It's freezing cold, and two malnourished children are being forced to carry firewood. They'll collapse from exhaustion soon.
Ye Ming couldn't bear to see this happen.
He arranged for them to make fire, which is both simple and will keep them from freezing.
Xiaorong, seeing their pity, will even give them some food. This is the best way for them to survive, in Ye Ming's mind.
Zhang Pingping may not understand what this job entails, but the precocious Zhang Suisui understands Ye Ming's good intentions.
Just as she was about to pull her sister to kowtow to Ye Ming to thank him for saving her life, Ye Ming, with his quick eyes, stopped her.
"Didn't I tell you the ground is cold? No more kowtows!"
Seeing that Ye Ming wouldn't let them kowtow, Zhang Suisui and Zhang Pingping were moved to tears.
"Silly brother, you've been so good to us, I don't know how to repay you. How about we become your wives? In two years, we'll be 15 years old."
What nonsense, you told me these two little ones are thirteen years old?
They don't look that young!
"Uh, no, no. If you want to repay me, just work hard. You're too young to be my brides-in-law. That's out of the question."
This was too cruel. If anyone knew that a little girl wanted to marry him before the time travel, he'd be arrested by his uncle.
"Silly brother, do you dislike my sister and me for being so small?"
"We're not small. We'll grow up in two years."
"Stop, stop, stop, stop. I'll take you back to help light the fire. We'll talk about being my brides-in-law later."
With that, Ye Ming led the two sisters home.
The two sisters were visibly upset by Ye Ming's rejection.
"Sister, are we really going?"
"Yes, Grandma Huang is there too. It's okay."
"Okay, I'll go with you."
Zhang Suisui took her sister's hand and hurried towards Ye Ming's back.
"My dear, I'm back."
Hearing Ye Ming's voice, Su Xiaorong felt the air freshen up. She trotted along and opened the gate for Ye Ming.
"Husband, you're back. I was just about to call you back for dinner."
"Who are these two little girls?"
"They're Uncle Zhang's children. They're so pitiful; their whole family's gone. So I found them a job to help you light the fire and cook."
When Su Xiaorong heard Ye Ming say the children's families were gone, she felt a surge of sympathy, just like Ye Ming.
Furthermore, she had been desperately trying to give birth to Ye Ming's children for the past few days, and her face lit up with a hint of maternal light.
"Okay, then, come inside quickly."
Once the three of them entered, they saw several stone stoves and a wooden table brought from nowhere in the yard.
A pot of steaming white porridge was still simmering on the stove.
"Husband, Brother Qiang has returned, but there aren't many vegetables in town right now. He only bought some pickles..."
Even finding pickles in such a cold weather was something Ye Ming hadn't expected.
"Okay, then you take care of the two children. I'll go get everyone to eat,"
Aunt Huang volunteered, seeing Ye Ming's face pale from the cold.
"Ming'er, it's cold out here, so I'd better go."
Aunt Huang walked out before she finished her words.
Seeing Aunt Huang leave, the other two aunts felt embarrassed to stay any longer.
"Ming'er, the meal is ready, so we'll leave first."
"Aunt Li, Aunt Zheng, aren't you two staying for dinner?"
"Ming'er will just help with the cooking, so we won't be staying for dinner."
Ye Ming shook his head. "No, we agreed to provide meals, you have to stay for dinner. Besides, there's dinner, and you can stay and chat with Xiaorong."
"Ming'er, you're providing dinner!" Li Chunjiao and Zheng Huizhen were stunned when they heard that Ye Ming also provided dinner.
You know, working for those landlords and rich people only provided one meal.
Now Ye Ming not only paid wages, but also provided two meals.
Each meal was thick white rice porridge.
"Brother Ming, what's the deal? You're supposed to provide two meals and pay us wages."
"Even if the kiln is built, can you make money?"
"Don't worry, aunties. As long as it's built, we'll definitely make money. Besides, I said I'd feed everyone, so we can't miss out on these two meals."
Ye Ming's words touched the two of them but also made them feel like a spendthrift.
Before, Ye Ming was stupid, but at least he wouldn't spend money. Now he's not stupid anymore, and he spends money coolly whenever he has some.
..
At this time, at Wang Dajiao's house.
He Chunhua was complaining that Huang Dajiao and Liu Qiang didn't want her to go and help Ye Ming.
"Wang Dajiao, aren't you going to do anything about this?"
"That little bastard Ye Ming is such a spendthrift, using so much money to feed those people in the village."
"What's he talking about building a kiln? Would a fool like him do that?"
When Ye Qingshan found out that Ye Ming was really spending money again, he felt so distressed.
"Mom, that's silver, the silver that originally belonged to me!"
"Humph, it's all because of your stupidity that Ye Ming separated from us!"
"What can I do now? He is not a member of the Ye family anymore!"
Wang Da Jiao was furious at the thought of being humiliated by Ye Ming.
What's more, he only gave eleven taels of silver!
"Mom, that's what you said, but what if he really burns down the kiln?"
Wang Da Jiao snorted coldly, his face full of disdain.
"What does a fool like him know about burning a kiln? Just wait for the money to be squandered and the family to be ruined!"
Originally, I wanted to let Wang Da Jiao go and make trouble for Ye Ming to vent my anger.
I didn't expect the mother and son to be so cowardly. The white porridge promised to me last time is still not available.
I have been here for so long and haven't seen it.
"Wang Da Jiao, don't you want to eat?"
"Oh, lunch, Aunt He, we're going to eat, so please go back first."
What the hell, does Ye Qingshan even know the rules? He's kicking me out just as we're about to eat!
But He Chunhua pretended not to hear.
"Big Foot, do you mind adding another pair of chopsticks?"
Ye Qingshan grew impatient at He Chunhua's behavior. "Aunt He, we're almost unable to get the pot started. You should go back and eat."
"Then the porridge you promised us,"
Wang Da Jiao, who had been silent the whole time, spoke up.
"He Chunhua, I promised you I'd give it to you once I got the money from Ye Ming. I haven't gotten it yet. So you should leave."
Wang Da Jiao and her son's actions only infuriated her. She had helped Wang Da Jiao so much, yet she refused to even give her a bite to eat!
"Fine, I'll leave it alone."
..
By dusk, the first batch of adobe bricks had been placed in the kiln.
Two small sheds had been built next to the kiln to store firewood.
"Uncle Wang Cheng, I'll leave you to watch over the kiln for the next two nights."
"Oh, it's only natural. I'm the only one with experience out of all these people. If I don't come, who will?"
Ye Ming was a little nervous looking at the steaming earthen kiln. This was his first time firing a kiln.
It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous since this was Ye Ming's first job in this strange world.
"Hahaha, if it works, then I'll rely on you, Uncle Wang."