“Just as I thought.”
Xie Zhao’s heart sank.
“Oh, right.”
“I think she even cried.”
Xie Zhao’s heart suddenly clenched.
“She… cried?”
Lu Changgeng nodded before continuing to persuade him.
“You should really stop doing that kind of work.”
“The master carpenters who install roof beams all have years of experience.”
“Most of them train as apprentices for at least three years before they’re willing to climb up and set the main beam.”
“You were lucky the last time you fell.”
“But luck doesn’t last forever.”
“Have you ever thought about what would happen if something really happened to you?”
“What would Miss Jiang He do then?”
Xie Zhao frowned deeply.
Lu Changgeng continued,
“Working as a laborer doesn’t pay as much, but at least it’s much safer.”
“You once told me you wanted to earn a dowry for Miss Jiang He.”
“But…”
“How much is enough?”
“If she knows you’re risking your life just to earn her dowry, she’ll definitely feel terrible.”
Xie Zhao had always suspected he had once been skilled in martial arts.
But honestly…
He wasn’t confident.
He had no idea whether his body would instinctively react every time danger struck.
If it didn’t…
And he ended up crippled from a fall…
He’d only become a burden to Jiang He.
After thinking it over, he finally nodded.
“You’re right.”
“I won’t do it anymore.”
Some time ago, he’d gone back to see the old physician.
The doctor had told him that he would probably regain his memories within three years.
As for making money…
He’d wait until then.
Who knew?
Maybe he’d once been someone remarkable.
“Oh!”
“Let me try that.”
“I think I can do it too.”
Lu Changgeng looked at him.
“You know how to do this?”
“I think so.”
“It doesn’t look difficult.”
Since Xie Zhao’s handwriting was already so elegant, Lu Changgeng figured painting couldn’t be much different.
Writing and painting often went hand in hand.
“Alright.”
“Give it a try.”
The moment Xie Zhao picked up the brush, everyone was stunned.
He painted even more smoothly than Lu Changgeng.
His hand was so steady that Lu Changgeng couldn’t help feeling jealous.
“No way…”
“Brother Xie!”
“If you could do this all along, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
Xie Zhao rubbed his nose.
“Didn’t I?”
“I thought I did.”
“I guess you just didn’t believe me.”
“This is my first time painting on a wall.”
“It really isn’t that hard.”
Lu Changgeng: “…”
“Go tell Master Li.”
“You should switch to this job too.”
“You’ll earn another hundred copper coins every month.”
Xie Zhao smiled.
“Alright.”
“I’ll go now.”
Over the next few days, Xie Zhao came home every evening covered in paint.
Even his clothes had become splattered with colorful stains.
Jiang He remembered seeing Lu Changgeng looking much the same before.
So this time, Xie Zhao really hadn’t lied.
He truly had become a mural painter.
June was the hottest month of the year in Anyue.
The rivers had begun shrinking as well.
Back when the Jiang family had been prosperous, they had spent good money digging a deep well in an excellent location.
Fortunately, they still had water.
Many of their neighbors weren’t so lucky.
Every day they hauled carts out to the river beyond the city walls just to fetch enough water to survive.
One day, Auntie Zhang from next door came over to borrow their handcart.
Unable to stop herself from complaining, she sighed,
“I don’t know who offended the heavens this year.”
“It hasn’t rained in over a month.”
“The sun is so fierce it could roast a person alive.”
“Our well only fills half a bucket a day now, and the water’s nothing but muddy sludge.”
“If this keeps up…”
“How are we supposed to live?”
Jiang He casually asked,
“Is there still plenty of water in the river outside the city?”
“The river isn’t running dry.”
“But the water level has dropped a lot.”
“It’s all muddy now.”
“With an entire city depending on it…”
“It’s hard.”
“Exactly.”
As she spoke, Auntie Zhang noticed two buckets filled with water sitting beside the Jiang family’s well.
“Does your well still have water?”
“It does.”
“But not much.”
Auntie Zhang nodded knowingly.
“That makes sense.”
“Your father hired a famous well digger back then.”
“It really is a good well.”
“But you’d better use it sparingly.”
“I thought we’d be fine too.”
“Yet only four or five days later…”
“Our well dried up.”
Jiang He nodded.
“You’re right.”
“I haven’t even dared take a bath these past few days.”
After borrowing the cart, Auntie Zhang left.
Jiang He quietly let out a sigh of relief.
She had honestly been afraid Auntie Zhang might ask to borrow water.
She herself had no idea how long their well would last.
If word got out that they still had water…
All the neighbors would surely come asking.
No matter how deep the well was…
It couldn’t support everyone.
The drought continued.
Even the construction work at Master Zhang’s estate came to a halt.
That day, Xie Zhao returned home before noon.
He stripped off his sweat-soaked outer robe and casually tossed it over a tree branch in the courtyard.
“I’m done for now.”
“The owner gave everyone three days off.”
“Someone suffered heatstroke today.”
“He died on the spot.”
“The owner had to pay a large amount of compensation.”
“He’s worried about someone else dying, so he sent us all home.”
Jiang He hurried over with a palm fan and handed it to him before quickly scooping him a bowl of water.
“Giving everyone a break is the right decision.”
“It’s this hot.”
“If people aren’t allowed to rest, isn’t that practically asking for lives?”
“That’s true.”
“But no work means no pay.”
“Three days off.”
“There goes sixty copper coins.”
Jiang He glared at him.
“What’s more important?”
“Money or your life?”
“If you collapse from the heat, sixty copper coins won’t even cover your medicine.”
Xie Zhao laughed.
“My current job isn’t tiring.”
“I work indoors.”
“It’s not that hot.”
“Then why were you given time off too?”
“Everyone got the holiday.”
“There you go.”
“Rest for now.”
“I’ll heat up lunch.”
“No need.”
“Cold rice porridge tastes much better in weather like this.”
“I couldn’t swallow anything hot.”
“Alright.”
“I’ll get it from the well.”
Jiang He filled a large bowl with chilled rice porridge.
Xie Zhao gulped it down in only a few mouthfuls without even pausing for breath.
Watching him like this…
Who would ever imagine he had anything to do with royalty?
Smiling, Jiang He accepted the empty bowl.
“I’ll get you another.”
“Thanks.”
After answering, Xie Zhao drew a bucket of cool water from the well and carried it into the back courtyard.
The two buckets of warmed water left in the courtyard had been prepared for Jiang He.
He preferred bathing with cold water himself.
Carrying another bowl of porridge outside, Jiang He called,
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
“Just leave it there.”
“I’m too hot.”
“I’ll take a bath first.”
They had run out of pickled vegetables.
Taking a few copper coins, Jiang He went next door to buy some from Auntie Zhang.
The scorching sun stung her skin the moment she stepped outside.
She didn’t dare leave without carrying an umbrella.
Auntie Zhang filled a large bowl for her while saying,
“Don’t eat too much.”
“Pickled vegetables make you thirsty.”
“You need to conserve water.”
“Alright.”
Jiang He nodded casually.
Then Auntie Zhang took her hand.
“When the weather cools down in a couple of months, I’ll make another batch.”
“I’ll teach you too.”
“You really shouldn’t have to keep buying pickles.”
Well…
Neither she nor Xie Zhao actually knew how to make them.
Fortunately, the original Jiang He had grown up as a pampered young lady.
Not knowing how was perfectly believable.
“Alright, Auntie.”
“Thank you.”
Auntie Zhang smiled warmly.
“What are neighbors for?”
Once again, Jiang He couldn’t help sighing.
Life was truly difficult for an ordinary person who transmigrated.
If this were one of those overpowered protagonists…
They’d probably be making a fortune selling chilled drinks by now.
Unfortunately…
She was just an ordinary person who didn’t know how to do any of that.
People really shouldn’t fantasize about transmigrating.
It could genuinely get you killed.
If her parents hadn’t left behind such a large house…
And if they hadn’t tied Xie Zhao to their family through a debt of gratitude…
She probably would have died a miserable death.
Carrying the bowl of pickled vegetables back home, Jiang He arrived just as Xie Zhao finished bathing and walked out from the back courtyard.