Courtyard House: A System Connecting Two Worlds, Resources for the Nation

"What good stuff are you going to show me?"

Qin Jingru tiptoed and peered curiously into the cabinet on the kang (heated brick bed).

Zhou Feng suddenly pulled his hand out of the cabinet, holding a palm-sized sandalwood Maitreya Buddha in his palm. The carving was exquisite and the wood was glossy.

"What...is this for?"

Qin Jingru took the wood carving and examined it carefully, turning it over and over.

It's quite pretty, but she still doesn't understand what it's meant to be used for.

"Take this wood carving back with you and let your parents take a good look at the wood."

"If you see anything in the countryside that's similar to this material, or any wood that feels particularly heavy, bring it to me. I'll trade you grain for it."

After a few seconds, Zhou Feng lowered his voice again and looked at Qin Jingru seriously: "Remember, don't spread this around. If too many people know about it, the deal will fall through."

"Huh? Trading grain for timber?"

Qin Jingru stared intently at the wooden carving in her hand, her big eyes wide open. It was quite beautiful, but how could it be more precious than grain?

"Yes, we'll stick with this kind of material."

Zhou Feng led her to the kitchen, pointing to the rice sacks stacked higher than a person: "See this rice? I'll buy as much as you can find, as long as you can find the same kind of wood!"

Looking at the small mountain of dozens of bags of rice, Qin Jingru's heart was pounding wildly.

There's way too much rice!

If I could marry Brother Zhou Feng, I probably wouldn't have to worry about not being able to eat white rice for the rest of my life!

"I'll send you some nice things back first, so your parents will believe me."

Zhou Feng deftly cut a piece of pork belly, wrapped it in old newspaper, and stuffed it into Qin Jingru's hand, interrupting the girl's daydreams.

"This... Brother Zhou Feng, this is too valuable! I just had a meal of meat at your house, how can I take your things?"

"Take it!"

Zhou Feng put the meat back into her hands: "As long as your parents keep an eye out for woodenware like this in the countryside, you'll reap the rewards in the future."

After several attempts to refuse, Qin Jingru finally hugged the meat tightly to her chest.

After all, Zhou Feng's family was not short of meat, and she needed it to go home and persuade her parents.

That way, when she finds the wood that Brother Zhou Feng needs, she'll have a reason to come to the city with him again!

This idea actually came to Zhou Feng in a flash of inspiration.

Chen Tao once told him an anecdote during a chat: someone was shoveling soil in the countryside and found a hoe made of rosewood.

Because sandalwood is dense and hard, and people at the time didn't recognize its value, they simply used it as a hoe handle.

In the midst of war and chaos, no one wanted to go into the mountains, so much of the furniture brought from the city was dismantled and replaced with local materials.

Such things happen in other places as well, so there must be even more in the vicinity of Beiping!

Zhou Feng didn't want to go out and dig up land in this era; it was troublesome, but the danger was the most important thing!

He was genuinely afraid that if he went out for a while, he wouldn't be able to come back!

It's safest to let Qin Jingru's family help with the search; at worst, we can just give them more food.

"Brother Zhou Feng, don't worry, I'll definitely have my parents help you find a suitable match!"

Qin Jingru hugged the pork even tighter, even though she could feel the grease seeping through her clothes and sticking to her body, she didn't let go at all, and she held the Maitreya Buddha pendant tightly in her hand.

"Please don't bother seeing me off, my relatives are waiting for me up ahead!"

Qin Jingru said goodbye to Zhou Feng at the door and then quickly walked outside.

At that moment, a carefree fellow came out of his room and walked towards the front yard.

Seeing a girl coming out of Zhou Feng's room from afar, he couldn't help but spit out his own saliva.

He originally thought Zhou Feng and Bai Ling were a couple, but he never expected that this kid had such a pretty girl hidden away!

Even though he only vaguely saw the girl's profile, Sha Zhu thought she was really beautiful.

They must have been tricked by that scoundrel Zhou Feng!

Thinking of this, Sha Zhu strode out of the courtyard and chased after her. He couldn't let the girl be deceived by Zhou Feng!

Just then, Jia Zhangshi returned from the alley entrance and bumped right into Qin Jingru, who had just gone out.

"Hey? Jingru, when did you get here? What good stuff are you carrying?"

Jia Zhangshi squinted and glanced at her, but Qin Jingru didn't say a word and just kept running outside.

Although she had only met her cousin's mother-in-law twice, she always felt that she was not someone easy to get along with. She couldn't let her find out about the pork that Brother Zhou Feng gave her!

"Why is this girl running away? She just arrived when no one was home, and she has no manners at all!"

Just as Qin Jingru disappeared into the alley, Sha Zhu chased after her and was caught red-handed by Jia Zhangshi. The old lady's eyes lit up.

"Hey! You're something else, Sha Zhu! You ran into Jingru by yourself? What good stuff did you bring her? Look how fast she ran off with it in her arms!"

Jia Zhangshi winked and made faces at Sha Zhu, but didn't notice that the latter's expression was getting increasingly ugly.

"Auntie, you said that girl who just went out was Qin Jingru? The one wearing the floral jacket?"

"How novel! So you've been chasing after them for ages and don't even know who you're chasing?"

Jia Zhangshi was so angry at Sha Zhu that she laughed, and a hint of mockery appeared on her face.

"That's Qin Jingru...that's Qin Jingru?"

Sha Zhu let out a loud shout and turned to run back.

He saw it clearly just now: when Qin Jingru came out of Zhou Feng's room, her smile was incredibly sweet!

Wasn't that the girl Sister Qin was going to introduce to him as a potential partner?

"Zhou Feng, you bastard, come out here!"

Sha Zhu ran to Zhou Feng's door again and shouted twice, but no one paid any attention to him.

Zhou Feng has long since returned to the modern world!

Gritting his teeth, Sha Zhu raised his foot to kick the door, but then the words the carpenter had said a while ago suddenly flashed through his mind.

After hesitating for a few seconds, he finally backed down, contacted both the neighborhood committee and the local police officer.

"You little bastard! Trying to steal it, huh? That's something we...we don't want! We'll find something better!"

After yelling, Sha Zhu looked around and, seeing no neighbors watching, spat angrily and went back into the house dejectedly.

Madam Jia Zhang walked in from outside with a frown on her face, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Did Qin Jingru take the things from Zhou Feng instead of Sha Zhu?

Why would Zhou Feng give Qin Jingru something?

Could it be... that he has taken a liking to Qin Jingru?

Madam Jia's eyes darted around, and she began to make calculations in her mind. If that was the case, then this matter could still be arranged!

When Qin Huairu comes back tonight, I'll have to let her think about it carefully.

If it really works out, Zhou Feng is much better than Sha Zhu!

Don't let her constant criticism of Zhou Feng fool you; if she could actually establish this connection, Jia Zhangshi would be the first to jump on the bandwagon without hesitation!