Chapter 53 Preparing to Repair the House (Part Two)

The two houses at the head of the two rows of small houses in the educated youth compound are about 1.5 meters away from the compound wall. It was that little rascal who suggested building those two rows of houses last year. Who would have thought that he, a newly arrived educated youth, would dare to openly seek benefits for himself, and then he got an extra side courtyard.

However, it was that kid who suggested renting out single rooms, which can be considered as generating revenue for the brigade headquarters. Although it doesn't seem like much, if all the rooms are occupied, the annual rent will be 160 yuan, which is enough to improve the brigade's situation. If they save up for a few more years, they might be able to afford a tractor.

“Okay, that’s no big deal. If you want to use mud bricks, the brigade headquarters can give you a note and send someone to bring them back. Mud bricks are even easier to get; every household in our brigade has them.”

"Let's use adobe bricks, so they match the educated youth compound. Also, the kang (heated brick bed) and two partition walls. The partition walls only need to be half the width of the room, and they should be made of upright bricks. One of them will be the fire wall. I'm thinking of using red bricks, but I don't know if they have any. I heard that red bricks are more sturdy and cleaner for building the kang."

"That's true!" The brigade leader was no longer surprised by the girl's economic situation. Besides, it was just a kang (heated brick bed) and two and a half walls, which wouldn't require many red bricks.

"Red bricks are available in brick and tile factories in our county. A red brick costs three cents, while tiles and mud bricks cost one cent each. You should also need a stove, right?"

“That’s right!” Bai Nuo quickly took out the floor plan from his bag. It not only showed the walls, but also the layout of the entire house and yard, including the half-roofed partition walls at both ends of the kang (heated brick bed).

“If we use bricks for the partition wall, it won’t take up as much space. Also, we need to partition off two small rooms in the side yard to make a bathroom and a woodshed, with the doors inside. We’ll also put a back door and a window in the wall that leads to the back yard.”

It must be said that anyone who isn't blind can understand these blueprints.

Wei Zhongping carefully examined the blueprints in his hand, then looked up at Bai Nuo and asked with a complicated expression, "Do you know Fang Meng?"

"...Huh?" Bai Nuo blinked, looking completely confused, and shook her head. "I don't know him. What's wrong, Captain?"

Her older brother had a very good childhood friend surnamed Fang, who seemed to be the only person she knew with that surname. However, her older brother Fang had long since joined the army, and besides, his name was Fang Zhou, not Fang Meng.

So, she doesn't recognize him!

"Your blueprints are the same as the ones that kid drew for me back then, but they're not as complicated. After all, he's a young man, so his living conditions are a bit simpler."

Bai Nuo blinked innocently, then nodded somewhat blankly: "Well, that's quite a coincidence."

"Don't get involved with him, he's a little rascal!" The captain's expression was a mixture of disdain and admiration. It was unclear what kind of person he was that could make the captain so conflicted.

It seems like... I both love and hate it!

Bai Nuo curiously pinched her little braid.

"Alright, it's not too much trouble to clean up your house and yard. I'll have someone go to the commune and county to get the materials in a bit, and I'll arrange for someone to go over this afternoon. It'll be done in a few hours. However, the kang (heated brick bed) and stove can't be used yet; it'll take at least three to five days to finish."

"That's alright. I'm going to the county to buy things tomorrow anyway. I can buy a few more days' worth of food. Or I can borrow the communal kitchen for educated youth. I'll sleep on the floor. I've brought all my blankets and bedding."

Bai Nuo quickly spoke up.

“That won’t do. Why don’t you come stay at my house and share a room with your sister? Your sister is easygoing and easy to get along with.”

"No need, Auntie. How could I trouble you, my uncle, and my sister? Don't worry, I can definitely take care of myself. Besides, I'm not the only new educated youth; it's hard to arrange for more people." Bai Nuo couldn't be so inconsiderate as to cause them trouble. This family was very kind, and she quite liked them.

"That's settled then, thank you for your help, Uncle. As for the labor cost, do you think one yuan per person is appropriate? As for the materials, here is fifty yuan, I don't know if that's enough."

"That's too much, thirty will do. That's for materials and labor combined. You don't need to worry about the rest. The brigade will calculate the work points for those who go." The brigade leader only took the three ten-yuan bills that Bai Nuo had placed on the small square table, and made her take the rest back.

This is because Bai Nuoxiu's courtyard and house require a lot of materials. If it were the two small houses next door, it wouldn't even cost twenty.

"There's also furniture. In addition, I'd like to buy some wood and bamboo from our brigade. I saw that the village used bamboo on my way here. I didn't expect that we have bamboo here in Northeast China. I'm thinking of using bamboo to make two doors to install in the bathroom and storage room. This way, it will be more breathable and prevent dampness inside."

"Then what do you need the wood for?" The captain and his wife both looked at Bai Nuo with curiosity.

This was the first time that educated youth had come to the brigade headquarters to buy timber.

Bai Nuo smiled sheepishly: "To be honest, elders, I know a little about handicrafts. I can make simple cabinets, tables, chairs, and the like. But large items like wardrobes and kang cabinets are too much work. I'd like to buy ready-made ones. Making the rest myself can save some money."

Otherwise, it would be too troublesome to be targeted like a golden goose.

However, you can't say that out loud!

“That’s true. You kids are all a bit sloppy, and you haven’t really learned how to manage a household yet since you’ve just left home. No matter how much money you have, it’s not enough to make anything. How much is a piece of wood worth? Just ask your uncle to give you a note. With your skills, you can save a lot.”

Li Cuie was truly pleasantly surprised. She hadn't expected that this seemingly small and frail girl would actually know carpentry. This would indeed save a lot of money, and she could also manage her little home perfectly and comfortably.

What a wonderful girl! Even if her family is well-off, she knows when to spend money and when to save.

Li Cuie couldn't resist raising her hand again and gently pinching the little girl's delicate face. How could she be so beautiful!

Wei Zhongping rolled his eyes as he watched his wife's expression.

“No problem. Our brigade is surrounded by mountains, so we have plenty of timber. However, we don’t allow people to cut down trees on the mountain without permission. Bamboo is fine though. The bamboo we grow here is cold-resistant and grows very fast. As long as we don’t cut too much, cutting a few stalks won’t cause any problems. The brigade’s warehouse has quite a lot of bamboo stored there, including some finished furniture handed over by the village’s old carpenters. You can come with me to pick some out in a bit. I’ll just register what you pick, and you can just hand the money over to the brigade’s accountant.”

"Okay, thank you for your help, Uncle."

Bai Nuo nodded happily. When she left, she took something wrapped in newspaper from her bag and stuffed it into Aunt Cui'e's arms before leaving.

"Auntie, please don't mind. I brought this from home. You can keep it to make clothes for your older sister." After saying that, Bai Nuo quickly ran out to catch up with the brigade leader, and didn't forget to turn back and wave her hand, smiling and calling out softly, "Auntie, don't see me off. I'll come over to visit you and my sister when I have time."

The captain's wife looked down at the corner of the newspaper peeking out and her heart softened instantly.

This girl is really... too honest.