groan.

A moment later, he moved quietly out the door and into the courtyard.

Zhou Ye washed his hands with the mountain spring water from the bamboo water pipe, then rinsed his sweat-covered arms.

The cool mountain spring water finally eased the burning heat on his body.

Zhou Ye let out a sigh and couldn’t help but glance toward one of the thatched hut’s windows.

The summer nights were stifling, and A Shu craved cooler temperatures, so the windows were usually left half-open. But after her recent illness, Zhou Ye insisted she not open them too wide. Tonight, only a narrow gap was left.

The gap was too small to see anything, but as Zhou Ye gazed at the window, it was as if his eyes could picture what lay beyond.

A Shu must be sleeping like a log, he thought.

A Shu couldn’t bottle things up and never held herself back. Just like yesterday, when she said she couldn’t sleep and wanted to see him, she just climbed right into his bed. He was left all worked up, hot as a stove, but once she was satisfied, she took off without a second thought.

And today, as soon as Old Man Liao left, she made a beeline for him without hesitation, simply because she wanted a hug.

Zhou Ye rubbed his forehead and let out a helpless sigh in the night-drenched courtyard.

If A Shu kept this up, he would… just go along with it.

But he had to keep himself in check a bit more.

……

Lin Shu had a good nap yesterday afternoon and slept soundly at night, so when there was some commotion outside, she woke up. When she slept well, she didn’t necessarily need to sleep for a fixed number of hours.

She only found out when Lin Xiaopu told her that someone had come from outside—it was Grandpa Gao and Uncle Gao.

Grandpa Gao and his son would've rather not come to Lin Laoer’s home so early in the morning, but after what Old Man Liao said at their house last night, who could sleep after hearing that!

Uncle Gao couldn’t sleep because of the string of coins Old Man Liao mentioned. He lay in bed at night, discussing it with his wife, and the more the couple counted on their fingers, the more excited they got. If the bamboo reclining chair could really be sold for three hundred coins each, as Old Man Liao said, even if they only got a sixty percent share, they could make a nice profit.

Although the couple knew their father had saved up quite a bit of money over his lifetime, who would ever say no to more money?

Grandpa Gao, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep because of the ingeniously crafted bamboo reclining chair. Old Man Liao said the bamboo reclining chair was collapsible—the lower half could be pushed in when not in use, making it just a chair that didn’t take up much space. When you wanted to lie down, you could pull out the lower half and assemble it, turning it into a bed.

Although he had always been a man who'd done honest bamboo work, he was no stranger to making bamboo tables and stools. He often visited the bamboo weaving shops in town and had never seen such a collapsible, convertible bamboo reclining chair. He had been curious ever since hearing about it last night. Of course, he was also happy about the prospect of making money.

So father and son were on the same page right away and came to Lin Laoer’s house early in the morning to see what this bamboo reclining chair looked like.

Before Lin Shu was up, He Guixiang had already welcomed them in. By the time Zhou Ye returned from gathering wildflowers in the mountains, Grandpa Gao immediately asked him about the bamboo reclining chair.

Grandpa Gao had already examined the bamboo reclining chair several times. If it hadn’t been rude, he would have even turned it over to take a closer look.

“A Ye, my boy, did you make this bamboo reclining chair? Have you learned bamboo work before?” Grandpa Gao asked in surprise.

“It’s my first time making one. It’s not that I’m all that skilled at bamboo work—it’s just that A Shu’s drawings are clear and easy to understand. I just followed the measurements on the drawing, made each part, and then assembled them according to the diagram. It wasn’t that hard,” Zhou Ye explained.

Grandpa Gao praised him repeatedly, “You’ve got real skill!” The parts that needed polishing were smooth, no splinters, and the joints fit together perfectly.

As a man who knew the trade, he knew that bamboo work wasn’t as easy as Zhou Ye made it sound. Unlike bamboo weaving, which mainly required patience once you learned the technique, bamboo work took more cleverness. Even the slightest mistake in measurements could make the pieces unfit, and all your work would be for nothing.

Grandpa Gao had started slowly himself, gaining experience over time before he could make bamboo tables and stools. He could roughly figure out how Zhou Ye had made the bamboo reclining chair, but getting the pieces to fit just right took experience and a good eye—it couldn’t be done without carefully following the drawings step by step.

He never expected Zhou Ye to have such a talent for bamboo work. If he was this skilled with bamboo, his weaving skills were likely no less impressive.

It was just a pity that this young man wasn’t part of their family. Ah…

The more Grandpa Gao thought about it, the more regretful he felt, and he gave his son a look of pure disappointment.

Uncle Gao: …

His father was at it again. Whenever he encountered someone more talented, he’d glare at him.

But he really wasn't cut out for it. He knew all the steps of basket weaving after following his father for so many years, and he could barely manage to make something, but the finished products were pretty crude. When placed next to what his father made, the difference was night and day.

His father had said that the things he made were fine to give away as gifts, but they shouldn’t even think about selling them. And it wasn’t just that he lacked talent—he also couldn’t sit still that long.

His father could sit in the courtyard weaving baskets and sieves all day long, but he really couldn’t do that.

Compared to weaving, he preferred farming. The sun and wind didn't bother him; he just liked working in the fields.

When Lin Shu finally came out after getting ready, she greeted Grandpa Gao and Uncle Gao and got straight to the point: “Grandpa Gao, Uncle Gao, have you decided to go ahead with this business?”

Uncle Gao quickly replied, “Yes, yes, we will. But Lin Shu girl, can this bamboo reclining chair really be sold for three hundred coins each?”

He often went with his father to the bamboo weaving shops in town, and the chairs selling for several hundred coins there were really fancy, some even had carvings.

“Of course it can,” Lin Shu said confidently. “And that’s only because Jingxi Town is a small place. If we sold it in the county town, the price could be even higher.”

Since ancient times, wealthy folks have always gone for rare and newfangled things. Besides, three hundred coins to them was like throwing a stone into water just to hear the splash—they wouldn’t miss such a small amount.

And Lin Shu wasn’t just targeting the wealthy households; she also had her eyes on the middle-class families in town who weren’t rich but were comfortably well-off.

Remembering his wife's advice, Uncle Gao immediately asked, “Then can we make and sell them ourselves?”

Lin Shu replied, “Sure. In that case, I’ll only take sixty coins per chair. But Uncle Gao, let’s get one thing straight—if you want this bamboo reclining chair business to last and be stable, it’s best not to change the price I’ve set of three hundred coins per chair. Even if someone offers you two hundred eighty or two hundred ninety coins, don’t you lower the price. If you undercut the price for a quick sale, and later the chairs can’t be sold or have to be sold cheaply, Grandpa Gao’s hard work will be for nothing, and I won’t take any responsibility.”

Grandpa Gao and Uncle Gao: …

This Lin Shu girl looked all smiles, but her words were so unpleasant to hear.

Uncle Gao’s expression immediately turned conflicted.

Neither he nor his wife were good at hawking goods. When they had extra sieves or baskets to sell in town, he’d just set them aside and call out the price awkwardly or wait for customers to ask. After all, someone who needed them would eventually buy.

Hearing Lin Shu’s words, Uncle Gao wilted and looked at Grandpa Gao for his opinion.

Grandpa Gao rolled his eyes disdainfully. “Don’t you know your own limits? And you still want to listen to your wife’s grand ideas? What does a woman know about business? Just be happy with your cut, and don't get any big ideas.”

Though scolded like a child, Uncle Gao just gave a dry laugh. “Dad, this isn’t our home—mind your language. Lin Shu girl is listening; don't lump her in with them.”

Grandpa Gao coughed lightly and explained, “Lin Shu girl, Grandpa Gao wasn’t referring to you. The women in our Tianshui Village don’t know much—they always meddle in men’s business.”

Lin Shu just smiled without responding.

Even if Grandpa Gao’s remark included her, she couldn’t really hold it against a stubborn old man like him. In the eyes of most rural men, women were long on hair but short on insight, while they themselves thought they were God's gift. Hmph.

Grandpa Gao straightened his expression and said, “Uncle Gao and I are both willing to do this bamboo reclining chair business, but our family will only handle the making—you handle the selling. If Old Man Liao relayed the message correctly, for every chair I make, I get one hundred eighty coins, no strings attached, right?”

Lin Shu nodded. “Old Man Liao relayed it correctly—that’s what I meant. If you make and sell the chairs yourselves, you keep eighty percent, and I take twenty percent. I'm suggesting three hundred coins as the price, but if you’re sure you can sell them all later, you can adjust the price as you see fit. I won’t interfere—you’ll still give me sixty coins per chair. But if you don’t want to handle the sales, just focus on making the chairs and take your sixty percent. I’ll find someone else to handle the selling.”

Hearing this, Uncle Gao suddenly butted in, “Lin Shu girl, does that mean you won’t be selling them yourself?”

Lin Shu smiled. “Uncle Gao, I’m perfectly happy with my twenty percent. The selling is best left to those who are better at it. After all, if we each do our part well, we can all make good money together.”

Uncle Gao immediately felt that he and his wife had been too greedy, wanting to take on work they weren’t capable of handling.

After a brief discussion, Grandpa Gao and his son settled on the arrangement.

They decided not to get greedy—they’d stick to making the bamboo reclining chairs and let Lin Shu find someone to handle the sales.

Actually, since Zhou Ye could make the chairs, they could have produced and sold them on their own. The fact that Lin Shu was willing to share the business with them showed her generosity and her desire to cut her fellow villagers in on the deal.

“If you’ve decided, I’ll write up a contract. We’ll both put our thumbprints on it, make two copies, and each of us keeps one.”

Hearing there would be a contract, Grandpa Gao and Uncle Gao couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous.

Uncle Gao muttered, "We're all neighbors here, why do we need a contract?"

Lin Shu explained, "It's not that I don't trust you two, but any proper business needs to have proper procedures. With a contract, it's easier for us to follow the terms."

Seeing their hesitant expressions, Lin Shu added, "After it's written, I can read it to you, or you can take it to someone knowledgeable to review before leaving your mark."

Grandpa Gao was about to nod when the other Grandpa Gao pinched him, "Lin Shu, saying that makes it sound so distant! Just write it, and I'll press my thumbprint today once it's done!"

Lin Shu, however, didn’t rush to draft the contract. Instead, she first asked, "If an experienced bamboo craftsman comes across our bamboo reclining chair, they could buy one, take it apart, reassemble it, and figure out how to make it. So it's best if we make a whole batch at once to get the jump on competitors. I wonder how many such bamboo reclining chairs Grandpa Gao and his son can make within a month?"

Grandpa Gao said, "My son helping me is no trouble at all. With his assistance, we can make at least twenty in a month."

"Alright, then we'll build up a month's supply. Grandpa Gao, focus on making as many as possible while ensuring quality, and A Ye can also pitch in and make a few when he has time. By the next monthly market at the end of the month, we'll use Old Man Liao’s ox cart to take them to the market to sell!"

Once everything was settled, Lin Shu drafted the contract on the spot, read it to Grandpa Gao and his son, confirmed it was correct, signed it herself, and had Grandpa Gao put his thumbprint. Each kept a copy. Afterward, Lin Shu handed the bamboo reclining chair design to Grandpa Gao.

Grandpa Gao praised it after looking it over, "So that's how it is! I understand now. It's actually not difficult—it's just meticulous work!"

Lin Shu replied with a smile, "Naturally, it’s no challenge for an old hand like Grandpa Gao. Otherwise, why would I have asked Old Man Liao to make the connection?"

This made Grandpa Gao chuckle, pleased by the compliment. When they left, both father and son were beaming.

Grandpa Gao even counted joyfully on his fingers, "Dad, making twenty chairs a month means our family can get three thousand six hundred copper coins! And that’s just one month’s earnings—it’s equivalent to what you’d earn in half a year!"

Although Grandpa Gao’s bamboo work was excellent and villagers often sought him out, items like back baskets and winnowing baskets lasted a long time, so villagers didn’t need them often. The extras he took to the market to sell, but other villages had bamboo craftsmen too, who also brought their wares to sell. Plus, most villagers paid with grain instead of money, so Grandpa Gao actually didn’t make much income in a month.

"You fool, speak softer—don’t let others hear…"

After Grandpa Gao and his son had walked away, Lin Xiaopu in the courtyard showered praise, "My big sister is so capable! She doesn’t have to do anything and still gets her two-tenths share of the money. Twenty bamboo reclining chairs a month—that’s one thousand two hundred copper coins!"

"Exactly! And A Shu also has the Termitomyces sauce business!" He Guixiang chimed in happily.

While the mother and son were happily counting money, Zhou Ye pulled Lin Shu aside for a private word.

"What is it, A Ye? I’ve noticed you’re getting bolder. Mom and Xiao Pu are still here, and you’re already pulling me aside for secrets."

"A Shu." Zhou Ye called her name, and when Lin Shu looked at him puzzled, he pursed his lips and said very seriously, "I could make twenty bamboo reclining chairs in a month too."

"Pfft, I know that." Lin Shu glanced sneakily at He Guixiang, tugged his sleeve, and pulled him further away, whispering, "Silly, do you want to become the second Grandpa Gao, sitting in the courtyard every day doing nothing but bamboo and weaving work? You don’t have to earn all the money—isn’t it better to enjoy some leisure time? And—"

She pulled him closer, bending him down, leaned close to his ear, and said, "When you’re with me, don’t always think about work, understand?"