Chapter 390: Reborn in the Nineties: The Tyrant Flower Chapter 391 Divination

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

Song Qiushui also wanted to have her own marriage divined, but Ceng Xiazi refused.

After all, Ceng Xiazi had divined Song Qiushui's marriage countless times already.

In the past, Song Qiushui's father had come over, and he came often; every time he came he would ask: "Oh, Da Jiu, please divine when my girl will find a husband's family..."

Ceng Xiazi had divined it, and Song Qiushui's marriage issue was very difficult.

How to describe it...

Even harder than Ceng Xiazi regaining his sight...

So Ceng Xiazi was determined not to divine it again.

He was afraid his divination would be inaccurate; what if Song Qiushui actually found a match, and then he regained his sight...

Then the village subsistence allowance would be gone too; wouldn't that mean he had been blind for seventy or eighty years in vain...

Song Qiushui refused to take no for an answer, grabbing Ceng Xiazi's sleeve and shaking it: "Oh, Jiu Gu Ye, please do me a favor! Just one divination, I'll bring you steamed egg cake, isn't that enough? Look, Chai Mi has already had hers done, my heart is itching with curiosity!"

"Another day. Your aunt is crying out in pain, where would I find the time to divine for you?" Ceng Xiazi certainly didn't want to invite trouble for no reason.

"Okay okay, leaving then, I'll come back another day when I have time!" Song Qiushui hurriedly waved her hand, turned and slipped out the door, still muttering, "Chai Mi, heading back first!"

Chai Mi, on the other hand, offered thanks: "Jiu Gu Ye, truly many thanks for today. I won't forget a single word you said. When the side room is built, I'll personally come to fetch you and Aunt to have a look."

Ceng Xiazi said nothing more.

Chai Mi spoke no further, and the two of them carefully carried the Old Man onto the kang; only then did they turn and go out the door.

Evening.

Steam rose thick in Chai Mi's kitchen, the aroma of the big pot stew drifting straight out. The table was already set with several hard dishes: chicken stewed with mushrooms bubbling away, a large plate of glossy red braised pork, and also cabbage with white meat blood sausage, and potatoes with beans stewed with eggplant.

Liu Zhanggui entered lifting the curtain, his son Liu Zhijing in tow, followed by Song Qingshan and Song Qiushui.

Liu Zhijing was also carrying two bottles of sorghum liquor.

Liu Zhanggui: "Ho! Chai Mi, going all out like this! What's the big happy occasion?"

Chai Mi nimbly set out bowls and chopsticks: "Xiangli Chief, Da Zhi, Uncle Song, Qiu Shui, sit quick. Nothing major, just building a side room so Xiu'er can have some peace and quiet for her studies. Happens I have a matter I want to trouble the Xiangli Chief to put in a word for."

Song Qingshan rubbed his hands and sat down: "Building a house is a good thing. Chai Mi is capable."

Song Qiushui sat down next to Chai Mi, eyes fixed on the red braised pork: "Right, my Jiu Gu Ye has already picked the day, groundbreaking on the sixteenth of the tenth month."

Chai Mi poured wine for Liu Zhanggui: "Xiangli Chief, I seem to recall you mentioned last time that your Lianqiao Zhu Shukun is now a contractor?"

Liu Zhanggui's eyes lit up, he picked up his wine cup and took a sip: "That's right! Old Zhu, a proper contractor! He has masons and carpenter crews under him, taking on big building projects in the city! What? Chai Mi, you want to hire him?"

Chai Mi nodded: "Mm. I'm building a side room, not a big job, but the schedule needs to be fast and quality must be solid. The location is a bit special too, I want to contract it to someone who knows the trade. Can you help ask if he'd take on this small rural job? Labor and materials, we'll go by market rates, won't shortchange him."

Liu Zhanggui slapped his chest, wine breath spraying out: "Leave it to me! What's Old Zhu to me? Close Lianqiao! Your job, he's bound to take it! Fellow villagers, would he dare not give me face? Besides, it's Chai Mi's matter, would he dare be perfunctory? Tomorrow I'll send word to him, have him come by when he's free, talk it over with you face to face!"

Liu Zhijing chimed in too: "Right, hiring my uncle is sure to work! He's an honest man, and his craftsmanship is beyond reproach! His father, back in the day, was the best master carpenter in ten li and eight villages!"

Song Qingshan: "I know Old Zhu, reliable. Fine work. Main thing is he has plenty of men, works fast, doesn't fiddle with labor costs and such."

Chai Mi raised her teacup: "That's wonderful, thanks first to the Xiangli Chief! Then I'll trouble you to pass the word, come by my place in the next day or two. Schedule's tight, as long as we can break ground by the sixteenth of the tenth month."

Liu Zhanggui: "Rest assured! He's got big jobs lined up too, your small job can just be slotted in. By the way, materials — how do you want to handle it? Red brick, cement, purlins and such, is Old Zhu supplying, or are you providing yourself?"

Chai Mi: "Main materials I'll provide myself. Bricks, cement, these big items, I need to check who's cheap and good value. Xiangli Chief, you've got wide connections, any good places to recommend?"

Liu Zhanggui picked up a piece of chicken, chewing with loud smacks: "Brick kilns I know! The kiln factory in Dongwa, mention my name, can get a discount. Cement... the Lao Wu Building Materials Store up at the Xiang, I go there often, can put in a word too. Purlins... look around for whoever's tearing down an old house or has good timber stored away."

Song Qingshan nodded: "Mm, I remember Shuichuan side sells that kind of red pine, all timber from the Daxinganling area, quality especially good, lasts decades without rotting. When the time comes, I'll go buy it for you directly, but how many pieces needed I can't figure, still need Zhu Shukun to calculate for you."

Song Qiushui swallowed her meat and interjected: "Chai Mi, does building the house include meals? If meals are included I'll come every day to help cook! Don't need wages, just want a hot meal!"

Chai Mi laughed and patted her: "You won't be left out! Full board!"

Liu Zhijing set down his wine cup and asked seriously: "What kind of side room do you want to build? How many bays? Adobe or full brick? How high the ridge? How deep do you plan to dig the foundation? My uncle will need to know all that when he comes."

Chai Mi gestured with her hands: "Right there on the empty ground by the sheep pen on the east side, three bays, full brick to the roof. Doesn't need to be big, just enough for Xiu'er to live in. Ridge... one chi lower than the main house is fine. Windows big, bright. Build a fire kang, warm in winter. Foundation..." she paused, "that I'll listen to Uncle Zhu on, however he says to do it, that's how we'll do it. I only have one requirement, the foundation must be absolutely stable."

Liu Zhanggui nodded: "Full brick is good! Sturdy! Later I'll have Old Zhu design it properly for you. Foundation you can rest easy, Old Zhu knows the trade, our area's frozen soil layer is deep, he knows how deep to dig." He sipped his wine, then changed tack: "By the way Chai Mi, what do you think about the vegetable greenhouse matter? I've mentioned it a few times in the village, but not a single person wants it, unless I do it myself the quota can't be met at all."

Chai Mi's heart stirred, but her face showed nothing: "The Xiang wants to promote this, investment isn't small, risk is big too. Xiangli Chief, do you think this thing is reliable?"

Liu Zhanggui smacked his lips: "Hard to say... No one here has ever done it, so we don't know how. If it goes crack once, winter freezes all the vegetables to death, then it's all over. However, this thing really has wind from above! The Xiang meetings mentioned it, want to select pilot villages, those near main roads get priority, there's subsidies, and loans available. Just... few dare be the first to eat the crab! Several thousand yuan sunk in, what if..."

Chai Mi: "Then do you think, if we really mobilized, just in our small group, anyone would be tempted?"

Liu Zhanggui chuckled, lowering his voice: "Lots of watchers! Ones truly daring to put money down... I reckon besides my third son having a bit of interest, everyone else is afraid of losing their shirt. Chai Mi, you've got an active mind, big guts, if you want to do it, Uncle supports you! Loan procedures and such, I'll help you run them!"

Chai Mi smiled: "Thanks, Xiangli Chief. This matter... I still need to mull it over. Several thousand isn't a small sum, have to be sure before acting."

Liu Zhanggui slapped his chest: "That's for sure! Once there's definite news I'll tell you first!"