Li Menglan had too much on her mind last night and hadn't slept well. As soon as the sky began to lighten, she got up. First, she heated water and steeped chrysanthemum tea for everyone, then started proofing dough to prepare breakfast for the day.
By the time Zhang Yuniang, Lin Sanniang, and Wang Shi got up, Li Menglan was already swinging her sore little arms, kneading dough with all her might.
"Grandma, Maternal Grandma, Mother, why don't you all sleep a little longer? I've got the kitchen covered!" Li Menglan reached out to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead and said with a grin.
"Girl, why are you up so early? Did you not sleep well last night?" When Zhang Yuniang saw that Li Menglan's head was covered in fine sweat, and then saw the chrysanthemum tea still steaming with heat, she knew her daughter had probably been up for a long time. As her mother, her heart immediately ached.
Lin Sanniang also frowned in disapproval. "Good granddaughter, you're just a child. Leave these things to your mother and grandma. Quick... go wash your hands and rest."
"That's right, Lan girl!" Maternal Grandma Wang Shi stood on the same side as Lin Sanniang this time. Without letting her get a word in, she pushed Li Menglan out of the kitchen. "Your grandma's words make perfect sense. Go wash your hands and rest. Having your mother, your grandma, and your maternal grandma in this kitchen is plenty."
Uh... Li Menglan was small and frail, having been seriously ill for so long. After busying herself all morning, she truly couldn't take it anymore. She quickly nodded with a smile. "Maternal Grandma, don't push! I'll go rest. By the way... I've already steamed two steamers of mantou. They're in the winnowing basket covered with a cloth."
"We know. Your maternal grandma, your mother, and your grandma—three people with six eyes between us—could we possibly not see?" Wang Shi waved her hand impatiently. "You children always have the most to say. Go... rest to the side!"
Uh... Li Menglan reached up and rubbed her nose. She truly hadn't expected that there would come a day when she would be "disliked" by others. But... it was wonderful!
Zhang Yuniang, Lin Sanniang, and Wang Shi busied themselves in the kitchen. Outside the courtyard, the villagers also began to trickle into the Li family's small yard.
"Uncle Wang, good morning!" Li Menglan greeted Wang Tiezhu, who had walked in first, with a bright smile.
"Mm... Lan girl, why are you up so early? Couldn't sleep a bit longer?" Wang Tiezhu liked this sensible little girl very much and likewise spoke in a loud voice.
Li Dazhu, Zhang Wenli, Li Zhiming, Li Zhihao, Li Fujin, and Zhang Laohan—the men of the Li and Zhang families—also got up one after another.
"Brother Wang, why did you come so early?" Li Dazhu asked somewhat sheepishly. He realized that the hired helpers his family had invited had already arrived, while he, the master of the house... had only just gotten up. A rosy flush spread across his dark cheeks; unfortunately, his skin was too dark for it to be noticeable.
"Hehe... there's nothing to do at home. Since I was up anyway, I figured I might as well come early." Wang Tiezhu smiled faintly.
"Uncle Li, good morning!"
"Brother Dazhu, morning!"
"Brother Zhang, are you sleeping well here in Shangliang Village?"
The hired villagers walked in one after another from outside the courtyard, each greeting the Li father and son and Zhang Laohan warmly.
Many hands make light work. Although the Li family was building quite a few houses, the number of helpers they had hired was nothing to scoff at either!
After ten to twenty days of hard work, they finally arrived at the most crucial moment—the ridgepole raising!
In ancient times, raising the ridgepole when building a house was an extremely important step. Once the ridgepole was raised, it meant the new house was nearly complete. After the ridgepole raising, they would proceed to lay the roof tiles. This was a major event, and usually a feast would be held to celebrate.
"Dad, tomorrow go borrow Uncle Wang's ox cart again." That evening, as the Li family sat together chatting, Li Menglan suddenly spoke up.
"Alright!" Li Dazhu was startled but agreed without asking why.
Recently, Li Menglan's conduct had become increasingly steady—clearly inconsistent with her age. The Li and Zhang families both regarded her as their backbone.
Even so, Li Menglan still explained to her family: "Grandpa, Grandma, Maternal Grandpa, Maternal Grandma, Dad, Mom, the pork and pork offal at home are almost gone. The day after tomorrow is the ridgepole raising... I want to go to Qingshui Town tomorrow to buy some pork, and by the way, deliver a batch of mixed seasonings to the restaurant."
During this time, because the family had been busy building houses, aside from the one time Li Menglan delivered seasonings when she went to buy pork, this would be the second delivery to the Zhao family. Because of this, Old Master Zhao had given Li Menglan quite a scolding.
He kept complaining that Li Menglan was a heartless little wretch who had forgotten about this grandpa of hers—she hadn't brought him any more delicious food.
Li Menglan's face had darkened at the time. Among everything he said... that last sentence was probably what Old Master Zhao truly meant!
Li Menglan had no choice but to explain to Old Master Zhao, patiently saying that her family had been too busy building houses recently and had no time. She also promised that once this busy period was over, she would definitely think up a few more delicious dishes for him.
Only then did she escape Old Master Zhao's punishment of flying spittle.
The ridgepole raising was indeed a major affair. Her family needed to host a banquet for the villagers who came to celebrate. How could a village feast be held without pork?
Li Fujin nodded and instructed the two brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao, beside him: "Eldest, Second, you two. When you go to town tomorrow, take good care of your sister. If you buy things, don't let your sister carry them."
"That's right!" Zhang Laohan also nodded. "Eldest, Second, you two are her older brothers. You must take good care of your sister."
Zhang Laohan and Li Fujin simultaneously exhorted the two brothers, Li Zhiming and Li Zhihao.
"Grandpa, Maternal Grandpa, we understand." The two brothers nodded in unison.
"Dad, Uncle Li, why don't I accompany Lan girl and the two of them tomorrow?" Zhang Wenli still wasn't quite at ease about his precious niece.
"Little Uncle, there's no need." Li Menglan looked at her family who loved her, her heart brimming with emotion. "There are still many things to do at home these days. Little Uncle, you're also busy making furniture and doors and windows—where would you find the time? Better not. Having Big Brother and Second Brother look after me is enough."
Zhang Wenli, along with two other carpenters in the village, was responsible for all the doors, windows, tables, chairs, benches, beds, cabinets, chests, and other furniture for the Li family. He was already swamped on ordinary days. Li Menglan didn't want her little uncle to work too hard.
"Dad, if you have time tomorrow, go with Uncle Wang and the others to Yun River to pick up some pebbles. I'll need them later." Li Menglan suddenly remembered something and quickly said to Li Dazhu while the family still had hired help at home.
"Mm... Dad knows, daughter... how many of those pebbles do you want?"
"Dad, just pick up twenty or thirty loads!"
"Got it!"