The blacksmiths were all gathered together to forge the tools needed for the glass workshop.
The men in the village were also gathered together to start repairing houses.
This way, the construction schedule won't be affected by rain.
In the rush, the house wasn't completed quickly, so Qi Yunxiao and twenty Hidden Dragon Guards were settled in the homes of several villagers nearby who were in slightly better condition.
The villagers were short of food and oil, but Qi Yunxiao and his group brought their own rice, oil, and seasonings, which benefited the villagers: everyone had a full meal.
Qi Yunxiao and Tan Wanchun naturally moved into Bu Yuanhai's house.
Tan Wanchun is a good cook; his meals, while not quite as good as Shen Qingyu's, are still quite impressive.
Bu Yuanhai's eyes lit up, and his gaze toward Tan Wanchun changed.
But Bu Yuanhai, a dark-skinned girl of sixteen or seventeen, took a liking to Qi Yunxiao, whose appearance was stunning.
There was no way around it; this Qi Yunxiao was outstanding in appearance, had a strong presence, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that he was the leader of this group.
Hearing Bu Yuanhai call her "Young Island Master" repeatedly, the dark-skinned girl named Bu Hongzhu felt her eyes light up with disbelief.
When the food was served, Bu Hongzhu boldly put a piece of food on Qi Yunxiao's plate.
Qi Yunxiao was taken aback and looked up at Bu Hongzhu.
Bu Hongzhu smiled shyly, then mustered her courage to look at Qi Yunxiao.
Bu Yuanhai's heart pounded wildly. On one hand, he scolded his daughter for being so bold, and on the other hand, he had some inappropriate thoughts. So he tentatively asked, "I wonder if the young island master is married?"
Qi Yunxiao was about to say this when he immediately explained, "I already have three children, and now my wife is pregnant again."
Bu Yuanhai's heart rate dropped instantly: He already has three children, and a fourth is on the way... What use would his daughter be if she married into the family?
So Bu Yuanhai laughed it off and changed the subject.
After dinner, when Qi Yunxiao and Tan Wanchun lay down to sleep, they heard whispers and discussions coming from the next room, which wasn't very soundproof.
Qi Yunxiao nudged Tan Wanchun with his elbow, signaling him to listen carefully.
After listening, Tan Wanchun's expression turned strange: "They're discussing whether to give Bu Hongzhu to you as a bed warmer."
Qi Yunxiao's face turned cold: "And then what?" What was the outcome of the discussion?
Tan Wanchun recalled their conversation: "Bu Yuanhai disagreed, but his wife and daughter were willing."
In fact, Bu Yuanhai had taken a liking to him.
Unfortunately, the mother and daughter only wanted to climb to the top and looked down on Tan Wanchun, who was just a errand boy.
"Why?"
“They think you’re the richest, so they’ve followed you, even if it’s as a bed warmer or a concubine, it’s better than being well-fed and well-dressed here.”
That's true, but there's a condition: Qi Yunxiao has to be willing.
How could Qi Yunxiao possibly be willing?
So Qi Yunxiao reminded them expressionlessly, "Tomorrow, find an opportunity to tell them that I will not take a concubine, much less a bed warmer."
Tan Wanchun: "Yes!"
The next morning, Tan Wanchun and Bu Yuanhai went to discuss how many people to hire to do the work. They spotted Bu Hongzhu busy at the stove and couldn't help but take a second look.
This little girl isn't ugly, you could even say she has delicate features and a tall, straight figure, but she's just too dark-skinned!
How could someone like her possibly be compared to Princess Qingyu?
Even I, in my own body, felt a toothache!
Bu Yuanhai noticed Tan Wanchun's gaze and assumed that Tan Wanchun had taken a liking to his daughter, so he couldn't help but promote her: "My daughter is seventeen years old this year and is very good at housework."
Tan Wanchun nodded: "I can see that... He's just too ambitious, always coveting things that don't belong to him."
Bu Yuanhai's eyes lit up: "I wonder if Steward Tan is married yet?"
Tan Wanchun waved his hand: "With the weather so turbulent every day, how can we care about this?"
Bu Yuanhai pressed his advantage: "How about... I let my daughter come with you and help you make your bed or something?"
Tan Wanchun waved his hand again: "No need, no need! I can't let your daughter suffer this precarious existence with me."
Bu Yuanhai was frustrated: What does it mean to be living hand to mouth? It's us villagers who are truly living hand to mouth.
Even their clothes were incomplete. Although the manager in front of them, Manager Tan, was not the most powerful one, he was very shrewd and skilled in conversation. How could he be in such a precarious situation?
There isn't a better person on the entire island than Steward Tan!
Steward Tan clearly doesn't think much of his own girl...
Well, they're not leaving right away anyway, let's wait and see.
Qi Yunxiao was single-mindedly focused on the overall situation, only concerned with dispatching and directing manpower, gathering information, analyzing and judging, and then issuing instructions.
Tan Wanchun was the one who got things done; he was so fast he almost wore his shoes out of steam!
After finally getting everyone settled, Tan Wanchun rushed back into the temporary work shed from outside, picked up the teapot, and chugged down his tea!
After finishing a pot of tea, Tan Wanchun seemed to come back to life: "Master, I went to see the iron mine. It's a huge mine shaft, and they've dug quite a bit. But the old miners inside said they've only dug out a little bit; the reserves are huge..."
Qi Yunxiao: "Okay. When we have time, we'll have them organize people to dig them all out, smelt them into iron, cast them into iron blocks, and then transport them away together."
Tan Wanchun then asked, "Are you building these houses to resemble the ones we had on Whale Fall Island, or is it enough that they're habitable?"
These words inexplicably reminded Qi Yunxiao of Shen Qingyu.
Although the young lady couldn't come this time, given her strong sense of curiosity, she'll definitely want to come in the future.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
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