Chapter 398: 120: Letting you peek at people through the door gap, up on the beam! _2
Mo Qishen always respected Ni Yang. He then asked, “After fetching the water, what shall we do next?”
Ni Yang replied, “After fetching the water, let’s go to our neighbors to borrow some tables and stools.”
“Why borrow them? Don’t we have tables at home?” Mo Qishen asked, puzzled.
Ni Yang explained, “Later, a lot of guests will be coming to our house, and we certainly won’t have enough tables and stools.”
“Oh,” Mo Qishen nodded in understanding.
Soon, the water tank was filled, and Ni Yang took Mo Qishen next door to borrow tables and stools.
Mo Qishen had visited Jinghua Village many times before, and he once distributed candies and cigarettes in the village, so everyone had a good impression of him.
In no time, more than a dozen tables and stools were set up in the courtyard.
While Ni Yang and Ni Cuihua were busy in the kitchen, Mo Qishen was setting two pots of milk tea and Sour Plum Soup and a large plate of pickled chicken feet on each table.
The white chicken feet, combined with yellow and red millet peppers, looked especially appealing, like jewels.
“Brother Mo, you should try a chicken foot.” Ni Yang picked up a chicken foot with her hand and held it at Mo Qishen’s mouth.
Mo Qishen opened his mouth to take it.
Ni Yang suddenly felt a slight pain in her finger.
She looked up and saw a mischievous face.
It then dawned on Ni Yang that this man had done it on purpose, and she swiftly withdrew her finger, “You’re such a dog!”
Leaning into her ear, Mo Qishen whispered, “Yangyang, don’t you always call me a doggy?”
The warm breath spray on Ni Yang’s cheek caused her face to turn red instantly.
This man was indeed a jerk!
Ni Yang reached out and pinched his waist.
His muscles were firm and felt good to touch. Just from a pinch, she could tell that underneath his clothes, his body was great.
At that moment, Ni Cuihua came in carrying five large watermelons. Ni Yang quickly withdrew her hand and said, “Mom.”
Ni Cuihua continued, “Yangyang, you and Xiaomo, cut up these watermelons and distribute them to everyone.”
“Alright,” Mo Qishen immediately reached out take them.
These were early-ripened watermelons in early June. Their skins were thin, and their flesh was red. Each bite released a burst of juicy sweetness, crisp and sweet.
Ni Yang and Mo Qishen took the cut watermelons to the new house next door.
By now, the rose vines had climbed over the wall. The vibrant green leaves fluttered in the wind, while the bright red buds peeked through the leaves, lending a calming view.
In the yard were swings, lawns, and a little path paved with pebbles.
The lawn was planted by Ni Yang using grass seeds. Compared to the hard cement ground, she preferred the soft grass carpet. The sturdy, dense lawn was like the one on a golf course, so even on rainy days, she wouldn’t worry about it getting muddy.
Above the swings, they had planted two vines of grapes. At this time, the green leaves of the grapes had quietly climbed up the trellis. The newly planted grapes would not bear fruit in the same year but should be ready to harvest by next year.
They had planted two large hydrangeas on the left side of the yard, beside which was a small pond. The pond was built with cement and pebbles at the bottom. In a few days, Ni Yang planned to buy some water lilies and goldfish to keep in it.
They also planted a circle of Orchid Grass and an Osmanthus tree around the pond.
Ahead was a delicately built small building.
The small building was a blend of Eastern and Western design. The load-bearing walls were made of bricks, and the exterior was decorated with wood. The intricately carved wooden doors and windows, pink walls, and black tile roofs, in combination with the yard design, created an illusion of being in Jiangnan’s water town. The building spanned three stories and covered more than a thousand square feet in total.
The top floor was waiting for the auspicious time of the beam-raising ceremony, so the tiles had not yet been laid.
Although Mo Qishen had been to the Ni Family’s house several times, he never stayed long. This was the first time he had stepped inside, and he was a bit surprised, “Yangyang, did you hire an architect to design this house?”
This little building and courtyard were charming, like a miniaturized version of Jiangnan.
Ni Yang smiled and said, “I just designed it casually myself.”
“You designed it yourself?” Mo Qishen was slightly surprised.
Although he had seen Ni Yang’s design for the milk tea cups before, a house and a cup were two completely different things.
Designing a house requires not only a background in drawing but also a strong foundation in architecture; otherwise, the house may end up unsafe.
Ni Yang nodded, “I’ve always yearned for the lifestyle of the Jiangnan water town scenes of ‘small bridges over streams and households.’ So, I designed this farmhouse courtyard based on the books I’ve read before. Brother Mo, what do you think?”