Chapter 15: Raising the Roof Beam

"Huh? Why not just buy a house?"

"Ping'an is used to living in the village; buying a courtyard makes it convenient to grow some vegetables and such. Besides, my father, mother, and fourth sister will also move here to live."

"Oh, that's no wonder. I'm afraid that costs quite a bit of money, right?"

"I'm not sure either; my father handled all of it."

"This must be at least two mu of land. In the future, growing some grain or the like can save a lot of money. If you can't eat it all, you can sell it. In a few years, you'll have saved enough to cover the cost of the land."

"That's true. That's why they say the older generation has long-term vision."

"Exactly, and our courtyard even has a West Cross Courtyard."

"Uh."

"The West Cross Courtyard isn't a good place to live. I heard it used to be a horse stable; it has an old stench."

"Yeah."

In truth, it wasn't that exaggerated. The West Cross Courtyard had already been carved up by the various families for farming. Once someone actually bought it, they would have to pay money to buy their own scallions, ginger, and garlic.

Zhang Xiaohua was chatting with the crowd, but her hands weren't idle; she quickly made over thirty steamed buns. The sound of firecrackers rang out in the East Courtyard, and Zhang Ping'an also symbolically shoveled two scoops of dirt to start the construction.

Zhang Ping'an went back to chop the rabbit meat into small pieces and cut the potatoes into chunks as well.

"Ping'an, putting in two rabbits is enough; add more side dishes."

"I'll cook it all together; we can scoop out a plate to bring back for ourselves to eat later."

"That works too. Here, use this to hold it." Zhang Xiaohua brought out her heirloom large bowl.

"Uh..."

"Take it, what are you standing there for?"

"Oh, oh, okay."

Zhang Ping'an first went to set up the pot, then came back to carry the ingredients over. They had all just seen Zhang Ping'an take three rabbits, and each one must have weighed four or five jin.

"Sizzle!" The rabbit meat went into the pot—it smelled absolutely amazing. It was already a spicy flavor, and the scent drifted even further. Zhang Ping'an stirred it constantly, then added water. Once the water boiled, he added the side dishes, and it was all set.

"Gulp."

"Hehe, Lao Wang, you're drooling, aren't you?"

"Aren't you? Just smelling this scent is fragrant enough."

"That's for sure. The host is a good person. Let's hurry up and work; we'll be able to have a good meal at noon."

"Deal." One by one, they put their full effort into the work.

Around ten o'clock, the rabbit meat was stewed just about right, and Zhang Ping'an ladled out a bowl to take back.

"Master Lei, I'll leave things here to you all. I'll bring you the steamed buns in a while."

"Deal."

Zhang Ping'an had eaten early in the morning and was hungry by now; he wolfed down four steamed buns and half a plate of the meat.

"San Jie, please bring the steamed buns to them around eleven o'clock. I'm going back to the room to nap for a bit."

"Alright, go get some sleep." Although Zhang Xiaohua didn't know exactly what time Zhang Ping'an got up, he was able to return from selling fish at eight-something, so she guessed it must have been around four.

It was already June, and the weather was getting hot. Zhang Ping'an lay on the bed, feeling too hot to actually sleep. It seemed he needed to get a fan to blow some air as soon as possible.

At ten past eleven, Zhang Xiaohua carried a bucket of cooled boiled water and a basin of steamed buns to the East Courtyard.

"Come, come, everyone take a break, time to eat."

The crowd wasn't disappointed to see the steamed buns; after all, that was what most families had when working, but usually, the side dishes only had a bit of meat scraps for flavor. This family, however, had almost entirely meat.

"You all go ahead and eat. I'll come back to clean up when you're finished."

"Alright, you go ahead and get busy." The craftsmen all brought their own lunch boxes; they certainly couldn't finish that whole pot of Spicy Rabbit Meat.

"Everyone, wash your hands and eat."

"Sss-ha, this flavor—spicy, numbing, and fresh."

"Eating this in this weather is truly intoxicating."

"Damn, the more you eat, the more addictive it is. Can't stop at all. Sss-ha."

People in this era were big eaters. The steamed buns Zhang Xiaohua made were considered large, about the size of a fist. Even with three each, they finished them off, and there weren't many left of the thirty-plus buns.

"Comforting."

"Everyone rest for half an hour before working again."

Time passed day by day like this. A month later, the main structure of Zhang Ping'an's small courtyard was almost finished.

Zhang Ping'an had already given all the money needed for the house construction to Master Lei, and the furniture costs were settled too. Even so, he still had nearly ten million in savings.

"San Jie, do we need to invite the people in the Siheyuan for the roof-beam raising ceremony?"

"Hmm~ let's discuss it when San Jie Fu gets back."

"Good."

Dinner time, Jia Family.

"Lao Jia, you say Ping'an's house construction is about to have the roof-beam raised. Do we need to invite the people in our courtyard?"

"Hmm~ invite them. Have one person from each family come to the banquet. After all, Ping'an will be living in the courtyard long-term from now on."

"Alright, then you handle the arrangements, brother-in-law."

"Deal. Just tell me once you've confirmed the specific time."

"Good."

Ever since Zhang Ping'an arrived at this Siheyuan, he had been leaving early and returning late, so he wasn't very familiar with the people in the courtyard, except for the two clowns.

Jia Dongxu would graduate from junior high in about half a month, and Zhuzi would graduate from elementary school around the same time.

During this period, whenever it was a day off, the four of them would go fishing together. The three boys' little secret stashes were filling up day by day. Damao had learned to be smart this time and had split his secret stash into several parts.

Zhang Xiaohua was already four months pregnant. She was a bit plump to begin with, so it wasn't very noticeable yet. She estimated that in another month, the whole courtyard would know.

That day, Zhang Ping'an was stir-frying dishes.

"Little Boss, the day after tomorrow we can hold the roof-beam raising ceremony."

"Alright, what do you think I need to prepare?"

"Nothing more than some food, and you'll need to invite relatives and friends to liven things up. Also, steam some small Steamed Buns, roast some peanuts, and buy some candies. When the time comes, put them in a winnowing basket for the craftsmen to scatter from above, and the people below will scramble for them."

"Good, I understand."

After finishing his meal, Zhang Ping'an rode his tricycle straight back to his hometown to notify his father and mother. Just before reaching the village, he took out ten large watermelons, five jin of lotus roots, and a barrel of soybean oil, then covered them well with a burlap sack.

He had bought the soybean oil at a grocery store, and while he was at it, he also bought five jin of soybeans and peanuts, planting a crop in his space so he would have freedom of cooking oil in the future.

"Uncle, here's a watermelon to help you cool off," he said, tossing a large watermelon to Zhang Laiyuan as he passed the village entrance.

"You brat, if I hadn't caught it, it would have smashed."

"I know your agility well enough."

"Hahaha, you brat has a good eye."

When he returned home, only his grandparents were there; his father, mother, and Si Jie were likely all working in the fields.

"Grandpa, Grandma, the day after tomorrow the roof-beam will be raised on my house in the city, you must all come."

"Your grandpa and I are getting old, we won't go."

"Where are you going?"

"Father, Mother, Si Jie, the house roof-beam is being raised the day after tomorrow."

"Fine, we'll all go. I'll notify Lao Er and Lao San, as well as your eldest sister and second sister."

"Alrighty."

"Father, I bought some watermelons and soybean oil, they're all in the kitchen. Remember to eat them, I have to head back."

"Not staying the night? And what's the deal with this tricycle?"

"Father, this tricycle belongs to the factory; I have to deliver fish to the factory every morning."

"Oh? You've started working?"

"No, it's just that I'm essentially a regular client."

"Understood, you go on then."

By the time he returned to Sijiucheng, it was already past four in the afternoon. Zhang Ping'an went straight to Shichahai and saw that old geezer Yan Bugui fishing from far away.

"Teacher Yan, any harvest?"

"Ahem, I only just arrived, not even ten minutes ago."

"Oh, heh heh~"

Although Yan Bugui didn't quite understand the meaning of the words "heh heh," he felt that this "heh heh" was very grating.

Zhang Ping'an began casting his line twenty meters away from Yan Bugui, and within two minutes, the float went under.

"Damn, what the hell is so strong?" This bamboo pole was very ordinary, so Zhang Ping'an didn't dare to fight it head-on and could only slowly tire it out.

"Holy crap, a big turtle, great for nourishment," he said, finally seeing it surface after five minutes of reeling it in.

"Little brother, are you selling it?"

"Not selling." This wild soft-shelled turtle was very fierce. Dragging it to the bank, Zhang Ping'an grabbed it by its shell—er, no, its neck—and tossed it into the bucket.

"Ping'an, it looks like there are characters on its back," Yan Bugui said, having wandered over to the bucket at some point and craning his neck to look inside.

"???"