Caleb didn't say a word. He took the hot water and drank it all in one go. He placed the bowl back on the table and looked at Ran.
"Ran, do you need something from me?" Ran nodded and said, "I want to go into the mountains and cut the beams for the house myself. I was hoping you could help me find a few people to carry the wood down for me."
"Just tell them they don't need to cut anything, only help carry it down. I'll give each of them thirty copper coins. I don't know who's good at manual work in the village, so I can only ask you for help."
Besides, thirty copper coins for each person is already a decent amount. Even if they went to work in the city, they'd only get about twenty coins per job. Caleb replied, "Alright, I'll go find a few people.
Wait here for me." Without waiting for Ran to speak, he turned around and walked quickly toward the village. Ran watched the direction he left in and thought that once her house was finished, she'd definitely give him a big red envelope.
Not long after, Caleb returned with a dozen people. Seeing that all of them were holding axes, Ran was even more satisfied. She looked at them and said, "Thanks for your hard work today."
Even though she knew they came for the thirty copper coins, the words of gratitude still needed to be said. The group followed her energetically into the mountains. Although the weather wasn't cold yet, none of them dared to go deep.
They only searched around the outskirts for suitable trees. Ran patted a tree of proper thickness and looked at the uncle beside her. "Uncle, how about this one?"
The uncle walked around the tree and nodded with satisfaction. "Not bad. It's straight and tall, very suitable." Then he called out to the others, "Everyone, cut this one first."
Even though Ran had told them not to do the cutting, they didn't take her seriously. If they didn't do anything, why would she pay them thirty copper coins? Two men heard the uncle's words and walked over with their axes without saying anything.
Just as they were about to swing, Ran turned and said, "No need. I'll do it myself." The crowd looked at her in surprise. Ran asked them to step back, raised her hand slightly, and silently activated her ability.
She pushed hard against the trunk. With a loud crash, the big tree fell to the ground, shocking everyone. The people around her stared with fear in their eyes and instinctively stepped back.
Ran carefully observed their reactions. Seeing their fearful expressions, she smiled with satisfaction. This was exactly what she wanted.
She knew building the house so quickly had caught people's attention. Some might not say anything, but they definitely had thoughts in their hearts. She used this trip into the mountains to show them her strength.
If anyone wanted to cause trouble, they needed to think carefully about whether they had what it took. She wasn't afraid of them, but just like how a toad doesn't bite, it still makes people uncomfortable. She wanted everyone to know she wasn't someone weak or easy to bully.
As expected, this approach worked very well. After one tree after another crashed to the ground, everyone looked at her with growing fear. Some of them had other ideas before, but now they all gave up those thoughts.
They obediently cut down the trunks and didn't dare have any further intentions.
As everyone quietly cut small branches, a fat wild chicken suddenly darted out.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and quietly moved closer to catch it.
"Crack!"
Someone stepped on a twig, making a sound that scared the wild chicken.
The chicken flapped its wings and tried to fly away.
Seeing the chicken flying, everyone sighed with disappointment.
They had hoped to catch a wild chicken for a snack, but this one was too quick.
No one could catch a chicken flying in midair.
Just as everyone felt disappointed, there was a sudden "whoosh" sound.
A branch shot out from their view toward the chicken.
The chicken flying in midair suddenly fell with a "pop" onto the ground.
Almost instinctively, everyone turned their heads toward Ran, who was leaning lazily against a tree trunk.
They swallowed nervously and looked at Ran with even more fear.
After coming up the mountain, they already knew Ran was not ordinary when she knocked down a tree with one palm.
At that time, they just thought she was very strong, but some still had doubts in their hearts.
Now, seeing this scene, everyone clearly understood Ran was not someone they could offend.
It was not fear but the fact that Ran was so powerful they could not think of anything else.
Seeing all eyes on her, Ran stayed calm.
Under their gaze, she picked up the now-dead wild chicken and put it into the grass basket she had woven earlier.
Since they did not need to cut trees anymore, the speed increased a lot.
The sky was still not dark, and all the needed trunks were carried down the mountain.
After placing all the trunks properly, Ran gave the money to them.
Everyone took the money and hurried home without stopping.
"What happened to them?" Caleb did not go up the mountain and did not know what had happened there.
He looked at the group running fast and wished he had more legs.
He asked with doubt.
"I don't know either. Maybe they want to go home early."
Ran did not tell him what had happened on the mountain.
She took the wild chicken out of the grass basket and handed it to Caleb.
"This is the wild chicken caught on the mountain yesterday. Take it home and let your family taste something fresh."
"That can't be!" Caleb looked at the chicken and quickly refused.
"You should eat it yourself. You are too thin and need to get stronger!"
Hearing she thought he was too thin, Ran felt discriminated against.
Why was she thin? Wasn't it good for a girl to be slim?
Many people wanted to be thin but couldn't.
Thinking this, Ran looked at Caleb with a little complaint.
She shoved the wild chicken into his arms and glared at him without kindness.
She said harshly, "If I tell you to hold it, then hold it!" Then she turned and left.
Watching her walk away and looking down at the chicken in his arms, Caleb scratched his head.
He quietly muttered, "Why is she angry? Her temper is too big!"
"Hey! What are you doing here?" Master Chen saw him standing alone and came closer curiously.
Seeing him holding a dead wild chicken, he asked curiously, "Where did you get such a big wild chicken?"
"Ran gave it to me. She said it was caught on the mountain," Caleb said with a smile.
But his smile had a little pride in it.