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Thick dark clouds drifted in from the horizon, accompanied by muffled thunder, while gusts of wind picked up, blowing lightweight objects around.
The sky darkened as if a huge black pot had been placed overhead, casting darkness inside the house. Shen Zi’an secured the doors and windows, lighting an oil lamp as the family gathered on the heated brick bed, listening to the howling winds outside.
Yueyue nestled in Su Zhi’s arms, her large eyes wide and round, peering outside the window. Although she couldn’t see much, she gazed curiously, showing no signs of fear, only fascination.
Shen Zi’an sat beside Su Zhi, Xinger beside her, and Xiaori next to Shen Zi’an.
Little Black and Little White lay on the mat while Little Black hopped onto the bed and peered at the oil lamp on the table. Little White joined Xiaori, squatting beside him, creating an amusing scene—one person sitting upright, one wolf squatting properly, a sight that brought amusement.
Outside, the fierce winds raged, but inside the house, a warm and cozy atmosphere prevailed.
Su Zhi had a few people look at the newly drawn plans. Holding a brush upside down, she gestured and explained, “Zi’an, our garden is too vast. We hurriedly bought it last year and only built this house. With several dozen acres still unused, it’s not ideal. We agreed to start working on designing the garden this spring. Take a look at how I’ve arranged it.”
“After inspecting the land we purchased, I found an area suitable for cultivation, approximately ten acres with fewer grasses compared to the rest.”
“The remaining areas consist of lowlands, bamboo groves, stones, and wild grasses. Converting them into arable land might be better achieved by acquiring more land. I propose planting flowers and grasses in these areas to transform them into a garden.”
As Su Zhi spoke, she outlined the plan with the brush handle, although the design was already drawn. Her explanation made it easy to understand the layout.
“These areas will be perfect for building workshops. I have a few methods that we can use. We can hire workers and have them operate here,” Su Zhi suggested, marking out a vacant space. In this era, many useful items she possessed had yet to be introduced. These were not easily learnable skills like embroidery, so with the methods in hand, they could serve as perpetual money-making tools. Mass production would be essential, hence the necessity for workshop buildings. This had been a key factor in her decision to purchase such a large piece of land.
Shen Zi’an nodded in agreement, saying, “We shouldn’t skimp on expenses. Let’s enclose the area with walls. Our living quarters will be the inner garden, while the outer garden will house the workshops. However, the workshop area should also be enclosed to restrict access. We could have a separate entrance here, perhaps with a discreet cover to prevent it from being visible from the main entrance.”
Observing Shen Zi’an’s thoughtfulness, Su Zhi felt grateful for his foresight. Despite his rural background, she believed he possessed remarkable talent. With her guidance, she was confident that he would continue to excel.
“The plan makes sense,” Su Zhi agreed. “We could either plant a row of green pines and cypresses to form a wall, create an artificial mountain, or use a combination of both.”
Shen Zi’an suggested, “Let’s use both. We can plant more flowers and plants later on. You do love flowers and plants, don’t you?”
Su Zhi nodded, knowing she had a green thumb and could nurture any flora successfully. She harbored the aspiration to transform this land from barren to a paradise, even the simplest wildflowers would bloom beautifully. With the ownership of the land and the Sacred Beast guarding her home, any flourishing flora would be attributed to improved Feng Shui. This would deter any ill-intentioned visitors.
Yueyue chimed in, “Mom, I want to plant peonies. Just like the peonies in this drawing.”
Su Zhi, seeing Yueyue point at the drawing on the wall, smiled and replied, “Great! We will plant peonies. Besides peonies, we will grow many other flowers. I’ll dig a pond in the garden, fill it with water, and plant numerous lotus flowers. In summer, we’ll enjoy the blossoms, in autumn, we’ll gather lotus seeds and roots. There will be fish in the pond, and you can sit in a boat, reaching out to touch the fish. Exciting, isn’t it?”
“Exciting! Mom, I want to touch the fish,” Yueyue exclaimed with joy.
Yueyue was captivated by Su Zhi’s description, clapping her hands in excitement.
Xiaori and Xinger, their eyes sparkling, although acting like little adults, were still just four or five years old and delighted in the fun-filled ideas.
As Shen Zi’an listened to his wife envisioning the future of their home, seeing her joyful face and the smiles of their three children, he thought to himself that this was his family, his wife, and children. If they could remain like this forever, he would protect and cherish this home and them.
“Mom, look, it’s bright outside!” Xinger was the first to notice the light outside the paper window.
Yueyue leaped from Su Zhi’s arms, ran to the edge of the heated brick bed, awkwardly bent over to climb down, sat on a footstool, put on her shoes, and headed outside. Little Black followed behind her.
Su Zhi extinguished the oil lamp, sensing the brightness inside the house, indicating the clearing weather outside. She also wanted to see outside and thus packed up her brushes and drawings. Shen Zi’an opened the bed cabinet, stowed the items, and moved the table aside. The couple then got off the heated brick bed, followed by Xiaori and Xinger.
“Mom, Mom, it’s not windy or rainy outside anymore,” Yueyue shouted excitedly. Su Zhi and Shen Zi’an followed her outside, where they found Yueyue and Little Black running around the courtyard, noticing that the bluestone ground appeared dry.
Initially anticipating heavy rain, they were surprised by the thunderous noise and light drizzle—an unexpected turn of events. Within an hour, the wind ceased, the clouds dispersed, the sun peeked out from the west, and with a gentle breeze, the ground dried up.
Shen Zi’an remarked, “This first spring rain didn’t come as expected.”
Su Zhi replied, “It’s not even Qingming yet. They say rain is common around Qingming. Let’s not rush; I believe this is a message from above. The next time, we’ll surely have a heavy downpour.”
For rural households, the first spring rain held great significance. They believed that spring rain was as precious as oil, as it moistened the earth, facilitating crop cultivation. Naturally, they hoped for rain early in the season, making this dry thunderstorm a disappointment to those eagerly awaiting the rain.
Shen Zi’an nodded in agreement, and the couple didn’t delve further into the topic.
While Su Zhi prepared dinner, Shen Zi’an assisted, ensuring the three children played within the courtyard without wandering off. Dinner would be ready soon.
Despite the arrival of spring, the weather remained fickle, especially after the recent strong winds, making it feel slightly colder. Su Zhi made scallion meat patties using a mixture of cornmeal and white flour, resulting in a fluffy and flavorful dish with a glossy, golden crust. Each patty was about the size of a child’s palm—a favorite among the family.
Alongside the meat patties, she also prepared pickled vegetable lamb soup.
The Sacred Beast and its family enjoyed the same meal. Even White Wolf had developed a taste for their food, including vegetables. Shen Zi’an was initially surprised but reasoned if dogs could eat vegetables, why not wolves? Besides, considering the delicious meals Su Zhi prepared, even Big White would probably prefer the vegetables over raw meat.
As the aroma of the meal wafted through the courtyard, Little Black eagerly circled around Su Zhi in the kitchen, displaying an eager appetite. Su Zhi had to give it a meat patty, torn into pieces by Shen Zi’an to cool before it would burn its tiny tongue.
Yueyue and the others soon joined, watching eagerly. However, Su Zhi refrained from offering them food as dinner was about to be served. She didn’t want them to develop the habit of eating before the meal was officially served. Intuitively, Su Zhi felt that these three children might have come from affluent backgrounds, especially considering Xiaori’s family seemed well-off. While she cherished them and raised them as her own, hoping they would always stay with her, she also considered that if their families ever appeared, she wanted to return well-mannered and courteous children, not ones lacking in etiquette.
“Xiaori, Xinger, Yueyue, let Daddy help you wash your hands. Sit at the table, it’s almost time for dinner,” Su Zhi instructed the children. She adored them but knew the importance of not spoiling them.
Shen Zi’an assisted the children in washing up and then carried them to the table. Since the weather had warmed up, the family dined in the kitchen, which had a table and five chairs, offering convenience for their mealtime.
After finishing their meal while the evening was still young, Su Zhi contemplated taking the children for a stroll when they heard Shen Zigui’s voice outside. Hurrying out, they found only Shen Zigui there.
“Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister, come with me to the old residence. Father and Mother wanted to see you,” Shen Zigui announced.
Su Zhi wondered what urgent matter required their presence at the old residence. She instinctively felt reluctant about heading there when summoned. Before she could ponder further, Shen Zi’an inquired about the reason from Shen Zigui.
Shen Zigui explained, “I’m not entirely sure, but it seems to be related to the Rain Worship Festival. It appears that little sister wishes to go and select the Rain Goddess.”