Chapter 23: It's Easier to Get Things Done with Acquaintances

Wang Danniang was disappointed for a moment, but she understood; if it were her, she wouldn't want to take on a burden either.

Tu Shan said, "I won't provide for your old age, but if you become bedridden in the future, I can lend a hand and look after you a little."

Wang Danniang’s eyes lit up. That would work too; in any case, she was just leaving herself an extra way out.

"Fine, but we have to write an agreement. Everyone present must witness it. If you go back on your word, the spit of all these people will be enough to drown you later."

Tu Shan pursed her lips. If she were to go back on her word, these people wouldn't even be able to see a single hair on her head, let alone drown her with spit. Who was she trying to gross out?

However, the old lady had grown a bit of sense. "Fine."

Once everything was settled, the people in the courtyard were overjoyed and urged the two to hurry up and get it done.

Wang Danniang was also afraid that delays would lead to complications; there were wolves circling the house, and she couldn't afford to be careless.

She ran back into the house and dug out the tightly wrapped property deed and various documents from a crack in the wall. "Let's go, we'll go handle it right now."

As it happened, Tu Shan was also an impatient person; things only counted as hers once they were in her hands.

But she wasn't in such a rush that she couldn't spare a moment. "Wait. Does everyone have some free time? If you do, help me clear out the storage shed, get some mud bricks, and build a small room on top of the shed to serve as a kitchen. Leave doors in the front and back for easy access to the backyard.

Open a door in the wall between the kitchen and my room, build a stove in the storage room, and connect it to a *kang* in my room.

Also, partition off the part of the backyard directly facing my room with a wall. Make the wall high and sturdy.

There’s no limit to how many people can help; those who are quick and nimble get priority. I’ll pay for the labor."

The storage shed wasn't big—about the same size as the room she lived in, maybe eight or nine square meters—which was enough for her alone.

Once the backyard was partitioned off, she would get a triangular space of about three or four square meters. It would be good for drying clothes or piling up junk, and she could even use it as a vegetable patch. Later, she could use her ability to force-grow a few things there.

Wang Danniang had always used the backyard to grow vegetables, dividing it into small plots and planting them full, which saved her a lot of money and sometimes allowed her to trade for cash on the black market.

Wang Danniang guarded that little bit of backyard land very closely.

As soon as Tu Shan finished speaking, the tenants, who still had snot and tears on their faces, forgot about their own troubles and swarmed over.

"Me, me, me! I know where there are mud bricks, I can help haul them back."

"My husband is a mason."

"I know where there’s thatch, I can help cut it for the roof."

"I’m strong, I can do the heavy lifting."

One after another, they volunteered. Tu Shan accepted every offer. "Everyone, go take on a task. If you need to pay for anything, cover it for now, and I’ll settle the accounts later. Don't worry, I definitely won't owe anyone.

Of course, don't even think about padding the bills; my fists won't agree to that."

The crowd twitched their lips in unison; they wouldn't dare.

Strangely, they were actually willing to pay out of pocket, not worried at all about being stiffed.

With the house matters divided up among the group, they all urged Tu Shan to hurry and get the transfer done before the staff went off duty. They were anxious too; they needed to keep this "plague god" who protected the house in place to feel at ease.

Although they were only tenants and it didn't matter to them who owned the house, they had lived here for a long time and had developed some feelings for Wang Danniang.

The rent Wang Danniang charged wasn't expensive, and they could afford it, which wasn't necessarily true elsewhere.

Houses outside were hard to rent, and they weren't allowed to sleep under bridge arches. If they wandered outside for more than two days, they would be rounded up as vagrants.

So, everyone valued their current living situation very much.

Tu Shan and Wang Danniang first went to the neighborhood committee to get a permit and file an application.

Wang Danniang had wide connections and was an old sister in the same landlord group as the lady at the committee, so she pulled some strings, and it was handled very quickly.

Afterward, they hurried to the Public Security Bureau to register and get the new property deed.

It had to be said, things were easier when you knew people.

The girlfriend of Comrade Xiao Wang, the household registration clerk at the Public Security Bureau, was someone Wang Danniang had introduced, so that went smoothly as well, getting processed right at the moment they were about to clock out.

Holding the freshly minted property deed—even if it was just a thin piece of paper—Tu Shan felt very satisfied. She was now a homeowner; it really hadn't been easy.

Comrade Xiao Wang looked average, but his handwriting was good. It was just that the name "Tu Sanmei" in the owner column was a bit of an eyesore.

Whatever, it would do.

She looked at the smug Wang Danniang.

The old lady’s chin was almost poking the sky. "See that? I have connections everywhere." She meant that Tu Shan should learn to suck up to her in the future.

Tu Shan mocked her, "If you're so capable, how did you let people come to your door and almost get you kicked out? Did your connections have bad reception and fail to receive your distress signal?"

Wang Danniang’s old face fell. She didn't quite understand, but that didn't stop her from realizing Tu Shan was mocking her. She rolled up her sleeves, ready to start cursing.

Tu Shan tucked away the property deed and shoved the agreement and the money into Wang Danniang’s hands. "From now on, we’re neighbors, so let’s look out for each other. Keep your things safe; don't come looking for me if you lose them, because I won't pay you any mind.

When you get back, keep an eye on the progress and make sure people aren't slacking off. I’m going to get some food; I’ll add a dish for everyone tonight."

Wang Danniang swallowed her curses, her face blooming into a smile like a chrysanthemum. "Don't worry, don't worry. With me here, I guarantee everything will be done properly. And, uh, get plenty of meat."

Tu Shan really wanted to give her a thumbs up.

Tu Shan detoured to the mountains bordering the North and East districts to get meat and some grain.

After circling the mountain, she spotted a herd of wild goats.

She leaped over and charged into the flock.

The goats were terrified, scattering in all directions and bleating in alarm.

Tu Shan curled her lips, locked onto the sturdiest one, and pounced. She grabbed its horns and used both hands to force it down.

The wild goat let out a miserable cry, fell to the ground with its legs in the air, and struggled frantically.

Tu Shan twisted her hands in opposite directions, snapping the goat's neck. Its hooves twitched for a moment, and it breathed its last.

Tu Shan chuckled, hefting it—about 170 or 180 pounds, plenty fat.

She packed it into the sack she’d brought, then used some rice seeds she’d brought to force-grow some rice, husking it to keep the grain.

She thought about getting some wild vegetables, but decided against it; everyone probably just wanted to eat meat.

With a bag of rice and a bag of meat, she carried them home.

Wang Danniang must have told them she was going to get food, because as soon as she arrived home, she was greeted by nothing but burning gazes.

Tu Shan twitched her mouth and dropped the sacks. "Everyone who works gets a share. A few aunties, come help wash the rice and steam it. Whoever has a knife, bring it over."

"We have them, we have them, we all have them."

They were truly enthusiastic, all stretching their necks to see what kind of meat Tu Shan had brought back.

When the sturdy wild goat was revealed, everyone’s excited tears flowed from the corners of their mouths, and they became even more attentive.

Tu Shan grabbed a knife and skinned it, her movements swift and smooth. In less than ten minutes, she had peeled off a complete goat skin—this was useful, she had to keep it.

She removed the organs, deboned the meat, and handed it over to the aunties to start stewing.

As the sky slowly darkened, torches were lit in the small courtyard. The work continued in full swing; not a single person rested.

Once the aroma of the meat wafted out, everyone became even more passionate, as if they’d been injected with adrenaline.

"Why are you all stewing meat again?" someone from the neighboring courtyard ran to the gate to ask.

"Bang!" The kid assigned to guard the gate coldly shut it. No one was going to come and share their meat.

The neighbors left, grumbling.