Chapter 109: System Rewards Big Explosion: 《Woodwork》《Orchid Heart》

Liu Shoucai stared, then hurriedly nodded excitedly and said:

"Boss, I'll definitely get this done for you."

After saying that, Liu Shoucai stared, then looked at Lu Yuan with some difficulty and said.

"But, Boss, when we last worked for you, the guy who did the heavy lifting isn't here anymore."

"He just went home yesterday; should I call him back, or should we just find someone new?"

Lu Yuan blinked and said, "Anyone who does the heavy lifting is the same, right?"

Immediately, Lu Yuan looked at Liu Shoucai and said:

"You don't need that; just find anyone, it's not like it requires any special skill."

Liu Shoucai thought the same, but the last person was someone you personally picked, Boss; if I suddenly replace him and you get unhappy, what then?

Although it probably wouldn't come to that, Liu Shoucai still felt he should mention it beforehand.

After all, you're the Boss, you provide the meals, so we definitely need to be careful and not overstep.

Seeing Lu Yuan say that, Liu Shoucai hurriedly smiled and nodded and said:

"Alright, Boss, I'll go find someone when the time comes."

The people around, hearing their conversation, all gave Liu Shoucai a deep look.

From now on, we really ought to suck up to Liu Shoucai properly.

Following Liu Shoucai really means there's money to be made!

Liu Shoucai has become the Boss's representative; from now on, who goes where isn't up to anyone else—it's Liu Shoucai's call.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan sat on his horse, nodded and said:

"Then let's go; today you'll get to know me, and tomorrow you can lead the crew yourself."

Liu Shoucai hurriedly smiled, came up to Lu Yuan's horse, and said with a smile:

"All right, all right, Boss, you just sit up there; I'll hold the horse for you."

Liu Shoucai's obsequious manner didn't strike anyone as improper.

Liu Shoucai is in his forties, Lu Yuan is about twenty, and no one thought it odd for Liu Shoucai to lead Lu Yuan's horse.

Making money isn't shameful.

Immediately, amid the envious gazes of the crowd, Liu Shoucai led the horse forward.

After leaving the East City Gate, Lu Yuan sat calmly on his horse, watching Liu Shoucai walking ahead, and said:

"The wages should be calculated normally; they can't count the money I gave you that day."

Walking ahead, Liu Shoucai repeatedly smiled and nodded and said:

"Of course, of course."

"That's only right; Liu Shoucai didn't even think of sticking to the old wages."

"As the Boss himself said, this work isn't for him—it's for someone else."

"Besides, with the New Year just a week away, we need to work."

"As long as there's work, we just can't be idle."

After Liu Shoucai finished speaking, Lu Yuan remained on his horse and continued:

"Besides, the materials for those two households aren't to be bought by them; I'm supposed to buy them, but I'm too lazy, so I'm having you do it."

Upon hearing that, Liu Shoucai froze for a moment, then understood what Lu Yuan meant.

Liu Shoucai was overwhelmed with emotion, turning to look at Lu Yuan; if they weren't on the main street, he would have almost dropped to his knees to kowtow.

Lu Yuan, expressionless, continued:

"You can buy the materials from private shops, but you must guarantee their quality to me."

"You must pick them carefully; they have to be better than those from state-run shops."

"These two households are my superiors; you know about the white cuffs, right? If you don't handle this properly and the quality fails, something could happen."

"Never mind whether I'll have work for you later."

"You might end up spending two years in jail; you know what's best for yourself."

"Either way, Liu Shoucai going back and forth could earn him twenty or thirty bucks from the materials."

"This also counts as repayment for Liu Shoucai's previous help picking materials for me."

"Besides, Lu Yuan doesn't care about twenty or thirty bucks, he can't earn that much himself, and he doesn't know how to pick materials."

"So we just give it to Liu Shoucai."

At this moment, Liu Shoucai, overwhelmed with emotion, looked at Lu Yuan and said:

"Boss, you can rest easy; I swear on my seventy-year-old mother that I will absolutely work hard for you."

"Forget the white cuffs or jail time; given your kindness, I could never let you down."

"Once I've inspected those two bosses' houses, I'll rush back to gather a few brothers, and we'll pick the materials together—every brick has to be the best!"

Lu Yuan nodded; with Liu Shoucai handling things, he felt reassured.

He casually opened the system to check on Liu Shoucai.

Four stars.

Hmm, not surprising.

However, after four stars there's no reward.

Maybe it's because Liu Shoucai's strongest trait is still being a farmer, while I already have Shennong, so the system gave Liu Shoucai four stars but no reward for me.

It doesn't matter; even if there were a reward, it'd probably be something like woodwork.

What's up—will Lu Yuan still be able to work on construction sites in the future?

【Ding, congratulations host, Liu Shoucai's star rating rose from three stars to four stars, reward: 《Woodwork》】

Lu Yuan: "……"

Oh, I forgot, my system's reward is a bit delayed...

【Ding, congratulations host, relationship with Wang Yulan ★★★★ established, reward Orchid Heart*1】

Orchid Heart?

What is this?

Is it the Orchid Heart of fragrant nature and orchid heart?

Lu Yuan was a bit bewildered, and immediately opened his system storage, but upon entering, he saw a cluster of azure light inside.

Is this Orchid Heart?

However, this thing seems useless to me, right?

After all, fragrant nature and orchid heart...

That's not a metaphor comparing a woman's pure heart like fragrant heart and the elegance of orchids.

So... does eating this make one elegant??

Lu Yuan couldn't quite figure it out, but... Lu Yuan doesn't intend to be elegant.

Driving a little train is nice, why be elegant.

Then give it to my wife?

My wife has the trait of fragrant nature and orchid heart.

Anyway, the system's gifts are surely harmless, so I'll take this back to give to my wife.

Maybe it's just a super boost of fragrant nature and orchid heart.

Lu Yuan glanced at it and then exited the system.

By the way, why did I suddenly establish a relationship with Wang Yulan?

Could it be...

Is it that Wang Yulan has been staying comfortably at my home?

And at that moment, the system suddenly sounded again.

【Congratulations host, you already have ten four-star bonds, reward Bloodline Awakening Liquid*1】

【Note: Bloodline Awakening Liquid can be used only one drop per person per year】

Huh???

Lu Yuan, sitting on the horse, felt a bit dazed, let's not talk about those rewards first.

Just talking about these ten four-star bonds...

Do I already have ten four-star bonds??

Lu Yuan thought carefully, and it seems roughly correct.

Let's talk about my wife's family: father-in-law, mother-in-law, plus Su Changliang, second uncle, third uncle, and adding my wife makes six.

Plus Wang Ping, Liu Shoucai, Lin Fusheng, and Director Xu, that's another four.

Adding Wang Yulan makes eleven.

So having more four-star bonds also brings rewards.

Hmm...

However, what is this Bloodline Awakening Liquid?

After thinking, Lu Yuan immediately took out the Bloodline Awakening Liquid stored in his storage space.

A transparent small bottle.

Inside is filled with orange-red liquid.

The mouth is a dropper, like the kind used in biology class.

Looking at the Bloodline Awakening Liquid in his hand, Lu Yuan's expression was strange.

This...

What is Bloodline Awakening??

Is this thing actually useful for me??

As far as Lu Yuan knows, his family genealogy going back eighteen generations consists of either farmers or artisans.

That is, his great-grandfather three generations up became a vanguard general.

Besides that, there aren't any notable figures.

Or perhaps...

Could this thing awaken Lu Yuan's super farmer bloodline?

After one drop of Bloodline Awakening Liquid entered his stomach, Lu Yuan suddenly awakened as a Super Farmer, honored as the Plow King.

Others can at most hoe half a mu per day.

While Lu Yuan, holding a hoe and going to the field, is like his mother's tractor, able to hoe thirty mu per day?

Overall feeling... seems a bit unreliable.

However... the system's gifts are surely correct.

Moreover, it's hard to say whether my ancestors had any great abilities.

Right?

Immediately, Lu Yuan didn't hesitate, and in the next second pinched the dropper, sucking a drop of this orange-yellow liquid.

On the horse, Lu Yuan tilted his head back, opened his mouth, and squeezed the dropper in his hand.

Then this drop of orange-yellow liquid entered Lu Yuan's mouth.

Afterward, Lu Yuan set down the Bloodline Awakening Liquid and smacked his lips.

Hmm……

This system really isn't trying to trick me with old soda, is it?!

This is clearly orange‑flavored old soda!!

System, I drink this all the time!

Don't trick me!

Lu Yuan waited half a minute.

He felt nothing at all.

Lu Yuan was momentarily speechless.

As expected…… everything on this bloodline of mine is trash.

But Lu Yuan pondered again—would giving his wife a bit of this be useful?

His wife is of the Fox Tribe.

Hmm……

He could try it tonight when he goes back.

Either way, if it works it works; if not, it won't harm the body.

At worst, just treat it as old soda~

Soon, Lu Yuan brought Liu Shoucai to Lin Fusheng's house first.

As Lin Fusheng said, someone at Lin Fusheng's house had already been waiting for Lu Yuan.

That was Lin Fusheng's beloved, whom Lu Yuan should call grandma.

Besides this grandma, there were several kids in the household.

At Lin Fusheng's age, the children had grown up and moved out.

That is, they sent the kids over to help look after things.

"Grandma, I'm Lu Yuan, I came to check your house—didn't my great uncle tell you?"

Lu Yuan stepped before Lin Fusheng's beloved and smiled.

And this kind‑looking Lady Lin repeatedly nodded, gazing at Lu Yuan as she smiled and said:

"I've said it, I've said it—your great uncle said it when he came back yesterday."

Having said that, Lady Lin then looked at Lu Yuan and couldn't help sighing:

"You're Lu Yuan, aren't you? You're really handsome."

Lu Yuan grinned, but didn't say anything.

Afterward, Lu Yuan entered the house to examine Lin Fusheng's layout.

To be frank, Lin Fusheng's house is really nice.

Even if Lin Fusheng isn't a craftsman, his monthly salary still isn't as high as that of the great uncle in his own estate.

But a white‑cuff leader is still a white‑cuff leader.

This household absolutely cannot be compared to an ordinary family!

Moreover……

To put it bluntly, Lin Fusheng definitely embezzled a lot in his early years.

Lin Fusheng's official rank is higher than that of Lu Yuan's three great uncles!

Lu Yuan's three great uncles' vanguard general, put bluntly, is just the vanguard official commonly spoken of.

In the Ministry of War, that belongs to the blue‑cuff rank.

With just that blue‑cuff position, Lu Yuan's three great uncles could embezzle three hundred thousand silver taels, let alone a leader of Lin Fusheng's stature.

Of course, the vanguard official is not quite the same as Lin Fusheng's kind of leader.

After all, in military campaigns, sieges, and plundering, the vanguard official who charges in first can openly loot wealth—this counts as military merit and is legal.

Therefore, the vanguard official is surely wealthier than such a great leader as Lin Fusheng.

Thus Lu Yuan's three great uncles could build a three‑courtyard, three‑exit mansion, while Lin Fusheng and those other big leaders could only live in a siheyuan.

But Lin Fusheng surely embezzled plenty in private as well.

That's certain; in those dark days of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even if you didn't want to be corrupt, becoming an honest official was impossible.

Everyone's corrupt—do you think you can stay pure?

How could that be possible?

Lin Fusheng's house is genuinely nice—its furnishings and decorations are all quite high‑end.

After Lu Yuan led Liu Shoucai in and finished looking, he turned to Lady Lin and smiled.

"Grandma, I'll use your table to draw a diagram."

Lady Lin was then holding a plate of oranges and apples, walking up to Lu Yuan as she smiled.

"Oh dear, look at you, this child—so polite! Even sitting down you still have to say something to grandma? Hurry up and sit, just like at your own home."

Lu Yuan smiled, then immediately lowered his head to draw.

Not long after, Lu Yuan took the diagram he'd drawn and said to Liu Shoucai:

"The passage to the kitchen must be built a bit higher below; the fire channel in the west wall should be low, and the fire channel in the east wall must be high.

Remember these three; everything else should follow my diagram.

That's naturally how the host says it—we just do as he says. Liu Shoucai took the diagram Lu Yuan gave him and nodded repeatedly.

Liu Shoucai had originally wanted to ask why, but then reconsidered.

Don't ask what you shouldn't.

This is something the host himself came up with—could just anyone casually learn it?

Isn't it that not everyone can be as capable as the boss?

Immediately, Liu Shoucai looked at the design in his hand and began estimating the required material cost, which naturally should be calculated according to the official shop's rates.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuan looked at Old Lady Lin and smiled:

"Grandma, I'm leaving now; tomorrow morning at eight, they should be able to come over and build your kang."

Tonight, go with Grandpa and sort out what needs to be packed; take away anything valuable, like the bed, the big table—just cover them with cloth, and in about three days your home will be warm.

Old Lady Lin beamed, looking at Lu Yuan and nodding repeatedly:

"Grandson, have a seat; you just sat down and haven't even had a sip of water—quick, sit and rest."

Lu Yuan then smiled and said:

"I won't stay; I still need to go to Uncle Xu's place to have a look, and when the New Year comes I'll come back to celebrate with you~"

Old Lady Lin kept smiling and nodding, knowing that Lu Yuan was going to Director Xu's home, and she didn't insist he stay.

Afterward, Old Lady Lin took out the prepared silver dollars from the cabinet at home and looked at Lu Yuan:

"Then how much is this in total? Grandpa told me to give you the money today."

Lu Yuan glanced at Liu Shoucai beside him, and Liu Shoucai immediately looked at Lu Yuan and said:

"Boss, after looking it over, including three days' wages for a few workers, the total comes to eighty-six dollars."

This is close to Lu Yuan's estimate, of course this is the price at the state-run shop.

Old Lady Lin also didn't hesitate; her husband had said the same when he came back yesterday, and that they'd need seventy or eighty dollars, so she immediately counted out the money for Lu Yuan.

Not only did she give the eighty-six dollars, she also gave Lu Yuan an extra five dollars.

This money definitely wasn't from Old Lady Lin for herself; it was definitely Lin Fusheng wanting to thank him.

Lu Yuan knew the score.

Lu Yuan was determined not to take the money, but after pushing back and forth for a while, it ended up being like a New Year's red envelope.

In the end, Old Lady Lin still forcibly stuffed the money into Lu Yuan's pocket.

After seeing Lu Yuan and Liu Shoucai off, Old Lady Lin also felt moved, thinking that Lu Yuan was truly polite and knowledgeable.

Truly impressive.

Lu Yuan, at this moment, rode on his horse, pondering…

The kang heating ducts will surely become known to many people over time.

That would also mean many people would come to me asking to have this thing made, right?

Could I really make a killing by relying on this thing?

(End of chapter)