Chapter 17: Just A Bit Of Admiration For Senior Brother
In the bamboo forest.
As the sun set, Chen Han, along with Uncle Dagou and Uncle Shuisheng, had almost finished picking. The bamboo leaves filled the sacks they brought, each bag weighing around 40 jin.
Bamboo leaves were actually difficult to pick, especially the small five-jin bag of Thunder Bamboo leaf cores in his hand, which was extremely time-consuming.
Before heading back, Chen Han reminded him, “Uncle Dagou, cut another bamboo. We will use it to make bamboo tubes to hold the stir-fried bamboo leaf tea.”
“Alright.” Chen Dagou nodded, picked up the cleaver at his waist, skillfully felled a bamboo suitable for making bamboo tubes, trimmed off the branches, and carried it on his shoulder as they left the bamboo forest together.
On the way, Chen Han received another game prompt:
【Congratulations, through the recorded image transmitted by the Spirit Shadow Mirror, you have gained one more supporter and obtained 1 point of reputation!】
During the time spent picking bamboo leaves and leaf cores, his reputation had increased by another 5 points, reaching
The video provoking dog demon infighting was about to reach 2,000 likes, though there were relatively few follows.
After all, this kind of bizarre race track was extremely niche, and those attracted were a group of self-proclaimed fellow daoists and immortal venerables who just wanted entertainment.
When the three returned to the Chen Clan, they passed the open space where the crucible that Chen Lin and the others were building already had a complete model.
Chen Han noticed a familiar figure. It was Mr. Zhao, who was curiously watching his uncle and the others build the crucible.
Zhao Kang also saw the three of them and asked curiously, “Chen Family Head, sorry to disturb you again. What are you doing here?”
Chen Han explained, “I have been studying the clan’s ancient books recently and came up with a kind of bamboo leaf tea, so we went to pick some bamboo leaves and bamboo leaf cores.”
“Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea?” Zhao Kang exclaimed in surprise.
He had just heard about this thing, and now hearing this family head mention ancient books made him even more curious.
When Chen Han heard him accurately say ‘Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea,’ he knew it had been mentioned by his uncle’s side, so he simply nodded. “When it is ready, please have a taste, Mr. Zhao.”
“Thank you, Chen Family Head.” Zhao Kang’s eyes lit up at once.
In his subconscious, he already felt the Chen Clan was not simple. Now this Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea, whether from its name, or the mention of inheritance or ancient books, felt like a full stack of buffs.
This also maximized his curiosity.
Then he remembered the serious matter. “Chen Family Head, I heard that your Chen Clan has an inherited medicinal cuisine. I was directly tempted to come back. I wonder if the Chen Clan still has the materials. I really want to taste it.”
Chen Han more or less understood why Mr. Zhao had returned. He must have learned about the medicinal cuisine from Mr. Lin and the others, since Mr. Lin’s group had been recommended by Mr. Zhao.
Now there was a stable source of dog demon meat, and since dog demon meat had a time limit, he planned to make one or two servings of medicinal cuisine each day. So he said, “Mr. Zhao, your timing is good. Our Chen Clan has just obtained some more materials. Tomorrow we can sell you one serving, but the price is a bit high.”
“I know, twenty thousand per serving. I can pay in advance,” Zhao Kang said quickly. Right now he was not afraid of the medicinal cuisine being expensive, only that they might refuse to sell.
His curiosity about this medicinal cuisine had also been thoroughly hooked.
“Alright, Mr. Zhao, please go directly to my junior sister to register. We will prepare the medicinal cuisine tomorrow.” Chen Han nodded with a smile, chatted a bit more with Mr. Zhao, then took Uncle Dagou and Uncle Shuisheng to his uncle’s courtyard, found three bamboo trays, and spread the collected bamboo leaves and bamboo leaf cores on them evenly.
Chen Han also took out his mobile phone and filmed the bamboo leaves and leaf cores. “This family head and two clan experts, after endless hardships, have finally brought back the Thunder Bamboo leaves and Thunder Bamboo leaf cores. Now comes the first step of refining Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea, which is to use special spirit tools to disperse the yin thunder water contained in the Thunder Bamboo leaves and Thunder Bamboo leaf cores.”
In fact, it was just spreading the freshly picked bamboo leaves and bamboo leaf cores evenly in a well-ventilated place, allowing some of the moisture to evaporate so that the leaves softened, preparing for later stir-frying.
This would take just one night.
Seeing him filming again, Chen Dagou and Chen Shuisheng still felt embarrassed.
Was Xiao Han really treating their Chen Clan as a cultivation family?
However, Chen Dagou still asked curiously, “Xiao Han, is this Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea really reliable?”
Chen Han said with a smile, “Whether it is reliable or not, we have to try first to know. As long as it succeeds, our Chen Clan will definitely develop a Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea business in the future. The clan will certainly need more job positions then, and you and Uncle Shuisheng will be in charge, plus we will recruit a few more people from the clan.”
Hearing this news, Chen Dagou and Chen Shuisheng’s eyes lit up at once.
When the main family had first decided to develop tourism for the Chen Clan Ancient Architectural Complex, everyone had supported it, because success would create job positions and economic income for the family.
They had also successfully applied for tourism subsidy funds from the county to start tourism around the Chen Clan Ancient Architectural Complex. For this, Xiao Han’s parents lost their lives in a debris flow on the road.
However, the tourism around the Chen Clan Ancient Architectural Complex had not gone well. Positions were limited, and people like Chen Lin were working at low or half-free wages, all hoping that tourism for the family’s Ancient Architectural Complex could develop and drive employment for more clan members.
If they could call back the young people working outside, that would be best.
After all, who would not want family reunions, enjoying life with grandchildren, instead of enduring the pain of separation, where even during holidays the younger generation struggled to come home for a living.
Now they were more eager than anyone for this Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea to succeed, and their gaze toward Chen Han had changed.
Before, they still looked at him somewhat as elders watching a junior; now there was more respect.
At this moment, Chen Han received a message from his junior sister. “Senior brother, Mr. Zhao came to me and said you agreed to sell him one serving of medicinal cuisine. He needs to pay twenty thousand.”
Seeing the message, he replied, “Yes, we just obtained some more materials. Tomorrow we can sell Mr. Zhao one serving.”
“Got it.” Xiao Yu.
…
As night gradually fell, Chen Han had some hotter congee at his uncle’s place. After his uncle went back to continue building the crucible, he returned to his room to rest.
Maybe he had exerted himself too much today. As soon as he entered the room, he suddenly started coughing violently. The lung cancer cells were acting up again, so he could only take some painkillers.
But the side effects of the painkillers were really uncomfortable.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Seeing his junior sister in Hanfu, delicately standing outside, he forced himself to endure the discomfort and squeezed out a smile. “Junior sister, it’s you.”
Xiao Yu entered happily. “Senior brother, the data for that Ancient Architectural Complex promotional video was very good. Quite a few people booked tickets through the video. There will be a group of 13 people coming tomorrow, and more will come over the next few days. We don’t have enough staff to serve them.”
Chen Han knew that video had attributes of +2 simple and unadorned sect residence and +2 ornamental value, which attracted many people.
With his junior sister’s more than six hundred thousand fans, the base was large, so it clearly drew in some people. He was thinking about when his own family head account could also open a booking link.
Fans could follow to generate a one-time reputation gain, and bringing people over to play could earn money. Manifestation before people and spectacular special spiritual aperture scenes could all generate more reputation.
This was making full use of fans.
Regarding the lack of service staff, Chen Han said, “Recruit a few more from the clan. For now, let’s also raise uncle and the others’ salaries to a normal standard. I believe our Chen Clan will gradually improve.”
Once Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea came out, as long as it was promoted well, it would definitely not worry about sales. They could not keep letting his uncle and the others work like beasts for half pay.
He believed this was also what his parents would want to see.
“Alright!” Hearing him say this, Xiao Yu also nodded. Even if this would greatly increase pressure, if she could help her senior brother fulfill their master and mistress’s dying wish, she would just work harder.
She then sent a message in the Chen Clan Family Group. “Because the number of tourists will increase, existing positions will have salaries raised to 3,700 per month. In addition, the clan will recruit 5 waitresses, salary first set at 3,500 per month, and increased after one month of familiarity. The quotas will be given to families currently facing more difficulties in the clan. I hope everyone understands.”
A salary of 3,500 per month was the standard for scenic spots in Linhe County.
Although Xiao Yu was not a member of the Chen Clan, her prestige in the Chen Clan was very high.
Everyone could see her dedication, and only that young family head had been blind.
When she posted this message, the Chen Clan Family Group immediately became lively.
This was absolutely good news for the entire Chen Clan.
The Chen Clan was very united, and they quickly pushed forward five of the most difficult families.
Chen Han knew the Chen Clan’s situation. These five families were indeed the most difficult, so he also sent a message. “I have already made the registration here, one quota for each family. Tomorrow they should arrive early at the tourist reception hall to check in with Xiao Yu.”
With Chen Han as the family head setting the tone, the family group grew even more lively, all discussing the tourism of the Ancient Architectural Complex.
Compared to before, this time there really seemed to be some development. Everyone hoped the Chen Clan would get better and better.
Chen Dagou and Chen Shuisheng also saw the messages in the group. They were the most excited, since Xiao Han had talked to them about Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea today.
So this Thunder Bamboo Spirit Tea must succeed.
In the room.
Xiao Yu was looking at her senior brother with some admiration.
She felt her senior brother was more and more like a family head.
“What is it?” Chen Han noticed his junior sister’s gaze and asked with a smile.
“I kind of admire senior brother,” Xiao Yu expressed her feelings without hesitation.
Chen Han froze, just about to say something, when he felt the side effects of the painkillers growing more severe, and a wave of fatigue became hard to resist.
This left him with no energy to continue this topic with his junior sister, so he deliberately asked, “Junior sister, do you like me?”
Xiao Yu’s mouth fell open. She had obviously not expected her senior brother to ask so directly, and her face flushed with embarrassment. “No way… Senior brother, I’m going back to film videos.”
With that, she hurried out of the room.
Seeing this, Chen Han smiled. Handling his junior sister was still very simple.
After closing the door, he collapsed onto the bed.
Back in her own courtyard, Xiao Yu’s heart was still beating fast, and now she was feeling a bit regretful.
Why had she been so stubborn just now?
If she had admitted she liked her senior brother, maybe…
“Sigh!” Xiao Yu let out a breath. Looking at the courtyard already set up for filming, she simply set up her phone, took up her sword, and started recording.
Tonight, she turned her sorrow and indignation into strength, and her sword dance was especially imposing.
…
Tourist accommodation center.
After his shower, Zhao Kang came out planning to go to the three old elm trees to enjoy the cool air. He still remembered the wonderful feeling of total comfort and smooth breathing under those old elm trees.
Going downstairs and seeing Lin Nan and the others there, he asked, “Xiao Lin, want to go to the old elm trees to cool off?”
“Old elm trees?” Lin Nan and the others had not yet toured the Ancient Architectural Complex today and naturally did not know about the old elm trees, so they asked, “Uncle Zhao, isn’t there an air conditioner in the room? Isn’t that cooler?”
Seeing that he did not understand, Zhao Kang said mysteriously, “Xiao Lin, those three old elm trees of the Chen Clan are different. They are ancient trees with spirituality.”
“???” When Lin Nan heard this, he was clearly stunned.
He knew the Chen Clan had something special; medicinal cuisine and such were understandable, but now there were spiritual ancient trees?
…
The new book has already been added and pushed. I need read-through data!
Everyone must flip to the last page. Please don’t just stockpile it.
Thank you all!
Also asking for two tickets. Many thanks again!
