The Liu family's wife fell to the ground, pounding her chest and wailing, "Oh my God, what sin have I committed to give birth to such a wicked creature!"
Liu Laosi also sighed, watching Liu Tieniu currying favor with Zhao Zheng. This feeling was even more painful than his wife cheating on him.
Isn't this recognizing a thief as your father?
He really gave birth to a beast!
Zhao Zheng was also very efficient. He asked Xu Youde to write a note, and then read it to Liu Tieniu in public, "Tieniu, press your fingerprints and you will be my temporary worker. Once the internship is over, you will be my permanent worker."
"Now that the harvest is bad, your wages will be converted into food rations. When the harvest is good, I will pay you later."
"Uncle Zhao, I'm very grateful that you can give me a bite to eat." Liu Tieniu said sincerely, and then pressed his fingerprint on the note.
Some people around him were envious, while others thought Zhao Zheng was stupid.
They can't even afford to eat their own food, yet they still hire temporary workers and pretend to be rich and act like a good person!
But Niu Dalei and his companions understood that Zhao Zheng had already gained a powerful position, so what was a mere temporary worker?
As long as you follow Yao Youjiao, you will definitely become rich in the future.
After signing the contract, Zhao Zheng said to Liu Tieniu, "Your injury hasn't healed yet, so I won't let you do any heavy work. Just pass the tiles on the side."
"Thank you, Uncle Zhao!" Liu Tieniu nodded gratefully. His wound had not healed yet and it hurt to walk. He had been at home for so many days and his parents had not even expressed any concern for him.
Unexpectedly, the first person who cared about him was Zhao Zheng, the person he hated the most.
He felt both emotional and grateful.
Zhao Zheng patted his shoulder and said to the crowd, "Fellow villagers, it's time to put up the beams!"
The people below helped pass the wood up. Although the house was not high, it was lively.
This is the unique human touch of the small mountain village.
After the main beam was put on the roof, Zhao Zheng asked Niu Dalei to put copper coins under the wood before starting to lay the wood.
If there are multiple people passing the tiles, the process will be even faster.
The work was finished in less than an hour.
The main reason is that the Zhao family's house is small, and the total area is only about 60 or 70 square meters, which is considered large. Some families only have a thatched house, which is very shabby.
"Fellow villagers, thank you for your hard work. Don't leave. Let's have a simple lunch at my house at noon. Everyone is welcome!" said Zhao Zheng.
Everyone thought Zhao Zheng was just being polite and waved their hands repeatedly.
Until the old lady of the Zhou family said, "Raising the beam is a happy event. Without everyone's help, it won't be so fast. Just stay for a simple meal. There won't be many dishes. Please don't be disgusted if the hospitality is not good enough!"
"My godmother has spoken, so everyone stay!" Zhao Zheng smiled. "Zhao Di and Xiao E, light the fire and cook."
Since Zhao Zheng wants to be the local landlord, he must show off his muscles.
If you lay the groundwork well, people won't be surprised.
Zhao Zheng also bought some dried dates and raisins from the mall. "I bought these when I went to the countryside to do business a few days ago. It's not much, everyone should try some!"
"Hey, dried fruit, Lao Zhao, have you made a fortune?"
"Third brother, what kind of business are you doing? Why haven't I heard you mention it before?"
Everyone was shocked again, because these dried fruits were not cheap.
When everyone heard Zhao Zheng say that he was doing business, their curiosity was overflowing.
How could they not know what kind of person Zhao Laosan was in the past?
He is a similar person to Wang Dazhi, idle and not doing his job.
Can he do business?
Even sows can climb trees!
Before Zhao Zheng could say anything, Pan Dabo said, "Does Yao Youjiao know about this? Our captain is hanging out with Yao Youjiao!"
"Who is it? Is it Yao Youjiao who came to our village a few days ago to ask for omens?"
"That's right." Pan Dabo nodded and then looked at Zhao Zheng, "Isn't that right, Captain?"
This Pan Da Naotou is a good supporting actor.
Zhao Zheng smiled faintly, "It's also because Yao Youjiao thinks highly of me and gives me something to eat."
Wow!
The crowd was shocked.
What is Yao Youjiao's identity?
Putting aside his identity as You Jiao, he is still the young master of the Yao family.
The Yao family is a large landlord and gentry similar to the Zhong family.
Those legs are thicker than buckets!
It's sour.
They are really jealous!
Even if some people think that Zhao Zheng is bragging, they dare not mock him without solid evidence.
Liu Tieniu, who was cleaning the house, was also surprised when he heard this.
"Uncle Zhao is hanging out with Yao Youjiao?"
"I'm a farmhand in Uncle Zhao's household. Doesn't that mean I'm also under the protection of the Yao family?"
Liu Tieniu felt inexplicably happy and slowed down his movements, listening intently to the conversation outside.
"Enjoy your meal and drinks. I'll go help in the kitchen." Zhao Zheng smiled and turned inside.
In the yard, everyone started talking.
Just then, a sound came from outside the yard.
Xu Dashan was beating a gong in his hand, with Ma Dazhu following behind him.
Knock knock!
"Men, gather at the village entrance. Dazhu is treating us to a meal!"
Everyone who heard the noise came out of their homes and joked to Ma Dazhu when they saw him, "Dazhu, you're finally willing to treat us?"
When Liu Laosi heard the voice, he suppressed his discomfort and called his third son, "Let's go and have dinner with me!"
"Dad, didn't you go into the mountains?" Liu Tielu said.
"I'm not a man, and you're not a man?" Liu Laosi glared at his son.
"Of course!"
"Then let's go." Liu Laosi didn't believe that Ma Dazhu could still drive him away.
He glanced at the people sitting in Zhao Zheng's yard and sneered, "What can we eat when stingy old Zhao treats us to a meal? I'll just feed you rice bran porridge!"
"Come on, son. Daddy will take you to eat real corn rice!"
At this time, Xu Dashan and Ma Dazhu passed by Zhao Zheng's house and saw about 20 people in the yard. He also stopped and said, "Fellow villagers, Dazhu is treating us to a meal. Let's all go to the village entrance!"
After thinking for a while, Xu Dashan shouted to the inside, "Zhao San, go to the village entrance to eat!"
Zhao Zheng heard the voice and came out, "Brother Shan, my family is having a beam-raising ceremony today and we're inviting everyone to lunch. I won't be going. Do you want to have a simple meal at my house?"
"I can't." Xu Dashan waved his hand and said with a smile: "San'er, you are becoming more and more successful. My family has been outdone by you."
"No, no, I made the tiles myself, they're not worth much." Zhao Zheng smiled modestly, "It's all thanks to my fellow villagers for being willing to help me!"
Ma Dazhu was so angry that he sold his bow and his clips, and borrowed money from his friends in the village to buy rice. He planned to treat everyone to a good meal and change his image in the villagers' minds.
Zhao Laosan knew that he was having a party today, but he still chose today to put up the beam. Isn't this clearly going against him?
Thinking of this, he said, "My fellow villagers, I bought a lot of food and cooked some thick porridge. It's so thick that you can stick chopsticks in it without it falling over. If you go too late, it will be gone!"
As he said this, he looked at Zhao Zheng provocatively.
Zhao Zheng didn't say anything, but someone in the yard couldn't sit still anymore.
"Thick porridge? Made from corn?"
"Dazhu, don't fool me!"