Then, as soon as it fell into the water, it screamed in pain, then scrambled to its feet, rolling and crawling around.

The little count (dog) grinned and said, "Little Mian, aren't you amazing? Go play in the water."

Lu Wuyai brushed Yuan Yuan's (the cat's) paw. Most cats don't like living in water. This island resident, Yuan Yuan, had been tossed about by waves before, so he likely had a psychological aversion to water.

The little count (dog) leaped into the pool, and several water rats were quickly killed by him like paper tigers, which he then carried up in his mouth.

After cleaning the breeding pond, he also cleaned the surrounding area.

At this moment, an old man came over and said to him, "Yangzi, you are raising loaches and eels."

Lu Wuyai turned around and said, "Yes, Grandpa Tong, why are you here? Here, have a smoke."

The old man's name is Li Zhitong, and he is of the same generation as his grandfather. He is about seventy years old this year and is a diligent person, just like Lu Wuyai.

Lu Wuyai's parents perished at sea, and his wife and daughter died in a car accident. Although the old man had a son, the son was unfilial and would not come back even once a year. He had lived alone for most of his life.

Li Zhitong waved to the old man and said, "That's enough, that's enough. I'm used to dried tobacco, and I'm tired of your cigarettes. Alright, Yangzi, I have a question for you..."

Lu Wuyai quickly said, "Grandpa Tong, what are you talking about? What do you mean by asking me? Just say what you have to say."

He used his fists to show his power, and he always managed to catch good fish on his fishing trips. To fishermen, a person who could fish was a good person.

Li Zhitong said with a mournful face, "That's how it is, Yangzi. I know you need fish fry to raise loaches and eels, but can you please not go to the paddy fields to fish for fish fry, but go to the lake instead? A good paddy field, that way the children can be thoroughly messed with."

A worker resting nearby laughed and said, "Then go find the child's parents. Why are you looking for Brother Wuya?"

This is both reasonable and unreasonable. The children were the ones who damaged the rice paddies, but ultimately it was Lu Wuyai's fault. It was his willingness to spend money on fish fry that attracted the children to wade through the rice paddies in search of loaches and eels.

Lu Wuyai did not shirk his responsibility. He said cheerfully, "Okay, Grandpa, I will tell the children that they are not allowed to go into the rice fields in the future."

Lu Wuyai ignored the matter. On the day he went fishing for loach and eel, many children went to the rice paddies to fish for loach and eel. He never paid any attention to it.

More than ten days later, the children had to go to the rice paddies every day to earn money from him. The rice farmers were probably already living in dire straits.

It's probably because he's now respected in the village, and the children are unintentional, so the rice farmers are too embarrassed to come directly to him.

When he came to find him, Li Zhitong wasn't embarrassed at all. After hearing Lu Wuyai's agreement, he even explained, "I have no choice, Yangzi. I'm too old to go to sea. I can still earn a living with this paddy field."

At this point, he frowned further and said, "Well, this year's typhoon caused half of the roof to collapse, and I don't know if the money from harvesting will be enough to clean the house."

Typhoon Betty was extremely powerful. After making landfall, it caused considerable damage to coastal areas. Many houses in the village were demolished.

It's fair to say that now that the weather is warm, the house hasn't gotten cold despite the draft; in fact, it's quite cool. But after August and September, autumn will arrive, and if the house isn't repaired properly, the elderly will suffer.

Thinking of this, the old man became even more anxious. His face was covered with wrinkles, as if they had been carved by a poor-quality chisel, and each wrinkle carried the pain of many years of torment.

Lu Wuyai frowned and said, "Grandpa, your roof was blown off by the typhoon."

Li Zhitong sighed, "Yes."

Sun Fuhua, holding a cigarette, said, "Old man, you're lucky your roof was blown off. The walls of several other houses were also blown off."

He spoke casually; he'd seen this kind of thing many times before. Frankly, the more this happened, the happier he was, because it meant more work for his engineering team and more money for him.

Lu Wuyai asked, "Do you know about my grandfather's family situation?"

Sun Fuhua nodded: "Looking around, I have a vague recollection. The roof on the east side of the house was lifted off, wasn't it?"

Li Zhitong nodded numbly, his brows furrowing more and more: "Yes, the roof on the east side of the house has been torn off."

Lu Wuyai asked, "How much did it cost to repair his roof?"

Sun Fuhua said, "Let me put it this way, at least 3700 or 800 yuan. Labor costs are high these days, and the old man lives in an old brick house. Those old blue bricks and tiles are hard to find. I'm talking about the price of red bricks and tiles. If you want to use old blue bricks and tiles, 5000 yuan won't be enough."

Lu Wuyai pondered for a moment and said, "I'll give you five thousand yuan, Mr. Sun. Go and find old bricks and tiles to fix my grandfather's roof."

Hearing his words, Li Zhitong was stunned for a moment, then quickly waved his hand: "Hey, no need, no need, I'll take care of Yangzi myself, I'll just buy some bricks to clean up."

Lu Wuyai shook his head and said, "Don't be stubborn, Grandpa. You're so old, what if something happens if you climb the roof? I'll ask Boss Sun to fix it for you. Consider it my apology on behalf of the village children for digging up your paddy field."

Li Zhitong waved his hand and said, "No need, I know you're a good girl, Yang Zi. I can do it myself, I'll ask Dayong to come back and do it."

Some villagers were playing here, and upon hearing his words, they laughed and said, "Uncle Tong, Dayong is reliable. Damn, that Xiongbi still remembers you as his father."

The old man craned his neck, lowered his eyes, swallowed hard, and then sighed deeply: "I see."

“Alright, Uncle Tong, listen to Yangzi. Yangzi is trying to help you out of kindness. Besides him, can you find another child like him in this small village?”

Sun Fuhua said, "Brother Wuya is so magnanimous, so what? Old man, I'll give you a discount."

As he spoke, he calculated, "Blue bricks and tiles are hard to come by. I'll sell these to you at cost price. I'll tell my brothers about labor costs. After smoking so many cigarettes, we rarely order drinks like Brother Yang does at night, so I estimate 4500 or 600 yuan should be enough."

Li Zhitong gratefully pulled his neck and shoulders back and said to Lu Wuyai, "Yang Zi, thank you."

The old man's movement of pulling his neck back was almost identical to a bow. Lu Wuyai quickly reassured him, saying, "Grandpa Tong, this is a small matter. You don't need to worry about it. I'll go to the village later to see if anyone else has something they can't fix themselves. As for the houses, I'll help all of you at once."

Li Qianying, who was drinking tea under the shade of a tree, said, "Yangzi, I'm with you. I don't have much money, but I can help with your work."

"I'll go too, I'll go too, let's help each other out."

“I’m going to call my brother. Let’s all go. We’re all from the same clan. If we encounter such a disaster, we should all help each other.”

Li Zhitong added, "Yangzi, my family no longer uses old tiles. Red bricks and tiles are very cheap, so I'm using red bricks and tiles."

Sun Fuhua said, "It can be reduced by another thousand..."

Lu Wuyai interrupted him: "No need, the old bricks and tiles will do. Grandpa, listen to me, this house must be kept as it is. I understand this very well, and you will know the benefits of using old bricks and tiles in the future."

Coconut Grove Village is a small village in a large local area, with many elderly people living alone.

This is the misfortune of fishermen. They have been at sea for many years, and almost every year there are maritime accidents. After decades of accumulation, it is not uncommon for lonely families to live in the village.

Lu Wuyai went to inspect the houses. He instructed Sun Fuhua to create a countdown timer for the problems with the houses, then arrange for repairs to be made, and he would collect the money.

Gu Yuxin rushed over upon hearing the news. After hearing his arrangements, she said angrily, "Yang Zi, this matter should not be handled by you, but by Li Zhijie. This is a village matter."

Lu Wuyai asked, "Can he do it?"

Gu Yuxin snorted, "Don't even think about it."

Lu Wuyai shrugged and said, "That's it. If he won't do it, I will."

Gu Yuxin widened her eyes and said, "But this has nothing to do with you. It's a matter for the village committee, and there are some cadres in the village committee. You're just meddling in other people's business."

Lu Wuyai said, "This isn't meddling. These are stories from our grandparents who watched us grow up. When we were little, we often stole peanuts and corn from other people's fields. When our parents went to sea, we often went to other people's houses to eat, drink, and have fun, right?"

Gu Yuxin smiled awkwardly: "Yes, that's exactly what happened."

Lu Wuyai patted him on the shoulder and said, "Yes, a person must have a grateful heart. Besides, I have my own purpose in doing this."

"What's the purpose?" Gu Yuxin asked instinctively.

Li Qianlai looked dumbfounded, turned around and said, "The current village committee is terrible. Our village is going to have a re-election next spring. Uncle Zhiyi, who became the island lord of Konoha, messed it up."

Gu Yuxin suddenly realized.

Lu Wuyai was taken aback. He looked at Li Qianlai in surprise and said, "Uncle Qianlai, my purpose is too obvious. Everyone can see it."

Li Qianlai still looked dumbfounded: "What's your purpose?"

"You just said you wanted a change of leadership, right?"

Li Qian nodded blankly: "Yes, I heard from Fugui that this is the village committee's business, but the village committee does nothing and will be fined again next year, and everyone will be fined."

Gu Yuxin blinked and said, "How long have I been talking before you realized it?"

Li Qian arrived bewildered: "You've been saying this for a long time. No, I've only heard it."

As Lu Wuyai had predicted, he paid for the village's elderly to repair their houses damaged by the storm. This act earned him great popularity, and he became a prominent figure in the village.

Li Qianxin immediately went to Li Zhijie and told him about it. After he finished speaking, he said earnestly, "Island Master, everyone knows what Sima Zhao is up to. You know what my nephew wants to do."

Gao Zhiyi spat out a thick layer of phlegm with disdain: "Damn, what does he want to do?" He wants to be the island's owner. Ha, does Lu Wuyai know any of the village officials? He, Lu Wuyai, hasn't even grown a full head of hair yet, and the Party wants him to shoulder the heavy responsibility of managing our local village. Don't worry, Coconut Grove Village is completely under my control."

Li Qianxin advised, "My nephew has changed a lot since he went to the capital, Island Master. Don't underestimate him, or the elections will be coming up soon..."

Li Zhijie waved his hand and said, "Alright, you don't need to say anything. I know he doesn't have that kind of destiny. Do you really think the island lord is elected? You'll know next spring when he, Lu Wuyai, will accept his fate."

As Li Qianxin left, he took out his phone and made a call, a sly smile on his face: "Secretary Ma, it's me, Zhiyi from Coconut Grove Village. You're in a meeting. Let me get straight to the point, I recently got some good fish, I'll send them to you when you have time."

When giving gifts in towns and villages, you need to be blunt and direct, without making excuses. Li Zhijie was well aware of this.

Despite being stingy with himself and his fellow villagers, Li Zhijie is actually very generous to his superiors.

For the next two days, Li Zhijie didn't ask Lu Wuyai to help him fish. Every time the two met, the atmosphere was awkward.

Lu Wuyai didn't care. He was very busy lately, so he had no time to deal with Li Zhijie.

He wasn't busy repairing houses for the indigenous residents, but rather repairing his parents' graves.

The village cemetery was located on the north slope of the mountain. The mountain was severely damaged after the storm. Some graves were destroyed, including the tombs of Lu Wuyai's parents.

Building a tomb is a major event in rural areas. From a feng shui perspective, its significance is no less than that of a burial site, as it relates to future generations.

Fishermen believe in feng shui. After all, there are too many unknowns and fears when going out to sea. Fishermen need psychological comfort. It's better to believe something is true than not to believe it is not.

The villagers of Yelin had consulted a fortune teller who determined that the best time to repair the tomb was mid-August. At that time, every household would be extremely busy.

Lu Wuyai has no brothers or sisters here, and his father only has an unreliable uncle, so he has to rely on himself for everything, which makes him even busier.

In addition to this, he also needed to erect a tombstone for his parents, and coincidentally, a day in mid-August was an auspicious day. He planned to take advantage of the opportunity of repairing the tomb to undertake the important task of erecting a tombstone for his parents.

That day, starting in the morning, firecrackers were popping and crackling.

Upon hearing the firecrackers, Little Earl (the dog) rushed from the yard into the house, leaped onto the bed with lightning speed, and pressed himself against Omu Yang, revealing a nervous dog face.

Another figure followed behind. Yuan Yuan (the cat), from a certain area on the island, jumped up and stood between Lu Wuyai and Little Earl (the dog). Yuan Bing's face was also filled with terror.

Lu Wuyai was about to get up when he heard this and couldn't help but laugh: "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. I will go up the mountain with Dad in the future, so you can train your courage."

He went out to pack his things and went up the mountain. Little Earl (the dog) and Yuan Yuan (the cat) from a certain island territory were both very embarrassed. They wanted to follow him, but the firecrackers and drums on the mountain were deafening, and they were very scared.

On the island, Yuan Yuan (the cat) hesitated for a moment, then crawled into Lu Wuyai's pocket, only peeking out with its round head looking out in fear. Little Earl (the dog) jumped up when he saw this, and it also wanted to crawl in.

Lu Wuyai was almost thrown off by it. The little count (dog) used all its strength to shove his head into his t-shirt, but even though it was usually fearless, it still started to tremble.

The sound of firecrackers has an inherent deterrent effect on animals and wild animals. In the past, the purpose of setting off firecrackers during the Lunar New Year was to scare away the "Nian beast," but in reality, it was to scare away wild animals.

Lu Wuyai coaxed them and led them up the mountain. At the entrance to the cemetery on the mountain path, an old Taoist priest in a yellow robe was setting up an altar and said:

"Stand up the Jade Spring, open it to the sky, with a dragon on the left and a tiger on the right, stand up."

"The descendants of our ancestors will never have a single thread in their mouths. They will start by becoming officials, then businessmen, and eventually become rich and handsome."

“When the true dragon and phoenix descend from the mountain, the world is restored to its former glory, and prosperity will surely follow.”

"Poetry and books convey the glory of parents; Coco raises the champion flag, and we walk towards you."

When Ao Muyang heard this, he was shocked. Damn it, even the priests are following the trend now.

After the ritual is completed, the indigenous people throw money at the old Taoist priest. This money is ostensibly to thank the gods for their protection, but in reality, it is the priest's income.

Giving this money casually, a dollar or two isn't a small amount, and ten thousand to twenty thousand isn't a large amount either.

Having lived in the capital for many years, Lu Wuyai had long dismissed feng shui as feudal superstition. However, after returning to his hometown, he was influenced by the villagers and began to take a liking to feng shui again.

First, fate; second, luck; and third, feng shui. Fishermen believe in this most.

In addition, he currently has a Dragon Pill inside his body. It's hard to say what it is. Anyway, science can't explain it, so he has even more awe for the unknown.

He handed out the large red envelopes he had prepared beforehand. The old Taoist priest had been in the business for many years, and his hands were more dexterous than a money detector. He could tell the face value and worth of a red envelope just by touching it.

This was a big red envelope for Lu Wuyai, containing 1,000 yuan. Upon receiving it, the old Taoist priest immediately revealed a warm, angelic smile: "Honorable Wu and Longevity, old Taoist priest invites you, sir."

Lu Wuyai replied, "I have a request for you, Taoist priest. Today, my family erected a memorial for our elders, and I have invited you to preside over the ceremony."

As for repairing the tomb, there was nothing more the Taoist priests could do after the altar ceremony. The old Taoist priest readily agreed after accepting Lu Wuyai's generous red envelope: "Alright."

There are many things to consider when repairing a tomb, and even more so when erecting a tombstone. The orientation, location, burial depth, and condition of the tombstone must all be carefully considered.

Lu Wuyai didn't believe in this before, but when it came to his parents, he was willing to believe that feng shui was real and verifiable. He hoped his parents could live in another world, and that they were doing well.

The old Taoist priest was very professional. After being invited here, he not only talked nonsense, but also helped Lu Wuyai tidy up during his busy work, and kept teaching him some related matters.

"Show me the clan leader's zodiac sign, and I'll give you some time, but you can't defeat a god..."

“Clear this patch of grass. This tombstone is the gate to the underworld, the throat through which the majesty of the outside world is absorbed. Nothing can stop it…”

"These wildflowers have all been plucked, yet fresh flowers bloom beside the grave. The owner's descendants are notorious for their promiscuity and will easily find love elsewhere. We ordinary people don't expect good luck; we just don't have it..."

The old Taoist priest helped erect the monument, and Lu Wuyai obediently knelt before it, kowtowing devoutly. Remembering the kindness his parents had shown him, his eyes reddened.

The little count (dog) imitated him, imitating him, and threw his body to the ground. Yuan Yuan (cat) tilted its head and looked at it, then jumped out of the pocket and imitated how to lie on the ground.