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墨書 Inktalez
Yang Yichen suddenly turned to the left, avoiding Wen Yingying's approaching body.
He covered his wildly beating heart, feeling a flush spreading from his cheeks to his ears. Why did he blush and feel his heart race whenever he thought of that girl?
Why did he feel nothing but annoyance at Wen Yingying's closeness?
Old Lady Wen, though her eyesight was failing, could clearly see the expression on her grandson's face from such a close distance, and her heart felt sweeter than honey.
The old lady didn't want to pay attention to her snobbish daughter-in-law. Just because she was older didn't mean she was naive; after all these years, it was clear that this daughter-in-law only cared about her daughter and grandson when they were doing well.
"Yichan, don't mind your Aunt. Tell Grandma, do you have someone you like? Don't say no; your face is all red!" The old lady's eyes crinkled into slits as she smiled, and the wrinkles on her forehead and sagging eyelids looked even more endearing.
Like?
This was the first time Yang Yichen had heard such a term. He questioned his own feelings; when he distanced himself, he couldn't help but want to get closer, and when he was near, he felt inexplicably relaxed.
Wen Yingying was indeed very beautiful, but in his eyes, she was no different from other girls—completely indistinguishable.
That round face, those big dark eyes filled with moisture, and the two dimples—her past expressions and laughter were vivid in his mind, never forgotten, becoming clearer at this moment.
Could this be what liking someone felt like? The racing heart and the urge to be together all the time?
The teased boy felt increasingly embarrassed. He was completely different from the cold Shura in the dark night; could someone like him really have feelings? This sensation was wonderful, making his heart tremble slightly.
"Ahem, Grandma, I’ll head back now. I’ll come see you again after my exams!"
For the first time, Yang Yichen felt an impulse to flee in panic, fearing that Old Lady Wen might say something even more shocking if he stayed any longer.
On the way back, he put away the smile he had forced and seriously pondered with his exceptionally intelligent mind. Suddenly feeling eager, expectant, and anxious—he had never experienced such emotions before.
Indeed, the old lady's teasing remark reminded him that this was what liking someone meant! Could it be that the familiarity he felt in the past stemmed from this?
Recognizing the determination in his heart, Yang Yichen's eyes shone brighter, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly in a confident arc.
What was the girl he had been thinking about doing?
Sanhe Village was bustling with vibrant activity.
Men were swinging their arms, shaking off sweat; women were washing clothes, tending fires, and cooking; children were running around helping to move things; and elderly men with squinting eyes were smoking their pipes.
The coarse gray fabric could not hide the girl's delicate figure and radiant presence. Under the sun, sweat trickled down her body, her fair complexion appearing almost translucent. Two braided pigtails were neatly arranged, resembling a flower.
Amidst a crowd filled with rustic charm, her elegance remained unmistakable.
“Qingxi, come over to my house and see if we’re doing it right!”
“Sure, let’s go,” Liu Qingxi replied, brushing off the dirt from her hands without even taking the time to wash them.
Just as she finished one task, another began. Controlling the weight of the added straw was the most challenging part, and everyone lacked experience. To address this, Liu Qingxi had specially trained Zhang Sanyou and others.
To effectively manage the construction schedule, Liu Qingxi realized that they were severely understaffed and needed to expand their workforce.
Thus, the luckiest ones were the villagers of Ten Li Pu.
Farmers typically made mud bricks themselves to save money during the initial stages since this task required little technical skill. Liu Qingxi was responsible for guiding them through it.
As for the other workers, she entrusted them to the village chief, Zhang Wuliang.
Indeed, the liveliness of Ten Li Pu was no less than that of Sanhe Village.
Zhang Wuliang's home was surrounded by villagers who had come to apply for jobs.
In front of the main hall, Zhang Wuliang stood upright with his hands clasped behind his back. "Everyone, hold on a moment, I have a few words to say."
Instantly, the noisy courtyard fell silent as everyone listened attentively.
"Get up, everyone! The kid here still needs to thank Qingxi for this big project in Sanhe Village. We don't have enough manpower, so naturally, we want to recruit more people, and we’ll consider our own folks first!"
"That's right! Who told Qingxi to be from Ten Li Pu?" An old man in a short black cloth outfit spoke while puffing on a pipe, the smoke swirling around him.
This sparked a discussion among the crowd. "Yes, yes! At least we won't have to run to town looking for work, exhausting ourselves without even getting paid sometimes."
"I heard that there are several families from Sanhe who are taking this job!" Ten dark fingers almost blinded everyone with their brightness.
The sound of people gasping in surprise filled the air. "That much money? It's at least thirty percent higher than what they pay in town!"
"And I also know that they only work four hours at a time, and it won't exceed five hours at most. That's practically like picking up money for free."
"Exactly! No way, I need to perform well."
Everyone hurriedly adjusted their clothes, making sure their buttons were fastened and their hair was neat, worried about leaving a bad impression on Zhang Wuliang.
"Village Chief, we’re all from the same village; you have to help us out!"
"What are you talking about? How could I favor anyone when it comes to what's good for our village? As long as you all pay attention and do well, there will be plenty of work in the future. If this time doesn't work out, there will be another chance."
Zhang Wuliang was afraid that the villagers would harbor resentment if they missed this opportunity. After all, faced with such significant benefits, he himself was tempted; not to mention the villagers who had never seen much of the world.
The work in town was exhausting; it felt like people were working day and night just to earn a few coins.
Compared to working with Liu Qingxi, it was truly like heaven and hell.
But then the problem arose, after all, this is a technical job, and many people have never worked as masons.
"Everyone doesn't need to worry about this. Tiegen is from our village, and I've already talked to Qingxi about it. As long as our villagers are willing to learn, he is willing to teach."
This change in mindset cannot be separated from Liu Qingxi's long-term persuasion.
After all, craftsmanship is generally a skill passed down through generations, rarely shared easily. Otherwise, wouldn't it cut off one's own future? It's not uncommon for a master to starve while teaching their apprentice.
Liu Qingxi appealed to both reason and emotion: "Uncle Tiegen, we can't just look at the immediate benefits. Think about it, we won't only have this little bit of business in the future. If we get one project, we could take on dozens or even hundreds of houses at once. Can we rely on just a few people? It would be impossible to finish."
Zhang Tiegen was continuously puffing on his pipe: "Can we really take on that much work?"
Forgive him; after living for over thirty years, the most he had ever done at one time was two or three houses during the same period.
As for taking on too many projects, he had never encountered that. Liu Qingxi thought he was just boasting.
Deeply ingrained thoughts cannot be easily changed in an instant. Liu Qingxi was merely trying to plant a seed in Zhang Tiegen's mind—a seed that would help his Construction Team gain fame in the Western Moon Kingdom.
Once that seed receives even a bit of sunlight, it will strive to absorb it, take root and sprout, ultimately growing into a towering tree.
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