Shen Xiaoyan, hearing this, asked back, "Why don't you think your eldest brother-in-law brought them back from hunting in the mountains?"
Shen Xiaoming pouted, looking as if his sister underestimated him. He then said, "Eldest brother-in-law always hunts with a bow and crossbow. These wild animals have no wounds; they definitely weren't brought back by him."
Seeing Shen Xiaoming say this, Shen Xiaoyan nodded happily, smiling and saying, "Xiaoming is so smart."
Shen Xiaoming said helplessly, "Sister, please stop treating me like a child."
Shen Xiaoyan laughed heartily and ruffled Shen Xiaoming's hair, "You are still a child."
Shen Xiaoming was very bothered by his sister's actions. He was already almost 10 years old, but his sister always treated him like a child.
His eyes narrowed, and Shen Xiaoming suddenly realized, his sister was changing the subject. He immediately put on a serious face and said, "Sister, you still haven't answered me. Why did you go up the mountain alone?"
Shen Xiaoyan was helpless. How could this little brat be so difficult to coax?
Seeing his stern expression now, he looked so much like Zheng Wei. It was true, proximity to the virtuous leads to virtue, and proximity to the unvirtuous leads to vice.
Shen Xiaoyan grumbled internally but showed no outward signs, smiling and saying, "Don't you know my abilities, sister? Your eldest brother-in-law can't even beat me. No need to worry!"
"Is that so? How come I didn't know."
Before Shen Xiaoyan finished speaking, a deep, husky voice came from behind. Shen Xiaoyan knew who it was without turning around.
As she slowly turned her head, she saw Zheng Wei standing there with a dark expression, his eyes as dark as ink, staring intently at her.
Shen Xiaoyan smiled guiltily and then said, "Look, there are so many chickens and rabbits. We won't need to buy meat for the next two days."
Zheng Wei walked forward with a stern face and said to Shen Xiaoyan, "Who told you to go up the mountain alone? Don't you know there are leopards in the mountains?"
Shen Xiaoming also walked up to Zheng Wei and said in the same tone, "You're too disobedient, Sister."
Shen Xiaoyan was speechless. Why did these two seem like biological brothers?
"Okay, I won't go anymore. If I do go, I'll go with you, alright?" Shen Xiaoyan could only promise.
Receiving Shen Xiaoyan's assurance, the stern expressions of the two, one big and one small, finally relaxed.
Just as Zheng Wei was about to lift the basket, he saw a plant growing above the wild game.
"Ginseng?" Zheng Wei said in surprise.
Shen Xiaoyan said with a smile, "Yes, I found it by chance. It's a pity it's too young and not worth much, but we can plant it first."
Zheng Wei didn't say anything more. Shen Xiaoming didn't understand at all and said nothing.
Since the wild animals were already dead, in this hot weather, they had to be processed quickly.
They couldn't do as Shen Xiaoyan suggested and cook them for the craftsmen the next day.
The reason was that Shen Xiaoyan had forgotten this was ancient times, there was no refrigerator, and they had no ice at home. It was impossible to preserve them. Even if it was just for one night, they would likely start to smell.
Therefore, after Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei quickly processed the wild game, they left one chicken and put the rest in a large basin, which they carried out of the courtyard.
The craftsmen were finishing their work. Seeing Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei carrying a large basin out, they were all a bit curious.
Placing the large basin on the ground, Zheng Wei said to the craftsmen, "You've all worked hard during this time. This is a small token of appreciation for everyone. It's not much; each person will only get half a chicken. It's our way of showing our gratitude."
Hearing Zheng Wei say this, everyone smiled happily.
Zheng Wei used a knife to cut each chicken or rabbit into two halves. Whoever wanted what could choose for themselves.
Shen Xiaoyan had just picked some gourd leaves. The gourd leaves were large enough to wrap the chicken or rabbit. Otherwise, it would have been difficult to carry.
Watching everyone leave, Shen Xiaoyan slowly withdrew her gaze.
Although the amount wasn't much, it was a way to win them over.
Their daily meals were substantial, with both meat and noodles. Shen Xiaoyan was confident that even in the town, their provisions were among the best.
Furthermore, with the occasional extra benefits she gave them, even if their houses were more troublesome to build than others', these people would still work diligently.
Shen Xiaoyan and Zheng Wei returned to the courtyard and went straight into the kitchen to start cooking.
Since there was a chicken left, Shen Xiaoyan cooked it. The mushrooms she had picked earlier hadn't been sold yet. Shen Xiaoyan took some, washed them, soaked them in warm water, then put them in the pot to cook with the chicken.
The three of them ate a very satisfying dinner. The soup was flavorful, and the mushrooms were cooked to a smooth texture. It was so delicious that they felt like they could swallow their tongues.
After dinner, it wasn't completely dark yet. The afterglow fell on the three people sitting in the courtyard, giving a sense of peaceful tranquility.
Shen Xiaoyan closed her eyes and took a deep breath, smelling the fragrance of fruits and flowers, feeling exceptionally refreshed.
Luo Luo and Bai Bai, unusually, were not running around today. They were currently chasing and playing with Shen Xiaoming, with Shen Xiaoming's laughter occasionally intermingling with Luo Luo's exasperated muffled sounds.
Zheng Wei simply sat quietly on the side, watching Shen Xiaoming and the two cats run around in the courtyard, then looking at Shen Xiaoyan, who had her eyes closed, thinking about something. Suddenly, he felt a warm current flow through him, causing the corners of his lips to turn up unconsciously.
When Shen Xiaoyan opened her eyes, she saw Zheng Wei's smiling face.
"What are you smiling about?" Shen Xiaoyan asked, confused.
"Nothing," Zheng Wei replied softly.
Seeing that he didn't want to say, Shen Xiaoyan didn't press further. An idea flashed through her mind, and she said enthusiastically, "Let's design some furniture!"
Zheng Wei raised an eyebrow, "What?"
Shen Xiaoyan cleared her throat and said, "Let's draw our own furniture designs, and then find someone to make them, okay?"
Understanding Shen Xiaoyan's intention, Zheng Wei wasn't surprised. After all, Shen Xiaoyan had drawn the designs for the house herself, so it was natural for her to want to draw furniture.
"Draw it. Once it's drawn, find someone to make it," Zheng Wei said directly.
Upon receiving Zheng Wei's agreement, Shen Xiaoyan became restless. However, she didn't start drawing immediately. She needed to think carefully and plan it out properly.
The night passed without incident. The next morning, Zheng Wei went to the construction site after breakfast, while Shen Xiaoming practiced calligraphy in the main room.
After Shen Xiaoyan tidied up the kitchen, she closed the door and entered her space.
She found the book on ancient architecture she had looked at last time and flipped to the courtyard she had copied. Looking at the layout of each room, her mind was actually thinking about what furniture should be placed in each room.
Beds were out of the question. This was the north, and every household had a heated brick bed, also known as a kang. Otherwise, when heavy snow blocked the doors in winter, they would freeze to death.
Shen Xiaoyan remembered seeing large kangs on television in her previous life, as well as kang wardrobes and kang tables.
With the development of the times, kang wardrobes were no longer single-style. Designers combined wall cabinets with heated kangs, which were also beautiful.
However, here, even if Shen Xiaoyan could draw wall cabinets, she estimated they couldn't be made. Therefore, Shen Xiaoyan just chose a relatively good-looking low cabinet to use as a kang wardrobe on the kang, mainly for storing quilts.