Why had these two suddenly come over? Surely they weren’t here to stir up trouble again?
That was what Chen Cui thought inwardly, though she still wore a smile on her face.
“Aunt Lu, what brings you here? Is something the matter?”
“I came looking for your husband. There are a few things we’d like him to make for us.”
Now that Qianqian’s status was different, Old Madam Lu also understood that she needed to change some of her behavior. Otherwise, it could affect Qianqian negatively.
Hearing they had come to commission work, the smile on Chen Cui’s face deepened.
Although the Lu family had a notorious good-for-nothing daughter like Lu Qianqian, the rest of the family was hardworking and generally maintained good relations within the village.
And while Old Madam Lu could be unreasonable, it was usually only when matters involving Lu Qianqian were concerned.
“Aunt Lu, come inside and sit. My husband is home — I’ll go call him out.”
Chen Cui first invited them inside before heading into the inner room to fetch him.
Lu Qianqian quietly observed the courtyard.
There was wood stacked everywhere along with several finished products already crafted. Judging from the workmanship, this carpenter was quite skilled.
The only question was whether he could make what she needed.
Soon, Chen Cui returned with a sturdy-looking man.
Lu Zhuang had already learned from his wife that Old Madam Lu had come to order something.
“Aunt Lu, what would your family like made?” he asked directly.
Old Madam Lu looked extremely proud.
“It’s not me — it’s Qianqian. This child recently went to the Plant Association and became a certified Florist. Today she needs some tools for a project, and since our own village has you, I brought her over.”
A Florist?
Lu Zhuang and Chen Cui’s eyes widened.
That lazy, spoiled Lu Qianqian had become a Florist?
Old Madam Lu was openly showing off today because Qianqian’s certification had already been approved by the authorities.
If she didn’t boast now, then when would she?
“My Qianqian has been smart since childhood. Now that she’s become a Florist, this old woman doesn’t need to worry about her future anymore.”
Old Madam Lu smiled so widely her face practically bloomed like a flower.
Sitting beside her, Lu Qianqian genuinely felt a little embarrassed from all the praise.
Chen Cui still found it hard to believe.
But she also knew Aunt Lu wouldn’t dare joke about something this serious. Seeing how delighted she looked, perhaps it was really true.
Chen Cui turned to glance at her husband.
At the same moment, Lu Zhuang looked back at her.
Both saw shock in each other’s eyes.
If Lu Qianqian had truly become a Florist, then that meant Xinghua Village now had a Florist.
And that meant future tax reductions.
That’s right — tax reductions.
As long as a Florist acknowledged their family or place of residence, benefits would be granted.
For large noble clans, the court reduced commercial taxes.
For ordinary people, the Florist’s home village received reduced harvest taxes — one-tenth less each year.
One-tenth might not sound like much, but it could save many lives.
Lu Zhuang forced himself to calm down.
“Qianqian, what kind of tools do you want made?”
“This is your Uncle Zhuang. Tell him whatever you need.”
Old Madam Lu introduced Lu Zhuang.
Although Lu Qianqian had grown up in the village, there were still many people she barely knew.
“Uncle Zhuang, do you have paper and a brush?”
What she wanted was difficult to explain verbally. If she could draw it directly, things would be easier.
“Yes, wait a moment.”
Most of the work Lu Zhuang handled involved simple furniture, wooden basins, buckets, and everyday household items. But occasionally, wealthier families requested more refined furniture pieces.
At times like those, design sketches were needed.
So naturally, he had writing supplies.
Soon, Lu Zhuang returned with a brush and inkstone, while Chen Cui moved over a small table.
Looking at the brush and inkstone before her, Lu Qianqian secretly felt fortunate.
In her previous life, she often enjoyed sketching and calligraphy during her free time, so she was already comfortable using a brush.
Otherwise, she’d truly be struggling today.
Picking up the brush, Lu Qianqian quickly began drawing.
Soon, an oval-shaped wooden box design appeared on the paper.
The oval box itself wasn’t difficult to make.
The truly difficult part was the carving design inside.
What Lu Qianqian drew was the pattern of the Cold Beauty flower.
Since the soap was made from Cold Beauty flowers, naturally the flower design should be engraved onto it as well.
The delicately drawn flower instantly captivated Lu Zhuang.
“Uncle Zhuang, can you make a wooden box like this?”
Lu Qianqian set down the brush and asked.
The drawing on the paper was extremely refined.
Lu Zhuang stared at it in a daze, deeply shocked by Lu Qianqian’s skill.
The oval box itself was ordinary enough, but that flower looked almost alive.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
At that moment, he began to genuinely believe Lu Qianqian truly had become a Florist.
“You’ve drawn it very clearly. How many of these boxes do you want, and when do you need them?”
“As soon as possible.”
Lu Qianqian already knew they wouldn’t be ready in time for tomorrow’s trip to the prefectural city.
Half the preparations at home were already done, and she urgently needed the molds so she could begin producing the soap quickly.
It was also her own oversight.
She had already completed half the process before suddenly remembering she didn’t even have molds for the soap.
“Uncle Zhuang, I’d like thirty boxes like this. How much will it cost? I can pay in advance.”
Hearing this, Lu Zhuang hadn’t expected her to be so straightforward.
“One box will cost thirty wen. Thirty boxes total nine hundred wen. I’ll make a few first for you to inspect. If they’re satisfactory, I’ll complete the rest afterward.”
After calculating, he gave the price.
Without hesitation, Lu Qianqian directly took out nine hundred wen from her pouch and handed it over.
Of course, the money had actually been stored inside the system inventory. Otherwise, carrying that many copper coins would’ve exhausted her.
Naturally, Old Madam Lu knew nothing about that and simply assumed her daughter had brought the money because she intended to buy things.
“Then I’ll trouble you, Uncle Zhuang.”
After finalizing the mold order, Lu Qianqian and Old Madam Lu headed home.
Once they were gone, Chen Cui and Lu Zhuang still found it hard to believe what had happened.
“Today, that girl Qianqian seemed like an entirely different person,” Chen Cui sighed.
In the past, Lu Qianqian had never been this polite and well-mannered.
She had basically been a spoiled little tyrant.
Lu Zhuang chuckled honestly.
“She’s probably changed because she became a Florist. She’s someone with status now — naturally she can’t keep behaving recklessly like before.”
Hearing her husband say that, Chen Cui nodded.
That explanation made sense.
“I just hope she stays this way.”
“Alright. Other people’s matters aren’t for us to worry about. They placed an order, so we’ll just do the work.”
After saying that, Lu Zhuang returned to work.
Since he’d accepted the money, he naturally intended to do the job properly.
Meanwhile, by the time Old Madam Lu and Lu Qianqian returned home, Lu Zhengguo had already come back.