Disaster Apocalypse: Farming, Family, and My Hidden Secret Space

"Hey, hey," Qin Dagen quickly responded, but his expression was still a bit unnatural.

However, the family was thoroughly relieved, knowing it was Hua Jin, they didn't have to worry about being infected by the plague.

Hua Jin walked in gracefully, with Qin Shu's family following behind, looking somewhat restrained. Even the two little ones seemed shy.

After all, Hua Village is very large, with plenty of places to live.

Hua Jin had already seen from outside; the collapsed courtyard wall had been built up high, and although the roof was considerably lower than before, it was securely sealed. It looked good, no longer the battered and broken appearance it had before.

Looking at the tidied-up courtyard, Hua Jin felt pleased.

"Miss Hua Jin, sorry for moving in without consulting you..."

"Brother Qin Shu, didn't I say you could move in whenever you have difficulties? There's nothing to apologize for, and besides, you repaired the house so well, I should be thanking you."

Hua Jin interrupted Qin Shu, smiling brightly.

Hua Jin always had a good impression of her brother's schoolmate. Running into him in town last time was a fateful encounter, and those words were said out of compassion.

If the situation in the dream doesn't happen and there's no plague, that's great. But if it does, it's good to have another way out, a place to go.

Anyway, they aren't planning to come back to the village for now, and having no residents in the village isn't good; it won't seem too deserted.

Watching this family, Hua Jin confirmed her worry had come true.

"No, no, we should be thanking you, and we're already feeling embarrassed living here. Repairing the house was necessary, as long as you don't blame us," Li Shi quickly said.

"No blame at all, Auntie, don't overthink it. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

Hua Jin has always been very tolerant of people she doesn't dislike.

"Really, then, can we settle in Hua Village in the future?" Li Shi asked expectantly, with a hint of surprise.

Of course, it would be better if they could continue living in Hua Village. Although their fields are closer to Qin Village, Li Shi wouldn't dare take her children back to the village in its current state.

"Of course," Hua Jin nodded. Although these words might seem inappropriate, Hua Jin understood.

As a mother, she naturally wants to find a safer place for her children.

"Good, good... Hua Jin Gu..."

"Mother..." Qin Shu interrupted his mother's excitement, "Miss Hua Jin, my mother is just too anxious."

"It's fine, Brother Qin Shu, I mean it. Hua Village truly welcomes you all, not just my grandfather, father, and brother, they all welcome you too. If Brother Qin Shu feels uneasy about staying indefinitely, it's okay; do you see the back of our village? It's spacious, so pick a spot for a homestead, and once we go down the mountain, we can report to my grandfather..."

"Is this appropriate?" Qin Dagen was genuinely tempted.

Hua Village might not be planning to come down the mountain now, but from Miss Hua Jin's tone, they surely would eventually, and they would become part of Hua Village, which they are more than willing to do.

As Hua Village is the largest village in the surrounding area and one of the few very united ones, with a resourceful village chief, Qin Village is no more. Only in such a village can they find true subsistence.

First came floods, then cold days just when life seemed hopeful, now it's a plague, and Qin Dagen doesn't know what might come next. If they can really stay at Hua Village, he is a hundred times, a thousand times willing. That's why he didn't stop his wife earlier when she spoke out of turn because as parents, they are ultimately selfish.

"If Uncle Qin feels embarrassed, I do have a solution." Hua Jin smiled, her gaze wandering between the courtyard wall and the repaired house.

Though the house wasn't as beautifully built as those by professional builders, it surely looked sturdy.

The Qin family moved in undeniably due to her words, but this also served as a reminder for Hua Jin.

They hadn't gone down the mountain yet, and although Hua Village's location was remote, under current circumstances, who knows if someone might covet it and occupy it quietly.

With their village's capability, it's not something to fear, but isn't it a hassle?

Looking at the somewhat scrawny yet strong Qin Shu family, an idea sprung up in Hua Jin's mind.

This family feels embarrassed, so this method can let them stay in Hua Village confidently, preserving their dignity, especially Qin Shu, her brother's schoolmate. Though they hadn't spent much time together, Hua Jin knew this was a person with strong self-respect.

At this point, Qin Dagen and his wife exchanged a glance, looking at Hua Jin with anticipation: "I wonder what method Miss Hua Jin has in mind..."

"Uncle Qin's wall building is quite remarkable."

Upon hearing this, Qin Dagen visibly relaxed and waved his hand, "You're too kind, too kind, it's just haphazardly built but looks alright."

No one dislikes being praised, not even someone like Qin Dagen in his fifties, who couldn't help but feel delighted.

"Uncle Qin is too modest. Though it's not very pretty and mixed with broken stones and clay, it's really sturdy." Hua Jin gently pushed it, but it didn't move the slightest bit.

This level was already impressive, knowing mud walls couldn't withstand much force, whereas even brick stone courtyard walls couldn't hold under full strength.

Qin Dagen might not believe a young girl could muster much strength, but having his work validated did make him feel good. The wall was indeed solid, and he put in a lot of effort to make it that way, traveling to several places to find more cohesive earth, using red clay mixed with straw and stones for firmness.

"Miss Hua Jin means..." Qin Shu still couldn't fathom what Hua Jin was getting at.

Though she kept praising his father's skills... could it be she wanted her father to help construct the village houses?

But... Qin Shu's gaze swept through the large Hua Village... How could his father and their family build it all? Just making clay bricks was an arduous process.

"I'd like to hire Uncle Qin and Brother Qin Shu to help erect the entire courtyard wall around Hua Village."

"Build the courtyard wall?"

Though slightly less strenuous than building houses, upon hearing this, Qin Shu was still bewildered, once again looking through the vast Hua Village... How massive a courtyard wall would that be!

Qin Dagen was also dumbfounded, never imagining his son's classmate's sister would propose such a request.

Erecting a village-sized courtyard wall... This was highly flattering, though the feeling of being acknowledged was nice, but thinking about Hua Village's size made him feel quite low, instantly thinking it was beyond him.

"Yes, but Uncle Qin won't have to work for free. If everything's agreeable, I'll pay Uncle Qin thirty catties of grain, an ounce of silver, and two ounces of coarse salt each month as compensation."

"Thirty catties of grain?" Li Shi exclaimed in shock, quickly urging her husband with her eyes to accept.

Not to mention thirty catties, even ten or five catties of grain would be worth agreeing to; grain cannot be bought, and there's also two ounces of salt, which are lifesavers.