On August 16th, Zhou Quan's family returned to town. This time, Li Mai brought Zhu Zhu and Xi Que with her, and Zhu Zhu had to continue learning medicine.
They arrived in town around noon, but did not open the shop today. After the family finished eating at home, Li Mai and Zhou Quan took Zhou Tao to pay their respects to her master.
When Madam Qi saw that Zhou Tao was a well-behaved and sensible girl, she liked her very much and immediately kept her on the job.
Li Mai also told Madam Qi that she would have to leave for a while in a few days. Zhou Tao came here to learn the piano for half a day, but starting next month, she could come to learn full-time.
Madam Qi agreed.
Zhuzhu and Xique were sent to Doctor Niu's clinic to learn medicine. Zhou Lin also went to his shop in the afternoon to tidy up, planning to reopen it the next day.
After making arrangements for them, Li Mai and Zhou Quan received Jin Shi and several members of the Heaven and Earth Alliance at the mansion. They came to Li Mai's door and told her that they were ready and could help Li Mai cut down trees.
Li Mai gave them five hundred taels of silver and told them to first buy a few horse-drawn carriages, some tools, some tung oil cloth, to set up tents on the mountain, and also to buy food and some cooking utensils, etc.
Jin Shi accepted the contract and signed it with Zhou Quan.
Zhou Quan said he would take them up the mountain the next morning and told them to prepare everything today. Jin Shi agreed to go and make the preparations.
The following day, Zhou Quan, along with Zhou Lin and all the members of the Heaven and Earth Alliance led by Jin Shi, headed towards their mountain.
The mountain was located northwest of Qingshi Town, about half a day's journey from the town. They arrived at noon. After choosing a place to stay, Jinshi arranged for ten people to set up tents and cook, while he led the rest of the people to follow Zhou Quan and Zhou Lin to select trees that could be cut down all over the mountain.
Zhou Lin selected straight trees that could be used to make furniture or beams. Yesterday afternoon, he also went back to the mansion and chose a vacant lot on the east side of the mansion to put the felled trees. A courtyard next to it will serve as his workshop in the mansion.
Those trees need to be dried before they can be used to make furniture and beams.
When Zhou Lin saw that the branches of two trees looked like slingshots, he thought that these two trees could be transplanted back to the mansion and used as swings in the garden for Zhu Zhu to play on.
He instructed Jinshi that the two trees should be dug up by the roots and transplanted back to the mansion.
Jinshi naturally agreed.
They worked all afternoon, and Zhou Quan felt that the trees they pointed out were enough for Jin Shi and his men to cut down for a month. He stayed with Jin Shi and his men for one night, surveyed the surrounding environment, and after confirming that there were no wild animals living there and that they would not be in danger, he placed a protective barrier on the people of the Heaven and Earth Alliance. The next day, he took Zhou Lin back.
Jin Shi began to work with his men with peace of mind. Looking at the trees covering the mountain, he felt a surge of excitement. His boss had said that when the Heaven and Earth Alliance built its sect in the future, they could come here to cut down as many trees as they needed. This was something even their parents had never done for them. Once again, these men swore in their hearts that they would listen to their boss and Brother Quan from now on.
...
Xu Yue had sent her maid out of the manor on the sixteenth of August to check if Zhou Lin's shop was open yet. Unfortunately, when the maid went to check on the sixteenth, Zhou Lin's shop was still closed.
When Seventeen saw the door open, he only saw his disciple Nan Su bustling in and out, but he didn't see Young Master Zhou.
Xu Yue wanted to see Zhou Lin, assuming he was busy at the shop and wanted to see the jewelry box he had promised her. So she tidied herself up and went out on the street with Chunyi and Xia Nuan, pretending to be going to her own shop. When she passed by Zhou Lin's shop, she went inside.
However, once inside, she found that Nan Su was the only person there.
Nan Su saw a young lady approaching, who looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn't quite place her. He quickly greeted her with a smile, "What would you like to buy, Miss?"
Is Young Master Zhou here?
Xu Yue looked around the shop and saw furniture of different sizes placed against the walls on all four sides, some painted and some not.
Nan Su hesitated for a moment, "My master went out yesterday and hasn't returned yet. Miss, which household do you live in? Do you need any furniture?"
Xu Yue glanced at him but didn't make things difficult for him. "I'm from the Xu family."
"Oh, you're Miss Xu?"
Nan Su was surprised for a moment, then quickly smiled obsequiously, grabbed a rag to wipe the stool on the side, and said with a smile, "Oh, it's Master's wife, hehe, please sit down. Well, my master went out on business with Uncle Zhou, he should be back by tomorrow afternoon."
When Xu Yue heard him call her "Master's Wife," her face flushed slightly. "You must be Nan Su, right? The Second Young Master mentioned you to me a few days ago."
"My master even mentioned me to you?" Nan Su was still very happy to hear that.
"Yes, he said you're quite smart and very diligent in learning the craft," Xu Yue said with a light laugh.
"Oh, I didn't expect Master to praise me. Hehe, would you like some tea, Master's wife? We only have flower tea in our shop. My Master loves flower tea." Nan Su quickly asked obsequiously.
"No need, I'm on my way to check on the shops. I'll just stop by and see him. I won't bother you any longer, I'll be going now." Xu Yue knew what gift to give Zhou Lin to thank him for the pair of jewelry boxes he had given her.
"Alright, take care, Master's wife!" Nan Su smiled and saw Xu Yue and her two maids out the door.
Hearing him call her "Master's Wife," Xu Yue blushed slightly again.
Nan Su chuckled as he closed the door and continued with his work, muttering to himself, "This mistress is quite nice; she even made a special trip to visit my master while passing by."
The following afternoon, after Zhou Lin returned, Nan Su told him about Xu Yue's visit.
Zhou Lin nodded after listening, but the corners of his lips curved slightly.
Unlike the young ladies from wealthy and powerful families, she wasn't arrogant or looked down on others.
Thinking that she might be coming to ask about the pair of boxes, Zhou Lin changed his clothes, told Nan Su, and went upstairs to personally lacquer the jewelry box for Xu Yue.
To make the chrysanthemum pattern look better, he first drew two pictures of blooming chrysanthemums on paper, compared them on the box, and then chose the most suitable one before getting busy.
As a carpenter, in addition to carpentry skills, one must also learn to paint the furniture. Zhou Lin has learned all of these skills over the years, and painting patterns is an essential skill to learn.
On the afternoon of the 18th, the little girl told Xu Yue that Young Master Zhou had returned.
Xu Yue responded, but she was too embarrassed to go to Zhou Lin again, so she could only patiently wait in the mansion for him to bring her the jewelry box.
However, she waited for three whole days, but Zhou Lin still didn't come. Instead, Mr. Wang from the official media arrived.
Mr. Wang brought good news to the Xu family, saying that the Zhou family had good fortune. He came to inquire about the Xu family's situation, and Mr. Xu smiled and replied with good fortune as well.
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