Compared with yesterday, Ji Wei started from home a lot earlier than on. He was able to find a better location for his booth, thus the source of customers was more, and the business became more and more prosperous. In just a few days, he had already earned nearly 2,000 coins, the cost of selling the jade bracelets had also been made back.
With a little extra money in his pocket, Ji Wei began to think about putting the bread kiln on the drawing into action.
The weather was just right that day, Ji Wei only prepared less than ten pounds of noodles. With his recent popularity, he sold out and closed the stall before noon. On the way back, he asked Liu Yimian to take the cart home, while he turned to West Second Lane.
Next to the West Alley is the West Second Lane. Compared with the West Alley where twelve families live, the West Second lane only has six households. Of all the nearby alleys and lanes, West Second Lane is the quietest. In the early years, someone had passed the imperial exam and became a scholar, the whole family moved to the city with him.
Zhang family’s provisions store is quite big. In addition to Changliu Town, there were also branches in the city. However, the old man of the Zhang family is nostalgic and has no plans to leave Changliu Town. As the business grows bigger and bigger, he gradually bought over a few surrounding families’ houses and expanded his. Furthermore, the only son of the Zhang family’s generation passed the Xiucai exam last autumn, and the whole family celebrated. The old man was looking for a daughter-in-law, so he bought the building next door and planned to let his son move in when he got married.
Aunt Zhou’s husband, Zhao Dalong, is the long-term worker for the Zhang family.
In recent days, as Zhang’s house was expanding, he was assigned to assist. He was so busy every day that didn’t even have time to go home for meals. Because of this, Aunt Zhou had to bring the meals all the way to him. When she was at Ji’s house to deliver mushrooms the day before yesterday, Aunt Zhou complained to Liu Yimian and casually said that the expansion of Zhang’s house had come to an end, Ji Wei heard it and kept it in his mind.
The construction of the bread kiln should be done sooner rather than later. Ji Wei did not want to delay any further, so he decided to carry out the plan today.
While he was passing by a house, Ji Wei couldn’t help but slow down.
The one who lives here is Lin Sanjie, who is having an affair with the original owner.
It’s also bad luck for her. Just a few years after getting married, her husband died. She was alone, helpless, and been branded as someone who would cause his husband to die at an early age. She sells tofu to earn a living. Fortunately, people in the town saw her as pitiful, and many restaurants accepted her tofu.
She happened to bump into the original owner who was drunk while delivering tofu. The rogue saw that she was born young and beautiful, and started to follow her all the way to West Second Lane. In the next few months, He would often come to her place while bringing clothes and food. After a period, as Lin Sanjie was just a lonely woman, she inevitably accepted him. It went on for a long time so much so that everyone knew about the affair between the two.
But this has nothing to do with Ji Wei.
He hadn’t thought about continuing the relationship.
In his previous life, he was a workaholic. Apart from having a puppy love in his youth, he had never even courted a woman in his 31-year life. Not to mention that he is now in this unfamiliar dynasty that cannot be found in any history textbook. He is both poor and notorious. Even if they really plan to get married and have children, they can consider that after their career is successful.
He walked over, but the door of Lin Sanjie’s house opened suddenly.
Lin Sanjie, who was about to go to South Street to deliver tofu, crossed the sill while holding the corner of her skirt, and out of the corner of her eyes, she caught a familiar shape. She was overjoyed and a little unbelievable, and it took her a long while to call out.
Ji Wei screamed inside his heart but turned around slowly.
“You, you heartless thing… did you finally remember me?” Lin Sanjie was thin and weak, and her skin was fair. As she stood there, her eyes were reddish, like a weak willow supporting the wind, delicate and charming. She stepped forward quickly, slammed her fist on Ji Wei’s shoulder, and feigned anger, “I heard that you were beaten and bedridden, are you feeling better now?”
Ji Wei subconsciously took a half step back, distanced himself from Lin Sanjie, and said embarrassedly, “It’s not a big deal, I’ve recovered from it. I still have to go to Zhang’s house, you should also go and deliver the tofu. It’s hot, so be careful and don’t be late.”
After that, Ji Wei turned around and walked away quickly.
Lin Sanjie stood there and watched for a while, then bit her lip angrily, picked up the tofu, and proceed to South Street.
…
The main door was wide open as the renovation had not yet been finished.
Ji Wei knocked twice, but no one answered him, so he walked in.
In front of him was a house with blue bricks and white walls, which is different from other wooden houses in the alley, and looks much more imposing. It’s just that the frame of the house has just been completed, the doors and windows were not installed, so people cannot live in it yet.
Ji Wei turned around the house, only to see a man sitting cross-legged on the ground under the shady roof, holding a large bowl in his hand, and eating contently.
“Uncle Zhao, didn’t you go home and rest at noon?”
Zhao Dalong was so startled by Ji Wei that his hands shook violently, and the enamel bowl was turned over from his hands. Fortunately, Ji Wei caught it with his hands and breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Wei lifted the hem of his clothes with a smile, sat beside Zhao Dalong, and said casually, “I almost committed a big sin.”
“What are you doing here?” Zhao Dalong took a few bites of the food, staring at Ji Wei in confusion. Next to his house lived a well-known rogue, he was naturally displeased. Since the two elders of the Ji family passed away one after another, he has not been to Ji’s house for a long time. If it was not for his wife who likes the brother bought by Ji’s family, the two families would have ended their relationship early.
In addition, Ji Wei lives in West Lane, and he has no relationship with the Zhang family. His sudden appearance here caused Zhao Dalong to feel a little alarm.
As he thought of this, he slowed down his eating speed.
Ji Wei cleared his throat, “I heard that the Zhang’s is renovating the house, so I came to take a look. My house is narrow and dark, it is hot in summer and cold in winter. I plan to save enough money and repair it as well.”
Zhao Dalong had heard about Ji Wei from his mother-in-law lately, saying that Ji Wei seemed to have changed a lot these days, and actually started a serious business, which means he is trying to change to a good person. He had doubts in his heart at first, but now looking at him, this kid has a clear and sincere face, which is quite different from the ruthless and arrogant person before.
Thinking so, he couldn’t help but nodded and replied, “Yes, the two-unit in your house was built by your parents ten years ago. After so many years, it’s time to change it.” After that, he ignored Ji Wei and just concentrate on eating.
Ji Wei didn’t plan to create any more small talks deliberately and swept the place privately with his eyes. Just a dozen paces away in front of them, there was a well with a lot of green bricks and sand piled up beside it. It didn’t look like it was left over from building the house.
He pointed to the pile of green bricks and asked, “Uncle Zhao, what are you using that for?”
“The old man felt that the well was too small and not grand enough, so he said he would smash it and rebuild it. But building the house is more than enough work for us, so we didn’t bother with the well yet.”
Zhao Dalong put the tableware and chopsticks back into the food box, got up, and flexed his legs. Seeing Ji Wei’s face full of novelty, he said casually, “If you want to see the place, I’ll take you around.” After that, he regretted it a little, but Ji Wei agreed quickly, and he didn’t want to go back to his words and lead the way.
The structure of this house presents a “目” character structure, with a small kitchen on the left, a hall in the middle, and two rooms on the right, one is a study and the other is a bedroom. They are all connected by a small door, but the door frame is empty and the door has not been installed.
On the side of the main hall wall were several sections of rough wood, and in the middle was a bag of leftover cement and several layers of neat bricks.
Ji Wei was not sure about the use of these things and casually asked Zhao Dalong for advice.
The middle-aged man is a straightforward person, but he doesn’t know that Ji Wei has ulterior motives for it and so he is not wary. He explained in detail: “Master Zhang is a kind person, and allows us to rest for three days before starting work again. Next, we will hire a few carpenters to do the doors and windows, I don’t think these things are very useful. When the time comes, I will ask to see if anyone wants to build a chicken coop or something, bring it back with him, so as not to take up space.”
Ji Weiyi listened and was happy, but he couldn’t show it on his face, pretending to be confused: “Doesn’t anyone want these?”
“Everyone lives in their house for more than ten years. Besides, if they really going to be rebuilt, this little bit of bricks and woods is definitely not enough?” Zhao Dalong walked to the corner and touched the beam that is thicker than his arm, “You see this When the time comes, it may be used as a window frame. I guess it will do. But if it doesn’t work, I will bring it back and use it as firewood. This wood is good and durable.”
Ji Wei was thinking about this green brick and cement, so he didn’t listen to Zhao Dalong very much.
Zhao Dalong talked for a long time, but he didn’t hear Ji Wei’s squeak. Looking back, Ji Wei was squatting on the ground, still touching the pile of green bricks in his hand, with an inexplicable face, he asked: “What’s wrong with these bricks?”
Ji Wei woke up from his though, and was a little embarrassed: “Uncle Zhao, I just need to build something at home and need some bricks, see if you can…” He thought for a while, and then said, “I will pay twenty coins for the bricks and cement here, can you give it to me?”
To ask for it for free, Ji Wei felt a little uneasy. But to pay too much for it, it hurts a bit.
Twenty coins to buy this pile of good-quality green bricks, plus half a bag of cement, adds up to fifty or sixty coins. Ji Wei felt a little guilty for calling out this low price.
After Zhao Dalong heard it, he was silent for a long time, “So this is why you come here today, just for these?”
Ji Weiyi choked and touched his nose, “I am here just to have a look. I happened to see that there are extra blue bricks and cement. If Master Zhang is willing, I would like to buy them.”
“If you want it, you can take it with you, but I still have to inform Master Zhang, so let me tell him tomorrow. Later in the afternoon, you can bring an ox cart to take all these away. After that, the vacate main hall will be so much easy for cleaning.”
Ji Wei was overjoyed and couldn’t help but clasped his fists and bowed to Zhao Dalong.
“Thank you Uncle Zhao.”
“No, no, it’s not me if you want to thank, go thank Master Zhang when you have time.” Zhao Dalong waved his hand and muttered in his heart, how can people really change so suddently? Weird, really weird.
Ji Wei didn’t delay any further, he brought Zhao Dalong’s food box to Aunt Zhou’s house first, borrowed an ox cart from the next-door farmer, went directly to West second Lane to bring back dozens of unused green bricks, half a bag of cement and sand.