Making A Fortune Through Hunting To Support My Wife - Chapter 33

Having selected an auspicious date for “moving earth,” the Xu family prepared to break ground and dig the foundations.

Xu Jing had coordinated with the Village Head and Great Uncle Xu early on. Both brought a group of men, the Village Head brought honest, hardworking locals, while Great Uncle Xu brought members of the Xu clan.

This balanced approach ensured that even the thick-skinned clan members looking to take advantage of Xu Jing were deterred by the highly respected Great Uncle Xu.

The ceremony began with the breaking of ground, a chicken was sacrificed, incense was burned, and the head of the household recited prayers to inform the local spirits of the land, praying for safety during construction and peace for the future residence.

As Xu Jing struck the earth with the first swing of the pickaxe, the construction of the Xu family home officially commenced.

A cheer erupted from the twenty-odd men, sincerely celebrating the start of the project. Their smiles were genuine after all, a daily wage of forty wen plus a provided lunch was far better than hauling heavy sacks at the docks for thirty wen.

More importantly, the work was right there in the village. This opportunity made the other villagers who hadn’t secured a spot turn red with envy.

Feeding nearly twenty people was too much for Song Yu and Grandma Xu alone. Xu Jing hired Mother Lu to help, offering a wage of ten wen per meal prepared.

Mother Lu initially refused the pay, but Xu Jing said with a smile, “Auntie, if you won’t take it, I’ll feel too guilty to ask for your help. Building a house takes a long time. I can’t trouble you for free every single time.”

“Oh, Jing’er, then I’ll take the wage. It’s my good fortune to earn money just by lending a hand in the kitchen.”

“By the way, Auntie, do you know any other honest, diligent women? My grandmother is getting on in years, and Xiao Yu has other things to help me with. I need another set of hands in the kitchen.”

Mother Lu glanced at her and teased with a smile, “You certainly dote on your wife. A good job like this won’t be hard to fill. I’ll do you a favor, my neighbor, Lady Chen, is quick with her hands and isn’t one for gossip.”

“I’m not just recommending her because we’re friends. Ask anyone around here; they’ll tell you she’s hardworking and upright.”

Xu Jing knew of Lady Chen. She lived near the Lu family and had a difficult life. Her husband had been paralyzed in an accident and passed away a few years later, leaving her a widow. Fortunately, her eldest son was now old enough to support the family through manual labor, and she had a daughter about Lu Ying’s age to help at home.

“I trust your judgment, Auntie. I’ll trouble you to talk to Auntie Chen for me.”

Once the cooks were settled, Xu Jing provided the ingredients for the day’s lunch.

“The men working are doing heavy labor, they can’t work on an empty stomach without some grease. I bought some meaty bones in the county. Please simmer them into a broth and add our homemade sauerkraut to make a Savory Sauerkraut Bone Soup.”

“We also have some coarse flour mixed with grain powder. Steam some multi-grain buns to go with the soup. That should hit the spot.”

“My goodness, this must be costing a fortune!” Mother Lu exclaimed as she followed Xu Jing to the kitchen. Seeing Song Yu working under the eaves, she rushed over like she’d found a savior.

“You need to keep a leash on your spouse! Normally, for forty wen a day, you wouldn’t even need to provide lunch. A bowl of coarse grain rice with some pickles would be more than enough.”

“Building a house is no small matter. The expenses pile up. You don’t want to run out of silver halfway through.”

Both women knew Mother Lu was genuinely worried they were being frivolous with their money.

“Thank you for the advice, Auntie, but A-Jing has a plan,” Song Yu replied gently.

“Well, as long as you don’t think I’m an old busybody sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“How could we think that, Auntie…”

A Vision for the New Home

Even at the foundation stage, Xu Jing was busy. The courtyard she intended to build was unlike the standard local ones. She had incorporated designs from her past life on Earth and had even drawn up a floor plan.

When the lead builder saw the blueprints, he couldn’t stop marveling. “I’ve been building houses for years, and I’ve never seen a drawing this clear. It’s much better than the flowery descriptions those masters in town give.”

Xu Jing had hoped to bury ceramic pipes for plumbing, but the kilns refused her small order. Instead, she settled for a long drop drainage system for the dry toilet and a kang (heated brick bed).

Since the winters in Plum Flower Town involved weeks of snow, it got biting cold. There were no local masters who knew how to build a kang, so she had specifically traveled to the county seat to find a specialist.

With twenty men working together, the progress was rapid. By noon, the site was cleared, and digging had begun. The men were drenched in sweat, wiping their grimy faces with the towels draped around their necks.

Xu Jing was just as exhausted, running back and forth until her clothes were soaked through with sweat. When Mother Lu and Auntie Chen called everyone for lunch, the men finally dropped their tools.

The Sauerkraut Bone Soup was brought out in large wooden buckets carried by two strong youths. Next to it, several large bamboo steamers filled with buns were set on a table.

The fragrant aroma of the soup and the fresh buns made the men’s eyes light up. One young man asked hesitantly, “Auntie, is this for us? Real bone soup?! Are we really allowed to eat this?”

Mother Lu smiled and nodded toward Xu Jing. “Indeed. Jing’er said you’re doing hard labor and need the energy. He bought these bones specifically from the town. Eat your fill!”

“Who else treats workers this well? Meat soup and buns! Everyone, we better work our hardest!” a man shouted, slapping his chest.

“You bet! We won’t be slackers after a meal like this!” the crowd echoed.

A Moment of Friction

There was a poorer man named Dashan who tried to set aside his buns to take home to his wife and children.

Mother Lu stopped him bluntly. “Dashan, I know you care for your family, but if you don’t eat, you won’t have the strength to work. If you drop from exhaustion, it helps no one.”

Blushing at the stares of the others, Dashan looked embarrassed until Xu Jing stepped in to smooth things over.

“Brother Dashan, the food provided is for everyone. It’s yours to do with as you wish. But Auntie is right, if you collapse, the medicine will cost more than these buns are worth. Eat up.”

Dashan nodded and finally ate.

Evening Reflection

By nightfall, Xu Jing felt as if she had run a marathon. Her body ached, and her feet were sore. After washing up, she brought a bucket of hot water into the room to soak her feet.

She saw Song Yu enter after finishing her chores. “Xiao Yu, you’ve had a long day too. Why don’t you soak your feet with me? It helps the circulation.”

Seeing Xu Jing sitting casually on the edge of the bed in a relaxed, almost “masculine” posture, Song Yu shook her head. “The kitchen is finished. With Auntie Lu’s help, I’m not that tired. You go ahead.”

“Fair enough,” Xu Jing said. “Once the house is done and the new furniture arrives, it’ll be much easier. I even asked the carpenter to make a large soaking tub. It’ll be so comfortable.”

Song Yu took off her outer coat and removed her wooden hairpin, letting her thick black hair fall over her shoulders. Listening to Xu Jing’s plans for the future, she felt a strange sense of stability. If life could go on like this…

“What are you thinking about so deeply? You didn’t even hear me,” Xu Jing teased, her eyes bright in the lamplight.

Song Yu snapped back to reality, her face warming slightly. “Nothing.”

Xu Jing looked at her skeptically and joked, “I don’t believe you. Were you thinking about some handsome young man? Like I said before, if you have someone you like, just tell me…”

She stopped mid-sentence. Song Yu wasn’t blushing, her lips were pressed into a thin, cold line. Xu Jing realized her mistake, this wasn’t the modern world, this was ancient times where such “jokes” carried weight.

“Where would I meet a ‘young man’?” Song Yu asked, her voice icy. “Do you truly think so little of my virtue?”

“It was just a joke! I’m sorry, I won’t tease you about that again,” Xu Jing apologized sincerely, watching Song Yu’s expression.

Song Yu remained silent, her face unreadable.

“Xiao Yu…” Xu Jing felt uncharacteristically tongue tied.

“I understand. Let’s sleep. There’s more work tomorrow.”

The night passed in silence.