After taking his leave from the village head's home, Qin Ke turned and headed toward the western end of the village.
The original owner of his body had never had much interaction with that family, so Qin Ke wasn't sure of their exact location and could only search while asking around.
Standing before a damaged, rickety wooden door that looked ready to collapse at any moment, Qin Ke paused briefly, then raised his voice. "Excuse me, is anyone home?"
Through gaps in the broken planks, he saw movement inside. A moment later, a woman stepped out, her clothes covered in patches. Qin Ke sized her up—she was almost as tall as he was, more than half a head taller than Lu Youqing.
Though he had never measured himself, Qin Ke estimated he was just under 1.8 meters tall, which would put Li Daniu at around 1.75 meters—taller than many men. Even in modern times, that height would be uncommon.
Her features were actually quite delicate, and her build well-proportioned—hardly "coarse" at all. Qin Ke guessed it was precisely her height that made many men feel insecure, leading them to spread such rumors.
"Y-you… is there something you need?" Li Daniu asked, surprise flickering across her face, her eyes filled with confusion.
After all, she had never interacted with Qin Ke before—not even spoken to him—so she couldn't imagine why he would come to her home.
"May I come in to talk?" Qin Ke asked, noticing villagers passing by casting curious glances in their direction.
"Yes—come in," Li Daniu replied after a brief pause, nodding. However, once Qin Ke entered, she left the door wide open.
The moment Qin Ke stepped inside, a heavy medicinal odor hit him. Unlike the fresh, herbal fragrance he'd smelled at the clinic, this scent carried a hint of decay.
As expected from what the village head had said, their household was indeed struggling—no better off than Qin Ke's own place had been when he first arrived in this world.
"I'll be straightforward," Qin Ke said. "I have several mu of land at the foot of the mountain. I asked the village head, and the land next to it belongs to your family. I wanted to ask if you'd be willing to sell it to me."
"Ah?" Li Daniu looked at him strangely. After hesitating for a while, she reminded him, "That land isn't good quality. My father farmed it when he was alive—the yield was less than half of other fields every year. Are you sure you want to buy it?"
When her father was alive, he had often been criticized for not having a son to carry on the family line. After his death, members of the clan had tried to seize their property. In the end, it was only because the land was so barren that they were allowed to keep it.
Qin Ke smiled. Most people would have jumped at the chance to get rid of such land, but she had warned him first—clear proof of her kind nature.
"I'm sure. However many mu you have, I'll buy all of it."
Li Daniu hesitated, unsure what to do. Just then, coughing and faint calling sounds came from the inner room.
Hearing her mother, Li Daniu hurried inside. Qin Ke waited silently. If he wasn't mistaken, the person inside must have heard his words and called her in.
Sure enough, a few minutes later Li Daniu came back out. "My mother says… she's willing to sell."
"Alright," Qin Ke nodded. After glancing around, he added, "How about this—come by my house when you have time. I'll have my wife draft an agreement. I'll pay one tael of silver per mu."
Even good farmland was priced at about one tael per mu. Qin Ke's offer was far beyond what they had expected.
"That's too—" Li Daniu began, feeling they were getting an unfair advantage and about to refuse.
Qin Ke waved his hand to stop her. "No need to feel awkward. I want to buy it because I have a way to improve the soil."
"…Alright," Li Daniu finally agreed. She truly had no way to refuse—her family was struggling just to eat, relying on her labor in town to survive. Yet people there were reluctant to hire her simply because she was a woman.
Having settled two major matters in one day, Qin Ke clapped his hands in satisfaction. But as he reached the door, he turned back to Li Daniu, who was seeing him off.
"Once I buy the land, I'll start preparing it for spring planting. I can't manage it alone. If you're willing, you can come work for me—I'll pay you by the day."
Without waiting for her response, he waved and took his leave.
"We've encountered a benefactor," Li Daniu's mother said, half-reclining on the bed, a hint of a smile appearing on her pale, sickly face after hearing her daughter relay Qin Ke's words.
"When you work at his place, make sure you're diligent."
"Don't worry, Mother, I will," Li Daniu replied, sitting on a stool and massaging her mother's legs. "I've always heard villagers say Qin Ke is a gambler. But after meeting him today… he doesn't seem like what they say."
"Village gossip isn't always true," her mother said softly. "What kind of person he really is—you'll have to judge for yourself."
"I understand, Mother."
Strolling home, Qin Ke had no idea what the mother and daughter thought of him. He leisurely admired the village scenery—green mountains and clear waters, lush grass, and groups of children playing together.
The roads, however, were far rougher. Not only in the village—even the town roads were dirt. After rainfall, they became terribly muddy.
He wondered what the formula for asphalt was, and whether it would even be possible to create paved roads in this era.
Lost in random thoughts, Qin Ke soon arrived home. When he pushed the door open, Lu Youqing was seated upright at the table, copying texts.
Looks like the new house should include a study, Qin Ke thought silently, noticing her uncomfortable posture.
"Everything settled?" Lu Youqing asked, setting down her brush and looking at him with smiling eyes.
This man really wore all his emotions on his face—surprisingly easy to read.
"Yes. I asked the village head—there's no owner for the land next door, so we can build there. Once spring planting is done and everyone's free, we'll get started," Qin Ke said, sitting across from her and recounting everything he had accomplished that day.
"When I went last time, it looked like the neighboring fields totaled about ten mu. Are you planting rice on all of it? And are you sure land no one wants can produce anything?" Lu Youqing raised an eyebrow.
"Don't worry. I guarantee I can improve the soil."
Lu Youqing studied him again. It wasn't that she hadn't guessed he had secrets—but he didn't seem inclined to deliberately hide them from her.
"Oh, and I also made arrangements with her. When the time comes, we can hire her to help. Then we'll plant watermelons on those five mu, and rice on the rest."
Lu Youqing nodded. "If her family is struggling, helping them is a good thing. I have no objections."
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Currently at chapter 118 for advance chapters
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