The little one's purse connects the two worlds, turning a desolate village into a paradise.

Fang Tiesheng first picked out the important points and briefly explained the shop's situation, then pulled the village chief aside for a few more words.

The village chief sat back down in his chair, stroking his pipe, and didn't ask any more questions.

Ultimately, they are the ones who need something from others and are taking advantage of their personal relationships. They have done everything they should have done out of courtesy and consideration. If the other party is willing to help and take care of them, that is a favor. If they are not willing, that is their own choice, not theirs.

We'll think about it again when Grandpa Fang has some free time. If that doesn't work, we'll make a list for Nannan to buy things according to the list. There's always a way to overcome difficulties.

However, based on what Old Man Fang said behind him, he figured there was probably no problem with the matter.

The crowd was still pestering Fang Tiesheng, asking him about the novel sights and sounds of that divine realm.

When Ya Ya came back earlier, the little girl talked incoherently, saying things that didn't make sense and leaving everyone confused.

But Fang Tiesheng was different; he was well-educated, worldly-wise, and experienced.

When talking about the wide, flat, and solid streets, the two-wheeled cars shuttling back and forth, the four-wheeled trucks speeding by, the towering houses on both sides of the streets, the various different clothes and decorations of the pedestrians, and the peculiar objects, everything was unique and distinctive.

It's like telling a story, vivid and detailed.

Everyone was completely engrossed in listening.

Fang Daniu squatted at the front, staring at his father with a face full of admiration.

It seems that one still needs to study and learn to read.

Such a wonderful opportunity! In the whole village, only his father was literate and could read, so Nannan chose him to take with her.

Only his father, who had been there, could figure out even more things. He could even explain clearly that they used something called "electricity" to light the lamps there, and he even managed to touch someone's cell phone and make a call!

That magical little square—just press a number and you can hear people talking from other places. It's amazing!

They talked for a full quarter of an hour before everyone finally dispersed, satisfied.

Fang Tiesheng pulled the village chief back to Granny Liu's house. They still needed to figure out how to plan their trip there that night.

Having learned from his daytime experience, Fang Tiesheng had more ideas about what could be accomplished in the half hour at night. He needed to plan his time more meticulously, making sure to arrange what to do first and what to do later.

In the outer courtyard, Li Guixiang had already begun arranging for the entire village to start construction.

Back when Fang Tiesheng and Ya Ya went to the morning market, the whole village mobilized and cut several hundred kilograms of cattails, which are now piled up in the corner of the yard.

Having accepted the job from Fairy He Miao, we can't be negligent.

Even Gou Ya, who was advised by Dr. Chen to rest more and not work, carried a small basket and made several trips back and forth carrying fodder.

Under Li Guixiang's command, the villagers were divided into several teams, with Niu Cuihua's team responsible for sorting and selecting grass.

All the rotten, insect-damaged, crooked, and unusable ones were picked out.

Then sort them by length and thickness, bundle them into small bundles, and divide them into two piles.

One batch needs to be dyed to create patterned designs, while another batch retains its original color and is only used to soften and prevent mold growth in its natural color.

Grandma Wang's team was responsible for spreading out the hay to dry. They spread the sorted hay evenly on the stone slabs in the yard and outside, turning it over every now and then to dry it out and prevent it from getting damp and moldy, thus laying a good foundation for soaking and softening later.

Ji Chuntao and Zhao Hu led a team of young and strong men to move a large wooden trough to use as a grass soaking pool, and also set up a large iron pot.

They needed to prepare warm water for softening, and Dr. Chen, as a cultural advisor, helped them learn to read and figure out the proportions of dyes, color-fixing materials, and anti-mold and anti-insect solutions.

Once the grass has dried properly, it is soaked in warm water to soften it, making it more flexible and sturdy so that it won't break when weaving shoes and won't rub against the feet.

Ji Chuntao stared at what was written on the paper: the water temperature should be controlled between 40-50 degrees Celsius, her brows furrowed slightly. (Ji Chuntao already recognizes numbers, and her vocabulary is slightly less than Ya Ya's, but she has Dr. Chen guiding her.)

How should this temperature be controlled?

They all rely on touch to determine temperature; they don't know anything about precise measurements. If it feels too hot to the touch, it's no good; if it feels too cold, it's no good either. They simply can't get a sense of the temperature.

She pondered that since they could write such precise numbers over there, they must also have a set of methods for finely classifying temperature and measuring instruments.

Just like the centimeter measuring tape used when we grew corn, there was a special soft measuring tape.

Ji Chuntao thought for a moment, then took the paper to Fang Tiesheng: "Uncle, there's a temperature number on this, but we don't know what it is. I was thinking you could go over there tonight and see if you can buy a thermometer. They can provide this number, so they should have one."

"Okay, I've got it."

Fang Tiesheng nodded and added another item to the shopping list in his notebook.

……

After the morning market closed, Cao Xiulian followed the directions given by Grandpa Fang and headed towards the back street.

When she saw the storefront without a sign, her heart skipped a beat.

Everyone who knows this street knows there's a weird storefront. Several groups of tenants opened shops here before, but they all lost money. It was deserted and no one dared to rent it, no matter how cheap the rent was.

To be honest, she was very tempted by the rent, but she didn't dare to gamble. No matter how cheap the rent was, a loss would be a real loss.

It's better to steadily run your own small stall.

Is this old man being fooled? Doesn't he know this place is eerie?

Cao Xiulian frowned.

I crouched down and tried the key; it actually opened. The roller shutter slammed shut, releasing a musty smell of dust; it was pitch black inside.

Cao Xiulian pressed the switch next to her, and the incandescent light came on. With the light on, the storefront looked a little more pleasing to the eye.

There were no cleaning tools in the shop, and Cao Xiulian wasn't sure if the old man knew about the past of this storefront, so she was a little conflicted.

"Hey, girl, are you related to Brother Fang? Coming over to clean?" Zheng Juan strode in from the doorway, clutching a piece of paper. "I've taken notes on the water and electricity bills, and paid the outstanding fees. Take a look, and keep it safe."

"Sister, are you the landlord here?" Cao Xiulian took the paper. She was straightforward and, having caught the landlord, immediately asked, "Everyone on this street knows what's going on with your shop. The old man is from the countryside and doesn't know the situation. Have you explained it to them?"

Zheng Juan grinned, "What's wrong, girl? Afraid I'll fool you? Don't worry, I'm not that kind of person. Look, I've written it all in the contract, and I've explained it clearly to Brother Fang. This shop of mine is likely to lose money."

Brother Fang probably doesn't believe in these things, and since the little girl he brought along liked it, he signed it.

Cao Xiulian took the contract and read it carefully. It was indeed as the landlord had said, and only then was she relieved.

"Sister, I'm so sorry, I was being narrow-minded."

"Oh, what are you saying? I love it when you speak your mind like that, don't hold it in!"