My humble days in ancient times

Only after the two acres of land were piled high did they choose an auspicious day to start construction.

Before the groundbreaking ceremony officially begins, a ceremony is held to express reverence and respect for the land spirits and to pray for smooth sailing during the house-building process.

Xu Qinghe placed the incense, tea, wine, fruits, rice, beans and other offerings he had bought on the altar. These offerings symbolized a good harvest and abundance.

When everything was ready, Xu Qinghe lit incense and candles and bowed in the direction of the land god. As Xu Qinghe's prayer ended, everyone participating in the ceremony shouted in unison: "Good luck in starting the work! Safe and smooth!"

Finally, firecrackers were lit, and the crackling sound brought the atmosphere to a climax.

Xu Qinghe took his tools and dug the first shovelful of earth as a sign of good luck. Everyone shouted "OK," and then they began to work.

The new house was about to be built. Wang Youliang was a recognized expert in the village. He was not only strong but also knew some ancient construction techniques passed down from his ancestors. With him leading the work, everyone felt at ease.

Wang Youliang, carrying a shovel, walked over with steady steps. He wore a dark blue, coarse cloth shirt, his sleeves rolled up high, revealing his muscular arms. A faint smile graced his face, and his eyes revealed determination and confidence.

"Okay, let's get to work and start laying the foundation first." Wang Youliang said.

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became lively. The villagers picked up their tools and began to work. Some were digging the foundation, some were mixing the mud, and some were carrying bricks and stones... Everyone was contributing their own efforts to the construction of the new house.

Wang Youliang was also busy, guiding the construction while personally helping out. His movements were skillful and quick, and in a short while he had a large stone firmly placed on the foundation.

The sun gradually rose higher, but the enthusiasm on the scene did not diminish at all.

Not far from the busy construction site, Xu Ruyi was busy making lunch, and Li was helping out! On this day, she had meticulously prepared Kung Pao Chicken and Minced Pork with Beans.

The Kung Pao Chicken was attractive in color, with tender and juicy chicken, perfectly paired with crispy peanuts, and refreshing cucumber and carrot cubes. Every bite was filled with rich taste and rich aroma, making it impossible to stop eating.

The minced pork with beans is a real gem. Fresh beans are cut into small pieces and tossed in the pot with the minced pork. The delicious flavor of the minced pork blends with the fragrance of the beans, creating a homey taste.

Wang Youliang couldn't help but swallow his saliva when he smelled the delicious aroma. He often worked for wealthy families in the county, but the food he ate was not as good as what Xu Ruyi cooked.

Zhuzi couldn't help but say to the person next to him: "I don't know what Ruyi is making today? But I know that whatever she makes is delicious."

The person next to him nodded and said with a smile, "I've been craving for food these past few days. I think life like this is really good. Think about the past when we couldn't eat meat all year round. What kind of life was that? It's really great to have meat to eat."

Zhuzi agreed and said, "I've done so many jobs since I was a child, but I didn't expect that working for Ruyi's family would be the happiest. I earn money and eat well. I never dared to dream of it."

"Yes, I eat the white rice and the meat I've been craving for. Thinking about this day, it's really beautiful."

During the meal, many people devoured their food voraciously, and many people finished a large bowl of rice and then asked for a second bowl. There was no other way, the dish Xu Ruyi made was too fragrant and went well with the rice.

Zhuzi was eating Kung Pao Chicken and Minced Pork with Green Beans. He said to the village head beside him, "You said these are just simple ingredients, how come Ruyi can make them so delicious?"

The village head was also puzzled. "That's right. The cucumbers and carrots in Kung Pao Chicken are not that delicious on a normal day. Especially the cucumbers. We eat them raw. Who would think of stir-frying them? And what about the minced pork and beans? Who would normally mince the beans?"

After saying this, the village head couldn't help but look at Xu Ruyi in the distance, and Zhuzi also looked at Xu Ruyi at the same time.

The village head said: "Don't judge a person by his appearance..."

Zhuzi agreed and said, "I didn't expect Ruyi to be such a capable girl. Look, the chicken is so tender after being fried. It's really delicious."

The two stopped talking, finished their meal contentedly, and then went to get another bowl of soup.

For several days in a row, Xu Ruyi cooked different dishes, which really impressed everyone and made them admire her.

Some people are still thinking: Maybe it will be the same tomorrow.

Unexpectedly, the next day Xu Ruyi made braised prawns and shredded pork with fish flavor.

The next day, I made boiled pork slices and scrambled eggs with leeks.

This time, most people were completely convinced.

Zhuzi said to Wang Youliang, "Whoever marries Ruyi in the future will be blessed with delicious food."

Wang Youliang smiled and said, "Isn't it? I wonder who will get the upper hand! She's really good at making money, cooking delicious food, and being beautiful too. I wish I had a daughter like her. I'd wake up laughing in my dreams!"

Zhuzi jokingly said, "Then just have another one!"

Wang Youliang stared at him and said, "How old am I? Can I still give birth?"

Zhuzi just laughed, and the people around him burst into laughter when they heard it.

Someone teased Zhuzi and said, "Zhuzi, you are not young anymore, why don't you find a wife?"

Zhuzi stopped smiling: "I want to find one but no one likes me, mainly because I don't have money. Sigh..."

Wang Youliang immediately felt disappointed: "Why are you sighing at such a young age? Aren't you earning money now? Besides, men mainly rely on getting by. As long as you can talk sweetly and coax girls, how can you not get married?"

"That's right, that's right." People around started to cheer.

When Zhuzi saw that everyone was talking about himself, he started working without saying a word.

The person next to him laughed: "Zhu Zi, you have too high standards for girls, so you don't like any of them."

Zhuzi quickly explained: "I don't have high expectations for girls, but girls nowadays are too realistic and like to marry in the town. There's nothing I can do about it. Money is the key."

Wang Youliang nodded and said, "Life is inseparable from money. Without money, you can't move forward. And money is hard to earn."

The villagers next to the pillar said, "They say money is hard to earn, but people can earn it at such a young age. Oh, I am an adult but not as good as a child. Look at me now, aren't I doing odd jobs for the children?"

Zhuzi thought about it and it made sense: "Then we are really not as good as children."

Wang Youliang tilted his head and asked, "Are you jealous? Everyone has their own destiny. If it's destined for you, you'll get it eventually. If it's not destined for you, don't force it. Some people are born rich and noble, so there's no point in envying them."

The villagers next to the pillar said, "It's not jealousy, it's just a bit unwilling. We are all the same people, from the same village, so why are there such big differences?"

Wang Youliang smiled and said, "She can think of egg pancakes and rice balls, can you? She can think of chili oil, can you?"

Everyone shook their heads.

Wang Youliang added, "She can make all kinds of delicious dishes. Can you?"

Everyone still shook their heads.

Wang Youliang laughed. "Look, that's the difference. What others can do, I can't. Let me ask you again, why do you think they bought this wasteland and barren mountain?"

This question really stumped everyone. Yes, why?

Someone replied, "I'm planning to plant some fruit trees. Anything else won't grow well."

Wang Youliang looked at everyone and said, "Just wait and see what others do, and then you'll know..."

What Wang Youliang wants to say is: Won’t you know the difference when you see what others do?

However, he was too embarrassed to say the word "gap".