Liu paused for a moment, then picked up her chopsticks and continued eating, as if she had thought of something.
Ye Guihua then understood; her mother had agreed.
After dinner, Ye Panjiu carried a basket of eggs and, along with Old Man Ye and Old Woman Ye, prepared to go to the village head's house.
Ye Daniu and Liu Shi, Ye Erniu and Sun Shi, the four of them also followed.
Sun grabbed Ye Panjiu's arm, "Of course we'd like to take a look at such an important matter as buying land."
Ye Dayi was looking at his youngest son's writing in the house when he suddenly heard several voices outside and was taken aback.
Yejiacun is poor, and not only Yejiacun is poor, but all the villages in Qingshui County are poor.
After dark, few families can light their lamps; most people rest after eating, since they have to get up at dawn the next day to work during the busy farming season.
During the off-season for farming, no one would come visiting with a lamp lit.
"A noble cause!" Old Man Ye shouted from the doorway.
Ye Dayi understood; it could only be Ye Xingchao's family.
"Brother Xingchao." Ye Dayi opened the door and immediately saw that seven people from the Ye family had arrived.
"Uncle Village Head, we've come to ask you something," Ye Panjiu said with a smile.
"Husband, come in quickly! What are you doing standing at the door!" the righteous woman called out.
Ye Dayi then turned around and walked inside.
The group sat in the main room of the village head's house. Old Man Ye spoke up, "It's nothing major. We just came to ask if there's any vacant land for sale near my house."
The righteous lady who brought in water asked in confusion, "Buy land? Why would you suddenly want to buy land?"
Grandma Ye pulled her aside, stopping her from pouring water, "Don't pour it, we're preparing to rebuild the house!"
Dayi's wife was amused by her laughter, "Oh my, that's really amazing. Panjiu, let me tell you, some people in the village are eyeing your braised food recipe, but you mustn't tell anyone."
Ye Panjiu nodded obediently, "Okay, I'll listen to Auntie."
She's always been the one who prepares the most crucial spice packet for braised dishes.
She packed the various spices she bought into cloth bags according to the proportions. When she did this, the Ye family members consciously didn't look at them, and no one asked her about it.
Every time I prepare the goods to sell, I take the spice packet out in advance and throw it directly into the stove so I can cook it the next time.
She wouldn't be so foolish as to be easily tricked into giving her the prescription.
Ye Dayi unfolded the kraft paper and pointed to a spot, "There really is a piece of land. Your land is long and narrow, but it can be a bit longer. There's a piece of land behind it that's unclaimed; you can buy it."
Old Man Ye thought for a moment, "A bit longer would be fine too. How big is this piece of land?"
"Your house is now half the size of yours."
Upon hearing this, Ye Panjiu's smile widened. "Alright, Uncle Dayi, how much does this land cost?"
Ye Dayi held up one finger, "For unclaimed items, one or two taels will suffice."
Ye Panjiu took out a silver ingot from her money bag and handed it to Ye Dayi.
"Thank you, Uncle Dayi."
Ye Dayi looked at her with relief, "Look how polite you are, Pan Jiu. I used to take care of you when you were little. You've grown up so fast. The past doesn't matter. In life, you have to look forward. Look how well you're doing now. You can't keep thinking about things that aren't right."
Ye Panjiu nodded, "I know, Uncle."
The righteous woman waved her hand halfway, "Alright, don't bring up things you shouldn't mention. Panjiu, are you planning to find someone else?"
Ye Panjiu shook her head. "It's fine to stay at home for now. We'll see if we need to look for someone else later."
Grandma Ye nodded in agreement; she was afraid.
The image of her daughter lying on the oxcart, soaking wet, barely breathing, still haunts her.
She would rather her daughter stay at home and never get married, and she just wants her daughter to be healthy.
Ye Panjiu patted Old Lady Ye on the shoulder.
"Alright, it's getting late, we won't disturb you any longer," Old Man Ye said, standing up.
Ye Dayi frowned at him, "Xingchao, what's the rush? You haven't signed the contract yet. What, you've paid the money and don't want the land anymore?"
Old Man Ye scratched his head and sat down again; he had forgotten.
Ye Dayi finished writing the contract and placed it in front of Old Man Ye.
Old Man Ye stood up. "Pan Jiu, sign your name. You're the only one who can write."
Ye Panjiu picked up the pen, "You shouldn't have signed my name yet, I'll write it..."
Ye Erniu interrupted him directly, "Dad is right, we'll write your name on it."
Old Man Ye chimed in, "You're not listening to your father anymore, are you?"
Ye Panjiu's lips twitched, and she had no choice but to write down her name.
No one else had any objections.
Although the land only costs one or two taels of silver, which every small family can afford, everyone tacitly agrees that it should belong to Ye Panjiu.
After signing the two contracts, Ye Dayi kept one copy, while Ye Panjiu kept the other.
Instead of going straight home, the Ye family members all went around to the back of their house.
Old Man Ye frowned as he looked at the large tree on the ground. "How come there's such a big tree?"
Ye Panjiu was quite satisfied with the tree. "A yard with a tree is even better. We'll open two gates, one in the front and one in the back, and leave the vegetable garden in the middle untouched."
The Ye family originally had a two-courtyard siheyuan (traditional courtyard house) in front of their house, with a total of six rooms, plus a kitchen and a storeroom.
Upon hearing this, Grandma Ye exclaimed, "My daughter's idea is excellent. The second son's family lives in the front, and Lei'er is getting married soon. He won't be around for many more years. Guihua and Taohua can live in the back."
Ye Panjiu nodded, "That's what I was thinking too. I'll live in the back with Tao Hualing'er."
A cool night breeze blew by, and Ye Panjiu shivered from the cold.
Old Man Ye hurriedly urged them to leave, "Alright, go, go, it's time to go back to sleep."
There was a small door to the vegetable garden in the backyard, and the group filed in.
"Ling'er, come and chase me."
"I caught up with him!"
"Good Ling'er, you're really amazing! Now it's my turn to pursue you!"
The sounds of lively laughter and playfulness drifted over from the front yard.
Ye Panjiu smiled and walked into the front yard, where she saw three little girls making a ruckus.
Ye Lei sat there in a daze.
It's so relaxing and pleasant.
The next day, the first and second wives drove their new oxcart, carrying two buckets of braised food, to the shop in the county.
Madam Sun handed the long gown to Ye Panjiu. Although she really wanted to go again, she was afraid of disturbing her son's studies.
Ye Lei rode in Ye Santian's oxcart, carrying a bucket of braised food to Bailu Academy.
Ye Panjiu brought Ye Taohua and Ye Guihua with her.
Ye Taohua's gloomy face vanished, and her eyes filled with anticipation.
She must diligently learn martial arts to protect her mother!
While she was at the Du family's house, she was beaten by Granny Du herself, and she also watched her mother being beaten by Granny Du and Du Pengzhi.
She never wanted to experience those helpless moments again.
This was Ye Lei's first time visiting Bailu Academy. The thought of his younger brother studying here filled him with a strong sense of pride.
He wasn't academically inclined, but that didn't stop him from being proud of his younger brother.
Ye Panjiu walked into the first room of the Bai family compound with ease.
Bai Yuanshou looked at the two girls behind her and asked, "These must be Peach Blossom and Osmanthus, right?"
Ye Panjiu nodded, "Thank you for your guidance, Headmaster. As for the other Ling'er, she hasn't been feeling well lately. We'll send her over once she's recovered."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
