After transmigrating, he supported his family by working at a garbage dump.

The house was small, with dark yellow mud walls and a roof covered with thin thatch. This was Old Deng's home.

Although it's better than Xu Zhuzhu's family, it doesn't seem to be much better.

It looks like it's been built for many years. The mud on the walls has fallen off and been patched up again, and the patches have fallen off again. The traces of the old and new are very obvious in the patched areas. However, the slightly higher areas seem to have not been patched for a long time.

What's remarkable is that the courtyard was very clean. Although it was piled with bamboo for weaving, wood for carpentry, and tools that Old Deng used, everything was categorized and arranged neatly.

As for the empty spaces where nothing was piled up, they were clearly muddy, yet they had been swept so clean that there was hardly any dust, making them very tidy.

Xu Zhuzhu admired the grandfather and granddaughter who depended on each other for survival from the bottom of her heart.

But turning our attention back, we see a little boy sitting in the yard with his back to the gate, busy with something.

Slender bamboo strips extended from his side, swaying up and down, ripples spreading outwards like soft, long waves. Though they were very fine, each strip had its own trajectory, distinct and never knotted.

Amazing!

Xu Zhuzhu sighed silently.

She has always admired these craftspeople, but whether in her past life or this one, she seems to lack the skill of craftsmanship.

Of course, it could also be because he's still young and his talents haven't been fully discovered yet...

He knocked lightly on the courtyard gate, and his father skillfully pushed it open, smiling gently as he called out affectionately to the figure standing in the yard, "Reunion, what are you doing?"

Upon hearing the voice, the boy turned around in surprise. Beneath his withered and thin face, Xu Zhuzhu met a pair of clear and bright eyes, which made her heart skip a beat.

"Uncle Xu!"

It was a pool of water, dotted with a sky full of stars, which seemed out of place on the boy's gaunt face.

Xu Zhuzhu was amazed by those eyes.

……

Deng Tuanyuan had always known Xu Wenjie. Ever since Xu Wenjie first came to his house to buy a stool, every time Xu Wenjie came, he would teach him to recognize characters for half an hour.

Although Deng Tuanyuan learns slowly, she studies extremely diligently each time.

Xu Wenjie asked him if he wanted to come and study with him every day, so that the two of them could keep each other company, and he wouldn't charge him any tuition.

But Deng Tuanyuan refused, saying that he needed to learn a craft from his grandfather and wouldn't have much free time.

Xu Wenjie naturally couldn't force him, so he simply taught him a dozen or so words at once and let him learn them slowly at home. He would go to the Deng family every half month to check on him.

After all, this was something he had promised Old Man Deng a long time ago.

Deng Tuanyuan welcomed Xu Wenjie into the house and poured him a bowl of water. Only then did Xu Wenjie remember to introduce Xu Zhuzhu, but Xu Zhuzhu was already very proactive, sweetly calling out, "Hello, Brother Tuanyuan!"

Deng Tuanyuan's coarse cotton clothes were washed until they were faded, and the torn parts were patched with patches of a different color, with crooked stitches.

Although the clothes were clean, it was obvious at a glance that they were from two years ago; they were clearly too short, exposing the wrists and ankles.

Deng Tuanyuan was very thin, but she was at the age where she was growing taller. She could grow taller even by eating coarse grains, so naturally she grew long arms and legs. However, she seemed to be about the same height as her brother.

Xu Zhuzhu's unabashed gaze fell directly on Deng Tuanyuan, but Deng Tuanyuan was not at all reserved; on the contrary, he was open and natural.

In particular, after hearing Xu Zhuzhu greet him, Deng Tuanyuan responded very generously and greeted Xu Zhuzhu with a smile.

"Little Sister Zhuzhu."

Xu Zhuzhu agreed with a smile.

Watching Deng Tuanyuan greet guests and pour water in one smooth motion, it was clear that this was something he did often.

Xu Zhuzhu sighed with emotion. Deng Tuanyuan was well-behaved and sensible, and her name was also nice. It was just a pity that Deng Tuanyuan's family could not be reunited.

……

The Deng family only had one room, and the stove was set up in a shed in the yard. However, the living room and bedroom were separated by bamboo.

The living room contained only a simple table and a few stools. In the center of the living room, a shrine was embedded in the wall, with two memorial tablets placed on it.

That is, Deng Tuanyuan's grandmother and father.

Xu Zhuzhu looked around as a childish yet clear voice rang in her ears.

"Grandpa left a long time ago and should be back soon. Uncle Xu, is there something urgent for Grandpa? Why don't you wait at home for a while and I'll go to the back hill to pick him up and take him home?"

Laoya Village is partially surrounded by mountains behind it, and Deng Tuanyuan's house is also backed by mountains, which may be the back mountains of Yagutan.

Xu Zhuzhu roughly understood.

"It's nothing serious."

Xu Wenjie shook his head and smiled gently, indicating that there was no need to go out and look for it.

However, having nothing else to do, Xu Wenjie took the initiative to call out and simply went to check Deng Tuanyuan's homework.

Xu Zhuzhu followed Xu Wenjie's figure and turned her gaze.

She then saw a pile of bamboo strips in the corner behind the door, with many characters written on them in dense black charcoal. Each character was written neatly and clearly, leaving her amazed.

"Brother Tuanyuan's writing is so beautiful, even better than my brother's!"

Xu Zhuzhu couldn't help but praise, and it wasn't an exaggeration at all; Deng Tuanyuan's writing was indeed better than her brother's.

Unexpectedly, these words made Deng Tuanyuan, who was initially frank and generous, feel a little uncomfortable.

With a blush, she whispered a thank you.

Xu Zhuzhu chuckled, her big eyes sparkling. She suddenly wanted to tease him again, but before she could speak, her father beat her to it.

"It is indeed written better than An'an's, which shows that Tuanyuan is intelligent."

Xu Wenjie also picked up a bamboo slip and examined it carefully, finding that it was indeed written better than Xu An's.

Xu Zhuzhu also went over to take a look. What was good about it wasn't the horizontal strokes of the handwriting, but rather the strength with which Deng Tuanyuan wrote. Every stroke was precise and to the point, which was truly rare for someone their age.

Xu Wenjie guessed that Deng Tuanyuan's hand strength was probably developed from practicing handicrafts with his grandfather every day.

“You write very well. I’ll write a few more new characters for you to practice,” Xu Wenjie said approvingly.

He gently patted Deng Tuanyuan's head to encourage him, and then picked up the charcoal and began writing on the unused bamboo slips.

I was writing when Old Man Deng came back.

"Reunion! Come quick and help!"

An old, panting voice came from the courtyard.

Before Xu Zhuzhu could react, Deng Tuanyuan had already run out.

Xu Zhuzhu and her father exchanged a strange glance at that moment, and then followed suit.

in the courtyard.

Old Deng carried a huge bundle of bamboo on his back.

He was already short and old, and with this huge bundle of bamboo on his back, it weighed him down so much that he couldn't straighten his back. He was so tired that the veins on his face were bulging, which showed how heavy it was.

Deng Tuanyuan hurriedly tried to take it, but being a child, he couldn't reach it, and more importantly, he couldn't pick it up.

Seeing this, Xu Wenjie quickly stepped forward to help Old Man Deng unload the bamboo.

The moment Old Man Deng saw Xu Wenjie walk out of the house, he immediately greeted him warmly and familiarly, "Scholar Xu is here!" He then said apologetically, "I'm so sorry to trouble Scholar Xu."

Old Man Deng stood panting in the courtyard, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He drank the water that Deng Tuanyuan had brought him in one gulp, and it took him a long time to recover.

"Uncle Deng is pushing himself too hard. He should take care of his health."

Xu Wenjie said with concern.

But the old man just smiled and waved his hand, "While I can still work, I'll work as much as I can so that I can earn some savings for the family." He seemed unwilling to say anything more.

Then she changed the subject again, asking Xu Wenjie if something was wrong, and even greeted Xu Zhuzhu who was following behind Xu Wenjie.

Xu Zhuzhu then sweetly and adorably called out to Grandpa Deng.

So Xu Wenjie took out the cart blueprints from his pocket and showed them to Old Man Deng.

Xu Zhuzhu had no idea what her father's drawings had turned into. She was standing on tiptoe to look, but she was too short to see.

However, upon noticing that there was another Deng Tuanyuan standing on tiptoe next to her, Xu Zhuzhu chuckled, revealing eight large teeth.

Deng Tuanyuan pursed his lips, smiled in a friendly manner, and then continued to carefully examine the blueprints in his grandfather's hands.

The moment he received the blueprints, Old Deng's brows furrowed immediately and remained so for a long time.

Seeing this, Xu Wenjie guessed that it was probably quite difficult, so he tentatively asked, "Is it possible to make it?"

Old Deng scratched the back of his head, somewhat unsure, "It's worth a try, but I don't know if it will work."

To everyone's surprise, Deng Tuanyuan said with great certainty, "Grandpa can do it."

Old Man Deng rubbed his hands awkwardly, gently pinched Deng Tuanyuan's ear, and sneered, "You brat, don't talk nonsense! If you promise something and I can't keep it, wouldn't that delay Scholar Xu's business? Go! Take your sister and go play somewhere else!"

Old Man Deng didn't hit hard, and Deng Tuanyuan didn't feel much of a pain. However, he listened to Old Man Deng and pulled Xu Zhuzhu aside to play...

While strolling around the yard, Xu Zhuzhu's gaze was drawn to what Deng Tuanyuan was weaving.

"Is this... a pig?"

It has a round head with two big ears and an oval nose, with two round bamboo balls embedded in it. The key point is that the bamboo is split very finely, and each piece is connected very well. It does not look bumpy, but rather very smooth.

Although the details are not yet finished, it is already taking shape.

"So cute!"

Xu Zhuzhu immediately fell in love with it.

This was the first time Deng Tuanyuan had ever seen anyone like his creations so much, unlike others who would only say that his creations were useless.

These words seemed to trigger something in Deng Tuanyuan, causing him to abandon his previous composed and sensible demeanor and excitedly share his thoughts.

"It's a pig, but it's not finished yet. I want to weave a lid on its back so I can put things inside."

Isn't that just a piggy bank?

Xu Zhuzhu laughed heartily and nodded repeatedly, expressing her approval of Deng Tuanyuan's good idea.

"awesome!"

Xu Zhuzhu praised people more today than she has in the past two weeks, although it was almost just this one sentence. But she's just a kid, so it's harmless.

To everyone's surprise, Deng Tuanyuan lowered her head after hearing this, her voice somewhat somber, "Grandpa is even more amazing, but unfortunately he won't let me learn from him. I secretly learned from the things Grandpa used to make and made them myself."

Xu Zhuzhu was surprised. Why was that?

“These things won’t sell; they only want baskets, stools, and tables,” Deng Tuanyuan said somberly.

Come to think of it, in a small town, no one would spend money to buy such impractical things.

But Xu Zhuzhu really wanted it.

With a cheeky grin, she stared at Deng Tuanyuan with her big, watery eyes, her eyelashes fluttering, and said in a cute and obedient manner, "Brother Tuanyuan, I want this pig. Can I buy it from you?"

Deng Tuanyuan firmly shook her head, indicating her refusal.

Xu Zhuzhu thought about it and agreed. After all, it was someone else's first work, so she might as well keep it for her collection.

"Ok."

Xu Zhuzhu had no choice but to sheepishly give up.

Deng Tuanyuan suddenly smiled and said, "If you like it, little sister Zhuzhu, I'll give it to you once I've finished making it."

His eyes shone as he said this, but Xu Zhuzhu didn't find it dazzling...

"Okay! Thank you, Brother Reunion!"

Xu Zhuzhu sweetly agreed.

……

Old Deng was deep in thought. He scratched his head, looked at the blueprints for the cart, and finally slapped his forehead, saying he would think about it for two more days and give Xu Wenjie an answer in a couple of days.

The cart was indeed a bit complicated to make. Xu Wenjie's original intention was just to ask Old Man Deng for his opinion. Whether he agreed or not was up to fate. Besides, once it was made, he naturally smiled and said yes.

Two days later, instead of receiving a reply from Old Deng, they were greeted by a small cart.

Xu Wenjie's family was overjoyed.