Chapter 25.1 The Green Tea Phoenix Man

More than half an hour passed, and Xie Xiaoqian woke up. She rubbed her eyes and came out of the room. Xie Hezhang stuffed a toothbrush holder into her hand and urged her to hurry up and brush her teeth and wash her face.

Shu Qingyao boiled a pot of water in the new pot and poured it into the thermos. She brewed three cups of fragrant malt milk essence. When Xie Xiaoqian came back after washing her face, she handed her a cup.

There were no stools or chairs in the house. They were going to have lunch with Xie Hezhang’s friends, and Shu Qingyao was worried. Xie Hezhang had already carried four long benches back.

He had borrowed them from the neighbor next door.

Shu Qingyao smiled and said, “Later, when we cook the rice, we’ll also serve a bowl to the neighbors. We’re all neighbors in the village. We can help each other out in the future.”

Xie Hezhang looked at the smile on her face, his eyes deep, and he responded in a low voice, “Okay.”

Shu Qingyao held her enamel mug and looked around the new house.

To be honest, the house Xie Hezhang’s grandfather left him was indeed good.

It had three bedrooms and a living room, blue tiles and white walls. Not only did it have water and electricity, but the walls were also built smoothly and plastered with whitewash, making it look very bright.

Although it was a self-built house, it was no worse than the place she lived in the city.

At this time, there were still many families in Helian Village that didn’t have electricity, and most of them lived in mud brick houses.

It was rare to be able to live in a house built with bricks.

No wonder the Wang family was reluctant to leave.

Shu Qingyao looked at the small corner by the window and thought about whether she should have the piano she used to play as a child sent over from home.

Since she planned to cultivate Xie Xiaoqian, she naturally had to give her the best education. The foot-pedal organ in the school was okay for beginners, but with Xie Xiaoqian’s rate of progress, it would probably be useless soon.

Besides, it was inconvenient to run so far to practice every day.

Shu Qingyao was calculating in her mind when she heard Fang Han and the others’ cheerful laughter coming from outside.

A group of young men were wearing shorts, bare-chested, dripping with water, their dry clothes slung over their shoulders, carrying several seven or eight-pound carp in their hands. One of them was even carrying a wild duck on his shoulder. They seemed to have a good harvest.

Seeing Shu Qingyao, one of the young men ran over, showing off his treasure, “Sister-in-law, we saw so many wild duck eggs in the reed marsh!”

He was carrying a bunch of duck eggs of different sizes in his arms. Some of them were still covered with duck feathers. There were quite a few, about two or three pounds.

There were always people patrolling the reed marsh to find wild duck eggs. If they were lucky, they could even catch a wild duck to eat.

They didn’t expect to find duck eggs that no one had discovered on this trip.

Xie Hezhang came out and said expressionlessly, “You stink, go wash up!”

The young man stuck out his tongue, quickly handed the duck eggs to Xie Hezhang, and went to the well to wash with Fang Han and the others.

…

Shu Qingyao couldn’t cook.

But these young men obviously knew how to cook.

Shu Qingyao and Xie Xiaoqian squatted in the courtyard, watching them busy themselves.

They boiled water, scalded the duck feathers, and quickly cleaned the wild duck.

Shu Qingyao watched Xie Hezhang deftly cleaning the fish Fang Han and the others had caught. She knew she couldn’t help much, so she didn’t join in the fun.

When cooking the rice, Xie Hezhang saw her open the bag of 100 kilograms of rice. He suggested adding some beans to it. Shu Qingyao generously poured three or four kilograms of rice into the pot, “We have to send some to the neighbors. Besides, I said I would treat your friends to white rice. What’s the point of adding beans?”

Xie Hezhang pursed his lips, then as if he had thought of something, he took out a stack of neatly organized banknotes and a few food coupons from his pocket.

He stuffed them into Shu Qingyao’s hand.

Shu Qingyao was stunned and looked up at him.

“…I asked the captain to advance my work points for this month.” Xie Hezhang coughed lightly, “I took leave this month, bought a pot, and there’s not much left. Take this for now.”

Shu Qingyao quickly returned it, “Xie Hezhang, I don’t need…”

Xie Hezhang continued, “I’ll work hard from now on, so take the money. If you need anything else at home, you can help me look. I can earn ten work points a day now. You and Xiaoqian…you can eat whatever you want, use this.”

Shu Qingyao was stunned.

He was…planning to let her manage the house?

He was giving her a salary.

Xie Hezhang was already an adult, so the captain naturally couldn’t be too harsh on his work points. One work point in Helian Village could be exchanged for about two cents. Xie Hezhang could now earn twenty cents a day.

Before, he couldn’t afford to support Xie Xiaoqian because he had to give more than half of his daily earnings to Xie Helan.

After Xie Hezhang finished speaking, his face turned a little red, and he went to the stove to stoke the fire.

“Ahem.”

Shu Qingyao coughed lightly. She also felt that the atmosphere was a little subtle. She took the banknotes and food coupons, “Then I’ll manage them for you.”

Three and a half kilograms of rice cooked into a large pot of rice.

As soon as the lid was opened, the air was filled with the aroma of rice.

The aroma of rice cooked on a rural stove was completely different from the taste of rice cooked on a gas stove. Even Shu Qingyao swallowed hard a few times.

She took a bowl and served four bowls of rice, sending them to the neighbors who had lent them benches.

One of them was the kind middle-aged woman who had lent her porridge yesterday. Seeing her bring over a large bowl of rice, she felt a little embarrassed and gave Shu Qingyao two potatoes.

She said to Shu Qingyao, “Hezhang is a poor boy. His uncle and aunt are not good people! Now that they’ve separated, we’re all neighbors in the village. If you need any help in the future, just ask!”

Shu Qingyao smiled sweetly, “Thank you, auntie. I’ll trouble you then.”

The woman held the bowl of rice and looked at Shu Qingyao’s back as she left. She thought to herself, Xie Hezhang, it seems like your luck is turning around.

This Shu Qingyao is not only kind-faced and generous, but she’s also quite capable. Having such a wife is a blessing in disguise.

…

The next morning, Shu Qingyao found twenty pounds of duck eggs in her bed.

She was stunned and remembered that she had indeed dreamed again last night.

Perhaps it was because of the wild duck eggs she ate, this time she dreamed that she and Xie Hezhang were shopping at the supermarket.

Just as Shu Qingyao was trying to sneakily stuff the duck eggs under the bed, Xie Xiaoqian woke up.