Renovation

Ang got up early as usual. To avoid disturbing his younger brother Aida's rest, he quietly got out of bed and walked outside. The sky was only just beginning to brighten, and the fresh scent of morning filled the air. For convenience, Ang sat on the millstone in the courtyard and began his daily meditation.

He closed his eyes, relaxed his body, focused his mind, and sensed specks of elemental light gathering into his body from the air. Meditation brought peace to his heart, and his spiritual power gradually probed deeper within him, feeling those elemental specks merge into his body. Unlike on the Maple Sugar Plane, the elements here were gentler and more abundant.

After meditating for two hours, daylight had fully begun to break. Ang felt his body brimming with unprecedented vitality. He rose to his feet and began circulating the Qi force within him. The surrounding elements were drawn into his body and cycled through it. Just as on the Maple Sugar Plane, the elements here could also be absorbed through the circulation of his Qi force, strengthening him.

By the time Ang finished his daily training, the rest of the family was already awake. His mother was busy in the kitchen, preparing breakfast for everyone. The clatter of pots and bowls mingled with the aroma of food, and the courtyard gradually grew lively as well. Aida and Aisha ran about the yard, then hurried over to greet Ang when they saw him.

Ang smiled and rubbed Aida and Aisha's heads, feeling the warmth of home and the strength of family ties. He walked into the kitchen and, seeing his mother busy at work, offered to help. His mother smiled at him and said, "Go wash up first. Breakfast will be ready soon."

Before long, the family gathered around the table for a simple yet warm breakfast. Dark bread and thick soup were passed around, while every face wore a satisfied, happy smile.

Aida and Aisha complained, "When Brother Ang wasn't home, we never got breakfast." Their mother laughed and explained, "I know you're used to eating three meals a day in the army, so I only prepare breakfast when you're home." Their father, Baron, suggested, "Ang, you've been away for so long. Why not let Aida and Aisha show you around Oak Village and help you get familiar with it again?"

Ang nodded in agreement. Baron glanced at the horse tied near the entrance and asked, "Did you rent that horse?" Ang smiled. "No, I bought it in River Bay City, along with an ox and a draft horse. The ox can help the family with work and plowing, while the draft horse can turn the millstone. As for this horse, it makes traveling to and from River Bay City easier."

After breakfast, Aida took Ang on a tour of Oak Village. They went to the back mountain, the oak forest, and the riverside, then walked to their family's wheat fields. Ang noticed that the wheat fields were much larger than before he had left, and he asked in surprise, "How did the wheat fields get so much bigger?"

Aida said proudly, "Father and Mother reclaimed all this land while you were away." Ang looked at everything before him with emotion, his heart filled with respect and gratitude for his family's hard work.

That day's tour of Oak Village helped Ang become familiar with his hometown once more. Every sight stirred countless memories within him.

After wandering around all day, Ang returned home. Looking at their wooden house, he could not help but think of renovating it. Sitting with his parents, he said, "Our house hasn't been repaired in a long time. I want to renovate it."

His mother waved a hand. "It's fine. It doesn't affect our living." Baron echoed her, "That's right. The house is still livable."

Ang smiled and tried to persuade them. "A better living environment is still important. If we live more comfortably, our lives will be better too." After patiently talking them through it, his parents finally agreed.

Ang then shared the good news with Aida and Aisha. "I remember how you two always complained that the house was too small. Now we can renovate it properly and make everyone more comfortable."

Aida and Aisha were thrilled, eagerly anticipating the changes to their home. Seeing how happy they were, Ang felt deeply satisfied and relieved. He knew this was not merely about repairing a house, but about giving his family a better life.

After discussing it with his parents, Ang told them that he had gained plenty of spoils during his military service and had enough money on hand, so they need not worry. Following a family discussion, Ang decided to build the new house from stone and oak. Baron reminded him, "Oak isn't cheap. Think it over again. Other kinds of wood would work too."

Ang nodded. "I'll think about it some more."

The day passed quickly. Early the next morning, Ang took Aida and Aisha to River Bay City to buy building materials. He named his horse Fleetfoot, even though it was not actually very fast. Ang rode Fleetfoot himself, while Aida and Aisha rode the draft horse. The three of them set out early in the morning, heading for River Bay City.

This journey was not only for buying building materials, but also to let Aida and Aisha see the outside world and broaden their horizons. Ang quietly resolved that he would make their home sturdier and more comfortable, so his family could live better lives.

When they reached River Bay City, Aida and Aisha were especially delighted. It had been a long time since they had visited River Bay City. This time, not only had they come, but they had even ridden horses into the city, which thrilled them beyond measure. Along the way, they chatted and laughed nonstop, excitedly pointing at everything around them. Ang felt immensely happy as he watched their smiling faces.

After stopping at the city gate, Ang led the two horses and said to Aida and Aisha, "Let's find an inn first and settle the horses in. Then we'll have lunch before taking our time looking around."

Aida and Aisha nodded excitedly, agreeing to Ang's suggestion.

Ang found an inn and rented a large room with three beds, just enough for one each. He handed the two horses over to the inn's stablehand and told him to take good care of them. Then Ang took Aida and Aisha to a restaurant and ordered many delicious dishes they had never eaten before. Aida and Aisha ate until their mouths shone with grease, their faces glowing with satisfied smiles.

Ang smiled and said, "Once the renovation at home is finished, I'll bring Father and Mother to River Bay City too." The two of them nodded happily.

After lunch, Ang took his younger brother and sister to the Lord's Mansion. Now that he had returned from military service, he needed to submit his discharge certificate there. That way, when his younger brother Aida needed to serve in the military, he would only need to serve for two years instead of five like Ang had. Many planes were now being invaded by demons. If Aida went into military service, there was a good chance he would never return. Ang secretly resolved that he would do everything possible to arrange for Aida to serve in the local defense force of River Bay City or Tanaster Province, where it would be much safer.

After Ang completed the procedures at the Lord's Mansion, he took Aida and Aisha around the city again. They found the city's bustling sights incredibly novel, looking here and touching there, excited as two little birds. Ang felt warmth fill his heart as he watched their smiling faces.

Ang took his younger brother and sister to the area where timber and stone were traded. After comparing several shops, he finally ordered stone bricks and oak. He also asked the shop owner to recommend a construction crew. The owner had often gone to Oak Village to buy timber before and knew the area well, so he recommended a crew he knew. Once the arrangements and details were settled, Ang readily paid twelve Gold Wack. The owner would deliver all the materials to their door. The construction crew's wages would need to be paid separately, but their foreman was not in River Bay City today. Ang told the owner that he was staying at the Oak Inn and asked him to notify him once the foreman returned.

After settling the matter of the materials, Ang took his younger brother and sister to find Ina and continue studying inscriptions. He hoped to learn everything he could during this time. When Ang found Ina, she was helping a friend create inscriptions. Ina was somewhat surprised to see Ang, as she had thought he would not come looking for her until several days later. Ang explained that he had come to River Bay City to buy building materials and planned to renovate his home, then introduced his younger brother and sister to Ina.

Ang told Aida and Aisha not to run around and to stay here. Ina told Ang that there were plenty of materials available now, so he could experiment as much as he liked, though he would have to cover the material costs himself. Ang nodded in understanding and began preparing for another round of study and practice.

Throughout the lessons, Ang was focused and absorbed, while Aida and Aisha watched quietly from the side, sometimes admiring their brother's concentration. Seeing the interaction between the three siblings, Ina also felt a trace of warmth in her heart. After an afternoon of study and practice, Ang mastered quite a few new pieces of knowledge and techniques, deepening his understanding of inscriptions.

As night fell, Ang took his younger brother and sister back to the inn. The day's busyness had left them tired, but their hearts were full of satisfaction and anticipation. Ang thought about the plans to renovate their home, while Aida and Aisha looked forward eagerly to their future new house.