Chapter 309: Help Me Make Something
Wen Yao gave his nose a gentle pinch and smiled. “Go call the others for breakfast. How about Sister takes you to school today?”
Datou burst into a wide grin. “Great!” With that, he darted outside, first heading to the old compound to gather Wen Fa and the other boys, then running down to the foot of the mountain to call Wang Zhao and Xun Feng, who were up early practicing martial arts, and finally going to invite Qiu Zhi.
By the time everyone was assembled, Nanny Shi led the servants to carry breakfast into the dining hall. Everyone—regardless of whether they were masters or servants—ate breakfast together at one table.
Wen Yao was only responsible for cooking and didn’t need to clean up the aftermath. Once everyone had finished eating, the group prepared to set off.
Wang Zhao remained responsible for shuttling and protecting Datou and the other schoolboys, while Xun Feng followed Wen Yao.
He had practically transformed from Li Yi’s personal guard into Wen Yao’s bodyguard.
When Li Yi departed, he had no intention of taking Xun Feng with him. For one, the children of the Wen family were all learning martial arts under Xun Feng; for another, Wen Yao lacked a capable person at her side.
Yet when Li Yi announced that Xun Feng would remain behind, Xun Feng still put on quite a show of reluctant, tearful departure. It was only when they saw Li Yi onto the boat and watched the vessel sail away that he dropped his sorrowful front, trotting behind Wen Yao all day long like a cheerful puppy, following wherever she went.
Seeing Xun Feng driving the horse carriage once again to accompany Wen Yao out, Nanny Shi’s brows knit tightly enough to crush a fly. After a moment of hesitation, she handed off all household duties to Uncle Lu’s wife and followed along.
“Miss, are you going out? Let this old servant accompany you,” Nanny Shi spoke up.
Wen Yao was thoroughly bewildered. Normally, Nanny Shi stayed home to hold down the fort, so why was she suddenly insisting on following today?
“Nanny, do you have business in town? Buying something? I can buy it for you and bring it back.”
Gritting her teeth, Nanny Shi said, “No. In short, just let this old servant accompany Miss. Miss ought to have a capable person by her side to attend to her.”
Wen Yao wanted to say she didn’t need that.
Right at that moment, Qiu Zhi, who was preparing to stroll over to the winery, passed by the two of them. He cast a glance at Wen Yao, then looked at Nanny Shi’s stance—which practically screamed that if Wen Yao dared refuse, she would lie down right on the spot—and finally looked at Xun Feng standing beside the carriage. He spoke up: “Let Nanny go with you.”
With Wen Xiuyi absent, Qiu Zhi held the highest authority in this household. Wen Yao could only back down: “Alright then.”
None of these elders in the house can be crossed. Simply can’t be crossed.
Only then did Nanny Shi climb onto the carriage alongside Wen Yao with total satisfaction, trailing right behind Wang Zhao’s carriage.
Entering the town, they first dropped Datou and the others off at the academy before Wen Yao instructed Xun Feng to drive the carriage toward the docks.
Nowadays, the prosperity of the docks was by no means inferior to the town proper. Taking a walk along the narrow lane, they finally found a storefront in the corner bearing the sign of the Jianqiao Decoration Shop at its entrance.
Wen Yao looked up at the shop sign, almost bursting into laughter.
Seeing her laugh, Nanny Shi looked up as well in utter bewilderment. Seeing only the plaque written above the entrance, she had no idea what Wen Yao was laughing at.
“Miss, what is it?” Nanny Shi couldn’t help asking.
Wen Yao shook her head. “It’s nothing. Let’s find Uncle Zhang and Eldest Cousin Uncle first.”
The group stepped through the door, and the moment a shop assistant caught sight of Wen Yao, he immediately came out to greet her, bowing respectfully: “Miss Yao Yao, you’ve arrived! Are you looking for the bosses? This small one will go call them for you.”
Wen Yao nodded. “I’m mainly looking for Uncle Zhang.”
“Ah, please wait a moment, this small one will go fetch him right away.” The shop assistant ran outside, returning before long with Zhang Qiao and Jiao Jian in tow.
“Yao Yao, why have you come?” Seeing this cousin-niece nowadays, Jiao Jian was delighted beyond words. Had it not been for her idea, he would still be following his master doing odd jobs today; how could he possibly be running a business as a boss like he was now, leading a team of workers under him?
Carpenter Zhang followed right behind him, asking, “They said you were looking for me. Yao Yao, what’s wrong?”
Wen Yao sat down with the two of them and spoke up: “I came today mainly to find Uncle Zhang. Uncle Zhang, take a look at this—can you help me make it?”
Wen Yao handed the blueprint for the oil press to Carpenter Zhang.
Wen Yao had drawn it in extreme detail. An experienced craftsman like Carpenter Zhang knew how to build it at a single glance, but it was his very first time encountering such a contraption. Not knowing what it was used for, and finding its structure quite novel, he couldn’t help but grow curious.
“Yao Yao, what is this?”
Thinking it was best to keep the oil press a temporary secret before it was successfully built—after all, she didn’t know if the finished product would actually work—Wen Yao offered a vague laugh: “Well, Uncle Zhang, this is a temporary secret. Just tell me if you can make it or not.”
Carpenter Zhang caught her drift in an instant. Knowing it wasn’t his place to pry, he wouldn’t ask a single further question, nodding repeatedly: “I can! I’ll study it carefully and strive to make it for you as quickly as possible.”
Wen Yao: “There’s no rush, really.” Saying that, she asked, “Is half a month enough?” After all, there was still half a month left before the bean harvest.
Carpenter Zhang and Jiao Jian both broke out laughing.
“Sure! I’ll leave all the work during this period for your eldest cousin-uncle to supervise, while I focus entirely on studying this item for you,” Carpenter Zhang decided in his heart.
Jiao Jian nodded as well: “Leave the shop affairs to me! The important thing is for you to make this treasure for our eldest niece first.”
Teased by the two, Wen Yao offered an embarrassed smile. Looking at Jiao Jian—who had grown much more cheerful and capable of chatting freely nowadays—she felt that her decision to have the two of them start a decoration company back then was simply the wisest move ever.
“Uncle Zhang, Eldest Cousin Uncle, business is going well, right?” Wen Yao asked.
The two exchanged a glance and nodded. Jiao Jian said, “We’ve basically taken on all the renovation jobs for the shops at the docks, as well as those in town. There are even people from the prefectural city who heard of our reputation and came to hire us. The master who used to teach me the trade is now leading a crew working under us as well.”
Carpenter Zhang nodded too: “Indeed, business is quite good nowadays. The work has never stopped anyway. Yao Yao, it’s all thanks to you and your dad. Had it not been for you two back then…”
“Aiya, ya, ya, that’s something from so long ago! Besides, we merely offered an idea; whether it’s done well depends on the capability of you two uncles! Let’s not bring up past matters anymore!” Wen Yao waved her hand, hiding her achievements and fame.
Carpenter Zhang and Jiao Jian both laughed, quietly keeping the kindness of Wen Yao and Wen Xiuyi in their hearts.
Recalling someone she hadn’t seen in a long time, Wen Yao asked, “Uncle Zhang, I haven’t seen Brother Liuzi in a long time. Where is he now?”
Wen Yao indeed hadn’t seen Liuzi for a very long time; the last time they met was back when her family hosted a banquet, where it was said Carpenter Zhang had sent him off to school.
Carpenter Zhang smiled: “Liuzi is studying at the academy now. Since our family doesn’t lack money anymore, I thought I’d let him study hard. The boy is quite ambitious too—the master praises him, saying he’ll be able to enter the exams to become a scholar come spring.”
Wen Yao was happy for him: “That’s a wonderful thing! Then I’ll congratulate Uncle Zhang in advance!”
“Aiya, you child, who knows if the boy can pass or not? But I’ll take your good words! If he passes, Uncle will give you a big red envelope!” Carpenter Zhang was exceptionally good to the youngsters of the Wen family nowadays, constantly finding ways to send items to the Wen household, though in the end Old Madam Luo would always find ways to send return gifts in equal measure.
Having finished her instructions to Carpenter Zhang, despite the repeated invitations to stay from Carpenter Zhang and Jiao Jian, Wen Yao ultimately departed with Nanny Shi and Xun Feng in tow.
