Cheng Wanwan took Shen Zheng to the big tree in the yard.
It was just after noon, the sun was not strong, and the breeze was very comfortable.
She hesitated how to speak. After all, it was not her own child, and she did not have a sufficient position to ask about it.
Just as he was hesitating, Aunt Wang from next door came over to return the bowl: "Da Shan Niang, your braised food is so delicious. My man and several children ate up such a big bowl in no time. My man usually doesn't like to eat it." He loves to eat pig intestines made at your house, and he can’t wait to get some wine to drink..."
Mrs. Zhao also happened to return the bowl and took over the conversation: "This tastes really good. I used to buy pork offal that was boiled or fried. The children haven't eaten meat for a long time, so I just fried it." Being able to eat it all, I thought my fried food tasted good, but after eating this, I realized that my life had been in vain for so many years.”
Cheng Wanwan took the two bowls and said with a smile: "Er Gou, the kid, ate braised food and immediately wanted to make a living. He said he wanted to buy braised food from me and sell it in the town. He didn't know what the town was doing. People will like it.”
Aunt Wang said: "This stew is probably a little spicy because of the addition of dogwood. My barley and wheat family likes a lighter taste. I ate a few pieces and wanted to eat them but didn't dare to eat them again. I was thinking if I could make some that are not spicy. Customers can choose two flavors...I have never done business, so I just said it casually, Dashan Niang, don’t laugh at me."
"Loach Girl, your suggestion is great!" Cheng Wanwan asked seriously, "If we make something with a sweeter taste, will anyone like it?"
"I like sweetness." Mrs. Zhao frowned, "But if it's sweet, you have to add sugar. It's too wasteful. Let's add dogwood, or nothing at all. People like more..."
Cheng Wanwan smiled and started chatting with the two of them, and then gradually the conversation turned to the children's marriage.
Shen Zheng stood aside and listened, and became bored. He turned around and wanted to leave.
Cheng Wanwan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, and then ended the conversation: "I still have things to do at home, so I won't see you off."
Aunt Wang and Mrs. Zhao turned and left.
Cheng Wanwan stopped Shen Zheng: "Master Shen, I called you out just to ask you, what is Yihong Tower?"
Shen Zheng began to show off his knowledge: "Yihonglou is the largest brothel in Hekou Town. You can't enter the gate of Yihonglou without two dollars. The men here are willing to spend money. They can spend seven dollars in one night." Eighty taels of silver, sixty cents per pound of braised pork in Yihong Tower, the price should be several times higher..."
Cheng Wanwan had veins twitching in his forehead: "Have you ever been in?"
"That's not true." Shen Zheng coughed, "My father only gave me five taels of silver at a time, which was too little. I couldn't afford to invite the oiran to come and drink with me. It would be pointless to go, so I might as well not go... "
Cheng Wanwan: "..."
If she were this boy's biological mother, she would really want to slap him on the ear.
Five taels of silver is still too little, but at such a young age, he actually wants to ask a courtesan from a brothel to accompany him. What is going on in this kid's mind.
"Master Shen, you shouldn't go to a place like Yihong Building." Cheng Wanwan said in a gentle tone, "Of course, you can go if you want, but don't take Cheng Zhao and Ergou with you. Our family is poor. That place can’t afford to spend money…”
Shen Zheng snorted and said, "Cheng Zhao is so poor and Zhao Ergou is so rustic, the people in Yihongyuan will not let them in at all."
"Hey, Shen Zheng, who are you talking about?"
Zhao Ergou rushed out dissatisfied.
After so many days of getting along day and night, after Zhao Ergou and Shen Zheng got acquainted, they never called him Master Shen again. Sometimes they called him Shen Zheng when they were fighting, and Shen Zheng didn't care.
"Aren't you a country bumpkin?" Shen Zheng looked him up and down, "Look at what you are wearing. You are covered in patches from head to toe. You look like a country bumpkin at first glance."
Zhao Ergou retorted: "Aren't you the same? You have the nerve to talk to me even though you are wearing patches."
"Although I wear patched clothes, I have ink and talent in my belly. The sage said, I have poetry and calligraphy in my belly. Ragged clothes cannot block my temperament, so I am not earthy." Shen Zheng used leaves as a weapon. The paper fan shook and said, "If you go to the city to do business, you must wear clean and tidy clothes, otherwise those businessmen will look down upon others and kick you out without waiting for you to say anything."
Zhao Ergou hummed: "I know this, I don't need you to teach me."
Zhao Sidan jumped out and ran out: "Second brother, my money is useless in your hands. Let me lend it to you as a business capital. When you make money, remember to return it to me with interest."
Zhao Sanniu also took out his money bag: "I don't have any use for the money, second brother, I'll leave it all to you."
Zhao Ergou took it without hesitation. He firmly believed that he could make money, and he also believed that he could make both his brothers make money.
Cheng Wanwan liked the atmosphere of several children helping each other very much. After finishing her chores, she went to Li Zheng's house.
Li Zheng's house is also lively. The children are playing and playing in the yard, each holding a piece of snack in his hand, and several daughters-in-law are cutting fabrics and mending autumn clothes in the yard.
After the autumn harvest, the grain was sold, and every household became richer, and everyone's eyes were full of joy.
Li Zheng's wife raised her head and said with a smile: "Da Shan Niang, you are here just in time. The family is giving out snacks. It is the peach cake from Baiweizhai. Come and try it."
How could Cheng Wanwan fight for snacks with the children? She declined with a smile and said, "Uncle Li Zheng, I'm here to ask you for a favor."
Li Zheng put down the cigarette in his hand and listened to her carefully.
"The autumn harvest is finished, so I'm not in a hurry for autumn planting yet. I just want to take advantage of this time to build my house at home. They used to dig adobe from time to time in Dashan and saved more than 2,000 pieces, but it is definitely not enough." She said methodically, "I asked Zhao'er to draw a house construction plan. Uncle Li Zheng helped me see how many adobe bricks are needed?"
Li Zheng took over the drawings. When people in the countryside build a house, they always have their own plans in mind. They just direct the construction on site and that's it. No one will draw a special drawing.
The drawings have clear lines and text labels.
Li Zheng already knew some words. These days, whenever Tie Zhu came back from school, he would teach his younger brothers and sisters at home. Li Zheng followed suit and learned some more words. The words written on them were words used in daily life, and Li Zheng knew them all.
"Dashan Niang, your house is really big." Li Zheng couldn't help but said, "The main room is very big, the kitchen is also big, and there is a special place for eating. Each of the four children has a room, and you have a room. , plus a study room and two guest bedrooms, you also need to surround a large yard, with a hut and a bathhouse behind the yard. This requires a lot of adobe, eighty or ninety thousand yuan is the minimum. "
Cheng Wanwan nodded: "The children have to marry a wife, and after marrying a wife, there will be children at home. Since you want to build a house, let's build it bigger at once, so as not to be unable to live in it in the future. Besides, Master Shen doesn't know where he is. How long will you stay, and my nephew won’t be able to leave for a while, so the guest room should be prepared..."
She also built a large yard with bluestone paved in front and planted a few trees to make it a place for leisure and play. The back was connected to the wasteland she bought, which was specially used to raise chickens, ducks and geese. The livestock were raised in the backyard and in the front. It will be much cleaner and there will be no smell.
Li Zheng calculated the population of Cheng Wanwan's family and gave birth to four sons. If the families were not divided, they would indeed need such a big place to live.
He stood up and said: "Let's go and check out the land to build the house first. If the foundation is not good, I'm afraid we have to consider other places..."
Cheng Wanwan stood up and walked towards the wasteland with Li Zheng.
