Chapter 16: Raising the Roof 2.0

"No, it's on the turtle's back, it looks like the character for 'Fortune'."

"Eh? It really is."

"Holy crap, the more you look at it, the more it looks like it." Now it was a mess; the surrounding empty-handed anglers were all attracted over, surrounding them three layers deep and three layers out.

Zhang Ping'an couldn't very well keep fishing, so he simply reeled in his line and left, while Yan Bugui quietly snuck over to Zhang Ping'an's fishing spot.

"Ping'an."

"Director Lou, why are you here?"

"I saw the factory's tricycle here, so I came over to take a look, and just happened to hear about a 'Fortune' turtle. Did you catch it?"

"Yes, look, it's right here."

"Whoa~ it's quite a size, must be seven or eight jin."

"Mm, about that."

"Ping'an, are you selling this? You know, people in business quite like these things, it's a good omen."

"Sure, if you like it, take it."

"Hahaha, that won't do, it must be 'requested'. How about this, this size is quite rare nowadays, and the key is that it has a 'Fortune' character on its back—one million eight hundred and eighty thousand, how about that?"

"This..."

"It's settled then."

"Alright then, let's do as you say." It really was an unexpected windfall, almost catching up to what he earned in three days.

"Hahaha, good. Let's go, my car is not far away, but I'll have to requisition this bucket, I'll bring it back to you tomorrow morning."

"Okay."

Returning to the Siheyuan, Zhang Xiaohua saw Zhang Ping'an's tricycle was empty.

"Ping'an, where's your bucket?"

"Oh, it was requisitioned by someone." Zhang Ping'an whispered the whole story to her.

"Really? One million eight hundred and eighty thousand?" Zhang Xiaohua's voice dropped an octave when she mentioned the amount.

"Really, I'll give it all to you later, let you share in the good luck too."

"Fine, but just give me eight thousand, that's enough to show the sentiment." Zhang Xiaohua still believed in these things, and now that she was pregnant, she was even more superstitious.

"Okay."

That night, Zhang Ping'an still gave Zhang Xiaohua eight hundred and eighty thousand; it was all to share in the good luck, so she didn't refuse.

"San Jie Fu, let's go ask Brother He later to help cook a meal the day after tomorrow at noon."

"Sure, Daqing's cooking is indeed delicious, and it's a good time to tell everyone as well."

"Okay."

After eating, the two of them went to He Daqing's house.

"Daqing, are you free the day after tomorrow at noon?"

"Isn't the day after tomorrow a day off? I have nothing going on."

"That's perfect, Ping'an's house is having its roof beam raised the day after tomorrow, could you help cook a meal? We'll pay whatever it costs."

"Sure, how many dishes?"

"Eight dishes and one soup. Brother He, why don't you write up a menu, and I'll go buy the ingredients the morning after tomorrow."

"Sure, wait a moment." He Daqing went back into the room, picked up a pen, and started writing away.

Braised Fish, Four Joy Meatballs, Braised Chicken Chunks, Spicy Rabbit Meat, Shredded Potato Salad, Shredded Kelp, Smashed Cucumber, Peanuts, Fish Head Tofu Soup.

"Good, this is good, we have plenty of fish, hahaha." He really is a master chef, able to tailor the menu to the host's supplies.

"You prepare the ingredients and oil, I'll handle the seasonings."

"Okay, sorry to trouble you, Daqing."

"Brother, saying that makes us strangers."

Afterwards, Zhang Ping'an and Lao Jia went door-to-door to notify everyone. The Siheyuan wasn't full yet, only twelve households. Excluding the Jia Family and the He Family, the ten households would fit perfectly at one table tomorrow.

As for his own house, he was afraid there would be quite a few people; counting children and adults, there would be at least three tables, plus one more for the craftsmen.

Early the next morning, Zhang Ping'an rode his bike outside the city to the mountains, put the tricycle into his space, and tracked along the mountain until he finally found a group of Wild Boar—seven in total, big and small—and wiped them all out, placing them on the mountain in his space.

He also caught dozens of rabbits, pheasants, wild ducks, and so on; anything the space didn't have was recorded.

It was nearly noon when Zhang Ping'an came down the mountain. He used hemp rope to tie up one Huangmao weighing about 150 jin, five fat rabbits, and five pheasants weighing three or four jin each. Once tied, he stuffed them all into a sack. Done, time to head home.

The squealing of the Wild Boar drew frequent glances from passersby, but Zhang Ping'an didn't care and kept his head down as he hurried home.

"Ping'an, you even bought a live pig? You won't be able to finish it, it's such a waste. In this hot weather, fresh meat won't keep. You're still young and don't know how to manage a household," Yan Bugui said, shaking his head and sighing.

"Cough, Teacher Yan, I caught these on the mountain this morning." Zhang Ping'an opened the sack directly, revealing the pig, rabbits, and chickens.

"Eh?" Yan Bugui's face stiffened, and he awkwardly stopped talking.

"Ping'an, you caught all these?" Yang Ruihua asked, unable to believe it.

"Yeah, I ran around the mountain all morning just for this little haul."

Yang Ruihua knew that if she knew, the whole courtyard would know. Although she hadn't been here long, she knew more about the surrounding affairs than Zhang Ping'an did, and she could chat with anyone.

"Teacher Yan, you're the most educated in our courtyard. Tomorrow at noon, would you mind acting as our accountant?"

"Cough, cough. I must say, Ping'an, you have a good eye. Sure, I'll take the job."

"Great, I'll thank you afterwards."

Zhang Ping'an threw the pig, rabbits, and chickens into the East Courtyard without untying them, gave them some greens and water, and locked the door to go eat. Anyway, his three-meter wall had already enclosed the area, and the Yueliangmen was locked too.

Those with the ability to enter the courtyard wouldn't look twice at these, and those without the ability couldn't even get into the courtyard, so Zhang Ping'an wasn't worried at all.

In the afternoon, Zhang Ping'an brought back another bag of flour and a bag of roasted peanuts.

"San Jie, tomorrow have Dongxu help you make Steamed Buns with mixed flour, each the size of an egg, make about a hundred or so."

"Good."

Afterward, he went out to fish again; he had to catch at least eight or ten Bighead Carp before coming back.

In the evening, Zhang Ping'an went to find He Daqing again to talk about the pig slaughter.

"Done, it's no big deal, just an early morning. This is better anyway, everything will be fresh, and it will taste even fresher when eaten."

Early the next morning, Xu Damao was also dragged up by Zhang Ping'an to buy side dishes, and Zhuzi was also pulled up by He Daqing to slaughter the pig and fish.

"Damao, carry the tofu well; I'm going to buy green beans, chili peppers, and green onions, ginger, and garlic."

"Oh, okay."

"Damao, you're usually quite proactive when I call you to go fishing, so why are you half-dead when it comes to doing chores?"

"Can those be the same? Fishing is for making money, but this is free labor."

"Damao, what you said makes so much sense."

"Right, Zhang Shu?"

"Hmm, I've decided I can't let you come for nothing."

"Mm-hmm-hmm," Damao immediately perked up, thinking Zhang Ping'an was going to give him a reward.

"I'm planning to tell your dad the location of your little stash."

"Damn, Zhang Shu, we can't do that."

"Hahaha, how about that? You're not sleepy anymore, are you?"

"Hey, don't mention it, I'm really wide awake after being scared by you."

"Alright then, everything is bought, let's go back."

"Let's go."

The two returned to the Siheyuan, and He Daqing and Shazhu had already finished slaughtering the pig.

"Ping'an, the meat I set aside is enough for five tables; you should hurry up and salt the rest."

"Done."

"Don't, Ping'an, sell us some."

"Yeah, Ping'an."

Quite a few neighbors nearby had been watching He Daqing slaughter the pig, and seeing the owner return, they all crowded around.

"Alright then, two jin per family, give me ten thousand yuan."

"Fair enough, deal, I'll go back and get the money right now." With a whoosh, the crowd dispersed to go home and get money.

He Daqing's hand rose and the knife fell, and ten two-jin portions of meat were cut.

"Brother He is amazing."

"Hahaha, it's just this little bit of skill."

After portioning the meat, Zhang Ping'an took the remaining seven or eight jin of meat back to salt it; the spare ribs had been picked clean by He Daqing, so they could only be kept for making soup.

The offal, including the pig's head, was all given to He Daqing; ordinary people couldn't handle this stuff, it had to be a professional chef.

At eight o'clock, Jia Dongxu had also finished making the Steamed Bun; although they looked a bit strange, one could still vaguely tell they were Steamed Bun.

Yan Bugui was also in formal attire at this time, carrying a table and sitting in front of the Yueliangmen.

At nine o'clock, two donkey carts arrived; it was Zhang Ping'an's group of relatives and friends.

"Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Second Uncle, Third Uncle..." Zhang Ping'an greeted them one by one.

"Uncle."

"Hmm, all of you go find Dongxu to play, don't run around."

"Mm, okay."