A Good Country Wife

The workers who were recruited this time were mostly from other villages. Now, with the weather being so cold and the days growing dark early, it was inconvenient to travel back and forth. It also wasted time. Zhao Erhu took the lead in building several large communal rooms, which could accommodate dozens of people in a single room. A large kitchen was also set up outside, with six big pots installed, so accommodation and food were both taken care of. This allowed everyone to concentrate on their work.

"Dongjia, Geng Liu from the neighboring village has brought over the stone mill that was made. He’s asking if it should be delivered to the workshop," said Zhao Erhu as he directed the workers in building the houses. Liu Aniu came over to inquire.

"Yes, that’s right, it goes there. Take him to the workshop, and once you’re done, go to my wife to settle the accounts. I’ve already spoken to her about it, she knows," Zhao Erhu was tied up at the moment and couldn’t leave, so he had Liu Aniu see to it. Looking at the progress of the construction, it would be finished in another day or two at most.

After the autumn harvest, there was little else to be done, and the villagers could only rely on odd jobs to earn some Silver Coin. However, such jobs were not easy to come by—with so many people in the village, not everyone could find work. Those without jobs could only stay at home, frittering away their food. This time, hearing that the Zhao Family needed more workers, people from several villages were very pleased.

Zhang Chunhua and Li Xiaomei were at this time also at their parents’ home, assisting Lin Yue in recruiting workers. Zhang Chunhua had spent a few months in the Zhao household and was already adept at such tasks, but it was Li Xiaomei’s first time handling such a responsibility. Worried about betraying Lin Yue’s trust, Xiaomei had specifically sought Zhang Chunhua’s advice before returning home and was now busily directing her parents around the house.

"Dad, Mom, have you talked to the village chief and got it all sorted out? We need to get this done quickly. It’s rare for my sister-in-law to trust me with such an important task, and I can’t afford to mess it up."

"Don’t worry, girl. Do you not know what your father is capable of? I’ve already talked to the village chief, and everyone in the village knows by now. They will come to our house to sign up this afternoon. I’ll make sure the job is done well, so you can make a good impression in front of Zhao Erhu and his wife," said Li Datong, Xiaomei’s father, with a gleeful tone. As parents who doted on their daughter, how could they not put their hearts into a task she asked of them, especially when it was a matter that could earn them respect?

"When recruiting, make sure to keep your eyes peeled. We can’t take anyone who is dishonest or sneaky."