Chapter 14: Building a House 2.0

"Good, good, good. What is your surname, big brother? These were all caught by my eldest nephew in his spare time. He is a master at fishing and hunting; he's graduating from junior high this summer."

"No need for formalities, my surname is Lou."

Lou? This surname is not common. It seems there is an eighty percent chance he has some connection to the Lou Bancheng family.

"Brother Lou, my name is Zhang Ping'an. My San Jie Fu is also a worker in the workshop at your factory. So, it's settled then; I will bring you fish these next few days."

"Done. What is your San Jie Fu's name?"

"Jia Youcai."

"Good, I've noted it."

Returning home, Zhang Ping'an told Lao Jia and the others the good news.

"Really, Uncle?"

"Naturally. I'll get up tomorrow morning to fish and deliver them to the Rolling Mill by nine or ten o'clock."

"Surname Lou? Probably a collateral younger brother of Boss Lou, the Logistics Department Director Lou Zhenyu. Is he about my age?"

"Yes, but not as handsome as you."

"Hahaha," Lao Jia laughed, baring his teeth.

Looking at Jia Dongxu's appearance in the show, one knows that a man at forty is in his prime, and Lao Jia is not even forty yet, which is when a man is at his most charming—though, of course, still a bit inferior to the likes of Yanzu and Yuyan.

The good looks in this courtyard depend on the Jia Family father and son and him.

"Ping'an's words are actually true. If Lao Jia weren't handsome, I wouldn't have taken a fancy to him."

"Ahem, why are you blurting out such truths in front of the child?"

"....."

"Since the Logistics Director has spoken, this matter is basically set in stone. It's just that Dongxu's..."

"I've already made it clear to Director Lou. Anyway, Dongxu really knows how to fish, right Dongxu?"

"Right, Dad. I've saved up over fifty thousand these past few days off."

"Good. Ping'an, then it will be hard work for you during this time."

"Hey, what's hard about it?"

At one in the morning, Zhang Ping'an quietly slipped out of the courtyard and stopped at the pond in the East Courtyard. He scanned the area to make sure no one was around before he began to retrieve the chests from the bottom of the pond.

Afterward, he filled the depressions with the silt he had collected during the day, checked around to ensure there were no flaws, and then left with peace of mind.

Back in the room, he locked the door and Zhang Ping'an entered the space to take a look. He opened ten chests in a row, all filled with silver ingots. He opened ten more, and finally saw something else: two chests of porcelain. He didn't understand them, but they were definitely antiques.

Of the remaining seventeen chests, eight were filled with glittering Small Yellow Fish and Bighead Carp, five were more silver ingots, and four were books wrapped in oilcloth.

"Holy crap, Yongle Encyclopedia."

These four large characters blinded Zhang Ping'an. Then, Zhang Ping'an opened all the oilcloths one by one: two chests of the Yin-Yang Medical Arts Chapter of the Yongle Encyclopedia, another chest full of ancient books related to Traditional Chinese Medicine, and the last chest contained some Martial Arts Secret Manuals and secret recipes for tempering the body.

"My goodness, I have no motivation left." Just the silver ingots and Yellow Fish were enough for him to live off of for a lifetime, not to mention the Yongle Encyclopedia.

After being excited for a long time, Zhang Ping'an finally calmed down. He checked the time—damn, it was almost four o'clock. No point in sleeping now.

He did some stretching exercises in the space, washed up, and by the time he came out, it was four-thirty. Zhang Ping'an left a note, picked up his bucket and bag, and set off to fish. By the time he finished eating on the side of the road, sweating, it was almost five o'clock.

He baited the hook and cast the line; fish were pulled up one after another. It was strange today; most were Bighead Carp and carp weighing about four pounds. In less than two hours, the two sacks and the bucket were full.

Just as Zhang Ping'an was worrying about how to get them to the Rolling Mill, a voice came from behind.

"Buddy, are you selling those fish?" asked a youth of eighteen or nineteen.

"Sorry, these fish of mine have been reserved by the Lou Steel Rolling Mill."

"Oh? I'm from the Lou Steel Rolling Mill too. Who reserved them?"

"I don't know, he said his surname is Lou."

"Hahaha, isn't that a coincidence? My surname is Lou too. Damn, could it be my old man?"

"???"

"Is he an old guy pushing forty?"

"I suppose so."

"Come on, buddy, let's load the fish onto the tricycle. We'll go to the Rolling Mill together and find out."

"Done, thanks."

"Hey, don't mention it."

The two chatted and laughed all the way to the Rolling Mill. Zhang Ping'an learned that his name was Lou Xiaojun, he was twenty years old, and had been working for two and a half years.

"Yo, Xiaojun, you've made a big procurement today."

"Hahaha, just wait to eat at noon," Lou Xiaojun said, looking smug.

"This kid has never properly procured anything good. I wonder where he picked up this bargain today."

"Don't say, it really is."

"Hahaha."

The fish were weighed at Logistics, totaling two hundred and seventy-three catties.

"Let's go, I'll take you to collect the money."

"Good."

Lou Xiaojun skillfully opened the office door.

"Sit and rest for a while, my dad will be here in a moment." As soon as he finished speaking, the middle-aged man from yesterday walked in.

"Yo, little brother, you're here early."

"Dad, I'm the one who brought him here."

"What a coincidence."

"Alright, then we'll count these two months to your credit."

"Alright, Dad, hurry and settle the bill for them, it's eight hundred nineteen thousand in total."

"Good, little brother, here is eight hundred twenty thousand."

"Many thanks, Director Lou."

"Hahaha, don't mention it."

Leaving the Rolling Mill, Lou Xiaojun chased after him.

"Buddy, this tricycle is for you."

"Huh?"

"Hehe, to tell you the truth, I can't get up in the morning; today I was still dragged out of bed by my dad. I'm handing this cart over to you, so I can save myself from getting up in the morning."

"......"

"Anyway, my dad said your brother-in-law works at the factory, so you can't run off."

"Deal."

Zhang Ping'an thought for a moment and decided to accept it; it would be much more convenient for carrying fish this way, and when he had the chance, he would definitely get one himself no matter what.

"Good, thanks, brother." Lou Xiaojun left happily, able to sleep in again in the morning.

Zhang Ping'an rode the tricycle to go fishing again, planning to sell a batch of fish at the roadside vegetable market at noon; having no money in his hands just made him uneasy.

It was already past eight o'clock when he returned to Shichahai, and there were already quite a few anglers by the river; Zhang Ping'an found a deserted spot before he started baiting his hook and casting his line.

Two hours later, there were two more sacks of fish; after filling the tricycle's cargo bed with water, Zhang Ping'an rode all the way to the vegetable market, splashing water as he went.

"Fresh fish, fresh fish, lively and jumping fresh fish!"

"I'll take them all."

"......"

It was just the noon vegetable-buying time, and it didn't take long to empty the tricycle.

"Yo, Ping'an, you even added equipment for fishing."

"Yeah, I can haul over a hundred catties more every day."

"Why did you have to open your big mouth to ask, why did you have to open your big mouth to ask." Yan Bugui felt uncomfortable from being choked off again, turned around, and lightly slapped himself twice.

"Ping'an, this tricycle?" Zhang Xiaohua asked.

"Oh, it's from the Lou Steel Rolling Mill; I'm using it temporarily for a few days."

"Oh, right, Master Xiao Lei came by today and said he'll come over tomorrow to tidy up and start work, about ten people will come."

"Good, I'll set up a big pot over here at noon to cook; San Jie, please help me steam the two-flour Steamed Buns for tomorrow."

"Still using two-flour? Aren't cornmeal buns fine?"

"Fine, you decide, I'll just handle the stir-frying."

Zhang Ping'an didn't go fishing in the afternoon; he went straight to the grocery store to buy two large pots and one small one, putting one in his space for his own use.

He also bought a spatula, bowls, ladles, basins, oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, then went to the Pharmacy to buy some star anise and spices; upon returning, he built two simple stoves in the East Courtyard.

When eating dinner, Lao Jia asked:

"Ping'an, lock the cart to the pillar in the kitchen later."

"Alright."

"Right, what about tomorrow's food?"

"It's all settled, I'll just take it over to stir-fry tomorrow at noon."

"That's good."

The next morning, Zhang Ping'an still rode out early to fish; two hours later he had nearly three hundred catties again, which he sent directly to the Rolling Mill to collect eight hundred fifty thousand.

On the way back, Zhang Ping'an took a bag of potatoes and three skinned rabbits from his space; that should be enough for lunch.

Not long after returning to the Siheyuan, Lao Lei also arrived with a group of people.

"Little Boss, just wait a moment, I'll come over to shovel some dirt."

"Good."

Subsequently, the people in the courtyard also saw Lao Lei and his group.

"Sister-in-law, what is this, Ping'an?"

"Oh, Ping'an is going to study in the city, so my dad bought him a house, which is the East Courtyard; it's about to start construction for renovations."