Ji Chenghe looked at the young couple before him, and it was hard not to be moved. He patted Lu Ye’s shoulder and smiled, “Ji is twenty-one this year, just a low-ranking official of the ninth grade. If Brother Lu doesn’t mind, you can call me Brother Ji.”
Lu Ye and Bai Sheng exchanged a look and immediately said happily, “Brother Ji!”
Seeing that her son had made a friend, Ji Chenghe’s mother enthusiastically invited Ji Chenghe to cook, wanting to host Lu Ye and Bai Sheng for lunch.
The two immediately declined, saying that they had several younger siblings waiting outside and would visit again for a meal when they had the chance.
Watching the two hurry away, Madam Ji’s eyes showed approval, and she said to her son, “These two children are good, with excellent character, and not ignorant commoners. They are worth befriending.”
Ji Chenghe smiled and nodded, “Son also thinks so.”
They emerged from Magistrate Ji’s official residence around noon.
They went to eat another bowl of noodles. This time, Lu Ye insisted that Bai Sheng not exchange water for food. Now that they had money, Bai Sheng didn't need to take any risks.
After eating, everyone headed to the grain store together.
The plump aunt recognized them and immediately stepped forward with a smile, asking if they were there to exchange water for grain again.
Lu Ye apologized, saying that their stored water was running low and they would pay for the grain with silver this time.
The plump aunt looked noticeably disappointed, but Bai Sheng immediately stepped forward and smiled, saying that in a few more days, they would dig their well deeper, and they would still come to exchange grain when they had water.
Only then did the plump aunt beam with joy.
Bai Sheng bought a bag of flour, a bag of coarse rice, and seeds for common vegetables and fruits.
Lu Ye originally wanted to buy a few straw mats to cover the roof. Bai Sheng quietly told him that she had a lot of bamboo in her spatial dimension, and it would be better to weave the shelter roof with bamboo strips. The bamboo would regrow after being cut and grow very quickly, so there was no need to spend money unnecessarily.
Lu Ye happily agreed.
The three children saw their elder brother and sister-in-law whispering again, and they guessed that something unexpected would happen soon.
The three looked at each other, all wanting to say to their elder brother and sister-in-law, “Actually, it doesn’t matter if you whisper in front of us. We are both blind and deaf.”
After discussing the roof, there was still a lot of miscellaneous shopping to do.
The fire that day had burned down their home in Huangsha Village to nothing. When they went to Hongshu Slope, they had nothing but ragged clothes.
Now that they were finally settling down, they needed to acquire household items.
Bai Sheng mentally drafted a shopping list.
First, kitchen utensils.
Shovels, spoons, pottery basins, pottery jars, cutting boards, seasonings like oil and salt, and one extra-large water缸 and three small water缸.
The large water缸 was for storing water, and the small water缸 would be used as bathtubs for the three children and Du Min.
Taking advantage of no one paying attention, Bai Sheng put all four water缸 into her spatial dimension.
Thinking of Feng Pingyuan and Du Min’s clothes, which were so tattered they could barely cover them, Bai Sheng bought two sets of coarse cloth for them to change into respectively.
Digging a well and building houses required hiring workers, and for keeping accounts, Bai Sheng bought several account books and a set of paper and pens.
To get rid of lice and bathe the animals at home, she also bought lice removal medicine and brushes.
For evenings when they wouldn't have the energy to cook, she bought dozens of coarse grain cakes and 30 coarse grain steamed buns.
This shopping spree cost thirteen taels of silver. Of the fifty-five taels they had just received, only forty-two remained, and Bai Sheng winced with heartache.
Prices were really too high; she needed to earn money quickly! Otherwise, when would they have enough money to dig the well?
Lu Ye seemed to sense Bai Sheng’s distress over the money. He leaned closer and whispered, “Don’t worry, I’ll find a way to earn money.”
Bai Sheng nodded with a smile. But in her heart, she knew that the entire Tianshui Town lacked water and food, seemingly heading towards its demise. Where would Lu Ye find a way to earn money?
However, she didn’t want to put too much pressure on Lu Ye. Even if they couldn’t earn money, it wouldn’t be Lu Ye’s fault; it would be the fault of the heavens, which were not giving the people of Tianshui Town a way to live!
After buying all the necessary items, the group of five headed home.
As they neared Hongshu Slope, Bai Sheng used her consciousness to ask Hengheng if anyone nearby was paying attention to them.
Hengheng shrugged its pig shoulders and replied stylishly: clear.
Show-off! Bai Sheng rolled her eyes at Hengheng with her consciousness and then gave Lu Ye a nod that said, “It’s okay now.”
Lu Ye glanced at the three younger siblings, cleared his throat, and began to tell a blatant lie: “You wait here with your sister-in-law for a moment. The bamboo I ordered earlier has been delivered by the supplier and is placed over there on the hill. I’ll go get it.”
Here it comes, this must be what elder brother and sister-in-law were whispering about in town earlier! Lu Hua and the others nodded without changing their expressions.
Lu Ye calmly walked behind a sand dune and dragged out a large bundle of fresh, verdant bamboo that Bai Sheng had released with her consciousness.
“Such fresh bamboo!” Lu Yun ran over and touched the bamboo leaves, saying, “That bamboo seller must have cut it overnight.”
Lu Hua also nodded and said convincingly, “Such fresh bamboo must not have been cheap. Sister-in-law must have spent a lot of money.”
Bai Sheng grinned and nodded, smiling, “Yes… it cost a lot of money.”
Lu Yu, sitting on the camel, was too lazy to even speak. He hadn’t seen or heard anything. The bamboo was bought by his elder brother and sister-in-law in town.
Bai Sheng and Lu Ye exchanged guilty glances, steadied themselves, and still intended to act as adults who told blatant lies.
The same charade played out again. Bai Sheng “shamelessly” released the largest water缸 from her spatial dimension, and Lu Ye “shamelessly” carried it on his shoulder.
Then, the group, laden with packages, trudged laboriously towards home.
The people of Hongshu Slope were all on the sand embankment helping Feng Pingyuan and Du Min lay stones.
From a higher vantage point, they could see Lu Ye and the others walking towards their home from a distance.
“Brother Lu!”
“Sister-in-law Lu!”
“Brother Yun!”
Everyone shouted their names and ran down to help them carry things.
“What a large water缸, for storing water, right!”
“Tsk tsk, this bamboo is so fresh, where did you buy it? Tianshui Town actually sells such fresh bamboo!”
“Oh my, you bought two large barrels of water again! This… has really tired out Wuyun!”
“Huh? The cuts on these bamboo stalks all look like they were bitten by a dog? So uneven?”
Uh, actually, they were bitten by a pig’s snout, but I’m not telling you that! Bai Sheng’s forehead dripped with two beads of sweat.
Everyone helped carry all the items to the house.
Bai Sheng stayed home to organize and arrange things.
Lu Ye went to the sand embankment to inspect. In less than a day, the first layer of stones was laid, and it was very flat and stable.
Feng Pingyuan approached Lu Ye and said, “Eldest brother, everyone came voluntarily to help today and said they don’t want any reward.”
Lu Ye nodded, “Even if they say no, we must give them something. A gentleman’s word is his bond.”
After helping to carry the items, everyone climbed back onto the sand to continue laying stones.
Feng Pingyuan immediately stepped forward, directing everyone on the specific operations.