Chapter 82: I Want to Sleep with You

Not to mention the renovation of ancestral halls and the construction of roads and bridges in the village, which were all requested due to their family’s earnings.

Zhu Yongwu was fed up with these demands, but he had grown accustomed to them over time, believing it to be the norm. He even thought that all villages in the world operated in the same way.

Prosperity breeds envy.

But it seemed entirely different in the Jiang family village. The village chief was so amiable and genuinely hoped for them to earn more, even aspiring for the entire village to prosper, rather than solely focusing on extracting money from them.

Zhu Yongwu felt that settling in the Jiang family village was truly the right decision!

Grateful for Jiang Zhengxin’s warmth and kindness, Zhu Yongwu repeatedly expressed his thanks, “Being able to settle in our Jiang family village is a blessing. When the kiln is built, and if everything goes smoothly, I will definitely…”

His voice choked, and he couldn’t continue.

However, Jiang Zhengxin understood what he meant. He reached out and patted Zhu Yongwu’s shoulder, “I understand your intentions. You have this in your heart, and that’s enough. You don’t need to keep talking about it. It’s a kind gesture to support fellow villagers when you become prosperous, but not doing so is also acceptable. It’s not a fault.”

“If you keep talking about it, others may start to see it as something that’s expected. This isn’t good for you or for others. All in all, having this intention is already commendable.”

Jiang Zhengxin had experienced the ups and downs of life for several decades and had managed the Jiang family village for nearly twenty years. He was well aware of village affairs and had encountered similar situations in neighboring villages.

In all matters, one must do more and say less. This is especially true for things that will only happen in the future; they should be approached with caution.

“I understand, I understand,” Zhu Yongwu nodded repeatedly, knowing that Jiang Zhengxin was looking out for him.

After discussing the matter of building the kiln for a while, the three of them dispersed in the evening.

The next day, they all busied themselves.

Jiang Zhengxin handled the paperwork and procedures required for building the kiln, Jiang Youcheng prepared to procure the materials for the kiln, and Zhu Yongwu began sketching the kiln’s blueprint, planning its size and the auxiliary structures needed.

Under the impetus of Jiang Zhengxin and Jiang Youcheng, the entire Jiang family village became busy, helping Zhu Yongwu build the house and construct the kiln.

Building houses followed the village’s customs, so the villagers only received lunch and tea, without any wages, as it was considered a communal duty.

However, the kiln was a personal livelihood, not a communal obligation. It wouldn’t be fair to expect others to help without compensation. After discussing with Jiang Youcheng, Zhu Yongwu decided to pay the workers a daily wage of thirteen wen, following the same standards set when Jiang Youcheng built his workshop.

Thirteen wen was a more lucrative wage than just providing a lunch meal, especially for rural families. It was tangible money, and for farmers, it was always preferable to have actual cash in hand.

Initially, Zhu Yongwu felt uneasy when he heard that Jiang Youcheng had set the wage at thirteen wen. He worried about potential disparities in income and whether people would compete to work on the kiln, leaving no one willing to build houses. He feared it might lead to disputes.

However, his apprehension was quickly dispelled. The laborers in the Jiang family village divided themselves into two groups, with one working on the houses and the other on the kiln. Zhu Yongwu soon noticed that those working on the kiln tended to come from economically challenged families, with elderly or sick members, or those facing financial difficulties.

Observing this, he realized that families in relatively better circumstances voluntarily gave up the opportunity to earn money, allowing those facing hardships to do the work and alleviate their financial burdens. The unity and mutual assistance among the villagers deeply moved Zhu Yongwu.

After dinner, while chatting with Zhu Guangtai, he remarked, “I also think the Jiang family village is quite nice.”

“You’re right,” Zhu Guangtai’s smile widened, “I’ve been saying how great it is here.”

“Indeed, you’re absolutely right,” Zhu Yongwu said, affectionately ruffling the boy’s hair.

Having spent nearly two months in the Jiang family village, enjoying good food and restful sleep, and seeing Zhu Guangtai grow healthily, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and contentment.

“What have you been up to these days?” Zhu Yongwu asked.

During this period, Zhu Yongwu became increasingly preoccupied with building the house and constructing the kiln, paying less attention to Zhu Guangtai.

“I’m with my uncle,” Zhu Guangtai proudly lifted his chin.

“Just with your uncle?”

“Yes,” Zhu Guangtai nodded vigorously.

He wasn’t lying. Over the past few days, he had done nothing else but follow Song Jingyun.

He watched Song Jingyun make clay puppets, weave baskets, listened to his stories about catching fish and shrimp by the river, and hunting rabbits…

The more he observed, the more stars appeared in Zhu Guangtai’s eyes, making him increasingly convinced that Jiang Chunyu was right.

His uncle was truly amazing!

However, if his uncle were to be called a deity, that would be too exaggerated. After all, deities lived in the heavens, and those who lived on earth were called humans.

Therefore, Zhu Guangtai felt that it would be more appropriate to call Song Jingyun a divine person.

“My uncle is really, really amazing. I wish I could follow him every day…” Zhu Guangtai became more and more excited as he spoke. As he went to pour out the water used for washing feet, he coincidentally met Song Jingyun doing the same.

“Uncle, uncle!” Zhu Guangtai ran up to him, brimming with enthusiasm.

“You’re still awake,” Song Jingyun said, patting Zhu Guangtai’s head after pouring the water.

Zhu Guangtai was lively, and he praised Song Jingyun more often than his own mother.

It seems Song Jingyun quite likes him.

“I’m about to go to bed,” Zhu Guangtai blinked, gazing at Song Jingyun, feeling like he was emitting a radiant glow that was hard to look away from.

“Hey, Uncle,” Zhu Guangtai stammered, struggling to speak. “Can I sleep with you tonight?”

He really wanted to be with his uncle every day!

What?

Song Jingyun, holding a wooden basin, took a step to the side.

After gathering his thoughts, he tentatively asked, “What did you say?”

“I… can I sleep with you tonight?” Zhu Guangtai responded tentatively.

Upon hearing Zhu Guangtai’s words, Song Jingyun immediately shook his head vigorously, “No, you can’t.”

He needed to sleep with his wife. Their bed was large, comfortable, and his wife had a pleasant scent, which always made for a peaceful night’s sleep.

Since arriving, he had been sleeping with his wife. If he suddenly changed his sleeping arrangement, he wouldn’t be able to rest.

Receiving this response, Zhu Guangtai felt deeply disappointed.

“Be good, go back to your father,” Song Jingyun patted Zhu Guangtai’s head once again.

Ah, the thoughts of children! They tend to want to sleep with whoever they like. I remember when my husband or boyfriend first visited my home, my nephew (my older sister’s child) really liked him. He insisted on sleeping with my husband, and when we tried to stop him, he would cry and fuss. In the end, my father scared him, saying that my husband, who wore glasses, was a strict teacher… and my nephew reluctantly gave in. Kids!