Transmigrated into a slave? I raised a frontier war god while pioneering new lands.

Shen Zhi: "Well, Dad, besides discussing the house construction, there's something else I'd like to discuss with you."

Old Man Shen saw right through Shen Zhi's thoughts. "You want me to help you manage the house construction, right?"

"Um."

"Qinghe is new here, and I'm afraid she won't be able to manage so many people."

"I've already told your wife about this. As long as you trust me, I'm willing to keep an eye on things for you," Old Man Shen said calmly.

Shen Zhi looked surprised, because he had known since childhood that Old Man Shen favored the eldest son.

He thought that since they had separated, Old Man Shen wouldn't really care about them and would only go through the motions with them.

He had already decided when he came that if his father was unwilling, he would pay him to work as a laborer.

But as his family member, Shen Zhi still held a sliver of hope in his heart.

Old Man Shen clearly understood Shen Zhi's thoughts, and explained with a wry smile, "They're all my children, you, your brother, and your sister. Your brother is the one I rely on to support me in my old age, so I favor him."

"But you and your sister are also my children. Even though they are less than my own children, I will still help them when I can."

Just then, Shen's mother suddenly walked in from outside, and immediately yelled at Shen's father, "What are you helping for!"

"You're so capable, they destroyed our house, and before I even had a chance to cause them any trouble, they have the nerve to come looking for us."

"Let me tell you, the family has been divided, and the two of us are now under the eldest brother's jurisdiction."

"Don't worry about the second son's family. His wife is so capable, looking down on this and that. If she's so capable, let her find someone herself."

"I'd like to see how capable she, a woman, is of building this house."

As soon as Shen's mother spoke, Shen Zhi's face darkened. He looked at her with a gloomy expression and questioned, "Mother, you only care about my elder brother's family. Am I not your son?"

Shen's mother scoffed, "The family has already split up, so what difference does it make whether he's my son or not?"

"I'm not counting on you to support me in my old age."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Old Man Shen angrily snapped at her, "Alright, no one will think you're mute if you don't speak." Then he turned to Shen Zhi and said, "Second son, let's go outside and talk. Your mother is just a clueless person."

Shen Zhi had long since lost all affection for his mother, and upon hearing this, he didn't hesitate and followed Shen Zhi outside.

Enraged, Shen's mother spat out a curse from behind.

When Shen Zhi first brought Xu Qinghe back, Shen's mother thought Xu Qinghe was easy to manipulate.

She had hoped to use some small favors to get Xu Qinghe to listen to her, but Xu Qinghe was so stubborn. Not only did she not listen to her, but she also talked back to her from time to time, treating her like a thief.

Then Shen's mother was completely exposed, and now she doesn't even want to pretend anymore.

As soon as they went outside, Old Man Shen explained to Shen Zhi on behalf of his mother, "Don't blame your mother."

"She had a difficult childbirth when she gave birth to you, and she barely survived. Plus, your grandmother took you away right after you were born, so your mother harbored resentment."

Shen Zhi remained unmoved and said, "She shouldn't be blaming me."

"I've endured enough of her anger over the years."

"I don't want my wife and children to have to endure her favoritism and anger like I have."

Old Man Shen nodded. "I will talk to your mother about this properly."

"Whether you say it or not is not important, just leave us alone."

Upon hearing this, Old Man Shen immediately looked at Shen Zhi with a surprised expression. "You mean you're not going to take care of us anymore?"

Shen Zhi: "No."

"I can handle your money, but I can't handle anything else."

"Especially my mother."

Upon hearing this, Old Man Shen immediately understood that the relationship between Shen Zhi and his mother was beyond repair.

"Sigh, it's all my fault."

"Don't worry, I will definitely take care of your family's house construction from beginning to end."

Shen Zhi thanked her, "I'll have Qinghe give you the money for the purchase later."

Upon hearing this, Old Shen immediately shook his head. "Never mind, let your wife take it!"

"If I take it, who knows how many people will covet it."

Shen Zhi didn't stand on ceremony after hearing this, and said, "Okay, then I'll trouble you." He didn't linger any longer.

He turned around and went to Aunt Shen's house, where he borrowed a small cart.

When Aunt Shen saw him like this, she knew something bad had happened at home. "Did your house collapse?"

Shen Zhi: "Mm."

Aunt Shen sighed softly, "When you build the house, I'll have Ping An come and help."

Shen Zhi: "I've left the house-building to Qinghe and my dad. You can ask him about it later."

Aunt Shen knew that the garrison was checking things closely, so after listening, she didn't say much, just said, "Okay."

When he pushed the cart back from Aunt Shen's house, Xu Qinghe had already cooked the dishes and was waiting for him.

Shen Zhi looked at the stir-fried loofah and eggs on the table and asked with some surprise, "Weren't there steamed buns?"

Xu Qinghe: "I'm afraid you won't eat well."

Shen Zhi's heart softened when he saw Xu Qinghe's serene expression.

"I've been eating very well; you should eat more, look how thin you are."

Hsu Ching-ho: "How can that be the same? I'm pursuing a slender, bony look."

"Besides, our situations are different. I stay at home every day and can eat whatever I want."

"Unlike you, who's always surrounded by swords and guns, you'd be better off eating well."

Shen Zhi immediately understood what Xu Qinghe meant; she was worried that he might not have enough to eat and wanted to treat himself.

"Don't worry! Your man isn't that easy to kill."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qinghe smiled, but still said disdainfully, "Narcissistic." Then she went to pack her things.

Since we're going to build a house, these things definitely need to be taken care of.

Shen Zhi wanted to stop her, but seeing her serious expression, he kept quiet and just ate faster.

Just then, the two children returned from outside. Seeing Xu Qinghe packing her things, they ran over to help her without thinking.

Upon seeing this, Shen Zhi ate even faster, and after finishing, he joined the cleanup team.

At that time, resources were scarce, and they couldn't bear to throw away the things inside their collapsed houses.

The thatch and roof beams had to be cleared out, and the thatch was dried and used as firewood.

The roof beams, which were rotten inside, were also pulled out and chopped into strips to be used as firewood.

As for the mud walls soaked through, they are probably the least useful things for the time being.

Shen Zhi put all these yellow clay blocks onto a cart and piled them on an open space to the side, to see if they could be reused when building the house.

As for the scattered stones, Shen Zhi picked them up and piled them up.

Just then, Shen Chengyue suddenly pointed to a corner and shouted to Shen Zhi, "Dad, look! Our bed isn't broken yet!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Qinghe and Shen Zhi immediately surrounded the bed, and saw that the solid wood bed was indeed still standing there intact.