Old Han is a good person because he knows how to repay kindness!

"Mother, Mother." The voice rang out even before Wang Tieniu entered the kitchen.

The three women—mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, and mother-in-law—looked at each other in bewilderment. Was the food not to their liking, or was the portion insufficient?

Before they could figure it out, Wang Tieniu came in carrying a bundle. When everyone saw what was inside, they all gaped in astonishment!

"Is this a scallion pancake? Tie Niu, where did you buy it? Isn't sorghum rice enough? How much did this cost?!" Even the eldest daughter-in-law, who was not usually one to speak up, couldn't help but ask. She thought to herself, "My husband must know that we're about to go hungry. Even if my father-in-law can earn money in a few days, he doesn't have that money on hand right now."

Seeing that his mother and second sister-in-law were also looking at him, Wang Tieniu explained with a smile that this was given by Gu Qingshan and was not bought with money. He told them to heat it up and eat it quickly, and to give some to the children as well!

The women were quite pleased to hear this, though they were also surprised. It was made of white flour, and it was covered in oil. The outer layer was crispy, while the inside was soft. Just looking at it made their mouths water!

After taking two steps, Wang Tieniu seemed to remember something and turned back, saying to his mother, Han, "Mother, share these scallion pancakes with yourselves, but of course, save Father's share. Don't be stingy; this time we've landed a big job, and the wages alone will be several taels of silver. At least we won't go hungry this year! Don't even think about filling your stomachs with water!"

He had seen the scene in the kitchen, and it pained him deeply! How could he, a grown man, let his wife, daughter, and mother go hungry?! He vowed to work hard when the harvest was better, to ensure they had enough to eat! At least they could have scallion pancakes, even if not every day, once every ten days or two weeks would be fine, wouldn't it?

In the afternoon, Wang Tieniu, filled with anticipation and hoping to bring his parents, wife, and children some scallion pancakes, set off with his father and the others on the road to Shiligou!

Actually, he had been to Shiligou before, but this was the first time he had gone there by horse-drawn carriage.

Not only him, but even Old Man Wang and Wang Tiezhu were experiencing this for the first time! Riding on a tall horse was indeed impressive, and the carriage was much more stable than the oxcarts that were used to transport passengers in the village. No wonder horses are more expensive than oxen!

At Shiligou, the Liu family and others had been waiting for a long time.

“We are four households, so we’re entrusting the house construction to you, brother!” Liu said politely.

Old Wang nodded, surprised that two of these households were run by women, and another by a scholar. His tone became more serious.

"You're too kind, sister. Let's go and see the location of the house site."

"Uncle, have some hot water to warm yourself up first, then you can go and see them." Qin San Niang carried freshly made brown sugar and egg water and placed it in front of each person, even Cheng Shi received a bowl.

Upon closer inspection, this was quite something—it was brown sugar and egg soup! Isn't this a delicacy that only women who have given birth can enjoy? Is it really appropriate to serve it to guests so casually?

Before Old Wang could even utter a word of refusal, Gu Qingshan gestured for him to finish his drink quickly. Only then did he realize how good the food was at that family's house! What seemed precious to them was probably just ordinary to them.

"Well, thank you, Madam Qin!" Old Man Wang didn't refuse. This brown sugar and egg soup was very nourishing. Last winter, they had all suffered from hunger and damaged their health. Even for the sake of Tie Niu and Tie Zhu, he had to swallow his pride and accept it. In the end, he just had to work hard for them.

After finishing their sweet soup, the group headed to the location of the homestead.

Old Wang carefully examined the ground, paying particular attention to the location of the mountain. He nodded, satisfied.

"Although this plot of land is close to the foot of the mountain and on the outskirts of the village, the mountain itself is small, cleverly avoiding the wind's brunt! Furthermore, there's a stream in front, which is called 'water in front, mountain behind,' so the feng shui is quite good. How have the locations been allocated to each family?"

Hearing him say that, Wu Chunhua and Liao Hongying were even happier. He Yingyuan, who had come from the school, also took it to heart. With a way out in front and a powerful backer behind, it was indeed a good thing from a feng shui perspective!

The locations of each family's homestead have been planned in advance, and they are arranged in a row along the foot of the mountain. This time, the location is long and narrow, which perfectly meets this requirement.

This is also why Qin San Niang initially chose this place. No matter the criteria for allocating the land, it's impossible to be completely fair. Although the families currently have a good relationship, no one can guarantee what the future holds. The safest approach is to strive for balance when merging the land, minimizing potential problems.

After listening, Old Wang began to plan. It was simply a matter of how deep the foundation should be, how thick the bricks should be, what kind of flooring should be laid inside the house—wood, brick, or stone? Should the roof beams be made of fir, camphor, or nanmu? What kind of tiles should be used…

Qin San Niang and Wu Chunhua naturally didn't understand this, so Gu Qingshan and He Yingyuan communicated with him. Of course, they also had to listen in, since it was their own house and they had to be comfortable.

An expert's skill is immediately apparent, and Old Man Wang was clearly an expert. He explained the overall house plan, the choice of building materials, and the style of bricks and tiles in great detail. Even though He Yingyuan listened, he didn't offer many opinions, only saying, "I'm entrusting this to you, sir!"

For example, how deep should the foundation be dug? How thick should the stones be laid underneath? What kind of bricks should be used? What kind of blue bricks should be used to ensure it is sturdy? These are all matters of knowledge.

Camphor wood was recommended for the beams, as it was inexpensive and resistant to rot and insects. The height of the side rooms, the location of the oxcart shed, pigsty, and chicken/duck pens, and even the location and odor of the latrine were all considered. The location of the drainage ditches, which was of utmost concern to them, also needed to be planned in advance to prevent damage during heavy rains in the rainy season.

As he spoke, Old Wang was also filled with excitement. He could already imagine how magnificent this house was. He didn't know when his own family would be able to build such a brick house. If he worked hard, maybe he could in a few years!

The brothers Wang Tieniu and Wang Tiezhu also carefully inspected the site and took measurements. Previously, they only knew that Brother Gu's family was going to build houses, and that they were brick and tile houses, which was already enough to shock them! Brick and tile houses require much more effort and energy than mud houses, so the labor costs would naturally be higher, which is why Wang Tieniu had mentioned a few taels of silver in income.