Chapter 964: The building is finished

Aguang's temper flared up again from the question he asked him.

"Damn it, I just calmed down for one night, and my temper is back up."

"What did my second aunt do?"

Ye Yaodong was genuinely curious now. If she had come over to ask them to help out Brother Asheng or the other two cousins more, it wouldn't be enough to make him this angry, right?

"Your second aunt came over to find Huimei to chat. She wants to play matchmaker for Brother Asheng, trying to get her to help set up my younger sister with Ye Yaosheng."

Ye Yaodong's eyes widened in surprise.

His second aunt really dared to dream. Brother Asheng is already 33, and Aguang's eldest sister is only 23. He's an old bachelor and a widower, with nothing to his name, yet she still wants to marry a twenty-year-old girl. Who gave her the nerve?

Not to mention that their family's financial foundation is so solid now; they are considered a good family with high standing not just in their village, but in the surrounding ten miles and eight villages. Plus, they are planning to provide a dowry of the "three rounds and one sound."

It's not that he looks down on people, but what does Brother Asheng have to marry her with?

His second aunt really knows how to plan.

She's just thinking that since the girl recently broke off an engagement and has a bad reputation, she's preparing to pick up a bargain. She's playing a golden abacus.

He suddenly didn't know what to say. It was one thing for her to disgust him normally, but now she's being disgusting toward his own in-laws.

"That's outrageous. It's useless to tell the old lady; she's hard of hearing and her legs aren't nimble. If you go to scold my second aunt, she might even turn it around and complain about you. You have to go tell my mother; hmm... my mother is more effective."

"I just went to the old house and didn't see our mother. She isn't working today either, which is why I ran over to take a look. This is also because I'm considering the face of our relatives. She didn't make a big scene coming over to propose; she just found Huimei to vent and asked her to help mediate. Otherwise, I would have had to call my aunt to come over and scold her."

Ye Yaodong also realized that Aguang's family is considered outsiders. Outsiders coming to scold versus their own people coming to talk carries a different meaning.

At the very least, it's still kept under wraps a bit. Otherwise, if it got out, it would really make people laugh their teeth off, and it would make his sister seem worthless, as if anyone could covet her, even a thirty-something-year-old widower coming to propose.

If the matter gets blown up, it will be even worse for his sister's reputation.

"She's helping out at my place. You go over and talk to her."

Ye Yaodong let the twins practice driving the tractor themselves, told them to drive slower and be more careful when turning, and then stopped worrying about them.

Ye Mu was sitting at the entrance picking vegetables while chatting with the neighbors, talking with great animation, but her good mood was instantly shattered by Aguang's words.

"Ah? Did she eat shit, or is her brain covered in shit? Does she still want her face? She doesn't want her face, but I still want mine! That's my in-law! She's doing this on purpose to disgust me and bring me bad luck. Damn it..."

Ye Mu was stunned at first and didn't react, but after she figured it out, she was so angry she threw the vegetable leaves on the ground and started cursing loudly.

"This is intentional, trying to bring me bad luck! She can't stand to see us doing well, so she takes advantage of these few days when we're happy to pull this stunt. She's lived to such an old age and doesn't even want her face anymore! Is that someone she can covet? The girl is still a fresh, young maiden..."

"Oh my, my heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys are about to explode from anger. I really have had eight lifetimes of bad luck. I'm going to find her..."

The old lady looked at Ye Mu's departing back and sighed, "The older she gets, the more she regresses. Life is so good now, yet she's just making a mess of things..."

The surrounding neighbors, along with the eldest and second sisters-in-law, were also there saying that Ye's second aunt was immoral, really a toad wanting to eat swan meat.

If she really wants to marry a new daughter-in-law, finding a similar widow or a divorcee would be about right. Not only is there a ten-year age gap, but the girl is still a maiden.

The key is that Ye Yaosheng himself is still dirt poor; he hasn't even wiped his own ass clean yet. I heard that Wang Lizhen's mother is still going over to mediate.

That old Wang family has a pile of rotten accounts of their own.

The villagers talked about the old Wang family's rotten accounts, and then mentioned the rat's mother who stepped on a nail a few months ago, as well as the old Wang family's neighbor; I heard they only stopped after paying money.

But the rat's family hasn't had a moment of peace these past few months. The mother keeps cursing the daughter-in-law for being a jinx, and they fight every three days.

The rat's bones and muscles were injured, and he only recently managed to get out of bed. I heard that after he got out of bed, he beat his wife severely and is now preparing for a divorce.

"They've been making a scene about divorce these past few days. It's either a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law war or a husband and wife war. It's so noisy, even more lively than watching a play during the New Year."

"Isn't that so? Yesterday, I just finished watching them fight over a divorce there, and I rushed over to see the tractor. It's better to look at happy events. Watching people fight and divorce every day just brings bad luck to yourself for no reason."

"If they get a divorce, what good can they find? If you ask me, they should just make do and live on."

"Every family has its own difficult scriptures to read. Now the man wants a divorce, but the woman doesn't. The man's whole family has already driven the woman back to her maiden home..."

"Does that mean they'll have to divorce even if they don't want to? It's a pity for the children."

Ye Yaodong listened to a bunch of gossip from the women on the side and looked at Aguang, the two of them staring at each other. Aguang's original fiery temper had also been suppressed after Ye Mu went to settle the score, and he curiously exchanged a look with him.

"They're really getting a divorce?"

"You ask me, who do I ask? I haven't stayed at home for long during this period."

"Our mother, is there anything in the village she doesn't know? Didn't she say anything?"

"The key is that I haven't been home either."

"There's nothing worth talking about. Whether they divorce or not, it's hard for both of them to find someone else after a divorce. If they don't divorce, they can barely make do and live their lives."

"Forget about them. When is your father coming back?"

"Maybe tomorrow. I heard it's going to be windy and rainy tomorrow, so he should be back early."

Ye Yaodong looked at the sky and also felt that it had become much cooler in the mornings and evenings recently. If it really rains, he'll probably have to put on a big cotton-padded jacket.

One autumn rain brings one chill.

He has to prop up the nylon bags over the workshop this afternoon, otherwise, if the Fengshou returns tomorrow and it rains, the shrimp meat won't be easy to dry.

"I wonder how much longer my boat will take?"

"Soon, right? Didn't they say before the New Year? That's only three months away. If you're free, go to the factory and take a look, urge them a bit more. Anyway, even if it's brought back before the New Year, you'll have to wait until after the fifteenth, after the New Year, before you can go out to sea."

"We'll see. I'll go to the factory to take a look after the house is finished. Anyway, it's more convenient now that I have a motorcycle."

"Showing off again."

"I'll call you when I go, and I'll let you ride the bike."

"Third brother, this motorcycle really came at the right time, it's so convenient. The leader really has a good eye. Giving you a motorcycle is like adding wings to a tiger."

Ye Yaodong rolled his eyes at the blue sky.

"I wonder how Fatty's business is doing. I haven't seen him for a long time."

"I heard he's lost a whole circle of weight."

"Really?"

Ye Yaodong suddenly couldn't help but chuckle. He prides himself on the few circles of fat on his waist every day; if he lost weight, he'd probably be depressed to death.

"I heard it from Huimei. She said that when she saw him riding his bike past our door a few days ago, he even asked about me. I was with you in the province at the time and wasn't home."

"That's pretty good, making money and losing weight."

"How long do you think mother will be back after going out this time?" Aguang was more concerned about this.

"I don't know. Anyway, she seems quite free lately, and she's been wandering around the house during work hours. She didn't seem to go to work today either. She might scold... stay a little longer."

"Anyway, I'm free, so I'll just stay here at your place..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Ye Huimei coming over holding the child, and he immediately went up to take the child.

"Why did you bring the child over? You could have just come over yourself; it would have been fine to leave the child at home. Why did you specifically bring her over?"

"I didn't have anything to do, and I wanted to come over and see how the house construction is going. By the way, I brought Xiaoyu over to play with Xiaojiu, otherwise, she wouldn't have any companions at home."

Ye Xiaoxi was squatting on the ground helping to pick vegetables. When she saw Pei Yu, she quickly handed her the emperor beans she hadn't shelled yet to play with.

Pei Yu also felt that the doll in her hand wasn't fun anymore, so she threw it on the ground and joined Ye Xiaoxi in shelling the emperor beans.

Ye Yaodong watched them talking and laughing lively, and the tractor in the distance was still driving back and forth. He went over first, drove the tractor into the workshop, and took away the crank.

The flat road is about enough. If there's a chance to go to the city, he'll take them along. They can practice driving on a good section of the road. There's no need to waste diesel now.

Ye Huimei would bring the child over to play whenever she was free. After all, Aguang's family had fewer people, and the house was located on the side of the road, not as lively as their place.

Anyway, it's close, and it takes less than ten minutes to walk back to her maiden home. This is the benefit of marrying close by. But for that show-off Ye Chenghu, living close by means he has no chance to sit on the tractor.

After the children finished breakfast, they all went to school, and the entrance to the house was rarely quiet, without so much noise. Ye Xiaoxi was finally able to shell beans quietly there, otherwise, she would have been following that group of older children making noise.

After Ye Yaodong took the crank back to the courtyard and put it away, he sent the twins to move bricks, moved a long bench himself to sit at the courtyard entrance, crossed his legs, and chatted with Aguang while smoking.

"Building a house is quite easy now, isn't it? The year before last, the whole family was working together, but now you just let the workers do it, and you don't help yourself."

"It's fine to help out occasionally. Going out to sea makes more money, and there are enough hands called now, so why should I do it myself? I helped out for two days a few days ago and was exhausted. I don't want to do it. Anyway, there are workers, so I'll just sit and supervise."

"Didn't you say you were buying sheep? I don't see any sheep at your place."

"Where would there be sheep now? At this time, the sheep are in heat and breeding. Only after the lambs are born next spring will there be ewes producing milk. Probably no one will sell them. If you want to buy, you'll probably have to buy lambs."

"Who are you buying them for to herd?"

"Xiaojiu, of course. It's just right to let her be a shepherd girl for a few years. After herding sheep, she'll be at the right age to go to school, so she won't be like the ones before who think about herding sheep all day and don't want to study."

"Will she want to study even less after herding and want to herd sheep more?"

"Uh..."

Ye Yaodong looked at Ye Xiaoxi, who was squatting and shelling beans, and was really a bit unsure. This child is no less mischievous than the boys.

Could it be that she really falls in love with herding sheep and doesn't want to study?

"We'll talk about it next year."

"Has your father-in-law called in the last two days?"

"Didn't I just come back yesterday? I heard him mention it a few days ago. There were people who were hesitant, but the hesitant ones have disappeared. There is only one shop around the fourth entrance that wants to sell, but they want to raise the price by five hundred yuan, so I thought I'd put it aside for now."

"Then it's better to put it aside for now. The surrounding area is still desolate."

"After the shop I originally put in the warehouse was vacated, it was rented out immediately. When the house is finished, I'll go over and settle the accounts, and by the way, take the rent."

"Aren't you happy to death? You just vacated the location, and there's money coming in immediately."

"That's right. In the future, I'll rely on this to collect rent for my old age."

The two sat at the entrance chatting and gossiping. On the other side, the women were also chattering non-stop until Ye Mu returned, and everyone looked over.

Before Ye Mu could even sit down, she started cursing again, "Seeing me go, she immediately dodged away. I hadn't even reached her, and she was gone. I just sat directly at her door and waited for a while before she came back, saying she went to the bathroom. Bah."

"Turns out she also felt she was in the wrong. She still has the face to say to me that since she's already broken off an engagement, it's about the same as being divorced in the old days..."

"It made me angry just hearing it. If this were my daughter being told this, see if I don't tear her mouth apart."

"Oh my, this is too much, to actually say such things. How can it be the same?" Lin Xiuqing also frowned.

Ye's eldest sister-in-law also echoed, "Exactly, even if you want to marry someone, you can't belittle them like that."

Aguang's face also turned green, "Next time she comes to my door, Huimei, remember to take a broom and chase her out. What kind of thing is she?"

Ye Huimei was a bit embarrassed, not knowing whether to respond or not, and could only look here and there. Lin Xiuqing patted her soothingly.

Ye Mu continued, "I told her not to be there being shabby and disgusting people, otherwise if she comes a few more times, we won't even be relatives in the future. Who knows, she might even ruin Asheng's job. When that time comes, see if she isn't blamed to death by her son. Who else will support him in his old age?"

"At her age, she's eaten it into a dog's belly. She doesn't even know what's appropriate and what's not. She only knows how to dream all day long."

"I told her, if she really wants to find a wife for Asheng, she should look around the nearby villages to see if there are any young women who were forced into divorce, someone who seems reliable, or perhaps a widow with a good personality; don't let him get swindled again."

"As long as Asheng is willing to work, life won't be bad in the future. Tell her not to think about this and that, and honestly marry a suitable wife. Hurry up while he's still young and can still have children, have one or two, and won't life be harmonious and beautiful?"

"That's the logic!"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. Find a suitable one and get married quickly. While you're young, have one or two children, and won't life get started?"

"How can a bachelor's life be decent? Finding a suitable woman to marry back is the right thing to do."

"That's right. Don't have such big dreams. Aguang's family is so rich now and the conditions are so good, how could it be something she can covet?"

Nearby neighbors echoed one after another.

Marrying a good wife saves thirty years of struggle. Plus, if the wife is obedient and virtuous, isn't that what every man dreams of?

However, you need capital to be a kept man.

Ye Yaodong touched his own face. He might be able to, but where does Brother Asheng have that capital? He'd better honestly marry a quiet, pretty widow, or a divorced young woman with a good temper and personality.

"So, I've told her all the logic. It depends on whether she can listen to it. If she can't listen, then there's really no way. Let her walk down that path to the end and crash."

His mother actually didn't go directly to the door and start cursing, but could reason and explain it clearly to his second aunt? That's a first.

After Ye Mu finished speaking, she looked at Ye Huimei, "If she still doesn't get it and comes to your door to ask you to mediate or directly proposes, don't be polite. Don't care if she's your second aunt, just chase her out directly and tell her there's no door."

Ye Huimei looked at everyone and nodded in response.

Aguang was also satisfied.

On this issue, the women on the side started discussing a lot more. Mainly because they were all free, the men had all gone out to sea, and they were watching the house, mending nets, or tidying up the vegetable plots.

After Lin Xiuqing finished breakfast and tidied up, she went to take out the large bag of emperor beans she had picked a few days ago to shell.

As long as the outer shell of these emperor beans isn't removed, the beans inside remain fresh. It's just right to consume these vegetables while building the house during this period, otherwise, they wouldn't be able to finish them even if the whole family ate them openly.

The neighbors on the left and right were free, so they each moved a small stool over to help shell them, and by the way, chatted and gossiped. Aguang's eldest sister's matter just happened to give everyone a topic for discussion.

Aguang stayed for a while and then rode his bike back first. He also had work to do in the fields, leaving Huimei and the child to play here for a while.

Lin Xiuqing saw Ye Yaodong sitting there idle, so she took another basket of potatoes and a peeler and gave them to him to find him some work.

Ye Yaodong looked at the peeler forced into his hand, "I'm going to check the workshop, why are you giving me this?"

"Isn't it because I see you sitting there idle?"

"Just kidding, who told you I'm very idle? I've already sent the twins over to help with work. Of course, I have to go to the workshop to watch them. I'm leaving."

Since there are people helping him with work, why should he have to work? Shouldn't he naturally sit down and rest for a while?

Anyway, sitting in the workshop is also working.

Next time after eating, he won't show his face in front of them. As long as he doesn't show his face, he is busy and doing things.

Ye Yaodong ran to the workshop and stayed for a while, but then couldn't sit still. Isn't it too boring to be alone?

After thinking about it, he ran home and took out the basketball hidden in the house. If he had known, he shouldn't have let Aguang go back just now. It would have been a companion to play ball with two people.

Lin Xiuqing behind him looked at his back and muttered, "Found another excuse to slip away."

By the afternoon, Ye Yaodong woke up from his nap and really started working. He moved all the rolls of nylon bags from the house and pulled them to the workshop with a flatbed cart.

Then he called the twins to help, tied the nylon bags one by one to the bamboo poles, and propped them up over the workshop to prevent rain at night or tomorrow.

The weather forecast said it might be windy and rainy tomorrow, but who knows if tomorrow refers to the night or the day? The weather forecast has never been accurate, so it's better to take precautions early.

Following that, one autumn rain brings one chill, and there will be no shortage of rain. These past 20 days or so have been good weather, with no rain, at most cloudy days, but it's hard to say what will happen next.

In the evening, they also paid attention to the 7:30 weather forecast. Yesterday it reported rain, and tonight it really reported cooling and rain for tomorrow.

And this weather forecast was accurate. It started drizzling at night, and even when he slept shirtless at night, he felt a bit cold, so he pulled the quilt over and covered himself and his wife and daughter tightly.

When he got up the next morning, he just pushed open the window to see the weather outside, and instantly shivered from the cold, immediately shrank back, and put on the sweater that Aqing had prepared for him and placed by the bed.

It was still drizzling outside.

Twenty days of good weather, and the house was only half built. The beams hadn't even been put up yet, only the row of crossbeams on the second floor had been built, the layout had been separated by wooden boards, and the floor had been laid.

This is also fine, not afraid of rain. Before work ended yesterday, the workers used nylon bags to cover the top layer, so the rain couldn't reach inside the house.

Taking advantage of the rain these few days, it's just right to let the carpenter measure the dimensions and build the stairs. When the beams are put up, the stairs can be built.

Just as he walked out of the room, the old lady was worrying there.

"It's raining at this time, I don't know how long it will be delayed. I don't know why it couldn't rain later. At most, in ten days or so, the house would be finished."

"It's been sunny for twenty days, which is already very good, and the progress is quite fast. Anyway, there are nylon bags covering the top, and a pile of bricks is fixed there, and the corners are also tied. As long as there is no strong wind, it won't be blown away."

"Finish it early, worry less. The weather will be cool soon. It's good that the second-floor board was laid first, otherwise, it would be even colder at night in the open air. The two children don't cover themselves with quilts when they sleep at night, and I got up twice at night to cover them."

"Soon, it won't take long. It's already much faster than expected." Ye Yaodong also said, and then walked to the entrance, wanting to see outside.

A group of chickens and ducks were all hiding under the corridor to avoid the rain, each one a drowned chicken or duck, wet and soggy.

The dogs were surprisingly not staying in the sidecar today, but were all huddled in the doghouse to avoid the rain. In the past few days, those dogs would jump into the sidecar to squeeze and sleep at night. It's rare that they were willing to move their nests today because of the rain.

He went behind the door to get an umbrella, changed into rain boots, and went to the workshop, intending to take a look.

Last night, he had already collected a portion of the dried shrimp meat in advance, and a small portion that was slightly larger hadn't dried through yet. He instructed Wang Guangliang to collect it in advance and put it aside if it rained at night.

As soon as he arrived at the workshop, he saw the twins each holding a stick, poking the accumulated water on the nylon bags on top, tilting it to pour it down first, so as not to bear too much weight and press it down.

The fishing nets hanging in the open space had also been collected, looking empty.

He instructed the two not to stay here either. It's just right to take advantage of the rain to go back and rest for a day, and come back at night to see if the Fengshou has returned.

If it hasn't returned? Then continue to rest. If it has returned, then they can only continue working through the night.

The rain drizzled continuously for four or five days before it stopped, but the sun didn't come out. It remained cloudy, and after being cloudy for half a month, it continued to rain, with wind intermittently during the period.

Their family's boat had only gone out to sea three times in the past twenty days, and most of the other time was spent resting.

The temperature kept decreasing and rebounding partially in the cloudy and rainy weather these days, repeatedly rising and falling, and then bit by bit, it completely dropped.

They also took advantage of the days without rain to build as much as they could.

After choosing a good day to put up the beams again, everyone felt much more relaxed about the remaining work.

Work when there is weather, and it doesn't have much impact if there is no weather.

Finally, it took two and a half months, and it wasn't until the middle of December that it was finished.

This was simply beyond their expectations. Originally, it was estimated to be about a month and a half. They thought that even if there was a certain impact, it would at most affect a few days.

Unexpectedly, the weather this year had such a big impact. Once it rained, it was continuous for several days, and more than half a month passed without much work, which delayed it until the middle of December.

Originally, he thought that after the building was finished, he would immediately let the workers build the workshop and finish the workshop before the New Year. Now it seems a bit hanging, and it may not be completed before the New Year.

There is less than a month and a half left before the New Year. It is highly probable that they can only do half of it, and then wait until after the New Year to start work.

He felt that the efficiency was slow, but Lin Xiuqing felt that this was a good thing. She also thought that it would be best to start work directly after the New Year, or wait until the fish sauce started to sell, and after it sold well, then start work, she would feel more at ease.

How can this follow her thoughts? After the New Year, the fish sauce has to be filtered out, stored, and transported. The workshop must be built, and a warehouse must be built for storage.

Wooden barrel fermentation is not suitable for outdoors, only indoors. Large vat fermentation is more suitable for outdoors. The capacity of wooden barrels will be higher, and it can be carried out simultaneously at that time.

If the workshop is built, it must be built in advance. After the New Year, his own large boat will most likely go out to sea to fish. At that time, the production capacity will also increase, and there must be a special venue for fermentation.

In the few months before and after the New Year, as long as there is good weather, it is also a good season for drying fish. At that time, it will definitely be necessary to increase the collection of various cheap fresh fish and dry more for inventory.

With one more fish sauce workshop there, when one side can't dry, the other side can also be used as a backup.

With this year's foundation, next year's business will definitely be better. It is also very necessary to dry more and keep it as inventory, and there is no worry about selling it at all.

Last year, it was mainly because there was no bottom in the heart, so there was no large-scale drying. It was all sold while watching the situation, and the inventory was only a few thousand jin.

Lin Xiuqing basically listens to him on these major events now.

He let the workers build the workshop after building the house, and she followed his arrangements and did a good job of logistics for him.

After the house was rebuilt, they didn't hold a banquet this time. After all, it was just adding a floor, and they had already held a banquet in the previous two years. They just chose an auspicious day to set off two strings of firecrackers, and they didn't even need to move house. They hadn't moved their nest anyway.

Then they cooked two large tables, and the whole family was lively, just to express it.

Building a building, the happiest thing is the group of children. Now each of them has their own room and doesn't have to squeeze into a bed with two or three people, and the girls don't have to sleep with their brothers anymore. ===== CHAPTER 965 =====