Return to 1983 Hunting Xing'an Mountains

Chapter 540: To build a pigpen, Old Tang asked for help, Li San stopped

It's awkward, but we have to accept the reality that light bulbs these days aren't very bright. Why? The voltage in a high-wattage light bulb can't be raised at all, and the transformer is prone to explosion, resulting in unstable voltage, flickering from time to time, or even power outages.

Therefore, every household basically lights a light bulb in the house at night. A few families do not light any lights, and go to bed when it gets dark, or visit other people's homes to chat or something...

Xu Ning also knew that now was not the time to change the lights. He just had this idea. After all, in the future, people could turn on any lights as long as they could pay the electricity bill. There would be flashing neon lights on both sides of the road, in parks, and in squares. Even if some of them were solar-powered, they would be much better than now. It really proved that technology changes life.

The door and window glass in the new house has been installed. Wang Zhongcai and Zhang Jinbao took the lead in the installation. Putty was applied to the gap between the glass and the frame, which can prevent air leakage for at least a year and a half. However, putty will harden over time, and thus crack and separate from the gap. In this case, the original putty needs to be removed and re-applied.

The walls inside the house are also covered with putty, which feels a bit rough to the touch and is not as delicate and smooth as latex paint in later generations. The putty will turn yellow after a while, but it is still better looking than pasting newspapers on the walls.

Walking in the five rooms, you can't see the pillars at all because they have been wrapped with red bricks to form walls.

Xu Ning walked around twice and felt very good. It was quite spacious everywhere. When he passed the wooden shelf in the reception room, he turned his head and said, "We need to buy some sponge and more cloth for this sofa."

Meng Ziyan said: "My dad said that Brother Bao went to the city to look for it. He wanted to see how other people's sofas were made."

"Okay, if Brother Bao can learn this job, sofas will be a new product in the future. It's not very interesting to just make wooden furniture. The profit from sofas is really high!"

Li Fuqiang wondered: "Buying sponges is expensive, right? How can this thing make money?"

"Why can't we make money? The cost of sponge is 30 yuan, and the fabric is only a few yuan. Even if we don't use fabric, we can use some cowhide or sheepskin. Such a big sofa can be sold for 300 or 400 yuan. It will definitely sell."

"Ah, the cost is one hundred dollars, and we can still make more than two hundred dollars."

"Why didn't you look at the combination cabinet?"

Meng Ziyan said: "The combination cabinet is too heavy, and the tractor's back bucket can't hold it. I'm waiting for you to come back and fix it."

"Okay, let's fix it when we have time. Don't worry about it."

Xu Ning stepped out of the door and took a look at the scenery. He felt that the courtyard was spacious. He turned back to look at the red brick house and felt comfortable and relaxed.

He felt very satisfied with himself. This was his goal, to let his family live a good life and no longer have to worry about or quarrel over trivial matters.

Afterwards, they went to Lao Wang's new house and took a look. The layout of the two houses was the same, except that Lao Xu's second room in the west had a bed, while Lao Wang's had a kang.

"The west side of my second uncle's house is quite spacious, why is there no shed built there?" Li Fuqiang asked.

Xu Feng said: "Second Aunt said she wanted to raise a pig next year. Isn't this the pig that Brother Bin sent to her? Second Aunt is raising it very well and is a little addicted to it."

"Oh, do we need to build a pigsty?"

Xu Ning shook his head: "If you want to raise pigs, build a pigpen in the backyard. Otherwise, it will stink in the summer. Pigs are the dirtiest."

"My aunt also wants to raise chickens, ducks and geese. Should she raise them in the backyard as well?"

"Well, I'll tell them when we get back. The front yard looks quite spacious, but raising so many poultry has made it really dirty..."

Afterwards, everyone left the bridal chamber. Xu Ning walked along the dirt road beside the stream and said, "Brother, think about it. When we have time, we can go to the mountain to get a few more large stones and put them in the corners and at the base of the wall."

Li Fuqiang nodded in response, and Meng Ziyan said, "When are you leaving tomorrow?"

"We have to leave early if we're going to the provincial capital. Hey, it's a good opportunity for me to ask my uncle to write a letter of introduction, otherwise we won't be able to stay in the guesthouse in the provincial capital. Feng'er, go home and ask your brother Hu to go to Uncle Meng's place for dinner..."

"Okay! Let's go, Jin Yu..."

The two girls skipped away, and the four of them turned into the alley and went straight to the village headquarters. As soon as they entered the door, they saw Du Shoucai and Lao Tang sitting opposite each other in the shade under a tree playing chess.

"Uncle!" Xu Ning greeted as he entered the room.

Du Shoucai looked up and said with a smile: "Hey, when did you come back?"

"I just came back last night. I want to go to the provincial capital tomorrow, so I wanted you to write me a letter of introduction."

Du Shoucai nodded: "Okay, you guys go in first and wait for me to finish this game."

"It's hot in the room, just stay in this cool place for a while."

On the side, Old Tang turned his head and asked, "Are you going to the provincial capital to do business?"

"Well, something happened."

Old Tang smiled and said, "Then can I trouble you to do something for me?"

"Just tell me, I'll definitely help if I can."

"Okay, this is what happened. Your aunt has a younger sister who works in a machinery factory in the provincial capital. My family was preparing for a funeral a few years ago, so I borrowed money from her. When your aunt was alive, they had always kept in touch with each other, but since she passed away, the relationship has ended. I wrote to her several times, but she never replied. I thought if you were by my side, could you ask her about it for me and return the money to her?"

Du Shoucai looked up when he heard this and said, "Your wife's sister, Yuying?"

"Yeah! Isn't it her? You said we haven't seen each other for so many years, and I still miss her. I wanted to go to the provincial capital last year, but there were too many things to do at home..."

Who doesn’t have a lot of things to do? To put it bluntly, he just didn’t think about going to the provincial capital to look for her, and his letter showed that he was not sincere.

However, Xu Ning was thinking in his heart: The reason why Old Tang's sister-in-law didn't reply to the letter might be that something happened. Every family has its own problems.

"Do you know which machinery factory she works in? What's her name? How old is she?"

Old Tang said, "Her name is Liu Yuying. She works in the affairs department of the Third Machinery Factory. She must be around 50 this year."

"Okay, if I stop by, I'll just ask her and return the money when I see her."

"Well, just pay me back. I'll go home and get it later. You just wait here for me."

"it is good……"

Before he finished speaking, Du Shoucai pinched the horse and turned it forward, saying with a smile: "Octagonal horse!"

"Oh my god... OK! That's it for today. I'm going to go home."

After that, Old Tang stood up and walked out. Du Shoucai waved them in and said, "Your uncle Hu came over to sit for a while a few days ago. When he heard that you didn't stay at home, he told me directly."

"Ah, what's the matter?"

After entering the house, Du Shoucai looked for paper and pen while saying, "Zhibin has been transferred to the city's education department. His children have all been sent to study in the city, and there are a few places reserved for you. Your brother Bin said that he had to tell you directly. If you hadn't stayed at home, he wouldn't have told you, so I didn't tell your mother."

"Hey, did my brother Bin get it done?"

"It must have been done. Otherwise, how can I tell you that you want to send Feng'er and the other two to study in the city?"

"Well, my brother is getting a house in the city, and Biao and Tian'en are also learning a craft in the city, so they just need a place to live."

Du Shoucai asked: "Who will take care of him then?"

"My sister-in-law. Anyway, I got married the other day. Yan and I stayed at home while my brother and sister-in-law went to the city."

"You're quite thoughtful." Du Shoucai glanced at Li Mantang and asked, "Mantang, are you willing to go to the city to study?"

Li Mantang looked up at his father, only to see Li Fuqiang's eyes fixed on Xu Ning. He said, "Whatever my second uncle says is true."

"Hahaha...there's nothing wrong with what you said! My brother has already arranged everything, so what else is there to say?" Li Fuqiang laughed.

Du Shoucai smiled and then started writing the letter of introduction.

Xu Ning said: "I'll call Brother Bin. Which number is from his unit?"

"There is an education hole on the third piece of paper on the wall..."

Xu Ning walked to the phone, picked up the receiver and dialed the number with his finger. After changing the channel, he was connected to the municipal education department.

"Hello, Municipal Education Reception Office."

"Looking for Hu Zhibin, I'm his brother Xu Ning." "Oh, okay, please wait a moment."

After waiting for half a minute, the phone rang again, and Hu Zhibin's voice came from the inside: "Erning? This is Hu Zhibin."

"Brother Bin, I'm Xu Ning! I just got home last night, and today I came to the village headquarters to look for my uncle and heard about it."

"Just listen to me. Once the arrangements are made, you have to go to the school to get the files and then send them to me..."

Hu Zhibin was having some trouble speaking, so he spoke in a more tactful way. Xu Ning understood and said with a smile, "Okay! When do you want it?"

"Any time is fine. You can ask them to come over and get familiar with the place. Do you have a place to stay? I can arrange it for you."

"Oh, this is really a bother for you. There are places to live. My brother has been allocated a house in the city, and my third uncle also has an empty house."

"What's the trouble? You can only be polite to me. Fine, let's do this for now. I'll go back and talk to you later when I have time."

"You must come back when I get married."

"Of course! I'll go with Old Qian and Brother Liu."

"Don't buy anything here again. My mom is scolding me."

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

Hu Zhibin laughed and said, "Hahaha, that's hard to say... Let's talk about it when we meet. I have something to do, so I'll leave it at that for now."

"Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Li Fuqiang said with a smile: "Did you really do it?"

"Can Brother Bin's words be false? Mantang, don't tell your sister and Feng'er about this first, do you hear me?"

"I'm listening, Uncle." Li Mantang nodded: "Uncle, then are we really going to the city school?"

"Well, junior high school is the time to lay the foundation. The three of you are all good at studying. What can you learn in this mountain valley?"

"I can learn a lot..." Li Mantang muttered.

Du Shoucai put down his pen and said, "The teachers in the city are much better than those in our mountain village. You three are the college students in our village. If you can really get into college, the village will give each of you a reward of 50 yuan!"

"Oh my god, is this true? I heard someone say before that whoever gets into college will be given fifty dollars."

"That could be true, but in all these years there hasn't been a single college student in our village."

“That was a problem in the early years.”

Du Shoucai shook his head: "No, there is something wrong. Do you know why the exam was suspended?"

"Why?" Li Fuqiang asked.

Du Shoucai said: "The purpose of stopping the exam is to allow us, the lower-class people, to take time to learn more and strive to be on the same starting line as educated families. But educated families have been passed down for hundreds of years, and we have only learned to read for a few years?"

Du Shoucai only gave a general idea, and Xu Ning nodded and said, "That makes sense."

"Okay, you can go to the province and take the letter of introduction directly to the guesthouse to check in. I wrote that I am doing business for our village, and it is stamped with the village's business seal."

"okay."

At this time, Old Tang hurried in, handed the money in his hand to Xu Ning, and said, "Here is two hundred yuan. If you can see her, give it all to her."

"What if she doesn't want to do it?"

Old Tang blinked and said, "Then just throw it on the ground and turn around and walk away."

"Okay, let's go first."

"Let's go."

Du Shoucai waved his hand, and Xu Ning, Li Fuqiang, Meng Ziyan and Li Mantang walked out of the house.

After leaving the house, Meng Ziyan asked, "It seems that Mr. Tang seems to be worried about something."

"You can't speculate whether there is something wrong or not. You have agreed to help someone, so don't ask too many questions."

Xu Ning turned around and saw the old Dong family, now Li Feng's family, and asked, "How is Feng's father?"

Meng Ziyan said: "He has been lying at home all the time, and he hasn't done anything naughty. The neighbors all say he has calmed down."

Li Fuqiang was a little bit unconvinced: "Is this true? Can Li San be so quiet?"

Li Mantang nodded: "Dad, it's true! I saw Li Tong the day before yesterday. She said that Li San didn't seem like her real grandfather anymore. He seemed like a different person. He just lay on the kang all day without saying a word. If someone chatted with him, he would respond. If someone gave him food, he would just take a few bites..."

"Oh my god, this is a personality change? Brother, do you believe it?"

Xu Ning frowned and said, "I don't quite believe it..."

"I don't believe it either! Can a person like Li San change his character? No matter who suffers, he won't suffer. I wonder what's going on. He must be paralyzed on the kang and depends on Li Feng for support, so he doesn't dare to make trouble. Otherwise, if Li Feng gets angry and doesn't serve him anymore, what will he do?"

"That's true."

While chatting, they walked into the courtyard of Old Meng's house. Meng Yinhe was pushing sawdust. When he saw Xu Ning and others come in, he quickly put down his work and greeted them.

"Erning, Qiangzi... come in quickly!" Liu Fenfang called out standing at the door.

She had flour on her hands, so she had to use her elbow to swing open the door curtain made of paper clip calendars. Xu Ning said with a smile: "Aunt, when is the meal? I'm starving."

"It will be ready soon! If you are hungry, have some crackers to fill your stomach."

Liu Lizhen looked up and said, "Don't worry about him. He's waiting to eat mutton dumplings at noon."

"Hahaha, my mother knows me best."

After entering the house, Xu Ning didn't look at Meng Quezi, Wang Hu and others, and asked, "Where is my Uncle Meng doing?"

"We went to Lei Zi's place to fix the door. Hu Zi and the others have all gone over there."

"Then I'll go over and take a look."

"Oh, no, there's not much work to do. They'll be back soon."

As soon as Liu Fenfang finished speaking, Meng Quezi, Wang Hu, Guan Lei, Xu Feng and Li Jinyu walked in.

"Uncle Meng! How is my brother Bao doing?"

Meng Quezi waved his hand and said, "The front is already finished. The plaque says Golden Dragon Furniture. According to your idea, there are two rows of small characters below, which are doors, windows, beds, desks... Now they seem to be building a factory. The investment in this furniture workshop has increased. Did you know that?"

"I know. My mom told me about it. I told you before that if you want to do something, you have to do it on a large scale and don't be afraid of losing money. What kind of contract do you want to sign?"

"Ah, the land lease contract, and the contract for the three of us to do business together. Otherwise, you can sign it when you and Yan get married and your brother Bao comes over."

"That's fine. There's no rush for this. Does he have enough money?"

"It's enough for now. I took it before he left. Don't worry. I'll give you whatever you have before you leave."

At this time, Liu Lizhen said, "Aren't you going to the provincial capital? When you come back, send it to your brother Bao."

"Okay, it's on my way anyway. I was thinking of taking Yan and Hua to the provincial capital for a stroll tomorrow. Would you two like to come?"

Guan Hua didn't say anything, Meng Ziyan was a little shy, Liu Lizhen decided: "Let's go together! There's nothing to do at home, let's go for a walk and see the world. Have Hu Zi and Hua bought the things for their wedding? It's a good opportunity to go to the provincial capital and buy them directly."

Han Fengjiao nodded: "Okay, they just happen to have a companion."

(End of this chapter)