Senior sister, stop working and go home for dinner.

Chapter 20 Villages at the Foot of the Mountain

Chen Anran walked down the familiar mountain path, the afterglow of the setting sun filtering through the leaves, casting dappled light on him. At the foot of the mountain, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of a small village, and the faint sounds of barking dogs and children playing filled the air with the warmth of daily life.

He went straight to Zhang Laoshi's house at the east end of the village. Zhang Laoshi was the best carpenter and the foreman of the bricklayers in the village. He was honest and hardworking, and most of the repairs and maintenance of the Yunyin Sect's houses were done by him and his apprentices.

Zhang Laoshi was sitting at the gate of his courtyard smoking a pipe when he saw Chen Anran approaching. He quickly stood up and put on a simple smile: "Brother Anran, you're here? Come on in! Have you eaten? There's still some porridge inside."

"Uncle Zhang, I've already eaten, don't bother." Chen Anran smiled and sat down on the stone bench in the courtyard, getting straight to the point: "I came to see you this time because I want to ask you for a big favor: to properly renovate and expand our house on the mountain."

"Oh?" Zhang Laoshi was somewhat surprised. Although he did not know that the people living on the mountain were a group of cultivators from a secluded sect, he did know some things about the family on the mountain. They were always poor and only repaired their house every three to five years.

Although they were poor, the people living on the mountain were truly extraordinary in the eyes of Zhang Laoshi and his apprentices. Especially the women, each of them had an ethereal beauty. When they occasionally came down the mountain to buy things, their every smile and gesture captivated the young men in the village. They often gossiped in private, saying that fairies probably lived on that mountain.

As for the young man, Chen Anran, although he was not as intimidating as the women, he was handsome with clear features and a clean-cut demeanor that did not resemble that of a mountain dweller. He was gentle and polite in his dealings with people, which made people feel good about him, and at the same time, they vaguely felt that he was somewhat unfathomable.

Zhang Laoshi still remembers a heavy rain a few years ago when a flash flood washed away part of the mountain road. He and his apprentices risked their lives to go up the mountain to check on the houses. They saw Su Wan standing in the wind, her sleeves fluttering as if an invisible force was drawing away the rolling rocks. They were so amazed that they dared not say a word, and their hearts were filled with even greater awe. From then on, Zhang Laoshi paid extra attention to the work on the mountain, never slacking off, and strictly forbade his apprentices from speaking nonsense to outsiders.

Upon hearing Chen Anran mention "proper repairs and expansion," Zhang Laoshi was initially taken aback, then quickly nodded, "Don't worry, Brother Anran, this is a big deal, leave it to me! May I ask... how exactly are you planning to renovate? And on what scale?"

Chen Anran took out a simple sketch from his pocket, which he and Feng Xiaolu had roughly drawn on the way back in the car.

"Uncle Zhang, there are a few main issues. The main house roof needs a complete overhaul, and the walls inside and out need reinforcement. It would be best to add some insulating layers. The kitchen needs to be enlarged. Also, a small study should be added separately. In addition..." He pointed to the blank space on the sketch, "I want to add a few side rooms to this open space on the east side of the courtyard. The style should be simple, but the materials need to be solid. The courtyard wall also needs to be rebuilt, and the gatehouse is a bit crooked, so it needs to be straightened and reinforced. A small plaza needs to be paved with marble in the middle."

The gatehouse? Zhang Laoshi was a little puzzled. There was indeed a gatehouse when entering the house on the mountain, but the gatehouse was empty, with nothing hanging on it. Oh, there was just an old, broken bell next to it.

However, Zhang Laoshi didn't think much of it and listened while looking at the sketches.

Zhang Laoshi quickly estimated in his mind that this project was no small undertaking; the materials and labor alone would be a huge expense. He hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't help but speak up: "Brother Anran, this project is probably going to cost a lot. You guys..." He knew that the people on the mountain were poor, and he was afraid that Chen Anran was unaware of the market rates and that speaking rashly would lead to trouble later.

Chen Anran noticed his concerns, smiled slightly, and took out a cloth bag from his pocket. Inside were several stacks of crisp hundred-yuan bills: "Uncle Zhang, you don't need to worry about the expenses. Here is a deposit of fifty thousand yuan. Please take it first to purchase the timber, tiles, lime, and other materials needed for the initial stage. We will settle the wages according to the market price, and we will ensure that you and the craftsmen do not suffer any losses."

This was part of the reward that his third senior sister gave him. Although Chen Anran received five million, Feng Xiaolu still treated it as a matter of fact and gave Chen Anran fifty thousand.

Old Zhang stared wide-eyed at the thick stacks of cash. He'd lived most of his life and had never handled so much cash at once! He was now certain that the people in the mountains had truly become wealthy. He rubbed his hands together, a mixture of excitement and trepidation in his voice: "This...this is too much! We won't need this much in the beginning..."

"Uncle Zhang, please accept this." Chen Anran pushed the money over. "The materials must be sturdy and durable. The construction period can be a little more flexible, but the quality must be excellent."

"Yes! Yes! Okay! Okay!" Zhang Laoshi agreed repeatedly, carefully putting away the money, his face full of seriousness. "Brother Anran, don't worry, I, Zhang Laoshi, always do things with a clear conscience! I will personally pick the best materials, and I will find the most reliable workers! I guarantee I will do a beautiful job for you!"

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Zhang." Chen Anran stood up. "I'll draw up more detailed plans tomorrow and then we can discuss the specifics. Please also prepare a materials list for me to review."

"No problem! I'll be waiting for you at home first thing tomorrow morning!" Zhang Laoshi saw Chen Anran off from the courtyard and watched his back as he walked up the mountain road, remaining lost in thought for a long time.

The apprentice leaned closer, asking curiously, "Master, have they struck it rich on the mountain? Such a grand gesture!"

Old Zhang snapped out of his daze and glared at his apprentice: "Stop asking questions! Work is the most important thing! Remember, we can't fathom the people on the mountain. Do your job well and don't gossip!" As he spoke, he was secretly thinking: It seems the world is really changing. Even those few ethereal figures on the mountain are starting to renovate their homes...

On the way back to the mountain, night fell and the mountain breeze was cool, but Chen Anran's heart was burning with passion, and he had already begun to envision the new look of the Cloud Hidden Sect.

Solid roof tiles can shelter from wind and rain, warm walls can withstand the cold winter, a bright study can provide a place for Xiaoling'er to read and practice writing, and the expanded side rooms may welcome new fellow disciples in the future... All of this will be the foundation for the Yunyin Sect to steadily set sail in this gradually recovering era.

A mountain breeze carried the fresh scent of grass and trees, and also the faint aroma of spirit rice wafting from the kitchen. Chen Anran quickened her pace, her heart filled with anticipation for the future.

Home is getting better little by little.

Halfway up the mountain, the warm lights emanating from the sect's courtyard could already be seen. Chen Anran quickened his pace, eager to return home. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Feng Xiaolu looking on expectantly.

"Junior Brother! You're finally back!" Feng Xiaolu greeted him, eagerly asking, "How did it go? Did Uncle Zhang agree? When do we start work?"

"It's settled. Uncle Zhang will go and prepare tomorrow, and we'll start work as soon as possible," Chen Anran replied with a smile.

"That's great!" Feng Xiaolu jumped up excitedly, then lowered her voice, "Junior Brother, Senior Sister just gave you an ultimatum."

Chen Anran was taken aback. "An ultimatum?"

"They say that now that we have spiritual rice, the spiritual energy is gradually recovering. So they want me to supervise you to sense the energy as soon as possible and enter the Qi Refining stage."