Chapter 15: Pulling Weeds

After returning from Doctor Li's house that day, Xie Shuangbai had been waiting for the family of the beaten people to come to his house.

The result was calm.

How can I describe this feeling? It's like you see dark clouds gathering outside, lightning and thunder, and you have already put on your raincoat and rain boots, and are ready to go out, but a gust of wind blows away the clouds, and the sky suddenly clears up.

This is... well, this is meow.

But he was too lazy to care about those people right now.

Now looking at the weeds all over the yard really gives him a headache.

"Brother, it seems like we can never pull out all this grass." Xie Chunmiao said speechlessly.

Xie Shuangbai also wanted to ask why they couldn't pull them all out. He had underestimated the weeds because their roots were too strong.

He secretly pulled one out and rubbed his hands red. When his sisters saw this, they were heartbroken and ordered him not to do it again, otherwise they would punish him by sending him back to the Wang family.

There was nothing he could do. In his sister's eyes, he was just a porcelain doll that would break if moved. No matter how he explained, it was useless.

He could only listen and sit by and watch, otherwise his tears would drown him.

Xiaodouzi also came today. Xie Shuangbai asked him to rest for a few more days, but he shook his head. Xie Shuangbai knew that he wanted to thank him for what happened two days ago, so he didn't say anything.

Although he is only six years old, he works very efficiently and the three Xie sisters like him very much.

After he came, he gradually became shy and reserved at first, but now a smile appears on his face.

After Xie Shuangbai returned home that day, he found an old piece of clothing of Xie Xiaomei's and altered it for Douzi. Now he didn't look like a homeless child at all.

"The ground is too hard to pull out."

Xie Shuangbai looked up at the sky and said, "Brother Wang, let's find someone to pull it out. We can't delay any longer."

The Wang brothers also knew that if they had to work on so much grass, they would have to work until the weather turned cold.

"Okay, I'll go ask someone now."

Wang Shunyi dropped his tools and called for help, and they continued working.

In less than half an hour, Wang Shunyi brought a few men.

Without saying a word, they started working.

After a while, someone shouted outside the door again.

“Is Shunyi here?

"Here it comes." Wang Shunyi ran out to see.

He excitedly said, "Dunzi!"

The man called Dunzi is Wang Shunyi's brother, an expert in house building in the surrounding area.

He said, "Brother, I'll get you some tiles first. You didn't tell me how much you wanted last time, so I'll give you 1,000 first."

"Thank you so much, brother!"

Zhao Dunzi: "I'm just being polite. I know you're anxious, so I asked the owner of the tile factory to give me some. If it's not enough, just tell me."

Wang Shunyi: "Okay, there's one more thing you need to help me with. Can you find some people to repair the house? The yard is too big and there's too much grass. It's too big for just a few of us. It's going to be cold soon."

"It's not a big deal. It just so happens that the work at Dashi Village next door is finished today. I'll bring people over tomorrow."

"Okay, he has to be your brother after all." Wang Shunyi patted Zhao Dunzi and said.

Zhao Dunzi looked at him with a smile: "Don't forget to prepare good wine and good food when the time comes."

"I can't do without you, no matter who you are!"

Wang Shunyi asked people to move the tiles again.

As soon as Xie Shuangbai walked out of the yard, he saw a dark and strong man, about 175 cm tall, which was not short in those days. He was standing next to a mule and preparing to move tiles.

The man seemed to sense his gaze and stopped to look at Xie Shuangbai: "Who are you?"

Wang Shunyi turned around and said with a smile: "Look at my brain. I haven't introduced them yet. This is Xie Xiaoxiucai from our village. This is Zhao Dunzi from our village. People in the surrounding area go to him for house repairs."

Xie Shuangbai understood that this big brother was a contractor.

He walked forward with a smile, wanting to shake hands, but realizing it wasn't appropriate, he changed to a bow: "Hello, Brother Zhao, I'm Xie Shuangbai, you can just call me Xiao Xie."

Zhao Dunzi also traveled around the villages and had met many people. He was stunned for a moment by being greeted so politely by a scholar like him. After reacting, he smiled and said:

"I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it. How can a scholar bow to a commoner like us?"

"The tiles you pulled today are for repairing the house of Mr. Xie," said Wang Shunyi.

"I see. If you don't have enough tiles, just tell me. But hurry up, the price will go up when it gets colder. As for the people, I'll bring them over tomorrow."

"Thank you, Brother Zhao."

"Don't be polite, we are all from the same village," said Zhao Dunzi.

Next, Zhao Dunzi also stayed to help with the work and checked the tiles. Xie Shuangbai planned to tile the kitchen as well, otherwise it would not be able to withstand the snow.

This meant there was still a shortage of 1,000 tiles, so he ordered tiles from Zhao Dunzi, who agreed and left.

It was almost noon, and Xiaodouzi went back early to cook for Grandma Li. The Wang brothers and the men who helped asked them to go back first.

They packed up their tools and went back to Wang's house for dinner.

On the way back, Xie Shuangbai asked, "Brother Wang, who were you calling just now? How are you going to pay them?"

Wang Shunyi said naively: "Why should I pay them? We are all from the same village. It doesn't cost anything to help them. They are all honest men from the village. I have helped them a lot in the past.

Well, Xie Shuangbai still couldn't get used to it for a while. After all, in modern times, you have to be paid for work. It seems that he also has to adapt to this humane social model.

At noon, Cui made a lot of solid food, including steamed buns made of two-grain flour, and also made millet porridge for Xie Shuangbai. She also specially steamed white flour buns and steamed egg custard for him.

"Auntie, I'll just eat the same thing as everyone else." Xie Shuang's face turned red.

"Eat it, it's not expensive."

"I eat better than Tiantian."

Everyone smiled at this sentence.

"Tiantian is stronger than you." Cui said with a smile.

Tiantian heard everyone calling her, and she smiled at Xie Shuangbai: "Brother, eat."

"This girl, I've told you so many times that you have to call me uncle. You're not even close to the same generation as me." Xue had an expression on her face that showed she wouldn't listen no matter how much she was told.

Xie Shuangbai: "It's okay, sister-in-law. The child is still young, it's normal that he can't remember."

It was because of Xie Shuangbai’s indulgence that Wang Tiantian kept calling him brother until she grew up and gradually changed her behavior.

Before going to the old house, Xie Shuangbai boiled some water. He secretly added spiritual spring water and gave it to the people who helped with the work to drink in the afternoon.

When he arrived at the old house, someone was already working there.

As expected, they were all honest people and arrived earlier than them. Xie Shuangbai memorized their faces one by one. He would repay this favor.

The few of them fought very well and cleared the grass in the front yard in one afternoon.

"Brothers, drink some water and take a rest."

Xie Shuangbai felt embarrassed to take advantage of others like this.

Hearing this, the men felt a little embarrassed and looked at Wang Shunfa.

"Everyone, take a break and drink some water. This is specially made for you by Xie Xiaoxiucai."

When they heard this, they were moved and said, "No need to waste firewood, we can just drink something cold."

Xie Shuangbai smiled but said nothing.

"Little Bean, go ahead."

Xie Shuangbai saw him working silently and brought him some water.

Xiaodouzi took it and drank it carefully, and said in surprise: "It's so sweet."

A man heard it and tasted it:

"Why is this water so sweet?"

Wang Shunyi also tasted it.

When did the water in his house become so sweet?

Everyone started drinking, and soon the water they brought was finished. A few men licked their lips with satisfaction.

“This water tastes really good.”

Xie Shuangbai: It tastes better with spiritual spring water added!