After the winter solstice, the family of four got busy with their own things.
Zhao Ping'an and Zhao Xile were busy with their studies, Zhao Yi started building a house back in the village, and Jiang Bai followed along, doing the final touches for the milk tea shop that was about to open.
The milk tea shop was named Zhao's Milk Tea and was located on the main road connecting several large villages. There were also several small businesses around, including the restaurant owned by the brother of Zhao's former wife, a courtesan.
The address was chosen by Grandpa Zhao and Grandma Zhao; Jiang Bai had no involvement whatsoever, and now he finds it all too coincidental.
Zhao Yi's side was also working diligently.
Although he doesn't live in the village often anymore, this is still an old house, and Zhao Yi still has the idea of returning home to retire. Therefore, all the materials used are the best.
He also got approval from the village chief to build a three-courtyard house on the adjacent plot of land.
Jiang Bai can do whatever he wants; he can build it and live in it himself. Whether the two of them can even stay together until old age is uncertain.
As a result, it was the villagers who started gossiping.
In the village, houses are mostly built in winter, which is the off-season for farming. The men in the family have plenty of strength to spare, so building a house is a good way to work up a sweat and save a lot of firewood!
Generally, no money is given for building houses, but meals are provided. There are no requirements on the abundance of the meals; they are provided according to the family's financial situation. The only requirement is that all the villagers who help out are well-fed.
Zhao Yi used good materials to build the house. He used sturdy and beautiful large blue bricks to pave the floor and the roof was made of logs that were hundreds of years old. More than twenty strong men worked hard for more than ten days and they still hadn’t finished half of the house!
Everyone clicked their tongues in amazement.
Not to mention the meals Zhao Yi provided. Most families only provide two meals a day, not breakfast, but Zhao Yi provided all three meals.
In the morning, it's deep-fried dough sticks with soy milk, or fried eggs with hot steamed buns and milk, or thick millet porridge with crisp pickled vegetables, and plenty of steamed buns.
The remaining two meals included meat. Although it wasn't something you could eat as much as you wanted, everyone could get five or six pieces. They ate chicken, pork, and mutton in rotation. Once, they even managed to buy a cow that had died of old age. The beef stewed in that way was chewy yet tender, and it became the talk of the village for three whole days.
Many men are reluctant to finish the food and want to take it home to eat with their families. However, Zhao Yi has a rule: they can take it home, but only the dishes. The dishes are divided equally, and there are no extras.
Staple foods cannot be brought in, otherwise some greedy people might take their food bowls home with them.
Even the unlimited supply of soup became a topic of conversation.
The soup was made in a wok that had been used to stir-fry vegetables. The wok wasn't washed, and there was a layer of oil floating on top, so no one would complain. The more oil, the better.
The soup was seasoned with plenty of salt and some other flavor enhancer, making it incredibly delicious and warming from head to toe.
A man shared half a bowl with his wife and children. Seeing how happily they drank it, he couldn't help but say, "That's real soup. Yours looks like dishwater."
The woman took a few sips and then handed the bowl to her son to drink from. She didn't have a free hand to pinch him, so she could only glare at him and say, "If you're so capable, then don't drink anything I make anymore."
"That won't do," the man quickly refused.
If Zhao Yi could build this house for a lifetime, he could stand tall and say he wouldn't drink it. But obviously, the work will be finished in a few days, and then he'll have to go home anyway.
Even having dishwater is good; some mean women won't even make you hot dishwater—oops, I mean soup!
After some time, people began to whisper among themselves: "It seems that Zhao Yi has really made a lot of money."
“I never believed Old Lady Zhao when she told people before, she always boasted,” another woman chimed in. “But now I’ve really seen it all. This is just as impressive as the wealthy men in the city.”
"Speaking of Grandma Zhao, where did they go? Why didn't they help Zhao Yi build a house?"
The first person to speak covered his face and smiled mysteriously: "So you all didn't know? Zhao Yi opened a milk tea shop for the Zhao family, right on the main road not far away. Now all the Zhao family members have gone to help, and they can't even take care of renovating the old house."
This pleased Zhao Yi deeply, as he didn't want his elders interfering in his life by interfering with his house.
Upon hearing the news that the Zhao family had opened a milk tea shop, jealousy began to fester in some people's hearts.
A woman turned to the silent woman next to her and asked, "Xiaoli, does your husband own a restaurant over there?"
"Yes, yes." The woman named Xiaoli nodded quickly, "It's just a small restaurant."
"Why are you being modest with us?" The woman waved her hand. "Wang Mazi has gone from having nothing to marrying such a good wife like you and opening a restaurant. It hasn't been easy for him."
Mentioning Wang Mazi, someone nearby said, "I always thought Wang Mazi was the richest man in our village. I never expected Zhao Yi to be so wealthy without showing off. Jiang Bai really hit the jackpot."
"If I had known it would be like this, what would I have been afraid of being a stepmother? They're just two little brats, who can't take care of them?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
Zhao Yi was handsome and charming, with a pair of almond-shaped eyes and thin lips. The older generation said that men with thin lips were the most fickle. Countless young women and wives in the village had tried to seduce him, but he remained unmoved.
When he returned after eight years of military service, he brought back two children, claiming that the children's mother had died in the war. This caused an uproar.
Who would want to be a stepmother?
In the end, it was Jiang Bai, that little lady, who benefited.
Now, seeing Zhao Yi's considerate treatment of Jiang Bai, countless women felt a pang of regret. In the dead of night, they couldn't help but think: What if it were me?
If I were Mrs. Zhao, I would be the one running a medicinal cuisine restaurant and a milk tea shop, making a fortune and living a very successful life.
For every person who admires Zhao Yi, there is just as many who despise Jiang Bai.
Someone couldn't help but say maliciously, "Jiang Bai has been married for over a year and still isn't pregnant. Is she infertile?"
When such private matters were discussed, everyone lowered their voices.
"It's possible that Zhao Yi doesn't want her to have children. After all, he already has a son and a daughter."
If Jiang Bai had his own child, the two older children would not have an easy time under the mistreatment of their stepmother.
"If she still can't have a baby in a few years, Zhao Yi will dump her sooner or later."
"Even if he doesn't dump her, he's so rich and powerful now, he can still take a few concubines."
At this point, everyone's hearts were filled with excitement.
They were already married and had children, it was too late for them, but which family doesn't have a few poor relatives? Which family doesn't have a few little girls they can't afford to raise?
If we could send him to Zhao Yi's side, we would truly benefit immensely!
A few people started fantasizing about their happy future. Xiaoli looked at their ugly behavior and couldn't help but snort coldly.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
