Lin Qingping and Gu Juncheng

Chapter 415 Slow Living

Actually, Lin Qingping was just asking. With a refrigerator and the weather so hot, she was thinking of making shaved ice.

She hadn't noticed if there were any shaved ice shops in the capital now, but in her memory, it seemed like shaved ice machines had been introduced to the market in the last few years. In her previous life, she had only ever used hand-cranked shaved ice machines.

Her casual question was based on her knowledge of Gu Juncheng's practical skills, that he might be able to make a hand-cranked tool. Unexpectedly, after she described to him what she wanted to do, he brought back a plane that evening—yes, a brand new set of woodworking tools.

Then she picked up the large block of ice she had frozen in the freezer and began to shave ice properly...

He even brought a clean basin. The glistening ice shards fell into the basin, leaving Lin Qingping utterly dumbfounded.

Several large blocks of ice were carried out, filling more than half a basin with ice shavings.

Lin Qingping was afraid they would dissolve, so every time she scooped some out, she would take it to the kitchen to drizzle it with various fruit juices and syrups, and add all sorts of dried fruits and nuts.

Zhiyuan was the first to eat, and he was enjoying it so much that his eyes were practically squinting. If Lin Qingping hadn't stopped him, afraid he'd get a stomachache, he could have eaten three bowls!

"Take this and deliver one to each of your friends and families in the residential area." Lin Qingping placed four portions on a tray and had Zhiyuan deliver them.

We had planned afternoon tea, but none of her family members came, perhaps out of consideration for her being new to the island. So, I'll just bring everyone some refreshing summer drinks instead!

Gu Juncheng, the main laborer, was the last to get a meal.

"Lin Qingping, is there anything you can't do?" Gu Juncheng was eating mango shaved ice.

Upon arriving on the island, the variety of fruits suddenly became abundant. In the tropics, sometimes the fruits that were bought back were unfamiliar to family members from the north.

Lin Qingping ate slowly herself, staring at him with a smile and asking, "I was about to ask you something too, is there anything you can't do?"

"Those are all manual labor jobs," he said dismissively.

Lin Qingping didn't argue with him. After finishing her shaved ice and washing up, she sat down at the table to draw blueprints.

Zhiyuan had long since disappeared to play somewhere. Gu Juncheng slowly walked behind her, watching her draw, and said, "Zhiyuan, since you came to the island, you haven't spent more than a few minutes at home, have you?"

"Yes, he's like a fish in water!" Lin Qingping had previously worried that taking Zhiyuan away from the capital might be unfair to him, but now it's clear that he truly loves life here.

“That won’t do! We have to give him homework!” Gu Juncheng said, frowning.

Lin Qingping looked up and glared at him. "You're really something, the kind of parent who can't stand to see their child happy!" Is that even possible? As soon as the child plays a little longer, you assign homework?

"Lin Qingping, you can't spoil her!" he argued, trying to correct her educational views. "Otherwise, practicing calligraphy would be good too."

Basically, they just don't let anyone have a moment's rest!

Lin Qingping snorted and went back to drawing.

"What is this? It's all round." Gu Juncheng pointed to the design on the drawing.

He understood everything else.

This is the division that Lin Qingping made for the front and back yards. The front yard has a garden area, and there is a place with a large table and chairs drawn on it, as well as a grill, which is probably for barbecuing. He recalled the days when he roasted whole lamb in the capital. Lin Qingping liked these things.

There was a vegetable growing area in the backyard, and there was also a round, stove-like thing drawn on it, which he couldn't understand.

"Let's just call this an oven!" Lin Qingping said, "A homemade oven!"

Seeing Gu Juncheng's bewildered expression, Lin Qingping explained to him, gesturing as she spoke. After she finished, she said, "There's no rush. Let's do it when it's cooler in the fall. I'll get the other things out of the yard first."

From that day on, Lin Qingping devoted herself to tidying up her home and yard.

The front yard was paved with a winding stone path, and barbecue tables and chairs were placed in its designated area. A soldier who went to buy supplies was asked to bring back a large parasol, which could provide both sun and rain protection.

As for the garden, it won't show results overnight; it takes time.

A lover is like a flower; the process of watching the flower slowly grow is also the process of slowly counting down the days.

Besides growing vegetables in her backyard, she was thinking of building a bread oven, also called an earth oven, which could be used as a baking oven. She had seen a blogger make one in her past life, and later some bloggers followed suit. She liked it very much and thought that the bread baked in that oven was especially fragrant.

But she didn't want to do it now. She wanted to wait until it cooled down a bit. Although it was tropical, the temperature would eventually ease up.

The main problem is that she didn't remember the method and process clearly; it's been a lifetime, how could she remember so much! What she remembered most were all those wine bottles…

Unexpectedly, Gu Juncheng started to act after only listening to her talk for a short while.

When he came back in the evening, he would squat in the backyard and try to tinker with things according to the ideas Lin Qingping had given him. If he failed, he would start over, and if he felt something was wrong, he would take it apart.

As for Zhiyuan, he suddenly became very interested in learning how to make shaved ice. After a few days, he became extremely skilled with the woodworking equipment. Gradually, the shaved ice he made could surpass Lin Qingping's. When Lin Qingping was tired, her son would bring her a bowl of cool and sweet shaved ice, which was incredibly comforting.

Just when Lin Qingping was feeling that life was peaceful and that things would continue as they were, someone came to find her and told her that Zhiyuan had gotten into trouble.