After the meeting, everyone dispersed, and Zhou Quan looked at Li Mai, who was cooking with Zhao Shi.
Li Mai sensed something, looked up at him, and asked in her eyes, "Is something wrong?"
Zhou Quan nodded.
Li Mai handed the bowl of washed rice to Zhao Shi, telling her to wait for the water to boil before adding the rice. She then went to Zhou Quan's side and squatted down.
"What's wrong?" Li Mai asked, reaching out to feel his pulse.
"I'm fine, I'm not feeling unwell. The clan chief and the others were just discussing going to town tomorrow, why don't you come with me?" Zhou Quan said in a low voice.
“Me? The clan chief said that?” Li Mai asked in surprise.
"It was Uncle Wuping who suggested it, and Uncle Clan Chief also agreed."
Li Mai let go of his hand and nodded. "Okay, then I'll take some time tonight to let our oxcart out and put it in the open space behind the house."
"Okay, thank you!" Zhou Quan said with a smile.
Li Mai asked in a low voice, "Did you tell me how to handle the next steps?"
Zhou Quan nodded and briefly explained it to Li Mai, who nodded in agreement. "That's one way. Do we have any relatives in the five nearby villages?"
Zhou Quan shook his head, "I have no relatives. If I were to say I have some contact with anyone, it would be Xiao Lin's master."
“But I don’t plan to go there. When Xiaolin comes back, we’ll build a wooden house for our family on this mountain first. It will probably take a few more months for the new house to be built,” Zhou Quan told her about his plan.
He knows how to build houses, Xiao Lin knows carpentry, and with his father and Xiao Lei, the father and his sons have no trouble making a house for people to live in.
Li Mai thought for a moment, stood up, walked beside him, pondered, and said, "There's no need to go through all that trouble. If it's confirmed that a new village will be built over there, we can build a few courtyards first, let a few families move in, and then continue building for others. It would be more convenient if everyone could move over there while the village is being built."
"Of course, if some families can stay with their relatives in the surrounding area, then these families can be arranged later, and those families without a place to stay can be arranged to move into the new house first. That would be more appropriate."
"Would that be faster?" Zhou Quan asked.
Li Mai nodded, "Make a layout map of the new village in advance, and follow the map. It will be quick, especially if the whole village works together. Everyone can go to the mountains to haul soil and stones. We don't need to spend money. We only need to use our money to buy bricks, wood, lime, and the like."
"Buy ready-made wood too?" Zhou Quan asked again, thinking that the cost might be higher that way.
"The wood brought back from the mountains is mostly wet. When it's used to build houses, the houses may warp and crack in the walls as the wood dries. Such houses are not sturdy. We don't use wet wood; we go directly to the timber store in town to buy dry wood."
After listening, Zhou Quan helplessly covered his forehead and nodded, "Yes, I overlooked that. Freshly cut trees are indeed not suitable for building houses. I was just focused on saving money and forgot about this. If Xiao Lin were here, he would have brought it up."
Zhou Quan sighed inwardly. Sure enough, after not working outside for more than two years, his brain had become dull.
Seeing his ashamed expression, Li Mai chuckled, patted him on the shoulder, stood behind him, bent down slightly, and leaned close to him, saying with a smile, "You've been away from home for two years, yet you still managed to gain the recognition of the villagers and the clan chief. You're already quite remarkable."
Zhou Quan felt the heat on his ears, and his earlobes immediately turned red. His face also became a little hot.
"Don't worry, I'll help you. Luckily, I have a skill in drawing. How about I help you plan out the new village?" Li Mai had never had this kind of experience in her previous life, and now that she had this opportunity, she wanted to give it a try.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Quan turned around abruptly and looked at her. He excitedly grabbed her hand and pulled her in front of him, looking at her expectantly with a hint of pleading in his eyes. "Xiaomai, are you serious? You can't go back on your word after you've promised me."
Looking down at his pitiful eyes, Li Mai couldn't help but recall that the eyes of the mutated little beast she had seen in her previous life were just like that.
It looks innocent and harmless, but when you let your guard down, it will suddenly rush up and attack you. Although its eyes look silly and cute, its five senses are very sharp.
When Zhou Quan met Li Mai's eyes, he noticed that Li Mai had a half-smile on her face when she looked at him, as if she were looking at someone else through him.
Without thinking, he used his wrist to pull it towards his own leg.
Caught off guard, Li Mai was suddenly pulled onto his lap. Surprised, she met his slightly domineering gaze and felt dazed.
How similar is that look to the look in their eyes when their teacher led them to fight against the alien beasts?
Seeing that Li Mai was lost in thought again, Zhou Quan tightened his arms around her waist and whispered, "Xiaomai, stay in my arms, don't think about anyone else!"
Li Mai pulled herself out of her reverie, turned back to meet his uneasy gaze, and looked down at their current intimate posture. She suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Husband, what do you think people are thinking when they see us like this?"
Zhou Quan was taken aback. He looked around and saw that everyone else had subconsciously turned their heads away. He looked down and saw that she had completely leaned into his arms, with one hand still around the back of his neck. His face turned red again, but he did not let go. He just said softly and shyly, "You are my wife. I did nothing wrong by hugging you."
"Hehe, you've improved, Zhou Dalang!" Li Mai chuckled softly, flicked his forehead, stood up, and left his side.
Zhou Quan turned around and watched her enter the tent. He couldn't help but touch his forehead and chuckle softly. There was a hint of happiness and a hint of shyness in that smile.
The young people around them who had been secretly watching the two interact also lowered their heads and smiled secretly.
Surprisingly, the newlyweds are quite affectionate.
However, some older people still disapprove of this behavior, considering it immoral and indecent.
But no one said it aloud, since everyone now knew that Zhou Quan's wife was skilled in medicine.
Even the village's old doctor admitted that he couldn't save a child who had drowned, but Li Mai saved him. That's his skill; it's his superior medical expertise.
Only DouDou's mother, XiaoZhao, who was cooking, rolled her eyes at LiMai's retreating figure as she went into the tent.
Zhao was secretly smiling as she watched her son and daughter-in-law being so affectionate. Her son and daughter-in-law had such a good relationship, and she liked her daughter-in-law very much.
Seeing Xiao Zhao roll her eyes at her own wheat, Zhao was immediately displeased. Judging from Xiao Zhao's cooking skills, she knew the food wouldn't taste good.
Zhao turned to Zhou Quan and said, "Xiao Quan, Xiao Mai is amazing. She even helped us hunt a pheasant this morning. I'll stew chicken for you tonight."
Zhou Quan glanced at the tent opening, smiled, and replied to his mother, "Okay, Mom."
Zhao smiled and nodded, then looked down at the thin porridge in the pot.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhao was furious. If her family had chicken to eat again, wouldn't her own Dou Dou be asking for more?
This quinoa is my nemesis. What kind of woman can hunt? It must be luck, right?
No, I'll have to try my luck in the woods tomorrow.
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