CHAPTER 62: CHAPTER 61: WISHFUL THINKING (THIRD UPDATE)

Liu the carpenter also added that these were the designs given by Qin Yao. Without her permission, he wouldn’t make a new one.

In this case, even Liu Dafu gave up. It was still more cost-effective to rent from Qin Yao’s family.

Qin Yao and Liu the carpenter exchanged a glance, reaching a tacit understanding that in the future he could use the mill for free.

People had seen enough and gradually dispersed.

In the end, only the Liu Family remained by the watermill.

There had been too many people just now. Mrs. Qiu, who was newly pregnant, was afraid of being pushed and didn’t dare get close. Mrs. Zhang and Mrs. He had also been squeezed outside by others.

Now, the three in-laws had the chance to closely observe Qin Yao’s watermill. Seeing the millstone turning on its own with a "whirring" sound, they found the mill delightful.

But they also learned from Liu the carpenter that the watermill cost as much as two taels of silver, which they found wasteful.

"The mill is good, but when I think about it costing two taels of silver, tsk tsk... Sister-in-law, you really splurged."

Mrs. He looked pained watching the whirring waterwheel, thinking it’s two taels of silver, and her brows furrowed involuntarily.

Old Liu also curiously looked at Qin Yao, who was blocking the water with stones, "Third daughter-in-law, how did you think of getting this watermill?"

With just the two acres of free-grown wheat field that she and Third Son had, the harvested wheat wasn’t even enough for this watermill to grind once.

In Old Liu’s eyes, it was like using an ox cleaver to kill a chicken—pure waste!

Qin Yao blocked the river, reducing the water flow quickly, and the turning millstone gradually stopped.

She explained, "I’ve set up this watermill to do business and also to make things easier for our family."

"For our family?" Mrs. He tentatively asked, "If our family uses it, sister-in-law, will you charge us?"

Qin Yao smiled at her, "Of course not!"

Mrs. He was somewhat fond of petty gains, but she was also enthusiastic and helped Qin Yao with many small tasks; of course, Qin Yao would offer this favor to her.

After all, this was a clan society. Although social interactions were troublesome, they couldn’t be avoided. Because if maintained well, they could bring a lot of intangible benefits.

For example, the waterwheel and mill left by the river tonight wouldn’t be feared being stolen by villagers.

Although Liu Ji had separated, he still had three brothers at the old family house.

The two sisters-in-law had good reputations in the village, and the young wives would help them. If anything at home was stolen, these wives with eyes everywhere could immediately find out who the thief was.

Grinding is hard work. Most men have to work in the fields, so this task falls on women.

Now that they had Qin Yao’s permission, Mrs. He and Mrs. Qiu excitedly said they would bring their home’s wheat to grind tomorrow to test the watermill’s efficiency.

"That’s fine," Qin Yao nodded in agreement.

However, she also needed the people at the old family house to help her with a task.

"Dad, I want to use this watermill for business, so I need to build a house to make it look decent."

Old Liu nodded in understanding and looked at Liu Ji, "Third Son, tomorrow morning, bring your sickle and come meet us. We’ll first cut the grass together and then go up South Mountain to chop a few bamboo poles. In a day’s work, we can have this shed built."

Hearing they had to go up the mountain to work, Liu Ji made a face and reluctantly acknowledged.

Qin Yao smiled, "Then I’ll have to trouble you, Dad. Tomorrow night, everyone come to my place for dinner. I’ll go to Liu Huolang’s house and buy two jins of wine, and we’ll have a good meal."

Mrs. Zhang and the three daughters-in-law also smiled, knowing Qin Yao couldn’t cook well, so they planned to go to her house early the next day to help with cooking.

Jinhua and Si Niang suddenly poked out two small heads and softly asked expectantly, "Mother/Aunt, can we have meat?"

"Yes!" Qin Yao readily agreed, because she was craving it too.

After all, tomorrow just happened to be the scheduled day for eating meat, which came every five days.

However, there was no pork at home, and recently, the villagers were busy with work in the fields, so no one went to the town to help bring meat back.

But that wouldn’t be a problem for Qin Yao. She could catch fish and hunt birds. She guaranteed meat would be served on the table the next day.

With both wine and meat, the children were full of anticipation.

The two families discussed the details of the next day’s actions before finally heading home separately.

Back home, Liu Ji helped prepare the foot bath and eagerly asked beside her:

"Wife, how do you plan to charge? Our watermill works so well; we shouldn’t let the villagers get it cheaply!"

Qin Yao took off her shoes and socks, placed her foot in the comfortably warm water, leaned back against the chair, and asked with squinted eyes, "How much do you think?"

Liu Ji chuckled sheepishly, "This is your watermill, so it’s better for you to decide."

"But..." he added, "I think it should be charged based on the time used, like five cents for an hour."

"So that’s sixty cents a day for twelve hours, and a thousand eight hundred cents a month." Liu Ji’s eyes sparkled just thinking about it.

Qin Yao snorted, "You’re just dreaming."

Liu Ji was speechless, wondering why she suddenly started scolding again.

But in front of him was the gold master he needed to serve. If she truly made one thousand eight hundred coins a month, she’d be the household’s Bodhisattva!

"Wife, then how much do you think is appropriate?"

Seeing that she had soaked enough, Liu Ji handed over a towel for her to wipe her feet. Qin Yao wiped them dry and thought for a moment, "Let’s start with five cents for an hour."

Hearing this, Liu Ji muttered, "It’s the same as what I suggested, yet you scold me."

Qin Yao glared at him, "The price is the same as you said, but there’s no way we can fill twelve hours each day, and the waterwheel can’t go without damage. It would be great to get five or six hours a day."

Liu Ji hadn’t even considered the possibility of the waterwheel getting damaged, "Really?" he exclaimed, "Is it likely to break?"

"Quite likely," Qin Yao replied. "After all, it’s made of wood, and the river has weeds and such that could easily get tangled up, so we have to be very careful."

Liu Ji’s enthusiasm dampened, and after dumping the foot bath water, he slipped away.

Qin Yao checked the doors and windows, then went to Da Lang Brothers and Sisters’ room to have a look before finally returning to her own room, lying on the bed to do some accounting.

If the mill could operate for five hours a day, that would be twenty-five cents a day, and that’s seven hundred and fifty cents a month.

Fine rice was eight cents a jin; that meant buying ninety-three and a half jin, a remarkably decent income.

Of course, this was the best-case scenario. The actual situation would only be revealed through practice.

Thinking about these things, Qin Yao drifted off to sleep.

When she opened her eyes again, it was around 6 a.m. the next day.

The aroma of rice wafted from the kitchen. Liu Ji usually got up at 5:30 to make breakfast and do household chores, cooking the meal while tidying clothes to wash by the river.

At this hour, the village women were still busy at home, so no one would see him, a grown man, doing laundry by the river.

This was something the couple maintained in mutual understanding; Qin Yao didn’t broadcast it, and Liu Ji deliberately kept it hidden.

So no one knew that besides cooking, Liu Ji also had to take care of household chores and laundry.

Qin Yao got up, and first completed her daily morning exercise in the backyard—two hundred pull-ups.

Sweating profusely, she washed up and finished just in time for breakfast.