The next day, the sky was clear and the air crisp.
After his family of three finished breakfast, Yang Ge changed into coarse cloth clothes for heavy work, put on a bamboo hat, and leaped onto the tiled eaves. With a small knife, he carefully scraped the bird droppings and moss off each tile.
The Xie Family's little maid, who was sweeping the courtyard next door, looked up and spotted him. Delighted, she waved hard and called, "Young master, when did you get back?"
Yang Ge waved back. "Just last night."
The little maid fibbed, "Have you had breakfast? We were just about to eat."
Yang Ge said, "Thanks, but I've already eaten."
The little maid said, "I saw smoke coming from your chimney earlier and thought the fellow from the Liu Family had come over to tidy your house again."
Yang Ge said, "Haha, carry on with your work. I'm cleaning the courtyard today. Come over for lunch tomorrow, and bring your sister."
The little maid readily agreed. "Sure! Shall I come early tomorrow to help you?"
Yang Ge answered with a smile, "That'd be wonderful."
He lowered his head and went back to cleaning the eaves, patiently clearing away all the dead leaves and weeds lodged between the tiles.
Once he finished, he jumped back into the courtyard and picked up a large bamboo-twig broom to sweep away the leaves, weeds, and moss he had cleared from the roof. Then he switched to a palm-fiber broom and swept the whole courtyard twice, inside and out. Still dissatisfied, he put down the broom, went into the kitchen, and carried out the waist-high water vat. Using a gourd dipper, he scooped out the water Fang Ke had brought the previous night and thoroughly washed the courtyard. Only when the paving