Transmigrated as a Stepmother: Time to Bring the Family to Prosper!-Chapter 187 - 186: Rolling Suitcase

As for the specific operations after arriving in the county town, Liu Ji would handle them himself.

Liu Ji was a bit pleasantly surprised at how readily Qin Yao handed him the money to build relationships.

Because he realized he understood her a bit more now.

As a person, her moral standards were quite fluid, not really bound by societal norms, as long as the core of ’self-interest’ was followed, many unimportant details could be ignored.

Liu Ji guessed it might be related to her experience of fleeing, otherwise anyone else would have been scared to death just hearing his idea of cheating, let alone calmly supporting and analyzing the plan.

Weighing the silver, Liu Ji snorted to himself, what is fairness?

Fairness is that everyone builds relationships so you have to as well, otherwise it’s unfair.

Liu Ji left, and the water mill resumed operations.

However, the only workers were Qin Yao and Liu the carpenter, each taking turns sitting at the plant for three days to prevent others from thinking it had closed down.

But all day they rarely saw anyone; they would usually open the main door and then head back home to tend to household matters.

The Ding Clan School was about to start, and Qin Yao was preparing for Da Lang and Second Lang to attend school.

First, she took the two to Lower River Village to find a driver, negotiated an annual rate, the two children would cost one tael and five maces, paid semi-annually, beginning with 750 cents for half a year’s fare.

The ’school bus’ was arranged, and next was getting school supplies ready.

No one used book bags here, as book boxes were popular; they were rain and sun-proof, with only one drawback - heaviness.

Qin Yao visited Liu Dafu’s home to take a closer look at Liu Li’s old book box, which wasn’t large, half a meter high, thirty centimeters thick, and forty centimeters long.

A small box divided into multiple drawer compartments; small ones held ink slabs, pens, and ink sticks, while larger ones held books and paper.

There was even a vertical drawer capable of holding a small hand warmer, quite ingenious.

Upon seeing all this, Qin Yao had to give ancient wisdom a thumbs-up.

But she thought the lightweight box was almost half the size of Da Lang and Second Lang when they carried it.

The children were growing, carrying such a heavy wooden box every day might hinder their development.

But cloth bags were not waterproof, and ink slabs, pens, paper, and ink could not withstand water; they were quite delicate.

Da Lang and Second Lang didn’t mind, instead, they were thrilled, as this was their first time going to school, and everything about it seemed wonderful to them.

Seeing Qin Yao troubled over this, they felt touched but also a bit puzzled, thinking these seemingly perfect things were somehow not enough for their stepmother.

Could there be a better box than this exquisite book box?

"Got it!" Qin Yao slapped her thigh, "A suitcase would perfectly solve the heaviness issue, wouldn’t it?"

Even leaving out the wheels, Liu the carpenter could make telescopic handles.

She had seen the retractable stools he made for outings to the village alleys to chat leisurely, and when the back ached, the handle could be pulled out to act as a backrest.

Thinking of this, Qin Yao couldn’t wait any longer.

Turning to the bewildered Da Lang and Second Lang she said, "Wait here, I’ll get you something good!"

And with that, she dashed off towards the factory like the wind.

She ran so fast that her hair got blown loose, resembling a madwoman sprinting down the path at first glance.

Ah, not... Da Lang and Second Lang hurriedly shook their heads, throwing this unfilial thought out.

"Is mother alright?" Second Lang anxiously watched the whirlwind-like figure departing.

Da Lang hissed, a bit unsure, "I’ll go have a look."

Second Lang nodded frantically, urging his brother to hurry.

Da Lang went out, chasing all the way to the water mill, where he found Qin Yao pulling the wood-planing Liu the carpenter, wooden slat in hand, and the two were excitedly drawing something on the ground:

"Look, by adding four more wheels at the bottom of the box, along with a retractable handle like the one on your family’s stool, you can easily pull the heavy wooden box. Isn’t it brilliant?"

Liu the carpenter raised his hand, "Let me take it slow, let me take it slow."

He put down his tools first, took a deep breath to calm his startled heart that Qin Yao had suddenly pulled, then squatted down to study the square drawing.

Though Qin Yao’s calligraphy was average, her drawing was quite accurate with perspective, enabling Liu the carpenter to easily grasp her idea with a glance.

It was the same this time, upon seeing the suitcase design on the ground, he excitedly slapped his thigh, "How did I never think of combining these things?"

He could make wooden wheels, dovetail book boxes, and telescopic rods.

Yet he had never thought of combining them into a movable box!

Liu the carpenter was so thrilled he kept slapping his thigh, so much so that in those two minutes, it felt as though his thigh might break. He dropped what he was working on and immediately began to work on it.

Qin Yao called out to him several times, but he seemed not to hear, completely absorbed.

Knowing he wouldn’t stop until the suitcase was finished, Qin Yao chuckled slyly and turned to borrow the old book box from Liu Dafu’s home, saving Liu the carpenter some work, allowing him to first test out the handle and wheels.

"Aunt Yao!" Da Lang, startled by Qin Yao suddenly in front of him, didn’t show it on his face though.

Qin Yao glanced at him in surprise, "How did you come here?"

Da Lang followed her as they walked toward the village, "I came to check on you."

"Check on me?" Qin Yao looked at him amusedly, voicing the young boy’s thoughts, "Did you and Second Lang think I went crazy?"

"No, absolutely not!" Da Lang replied earnestly.

Qin Yao laughed heartily and told him to go home, "I’m perfectly fine, no need to worry."

With that said, she took the path leading to Liu Dafu’s home.

Da Lang, assured by her words ’I’m perfectly fine,’ heaved a long sigh and went home.

By evening, Qin Yao hurried back home, ate a few hurried bites, then carried a bowl packed with food back to the water mill.

"Liu the carpenter, are you done?" came her urging inquiry before she even stepped through the door.

Liu the carpenter retracted the handle and turned, grinning, "As you wished, it’s done!"

Qin Yao handed him the packed meal and walked forward expectantly to see.

The old book box now had four half-circle grooves at the bottom for wooden wheels, where four palm-sized wheels fit neatly, using thick round wooden bars as axles.

Qin Yao lifted a finger to flick it, and it spun smoothly, surprisingly silky.

The back of the box now had a rectangular board about seven or eight centimeters thick, with the crucial two pulling rods half hidden within this board.

"Try pulling it up," Liu the carpenter urged confidently while eating.

Qin Yao pulled up the rods, and the seemingly plain rectangular board had a hidden wonder.

When extended, the rods could be stably fixed at the highest point, exactly like modern rods held in place with clips.