Tuesday, July 4, 2023

NDHSD Chapter 9

 Read/NDHSD/Chapter 9

Table of Contents

            ◎ Happy 9th Day: Fortunately, I Bought It Early ◎


It's not yet eleven o'clock.


Jiang Muyun drove the car outside the park and randomly found a small restaurant, opting to have lunch at an off-peak time.


While having the meal, Jiang Muyun checked and found that within this light industrial park, there were a total of three relatively large shoe factories.


One of them primarily manufactures children's shoes, so she can disregard that one.


The remaining two factories both have production lines for waterproof hiking boots.


Jiang Muyun first visited the factory that specializes in professional-grade running shoes among its main products.


She was in luck. This factory is a domestic OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) for a well-known foreign brand.


Jiang Muyun tried on a pair of their waterproof hiking boots and found that they were indeed of excellent quality, comfortable to wear, and they even had boots specifically designed for polar expeditions.


The price is also quite impressive.


Jiang Muyun was forced to visit the other factory and take a tour before ultimately returning to this one.


She took out her phone’s calculator and calculated her footwear budget along with the leftover budget for clothing and bedding. In the end, she made the final decision to order five pairs of polar expedition boots, one hundred pairs of insulated and thick waterproof hiking boots, and two hundred pairs of highly breathable sports shoes.


After placing the order, Jiang Muyun went to the adjacent sock factory to take a moment and calm down.


Compared to the price of shoes, the socks priced at a few cents each seemed much more adorable.


Jiang Muyun directly purchased around 20,000 pairs of regular socks, also depleting the sock factory's inventory of thick winter cotton socks.


Similar to the clothing factory, orders for bulk shipments from the sock factory are also typically measured by weight rather than by the number of pieces.


In the end, Jiang Muyun pondered for a moment and decided to order a considerable quantity of thigh-high stockings as well.


Sometimes stockings are not necessarily worn as fashion statements.


Wearing them to protect against mosquitoes and other insects during their peak activity can be quite effective. Only those who have tried it will truly know its effectiveness.


The sock factory accepted the order and assured Jiang Muyun that the delivery would be made right to her doorstep by the following day.


Taking care of one's feet is important, but one should not neglect their hands either.


Ordinary gloves may not be very useful, but in a post-apocalyptic world, the most practical ones would be various types of industrial safety gloves.


Jiang Muyun placed an order at the industrial safety equipment factory for fifty pairs of latex gloves, fifty pairs of welding gloves, two hundred pairs of canvas gloves, and two hundred pairs of cotton gloves.


Additionally, Jiang Muyun directly ordered one thousand sets of disposable protective suits.


Although Jiang Muyun had already purchased gas masks, she found them to be too conspicuous when worn in public. Unless absolutely necessary, she preferred to be more discreet about her preparations.


Therefore, Jiang Muyun bought five boxes of N99 masks, with each box containing one thousand masks, providing her with sufficient protection during the rampant outbreak of the epidemic.


Protective goggles and ear muffs may seem inconspicuous, but when the sky is filled with flying sand, their true value becomes apparent. Jiang Muyun purchased fifty of each to ensure she had these precious items when needed.


Jiang Muyun also purchased fifty pairs of acid and alkali-resistant safety shoes.


Jiang Muyun also bought fifty sets of separate raincoats and rain pants for better protection against rain.


In the post-apocalyptic world, there are only two types of rain. One is highly corrosive acid rain, while the other is relentless heavy rain that can last for months.


Most of the time, these two types of rain occur simultaneously and seamlessly.


So, although Jiang Muyun already has the three-proof windbreaker, raincoats and pants are also indispensable.


The industrial safety equipment factory is different from other manufacturers in that their products are standardized.


This industrial safety equipment factory has a large scale and a high inventory, so Jiang Muyun's requested items can be shipped on the same day.


After giving it some thought, Jiang Muyun decided not to opt for the convenience of having the items delivered the next day, as she did with the sock factory. Instead, she made arrangements with the manufacturers to have the delivery scheduled for the same afternoon.


The small warehouse she rented in South City is different from the one in West City.


In West City, the surroundings are filled with small warehouses and the constant traffic of vehicles. It becomes difficult to distinguish whose goods are being transported in and out due to the constant movement.


However, in South City, there are several industrial parks built in the vicinity, but there are not many small warehouses available for rent to the public. Most of the warehouses are larger ones intended for factory use.


The warehouse that Jiang Muyun found could be considered the most inconspicuous among the short-term rental warehouses. Even so, there is still a residential area not far from the warehouse.


Since Jiang Muyun has purchased a large and diverse amount of items in South City, it is not feasible for the warehouse to only receive goods without any outgoing shipments.


Jiang Muyun doesn't want to take any risks.


So she chose to make several more trips to the small warehouse when she had nothing to do, driving her van and creating the false impression of transporting goods back and forth.


The next major hoarding destination is a household products factory.


In South City, this entire light industrial park has only one household products factory, which practically monopolizes the production of household goods in the entire city. The scale of this factory can be imagined.


For such a large-scale factory, the quantity of goods that Jiang Muyun requires may seem insignificant. Therefore, she still needs to queue and wait for her turn to receive the shipments.


After all, when it comes to household products, given the option, Jiang Muyun still prefers to use products manufactured by reputable large-scale factories.


However, the advantage is that this factory has a large scale, sufficient inventory, and a stable shipment volume, with very few urgent large orders.


Therefore, for new customers like Jiang Muyun, the factory's shipping speed is only determined by the loading speed, and the wait time is not long.


Jiang Muyun placed an order for 50,000 disposable underwear first.


In her previous life, without the necessary conditions, Jiang Muyun went from drinking cold water and running during her menstrual period to experiencing excruciating pain every month, wishing she could end it all. It took her only two years to reach that point.


In this lifetime, it is crucial to pay attention to menstrual hygiene!


Next are the tampons and sanitary pads, which are calculated by box and come in various sizes.


Jiang Muyun adheres to the principle of buying more rather than less and carefully manages her budget to stay within the upper limit.


Even if she cannot use them all in three lifetimes, she can still use them for trading with others.


Products like sanitary pads have become rare luxury items in the post-apocalyptic world.


Even the most extravagant and desire-driven capitalist would not allocate limited resources to produce sanitary pads.


Which base can produce enough toilet paper to use?


There is also petroleum jelly (Vaseline) and baby cream.


Baby cream is a product that Jiang Muyun has been using since childhood. It is affordable, effective, and has a pleasant scent.


The specification is 100 mL per bottle, with 24 bottles per box. Jiang Muyun purchased 50 boxes at once.


In the situation of prolonged drought for several years in the post-apocalyptic world, even if Jiang Muyun manages to store enough drinking water, her skin would still crack due to the dry air, and this cannot be avoided no matter how much water she drinks.


Of course, frostbite cream also needs to be prepared.


And there are toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, body wash, laundry detergent, disinfectant, and other cleaning products. Jiang Muyun bought them all in the largest packaging available, with the standard of being enough for her to use for three lifetimes.


After all, compared to the price with branded packaging, the factory's offer is unbelievably cheap.


Then there are tissues.


This cheap and inconspicuous necessity of life.


You don't realize its significance in normal times, but when you go a whole day without tissue, you'll understand its importance.


Buy! Buy in bundles!


Jiang Muyun never wants to experience that unspeakable and indescribable pain again!


Tissues have been purchased, and wet wipes are also essential.


In a dry and water-deprived environment, the concept of handwashing has become an unattainable luxury for ordinary people. Unfortunately, in a post-apocalyptic world where various diseases are rampant, it becomes even more crucial for people to maintain cleanliness and hygiene.


Based on Jiang Muyun's self-awareness, even if she could transport an entire reservoir of water into her space, she would not be willing to use water as extravagantly as before the apocalypse, let alone use it for personal hygiene in front of others. Therefore, in addition to disposable gloves, wet wipes are also necessary.


Just buy the cheapest ones with simple ingredients.


And also get some medicated oil and mosquito repellent.


In the early stages of the apocalypse, before the insects mutated, these items could still be very effective.


As for more powerful insect repellents like Realgar, Jiang Muyun will have to purchase them along with other medications when she goes to buy drugs.


Jiang Muyun also bought several boxes of prickly heat powder, a summer essential.


Considering Jiang Muyun's age, by the time she started remembering memories, air conditioning had already become widely used in China. Therefore, prickly heat powder is just a vague childhood memory for her.


When air conditioning fails to function, people suffer from extensive prickly heat in the scorching summer. If they want to find this magical item at home, it becomes a matter of luck.


When Jiang Muyun was leaving the household products factory, she happened to see a group of well-dressed individuals walking toward her, appearing to be involved in a big business deal.


Jiang Muyun let out a whistle of relief in her mind, grateful that she had arrived early. Otherwise, if the deal had been concluded before she arrived, she might have had to wait several more days for her goods.


As the people approached, Jiang Muyun inadvertently made eye contact with the leader among them.


The other person seemed a bit stunned, but then they smiled slightly at Jiang Muyun.


Jiang Muyun kept walking, nodding slightly in acknowledgment.


Jiang Muyun feels like the person seems somewhat familiar, but she can't remember where she has seen them before.


After trying hard for a while without remembering, she simply put the matter out of her mind.


Anyway, she was wearing a mask, and her appearance was such that she would blend into a crowd and not be easily found. Whether she knew the other person or not didn't matter, as long as the other person couldn't recognize her.


Jiang Muyun stored a portion of the textiles from the van in her space, then went to the hat factory to retrieve two hundred sun hats of hers. Afterward, she drove towards her small warehouse, and along the way, she also packed the hats and the remaining textiles into the storage space.


Upon arrival, Jiang Muyun didn't rush to get out of the car. She sat inside, enjoying the air conditioning, browsing shopping apps, and waiting for a call from the industrial safety equipment factory.


She didn't need to buy many home appliances, and the home appliance factories in South City were generally large in scale. Therefore, after leaving the household products factory, Jiang Muyun didn't directly head to the home appliance factories. Instead, she made a phone call to inquire first.


After the other party clearly stated that they would not accept small orders, she had no choice but to place an order online for the purchase.


She first purchased five air conditioners, along with fifty small humidifiers.


Air conditioners can be used in both winter and summer, but after the weather becomes extreme, the depreciation rate of air conditioners also becomes unusually high.


Currently, she has three air conditioners at home: one in the study and one each in her and her grandfather's bedrooms. They were all purchased just a few years ago.


Having endured two consecutive months of continuous operation under a scorching temperature of forty degrees Celsius and serving as heaters in temperatures as low as minus seven degrees Celsius, the air conditioners in South City have proven to be quite durable.


With her space, Jiang Muyun finds it very convenient to store and rearrange furniture. She can change rooms anytime she wants.


At that time, rotating the three air conditioners to endure the hardships should not be a problem for surviving the first year of the apocalypse.


And these five air conditioners were prepared by Jiang Muyun for her future.

Dreams are still necessary, right? What if she happens to find a sturdy and secluded mountain hollow and lives a self-sufficient life?


Ten electric blankets and ten electric heaters will come in handy during the winter season. Additionally, she has also prepared five life-saving devices: dryers and dehumidifiers, for the rainy season.


It's not about the luxury of drying clothes; it's about drying herself.


The rainy season in the apocalypse is like the combination of a prolonged rainy season and the return of the southern monsoon, cycling back and forth for several months, making it so humid that one can hardly catch their breath.


In a situation where extreme weather is a daily occurrence, these items will still be considered luxury goods in the post-apocalyptic world, reserved exclusively for the privileged and wealthy.


Although the average person may not be able to afford electricity in the post-apocalyptic world, there will always be people who can.


And these appliances, which could only have been produced before the apocalypse and have not been destroyed in the continuous series of disasters, naturally have skyrocketing prices.


She also bought ten high-pressure rice cookers.


This is mainly for the convenience of batch cooking at home.


Compared to regular rice cookers, high-pressure rice cookers can also be used for stewing dishes, and they have a faster cooking speed.


As for other miscellaneous appliances, there's no rush to buy them. The ones she currently has at home are sufficient for her needs. If she wants to buy more as backups, she can wait until the power supply is completely cut off, and then she can have as many as she wants.


After placing the order, Jiang Muyun quickly calculated and realized that, based on her purchasing plan, she still had two major parts left to prepare. Once she finished these two, her early-stage hoarding plan would be considered almost complete.




***

Z's corner: 

Oooo, I have a feeling something is up with that business guy. Hmm, any guesses?

Get advance chapters on Patreon. Read Up to 5 chapters ahead! Update Schedule is 3x per week (Mon, Wed, Fri).
You can also support us and sponsor a chapter on Kofi! If you can't support us with money, a good review on NU would be great. Always appreciate the help~♡


Table of Contents




BTSFVI Chapter Thirty Seven

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter Thirty Seven

Table of Contents

        Chapte37 Panic Drifting in the Middle of the Sea.


After everyone had withdrawn their amazed gazes, he then went into the house, intending to take a shower and tidy up his tools.


"Ah Qing, please cook me a bowl of noodles. I need to go out early later."


“Oh."


Lin Xiuqing immediately put down her work and started cooking noodles for him. He had already informed her last night that he planned to visit the deserted island and search for seafood. Naturally, she supported and cooperated with his decision.


The other two sisters-in-law, unaware that he intended to go digging in the sea after finishing his meal, couldn't help but roll their eyes upon hearing his words. They thought he had finally made some progress by offering to help with the chores, but little did they know he immediately mentioned leaving right after finishing his meal.


Originally, Mother Ye had planned to scold him a bit. However, seeing that the couple was willingly accepting their roles and the rebellious child had already disappeared into the house, she could only give up and swallow her words. She muttered a few complaints under her breath.


Ye Yaodong finished his noodles and grabbed a bucket packed with tools. He also stuffed a sack into his pocket. In a hurry, he headed towards the pier.


The women of the Ye family began to thresh the rice and harvest vegetables. They wanted to have an early lunch today before heading out to dig by the sea. The construction of the house would commence tomorrow, and the daily consumption of food would increase significantly. They needed to dig more sand clams to reduce some expenses.


Everyone was busy with their respective tasks, and no one paid attention to Ye Yaodong. They had no idea that he had gone out with his tools to go digging in the sea.


When Ye Yaodong arrived at the pier with his bucket, Little Xiao and Ah Zheng were already there.


"Why are you both so fast?"


"How can you say we men are fast? We just arrived a little while ago, and Ah Guang went to start the boat."


"Alright, you guys wait here, I'll go buy diesel."


"You need to buy diesel? Ah Guang didn't mention it, and I didn't bring any money."


Ah Zheng also patted his pocket and said, "Ah, I didn't bring any either..."


Ye Yaodong smiled and said, "No worries, I brought some. I’ll leave the bucket here. Watch it for me while I go buy it."


Ah Guang is quite considerate. He didn't mention that he paid the rent for the boat himself, otherwise, they would have definitely brought some money.


There was a small shack near the pier that specialized in repairing boat machinery and also sold diesel. Since they didn't have to go far, Ye Yaodong only bought 1 yuan worth of diesel, just enough for their trip. If there was any left, they could consider it as a subsidy for others.


Just after purchasing the diesel, Little Xiao ran over and said, "Are you done? Ah Guang has brought the boat to the shore. Once you're ready, we can get on board."


"Okay, let's go."


Carrying a small jug of diesel, he followed behind them and boarded the boat. As soon as his feet stepped on the deck, he felt a slight rocking motion. But it was nothing to him, and his heart instantly settled a bit.


Handing the jug of diesel to Ah Guang, he said, "Pour the diesel in. It only takes about ten minutes to reach the island, so I only bought a small jug. It should be enough for several round trips."


"Alright, that’s enough. Let's go.”


After a while, the engine started making a clattering sound, and the boat slowly drifted away from the shore. Everyone sat calmly on their seats, chatting away. However, Ye Yaodong's expression grew paler as the boat got closer to the middle of the sea.


Surrounded by water on all sides, with only a small boat swaying in the middle of the vast sea, he couldn't help but think of his physical exhaustion, imagining himself being overwhelmed as seawater poured into his mouth and nostrils...


The suffocating sensation he tried to suppress by not thinking about it seemed to resurface as soon as they reached the middle of the sea. Now, it was difficult for him not to dwell on those thoughts.


Two days ago, while he was by the rocky shore collecting oysters, his focus was solely on the rocks. Even when his legs were submerged in the seawater, he remained calm. However, now, drifting on the sea, he couldn't help but feel a sense of unease creeping in.


While everyone else was chatting and laughing, Ah Zheng noticed that Ye Yaodong was sitting quietly, and his complexion didn't look too good. Surprised, he exclaimed, "Yaodong, what's wrong with you? Oh my god, don't tell me you're getting seasick?"


"Really? You're actually getting seasick?"


"It's only been a short while since we set off. Are you really getting seasick already? Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"


The other two were also extremely surprised. They couldn't believe that someone who lived by the sea would get seasick, especially so quickly after setting sail. It was such an amusing situation that it would surely become a good joke to share with others.


Ye Yaodong wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "I only rode my grandfather's boat when I was a child. It's been so many years since then. Don't laugh at me. When are we going to reach the shore?"


Ah Guang looked at him with a wry smile. No wonder he was hesitant to go out to sea with his father. "Let's first head to the nearby deserted island. It should take about ten minutes. Just hold on a little longer. It won't be too long."


He nodded, acknowledging that his anxiety was indeed quite severe.


The boat swiftly sailed across the sea, creating ripples that spread out in circles. He dared not look at the sea surface nor close his eyes. Instead, he directed his gaze towards the distant mountain peaks, but even that didn't help much as his complexion remained pale.


Ye Yaodong felt frustrated as well. Of all the ways to die, why did it have to be drowning in the sea? How could he, a person who relied on the sea for a living, continue to sustain himself?


Even as they approached the deserted island, his symptoms showed no signs of improvement. He gritted his teeth and made up his mind...


"Why are you undressing? What are you doing?" Ah Guang looked at him puzzled. "Swimming?"


"How many laps are you planning to swim?" Little Xiao's eyes lit up. It seemed like a good idea, especially on such a hot day. "I'll join you too. We can swim to the other side together."


Ah Zheng also exclaimed excitedly, "I want to jump in too! Let's have a race to see who can swim to the other side first!"


As they spoke, both of them started undressing, eager to jump into the water. Only Ah Guang, with a hint of regret, had to remain on the boat. "Once we reach the island, I'll join you and swim a few laps too.”


Ye Yaodong watched their actions and felt reassured. With them accompanying him in the waters, he was confident that they would keep him safe. It was a case of fighting fire with fire, an attempt to overcome his fear of the sea through immersion in it. This could be the turning point he needed.


"Don't swim too fast later, remember to wait for me. If my legs cramp and I drown, I'll come looking for you in the middle of the night!" 


Ah Zheng rolled his eyes and said, "You're just a pretty face, but not much use!"


"Being a pretty face is something you can only envy." After saying these words, Ye Yaodong, seeing that they were already close to the shore, took the lead and jumped into the sea.


As soon as he entered the water, that familiar feeling of suffocation instantly overwhelmed him. He suddenly forgot how to swim, his mind went blank, and his arms and legs struggled frantically, sinking straight to the bottom of the sea.


Still on the boat, Little Xiao and Ah Zheng were preparing to jump when they noticed his unusual movements and his sinking body. They were both surprised.


"Don’t Yaodong know how to swim? What's happening?"


"Go and pull him up to see what's happening!"


Both of them jumped into the water like dumplings, splashing into the sea. They quickly gathered around Ye Yaodong, who was still struggling with his eyes closed. Despite his struggle, there were no signs of him choking on water. They immediately lifted him out of the water.


The sudden rush of fresh air provided him with much-needed relief, being rescued brought an indescribably refreshing sensation.


He opened his eyes and with their help, he managed to stay afloat. After a short while, he regained his sense of movement and started paddling on his own. The panic in his heart also dissipated to some extent.


"What were you doing? How did you sink down? Are you planning to meet Sea Goddess Mazu?"


"I freaking got a cramp! The moment I jumped in, my leg cramped up!"


Everyone: What a coincidence? ? ?


Your leg knows what's going to happen? ? ?


Know in advance? ? ?




(end of this chapter)


***

Z's corner:

Ah Dong's legs: I can predict the future, woo~ (∩¬ω¬)⊃━☆゚.*

Get advance chapters on Patreon. Read Up to 26 chapters ahead! Schedule update is 6x a week (No Sundays).
You can also support us and sponsor a chapter on Kofi! If you can't support us with money, a good review on NU would be great. Always appreciate the help~♡


Table of Contents




Monday, July 3, 2023

BTSFVI Chapter Thirty Six

Read/BTSFVI/Chapter Thirty Six

Table of Contents

        Chapte36 Achieving Little Success and Having More Failures


After confirming the boat was rented, Ye Yaodong felt relieved and leisurely headed home. However, halfway there, he suddenly remembered that construction on his house was starting the next day. He immediately changed direction and headed towards the homestead.


Today, it was his second brother and father's turn to go out to sea, while his eldest brother stayed at home. Early in the morning, after finishing breakfast, he mentioned that he would go up the mountain to pick yellow soil. It's unclear how many loads he ended up carrying, but when thinking about it, he did feel a bit ashamed...


There is indeed a reason why some people's lives are getting better and better. Hard work leads to prosperity. However, today, on the first day of the lunar new year, it was rare to have a significant low tide. They had already rented the boat, so it could only mean that his eldest brother would have to work a little harder.


With this in mind, he couldn't remain leisurely anymore and quickened his pace.


When he arrived at the homestead, there was already a pile of yellow soil about half a person's height. However, he didn't see his eldest brother's figure. There was only a large pot of tea placed under the shade of a tree, indicating that his brother had probably gone to carry soil again. He leaned against the tree, thinking that he would join in and lend a hand for a while.


After being reborn, his mentality had already been set straight.


He only had to wait for a few minutes when he saw his eldest brother pushing a gray two-wheeled cart coming towards him.


“Big brother!"


Ye Yaopeng looked up and smiled, "What are you doing here?"


"Just came to have a look. Construction starts tomorrow. Why are you working with the yellow soil so early?"


He wiped the sweat off his forehead and took a big gulp of tea before saying, “I didn't go out to sea today, and there's nothing urgent to do at home. I thought I'd gather more yellow soil in advance since we'll need it anyway. It's not exactly starting work early if we prepare the homestead now and work on it tomorrow."


"Since we'll be hiring people to work anyway, it's better to just do some of the easier tasks.”


"This is already considered the lighter work. Once construction starts tomorrow, the laborers will have to dig pits, chisel stones up in the mountains, and carry them down for the master to level. Compared to that, carrying yellow soil is considered the easier task."


Ye Yaodong furrowed his brow and nodded, "Alright, I'll go with you to the mountain and lend you a hand."


Ye Yaopeng looked at him unexpectedly, "You want to help?"


"Don't you want me to help?"


Feeling frustrated, he wanted to contribute and help with some tasks, but everyone seemed surprised by his offer.


"Hehe, okay. Then later, come with me to the mountain and help me swing the hoe. Today, we can push a few more carts.” It's rare for the youngest to voluntarily offer to help, so how could he refuse.


"I'll work for a while, but I'll go back at 10 o'clock. I have something to do in the afternoon."


Ye Yaopeng's smile turned awkward for a moment. It turned out that he had misunderstood. The youngest just came to have a look around. It was already 8 o'clock, so he wasn't really planning to work seriously. How could he have a change of heart so quickly?


But the fact that he came to take a look and offered to help with some small tasks showed that he cared about the house construction. It was better than his previous days of being absent. In the evening, his wife mentioned that he had been helping with gathering seafood, which was a sign of progress.


"Alright, then come and help me. Starting from tomorrow, when construction on the house begins, you shouldn't be running around anymore. It'll be father's and my turn to go out to sea tomorrow, leaving only you and Second Brother at home. Mom and the others will have to cook for the workers, and they'll definitely be busy."


"I know."


Ye Yaodong was unaware of his eldest brother's thoughts, and even if he knew, he wouldn't pay much attention to it. This was the intended outcome after all—his transformation shouldn't be too drastic or sudden.


After Ye Yaopeng emptied the yellow soil from the cart, Ye Yaodong took the handle of the cart voluntarily and said, "I'll push it, you lead the way."


“Good."


Although the gravel road was not easy to push on, the empty cart made it relatively easy. In the past few years, when everyone was building houses, they would carry loads of yellow soil and stones on their shoulders, one by one, down the mountain.


These materials don't require money, only manpower to pick them up from the mountain.


At that time, building houses didn't involve using cement. Instead, people mixed the local yellow clay with sand from the mountains, and then plastered it onto the stacked stones to dry. Bricks were not used extensively because everyone believed that using stones was cost-effective and resulted in sturdy houses.


For multi-story buildings, bricks were typically used for the second floor. This was because stones were heavy and difficult to stack at greater heights. Using bricks was more convenient and saved effort in construction.


In fact, when comparing the two, there isn't much difference in terms of cost. Although bricks need to be purchased, stones also require expenses for labor to transport and carve them. The wages for skilled workers are also higher.


Although it was still morning, the sun was scorching hot. After walking for a while, Ye Yaodong was already sweating profusely.


As soon as Ye Yaopeng reached the destination, he picked up a hoe and said, "Since I brought two bamboo scoops, I'll do the hoeing. Once they're full, you can dump them into the gray cart."


“Good!"


With two bamboo scoops, one filled, Ye Yaodong would lift and empty it while Ye Yaopeng continued to fill the other one. The two of them worked in coordination, and indeed, their speed was faster than when one person was working alone.


In no time, one gray cart was filled up.


"I'll push it back, and you can dig some more yellow soil to have it ready. That way, we won't waste time moving back and forth. One person can handle pushing this cart."


"Okay, let's take turns. I'll push the next round," nodded Ye Yaopeng.


"Um."


Letting him do the pushing, he didn't really mind. After all, he would be done in one or two hours and could go back. It wasn't like he had to push many rounds. However, what he didn't expect was that he actually tipped over the cart…


He had only pushed it for a short distance when a stone at the corner tripped the wheel. As a result, he couldn't maintain his balance, and the cart overturned...


Seeing the situation, Ye Yaopeng walked over and looked at him with a wry expression on his face. He patted his shoulder and said, "It's okay, let's load it back up. This road isn't good to begin with, but if we push it a few more times, it won't overturn again."


Ye Yaodong was a bit frustrated. He hadn't pushed this cart before anyway, he could only console himself in this way.


"Fortunately, it was you who saw it. If Dad had seen it, he would have scolded me for being incompetent."


"If you were more diligent in helping with the work, father wouldn't scold you. Let's first put the soil back in place."


He sighed and thought to himself, realizing that even if he worked diligently like his older brothers, he would still face criticism and scolding if things didn't go perfectly.


After loading it again, Ye Yaopeng didn't let him push it to prevent another overturn. "Let me handle the pushing. You go and collect more yellow soil.”


"Fine."


Achieving little success and having more failures, he was still better at fishing!


After helping on the mountain for a while, he looked at the time and figured it was about time to go, so he decided to head back first.


After wielding the hoe for so long, his stomach had long been growling with hunger. He quickly returned home to grab a bite and prepare his tools for fishing.


Lin Xiuqing saw him coming back all sweaty and red-faced and curiously asked, "Didn't you go to borrow a boat? Why do you look like you've been working? You look like you've been fished out of the water."


"I actually went to work. When I left Ah Guang's place, I realized it was still early, so I went to help my eldest brother."


Everyone looked at him in surprise. He had actually volunteered to help transport yellow soil?


Is it real or fake?


Seeing everyone's skeptical expressions, Ye Yaodong rolled his eyes and said, "Don't I have a share of the houses? If I don't help with some work, won't my father break my legs?"


That’s true!


Only these few days Father Ye went out to sea. Otherwise, the house would be filled with the sound of Father Ye scolding Ye Yaodong every day.




(end of this chapter)


***

Z's corner:

Gray cart: Only worthy people can handle me o(´^` )o
Get advance chapters on Patreon. Read Up to 26 chapters ahead! Schedule update is 6x a week (No Sundays).
You can also support us and sponsor a chapter on Kofi! If you can't support us with money, a good review on NU would be great. Always appreciate the help~♡


Table of Contents