Below the cliff, Grandpa Xiaoman, with his pipe in his mouth, was also looking at the sky, predicting what the rainfall would be like this year.

Grandma Xiaoman sat beside him, twisting cotton thread, while Xu Dazhu, with Xiaoman's help, struggled to stand in the wooden walker.

The recovery process was arduous and exhausting. In just half an incense stick's time, Xu Dazhu's back was soaked with sweat, his chin was dripping with water, and his body was uncontrollably tilted.

Nini squatted down beside her father, looking up at him with a sweaty handkerchief in her hand and a look of heartache on her face.

Xiaoman helped him up: "Brother, sit down and rest for a while before standing again."

Xu Dazhu shook his head and gritted his teeth, insisting: "No, I haven't stood for enough time today."

Chunfeng came out of the bedroom and placed a cloth satchel on the table. The clattering sound of the coins startled everyone.

Nini rushed over: "Mommy, Mommy, I want to count money too!"

On a rainy day, since I'm bored anyway, I might as well count my money!

This money was all loose copper coins from selling wood ear mushrooms and hemp thread. Now Chunfeng needs to count them and then find hemp thread to string them together.

Nini lay down beside her and counted the coins one by one: "One, two, three..."

After counting and stringing all the money, there were three strings and forty coins in total, and some loose silver in the satchel.

"Master, you should keep this money!" Chunfeng pushed the bag containing the money to the middle of the table.

Xiaoman shook his head and put down his pipe: "Chunfeng, I've said before that I'm getting old, and from now on you and Dazhu will be in charge of this family."

We're getting old, and our minds aren't what they used to be. You and Dazhu are both sensible; you don't need to ask us what to do.

From the moment Xiaoman went to town to sell straw sandals, after deducting expenses, all the remaining money was given to Xiaoman's grandfather, but Xiaoman's grandfather immediately gave it to Chunfeng.

Chunfeng smiled and said, "Master, you said that before, but we didn't have much money then. Now we have more money and the household expenses are also higher, so it's safer to leave it to you."

Xu Dazhu was almost unable to stand, panting as he said, "Grandpa, Chunfeng and I live on the mountain... Xiaoman, Xiaoman wants to go back to the village. If we need to repair the house, we'll need money, and you'll have to manage that money!"

The money wasn't much, less than four ounces, but for a family like Xiaoman's, it was a significant sum, especially considering it was money saved up over the past six months.

Aside from selling wood ear mushrooms, wild mushrooms, dried bamboo shoots, and linen... most of what they sell is tender corn and the wages they earn from helping Aunt Jiang make mosquito coils.

Jiang Zhi manages thirty mu of land, which includes her own land, more than ten mu of leftover scraps, and a few mu of land belonging to Xiao Man's family.

They farm together, but when it comes to selling, they naturally keep separate accounts.

After all the grain was sold, after deducting all the previous labor costs and the portion taken by Zhang Juntou, Jiang Zhi's family received three taels of silver, and Xiao Man's family received more than one tael.

Grandpa Xiaoman looked at Xiaoman, then at the money pouch: "Xiaoman, it's good that you're going back to live in the village. It will make it easier for you to get married in the future."

One thing needs to be clarified: although some of this money comes from your own earnings, it should be given to your brother and sister-in-law first.

Xiaoman carried the exhausted Xu Dazhu over and placed him on a specially made chair, saying casually, "Grandpa, I'm not in a hurry to go into the village, nor do I need to repair any houses. This money will naturally go to my elder brother and sister-in-law first."

We need to build some furniture on the mountain, and Grandpa and Grandma should also buy some fine cotton cloth to replace their bedding.

Grandma is getting old, and her back aches from sitting spinning yarn all day, so she shouldn't do all that work.

We also need to buy a few piglets to raise, so we can slaughter the pig and eat it later.

Xiaoman counted them one by one on her fingers.

Since my brother and sister-in-law aren't coming down the mountain, we should build a proper house and establish a prosperous family.

The houses in the mountains now are old charcoal sheds, unsuitable for long-term living.

A new room was built for my older brother, and it was also covered with straw.

The newly built roof is fine now, but it will leak after a while. My older brother is not physically able to climb onto the roof, so we still need to replace it with new stone tiles.

In addition, Xiaoman wanted to buy some new items for the house, as her sister-in-law and brother-in-law were wearing and using old clothes.

Grandpa and Grandma also need to move to a different room; the room near the mountain is too cold and damp, and they can no longer stay there.

Hearing Xiaoman's plan, it seemed that this amount of money was not enough.

Hearing this made him worry, but as he watched the rain and started chewing on his pipe again, his brows and eyes unconsciously relaxed.

When brothers grow up, they will eventually have to live separately. It's good that you're thinking of me and I'm thinking of you.

Chunfeng smiled and said, "Xiaoman, you don't need to worry about these things at home now. The house will be repaired."

We usually farm, and in our spare time we make mosquito coils at Aunt Jiang's place. Your brother and I can also make some, but your business is more important.

I've already told my aunt that if anyone in the village wants to repair their house, you should help them gradually gather the timber, bricks, and stones.

In the countryside, people need to plan ahead to save money when building a house.

Trees should be felled and dried several years in advance to prevent warping when making furniture, doors, and windows; otherwise, you would need to buy ready-made dried wood.

Others make their own mud bricks and fire them into tiles.

Once a house is built and furnished, it costs anywhere from seven or eight taels to several tens of taels. People try to save money wherever possible, and no one spends all their money at once.

Of course, Jiang Zhigai's warehouse is an exception, because the warehouse was simple, just a large open room with some wooden beams and tiles, and even the doors and windows were simple.

We also built a few more houses, which cost nearly eight ounces in labor and materials.

Xiaoman didn't say anything more. Chunfeng's sister-in-law's arrangement was to save money for the family, so she would do more work.

He decided to wait for the rain to stop, and while there was less farm work down the mountain, he would build the foundation for the house on the mountain, cut down trees to prepare for the rain, and find some suitable stone slabs to build the walls.

My sister-in-law wanted to save money for herself, and she also did these heavy chores for my brother.

The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier. Little Man couldn't sit still any longer. He stood under the eaves and looked at the dark sky: "This rain is probably going to last all day!"

The wind had died down, but the rain hadn't stopped, and a thin layer of water had accumulated in the yard.

The flash flood roared again.

Because the ditch on the cliff has been rerouted, there is no water on the stone wall behind it now.

Last year, Xu Dazhu lay on the kang (a heated brick bed) and watched as the mess on the floor did not repeat itself.

Wearing a straw hat and with his trousers rolled up, Xu Errui waded down the cliff, calling out, "Xiaoman, Xiaoman!"

He was carrying a basket in his hand.

Xiaoman greeted him in surprise: "Brother Errui, what are you doing down here?"

It's raining heavily now, has something happened? Why is Errui coming down in the rain?

Not only was Xiaoman nervous, but Xiaoman's grandfather and Chunfeng also stood up.

Xu Errui gave an awkward laugh: "It's nothing, it's just that Peppa Pig bit a snake, and my mom was scared, so I took it off. I'll skin it and make soup later!"

"Ah! Snake! Good!"

Xiaoman perked up and took the basket from Errui's hand. Sure enough, there was a snake inside, but its head was bitten off and it looked very pitiful.

As they processed the snake meat, the two discussed where the snake came from.

"It's its own bad luck; this snake was washed down by a flash flood."

It didn't go anywhere else, but it insisted on coming into my yard. Peppa saw it and killed it in a few bites.

Mom said snakes have too many parasites and Peppa isn't allowed to eat raw snake, so I took it off!

Xu Errui was very pleased with himself. With his mother helping to cover for him, that idiot Peiqi was still looking for snakes at home!