I became the Counterpart of the Winner in a Period Novel

Chapter 90: Chapter 87: Yun Di Is a Capable Person

"Yes, yes, I surrender to you!" Jiang Mingyue ruffled Xiao Mao’s hair, which looked like a bird’s nest.

"Go wash your hands, and I’ll get you some buns to eat."

Soon, Jiang Mingyue took out two steaming buns, one filled with egg and chives, and the other with meat.

"Wash up and eat by yourself. I’m going to deliver breakfast to Granny Shi."

"Go, go!" The little guy was washing his face and still couldn’t resist playing with the water. Jiang Mingyue chuckled, indeed kids will be kids.

Jiang Mingyue delivered the buns, but Granny Shi was nowhere to be seen, not even in her sleeping room—it was rare to find a note on the table.

It had that typical elderly style.

"Didn’t you say you’d help me knock out a window? Then do it already! I’m going to Lotus Village to see if that cow is dead yet. Don’t forget to bring food, put it in my kitchen pot. You didn’t deliver yesterday; is it because you think I’m living too long?"

Tsk tsk tsk! This old lady, even through a paper note, you can sense her vibrant energy. She’s robust despite her age!

Jiang Mingyue placed the buns in the pot to keep them warm for her.

Afterward, she really stroked her chin, considering how to knock out a window for her.

She had already gotten Woodworker Wu to make the window frame to size; all that was left was for her to make a hole in the wall.

Jiang Mingyue first went back to get some tools and then instructed Xiao Ran to call Yun Di over to help after he finished eating.

The little guy was diligent; he ran off to call without even caring to finish eating.

Yun Di arrived with his hair also looking like a bird’s nest, with a piece of straw sticking out from his head.

Jiang Mingyue: "..." Don’t they care about their image at all?

Jiang Mingyue had already marked the initial shape of the window on the outer wall, and Yun Di began to hammer the wall according to her drawing.

Don’t be fooled by how thin he looks; he’s actually quite strong.

Jiang Mingyue could have done it herself, but she considered that the young man was shy and needed a reason to eat. Having used his strength, he would be able to eat with peace of mind later.

"Yun Di, how’s the progress on asking for an empty house in the village as we talked about last time?"

Yun Di paused at her words, pondering how to respond with his head down.

If it weren’t for... he wouldn’t be asking for a house. He and his mother were brought to the countryside by Uncle Shen. They initially settled in the neighboring Liu Village, but Uncle Shen, afraid his own affairs would implicate Yun Di and his mother, forcibly sent them to Qingshan Village.

The house in Qingshan Village was arranged by Uncle Shen for them, but after his mother passed away three years ago, he was driven out.

Although the person behind driving him out never showed themselves, he felt it was the village chief, Sun Heqing.

That guy used to hang around at his house all those years. Initially, Yun Di didn’t know why, until one day when he returned from working with the team herding cattle, he caught that guy manhandling his mother. From then on, he hated this person deeply.

Even though his mother was a fierce woman, she refrained from directly throwing him out for fear her only son would face unfair treatment, instead choosing strong words of refusal.

Recalling the grievances his mother suffered those years, Yun Di couldn’t stand the sight of that person.

"What’s wrong?" Jiang Mingyue noticed Yun Di’s odd expression. After all, he’s still a young boy, no matter how mature and sensible—some emotions just can’t be fully hidden, like now, with his hand trembling uncontrollably by his side.

Jiang Mingyue was stunned for a moment, suddenly remembering the demeanor of Sun Heqing she witnessed the first time she went to request an introductory letter.

The image flashed too quickly for her to notice a young boy there.

Considering that Yun Di’s mother raised him alone, being an outsider, it’s not hard to imagine the harassment she might have faced from Sun Heqing.

Yun Di’s mother passed away three years ago, and Sun Heqing has been the village chief for five years. There’s a two-year overlap between them.

Jiang Mingyue frowned. While Sun Heqing portrayed himself as if engaging in mutual consent with the widow at the backdoor, if someone fits his fancy too much without any backing, would he press their soft spots and use threats? Even if the other party is unwilling, his frequent harassment could severely disrupt a family?

Not to mention, Jiang Mingyue’s guess was spot on with Yun Di’s mother’s experience.

Jiang Mingyue didn’t ask further. She thought to herself that on this matter alone, the esteemed village chief shouldn’t hold his position.

Yun Di is capable, once the window frame was brought, he could install it himself.

"It’s done. Just no glass."

"That’s easy, go fetch it from my cousin." Jiang Mingyue tossed over Granny Shi’s empty basket from under the eaves.

Jiang Mingyue didn’t intervene with the rest of the process; she went back to prepare lunch.

Xiao Ran and Xiao Hui were reading under the soap tree. When they saw her return, Xiao Ran immediately wanted to help her start a fire.

Jiang Mingyue refused, "I’m not cooking yet, you guys keep reading." She said, then went into the room and entered her own space.

At the same time, she could accomplish a hundred times more tasks within her space; she wouldn’t toil tirelessly outside.

With rice steaming on, Jiang Mingyue grabbed a cleaned chicken, stuffed its belly with green onions and ginger, wrapped it in green pine needles, and tied it up tightly with twine, hanging it over the stove to roast.

There were still bamboo shoots, whose fragrance was enticing when peeled. She could eat two stalks just as a vegetarian dish, but considering the big brothers’ heavy labor needing fat, she also cut a piece of pork belly to stir-fry together. She then made a wild vegetable meatball soup and added a spicy and sour shredded potato dish. Once the dishes were cooked, she placed them in her space to keep warm. The roast chicken was already on the second or third bird; roasting more allowed her to have some ready to eat whenever needed.

With time to spare, she revisited her spatial compound.

Her space was said to be as big as three football fields. It wasn’t small; she calculated by FIFA’s standard for an 11-a-side field, roughly sixteen acres, translating to about forty-eight acres in total.

Woods, chickens, and rabbits occupied one-third. The pharmacy with an attached research institute took up substantial space, alongside a five-acre warehouse, a hot spring pool, and a kitchen, and a one-acre fishpond reserved for future use, again occupying another third.

The orchard spanned five acres; fifteen types of crops like green beans occupied one acre. Only ten acres of farmland remained, made possible by reducing the crops from five acres to one acre to free up space.

Looking at it this way, it seemed impossible to build her brick kiln.

But she still needed to build it.

The community could do it collectively, but the lead must be someone from her family, to simplify matters, as she disliked complications.

But there needed to be a trigger!

Currently, Jiang Mingyue didn’t know this trigger would come unexpectedly.

With a clear plan in mind, Jiang Mingyue urgently wanted fish fry. She even regretted missing so much time; otherwise, she could have eaten fish by now.

When the elder brothers returned from work, they didn’t expect Mrs. Jiang to be back too. It was unprecedented.

Judging from Mrs. Jiang’s joyful expression, it was clear sales went well.

The family tacitly avoided discussing it in public.

Yun Di’s window work was impressive, almost like he’d been trained.

"Not bad, young man, have you studied this?"

Yun Di spread his hands, "Isn’t it just having hands?"

Jiang Mingyue: "..." What’s with everyone flipping things upside down?

Jiang Mingyue put the dishes in the kitchen first and then asked Xiao Ran to serve them.

"Wow! Smells so good! What is this?"

"Pine needle roasted chicken," Jiang Mingyue, in front of everyone, peeled off the charred exterior, revealing tender and aromatic chicken meat inside. She tore a leg for Xiao Ran and another for Yun Di.

"Try it and see how it tastes."

The next moment, both of their eyes widened: This is too delicious!

Mrs. Jiang laughed and encouraged everyone to start eating. Stir-fried pork and bamboo, wild vegetable meatball soup, and spicy and sour potato shreds—all delicious and satisfying, leaving everyone engrossed and silent in their eating endeavor...

The fact was, even serving dishes with bowls, they could be finished cleanly; without being too much, Xiao Ran, caressing his rounded stomach, could only look forward: "Sister, can we have this pine needle chicken again tonight?"

Jiang Mingyue fiercely refused, "No, you can’t."

"Is it because there’s no more chicken? Can Yun Di and I go catch some from the mountains?"

No, it’s not about not giving you food; it’s about fearing you’d burst your stomach from overstuffing.