Chapter 150: Becoming Wealthy as a Salted Fish

The items on the ox cart had been unloaded and placed in various rooms.

They didn’t use the bedding left by the homeowner. After tidying up and placing it in the cupboard, they laid out their own bedding.

The ox cart was now only half empty.

After dinner, Shen Yu’an and the others planned to make a trip to the town to inquire about the prices of building materials such as green bricks and roof tiles.

The elderls did not accompany them on this matter. They only allowed Shen Ming, Shen Yun, and Zhang Xiangyang to accompany Shen Yu’an to the town.

Upon hearing that they were going to the town, Hua Ling also insisted on going.

She was curious about everything and wanted to tag along whenever there was an opportunity to go out.

Hua Nan frowned like a little adult and scolded, “Stop fooling around, the others are going to the town for business.”

Hua Ling stopped in her tracks but still seemed reluctant.

Shen Yu’an glanced at her and reassured, “We’re not going to the town to play today. I’ll take you next time we go.”

Hua Ling pouted but reluctantly agreed.

However, she quickly exclaimed with excitement, “Tell sister An’an to bring me back a martial arts novel. I want the kind about swordsmen in the martial world.”

While on the road, she stumbled upon a martial arts novel tucked in a book box belonging to Shen Dalang and the others.

After reading it, she became fond of it. However, the book was too short, so whenever she saw Shen Yu’an heading out, she hoped he could bring back another one.

“Alright,” Shen Yu’an agreed, but in her heart, she was thinking about when she would have the time to retrieve or write martial arts novels from the future in her dimensional space.

The stories from the future were more captivating and diverse compared to the repetitive novels available in the present.

If she could bring them out and sell them, it could be a way to become wealthy.

…

Shen Yu’an and the other four people boarded the ox cart, swaying as they left the village and headed towards the town.

As the ox cart passed through the village, the villagers greeted them with smiling faces, wanting to leave a good impression in their presence.

The men driving the cart from the front also smiled back at them.

Being newcomers to the village, they naturally couldn’t compare to those who had been living there for a long time. If they could get along well with the villagers, it would be even better.

Once they left the village, they entered a slightly muddy path with scattered trees planted on both sides.

The trees were not neatly arranged; they were scattered here and there, giving a sense of disorder.

The cold winter wind blew fiercely, making Shen Yu’an feel the chill even inside the carriage. However, Shen Ming and the others sat on the outside of the cart, chatting happily as if unaffected.

Shen Yu’an lifted the curtain and called out, “Uncle, come inside and sit.”

The space in the front of the cart was quite spacious, easily accommodating three grown men.

Shen Ming, Shen Yun, and Zhang Xiangyang waved their hands nonchalantly and said, “Ah, this bit of wind? It’s nothing compared to what we used to endure.”

Seeing that they didn’t seem cold at all, Shen Yu’an reluctantly retreated behind the curtain and began thinking about the house construction.

They had already planned out the materials needed for building the house, and once they inquired about the prices, they could start transporting them back tomorrow.

She realized that in this era, there was no cement available, and the adhesive for the walls was made from sticky rice mortar.

Shen Yu’an thought about the production method of cement in her previous life and felt that it couldn’t be achieved overnight.

However, she could take some time to visit the armory in her dimensional space and see if there were any useful items or materials.

She could become rich in this small place and then live a leisurely life as a salted fish.

While lost in her thoughts, the ox cart slowly entered Qingyan Town.

It was already afternoon, so it wasn’t as bustling as in the morning, but there were still plenty of pedestrians coming and going in the town.

Shen Ming asked for directions while sitting on the ox cart and headed towards the place where bricks and tiles were sold.

At the outskirts of Qingyan Town, they found the shop that sold bricks and tiles. The shop only displayed a portion of the samples.

Shen Ming and the others inquired about the prices. The green bricks were priced at three wen each, and the roof tiles were five wen for two pieces. They also had lime for sale, but it was sold by weight.

In addition to the regular bricks and tiles, the shop also had second-grade defective ones, which were comparatively cheaper.

However, Shen Yu’an and the others chose slightly higher quality green bricks.

Before coming here, they had already discussed the approximate quantity they needed and directly asked the shopkeeper for an adequate amount of bricks, tiles, and lime.

By the time they finished conversing with the shopkeeper, the sky had darkened, and the fierce wind outside grew even louder.

After paying the deposit, Shen Yu’an and the others quickly left.

As for the bricks and tiles, the first batch would be delivered to their doorstep tomorrow, but they would have to pay an extra twenty wen per cart for delivery.

They retraced their steps along the same road, braving the cold wind as they returned to Longxian Village.

Above the courtyard where the Shen family currently resided, smoke billowed from the chimney.

Shen Yun jumped down from the cart and knocked on the door, which immediately opened from the inside.

Shen Yu’an also disembarked from the carriage.

The person who opened the door was Xiao Zhang, standing in front of the door with her pregnant belly.

Seeing Xiao Zhang standing there with such a large belly, Shen Yun’s heart trembled, and he quickly approached and supported her through her clothes.

Shen Yun exclaimed, “Why did you come out in the middle of the night? It would have been fine to let Liulang or someone else open the door. Hurry inside.”

Xiao Zhang smiled and greeted the others outside, saying, “Come on in.”

Shen Yun helped her walk inside, and she chuckled, saying, “I’ve been lying in bed all day, and my body has become so weak. I just wanted to come out for a walk, and I happened to hear you knocking on the door.”

Several children in the courtyard were playing games, creating a lively atmosphere.

The people inside the house and the kitchen also came out upon hearing the commotion.

Grandma Shen wiped her hands and asked, “How did it go? Did you finalize everything?”

The people cooking in the house were Song Shi, Zhao Shi, and Ding Hehua. Occasionally, Song Xiao Ni would also lend a hand, and even Hua Ling would join in to help out.

But Grandma Shen couldn’t sit idle either, so she decided to help in the kitchen by washing vegetables.

When they heard that Shen Yu’an and the others had returned, they all came out.

Braving the frosty air, the group entered the house, answering everyone’s questions one by one.

Shen Yu’an continued, “The first batch of bricks will be delivered tomorrow, and once we hire some workers, we can start construction.”

Everyone was happy at the thought of living in a new house once it was completed.

Ding Hehua smiled and said, “An’an is right. The sooner we start construction, the sooner we can move in. Renting a house is quite expensive.”

It cost one or two silver coins for just ten days of rent, and although they didn’t say it out loud, they felt the pinch in their hearts.

So everyone eagerly looked forward to the completion of their own houses, hoping to settle down here as soon as possible.