Chapter 109: Thankfully, It Was a 98
“This is the bamboo weaving you did?!!” Jian Xingxia couldn’t help but question him loudly.
The scholar looked a little dazed. “Yes. Is it not good-looking?”
Good-looking? It’s too damn good-looking!
Jian Xingxia looked at the pile of fist-sized bamboo tigers, bamboo monkeys, bamboo cicadas, and bamboo butterflies sitting “in a neat row” under the tree, and her heart shattered.
They were beautiful, absolutely beautiful. But what she needed were bamboo crates, bamboo baskets, and bamboo winnowing baskets! What on earth was she supposed to do with a pile of bamboo toys?!
Completely immersed in his own creations, the scholar proudly held up the one in his hand. “This one is a lion. Do you see? I even wove a little bamboo ball inside the lion’s mouth. What do you think?”
Jian Xingxia wanted to cry but had no tears left. With the grand opening just around the corner, her trash cans were officially a lost cause. She had wasted a precious recruitment slot only to summon a complete scatterbrain.
Yet, she had to admit that the scholar’s woven toys were incredibly beautiful—delicate, amusing, and full of life.
Jian Xingxia let out a sigh. “Can you weave bamboo crates and large baskets?”
The scholar held up a palm-sized bamboo basket. “I can!” Isn’t this one right here?
Jian Xingxia: “…”
At this size, it could only be used to hold ginger and garlic. But compared to the others, it was at least somewhat practical.
Jian Xingxia asked the scholar if he could weave large bamboo crates and baskets. The scholar shook his head decisively. “I only know how to weave these small trinkets. Large crates and baskets… you mean like the kind used for my book chest, right? I don’t know how to make those.”
The bamboo used was different, and the weaving process was entirely different.
The bamboo weaving the scholar practiced utilized slender water bamboo and henon bamboo, which had thin walls and excellent flexibility, making them ready for use the moment they were split. But to weave large crates and baskets, one had to use moso bamboo or timber bamboo, which had thick walls, high tensile strength, and didn’t split easily. They also had to be bent over fire to shape the sturdy primary frame.
The scholar spoke eloquently on the subject, only noticing after he finished that Jian Xingxia’s expression seemed a bit off.
Finally catching on, he looked a bit embarrassed. “Miss, did I do something wrong? You wanted large bamboo crates and baskets? I truly don’t know how… though many people back in my hometown do.”
But he was currently wandering the roads, and he had no idea how far away his hometown even was.
Jian Xingxia took a deep breath. “It’s fine. It was my mistake. Keep weaving.”
Whatever. She wouldn’t have trash cans, but putting these small handcrafted bamboo items around the guesthouse would make for nice decorations. It wasn’t a complete waste of effort.
However, Jian Xingxia made a firm mental note: the next time she hired someone, she would fill out the requirements with absolute precision and never use vague, general terms again.
Time flew by, and it was soon noon. Jian Xingxia heated up the cured pork trotter soup, and she, Da Hei, and the scholar split up into three separate spots to eat.
Since she had summoned them early in the morning, the scholar’s employment time came to an end right after lunch.
Excluding the hour spent cutting bamboo, the scholar had woven a total of sixteen small bamboo items, both large and small, during the remaining time. The ones he wove first were mostly animals, but after learning that Jian Xingxia wanted baskets, he put some thought into weaving a few beautiful little bamboo baskets.
After her brief moment of depression passed, Jian Xingxia actually felt quite happy looking at these trinkets. She picked a few wild flowers, placed them inside a small bamboo basket, and set it on the wooden dining table. It looked rather lovely.
Before the scholar left, Jian Xingxia still sincerely arranged his wages.
The scholar felt a bit guilty. “Miss, I have eaten two meals here, which are the only times I have eaten my fill in days. You even gave me so much meat and eggs… yet I merely spent the morning playing with bamboo weaving. I cannot accept these wages under any circumstances.”
Jian Xingxia thought to herself: It’s fine if you don’t want them, but if I don’t give them, the system will penalize me. She really didn’t want her beautiful creek-side path and advanced pick-your-own greenhouse to be repossessed as a penalty.
She didn’t explain too much to the rigid scholar and simply packed everything directly.
“This bundle contains hard-boiled salted duck eggs. Take them to eat on the road; they’ll keep fine for three to five days.”
“These are boiled corn, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins. Finish them within two days.”
“These are walnut cakes from our place. They have a decent shelf life, so save them to eat slowly.”
The scholar’s rank was only an Apprentice, likely because bamboo weaving wasn’t his primary trade, so his wages weren’t high. Jian Xingxia gave him a pair of shoes and scooped out a catty of coarse salt for him.
“Be careful going down the mountain, don’t fall again.” She probably wouldn’t hire him again anytime soon. If he fell again, he wouldn’t end up here; he would genuinely plunge down the cliff side. “This is a catty of coarse salt. Take it. If you meet a kind soul on the road, you can trade it for some food.”
Amidst the scholar’s shameful yet astonished expression, Jian Xingxia sent him off.
For the rest of the day, Jian Xingxia and Da Hei worked until dark, clearing out quite a bit of land and sowing a large quantity of zinnia, wood sorrel, daisy, and sunflower seeds. Aside from the wood sorrel bulbs which were a bit pricey, the other flower seeds were very cheap. Since Jian Xingxia lacked the hands to farm the land extensively, she figured planting flowers in the vacant plots would at least be a feast for the eyes.
After a grueling day, Jian Xingxia went to bed with a mind full of worries and didn’t sleep very well.
But the moment she woke up the next morning, she was surprised to find that the system had given the scholar a psychological evaluation score of 98!
This meant she could hire three temporary laborers today!
Jian Xingxia decisively summoned Lin Sanniang first—she hadn’t called her yesterday, and since a day had passed on her end, she had no idea how many days had passed on Lin Sanniang’s side or how the pillowcases were coming along.
Immediately after, she summoned Da Hei.
Finally, Jian Xingxia filled out the recruitment notice with utmost caution and precision.
[Recruitment Demands: One temporary laborer. Job Description: Weaving bamboo crates and bamboo baskets. Working Hours: 6 hours.]
[Remarks: Must be at least at the Skilled Laborer level, capable of weaving practical bamboo crates meant for holding grain and fruit.]
