Chapter 124: Two-in-One

Chapter 124: Two-in-One

Lin Shu leaned in close as she spoke, her breath a delicate whisper against Zhou Ye’s ear.

Zhou Ye’s gaze flickered, lost in thought for a moment.

He quickly hummed in acknowledgment. "Got it," he replied.

"A Shu, did you see the wildflowers I picked today? They’re on the table—I replaced them with a fresh bunch."

Lin Shu’s eyes curved into a smile. "Of course I noticed. These aren’t water plants; even in water, they won’t last more than three days. Last night, they were already wilting, but this morning’s bunch is blooming perfectly, with a rich fragrance—clearly freshly picked. But A Ye, does this mean you’ll bring me a bunch every day from now on?"

Zhou Ye said, "I wake up early. Even if I have nothing else to do, I usually go to the mountains to fetch spring water. Picking wildflowers is easy for me. I’ll bring you a fresh bunch every day."

Lin Shu smiled sweetly at his words but teased, "You shouldn’t make promises lightly. If you ever forget, I’ll be very upset."

Zhou Ye looked at her, his eyes steady and his tone serious. "I won’t forget."

Lin Shu stared at him for a long moment before suddenly looking away, patting her cheeks with both hands. "I—I’m going to help Mother with breakfast!"

With that, she turned and ran off.

Zhou Ye didn’t follow. He watched her patter toward the stove, where Xiao Pu playfully teased her, prompting Lin Shu to retaliate with tickles, sending Xiao Pu into a fit of giggles. Aunt He shook her head helplessly nearby, as if to say, "Here we go again—these two sisters do this every day."

Zhou Ye’s lips curved slightly, and he returned to his bamboo work.

Compared to the bamboo reclining chair, the bamboo rocking chair was even more intricate, with more parts requiring precise fitting, especially the curved seat, which had to be meticulously woven with bamboo strips.

Zhou Ye’s bamboo craftsmanship was far inferior to Grandpa Gao’s, but his accuracy with an axe and kitchen knife was excellent, allowing him to split bamboo strips evenly. As for the rocking chair’s base, the curved arcs on both sides had to be identical to allow rocking. This wasn’t difficult for Zhou Ye either—he could bend two bamboo poles of the same thickness together over fire.

By the stove, He Guixiang had already started the fire for cooking. After playing around for a while, Lin Shu and Lin Xiaopu fetched a wooden bucket and headed to the fields to catch some loaches and snails.

Old Man Liao had tasted Lin Shu’s cooking yesterday and, after hearing Zhou Ye praise the loaches and snails, had been craving them ever since.

Lin Shu also thought it would be better to avoid fishing, as catching fish from the pond was troublesome. When Grandpa Gao left earlier, she mentioned wanting a fish trap, and he readily agreed, saying it was easy to weave and would have it delivered by Uncle Gao when done.

That way, they could catch fish as needed without hassle.

But shortly after the sisters left the yard, they spotted three people approaching from a distance.

"Big Sister, the one leading looks like Village Head Grandpa! Behind him… it’s Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin." Lin Xiaopu, after recognizing them, wondered, "What are they doing here?"

Lin Shu paused. "Most likely it’s about staking out building plots."

Lin Xiaopu’s mouth fell open. "Are Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin planning to build houses here in the village’s tail end too?"

Lin Shu asked her, "Why did Father and Mother choose this spot near the back mountain in the first place? Our home is the farthest in the entire village."

Lin Xiaopu said, "I’ve told you before—Father had a falling out with Uncle and Third Uncle. The old Lin family house is in the village’s front, and it was left to Uncle. Father, stubborn as he is, chose the most remote spot to build."

As soon as she finished, Lin Xiaopu realized, "Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin are often gossiped about by the villagers. They probably want to live farther away to avoid dealing with people?"

The village’s front had more flat land, and many houses were built close together, fostering frequent interaction. In contrast, the tail end was hilly and sparsely populated, with houses scattered far apart.

For example, their nearest neighbor was over twenty yards away, and Mother rarely interacted with that family, only exchanging greetings when passing by.

Those who built in the village’s tail end mostly preferred to keep to themselves.

If Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin built here, they wouldn’t be too far from the Lin family, making it convenient for the two households to interact.

"Big Sister, should we go see what’s happening?" Lin Xiaopu asked.

"Of course. If they become our close neighbors, it’s good to maintain a friendly relationship. We can help each other out if needed. For instance, if A Ye wants to repair the roof someday, he wouldn’t have to go all the way to ask Old Man Liao for help—he could just ask Uncle Zhao San nearby."

Lin Xiaopu said, "But that was just an excuse A Ye made. By that logic, the closest help would be our father. Repairing a roof isn’t a big job—A Ye and Father could handle it together."

Lin Shu pinched her nose. "I was just giving an example. Don’t be such a smart aleck."

Lin Xiaopu suddenly widened her eyes. "Big Sister, Aunt Lin seems to have spotted us! I made eye contact with her!"

Lin Shu laughed. "What do you mean ‘eye contact’? Just call out to them. Weren’t you loud and bold at home? Why so shy now? This is practically our doorstep—are you too scared to greet them?"

Lin Xiaopu pouted. "Who says I’m scared? I’ll show you!"

Lin Shu stopped walking, crossed her arms, and watched her with an amused smile. "Go on, then. Call them. Why aren’t you calling?"

Seeing her sister’s doubtful expression, Lin Xiaopu puffed her cheeks in frustration and shouted toward the distant figures, "Village Head Grandpa—Uncle Zhao San—Aunt Lin—"

Three loud calls made the trio turn their heads in unison.

After shouting, Lin Xiaopu blushed deeply under their gaze.

Just as she felt awkward everywhere, her sister also called out to them.

Lin Xiaopu immediately relaxed. Her sister’s voice was even louder, yet she didn’t seem bothered at all and even waved at the group.

Lin Shu took Lin Xiaopu’s hand and quickened her pace, heading straight for them.

In the village, claiming land for building required Village Head Grandpa’s approval to ensure the location wasn’t too close to others’ fields or unsuitable, as he would be held responsible for any future issues.

On their end, Zhao San and Lin Zhaodi hadn’t found a suitable spot yet—either the land was too dry or wet for foundations, or the sloped areas were too small for more than a house, with no room for a yard.

Though it was still early, Village Head Grandpa was already sweating. Zhao Laosan and his wife had claimed they’d found a spot, but it turned out unsuitable. He’d taken them around the village’s tail end but found nothing fitting.

"Father and son shouldn’t hold grudges overnight. You two, why insist on building here in the village’s tail end?" Village Head Grandpa was advising them to choose another location when Lin Shu greeted them.

Seeing Old Man Lin’s eldest daughter approach, Village Head Grandpa paused.

This girl was fortunate—she’d been a Marquis's daughter in the capital for a long time. Even though she’d fallen on hard times and returned to Tianshui Village, Village Head Grandpa didn’t dare slight her. As village head, he considered things more deeply than most.

Lin Shu also subtly observed Village Head Grandpa.

He was a spirited old man. Lin Shu had rarely seen him, except on the day she returned to Tianshui Village, when she witnessed him bowing with utmost respect to Shi Qing. Even without knowing Shi Qing’s identity, Village Head Grandpa treated him with utmost respect.

To Lin Shu, Village Head Grandpa seemed intuitively sharp and wise.

In Tianshui Village, elders were usually called "Grandpa," but Village Head Grandpa was addressed uniquely by his title.

As Lin Shu approached, she greeted them again and asked with a smile, "From afar, I guessed Uncle Zhao San and Aunt Lin might be looking to build nearby. Have you found a spot yet? If not, it’s lucky—I know a good location."

Lin Zhaodi sighed. "A Shu, we’ve looked everywhere nearby. There’s no suitable land left. Your Uncle Zhao San and I are thinking of moving closer to the back mountain."

Lin Dashan’s plot was already the farthest. Going further toward the mountain would be like living in isolation.

"How could there be none? Aunt Lin, what about that area?" Lin Shu pointed to a spot in front of a low slope.

The small slope was diagonally opposite their courtyard, just over a hundred feet away, with a large flat area in front of it. Since Zhao San and Aunt Lin were only two people, even if they had children in the future, that spot would be spacious enough for a small three-room home.

Lin Zhaodi hesitated and said, "Actually, I was eyeing this spot from the beginning, but the slope blocks the sunlight, and it’s impossible to fence in a yard. The area is surrounded by small slopes."

What she didn’t mention was that it was too close to Lin Laoer’s home. Some people dislike having neighbors too near, and she hadn’t known whether A Shu would mind. But now she knew—A Shu didn’t mind at all.

Lin Shu asked, "If that small slope weren’t there, Aunt Lin, do you think a courtyard could be enclosed?"

Lin Zhaodi looked over again and nodded. "If the slope weren’t there, it would be possible. We could get more helpers to level and compact the surrounding area."

Lin Shu smiled. "Then it should work. If the surrounding area can be leveled, so can that slope. I’ve already looked it over—it’s just soil, not hard to remove, though it will take more time."

Lin Zhaodi thought she didn’t want to spend extra time on it.

Building a house required help from the villagers, and that meant having to provide two meals a day. The longer the work took, the more meals they’d have to provide—and that meant more money!

Leveling the small slopes around would only take an extra day or two, but removing the front slope would require a lot more time and work.

Lin Shu, aware of her concerns, added, "Once the house is built and the land leveled, you can include the slope in the yard and remove it slowly after moving in. I’ll ask A Ye to help—he can do the work of five people. If it takes three days, fine; if not, half a month or a month will suffice. Besides, with the hot weather, the slope will provide shade. As for A Ye’s meals, you can owe him the meals for now. If you choose this spot, we’ll be living close by—a few meals won’t be hard to repay."

Hearing this, Lin Zhaodi’s eyes lit up, and she immediately looked at Zhao San.

Zhao San nodded without hesitation. "Lin Shu girl’s idea is workable. Let’s do it." Mainly because his wife liked it too.

Seeing they had finally made a decision, the village chief relaxed and pointed out the general boundaries. "The courtyard can extend to here at most. Any larger, and it’ll encroach on the road."

Zhao Laosan nodded. "Understood, understood. Thanks for your help today, village chief."

The village chief waved it off. "No trouble at all. Just live peacefully with your wife from now on. By the way, do you have enough helpers? If not, I can get some people together."

In the past, there had been cases where families with bad reputations struggled to find helpers, as people worried they wouldn’t even get two proper meals. But if the village chief stepped in, more people would be willing to help.

Zhao Laosan politely declined the offer—he could find enough helpers on his own.

"Alright, then you’ll live here. Take advantage of the good weather—you can start the foundation tomorrow."

The village chief left after resolving the matter, but not before exchanging a few pleasantries with Lin Shu, asking if she was settling in and telling her to seek out his daughter-in-law for any issues involving the village women.

Lin Shu agreed and thanked him. Truly, a village chief knew how to choose his words well—whether he could deliver was another matter, but his words were certainly smooth.

"A Shu, we should be going too," Lin Zhaodi said.

Lin Shu quickly stopped her. "Aunt Lin and Zhao San are already right at my door—how can you leave without having some water? Come on, come inside for a drink!"

Lin Zhaodi appreciated the offer but couldn’t possibly accept. "Once the house is built, I’ll visit you often. Today really isn’t convenient. Besides, I see you have buckets—you must have things to do."

It was around breakfast time, and if they went in, He Guixiang would surely insist they join them for breakfast. She couldn’t impose.

"I’m just going to the fields with Xiao Pu to catch some loaches. But Aunt Lin, are you sure you won’t come in?"

Lin Zhaodi quickly said she’d visit another day.

"Alright, then we’ll have a proper visit once you and Zhao San have moved in!"

"Oh, and Aunt Lin, I heard from Mom that when their family split up, money was tight. They had to borrow from several households to get through the first two months. I recently made some money from a business deal in town—more than I need right now. You and Zhao San can borrow it first!" Lin Shu said.

Lin Zhaodi was stunned.

Asking to borrow money was always awkward. Zhao San had approached a few families and managed to borrow some, but it totaled less than a string of coins. She didn’t have many close friends in Sweetwater Village—only Li Chunmiao—and she hadn’t figured out how to bring it up.

She never expected Lin Shu to bring it up first.

How could someone make borrowing money sound so comfortable, without any awkwardness, as if it were no big deal?

Most importantly, Lin Shu said the money was her own earnings—she could decide how to use it.

Though curious about Lin Shu’s business, Lin Zhaodi knew it wasn’t the time to ask. She squeezed Lin Shu’s hand. "A Shu, I won’t stand on ceremony. Zhao San and I still have some money. If we really come up short, I’ll definitely ask you."

"Good, that’s settled then."

After seeing off Zhao San and Aunt Lin, Lin Shu headed to the fields with Lin Xiaopu.

"Big sister, I don’t really understand. You said we should keep the mushroom sauce business a secret. Even though you didn’t specify what business you did, you mentioned earning money to Aunt Lin and emphasized how much you made. You didn’t even tell Third Aunt in detail," Lin Xiaopu said.

"I didn’t give Aunt Lin details either—just said I earned a lot. She needs money now, and since I’m willing to lend her what I made, she’d naturally hope I earned plenty. Besides, Aunt Lin knows her limits—did you see her ask for details?"

Lin Xiaopu thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Big sister, is this what they call ‘speaking human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts’?"

Having predicted Lin Shu’s reaction, Lin Xiaopu immediately darted away, leaving Lin Shu’s outstretched hand hanging in mid-air.

Lin Xiaopu laughed gleefully.

Lin Shu: …

So childish.

~

By the time Old Man Liao arrived at his leisure at Lin Laoer’s home, the delicious smell of food already wafted from the courtyard. The rich scent made Old Man Liao quicken his pace.

Today’s breakfast was similar to yesterday’s, except the stewed fish was replaced with braised loach, and the fried dough cakes were swapped for a full plate of stir-fried river snails.

Noting that Old Man Liao liked both sweet and spicy food, Lin Shu had prepared the loach braised style and stir-fried the snails with Sichuan peppercorns and medicinal berries, making two plates—one extra spicy.

Old Man Liao was thoroughly satisfied. Compared to the bony grass carp stew, he far preferred the braised loach.

Who knew something as dirty as loaches could taste so good!

Seeing his delight, He Guixiang and the others were pleased too. After all, Old Man Liao had been instrumental in facilitating their business partnership with Grandpa Gao’s family.

Though he’d merely passed on a message, his word carried weight—everyone in Sweetwater Village knew Old Man Liao never spoke without meaning. His involvement made the deal much more credible.

After eating his fill, Old Man Liao didn’t stay long—he barely rested on Lin Laoer’s bamboo reclining chair before calling Zhou Ye to leave.

Noticing Zhou Ye’s axe tucked at his waist, Old Man Liao chuckled. "Why bring an axe just to strip bark? Here, I borrowed two stripping knives from Old Gao on the way. These are much better for cutting and scraping bark."

Zhou Ye took one of the knives but didn’t remove his axe. He was used to the axe and could strip bark deftly with it too.

"A Ye, wait," Lin Shu called out to them. "You and Old Man Liao should each take a bamboo tube of water to drink on the way."

She handed them two bamboo cups filled with mountain spring water, sealed tightly to prevent spills no matter how bumpy the journey.

"Be careful on the road, understand?" Lin Shu reminded them.

Zhou Ye and Old Man Liao were heading deep into the mountains three li away, where fir trees were abundant—the bark was essential for thatching the hut. Though they wouldn’t go too far in, they still needed to look out for insects and snakes.

Zhou Ye had been to the deep mountains countless times and didn't really need reminding, but he still replied earnestly, "Don’t worry, I know."

As the two walked away, Old Man Liao couldn’t help tsk-tsking.

"Not even married yet, and already acting like a worried wife, fussing over everything. I say, A Ye, what are you two waiting for? Hurry up and tie the knot! If you’re not in a rush, I'm getting impatient for you!"

Zhou Ye’s expression softened as he thought of something. "I’ll listen to A Shu. Whenever she says it's time to get married, we will."