Translator: 549690339 I
Panghu said earnestly, “Words from the mouth of babes must not be taken lightly! Mom, hurry up and swear, otherwise, my future offspring will come into the world without an anus!”
Though Panghu was only eight years old, he was shrewd. He knew that Wang Jinfang had a soft spot for him. If he was to stake his future children on this bet, surely she wouldn’t ever sling mud at Ni Yang again.
Wang Jinfang was almost done in by her son’s buffoonery! Being the clever woman she was, how could she have ended up with such a simple-minded son?
With no other options, Wang Jinfang begrudgingly made the oath.
Only then did Panghu break out into an elated smile, “Mom, the teacher says ‘Those who can acknowledge and correct their wrongs are good children.’”
Just then, Goudan and Yang Guobao led a group of children running over calling, “Panghu, Panghu!”
Panghu instantly waved his hands and ran over, “Coming, coming!”
After a quick huddle, Panghu yelled out to Wang Jinfang, “Mom, I won’t be home for dinner tonight.”
Wang Jinfang called out, “If you’re not coming home, where will you eat?”
Panghu replied, “Sister Ni Yang is treating us tonight.”
Sister Ni Yang treating them?
Was Ni Yang treating these children to a dirt buffet?
Although that’s what Wang Jinfang thought, she didn’t voice it. She just replied, “Be sure to come home early.”
By the time Wang Jinfang looked up again, Panghu and the others had already disappeared in the distance.
Hoisting the hoe onto her shoulder, Wang Jinfang headed home.
Ni Yang arrived at Zhou Qingshang’s house.
“Madam Wang,” Ni Yang knocked on the door and raised her voice, “Is anyone home?”
Recognizing the voice, Zhou Qingshang immediately ran out from the kitchen, “It’s Yangyang, come in and have a seat.”
Ever since Ni Yang cured Zhou Qingshang’s cough and cold with a stick of Bupleurum, Zhou Qingshang had taken a liking to the beautiful young girl.
If it were anyone else, even if she were coughing her lungs out, they probably wouldn’t bother.
But Ni Yang, even though they were strangers at the time, was incredibly helpful.
“Madam Wang, is Uncle Tieniu home?” asked Ni Yang.
Zhou Qingshang’s husband, Wang Tieniu, lived up to his name, being as sturdy as an ox. He learned to be a bricklayer in his younger years. He knew how to renovate and build houses. If there was work to be done, he’d be out there building houses for people. If not, he’d be at home working the farm.
Because of his hard work, their family lived a decent life.
Ni Yang’s main purpose for this visit was to offer the job of renovating the store to Wang Tieniu.
Originally, Ni Yang could’ve handed the task over to a construction team in town, but she wanted to take this opportunity to show her gratitude to the villagers.
Zhou Qingshang replied, “Your Uncle Tieniu is outside, I’ll call him for you.”
Ni Yang nodded, “Thank you, Madam Zhou.”
Zhou Qingshang laughed, “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. Yangyang, come in and take a seat. I’ll be right back.”
Even though she didn’t know why Ni Yang wanted to see Wang Tieniu, Zhou Qingshang still went out enthusiastically to call him.
Before long, Zhou Qingshang returned with Wang Tieniu.
Despite his rough appearance, Wang Tieniu was a very kind-hearted man, “Yangyang, why are you standing there for? Gome in, come in.”
“Uncle Tieniu.” Ni Yang followed Wang Tieniu indoors.
“Wifey, hurry up and make some tea,” Wang Tieniu then instructed.
Ni Yang laughed, “Uncle Tieniu, you don’t need to fuss over me. 1 will leave in a moment.”
Before Ni Yang finished speaking, Zhou Qingshang had already prepared the tea.
“Thank you, Madam Wang,” Ni Yang said, as she politely took the tea cup with both hands.
“No need to be so polite with me.”
After taking a sip of tea, Ni Yang proceeded to discuss business with Wang Tieniu.
“Uncle Tieniu, my shop is about fifty square meters, adding the kitchen and bathroom would make it about sixty-five square meters. Please bring ten laborers from the village.”
Ni Yang did the math and concluded that excluding the elderly and children there were roughly ten laborers in Jinghua Village.
Besides the heavy work, the job at the construction site didn’t require much skill. It just needed some good old fashioned hard labor.
Wang Tieniu listened, bewildered, and struggled to believe what he heard. “Yangyang, are you pulling my leg? You genuinely have a shop and you want me to renovate it?”
After all, Ni Yang was just a teenage girl. It was only natural for Wang Tieniu to be skeptical.
Anticipating Wang Tieniu’s disbelief, Ni Yang took out the bundle of cash she had prepared earlier, “Uncle Tieniu, I’ll pay you in advance. It’s three yuan per day for skilled workers, and two yuan per day for laborers..”