Transmigration: Space-Aided Rise to Power and Prosperity
Chapter 126 - 51: Mrs. Lv’s Parental Family

Chapter 126: Chapter 51: Mrs. Lv’s Parental Family

Finally, Gu Chengyu and Mr. Gu boarded the ox cart with a large pile of fabric, Mr. Gu felt his heart aching with every step, that spendthrift child had actually spent two taels and eight coins of Silver.

Mr. Gu, full of resentment, drove the ox cart to Sun Craftsman’s place. Sun Craftsman lived in Dayang Village, two villages away from Shangling Village, and Mr. Gu had already arranged with Sun Craftsman to meet him at the village entrance in the early Si hour.

When the ox cart arrived at the entrance of Dayang Village, Gu Chengyu saw a man standing there who looked about the same age as Uncle Gu. Upon seeing Mr. Gu driving the cart, the man quickly waved his hand and jogged over, "Brother Gu, you’re here! Let’s go!"

Sun Craftsman got on the ox cart, saw Gu Chengyu and the fabric inside the cart, and praised Mr. Gu for his good fortune throughout the journey. He said life seemed to be getting better, with a clever and handsome son, and hearing that Gu Chengyu studied at a private academy in the town, he praised Mr. Gu’s family as if they were already a landlord’s family.

From their conversation, Gu Chengyu learned that Sun Craftsman was the only craftsman in the few villages who built houses, but he had several apprentices working with him, as well as a team of helpers. When farmers built houses, they usually used mud bricks with thatched roofs, which didn’t require Sun Craftsman’s services. They just called on a few relatives and people from the village to gather.

For blue brick and tile houses, however, a craftsman was needed, and thorough planning was required.

The ox cart soon entered Shangling Village, and Sun Craftsman had a look at the Gu Family and the neighboring yard. When he heard that Mr. Gu wanted to build a two-courtyard house, he was quite surprised. When he went to the main house to discuss with Mr. Gu and saw Mrs. Lv coming out of the kitchen, he was even more amazed.

"Hey? Isn’t this Tao’er? Is this your home?"

"Uncle Sun, this is my home! I never thought after such a long time, you’re still in this line of work? Hasn’t Brother Sun been working with you?" Mrs. Lv wasn’t surprised to see Sun Craftsman, since she wanted to build a house, she could only turn to Sun Craftsman’s family, which she had already mentally prepared for.

"Ah! It’s been many years since we last met. Why don’t you go visit your parents? They have missed you these years!"

Gu Chengyu listened to the two reminiscing on the side, remembering that since he came here nearly five years ago, he hadn’t seen his grandparents, with his uncle being someone his mother deeply resented. Whenever his father brought him up, his mother was sure to curse him.

"They miss me? Then why don’t they come see me? The year I went back in my second year, I was chased out by my brother and sister-in-law, and I vowed never to set foot in their house again." Mrs. Lv spoke of her brother and sister-in-law with an angry face.

"Ah! Your brother shouldn’t have! But your parents were still good to you. Oh well! Let’s not talk about past matters, but focus on business!" Sun Craftsman felt some regret for Mrs. Lv; before she was sold off, his eldest son had been thinking of taking Mrs. Lv as his wife when she grew up, but fate played tricks.

"I heard someone from the Gu Family was building a house, never expected it to be your family; you are fortunate, the good days are ahead!" The Gu Family was quite numerous, and Uncle Gu’s branch was direct, while other collateral branches also had some living in Shangling Village.

Sun Craftsman didn’t think much more, as the news of Mrs. Lv visiting for the New Year and being chased out by her brother and sister-in-law spread like wildfire in the village. Due to her brother and sister-in-law’s propaganda, everyone knew that Mrs. Lv had married someone dirt poor, also a widower with children.

But now, has the family she married into risen? Otherwise, how can they build such a large house? Besides, Mrs. Lv’s complexion still looks good, not showing her age, suggesting they are living well. Actually, Sun Craftsman didn’t realize that if he’d seen Mrs. Lv a few years earlier, she wouldn’t have looked like this; now, Mrs. Lv appeared young due to the nourishment of the Spiritual Spring.

"That was years ago, no use mentioning now! Uncle Sun, have a bowl of tea, there’s not much to serve you at home, why not stay for lunch before heading back?" Seeing as he was someone from her town who watched her grow up, it was certain to invite him for a meal.

"No need! I still need to study the terrain of your place when I return. Tomorrow, I’ll calculate roughly how much Silver you’ll need to buy blue bricks and tiles. You can decide whether to buy them yourselves or have me take care of it, much to your preference. Since we’re from the same village, I wouldn’t think of overcharging you for excess Silver."

Gu Chengyu realized Sun Craftsman meant that if he handled everything, he wouldn’t profit from the materials or inflate the prices.

"Since you and my child’s mother hail from the same village, we naturally trust you, and since the brick kiln is run by your family, it might as well be managed by Brother Sun altogether. But, Brother Sun, please give us a better price."

"Hey? How did the generations get mixed up! This is becoming confusing. Don’t worry, the brick kiln is run by my second brother; I’ll ensure you get a good deal." Sun Craftsman was happy to handle everything; there were three brick kilns in Shanhe Town, and it wasn’t often for common families to build brick tile houses, so his second brother’s business wasn’t doing well. The house built by the Gu Family wasn’t small; even if giving the Gu Family a discount, there was some room for profit.

"This? The generational difference really is confusing! Maybe I should also call you Uncle Sun?" Mr. Gu was a bit embarrassed, as he was somewhat older as a nephew-in-law.

"That sounds good, call me Uncle then! Tao’er, Uncle will head off first." Sun Craftsman planned to return to notify his second brother’s family to fire up the bricks quickly, or it won’t be ready in time.

"Then I won’t hold Uncle today, there will be plenty of chances to have meals together when the house is being built."

Mr. Gu took the still-loaded ox cart back to the front yard, unloading the fabric from the ox cart and letting Mrs. Lv store it properly, preparing to drive the ox cart to send Sun Craftsman back.

Mrs. Lv saw so much fabric and was also astonished, but subsequently felt her heart ache over the Silver spent, only because Sun Craftsman was present, did she restrain the doubts and anger in her heart, smiling as she escorted the two out of the yard gate.

"Xiao Bao! Why did you buy so much fabric? Must have spent quite a bit of Silver?" Mrs. Lv stopped Gu Chengyu just as he was about to sneak out, ready for some serious questioning.

"Mom! We haven’t made new clothes at home for a long time, last month I went out and heard people joking about how the Gu Family was poor, couldn’t afford clothes. How could Third Brother propose without wearing a decent set of clothes?" Gu Chengyu, caught by Mrs. Lv, had no choice but to turn back and explain.

Mrs. Lv, too, felt sorry her sons had no new clothes. Their clothes were small, but they didn’t have the heart to spend money to buy more; when they were too small, she’d sew on matching color patches at the edges. Sighing, she thought, it’s rare.

That lotus root pink one could be for Wan’er to wear; since the last time she asked and was flatly refused, she hadn’t mentioned it again. Sometimes when kids grow conscious, it makes a mother’s heart ache.

Wait? Isn’t it unnecessary to buy so much fabric? Watching the edge of the disappearing clothes at the gate, Mrs. Lv felt annoyed, falling for the child’s sweet talk again. No way, she must scold him when his father returns, Xiao Bao, being so young, wouldn’t know to be frugal, but how could the old man, being so matured, spend recklessly? This is the hard-earned money from Xiao Bao!