Chapter 52 Preparing to Repair the House

"Hello, Auntie. I'm a new educated youth named Bai Nuo. Today is my first day joining our brigade, so I've come to pay my respects."

As soon as Li Cuie opened her front door, she saw a pretty and cute little girl standing there. The girl was not only beautiful, but her voice was also sweet and soft, and her accent was different from that of the people from the Northeast.

"Oh my, whose daughter is this? She's so beautiful! I've never seen such a pretty girl in all my years. No wonder she's from the city, her skin is so fair and delicate."

Right? Why does he look so young? Weren't educated youth supposed to be over sixteen? He looks like a thirteen or fourteen-year-old kid.

Bai Nuo smiled sweetly and said generously, "Auntie, you're too kind. I only have one face. If you're praising me, it's because my mother is good at giving birth to me."

Li Cuie knew what "mother" meant. There was a girl from Shanghai who was also a sent-down youth in their brigade. It took her a long time to gradually speak standard Mandarin. "Mother" means "mother" in their area.

However, the little girl was very generous and not shy at all, which made Liu Cuie, a woman from Northeast China, even more fond of her.

“You’re a good girl, that’s true, it’s all thanks to your mother’s good fertility. Come in quickly, I’m your team leader’s wife, Li Cuie. You can just call me Aunt Cuie. Your team leader is sitting inside.”

"Then I'll take my leave." Bai Nuo nodded with a smile and obediently followed Li Cuie inside.

The brigade leader's house was also an ordinary brick and tile house with five large rooms, indicating a large family. The yard was also quite large, about 100 square meters. The village was spacious, and the plots allocated to each family were not small, so it seemed that almost every household had a fairly large yard.

Along the way, Bai Nuo also took the opportunity to observe the brigade. The road underfoot was dirt, and every household had a yard. Some had walls of varying heights, some had wooden fences, and some had bamboo fences.

However, even though the commune had a small brick factory, there were not many houses in the village built with mud bricks. Most of them were still mud houses, and the ground in the courtyard was all dirt.

Looking at it this way, the brigade headquarters had really done everything they could for these educated youth. After the houses were built, they didn't keep the remaining money for themselves, but instead bought a lot of old stone bricks to pave the ground for the educated youth compound.

Before she arrived, she walked around the former educated youth compound. Between the two rows of small houses was a stone-paved road. The road leading from the gate of the educated youth compound to the collective dormitory of the educated youth, as well as the road leading to the men's and women's bathrooms on the left and right and the well were all paved with stone slabs.

Although the stone slabs are old, they save a lot of trouble when it rains and when cleaning.

Bai Nuo decided to go back and lay one in her little backyard as well.

Thinking this, Aunt Cuie led Bai Nuo into the main hall. The main hall was spacious and bright. The kitchen stove was on the right side of the entrance to the main hall. There was an inner room door on each side, and another door at the back that led to the backyard.

In rural areas of Liaoning Province in Northeast China, most houses are of this type, unlike in the south where kitchens are usually separate rooms.

"Old Wei, Bai Zhiqing is here, come out quickly!" Li Cuie shouted towards the room on the left, her voice loud and clear, carrying a cheerful spirit.

"Girl, sit down, Auntie will pour you a glass of sugar water."

"Auntie, there's no need to trouble yourself, I'll sit here," Bai Nuo quickly said.

"No need for trouble. Once you're at my house, make yourself at home. Don't be shy with me." Li Cuie smiled and patted the little girl's head.

I must say, it feels really good.

This girl is definitely more attractive than the boy.

Wei Zhongping, who was inside the house, hadn't even come out yet when he heard his wife's happy voice, and he rolled his eyes speechlessly.

He knew his wife would adore that young girl, Bai Zhiqing.

Because his wife not only adores daughters, but also especially adores daughters who are well-behaved, sensible, beautiful, cute, and cuddly.

And so, this educated youth has taken all the credit.

At this moment, the brigade leader had no idea that the well-behaved, sensible, cute, and soft little girl he was talking about had just gotten into a fight in the educated youth compound.

"Captain, sorry to bother you." Bai Nuo stood up and greeted the captain as he came out of the inner room.

"Oh dear, what's there to bother about a grown man like him? As the brigade leader, this is his responsibility. Don't worry about him, just sit down and rest. Auntie will make you some sugar water."

"Auntie, you really don't need to go to all that trouble. I'm so sorry to trouble you."

"It's alright. You're new here and it's not easy for you to come all this way to the countryside. You should have some water." The brigade leader waved his hand at Bai Nuo.

What his wife had to do was something that even if he gathered all the oxen and horses in the team and pulled together, they still couldn't move her.

He's used to it!

Besides... his wife only likes pretty and cute girls!

"Did Bai Zhiqing come here because of something?"

The brigade leader sat down on a bench next to the door frame of the main room, deliberately keeping a distance from the young educated youth to avoid putting pressure on her. Besides, it wasn't appropriate for a grown man like him to be too close to a young girl.

The educated youth had just arrived, and there were many things to prepare. It wasn't surprising that this young educated youth came looking for them. It all depended on what she wanted. If it was a small matter, she would definitely help, after all, that was her position. But if it involved something that violated principles or the rules of the brigade, then she would be an impartial and incorruptible brigade leader.

Bai Nuo smiled as she looked at the captain, feeling quite pleased with his attitude and actions. Although she herself lacked morals and conscience, she still admired people with a sense of boundaries and principles.

"It's like this, Captain Uncle. I just arrived. I just heard Xie, the educated youth, talk about those two rows of small houses in the educated youth compound. I chose one of them. This is the rent for two years. I'll renew it after two years."

As she spoke, Bai Nuo took out a small cloth wallet from her small handbag and pulled out four ten-yuan bills.

She finds it troublesome to pay every year. It's only the beginning of 1972 now, and she'll probably live here for four or five years. For such a long time, this little courtyard will be her home, and she won't feel bad about spending this little bit of money.

He had already guessed that the girl was a good catch, but when he saw her pull out forty yuan and look like she'd gotten a bargain, the captain's lips twitched slightly.

Why is he just like that kid!

Thank goodness, their personalities are different. This girl seems much more honest than that little rascal.

"Okay, I'll go to the brigade headquarters this afternoon to register." The brigade leader took the money and nodded.

"There's one more thing I'd like to trouble you with, Captain. I'd like to ask you for a courtyard. The room I chose is right next to the wall of the educated youth compound. I'd like to build the side of the small courtyard that's next to the compound wall right next to my room. It'll be about 1.5 meters wide. Also, I'd like to ask where in our brigade I can order furniture."

The captain recognized those words immediately.

That little rascal said the same thing back then, and he was even more self-righteous about it.