The next day.
Ye Zhinan saw a familiar figure at home: a slender body, a dark blue robe, and elegant wintersweet patterns fluttering on the hem.
Qin Yihuai?
Her sharp gaze, like a dagger, stabbed at Ye Yingfeng.
"What is Inspector Qin doing here?"
"He heard that you were going to dig a well and insisted on coming to help. I couldn't stop him no matter what!"
Ye Yingfeng skillfully shrugged his shoulders. Before she could say anything, he leaned forward and said slowly, "It's better to report when digging a well at home. We don't want to become the talk of gossips."
Ye Zhinan was speechless but had to admit that her brother had considered things thoroughly.
She walked around the room and pointed to a slightly higher place. "Let's dig the well here!"
"The southeast!"
Qin Yihuai's eyes flickered slightly as he looked at Ye Zhinan. Without saying a word, he picked up his tools and walked over.
"What's so special about the southeast?"
Ye Yingfeng didn't understand the reasoning and chased after him to ask.
"It's for gathering wealth!"
Ye Zhinan's eyes sparkled brightly, looking crystal - clear as if leading people towards the dawn.
Ye Yingfeng was at a loss, but his sister's expression said it all.
She was really obsessed with money!
Ye Zhinan felt the ground and took out the drawing, comparing it with Qin Yihuai up and down.
The two of them didn't say a word, but they seemed to understand each other completely. One gestured and the other worked, while Ye Yingfeng stood there in a daze.
Is this still my sister? Why can't I understand what she means at all?
Qin Yihuai pointed to a place. "You dig here."
Ye Yingfeng was very obedient, probably because years of military service had trained him to have a conditioned reflex of obeying orders.
The two of them dug hard. Ye Zhinan occasionally brought water, checked the direction, and gave a few instructions.
Finally, it got dark.
"Let's stop here for today. There's no rush."
Ye Yingfeng gasped and glared at Ye Zhinan.
She said there was no rush, but she didn't let them rest for a moment.
Qin Yihuai remained calm on the surface, but his heart was pounding. He sat upright on the stone bench, trying to keep his breathing steady.
At this time, Ye Zhinan gave each of them a bowl filled with a brown liquid.
"What is this? It's cool, sweet, and quite delicious!"
Ye Yingfeng drank the liquid in the bowl in one gulp.
Ye Zhinan casually said, "It's a health - strengthening drink. I made it with herbs."
Actually, it was Red Bull she took out from her space.
"What kind of herbs?"
After drinking, Qin Yihuai obviously looked better, and his voice was more confident.
Ye Zhinan raised her long eyelashes, a sly look on her face.
"Secret!"
"It's not something bad, is it?"
Ye Yingfeng stared at her, full of disbelief.
"Don't you feel full of energy now?"
Ye Yingfeng moved his arms and legs. "Indeed."
"You've already drunk it. Don't ask so many questions. How could the things I make harm you!"
With that, Ye Zhinan turned around and left with the two empty bowls.
Qin Yihuai watched her leaving figure, his eyes deep, a faint smile crossing his lips.
He looked at the completely dark sky and got up to say goodbye.
Han Xiangmei had no intention of keeping him for dinner, and Ye Yingfeng didn't dare to force him to stay. He could only embarrassedly see him out of the door.
"Thank you, Brother Qin, for today. Let's drink together when we're free."
Speaking of drinking, there was no good - tasting wine in the northern border. All the wine was so strong that it burned the throat, but this was all Ye Yingfeng could offer.
Qin Yihuai nodded. Before leaving, he glanced at the room out of the corner of his eye.
Ye Zhinan was silently bowing to him to express her gratitude.
Just as they said, in three days, the two of them finally dug a well before it got dark on the third day.
Ye Zhinan wasn't idle during these three days. She made a special bucket for fetching water and a cover.
After the well was dug, she specially held a well - opening ceremony.
"To express my gratitude, I hereby invite Inspector Qin to drink the first mouthful of water from our well."
With that, she fetched the first bucket of water and held it in front of Qin Yihuai.
"Wait a minute. Shouldn't we filter it first?"
Ye Yingfeng's eyes flashed with a trace of worry.
"This is groundwater. If you don't believe me, I'll drink it first."
With that, she raised the water bowl to her lips, but before she could take a sip, the bowl was snatched away.
Qin Yihuai drank the water in one gulp and then licked his lips. "It's so sweet!"
A satisfied and proud smile appeared on Ye Zhinan's face.
"I've measured it. Our groundwater should be connected to the mountain. The water on the mountain is extremely sweet and has no impurities at all, so it can be drunk directly without filtering."
A meaningful look appeared in Qin Yihuai's eyes.
"What are you thinking?"
Ye Zhinan noticed that Qin Yihuai was silent with his head down, as if he was thinking about something.
A curve crossed her lips. "You're not thinking..."
"Lead the water into the village!"
The two of them said in unison.
Ye Shenyan had been sitting on the side, paying attention to everyone's reactions. When Qin Yihuai said that, admiration flashed in his eyes.
"Since the mountain spring water is connected to the village, it's worth considering leading it in. But have you calculated the cost?"
Ye Shenyan's words fell like a heavy hammer.
Ye Zhinan really hadn't considered it that much.
"Three hundred taels of silver."
Qin Yihuai accurately said a figure. Ye Zhinan and Ye Yingfeng's pupils dilated slightly, showing surprise.
Only Ye Shenyan nodded in satisfaction. "You've been planning this for a long time, haven't you!"
Qin Yihuai nodded, but the light in his eyes faded.
Since the last time he delivered ice to the Ye family, he had discovered that the quality of the mountain spring water was extremely good and had really wanted to lead the water into the village. But after calculation, he found that it was impossible to achieve easily under the current situation.
When Ye Zhinan mentioned this again today, hope ignited in his heart again. But until Ye Shenyan reminded them of the difficulties, he had to face the reality.
Three hundred taels of silver. It wasn't just a matter of money.
Not only were the villagers burdened with heavy agricultural work, but the continuous years of taxation had already made it difficult for them to cope. If they added the project of leading water into the village, the money and manpower would probably come from the villagers themselves.
As the saying goes, the wool comes from the sheep.
The air suddenly froze, and everyone fell silent.
"Let's make money first!"
Ye Zhinan suddenly spoke. Qin Yihuai's dark and cold eyes stared intently at her.
"Making money is a good idea, but how?"
Everyone looked at Ye Shenyan, but he turned around and silently went back into the house. Before entering, he left a sentence.
"We are criminals."
Ye Zhinan of course knew that she couldn't do business openly. This sentence was for Qin Yihuai.
Qin Yihuai had been secretly helping the villagers over the years through his underground business, but that money was far from enough.
Ye Yingfeng watched the two of them say nothing but seemed to have said a thousand words. He silently stood between them.
"We need to plan the business carefully."
He glanced at his sister, his eyes obviously containing a certain meaning.
But Ye Zhinan pushed him away.
"Shouldn't we work for the well - being of the villagers?"