Chapter 99

The newly opened space grid No. 7 is much larger than the previous ones.

It is a full three thousand square meters. According to the Guru system's explanation, this is the initial size of the blank attribute space. After entering the coordinate code of her own choice, the space grid No. 7 will be suitable for the size of the place she has chosen to use as the space.

For example, if the coordinate code she entered is a 50-cubic-meter room, then the space will be reduced to the 50-cubic-meter room. If the coordinate code she entered is a one-acre house, then the space will be expanded to the one-acre house.

But no matter what venue you choose, it cannot exceed 3,000 square meters.

If the space does not meet the size requirements, the input coordinate code will not be effective.

Gu Ran was very satisfied with the size of space grid No. 7, but she only had 2 points left, so she had no way to add any attributes to space grid No. 7.

The blank space No. 7 can also store objects, but just like the workshop, it is synchronized with the passage of time and environmental changes in the outside world.

Originally, Gu Ran wanted to draw an extra card to open a space to store the oranges he bought. The space slot number seven was big enough, but it could not keep the oranges fresh.

The most important attribute for storing fresh fruits and other food is of course freshness.

Fortunately, it is winter now, so some citrus fruits can still be stored.

Or you can simply make the citrus fruits that cannot be placed in space grid No. 8 into jam or canned food, seal them and the storage time will be much longer. After two months, save up 50 points, and then add the preservation property to space grid No. 7.

After finishing the work on the space grid, the last batch of this year's grass jelly was also dried. After sending it and all the harvested konjac to the He family in the county town, I can focus on building a house on Dunzi Island.

Two acres of forest land have been added around the valley, and the uneven areas have been leveled, which greatly broadens the view.

As for the big house that Gu Ran wanted to build, it was almost completed, with only the walls and tiles left to be laid.

The outer walls of the house were all built with a mixture of mud and rocks, forming patterns in the natural shape of the rocks, which looked very ancient.

The beams and structures of the house are made directly from trees cut down on the island, so they are strong and stable.

The structure inside is just like any ordinary house in Fujian. The lower level is the hall for receiving guests, which also includes the kitchen and servants' quarters. After crossing the deep well is the upper level, which includes the main hall and the large rooms on both sides.

However, Gu Ran had asked Uncle Wu to build a large warehouse next to the big house. Uncle Wu built it, but for the sake of symmetry, he also built a few outbuildings on the other side. These were the first ones built as a place for everyone who came to the island to build houses to spend the night together.

So there are guard houses on both sides of the main house, and the three-room house becomes a five-room house, and the layout looks much more reasonable.

Gu Ran, who came to inspect the project, also agreed with Uncle Wu's transformation.

Originally, she planned to use the lower room in the house to temporarily house the hired workers. In this way, if more workers were hired next year, they could all be accommodated in the side rooms on the side of the house.

In addition to expanding the house, the road that Gu Ran wanted to build was also paved to make it easier for the people who were building the house to walk from the boat landing point to the other end of the valley after arriving on the island.

Although it is a dirt road created by cutting down trees, it is wide enough for a donkey cart to pass through, making it much more convenient to travel on.

When the last tile was laid on the house, the windmill custom-made by Master Huang was also installed, and time unknowingly entered the last month of the year.

Gu Ran asked Aunt Yang to buy some meat, and then he invited the villagers who came to build the house to have a sumptuous meal in the house. He then set off firecrackers and took over the house in a lively manner.

Then they were paid their wages one by one.

Because the house was expanded and more roads were built, Gu Ran also raised the wages of each of them.

Everyone brought by Uncle Wu was in high spirits, and when it was time to leave Dunzi Island and return to the village, they were quite reluctant to leave.

"Mrs. Gu, what business are you going to make by building this house?"

"I heard you've made a lot of money by cooperating with the people in the city. If you do something big, you'll have to hire us to work for you again!"

"That's right, we are all from the same village. If you treat us well, we will treat you well!"

Gu Ran smiled and nodded at them: "Don't worry, if there is any work, I will definitely ask you first."

"You have to take it seriously!"

"Seriously, look at the house you built for me. I really trust you!"

Everyone was even happier, feeling the thick money in their pockets, chatting and laughing as they carried their bedding and went to the island to catch a boat.

Uncle Wu San said hello to Gu Ran and left with the crowd. This end of the house suddenly became deserted, leaving only Gu Ran, Pei Liuniang, Li Ji, oh, and a madman.

Ever since Uncle Wu San came to the island to build a house, this old madman has been hanging around nearby, but he doesn't cause any trouble. He just watches from a distance, as if curious about what they are doing.

Sometimes when he gets tired of watching, he will leave by himself and run away to somewhere on the island.

Only when Aunt Yang was cooking, she would suddenly come out when she smelled the fragrance. At first, Aunt Yang disliked this old beggar who came from nowhere. Uncle Wu San gave her a hint. Although she gave the old beggar a mouthful of food when he came over, she couldn't help complaining to Gu Ran when she returned to Xiaxi Village.

Gu Ran then found out that this old madman was wandering around the house every day.

When she went to the island again, she approached him intentionally or unintentionally and talked to him from time to time. She found that the old madman was sometimes lucid and seemed to understand what she was saying, babbling in response; sometimes he was confused and just stared blankly, ignoring everything she said.

When the guys saw that all the men were living in the house, the old madman also wanted to go in. The guys wanted to drive him out, but he started waving the stick in his hand like a madman and beating people. Fortunately, Pei Liu and Li Ji were there, and they half-beat and half-tricked him into getting him out of the house.

But in the middle of the night, he still broke into the house, slept quietly on the side of the bunk bed, curled up.

I guess it's getting colder outside, and he noticed that the house is warm, so he wanted to move in.

Those guys quit.

Let him sleep if he wants, but he is such a dirty beggar, how many years has it been since he took a bath or changed his clothes?

He didn't feel the cold and empty weather outside, but when he entered the warm house with charcoal fire, the smell was so sour and refreshing.

When those who woke up smelled the foul odor, they did not chase the old madman away, but instead covered their noses and went out of the house to get some fresh air. Otherwise, they would either suffocate to death or die from the stench.

As the person in charge of building the house, Pei Liu felt helpless.

This old madman doesn't understand what I say and I can't beat him. What else can I do?

So after discussing with Wu Sanbo and Li Ji, he asked them to boil water and trick the beggar into washing his body. He also found clothes, shoes and socks for him to change into. Even the animal skin he was wearing was washed quickly while he was sleeping in the room where it was not cold, and then returned it to him after drying it.

Now it finally doesn’t stink anymore.

So everyone had no choice but to accept that this old madman lived in the house.

After the old madman was tidied up and his white hair, which was always flying around, was tied up, he looked much more energetic. People would no longer mistake him for a madman or a beggar at first glance. He looked like a normal old man.

Since then, the old man has become less emotional.

The weather was cold, and he liked to stay by the charcoal fire in the hut, so the job of burning firewood and adding charcoal was given to him. He was not too old and confused, and he seemed to understand what others told him after repeating it a few times.

Everyone got along with him more and more harmoniously.

Even today, when everyone is leaving, they still set off firecrackers, which is unusual.

The old madman ate the delicious fish and meat with great relish, and was obviously very happy. When he saw that everything in the house had been packed up and everyone was leaving with smiles on their faces, the old madman became excited again.

He walked outside the house and watched them leave, feeling a little anxious. He grabbed Li Ji and said something incoherently.

It was at this time that Gu Ran and Pei Liu sent Uncle Wu away and looked back at them.

Li Ji shook his head, not understanding what the old madman meant.

Gu Ran and Pei Liu didn't understand either.

The old madman became anxious and walked up to Gu Ran.

"What's wrong? Crazy...Grandpa Lu?"

Pei Liu and Li Ji gave Gu Ran a look:?

Grandpa Lu? How do you know his last name is Lu?

Gu Ran gave a dry laugh towards Pei Liu and Li Ji. He couldn't keep calling him an old lunatic, could he?

Especially now that he looks like a kind old man, it is inappropriate to call him an old madman.

So just call him Grandpa Lu.

Grandpa Lu was dancing and gesticulating in front of Gu Ran.

"You mean, they're all gone?" Gu Ran asked, pointing to the road leading to the edge of the island.

Grandpa Lu looked puzzled, but nodded silently.

"They are here to help me build a house. They don't live on the island, so they naturally have to go back to their own home." Gu Ran tried to explain, "Grandpa, where is your home? Do you remember? How about we take you home?"

Grandpa Lu didn't know which word irritated him. He took a few steps back while speaking, and then suddenly turned around and ran away.

"Grandpa Lu?"

The three of them watched him run at lightning speed into the jungle behind the valley and disappear.

"What should I do?" Gu Ran asked subconsciously.

Pei Liu glanced at her and said nothing.

"What can we do? Since he has lived on the island for many years without dying, he must have the ability to survive on this island." Li Ji answered with his arms folded.

Gu Ran was silent.

Yes, someone who even Pei Liuniang and Li Ji couldn't deal with together, and who could survive alone on Dunzi Island for at least two years, probably wouldn't die easily.

So Gu Ran waited for Pei Liu and Li Ji to pack their bags, and then they went back to Xiaxi Village together. They would come back to the island to take care of the orange field in the spring of next year.

In the valley, Grandpa Lu watched Gu Ran and the other two leave last, staring at their backs as they walked away.

After a long time, he finally came down from the valley, grabbed a stick and returned to the deserted hut. He squatted beside the charcoal brazier and stirred the fire, then lay down, curled up and fell asleep.

Outside the house, Dunzi Island, which had been bustling for more than a month, gradually returned to its quietness, and became as lonely as the deserted island it once was.

However, the surrounding villages on this side of the river, far away from Dunzi Island, are bustling with activity. People have begun to prepare to end this New Year's Festival and welcome the next one.

In Xiaxi Village, Gu Ran and Pei Liu, after preparing a lot of food for the New Year, chose this day to go into the woods to dig winter bamboo shoots.

Last year, I dug up some winter bamboo shoots from this bamboo forest. They were so fresh and tender. They were great to eat yourself or give as gifts during festivals.

However, when Gu Ran and Pei Liu entered the bamboo forest, they found that someone was already searching for the pointed tops of bamboo shoots on the ground.

Who is so bold as them to enter the miasma forest?

They are the sisters Jinling and Yinling.

Each of them carried a basket, and they had already dug out a lot of things from it.

Seeing Gu Ran and Pei Liu also coming in with bamboo baskets on their backs, Jinling and Yinling looked back and called out, "It's you!" Then they went back to digging bamboo shoots.

It seems that Yang Jinling remembered this bamboo forest after entering the forest that time.

He is quite smart. Knowing that winter bamboo shoots grow in the bamboo forest, he thought of bringing his younger sister in to dig bamboo shoots.

"Just the two of you? Have you told your family that you came into the miasma forest?" Don't make such a big noise like last time and make so many people worry about her.

"I said it." Yang Jinling glanced at Gu Ran without stopping the shovel in her hand to dig bamboo shoots.

"That's good."

Gu Ran and Pei Liu did not join them, but found another direction to dig bamboo shoots. Unexpectedly, when they were looking for the tips of the bamboo shoots on the ground, Yang Jinling suddenly came over.

"Mrs. Gu, are you going to use that Dunzi Island to grow some crops?"

Yang Jinling had been to Dunzi Island with Aunt Yang and had seen the acres of reclaimed mountain land. She guessed that the lady of the Gu family must be going to use it to grow something.

She could make money by growing wild konjac before, so what did she want to grow now? Why did she have to buy an entire island just for growing it?

Yang Jinling guessed that it must be something that could make money.

"I haven't decided yet!"

Before Manager Xu brought the confirmed news, no, before the orange trees were to be planted in the spring of next year, Gu Ran did not want to talk about this topic, for fear that the plan would not be realized and the news would spread throughout the area.

"Well, when you've made up your mind, can you hire me to do some work on the island?" Yang Jinling asked.

"you?"

"That's right, me." Yang Jinling nodded seriously. "I may not be smart, and my work may not be better than others, but I am willing to work. As long as you give me a good job, I can complete it for you."

Gu Ran couldn't help but smile.

"I don't want a high salary, just like other ordinary guys, as long as I can make a living."

"Yes, Gu Er...sister, my sister is not stupid, she works hard." Yang Yinling also came over and said, "It will be more cost-effective for you to hire my sister than to hire someone else."

"That will have to wait until I'm settled down and see if there's any work suitable for a girl."

"Okay, I'll tell you in advance. If you find someone who's right for me, just remember to think of me." Yang Jinling seemed to have changed her temper, "And..." She glanced at her sister.

Yang Yinling chuckled, nodded, and walked away.

"Also, last time, I lost my temper with you. It was not good. I want to apologize to you. Please don't mind it, okay?" Yang Jinling's eyes turned red again as she spoke, but she tried hard to hold back the tears rolling in her eyes and not let them fall.

"Okay, you helped me dig konjac that time, so we're even."

Yang Jinling nodded, and when she turned around, Gu Ran saw her and wiped his eyes with his hand, then went back to Yang Yinling to continue digging bamboo shoots.

Pei Liu had originally lowered his head and was concentrating on looking for bamboo shoots. After Yang Jinling left, he looked up at Gu Ran.

Gu Ran gave her a look in return and squatted down to look for bamboo shoots.

Pei Liu slowly shifted his gaze to the pair of sisters at the other end.

When did this guy lose his temper with Er Niang?

How come he didn't know? Why didn't she tell him?

The Yang sisters entered the bamboo forest early and left after digging enough bamboo shoots. Gu Ran and Pei Liu were still digging slowly.

After seeing the person leave, Pei Liucai asked, "When did she lose her temper with you?"

Pei Liuniang didn't like Yang Jinling from the bottom of her heart. She had always had an inexplicable hostility towards her since they first met.

Recently, after following Aunt Yang to Dunzi Island, she often had a sad face, as if everyone else owed her something. But what was inexplicable was that her hostility towards her suddenly disappeared for some reason. Every time she saw her, her attitude became soft. Looking at her eyes, it was as if she was sympathizing with her, as if she was very pitiful. It was really weird.

Therefore, Pei Liu disliked this inexplicable second wife of the Yang family even more.

The second mother of the Gu family is still the best.

"Nothing, it's just that my love life is not going well..." Gu Ran looked at this little sister who was getting closer and closer to him. Because he was single, his gossipy heart, which had been suppressed for a long time, suddenly came out. "Actually, I want to tell you something in private. Don't tell anyone else."

Whisper? Trust him so much?

Pei Liu curled his lips, held back his laughter, and nodded vigorously.

"I think Yang Erniang likes the village hunk in our village." Although there was no one else in the bamboo forest, Gu Ran still lowered his voice and whispered to Pei Liu.

"Village grass?" Pei Liu frowned, not understanding what this meant.

"Oh, that's right, Lin Ersao's brother-in-law, Lin San. He's the most handsome young man in the village, so he's called the Village Grass."

"Is it that Second Lady Yang is in love with Sanlang Lin?"

"That's right, it's a pity. Yang Erniang likes Lin Sanlang, but Lin Sanlang likes his apprentice sister He. I guess the Yang family may have proposed to the Lin family, but they rejected her. Yang Erniang was heartbroken, so she gave up on herself and ran to this forest that day. She walked and cried all the way. She was so pitiful. She was in a bad mood and lost her temper."

Gu Ran nodded vigorously, "No wonder she's sad! Lin Sanlang is handsome, young and promising. In my opinion, he's also a good choice for a husband."

Pei Liu's originally happy mood suddenly faltered. He cast a gloomy look at Gu Erniang and asked sullenly, "Do you think Lin San is good-looking?"

"She's handsome. You can't find a more handsome man in the village than Lin San, right?" Gu Ran nodded and looked at Pei Liu for a second longer. It was like in the village, no, not to mention the village, even in the whole county, there was no girl prettier than Liu Niang.

What's more, she is still young and can grow up to be even more beautiful!

"So, when you choose a husband, you also like someone like Lin San?"

"I choose my husband?" Gu Ran was surprised. She didn't expect Pei Liu to ask her this question. She stared at Pei Liu with wide eyes and saw Pei Liu nodded seriously: Oh, by the way, Liu Niang will be fifteen years old next year, and it's time for her to look for a husband.

Could it be that after seeing other people being so affectionate, you also want to get married?

Gu Ran certainly didn't hide anything from her best friend: "If I were to choose a husband again, I would definitely choose someone who is more handsome than Lin San, and taller than Lin San..." She gestured again, "Preferably, at least a head taller than me!"

Oh, so she likes tall guys.

Pei Liu pursed his lips and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The last time I went to borrow Censor He's knife, he wore the young man's clothes and saw what he looked like. Humph, he must be better looking than Lin San.

But, it's just a...

"So, what kind of husband are you looking for, Liu Niang?"

Pei Liuyi was embarrassed: Oops, I just dropped a rock on myself. He stammered, "I haven't thought about it yet."

"Then take your time to think about it. There's no rush. I won't rush you into getting married."

Gu Ran patted Pei Liu's shoulder affectionately, thinking: Well, it would be great if he stayed for two more years and I could enjoy his company!

Pei Liu secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

When they left the bamboo forest that day, walking beside Gu Ran, he subconsciously looked at the top of her head, then glanced up to the height of her head, and then silently measured his own figure in his mind.

It’s okay, he’s still young, only fourteen. He will be fifteen next year and can still grow taller.

Recently he felt that he was growing taller again.

This is a good thing.

It's also a bad thing.

The good thing is that I can finally grow up to be a grown-up man.

The bad thing is that I am a wife now. The older I get, the harder it will be to hide. If Gu Er Niang finds out that I am a husband, it will be troublesome.

However, we can't be afraid and stop ourselves from growing taller.

Pei Liu stood by the doorpost behind the door, straightened his back, and ran the knife across his head, leaving a mark on the doorpost.

This is his current height, and then...

After visually estimating it, he measured upwards from the mark that currently represented his height and drew another mark.

Pei Liu looked up at the mark and pursed his lips.

In the future, I have to grow at least this tall!

Then he walked to the couch, gathered the untied fur coat on it, added another layer of freshly dried leather, and gestured to sew it again.

I have grown taller, and the fur coats I made before are too short and too small, so I have to make them again.

This year, Er Niang didn't dry many furs and seldom sold them, so it was just right that she left them for him to make a new fur coat.

It is now the end of the twelfth lunar month, and all work has stopped. Every household stays in their own house, leisurely hibernating while preparing for the New Year.

The same goes for them.

The house was cleaned thoroughly, red lanterns were hung, window decorations were cut, and spring decorations were pasted. As for the New Year's Eve dinner, we had hotpot.

There were two charcoal basins on the left and right. Gu Ran and Pei Liu also sat a little further back, one on the left and one on the right. In front of them was a stove with a pot burning on it. They cooked the dishes while the fire was burning.

The big orange, small orange, small black and small flower lying around were all circling around them!

So I took the small fish and shrimps that I had prepared for them in the morning, blanched them, washed them in the water in the bowl, and then gave them to them to eat.

The room was already warm from the charcoal fire, and with the addition of four cats constantly meowing and rubbing against the small heater for food, it was so cozy.

This year passed quietly in the steam rising from the pot.