Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Replacing the Roof

Zhou Ye caught the faintest hint of a smile in Lin Shu’s eyes. His gaze flickered slightly before he quickly looked away, afraid someone might notice something unusual.

Yet when he nervously glanced around at the others, he found everyone perfectly composed—prompting an involuntary, enormous sigh of relief.

Zhou Ye sat upright and rigid as a pine tree, his expression calm, but his mind wandered far astray.

A Shu’s earlier glance had hooked him like a fishing line, leaving his thoughts blank—and suddenly flooding his mind with vivid recollections of their intimate nighttime moments in bed…

Yet when he looked at A Shu again, she appeared entirely unchanged.

Had he misread it…?

A tangled mix of guilt and unease stirred in Zhou Ye’s chest.

Zhao Laosan was heartily devouring a pancake when he heard Lin Shu speak. He hastily swallowed his bite and replied, “Miss A Shu, you’re far too polite! Half a day is nothing—even a full day or two would be fine. If A Ye’s absent for a day or two, we’ll simply pace the work accordingly.”

Liu Erzhuang, overhearing this, suddenly recalled something and hurriedly swallowed his food too. Turning to Uncle Zhao San, he said, “Uncle Zhao San, we haven’t been busy in the fields lately. If Zhou Ye takes a day or two off, my eldest brother can come help!”

Their family had three brothers—but the youngest was still too small to assist. The eldest, however, was stronger than Liu Erzhuang—though, er, he also ate more.

Still, compared to Zhou Ye, his eldest brother’s appetite suddenly seemed negligible.

When Liu Erzhuang had returned home yesterday raving about the delicious meals, his eldest brother had practically drooled with envy.

Initially, their family had worried that the eldest brother’s hearty appetite might trouble Uncle Zhao San—which was precisely why Liu Erzhuang himself had gotten the chance. The remaining tasks were labor-intensive, and there were many things he couldn’t handle alone—like lifting heavy logs—so he often had to ask Wang Zhangshun for help, which felt rather embarrassing. With his eldest brother here, the two of them could tackle the work far more efficiently.

Wang Zhangshun, remembering his mother’s words, chimed in immediately: “Uncle Zhao San, my family can help too! My younger brother may not be as strong as I am, but he’s definitely stronger than Liu Erzhuang. You know—we have very little farmland, so my brother could stay and help you without any problem.”

Liu Erzhuang: …

He knew Wang Zhangshun hadn’t meant to belittle him while praising someone else—he’d simply spoken the unvarnished truth unintentionally—but Liu Erzhuang still felt a sting. Still, he didn’t dwell on it. He was young, after all—wasn’t it natural he wasn’t as strong yet?

Zhao Laosan was momentarily taken aback before understanding: yesterday’s meals had been so exceptional that both the Liu and Wang families were eager to send their other sons to help.

He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry—so they *had* indeed been worried about going hungry here before.

Yet Zhao Laosan had no grounds for complaint. Helping was a favor; refusing was their right. He was already deeply grateful they’d lent him assistance while others made excuses.

He turned to Zhou Ye at once: “A Ye, you heard them. I can easily find people to cover for you. If you and A Shu have other matters to attend to, go ahead and take care of them.”

Thanks to Zhou Ye’s help over the past two days, progress on the thatched cottage had accelerated dramatically. Even if Zhou Ye didn’t return afterward, it wouldn’t matter.

Zhou Ye nodded and glanced at Lin Shu. “It depends on whether A Shu needs me. If she has little for me to do, I’ll only be gone half a day tomorrow and return. If she has many tasks, then I won’t come for the next two days.”

At this, Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun both turned to Lin Shu simultaneously—each silently hoping their brothers, too, might enjoy a few good meals.

Lin Shu lived up to their hopes. She sheepishly told Zhao Laosan, “If Uncle Zhao San can manage without A Ye, I’d like to take him away for two days—no, three days, including market day. I’ve already discussed it with Mom and Dad—the whole family is going to the market at month-end for fun, and A Ye will, of course, join us.”

The way she said “Big Brother A Ye” caused Zhou Ye to zone out slightly.

It had been a long time since he’d heard A Shu call him “Big Brother A Ye.” In the past, he hadn’t thought much of it—it had seemed no different from just using his name. But hearing it now, unexpectedly, sent a strange, warm tingle through his chest.

Zhao Laosan readily agreed: “Of course—then A Ye needn’t come for the next three days.”

The remaining work would be finished swiftly. He even considered saying Zhou Ye didn’t need to return at all—with the three of them plus the two additional sons from the Liu and Wang families, five people would be more than sufficient. Yet Zhao Laosan held back, fearing Zhou Ye might misinterpret and think he disliked him for eating too much.

“By the way,” Zhao Laosan remembered something, “A Ye, your roof is ready to be replaced. Tomorrow, a few of us will help you replace it before resuming our own work.”

Zhou Ye replied, “No need, Uncle Zhao San. You all focus on your tasks. I’ve already asked Old Man Liao—the two of us can handle it.”

But Zhao Laosan insisted, “I know you’re strong, but more hands will finish it faster. Won’t you be heading to the mountains with A Shu? Shouldn’t you leave early?”

Zhou Ye said, “We’ll replace the roof first thing in the morning, have breakfast, and then go. A Shu and I will be back before dinner.”

Skipping breakfast would mean packing provisions. Whether it was Aunt He’s flatbreads or anything else, they’d harden over time and taste unpleasant. He wasn’t picky—but A Shu had refined tastes, and he knew she disliked eating hardened food. Besides, the mountains were cool—leaving later wouldn’t matter.

After the meal, the men, having labored hard all day, returned to their respective homes—each feeling quietly pleased.

Back at Uncle Zhao San’s place, he and his wife closed the door the moment they entered. Lin Zhaodi brought up the ice jelly drink business, and the two of them began dreaming of future prosperity.

Liu Erzhuang and Wang Zhangshun also brought home good news. Their families were overjoyed. With meals like those, not only would they send their other sons—they’d even wish they could go themselves!

In contrast, Zhou Ye’s end remained utterly calm. Lin Shu merely asked him to make a few small bamboo shovels the next morning and dig a stove-sized pit outside the courtyard. Beyond that, she said nothing else.

Zhou Ye couldn’t tell whether he felt disappointed—or not. He’d assumed A Shu would have plenty to say to him.

That night, after the family settled into sleep, Zhou Ye lay in bed pretending to sleep for a long time—but Lin Shu never came. His disappointment deepened.

The next day, Lin Shu was woken by voices in the courtyard. The thatched earthen house offered no soundproofing—any noise outside carried clearly, especially since she’d left half the window open while sleeping.

“Sis, you’re up already?” Lin Xiaopu had just dashed into the room and saw Lin Shu sitting up, though she still looked drowsy.

Lin Shu sighed. “I didn’t want to wake up—but I had no choice. Who’s outside?”

“It’s Old Man Liao and Uncle Zhao San. We’re replacing the roof today, so Old Man Liao brought a ladder. Dad didn’t go to the fields either—he’s chatting with Old Man Liao. Not long after, Uncle Zhao San arrived, saying he’d help with the roof before returning to his own work.”

Lin Shu thought to herself: *No wonder. A group of rough men—can’t expect them to be as considerate as A Ye and keep quiet.*

Lin Shu quickly dressed and freshened up. With so many people around, appearances mattered—she didn’t want her reputation as a lazy girl to spread further.

Lin Xiaopu covered her mouth and giggled. “Sis, it’s still early—I just woke up too.”

Then she added, “But for a girl my age, it’s understandable—I’m still growing, so I need more sleep. As for you, sis… hehe.”

Lin Shu swiftly grabbed her arm and flicked her forehead. “Hehe what? Teasing your elder sister again—you’re getting more and more disrespectful.”

By the time Lin Shu finished getting ready and stepped outside, the work had already begun.

Zhou Ye approached her and asked softly, “A Shu, did the noise outside wake you?”

He deliberately lowered his voice so no one else would hear.

Lin Shu glanced around the courtyard and hummed in agreement. “It’s fine. I slept well last night.”

Zhou Ye gave her a meaningful look—one that puzzled Lin Shu.

Had A Ye not slept well last night?

But that couldn’t be—she hadn’t disturbed him.

Lin Shu wanted to tease him a little—but with so many people in the courtyard today, even whispering felt risky.

“A Ye, go ahead with your work. After breakfast, we’ll go to the mountains.” Her tone was soft and unhurried, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on the tall, sturdy man before her.

Zhou Ye murmured "Mm," turning away as his hand clenched briefly then relaxed.

He thought to himself, this time he wasn’t mistaken—A Shu was, indeed, flirting with her eyes.

He was just accompanying A Shu into the mountains, but what was she thinking?

~

Replacing the roof wasn’t a difficult task, but it took some muscle. When building a new house, the thatch for the roof could be woven and then laid directly onto the beams before being covered with mud and left to dry in the sun. After drying, a second and third layer could be added, which saved a lot of labor.

But for a house that was already occupied, so as not to bother the folks living there, the old roof was only removed after the first new layer had dried. The mud-covered thatch was much heavier and required two or three men working together to lift it into place.

With A Ye and Old Man Liao there, two men were enough, but Lin Dashan, as the head of the household, couldn’t just stand by without contributing during his own roof replacement, so he stayed to help. With Zhao San also chipping in, the roof was replaced even faster than Lin Shu had expected.

From removing the old roof to putting up the new one, then adding the second layer of bark and the third layer of bundled dry thatch, the whole process took only about an hour.

This was largely thanks to A Ye having prepared everything in advance, making the task both quick and easy.

After helping, Zhao San went back to work on his own thatched house, while Lin Dashan shouldered his farming tools and headed to the fields to weed the seedlings. Only Old Man Liao, who had originally come for the roof replacement, stayed behind with Zhou Ye to clean up the old roofing materials.

While the men were busy, the women were busy too. By the time the roof was finished, the pot of rice was almost steamed.

"A Ye, after you finish cleaning up, go catch a few carp from the fish pond. I’m making carp soup today," Lin Shu called out.

Zhou Ye was bundling up the reusable dry thatch from the old roof and answered right away.

Lin Shu then turned to Old Man Liao. "Old Man Liao, after thinking it over these past few days, have you decided? Will you come to our house for meals?"

He Guixiang also looked over at him, waiting for his reply.

Old Man Liao had been back to eating pickles and porridge these past couple of days, and with such a stark comparison, how could he refuse? But he often had to drive his cart to town early to avoid the heat once the sun was up, so having breakfast at Lin Laoer’s house was out of the question unless it was raining heavily and the roads were bad.

"Can I just come for dinner? I return early with the ox-cart, so dinner works fine. Breakfast is harder to manage," Old Man Liao said.

Lin Shu smiled and asked, "Why is breakfast so hard? If you’re coming for dinner, won’t you already know your schedule for the next day? Just let us know the night before. As long as you’re not going to town or can go later, I’ll have breakfast ready for you."

Old Man Liao felt really good about her words and couldn’t help but grin. "Alright then, I’ll do as A Shu says. I’ll go back later and bring a month’s worth of grain."

"No need to hurry. I’ll keep track, and you can pay up at the end of the month."

"Brother Liao, just listen to A Shu. Don’t be so formal," He Guixiang added.

Hearing this, Old Man Liao’s smile widened even more.

Lin Zhaodi, overhearing the conversation, realized that Old Man Liao would now be eating at A Shu’s house. She thought to herself: A Shu is so clever. Getting on Old Man Liao's good side will make things easier in the future.

After all, she would soon be taking Old Man Liao’s ox-cart to sell ice jelly. With A Shu’s connection, she might even convince him to leave earlier.

But Lin Zhaodi also knew that A Shu’s kindness toward Old Man Liao wasn’t for any ulterior motive—A Shu was genuinely good-hearted and always willing to help others.

Breakfast that morning was especially rowdy.

Not only were Wang Zhangshun’s younger brother and Liu Erzhuang’s eldest brother there, but Old Man Liao had joined as well. Everyone crowded around the table, eating together amid laughter and chatter.

Old Man Liao wasn’t one to boast, but getting into the spirit, he couldn’t help himself. "The feast Brother Lin treated me to a couple of days ago was really something else! Your wife and A Shu made a stewed fish—the flavor was incredible. There was also a dish of mushrooms, fried until crispy, so fragrant! And A Shu made fried dough patties, golden and crispy on the outside, soft on the inside…"

"Well, it was because A Shu had a high fever in the middle of the night, and I drove the ox-cart to take Brother Lin and his wife to Daoxiang Village. I wouldn't take their money for the ride, but they insisted on treating me to a meal."

"Brother Lin and Brother Zhao are both good men in the village. You youngsters working for Brother Zhao won’t regret it! Just look at this food—it’s almost as good as what I had…"

"Heh, that’s right. From now on, I’ll be eating at Brother Lin’s place. With no woman at home, I come back to a cold stove and pot. Brother Lin’s family meals are just too good. Brother Zhao, you’re in for a treat too—Sister-in-law’s cooking has gotten better learning from A Shu…"

Once again, everyone ate until they were stuffed. The newcomers, Liu eldest brother and Wang younger brother, were especially pleased.

After everyone dispersed, Zhou Ye didn’t waste time. He packed up and prepared to set out.

He carried an empty basket on his back, with his axe tucked at his waist. He also threw in a sickle and an empty sack into the basket.

Lin Shu didn’t go empty-handed either. She carried another basket from home, along with her hand shovel. She also asked He Guixiang for an old cloth.

The two of them walked one after the other.

It wasn’t that Zhou Ye intentionally walked ahead—even though he tried to slow his pace, A Shu still stayed behind him. He knew she was doing it on purpose.

After encountering a few villagers along the way and exchanging the usual greetings, the two walked farther away, getting closer to the deep, old forest.

Lin Shu glanced back, then skipped forward a couple of steps and grabbed Zhou Ye’s hand, beaming. "A Ye, I want to hold your hand as we walk."

Zhou Ye was so startled that his hand and arm jerked violently. He looked around guiltily like a thief, making sure no one was nearby, then clasped the small hand offered to him firmly in his large palm.