Author Archives: Thingyan

Spicy Fish Head

When he returned home, Chang Hao, tired from the day’s work, couldn’t resist his drowsiness. In the main hall, Grandpa Chang was weaving mats, while Chang Le was mending clothes. They were both busy, waiting for Yu Qingze.

Upon seeing him return, Chang Le gestured to him, asking if he wanted to take a bath now and offering to fetch water for him. Grandpa Chang translated for him.

Yu Qingze shook his head, called Grandpa Chang and Chang Le to sit at the table, and then spoke to them with great seriousness, “Grandfather, Brother Le, I am new here and fortunate to have been saved by Brother Le and taken care of by you. I am truly grateful. As you know, I have no relatives or place to stay here for the time being. Therefore, I would like to discuss, no, to request something from you.”

The grandfather and grandson exchanged glances and saw the earnestness in Yu Qingze’s eyes.

Grandpa Chang said, “Go ahead, tell us.”

Yu Qingze spoke seriously to the two of them, “I would like to stay here for a period of time. I will pay monthly rent, and once I am financially capable and find a suitable place, I will move out.”

They hadn’t expected Yu Qingze to bring up this matter.

Grandpa Chang waved his hand and said, “You can stay here. It’s just a matter of providing a bed. There’s no need to talk about rent or anything.”

Chang Le also nodded in agreement.

Naturally, Yu Qingze was not willing to stay for free. He helplessly said, “Grandfather, Brother Le, if you insist on this, then I dare not stay in your house.”

Grandpa Chang stared, “What do you mean by daring or not? Haven’t you been teaching Xiao Le and Xiao Hao how to write? Didn’t you also say that you would teach Xiao Hao martial arts? Consider it as repayment. Speaking of which, we’re the ones benefiting from this.”

Yu Qingze chuckled, “If you put it that way, Brother Le saved my life too, Grandfather.”

“That’s a different matter. They can’t be mixed together.”

Yu Qingze was determined, but Grandpa Chang was even more resolute.

They went back and forth for a few rounds, but no agreement was reached.

Seeing them arguing back and forth, Chang Le suppressed a smile.

Unable to persuade the elderly man, Yu Qingze could only say, “Grandpa, I am serious. I can’t just eat and stay here for free. I hope you can understand.”

Grandpa Chang looked at him for a while and then sighed, saying, “Alright, alright, if you insist on paying, then go ahead.”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “I don’t know the rental prices around here. What do you think about one tael of silver per month?”

Both grandfather and grandson were shocked by his generosity.

Grandpa Chang replied dryly, “Our house doesn’t have the conditions of an inn.”

Yu Qingze said, “I’ve included the cost of food as well.”

Grandpa Chang waved his hand, “Those things from the fields are not worth much. Everyone grows them, but if you try to sell them on the street, they won’t sell.”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze acted as if he hadn’t heard Grandpa Chang’s objection and made a final decision. “Then it’s settled. One tael of silver per month. I’ll pay for three months in advance.”

He took out a cloth pouch, unsure of how much three taels of broken silver were worth. So he simply handed three strings of copper coins to Grandpa Chang. “Grandfather, here you go.”

Grandpa Chang reluctantly accepted it and casually passed it to Chang Le.

Yu Qingze noticed that Chang Le was the one managing the money in the family. So he turned to Chang Le and said, “Brother Le, could you help me keep this silver? I don’t have a place to keep it, and once the Double Ninth Festival is over, I want to take it back. By then, I plan to do some small business in the city.”

Chang Le felt a bit hesitant. It was a considerable amount of silver, and he worried about the possibility of losing it.

Chang Le looked at Grandpa Chang, and after receiving a nod, Grandpa Chang said, “Go ahead and keep it for him.”

Only then did Chang Le accept the cloth pouch and carefully took it into the room.

Grandpa Chang looked at Yu Qingze and asked, “You want to do business in the city?”

Yu Qingze nodded, “I want to sell some snacks. I need to find a way to make a living.”

Grandpa Chang furrowed his brow, “Didn’t you lose your household registration certificate? You’ll need it to do business in the city.”

Yu Qingze exclaimed, “Ah, I completely forgot about that. Grandfather, how can I get my household registration transferred here?”

Grandpa Chang frowned and thought for a moment, “There seems to be a specialized department in the yamen that handles this. You can ask the village chief, he should know.”

“Alright, I’ll ask him.”

“Do you want to register here? In Niu Tou Village?”

“Yes, this place is great. If possible, I would like to register here.”

“You’ve got good taste! More than a dozen households in our village thought the same way and settled here. It’s been over ten years in the blink of an eye,” Grandpa Chang reminisced and couldn’t help feeling a bit emotional.

Yu Qingze curiously asked, “I heard that you all came here during the war?”

Grandpa Chang nodded, took a puff of his pipe, and his gaze became distant. “We were originally in Qingzhou on the north bank of the Qing River. The war had devastated that area severely, and we couldn’t survive there anymore. We heard that the war in the south wasn’t as severe, so we made every effort to cross the river and come here.”

The Great Sheng Dynasty was established to end the wars of the previous dynasty. It had only been fifteen years since its founding, and Yu Qingze had heard about it.

“Yes, during times of war, it’s the common people who suffer the most.” Yu Qingze hadn’t personally experienced it, so he could only express his sentiment.

Grandpa Chang let out a sigh, his eyes filled with sadness. He said with great concern, “Brother Le’s injury was caused during that time… sigh.”

Yu Qingze wanted to ask for more details, but when he saw Chang Le coming out, he promptly held his tongue and went to his room to fetch his change of clothes. He asked Chang Le, “Brother Le, can you please fetch some water for me?”

Chang Le smiled and nodded.

The next morning, Yu Qingze saw Chang Le bring back a large basket of green beans. During breakfast, he asked him about it.

Chang Le expressed some worry and explained that there were too many beans growing in the field, and they hadn’t had time to sell them recently. So they brought them back to dry, otherwise they would all spoil.

Curious, Yu Qingze asked about the common ways they cooked and consumed green beans here. He learned that they usually boiled and ate them, but if they couldn’t finish them or sell them, they would dry them into dried green beans.

The beans in the basket were fresh and tender. Yu Qingze pondered for a moment and asked, “Brother Le, do we have any empty jars at home? The kind with lids.”

Chang Le nodded and looked at him curiously, asking what he had in mind.

Yu Qingze said, “To pickle them into sour green beans.”

“Sour green beans?” Chang Hao asked curiously, “Are they delicious?”

Yu Qingze nodded and said, “They’re very appetizing and suitable for both summer and winter.”

“Are they tastier than dried green beans?” Chang Hao often ate dried green beans in winter but had a slight distaste for them.

Yu Qingze smiled and replied, “It’s a different flavor. I’ll pickle some for you to try. If you find them delicious, we can pickle a whole jar to eat in winter.”

Hearing the promise of something delicious, Chang Hao happily raised both hands in agreement, saying, “Let’s pickle them!”

If Big Brother Yu says they’re delicious, they must be super delicious! Chang Hao now had a blind admiration for Yu Qingze, especially when it came to food.

So after they finished breakfast and Chang Le and his grandfather went to work in the fields, Yu Qingze stayed home to make sour green beans.

He washed the jars clean and let them air dry naturally. Then he selected the fresh and tender green beans, removed the ends, washed them thoroughly, and let them dry. He boiled a small pot of water and let it cool down.

After all the preparations were completed, pour about half a jar of cold water directly into the jar, add the green beans, making sure they are fully submerged in water, and add a generous amount of salt. This completes the process.

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and added a few green peppers. Actually, if they had radishes, pickled radishes would also be delicious. However, since it was summer and they didn’t plant radishes for the summer, they could pick some bitter gourds instead to soak in the brine.

Finally, cover the jar with its lid and pour water along the edges of the jar to prevent air from entering. Place it in a cool place, and after two to three days, it will be ready to eat.

Since they had already made sour green beans, Yu Qingze also made a simplified version of pickled cucumbers with the remaining cucumbers.

At noon, Grandpa Chang suggested cooking the fish that the village chief had brought yesterday. Yu Qingze remembered the taste of the first meal he had here, the flavor of that fish…

“Let them enjoy the true taste of fish,” Yu Qingze muttered to himself.

There was no ginger at home, and the only things that could remove the fishy smell were rice wine and vinegar, but it wasn’t enough. Yu Qingze was worried when suddenly he remembered seeing a small patch of perilla leaves by the roadside in the village. His eyes lit up, and he decided to go and pick some to use as a substitute for ginger in removing the fishy smell.

While he was picking, he ran into the village chief.

“Aze, what are you picking this for?” the village chief asked curiously. Perilla leaves had a peculiar smell, and the villagers considered them wild plants. Even the cows didn’t like to eat them, but the doctors sometimes used them for medicinal purposes.

Yu Qingze replied, “We don’t have ginger at home, so I’m picking these as an ingredient. Village chief, did you find me because you’ve made a decision?”

“Yes. We discussed it yesterday and decided to go with your suggestion,” the village chief said. They had been discussing it with great enthusiasm until dawn, and they had finally made a decision.

During that time, something happened. The village chief’s wife discovered that thirty taels of silver were suddenly missing from their home. He panicked and hurriedly searched for them, thinking that their house had been robbed. Later, they found out that they had used the money to buy a wooden board. It caused quite a commotion, and the village chief and the two sons had to put in a lot of effort to persuade him. It was quite an ordeal.

Yu Qingze exclaimed happily, “I knew you would agree.”

The village chief smiled and then asked, “However, Aze, I wanted to discuss with you whether we could start making the threshing machine and windmill a little later?”

Yu Qingze thought for a moment and understood what the village chief and the others were thinking. They simply wanted to focus on making the rice beds before the autumn harvest. He asked, “How many people in your family can do carpentry work?”

The village chief replied, “I, Dajian, and Dayong are all skilled carpenters. My third son can only assist, and my wife also has some knowledge.”

Yu Qingze pretended to ponder for a while, then said, “I see. In that case, let’s wait until after the autumn harvest to start making the threshing machine and windmill. After the harvest, you can assign someone to work with me on designing and making the threshing machine and windmill, while the others can focus on producing other simple goods.”

Yu Qingze aimed for long-term cooperation. By allowing the village chief and his group to see the benefits first, future collaboration would be smoother. One project at a time was also feasible since no one knew about the ideas in his mind.

Besides, he also wanted the village chief’s help in resolving his household registration issue.

Upon hearing this, the village chief immediately smiled and said, “That’s a good arrangement.”

The two agreed to meet at the village chief’s house in the evening to discuss the terms of their cooperative agreement.

Back at home, estimating the time, Yu Qingze cooked rice first, set up the fire, and then began to prepare the fish.

The village chief had brought a large crucian carp, weighing about two to three catties.

Using perilla leaves as a substitute for ginger, Yu Qingze made a spicy chopped fish head dish based on the preferences of the Chang family. He marinated the remaining fish and prepared it in a bowl to make braised fish in the evening. He also made a soup with loofah and eggs, accompanied by some greens. It was a very satisfying lunch.

Once the meal was ready, the three members of the Chang family returned home.

As soon as Chang Hao entered the courtyard, he smelled the enticing aroma in the air and rushed into the house, excitedly asking, “Big Brother Yu, did you make something delicious again?”

Chang Le’s eyes also lit up. Another new dish! And it’s fish!

Unfortunately, he didn’t see how it was made, which was a little regrettable.

The greatest happiness for a food lover is to encounter a good cook!

And for a culinary novice aspiring to become a good cook, the greatest happiness undoubtedly lies in finding a good mentor!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Translator has something to say: I thought the fish head dish would be a little … not so pleasant, but look at that pic .. holy carp.

The First Business

“Brother Yu.” After finishing his meal, Chang Hao wiped his mouth and approached Yu Qingze, looking at him with bright eyes.

Yu Qingze asked, “What’s the matter?”

Chang Hao nodded, but hesitated for a moment before speaking up.

Oh, this is rare. The young boy, who usually speaks his mind, is actually hesitating. Yu Qingze raised an eyebrow and said, “Speak up, what’s the matter?”

“Um, well…” Chang Hao, the young boy, blushed and felt a bit embarrassed, thinking that he was being a bit shameless. But he couldn’t resist the strong desire in his heart, so he finally asked, “Brother Yu, can you do martial arts? Can you teach me?”

So that’s what it’s about. Yu Qingze looked at Chang Hao’s small figure and thought that some exercise might help him grow taller. He nodded and said, “I can. But what I know is just some basic skills for self-defense.”

“That’s already amazing!”

“It’s also quite demanding.”

“I’m not afraid!”

“Alright then.”

“That’s great!” Upon hearing Yu Qingze’s agreement, the young boy jumped up in excitement. “Once I become good at it, I can protect my brother and grandfather!”

Yu Qingze smiled and thought to himself that Chang Le is actually quite strong, and most people wouldn’t be able to beat him. But the young boy’s aspirations and dreams were so beautiful that they deserved praise and protection.

The two of them made a promise to start the lessons once the busy harvest was over.

“Brother Yu, what are you doing?” Now that his wish had come true, Chang Hao became curious about the wooden board in Yu Qingze’s hands. It had many lines drawn on it using the burnt ends of firewood, forming a framework of sorts, but he had no idea what it was.

Yu Qingze smiled and, imitating Chang Hao’s mysterious expression, replied, “It’s something good. You’ll find out tomorrow.”

“Oh? It’s so mysterious.” Chang Hao became even more curious, scratching his head and looking at the black lines, eager to know what it was.

Yu Qingze nodded seriously, “Yes, it’s that mysterious.”

Chang Hao’s curiosity grew even stronger, but he couldn’t find a way to ask, feeling like he might explode from the suspense.

Before Chang Le and his brother returned that night, Yu Qingze took a bath. Grandfather Chang brought him some old clothes that used to belong to Chang Le’s father for him to change into. He took off his own clothes to wash, leaving the clothes and shoes he had brought from his time-traveling untouched. Chang Le had taken them from him the night before and neatly folded them, but those clothes would look too strange here, so he didn’t wear them.

Then he asked Grandpa Chang about the agricultural tools commonly used in their village and learned that there were no better tools for threshing rice grains, and the straw and chaff were cleared by lifting them with a shovel and letting the wind blow them away. This information confirmed his idea’s feasibility.

He wanted to make rice beds, a winnowing cart, and a foot-operated threshing machine! He wanted to innovate their tools and make it easier for them during the busy farming seasons!

“Oh, this is for you. Your name is written on it. You can wet it and write on the table.” Yu Qingze took a wooden board from beside him, and using a charred stick, he wrote the characters ‘Chang Hao’ on it, along with the stroke order.

Since they didn’t have paper and pen, he found a wooden board and a charred stick as substitutes.

Chang Hao’s eyes immediately lit up, and he quickly took the board, looking at the two characters on it. Excitedly, he asked, “Is this my name? Chang Hao?”

“Yes.” Yu Qingze nodded and pointed at the two characters, reading them one by one, “Chang–Hao. The order of the strokes is written below. You can start by learning the character ‘Chang,’ and I’ll teach you to write it twice.”

“Wait, Brother Yu, let me call my brother!” The young boy ran quickly to the kitchen, grabbed his brother, and rushed back to the main room, shouting, “Brother, hurry, good news!”

Chang Le had just finished washing the dishes and hadn’t even dried his hands when his brother dragged him away. It was only when they arrived in the main room that he found out that Yu Qingze wanted to teach them how to read and write.

Chang Le was also quite excited and stood behind his brother with curiosity, blushing slightly, listening attentively.

Using the oil lamp on the dining table, Yu Qingze carefully taught them the stroke order and demonstrated how to write the character ‘Chang’ twice.

Grandpa Chang sat weaving a mat while smiling and watching them.

This young man really knows a lot.

Once both brothers understood, Yu Qingze let them practice on their own and started working on his own drawings.

Chang Le’s family, along with seven other households, jointly purchased a cow, which was kept at one of the households. When it was time to graze the cow, each household took turns, rotating every month. After the winter when the grass withered, each household had to provide dry grass for the cow. The cow dung served as compensation for the household taking care of the cow, considering that its regular management required a lot of time and effort, and they also had to ensure its safety at night and prevent theft.

There was only one cow, and during normal plowing, they could manage. But during the spring planting and busy seasons, they had to coordinate and take turns using the cow.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The next day, it was finally Chang Le’s turn to use the cow. Early in the morning, Chang Le went to plow the fields. They only had the morning time because they had to let the cow rest in the afternoon. They had two fields to plow, so time was tight.

Grandpa Chang carried a small wooden bucket with him. Changhai and Yu Qingze stayed home as usual to prepare breakfast and dry the grains. Once breakfast was ready, Chang Le and Grandpa hadn’t returned yet. So, Yu Qingze and Chang Hao fed the pigs and chickens, and completed all the household chores they could do.

During breakfast, Chang Le hadn’t returned, but Grandpa Chang came back with a lot of mud loaches and several eels. They were all caught in the fields and ditches, swimming around actively in the bucket.

Chang Hao loved to eat mud loaches and eels, mainly because they were meat!

“Wow, mud loaches! And eels! Grandpa, when will we eat them? Should I go outside and pick some leaves for them to spit out the mud?” He couldn’t wait.

“No rush. We’ll eat them after we finish plowing the fields today. Go wash your hands and eat your breakfast. Afterward, take some food to your brother and look after the cow,” Grandpa Chang said, placing the small wooden bucket in the kitchen. He then washed his hands and prepared to have his meal.

Chang Hao squatted by the wooden bucket for a while, then happily went to have his breakfast.

After they finished their meal, Chang Hao carried an empty bamboo basket and went to deliver the food first. Although Chang Hao was actually ten years old, he was small and looked like an eight or nine-year-old child. Grandpa Chang tied the rope of the basket shorter so that it would be easier for him to carry.

Grandpa Chang carried a load of straw ash to spread in the fields, while Yu Qingze, whose left foot had already healed quite a bit but still lacked some strength, slowly walked towards the fields.

In the morning, Yu Qingze and Chang Hao threshed the remaining grains from the field they worked on the previous day. After Grandpa Chang finished spreading the straw ash, he also came over to help with the threshing.

During the break, villagers would occasionally come over to inquire about yesterday’s events, mainly because they heard that Chang Le received a monetary reward. However, Grandpa Chang managed to divert their attention with a few clever words.

Chang Hao’s uncle, Wen Li, also came, but before he could say anything, Grandpa Chang scolded him and sent him back.

Yu Qingze noticed that although Chang Hao liked to show off at home, he remained modest when facing inquiries from the villagers and didn’t boast about anything.

Chang Le continued plowing and raking the fields throughout the morning, finally finishing the approximately 1.2 mu of land.

Chang Le’s family owned three mu of paddy fields, divided into five plots of different sizes. About two plots still had unharvested crops.

After finishing threshing the grains in the morning, they had some time left. They bundled up the straws one by one and picked up any fallen grains. Once the straws had dried a bit by evening, they would carry them all back home, and then they could flood the fields.

The First Business

During lunchtime, Yu Qingze didn’t sleep but continued perfecting his sketches.

The structure of the rice bed was relatively simple, so he drew it directly on the wooden board. However, the foot-operated threshing machine and the winnowing cart were more complex, so he had to sketch them on the ground first, confirming the details of each component, such as size, length, and so on. Especially for the foot-operated threshing machine, he had to ensure the proper sizing of the gears and whether they would mesh correctly. He also had to consider the dimensions of each wooden board for the rolling wheels. Once everything was confirmed, he would transfer the drawings onto the wooden board.

This was a time-consuming task.

Since it was time to transplant rice seedlings in the afternoon, and Yu Qingze’s foot injury hadn’t fully healed, he couldn’t help with the work. Instead, he focused on working on his drawings at home.

It took him the whole afternoon, but he finally managed to complete the basic structure of the machines in his sketches. However, there were still some details that needed to be discussed and decided upon with the people who would be involved in the construction. After all, they were the professionals.

After dinner, Yu Qingze asked Grandpa Chang to accompany him to the village head’s house. He had briefly explained his ideas to Grandpa Chang the night before.

Grandpa Chang saw that Yu Qingze had finished his sketches so quickly, so he readily agreed to take him to the village head’s house. Curious, Chang Hao also followed along to join in the fun.

However, before they even left the yard, they ran into the village head carrying a chicken and a fish, coming to their house.

Grandpa Chang smiled and said, “Oh, Gensheng, we were just about to look for you. Come in and have a seat.” The village head’s name was Yu Gensheng.

The group entered the main room, and the village head handed the things in his hand to Grandpa Chang, saying, “It was too late when I came back last night, and I didn’t have a chance to properly thank Brother Le. I’ve been busy during the day, so I came over when I had some free time. It’s just a small token of appreciation. I hope Uncle and Brother Le won’t dislike it.”

Grandpa Chang tried to refuse, waving his hand and saying, “Ah, what is this for? We’re all from the same village. Little Le just happened to be there at the right time. Take these back. Didn’t Da Jian recently have a baby? Take them back and nourish him! The three of us are in good health.”

Da Jian was the village head’s eldest son, and his wife gave birth to a baby boy just half a month ago, so it was a time when he needed nourishment.

“Hey, Uncle, there are still things at my house. If it weren’t for Brother Le yesterday, my water buffalo would have been lost. We must accept these small gifts!” The village head insisted.

Grandpa Chang continued to refuse, saying, “You already let us use your water buffalo. That’s enough.”

Yu Qingze and Chang Hao watched as the two of them went back and forth. Chang Hao heard the village head’s arrival and couldn’t even deliver the bowl of water he was holding.

After a while, seeing that Grandpa Chang wasn’t accepting, the village head simply placed the chicken under the table and put the fish directly on the dining table.

Finally, Chang Le managed to deliver the water.

The village head sat on a bench, received the water, took a sip, and personally thanked Chang Le before asking, “Uncle, you said you wanted to see me. What’s the matter?”

Grandpa Chang pointed to Yu Qingze and replied, “It’s not me who wants to see you, it’s Aze who wants to see you.”

Yu Qingze quickly greeted the village head, “Yes, Village Head, I have something to discuss with you. My name is Yu Qingze…” Thinking that the village head probably didn’t know him, he introduced himself.

“You have the same surname as us, and it seems we have some fate with our village,” the village head smiled and nodded, curious about Yu Qingze’s purpose. “What’s the matter?”

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “I heard that you are particularly skilled in woodworking, and I would like to ask you to make something for me. Here is the design.”

With that, Yu Qingze handed over the wooden board with a sketch of a rice bed.

The village head took it and looked at it for a while, then furrowed his brow and asked, “This… frame. It’s not difficult to make, but what exactly is it for?”

The wooden board depicted a square-shaped long frame with several evenly spaced horizontal bars in the middle. It didn’t have four pillars and a headboard like a bed, nor did it have wheels like a cart…

The village head was very curious.

Yu Qingze answered, “This is a rice bed.”

“A rice bed?” Everyone present looked at Yu Qingze.

Yu Qingze continued, “Yes, a rice bed, for threshing rice. It’s used to thresh the rice grains.”

As soon as he mentioned that it was for threshing rice, Grandpa Chang and Chang Le, the two brothers, both gathered around and curiously looked at the wooden board in the village head’s hands.

Yu Qingze continued to explain to them, “Currently, when we thresh rice, we directly beat the rice against the sides of the box, which is labor-intensive and slow. With this rice bed, when threshing, you can beat the rice on top of it. Look at these horizontal bars, they can be made of bamboo or thin wooden strips. When they are placed sideways, they provide resistance, making the rice grains fall off faster. And we don’t have to keep hitting the ground with our arms continuously, it’s faster and more effortless!”

As soon as Chang Le and the others heard that it was faster and more effortless, their eyes lit up. This thing sounded great!

But the village head was thinking differently. Having worked as a woodworker for many years, based on his keen intuition, he knew that this thing could make money! And it wasn’t difficult to make.

Yu Qingze carefully observed the village head’s expression and saw the gleam in his eyes, realizing that he had recognized the value of this invention. So he continued to fan the flames.

“And, this rice bed can be used directly in the thresher or placed on the ground, although you would need to sweep the scattered grains afterward. After the busy farming season, the rice bed can also serve other purposes, such as drying crops or storing items. It’s very convenient.”

That was truly tempting!

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

The village head pondered for a moment and said, “Young man, I’ll make this thing for you and even give you one for free. Can you sell me the blueprint for this rice bed?”

Upon hearing this, the three members of Chang Le’s family were surprised. The village head wanted to buy the blueprint? They immediately realized the commercial value of this invention. If Yu Qingze sold the blueprint to the village head, wouldn’t he be losing out? Should they remind him?

But before their thoughts could fully process, they heard Yu Qingze readily agree.

“Sure. How much can you offer?”

The village head pondered for a while and named a price he could afford, “Twenty silver taels. And you cannot sell it to anyone else!”

Twenty silver taels! Chang Le’s family stared for a while. That’s a lot of money!

Yu Qingze raised the corners of his mouth and held up three fingers, “Thirty silver taels! And I can also draw three more variations for you.”

Th…thirty silver taels?!

Even Chang Hao and Chang Le had never seen so much money before. Their mouths were wide open, enough to fit an egg. Even Grandpa Chang took a sharp breath!

Thirty silver taels exceeded the village head’s expectations, leaving him silent.

Seeing this, Yu Qingze took a step forward, snatched the wooden board from the village head’s hand, and said, “You can go back and think about it.”

With the wooden board taken away, the village head felt as if he saw the silver coins waving goodbye to him! His heart thumped.

He furrowed his brow, stood up, and paced back and forth in the room, completing five rounds before his sweat started to drip. Finally, he gritted his teeth and made a decision.

“Deal!”

Yu Qingze grinned and handed the wooden board back to the village head.

Chang Le’s family: …We can’t help but feel like the village head fell for a trick.

Taking the wooden board, the village head wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, “I have another request, and I hope you can agree.”

Yu Qingze replied, “Please, go ahead.”

After a brief pause, the village head spoke candidly, “To be frank, I bought this blueprint to make money. However, the harvesting season for this year has already passed. I hope that until the autumn harvest arrives, all of you can keep this a secret, until I start selling it. Of course, I will fulfill my promise to make the rice beds for you as well, but you will receive them during the autumn harvest.”

The craftsmanship of this thing is not difficult, and anyone can quickly figure out how to make it. The real profit lies in being the first to sell it. The village head was well aware of this, which is why he made this request.

Yu Qingze readily agreed, saying, “No problem.”

The village head then turned to look at Grandpa Chang and his two grandchildren.

Grandpa Chang assured him, “Rest assured, we will never disclose it. This is your and *Aze’s business, and we understand the importance of discretion.”

*(T/N: putting “A” or “Ah” in front of someone’s name is for those who are familiar with each other.)

Chang Le and Chang Hao nodded in agreement. They had to keep their mouths shut for thirty silver taels!

The village head expressed his gratitude, saying, “Thank you, Uncle.”

Grandpa Chang waved his hand and replied, “It’s the least we can do.”

With their consensus reached, Yu Qingze turned to the village head and said, “Village head, I also want to discuss a business opportunity with you.”

Another business opportunity? The village head asked, “What kind of business?”

Yu Qingze smiled mysteriously and answered, “A partnership.”

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

“This boy is much more proactive than your father was when he pursued me back then,” Xie Ama remarked, seeing his own son being approached for marriage proposals. He couldn’t help but feel that the years had distanced him from the time he spent with his old man. Time really doesn’t spare anyone!

Xie Yu helped Xie Ama tidy up and heard his nostalgic remark. Looking at his father’s hands marked by the hardships of life, he felt a pang of sadness. If he were to marry and leave, there would only be the two fathers left in the Xie household. He couldn’t bear the thought of his aging parents experiencing the pain of being separated from their child.

“Is this Xie’s house? Is anyone home? Your husband is in trouble!!”

The sound of hurried footsteps in disarray reached the entrance of Xie’s house. The heavy and anxious voice of the visitor reached the ears of Xie Ama and Xie Yu.

“Quick! Open the door!”

Upon hearing that it was his husband, Xie Ama immediately shouted for Xie Yu to open the door. However, when Xie Ama heard those words, his legs betrayed him!

“Uncle Liu, what happened to my father?” Xie Yu looked at Uncle Liu, who was covered in mud at the door, but didn’t see his own father. He grew even more worried.

“While repairing the house for Wu family at the village entrance, he slipped and fell…”

Xie Ama felt darkness engulfing him. He wanted to run over and find out what had happened, but accidentally tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground, knocking over the basin of vegetables. Xie Yu was both panicked and anxious. Just as he heard the voice behind him, he turned around and saw Xie Ama’s condition. He hurried over to help, but was stopped by Xie Ama. “Quick! Go and check on your father!”

“Ama!”

“Go quickly!”

With no other choice, Xie Yu quickly supported Xie Ama aside and hurriedly followed Uncle Liu, who had come to deliver the news, out of the house.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

“Quick! Make way! Xie’s son is here!”

As Xie Yu arrived not far from Wu’s house, he saw a crowd gathered in a circle. Without thinking, he knew who was inside the circle. His anxiousness made him run even faster!

Seeing that it was Xie Yu, the villagers deliberately made way, allowing him to come directly to the injured Uncle Xie’s side.

Contrary to what Xie Yu had imagined, there was no river of blood. Uncle Xie was just a little dirty, with no visible bloodstains on his body. This relieved Xie Yu’s frantic heart a bit. Uncle Xie could still manage to smile a little at him. However, in the blink of an eye, Xie Yu saw the village’s local doctor wrapping Uncle Xie’s right leg with cloth, and he panicked!

“Father! Your leg?!”

The village doctor carefully wrapped Uncle Xie’s leg, which had a bone fracture from the fall. “It’s fortunate that your father is lucky. Falling from such a height, it’s a good thing there was something cushioning the impact. Alright, I just did a simple wrapping. Hurry and take him to town for proper examination. Otherwise, if there’s a delay, the injury will become more severe!”

Xie Yu gratefully thanked the village doctor. With the help of the villagers, they lifted the injured Uncle Xie, who was feeling a bit dizzy from the fall, onto Wu’s cart. After asking someone to deliver a message to Xie Ama at home, Xie Yu followed Uncle Xie, riding on Wu’s cart, towards the town.

“It’s fortunate that someone helped to realign the displaced bone in time, otherwise the consequences would have been severe.”

The one examining Uncle Xie’s leg was a tall and rugged young doctor. Xie Yu initially doubted his skills due to his young age, feeling somewhat uneasy. However, as he watched the young doctor deftly and swiftly put Uncle Xie’s leg back in place, he let out a slight sigh of relief.

“Don’t worry. Although this young lad may not be much older than you, he has truly inherited the skills of Doctor Lin. He’s quite capable! Just last month, my child had a fever, and we went to two other pharmacies in town, but they said we were too late! I didn’t believe it! I brought my child to the old Doctor Lin, and it was Doctor Lin Fangliang who cured him!”

The Wu family man who brought Uncle Xie and Xie Yu to Lin’s pharmacy looked at Xie Yu’s skeptical expression and knew what he was worried about. He loudly exclaimed.

Lin Fangliang carefully put Uncle Xie’s leg in the correct position, and upon hearing the Wu family man’s words, he raised his head and saw Xie Yu blushing with embarrassment. He looked apologetic and said, “Don’t blame this young man. I do need to further study and improve my medical skills.”

Seeing Lin Fangliang resolving the situation so considerately, Xie Yu felt even more embarrassed, but he didn’t know what to say to make amends. In a fluster, he could only offer an apologetic smile to Lin Fangliang.

“Xiao Yu, how is it?!”

As soon as Xie Yu turned around, he saw Xie Ama being supported by Ma Fugui. They got off the donkey cart and entered Lin’s pharmacy. When Xie Ama spoke, Lin Fangliang instantly regained his composure and returned to the medicine cabinet to fetch medicine for Uncle Xie.

“Ama, it’s alright. The doctor said we need to apply some medicine and rest for a while. Although Father didn’t hit his head when he fell, he feels a bit dizzy. Resting for a period of time will make him better.”

Xie Ama was brought by Xie Yu to the half-conscious Uncle Xie. “That’s good, that’s good. It’s alright now.” Xie Ama reached out and gently touched Uncle Xie’s facial features. It was as if he felt that he would lose his world, lose his life if anything happened to Uncle Xie.

“Thank you.”

Xie Yu whispered his thanks to Ma Fugui beside him. Lin Fangliang wasn’t a foolish person. Seeing Xie Ama and Ma Fugui getting off the cart together, he knew that Ma Fugui must have been the one who worried about Xie Ama and brought him here.

“It’s nothing. As long as it’s your matter, your family’s matter, it’s also Ma Fugui’s concern.”

Lin Fangliang was collecting the medicine payment from the Wu family man who paid for Uncle Xie. He noticed Ma Fugui and Xie Yu appearing familiar with each other, and his heart skipped a beat. The Wu family man, seeing that Lin Fangliang kept staring in Xie Yu’s direction, leaned closer to Lin Fangliang and whispered, “That’s Xie Yu’s fiance!” Although Ma Fugui’s marriage proposal was not yet accepted by the Xie family, due to Ma Fugui’s tenacious nature, the villagers considered it a matter between the two families.

“Fiance, huh?” Lin Fangliang felt somewhat regretful. He gave the excess money to the Wu family man, then watched Xie Yu’s family leave before burying himself in the herbs once again.

During the time Uncle Xie was recovering from his injury, Ma Fugui became even more diligent in his visits. Xie Ama and Uncle Xie also grew more satisfied with Ma Fugui, and there were several occasions when Ma Fugui’s parents came to Xie’s house to inquire about Uncle Xie’s condition. The villagers also accepted the Xie-Ma marriage as a given, except for a few envious individuals, but there wasn’t much idle talk.

During this time, Xie Yu also felt that Ma Fugui was a good person, and more importantly, he treated his family well. Eventually, not long after Uncle Xie’s recovery, Xie Yu joined the Ma family in town with dowry, looking radiant and glorious.

In the first year of marriage, the couple lived relatively comfortably, except that Ma Ama kept a close eye on any signs of Xie Yu’s pregnancy. Overall, things went smoothly. However, as the second year, the third year… passed, Xie Yu showed no signs of pregnancy. This made the Ma couple increasingly uncomfortable. During a visit to the mountain temple to pray for a child, Ma Ama overheard someone nearby mentioning “fertility medicine.” He eagerly approached and listened carefully, then spent a couple of silver coins to buy the “fertility medicine” from that person.

Later, in those few days, Xie Yu happened to catch a cold. So Ma Ama secretly poured the “fertility medicine” directly into the cold medicine being prepared and watched as Xie Yu drank it all without leaving a drop.

As a result, Xie Yu developed a high fever that night. His health deteriorated over time, and he remained bedridden, spending the whole day in illness. Due to Ma Ama’s concern that Xie Yu might transmit the illness to Ma Fugui, he forcibly made them sleep in separate beds. This dealt a heavy blow to their relationship as a married couple. Ma Fugui went to the shop in the morning and only returned in the evening. Gradually, their encounters became shorter, and their conversations became fewer. This made Xie Yu’s heart grow colder and colder.

***

When Xie Yu collapsed, Xu Qing quickly caught him, but in their instability, both of them fell to the ground, getting covered in mud. Xie Ama and Uncle Xie hurried over to help Xu Qing up, and then Uncle Xie lifted the unconscious Xie Yu in his arms.

“Xiao Yu?! Xiao Yu?!”

“Brother Xie!”

“No, we need to take him to the town to see a doctor. You go get the money, I’ll go borrow a donkey cart, and Brother Qing, you help watch over Brother Xie!”

After Uncle Xie made the arrangements, he rushed out of the door.

“Uncle Xie?” Li Changfeng was about to knock on the door when he was bumped into by the rushing Uncle Xie, who was going to borrow a donkey cart. “Changfeng, Brother Xie fainted! Uncle Xie needs to borrow a donkey cart!”

Upon hearing Xu Qing’s voice, Li Changfeng quickly ran over and indeed saw Xu Qing cradling a person in his arms. Xie Ama came out with the money and saw Li Changfeng. “Changfeng, hurry, lend a hand. Let’s carry Xiao Yu out. We’ll wait for Uncle Xie to bring the donkey cart, then we can leave directly!”

Li Changfeng listened to Xie Ama’s words but didn’t take action. Instead, his gaze shifted to Xu Qing, who was holding Xie Yu. Seeing that even at this critical moment, this guy was still talking back to him, Xu Qing gave Li Changfeng a fierce glare. “Hurry up!”

Li Changfeng understood that the situation was urgent, so he reluctantly bent down, but instead of picking up Xie Yu, he gestured for Xie Ama and Xu Qing to support the unconscious Xie Yu and place him on his back. He instructed Xu Qing and Xie Ama to extend their hands to stabilize Xie Yu, while he slightly bent his waist, intentionally not reaching out to support Xie Yu’s body.

Although his wife agreed to him helping, Li Changfeng also knew that Xie Yu’s current status was quite awkward. If someone saw him embracing or holding Xie Yu, even in an accidental situation, there would likely be gossip in the future. For the sake of Xie Yu and their future peaceful days, Li Changfeng had no choice but to act this way—it was the only thing he could do.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: That Ma stupid ger … omg, how dare you! Xie Yu could have completely died because of him, and he had the audacity to even blame others. Retribution, where’s the damn retribution???

Anyway, a big surprise coming next chapter.

Cooperation

Partnership?

The village chief was taken aback and asked, “You want to partner with me? For what?” Didn’t you already sell me all the blueprints?

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “I have some other blueprints and I want to collaborate with you…”

“Wait!” Yu Qingze’s words were interrupted by Grandpa Chang.

Curious, everyone turned to look at Grandpa Chang.

To their surprise, Grandpa Chang smiled and said, “You continue your conversation. Xiao Le and Xiao Hao, let’s go to the kitchen.” He then led the way towards the kitchen.

Chang Le and Chang Hao didn’t ask why. Although they were curious about Yu Qingze’s blueprints and business, they obediently followed their grandfather to the kitchen. After walking a few steps, Chang Hao ran back and grabbed his writing board. He had already learned the character ‘Chang’ and was currently learning the character ‘Hao’.

Seeing Grandpa Chang’s actions, Yu Qingze and the village chief understood that he was making space for them and avoiding suspicion.

They exchanged glances, and the village chief said, “Young friend, how about we go to my house to discuss? My old house is empty, so we can talk there. Plus, I’ll give you the money for the rice bed blueprint.”

Yu Qingze nodded, “Sure.”

The two of them informed Grandpa Chang and the brothers in the kitchen. Grandpa Chang said it was fine for them to continue their discussion. However, the village chief insisted that his son join as well. Since Grandpa Chang didn’t insist further, he instructed the village chief to have Da Jian send Yu Qingze back later.

The village chief’s house was not far away, but because Yu Qingze couldn’t walk fast, it took them about fifteen minutes to reach there.

The village chief had three sons, and the eldest and second sons were already married. The eldest son had two children, and the second son had a child who was about six months old. The village chief’s mother was still alive, and the whole extended family lived together without splitting up.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Due to the large number of people in the house, although it had four bedrooms and one living room, it was still crowded. Therefore, the village chief and his wife slept in the old house, and the hall of the old house had been transformed into a woodworking workshop.

When Yu Qingze arrived at the door, he saw a young man carrying a baby on his back, feeding another child who was about two or three years old. He hesitated at the door and didn’t go in.

The village chief took out a cloth bag from inside the house and led Yu Qingze through the hall to the back of the old house.

There were two oil lamps lit in the old house, making it bright. The village chief’s three sons were all busy inside, and there were some finished products placed in the back of the house, such as cabinets, tables, chairs, wooden barrels, and wooden basins.

“Da Zhuang, you go out first. I need to discuss something with your brothers,” the village chief said as soon as he entered the house, addressing his third son.

Da Zhuang was a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy. He had gotten into trouble with the cattle yesterday and received a punishment of a spanking. Now he was behaving obediently, so he left the house without hesitation.

While the village chief was tidying up, Yu Qingze took the opportunity to carefully observe the finished product area at the back. Although the styles of these items were simple and traditional, it had to be said that the craftsmanship passed down in the village chief’s family was indeed excellent.

If previously Yu Qingze was only interested in partnering with the village chief to make some quick money based on the village chief’s character, now Yu Qingze has changed his mindset. Perhaps long-term collaboration is also feasible, after all, the craftsmanship is truly excellent.

The village chief closed the door, cleared the table in the middle, asked Yu Qingze to sit down, and called his two sons. The four of them gathered around the table to start the meeting.

The village chief first introduced Yu Qingze, his eldest son Yu Dajian, and his second son Yu Dayong.

Then, the village chief took out a cloth bag containing thirty taels of silver, including a large silver ingot and several silver pieces, as well as many copper coins. He handed it to Yu Qingze and asked him to count it.

“I trust the village chief,” Yu Qingze said with a smile, without counting the money. He casually put the bag aside.

Thirty taels of silver, without even blinking an eye or counting. How impressive! The village chief sighed inwardly. Hearing that Yu Qingze trusted him so much made him feel good.

In reality, the reason why Yu Qingze didn’t count the silver was that he had no idea how to count it!

If it were three silver ingots, it would be easier. He had seen many period dramas, and roughly the size of one ingot would be around ten taels of silver. Copper coins were also easy to calculate, with one tael of silver equivalent to 1,000 copper coins.

The problem was, how should he count those miscellaneous silver pieces of different sizes? Should he count them as half a tael, one tael, or two taels? Or maybe 2.5 taels?

Since he didn’t know, he decided not to count them at all.

Yu Dajian and Yu Dayong, who were next to him, saw the thirty taels of silver being left uncounted and didn’t know what was going on. They exchanged glances, and as the eldest brother, Yu Dajian spoke up, “Father, what’s this about?”

The village chief took out the wooden board with the design of the rice bed and handed it to them, saying, “Yu Dajian, Yu Dayong, take a look at this. It’s called a rice bed, invented by Aze. I think it can make money, so I bought it for thirty taels.”

Buying a piece of paper for thirty taels? Yu Dajian and Yu Dayong curiously took a look at it, while the village chief explained to them.

Yu Dajian had a quick mind and was bold. He quickly recognized the business opportunities and prospects involved and agreed with his father’s decision.

Yu Dayong was more cautious, but since his father had already made an agreement with someone else, he had no choice but to go along with it, especially since his father and brother both agreed.

After finishing the discussion about the rice bed, the village chief brought up the topic of partnering with Yu Qingze in business.

Dajian asked, “I wonder what specific business Big brother Yu is talking about?”

Yu Qingze, 28 years old and six years older than Dajian, was addressed as Big brother Yu, which was correct.

Yu Qingze replied, “A threshing machine that is even more efficient and time-saving than the rice bed.”

The three sons of the village chief were puzzled. Then they realized what he meant and became a bit angry.

If there was a threshing machine that was more efficient and time-saving than the rice bed, why did he sell the rice bed to their family?! Was he playing a joke on them?!

And he still wanted their thirty taels of silver! That was the money they had been saving to build a house!

Indeed, due to the large number of people in the village, the village chief’s family was crowded. In a few years, the third son would also be getting married, and by then, the children would have grown up even more, making the living situation even more difficult. They had been saving money for these years, planning to build another house, preferably two houses. That way, each of the three sons would have their own house, avoiding any favoritism.

The three of them looked at Yu Qingze with a strange look in their eyes. Not to mention the two young men, Dajian and Dayong, even the village chief, who had seen many “big scenes,” couldn’t maintain their composure.

Thirty taels of silver was a significant amount for an ordinary family.

With a stern face, Dayong said, “Big brother Yu, we address you as Big Brother, you shouldn’t deceive us. If there’s something better, then what should we do with the rice bed?”

Exactly. Dajian and the village chief nodded, all looking at Yu Qingze, waiting for his explanation.

“Don’t worry, I would never deceive you. I also plan to live in Niu Tou Village,” Yu Qingze said calmly.

Dajian sensed that there was something else behind his words and asked, “What do you mean, Big brother Yu?”

Yu Qingze no longer played coy and said, “The reason I didn’t mention selling you the threshing machine is, firstly, the craftsmanship is complex. The first machine will require continuous testing, and I estimate it will take at least two to three months to fully make the first one.”

Upon hearing that it would take such a long time, the three members of the village chief’s family grew curious about what the threshing machine would look like.

Yu Qingze continued, “Secondly, even if it is made, I don’t anticipate the sales volume to be very high.”

Dajian pondered for a moment and asked, “Is it because the price is too high?” Complex craftsmanship certainly comes with a higher price.

Yu Qingze nodded. “Yes. Unless several families pool their money together to buy, similar to buying a cow. Let me put it this way, if the rice bed sells for one tael of silver per piece, the threshing machine would sell for at least thirty taels each. And that’s a conservative estimate.”

Thirty taels for one machine!

The three members of the village chief’s family fell silent.

If the threshing machine was priced at thirty taels per unit, although the profit would be substantial, very few families could afford it. Unlike the rice bed, which most ordinary families could manage to buy even with some effort.

Moreover, the crucial point was that the rice bed had simple craftsmanship, and if it sold well, the profit would be considerable.

At this point, they finally believed that Yu Qingze wasn’t trying to deceive them. If they were to buy the threshing machine, but no one would purchase it when they finished making it, then their money would truly go down the drain.

Dajian suddenly asked, “Big brother Yu, can you show us what the threshing machine looks like?”

Yu Qingze smiled. “Once we reach an agreement, I will naturally show it to you.”

The three members of the village chief’s family looked at each other for a moment, and finally, the village chief spoke, “Aze, how would this cooperation work? Let’s hear the specifics of the collaboration.”

Yu Qingze said, “It’s simple. I provide the blueprints, you provide the craftsmanship, and you also cover the cost of materials. I will take a 30% share of the profit.”

The three members of the village chief’s family fell into contemplation.

The threshing machine was being sold at such a high price. Even though it was more efficient and time-saving, its actual usage time was not very long. With the availability of the rice bed, most ordinary farming households would likely choose to work a bit harder rather than buy it. However, its future prospects were indeed enticing. When everyone became more prosperous, they would have the purchasing power for it.

After a while, Dajian asked again, “Big brother Yu, you mentioned earlier that there are other tools as well?”

“Yes. There is another tool for separating chaff from the grain,” Yu Qingze didn’t hide anything and said, “This tool is called a winnowing cart. If the rice bed sells for one tael, this one can be sold for around ten taels of silver per unit.”

The village chief and his two family members were dumbfounded. They couldn’t understand how Yu Qingze came up with so many tools.

Yu Qingze looked at them and added, “The threshing machine and winnowing cart are a bit more complex to make, but once the first one is done, it won’t be difficult anymore. You can consider it carefully, but even if no one buys them, it would still be great to have them for personal use.” Yu Qingze’s greatest desire was to make one and give it to the Chang Le family as a way to repay them for saving his life.

Dajian looked at his father and younger brother and said, “Father, I think it’s feasible.”

This was essentially Yu Qingze giving them a money-making opportunity for free. Moreover, the initial investment only required manpower and wood, and they didn’t need to spend money on blueprints again. The capital required was not significant. If they didn’t seize this opportunity, Yu Qingze could easily find someone else to do it. Besides, Dajian was very interested in the threshing machine and winnowing cart. Even if they didn’t sell well, he was curious about what they would look like and wanted to try making them.

Dayong, on the other hand, was more cautious. “If we do this and that, we won’t have time to make the rice beds.”

That was also a problem. They had already spent money on the blueprints for the rice beds, and they needed to recoup their investment during this autumn harvest. Otherwise, once that time passed, it was certain that others would have already made them.

Seeing the three’s concerns, Yu Qingze wasn’t in a hurry. He asked, “Do you have writing materials at home? I can draw three more variations of the rice bed for you.”

Dajian brought writing materials, and he, his father, and younger brother watched as Yu Qingze quickly drew three different designs of the rice bed. Instantly, their trust in his words increased.

Look at the ideas in this person’s mind!

After finishing the drawings, Yu Qingze handed them to the village chief and stood up, saying, “Village chief, it’s getting late, so I’ll take my leave now. You can think it over. If we reach an agreement, I have many more practical tool blueprints that I can provide to you, ones that ordinary people can afford.”

Yu Qingze paused for a moment and thought about the young man he saw with a child earlier. He continued, “For example, something that makes it easier for adults to take care of children, like a baby carriage or a walker for infants a few months old.”

“A baby carriage?” Dayong’s eyes lit up. His son was six months old and very active. His wife found it challenging to take care of the child while doing farm work. If there was something that could make it easier for them, it would be great.

Yu Qingze nodded. “It can make things much easier for adults and convenient for outings. It should sell well.”

The three of them were very intrigued.

The village chief nodded and said solemnly, “We will discuss it thoroughly tonight and give you an answer tomorrow.”

Yu Qingze replied, “That’s great.”

Leisurely, Yu Qingze cast his fishing line again and, accompanied by Dajian, returned home. He believed that tomorrow he would receive a satisfactory response.

As he touched the thirty taels of silver in his arms, Yu Qingze thought about it. With the startup capital in hand, once his foot and arm healed, he would go to the city to explore and consider reviving his old profession. However, before that, there was an important issue to resolve—the issue of food and lodging in the future.

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Catching a Thief

Chang Le quickly let go of the man’s hand and turned to face Chang Hao, gesturing to explain what had happened.

Chang Hao watched his brother’s gestures, nodding occasionally, his face displaying a hint of anger. Grandfather Chang also looked at the kneeling man with disgust.

The villagers couldn’t understand Chang Le’s gestures, but they could understand the expressions of Chang Hao’s expression. Their faces immediately turned serious. Wen Li, who had initially been watching for entertainment, and that Huzi, also had a change in expression.

This man must have done something bad and was caught!

After a while, Chang Le stopped gesturing, and the villagers turned their gaze towards Chang Hao.

Chang Hao turned his head, raised his hand, and pointed at the man, saying to everyone, “Village Chief Uncle, Uncles, my brother says this man was trying to steal our cow!”

What? Stealing a cow?

Cows were their most valuable possessions! In the entire village of forty to fifty households, there were only eight cows in total. Except for the three wealthier households, each having one cow, the other families had to pool their resources to buy cows. Some households couldn’t afford to buy even when they pooled their resources together!

Their farming, plowing, grinding, and transporting all relied on cows. And now someone was trying to steal their cows!

The villagers grew angry, glaring fiercely at the man.

“Take him to report to the officials! Someone like him deserves a lifetime in prison!”

“Yes! Send him to the authorities!”

Stealing cows was a serious crime.

The triangular-eyed man panicked upon hearing this and quickly denied it.

“Nonsense! I didn’t steal any cows! I just, I just…” The man struggled to find an excuse, stuttering for a while before saying, “I saw a snake in the water and helped the cowherd bring the cows up! Yes, that’s what happened!”

Upon hearing the man’s stuttering words and seeing his guilty expression and eyes, there was no need to ask any further.

The fact of stealing the cow was undeniable!

The Village Chief’s face turned serious. Adhering to the principles of presenting facts and requiring solid evidence for conviction, he asked Chang Hao cautiously, “What happened? Explain it clearly.”

Chang Hao replied, “My brother arrived early this afternoon. When he crossed the stream and reached the intersection, he saw that man forcefully pulling the rope of a water buffalo from the pond. The buffalo had already been brought onto the shore by him. If my brother hadn’t arrived, he would have driven the cow away for sure! As soon as he saw my brother, he ran, but my brother chased him all the way here and caught him!”

Upon hearing the mention of the “water buffalo in the pond near the intersection,” the Village Chief’s heart tightened. Wasn’t that their water buffalo?

“Nonsense! I didn’t steal any cows!” The triangular-eyed man never expected the mute boy to be able to explain, let alone describe the incident so accurately. However, he couldn’t admit to the crime, or his life would be ruined. He desperately struggled, trying to break free from the restraints. He needed to escape quickly.

“Stay still!” Although his left foot was injured, it didn’t affect the strength in his hands. With a forceful move, Yu Qingze pressed the man back down. “If you didn’t steal it, why did you run? Why are you so flustered? Guilty conscience!”

That’s right! If you didn’t steal, why did you run? The villagers wholeheartedly agreed.

Chang Hao snorted coldly and pointed towards the intersection, saying to the Village Chief, “Village Chief, the cow he was trying to steal is your big water buffalo. Look, our family’s basket is still over there.”

Everyone looked in that direction and saw the head of a cow peeking out from the water pond next to the intersection. There was indeed a basket placed by the roadside. After gaining its freedom, the cow had returned to the pond to cool off, only exposing its head and enjoying a comfortable bath, completely oblivious to the near-miss of being stolen.

Confirming that it was their own water buffalo, the Village Chief became furious.

He glared fiercely at his third son, who was hiding in the crowd, shaking upon the gaze of his father. If he couldn’t even watch over the prized water buffalo, what use was he?

Knowing that he had caused trouble, the Village Chief’s third son cowered behind the crowd, trembling. He would surely get beaten when he went home today.

With solid evidence and eyewitnesses, the Village Chief waved his hand and said, “Tie him up and take him to the authorities!”

A few men immediately fetched some ropes and securely tied up the cattle thief. Just as they were about to take him away, Chang Le suddenly remembered that the thief was carrying a large sack when he tried to escape. He tugged on his younger brother’s clothes and informed him about it.

“Wait,” Chang Hao called out to the Village Chief and the others, saying, “My brother says that the big sack over there belongs to this person too.”

A villager brought the sack from the water pond, opened it, and found it filled with stalks of rice grains cut by a knife.

“Wow, this little thief not only stole the cow but also stole rice!” Some villagers couldn’t hold back their anger and kicked the cattle thief a few times. Kicking him was the only way to relieve their fury!

Among the villagers was a boy, who had noticed that some of the rice stalks in his own field had been cut off, and now he knew it was this thief’s doing!

The cattle thief cowered, realizing that he had truly run into bad luck today, encountering a mute boy with incredible strength. He had intended to steal some rice and managed to steal half a sack. When he saw the water buffalo in the pond and the young cowherd sleeping, he couldn’t resist the temptation. But he never expected to be caught in the act.

This thief’s life was going to take a turn for the worse.

The Village Chief, accompanied by a few men, took the cattle thief to the county authorities. Chang Le, as the victim and witness of the theft, went along, and Chang Hao went as the translator.

Initially, Grandpa Chang was worried and wanted both grandsons to go together, but Chang Le stopped him. The round trip to the county town would take over an hour, and they didn’t know how long the proceedings would last. Grandpa Chang was getting older, and Chang Le didn’t want him to exert himself by running around.

So, Grandpa Chang and Yu Qingze stayed behind to thresh the grain. Without the two extra pairs of hands, they couldn’t finish the field and had to leave a portion for the next day. Chang Le didn’t go home, so they left the threshing machine in the field.

True to their expectations, the brothers came back very late, well past nine in the evening.

Food was left for them at home, and as Chang Hao ate, he recounted their visit to the county authorities, his face brimming with excitement.

It was their first time entering the county yamen and standing in court to punish the bad guys!

And he played such an important role as a translator! He was proud, wasn’t he?

Chang Le ate his food, watching his younger brother shaking his head and smiling helplessly.

According to Chang Hao, the cattle thief tried to escape on the way but was quickly caught and knocked down by the villagers. In order to prevent any further mischief, Chang Le simply carried the culprit all the way to the county authorities.

Once they were in court, the cattle thief initially refused to plead guilty and claimed to have been framed by the mute boy. But with Chang Le’s gestures and Chang Hao’s translations, the county magistrate verified the testimonies one by one. In the end, the cattle thief was given a severe beating with a bamboo paddle before finally confessing.

“Grandpa, Brother Yu, you won’t believe it, but that cattle thief was really wicked!” Chang Hao swallowed a mouthful of food, tantalizingly building up suspense.

Yu Qingze played along and asked, “How wicked was he?”

Chang Hao, with great kindness, told them, “That cattle thief was actually a habitual thief. This wasn’t his first time. Recently, he had stolen from every village in this area, specifically targeting people’s rice fields during the midday nap and at night. According to his confession, he had already stolen seven or eight bags of grain! He even served a one-year sentence before for theft. The county authorities said he had been released not long ago.”

Both Grandpa Chang and Yu Qingze were astonished to learn that they had caught a habitual thief.

“Oh, by the way! The county magistrate even praised my brother!” Chang Hao proudly puffed up his chest, as if the praise was directed at him.

Grandpa Chang and Yu Qingze couldn’t help but laugh at Chang Hao’s demeanor, and Chang Le gave his brother a playful slap. “Stop showing off!”

Yu Qingze teased him, “Oh really? How did they praise him?”

Ignoring his brother’s playful slap, Chang Hao’s face turned serious. He placed his hands flat on his lap, cleared his throat, and imitated the county magistrate’s tone, “Chang Le of Niutou Village, for capturing the thief and meritorious service, according to the law, is awarded one yuan of money.”

His imitation was spot-on and brought laughter to everyone. However, they were surprised to learn that the county authorities actually awarded him one yuan of money! Grandpa Chang and Yu Qingze were quite astonished.

Meanwhile, Chang Le set aside his bowl and took out a cloth pouch from his pocket, placing it on the table and opening it. One yuan of copper coins lay silently on the cloth.

One yuan of money could cover the expenses of an ordinary farming household for half a year.

After everyone had enjoyed the spectacle and had enough fun, Chang Le wrapped the yuan of money back up and handed it to Grandpa Chang.

Grandpa Chang waved his hand and smiled, telling Chang Le to keep it himself.

After Chang Hao finished showing off, he turned to Grandpa Chang and said, “Grandpa, Village Chief said that if we need oxen in the future, we can go to his place and borrow them first.”

Grandpa Chang smiled and said, “Alright, then we’ll be able to plow the fields faster from now on.”

Having caught the thief, received praise, and even obtained a reward, everyone was happy.

Yu Qingze looked at the wooden board in his hand, realizing that he needed to accelerate his own plans!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Catching a Thief

“Brother! Are you okay, brother?” Chang Hao ran as fast as he could, like a little bullet, rushing into the crowd and standing in front of Chang Le, looking up nervously, observing his brother’s expression, afraid that he might be at a disadvantage or treated unfairly.

When Chang Le saw him approaching, his eyes brightened slightly, shaking his head to indicate that he was fine.

Chang Hao breathed a sigh of relief, then turned around and looked at the people around, furrowing his brows as he asked a man in his forties, “Village Chief uncle, what’s happening?”

His brother couldn’t speak, and even if he had a valid argument during situations, he couldn’t explain it clearly, and others couldn’t understand his gestures, which would put him at a disadvantage. Chang Hao had encountered it a few times, so whenever he saw someone surrounding his brother, he became extremely nervous.

At that moment, Grandfather Chang also arrived, pushing his way into the crowd and standing in front of his two grandsons, partially shielding them. He asked the people around, “What’s going on? Why are you all gathering together?” Why are you crowding around my grandson?

Seeing the grandfather and grandsons arrive, someone said, “Hey, Chang Hao and his grandfather are here. We can find out what’s going on.”

The Chang brothers’ uncle, Wen Li, was also present. He still remembered how Chang Le and Chang Hao gave him a hard time yesterday, so when he saw Chang Le being surrounded by people, he had no intention of stepping forward to help. He crossed his arms and watched the commotion from the outskirts of the crowd.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

At that moment, seeing Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao arrive, Wen Li immediately pushed through the crowd and went to the center. He said to his grandfather, “Dad, you finally came. I don’t know what trouble Brother Le has gotten into this time.”

Grandpa Chang glared at Wen Li and coldly said, “How can Brother Le get into trouble? Can’t you hope for something good for once?”

Chang Hao also gave his aunt a disdainful look and then turned his gaze to the village chief.

The village chief cleared his throat and gestured for everyone to be quiet by raising his hand. He said, “Everyone, stop talking and be quiet!”

As soon as the village chief spoke, the villagers fell silent and looked at him.

The village chief looked at the grandfather and grandson and said, “Uncle, here’s the situation. When we came to the fields this afternoon, we saw Brother Le holding down a man from another village, not letting him go. You know, Brother Le doesn’t speak, so we don’t know the reason. The man kept cursing Brother Le, saying that he was inexplicably pinned down by him. They have been arguing, so we waited for you to come and ask Brother Le what happened.”

When Chang Le was young, he was introverted due to his physical condition and rarely interacted with the villagers. It was only after his parents passed away that he had to shoulder the heavy burden at home, forcing himself to interact with outsiders and gradually becoming more outgoing.

Although many years had passed, besides his grandfather and younger brother, no one in the village understood his gestures. So now, the villagers relied on the grandfather and grandson to translate.

While the village chief was speaking, Yu Qingze finally approached and squeezed into the crowd, standing beside Grandpa Chang.

Upon hearing the village chief’s words, Chang Hao, Grandpa Chang, and Yu Qingze noticed that Chang Le had one hand gripping the wrist of the man tightly, rendering him unable to move.

The man had a dark complexion and was tall and sturdy. He had a pair of triangular-shaped eyes, and his clothes were covered in mud. Upon seeing his mute relative approaching, he immediately started threatening them.

“I’ve been saying that this mute is going crazy for no reason! I didn’t do anything. I was just passing by, and he grabbed me! He’s about to break my wrist! You better make him let go of me, or I won’t let you off!”

The man was much taller than Chang Le and had a larger physique, yet he couldn’t break free from Chang Le’s grip.

Some villagers around them voiced their opinions, saying, “Brother Le wouldn’t just randomly grab you. You must have done something to provoke him!”

“Yes, Brother Le never causes trouble! Quickly, tell us, what did you do?”

Someone nearby sarcastically said, “Well, you never know. Maybe Brother Le did something.”

Another villager immediately retorted, “Huzi Ama, just because your chicken pecked at the vegetables in Brother Le’s garden and he chased you out, doesn’t mean you can speak ill of Brother Le like that. We all know Brother Le’s character.”

*(T/N: Ama = Older female, like aunty, but here, it is for older gers.)

“What do you mean? What are you saying! Am I such a petty person?”

“Well, then I don’t know.”

“…”

As the argument escalated on one side, the man with triangular eyes became bewildered.

“What? Ger!” The man with triangular eyes stared at Chang Le as if he had seen a ghost. How could a Ger have such great strength?!

Immediately, he thought of something and scolded Chang Le, “You, a Ger, grabbing onto a man and not letting go. Have you no shame? Ah! Let go of me!”

Chang Le glanced at him and silently exerted force with his hand. The onlookers could hear the man cry out in pain, saying, “Ouch, it’s going to break!”

Everyone burst into laughter. Brother Le was born with incredible strength, yet this man dared to provoke him. Ridiculous!

“Tell us! What dirty deed did you do to provoke Brother Le?”

The man screamed, “What did I do? Which eye of yours saw me do anything? You didn’t see anything, yet you open your mouth and spew a bunch of shit!”

The villager was also hot-tempered and rushed forward to kick the man with triangular eyes, but someone quickly grabbed him.

“Enough, stop arguing for now!” The village chief shouted, and silence fell. The village chief looked at Chang Le and said, “Brother Le, you explain what happened.”

Everyone watched Chang Le expectantly, waiting for him to speak up.

Chang Le glanced at his right hand. If he wanted to explain clearly, he needed both hands to gesture. But he was afraid that if he let go, the man would run away, so someone had to hold onto him.

“I’ll hold onto him. You talk to Xiao Hao,” Yu Qingze walked over to Chang Le’s side and grabbed the man’s hand, saying to Chang Le.

Chang Le looked at Yu Qingze suspiciously.

Yu Qingze chuckled. He felt underestimated by Chang Le. So he handed his wooden crutch to Chang Hao to hold and used his other hand to grip the man’s other wrist. With a swift move, he subdued the man by pinning his hand behind his back, effortlessly forcing him to kneel down.

The man exclaimed in pain as his body involuntarily dropped to his knees. He tried to stand up, but his shoulder was held down, and his wrist was tightly restrained, preventing him from getting up.

“What are you doing! I didn’t do anything! Is there no justice anymore?” The man shouted.

“Behave yourself!” Yu Qingze lifted his injured leg and pressed his knee against the man’s back, keeping him firmly in place.

“Great skills!” The villagers praised Yu Qingze for his swift actions.

Chang Le also stared with wide eyes, wearing an incredulous expression. He had used brute force to restrain the man, but Yu Qingze had effortlessly handled the situation with a simple pull and press!

Impressive!

“Wow! Big Brother Yu, you know martial arts too!” Chang Hao, the young boy, looked at Yu Qingze with admiration in his eyes.

Not only did he cook delicious food, but he also knew martial arts! So amazing!

The two brothers synchronized their thoughts, and Chang Le also felt the same. He secretly admired Yu Qingze’s skill and strength.

Seeing that the man had stopped resisting, Yu Qingze looked up and smiled at Chang Le, saying, “Brother Le, you can let go now.”

Chang Le’s face blushed slightly. He had initially doubted Yu Qingze, but now…

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Thingyan: lol Yu Qingze, show off.

Threshing

“Wow, Big brother Yu, you’re amazing! You’ve already threshed so much!” Chang Hao exclaimed with delight as he saw the grains in the thresher.

Grandfather Chang also praised, “Well done, you’re a skilled hand!”

Chang Le brought over a water jug, poured a bowl of water for Grandfather Chang, and then poured another bowl for Yu Qingze. He also gave him a thumbs-up as a sign of praise.

After being showered with compliments from the entire family, Yu Qingze started feeling a bit embarrassed. A rare blush appeared on his handsome face as he waved his hand and said, “If you keep praising me like this, I might just float away. I’ll be able to pluck the clouds from the sky!”

Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became warm and joyful.

After resting for a while, they began threshing the rice.

As it approached noon and the time was about right, with enough rice to fill a bushel, they decided to take a break and go home to rest and have lunch before returning in the afternoon.

The sunlight was scorching, and after a busy morning, the work was still just as strenuous. The clothes of everyone involved were soaked through, and their hair was wet.

At this moment, Chang Hao envied Yu Qingze’s short hair. Not only was it easy to clean, but it also felt super cool!

They had been curious about Yu Qingze’s short hair before and asked him about it. Yu Qingze came up with an excuse, saying that before coming to the south, he followed a horse convoy to the northern region to purchase fur. He got infested with lice and couldn’t clean it properly, so he had to shave it all off.

The explanation seemed logical and reasonable.

So they believed him and comforted him, leaving Yu Qingze both crying and laughing.

Because of the heat, when Chang Le scooped the grains from the threshing bucket using a winnowing basket, Yu Qingze noticed a secret hidden behind Chang Le’s thick, long bangs.

The sweat moistened his forehead and caused Chang Le’s bangs to stick together, revealing a scar about four to five centimeters long. It extended from the middle of his left eyebrow all the way up to his forehead. Upon closer inspection, one could also see that the middle of his left eyebrow was interrupted, but it was partially covered by the longer eyebrow hairs, making it less noticeable.

Yu Qingze was taken aback. Such a long scar, and right below it was his eye. He didn’t know how Chang Le got injured, but he could imagine how dangerous it must have been at the time.

The scar actually looked quite old, with the color having faded. However, it still protruded slightly, making it somewhat sinister when observed. At first glance, such a long scar crawling across his fair skin appeared somewhat ferocious.

No wonder Chang Le wanted to keep his bangs thick and long.

It also explained why his uncle said he had an unfortunate appearance. He had truly suffered a disfigurement; otherwise, Chang Le would indeed be very good-looking.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Yu Qingze couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret for Chang Le. This scar on his face probably scared away many potential suitors.

Even though it had been less than 24 hours since he woke up, Chang Le had already left a good impression on Yu Qingze. Hardworking, gentle, kind, loving towards his family, and even gentle towards a stranger like Yu Qingze.

Such a good young man deserved to find happiness.

Perhaps Yu Qingze’s gaze was too focused because Chang Le noticed it. He turned his head in surprise and looked at Yu Qingze. After seeing the surprise and pity in his eyes, Chang Le paused for a moment, swiftly turned around, and with his back facing Yu Qingze, he reached up to tidy his bangs covering his forehead. Then, carrying the grains, he quickly walked away.

Yu Qingze: …Oops, I unintentionally made it awkward again. Thankfully, Grandpa Chang and Chang Hao didn’t notice.

On the way back, Chang Hao accompanied Yu Qingze as they slowly made their way. Grandpa Chang went ahead to cook, while Chang Le carried the grains home and went to the vegetable garden to pick vegetables. The division of labor was clear.

By the time Yu Qingze and Chang Hao arrived home, Chang Le had already finished picking the long beans and washed the hollow-heart vegetables, ready to start cooking.

Upon seeing this, Yu Qingze quickly said, “Brother Le, take a rest, I’ll cook.”

Chang Le, feeling a bit embarrassed, was afraid that his scar would scare Yu Qingze.

In the past, many people would be frightened when they saw the scar on his forehead. Children of the same age would mock him, calling him an ugly monster. That’s why he kept his bangs long, to cover the scar. It had been more than ten years.

However, seeing that Yu Qingze’s expression seemed unaffected, he felt a slight relief and gratefully glanced at him.

Then, he quickly made gestures in response to Yu Qingze’s words, while Chang Hao translated beside him.

The message was that Yu Qingze was a guest, and breakfast was already prepared by Chang Le, so it wouldn’t be appropriate to let him cook lunch as well. Although Yu Qingze’s cooking was delicious, it didn’t align with their way of treating guests.

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “Cooking is my hobby, it’s the only thing I’m good at. I’m just freeloading here, and if you don’t let me do some work, I’d feel too embarrassed to stay.”

Chang Le was initially going to refuse, but Yu Qingze played his trump card. “Look, Grandpa and Xiao Hao both really enjoy eating my food. Let me show off a bit.”

Grandpa and his little brother were Chang Le’s weak spots. Once they were brought up, he had no choice. Who asked him to be bad at cooking? After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and silently went to start the fire.

Chang Hao saw his brother looking a bit dejected and quickly said, “Brother, I really love the food you cook!”

Upon hearing this, Chang Le patted his brother’s shoulder with a deep expression.

If you hadn’t tasted the food Yu Qingze cooked, if you hadn’t been so eager to lick the bowl clean with sweet potato stalks in the morning, then maybe I would believe you.

Yu Qingze quickly washed his face and hands, then began cooking.

Even though it was just ordinary beans and hollowhearted vegetables, lacking other ingredients, the taste of the dishes cooked by the master chef was fundamentally different from what an ordinary person could make.

If it were Chang Le cooking, he would simply boil the beans in water.

But Yu Qingze stir-fried them. Without ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorn, or dried chili peppers, and considering the need to save oil, he still managed to stir-fry them. Although it didn’t have the authentic flavor of dry-fried beans, it was far superior to boiled beans. It was like the difference between a toad and a frog prince.

Chang Le followed Yu Qingze’s instructions while tending to the fire, sneakily glancing up at his actions, striving to memorize the cooking process and the desired heat.

Improving his cooking skills, step one: learning from others!

Yu Qingze hadn’t noticed Chang Le secretly observing him. He was solely focused on cooking. It could be said that he was used to being watched while cooking. He had taught a few apprentices before, so being observed while cooking was a common occurrence.

He cooked quickly, and soon the meal was on the table. Chang Le’s family of three graciously praised the food as they finished every dish.

After a tiring morning, they ate and took a short rest, enjoying the coolness. Chang Hao opened the back door of the main hall, dragged out two bamboo mats, spread them on the floor, and invited Yu Qingze to join them for a nap.

The summer sun was scorching, especially at noon, making it unsuitable for outdoor work. Everyone was accustomed to taking a short nap after lunch, resting their bodies before resuming work after noon.

The three men lay on the bamboo mats in the main hall, enjoying the breeze. The floor was pleasantly cool. Yu Qingze, who had a restless night’s sleep and had worked all morning, fell asleep. Chang Le went to the creek to wash clothes and returned to the kitchen, laying a grass mat on the floor near the water tank, enjoying the coolness.

By the time half of the afternoon had passed (around 2-3 PM), Chang Le woke up and went to the fields with a winnowing basket.

Grandpa Chang also woke up and went to the kitchen to chop pig fodder and boil pig feed. Chang Le didn’t want him to go to the fields during the hottest time of the day, fearing he might suffer from heatstroke. So he insisted that his grandfather wait until the afternoon (3 PM) before going out, and each day he would cook the pig feed in advance.

Yu Qingze and Chang Hao overslept a bit. When they arrived at the fields with Grandpa Chang, they found a large crowd gathered around the path leading to their fields, and Chang Le was surrounded in the middle. It seemed like something had happened, with people arguing and making a fuss.

Chang Hao and Grandpa Chang rushed over when they saw the commotion.

Yu Qingze was momentarily stunned, but ignoring his sprained ankle, he hastened his steps, alternating between quick strides and hops, and hurriedly joined them.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

Threshing

Chang Le’s house is on the east side of the village, and the rice fields are on the west side. A small stream separates the rice fields from the village.

Chang Le walks ahead alone, carrying a threshing machine on his back. He looks very strong!

The so-called threshing machine is actually an open wooden box made of several large boards nailed together, shaped like an inverted three-dimensional trapezoid. There are no wheels or lids inside. Yu Qingze is curious about how they will thresh the grain.

Grandpa Chang follows behind, carrying a bamboo basket with a jar of water and a winnowing basket inside. The bamboo basket is also specially made, super-sized, clearly meant for Chang Le.

Yu Qingze has a foot injury and cannot walk fast. He walks slowly with a wooden crutch, accompanied by young Chang Hao. Yu Qingze takes this opportunity to observe the situation in the village. With Chang Hao around, he has gained some understanding.

For example, the name of the village, Niu Tou Village, is because the mountain behind it looks like a bull’s head. Yu Qingze glanced sideways and indeed, it did resemble one.

There are two main surnames in the village, Yu and Chang. The Yu family has over thirty households, mostly living near the creek. The Chang family has only sixteen households. They moved here during the war and settled in the eastern part of the village, a distance of one to two hundred meters from the Yu family. However, over the past ten years, the Yu family has become familiar with and accepted the Chang family.

Most of the houses are still thatched cottages. There are only two adobe brick houses and a large brick and tile house, which can be considered the wealthy households in the village.

Yu Qingze became curious and asked about it.

Chang Hao explained, “The large brick and tile house belongs to one of the Yu families. The head of the household is the scholar.”

When the young boy mentioned the scholar, his face showed respect and longing.

Yu Qingze had a thought and asked, “Xiao Hao, do you want to go to school?”

Chang Hao didn’t hide his desire and replied, “Yes, there is a small school in the village. The scholar is the teacher, and people from nearby villages come here to study. But it costs 200 wen per month, and we can’t afford it.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze fell silent for a moment and then said, “If you want to learn how to read, I can teach you.”

Chang Hao immediately turned his head, staring at him with excitement, and exclaimed, “You can read? And you can teach me?!”

Yu Qingze nodded confidently, “Yes, I can.”

“Great, great! I want to learn!” Chang Hao’s face blossomed with a radiant and bright smile.

After a while, he asked again, “Big brother Yu, can my brother learn how to read with you too? My brother is very smart and has a good memory!”

In the village, almost no one has the opportunity to go to school. Only the boys go to the school. Afraid that Yu Qingze might refuse, Chang Hao praised his brother once again.

“Of course!” Yu Qingze smiled. These two brothers had such a good relationship, always thinking about each other’s benefits. He felt envious.

They agreed to start studying after they finished their busy days of harvesting. With this matter settled, Chang Hao was extremely happy and eagerly answered all of Yu Qingze’s other questions.

“That tiled house belongs to the village chief. He is skilled in woodworking, and his son is also good at it. They make various furniture for the neighboring villages. Our big wooden barrel was also made by them. My brother went to the mountains and brought back the best wood, and they didn’t charge our family any money. Instead, they gave us a wooden basin, the one we use for washing vegetables.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Qingze had a clear understanding and silently formulated a plan in his mind.

The two of them walked through the village, and suddenly, everything became clear in front of their eyes.

A golden field.

The golden rice paddies seemed to have laid a carpet of golden color over the earth. The gentle breeze brushed through, causing the rice stalks to sway and rustle, joyfully singing a song of abundance.

This season’s early rice harvest was decent, and the villagers were happily busy harvesting the rice. Although the weather was hot, with sweat covering their bodies as soon as they stepped outside, as if they had just emerged from hot water, the joy of a bountiful harvest overshadowed the fatigue.

The thought of the harvested grains filled them with inexhaustible energy.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

By the time the two of them reached the field, Chang Le and Grandpa Chang had already harvested a long stretch of rice.

Chang Hao picked up the sickle and started cutting the rice. Yu Qingze, due to his injured foot, couldn’t squat down like them to cut the rice. However, he could stand beside the thresher and help with the threshing work.

But the problem was, facing the empty thresher, he didn’t know how to operate it. He turned his head and looked at the other villagers nearby, but it seemed that everyone was busy cutting the rice, and no one was threshing. Moreover, the threshers in other households looked the same as the one in front of him.

In the end, it was Chang Le who brought over a large bundle of rice and placed it next to him. Yu Qingze took the opportunity to ask for guidance. He watched as Chang Le took a handful of rice, raised it above his head, and smashed it down onto the inner wall of the thresher.

Rustling sound…

“…,” Yu Qingze heard the sound of the grains falling into the bottom of the box.

Then he saw Chang Le shake his hands, shaking off the loose grains from the rice ears. When there were no more left, he raised them up again and gave another forceful strike!

After several strikes like this, it was mostly clean, with only a few remaining grains that could be removed by hand.

Yu Qingze: “…” No wonder it’s called “threshing,” it couldn’t be more fitting!

It was extremely primitive and rough, and it looked very exhausting. This made him more determined in his idea of making their future harvests less tiring.

In any case, Yu Qingze now knew how to thresh the rice.

Chang Le, considerate of his leg injury, kindly moved all the rice beside the thresher for him before going back to cutting.

The field was quite large, probably about 70-80 percent done. Chang Le was cutting the rice swiftly, with extremely skillful and proficient movements.

He squatted in front of the rice stalks, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. In his right hand was the sickle, and his left hand held the rice stalks. Swish, swish, swish… His body moved from right to left along with the movement of his hand, and within seconds, he cut from the right side to the left side. With a flick of his left hand, he shook the rice ears, then neatly arranged the handful of rice on the left side, turned back, and continued cutting…

When he went to harvest the rice, he could probably cut eight or nine sheaves in one go.

After about two hours, the entire field was harvested, and Yu Qingze didn’t take any breaks.

Grandfather Chang and Chang Hao would stand up and move around when their feet became numb from squatting, taking short breaks. But Chang Le never stood up. As soon as he finished cutting in one direction, he smoothly turned and cut in the opposite direction.

Yu Qingze had no doubt that if they let him cut the entire field alone, it would probably end up looking like a circle of incense or a dragon.

After finishing the harvest, they sat down by the threshing machine and rested for a while, and Yu Qingze took a break as well.

After more than two hours of work, even if he was strong and robust, his arms were sore, and he was drenched in sweat.

He deeply realized that cutting the rice was relatively easy, but threshing was the real challenge! Especially under the scorching sun of midsummer, it felt like a saltwater bath! He was practically producing and selling salt!

He particularly missed modern harvesters.

When he was a child, his grandfather’s house had a diesel-powered thresher with rolling wheels. At that time, their village was the envy of others because they didn’t have to use a foot-operated thresher.

Now, let alone harvesters and diesel-powered threshers, even if there was a foot-operated thresher, he would be ecstatic!

He quickly recalled the structure of a foot-operated thresher and some commonly used agricultural tools, as well as some simple and useful agricultural tools he saw in the agricultural museum. He planned to go back and draw them, and find someone to make them!

Although he was tired, his hard work yielded satisfying results. There was already a large pile of straw behind him, and the bottom of the thresher was covered in a thick layer of grain.

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

About to swallow the tongue

“What’s wrong?” Yu Qingze noticed the intriguing expression on the young boy’s face and asked.

Chang Hao wiped his face and shook his head, saying, “It’s nothing, please continue.”

Usually, sweet potato vines were mainly used as pig feed, and they would only cook and eat them when they were short of food. Recently, they had been eating sweet potato leaves quite often, and they didn’t taste good, similar to pig feed. But he didn’t say anything.

In fact, dried radish wasn’t tasty either. When there were no fresh vegetables from the garden, they often ate it at home. The young boy had a natural aversion to dried radish, sweet potato leaves, and oh, there was also luffa, which was soft and lacked any chewiness, with a bland taste.

But he was sensible and felt he had no right to complain. He never said anything, and he would eat whatever his brother made. He was very easy to please.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

However, when the stir-fried sweet potato stems were ready, Chang Hao couldn’t find words to say. He felt fortunate that he hadn’t spoken earlier, or his face would have been swollen from being slapped.

With the intention of giving face to Yu Qingze, the young boy tentatively picked up a piece of sweet potato stem and tasted it. He was instantly astonished and couldn’t believe it. He quickly picked up a big chopstick full and put it into his mouth.

“Wow, Big brother Yu! It’s delicious!” Chang Hao’s eyes sparkled as if he had discovered a precious treasure.

Although he had watched Big brother Yu cook the entire time and had only added oil, salt, and a little chopped chili pepper, the taste of the dish was incredibly good. There was no trace of pig feed whatsoever!

It was super delicious!

Even though he used to dislike eating it, now he wished he could swallow his tongue!

Yu Qingze smiled and said, “It’s nothing. I’m glad you like it. Don’t eat it all, save some for Grandfather and your brother.”

They were just simple home-cooked dishes with limited ingredients. They couldn’t fully showcase his extraordinary culinary skills. Yu, the former chef, didn’t consider them anything special.

“Yeah, let me have another bite.” Chang Hao took another secret bite, reluctantly put down his chopsticks, and urged, “Big brother Yu, what you made is so delicious. Grandfather and my brother will definitely love it! Hurry, let’s cook the dried radish too.”

For the dried radish, Yu Qingze didn’t use chopped chili pepper. Instead, he stir-fried it with a green pepper. When it was ready, Chang Hao tasted it and gave Yu Qingze a thumbs-up.

“It’s even more delicious than what my brother made!”

Yu Qingze chuckled, “Your brother would be sad to hear that.”

Nervously, Chang Hao glanced outside, saw no one, then put his index finger to his lips and whispered, “Don’t tell my brother. Actually, my brother’s cooking is considered good. You don’t know, the dishes my uncle Wen Li makes are terrible, no flavor at all, just like pig feed.” He couldn’t hide his disgust on his face.

Yu Qingze laughed and took the opportunity to inquire about their daily meals. He learned that most of the dishes in the households here were boiled or stir-fried, and the main dishes were usually stewed. The cooking methods were relatively simple, and the way of eating was straightforward.

Yu Qingze’s eyes brightened. There was great potential here!

After experiencing Yu Qingze’s cooking only once, Chang Le’s culinary skills were easily recognized by Yu Qingze. No wonder Chang Hao had such a big reaction to these three simple home-cooked dishes.

Soon, the sun came up, and Chang Le returned with his grandfather, carrying a load of water. They were pleasantly surprised to see the three bowls of dishes on the table.

And unsurprisingly, their breakfast received a warm welcome too.

“I never expected your culinary skills to be so good!” Grandfather Chang praised without hesitation and went to get another bowl of porridge.

Yu Qingze smiled and replied, “I used to cook frequently, as long as it suits your taste.” A chef, by trade, wouldn’t survive if their skills weren’t good.

At first, Chang Le felt a bit hesitant about letting Yu Qingze, their guest, cook. However, after tasting his dishes, that hesitation turned into a feeling of extreme embarrassment.

How could the culinary skills of another man be so much better than his own? He was supposed to be the older brother!

A sense of competitiveness, fueled by the unwillingness to admit defeat, quietly took root within young Chang Le.

The result of having excellent culinary skills was evident—the porridge was finished, the dishes were wiped clean, even the saltier dried radish was devoured. Then, the whole family successfully ate to their hearts’ content.

Chang Le looked at the empty pots and bowls, feeling a mix of emotions. It used to be that there would always be half a bowl of porridge leftover in the mornings, but now it was all gone! A single bowl of dried radish used to last for two days, but now it was gone!

Even Grandfather, who had never had a good appetite, drank an extra bowl!

And judging by their expressions, both Grandfather and his little brother seemed more satisfied than when they had eaten the newly harvested rice last night!

Chang Le felt a pang in his heart. Although he was happy that his grandfather and brother enjoyed delicious meals, he still felt a pang and once again realized his own culinary shortcomings and the importance of having good culinary skills!

If he wanted his grandfather and brother to eat well and be satisfied in the future, he had to work hard to improve his cooking skills!

From then on, whenever Yu Qingze cooked, he noticed that Chang Le would often discreetly observe him while tending to the fire, thinking he was secretly learning from the sidelines. Little did he know that his small, observant eyes had long been caught by Yu Qingze.

At that time, everyone was in a very joyful mood.

After breakfast, Chang Hao took the initiative to wash the dishes, while Chang Le went to feed the pigs.

Grandfather Chang took out a tobacco stick, filled it with tobacco, and sat under the eaves, enjoying his post-meal smoke. He also took out the herbs he had collected from the mountain the previous day, picked a few plants, washed and dried them, and then started pounding them in a mortar to make medicine.

The herbs were for Yu Qingze, who took them and chatted with Grandfather Chang while pounding.

As Grandfather Chang finished smoking his cigarette and Yu Qingze finished pounding the herbs, with the help of Grandfather Chang, they changed the dressing on Yu Qingze’s foot.

“Hmm, the recovery is going well. Two more days, and it will be fine. Young people have a strong foundation.” Grandfather Chang checked his ankle and applied the new medicine.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” Yu Qingze expressed his gratitude and added, “I exercise regularly. I used to rarely get sick.”

Before studying cooking, Yu Qingze served in the military for two years. He went through rigorous training, and even after his discharge, he maintained some habits he acquired during his military service. He exercised every morning, ran, practiced boxing, and had excellent physical fitness.

Grandfather Chang looked at Yu Qingze with surprise. People from the countryside usually didn’t specifically exercise; their daily farm work served as their physical exercise. But he soon smiled and said, “Exercising is great! Money can’t buy good health!”

Yu Qingze nodded in agreement and sighed, “Yes, my grandfather had poor health and suffered a lot in his later years.”

Thinking of his grandfather, Yu Qingze’s mood became a bit low. His grandfather passed away when he was 16 years old due to illness. He had heart disease and advanced lung cancer, and he was extremely frail when he passed away. It was because of his grandfather that Yu Qingze paid special attention to exercising and had good physical health until his last life.

Hearing this, Grandfather Chang sighed and consoled Yu Qingze, telling him to look at things from a different perspective.

Meanwhile, Chang Le finished feeding the pigs and the chickens, and Chang Hao finished washing the dishes.

Because they needed to sun-dry the harvested grain, several chickens were kept in cages, clucking and demanding to be let out to roam. Chang Le threw some sweet potato leaves and husked grains into their cage and filled an empty bowl with water. Then, everything was taken care of.

After finishing the household chores, the whole family set off to harvest the rice. This time, Chang Hao was also going along. Yu Qingze insisted on joining them and managed to persuade them.

It was during the process of harvesting rice that he found a good way to make money!

🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸

The author has something to say:

Small Theater

Chang Le: If we continue to eat like this, we will not have enough rice at home. #worried

Yu Qingze: … Blame me (I’m so good at cooking).

Chang Hao: Brother, do you think I have gained some weight?

Chang Le: Really? It seems that the cheeks are a little rounder, which is great! Eat more later!

Yu Qingze:  …