Spring Breeze Twenty Years

Chapter 442 Fundraising Housing

Little Hong looked up at the ceiling and muttered to herself. Xia Maosheng said, "Iron will definitely rot over time, and the rust will be huge. These days, even tap water pipes are being phased out of iron. If it's been sitting for a while, the water will be red when you turn on the tap. How can anyone be healthy if they drink that?"

Geng Hui said, "Using steel should be fine, 304 steel pipes and plates, but I don't know if it will be easy to get."

Uncle Wang said, "I'll go to my workplace tomorrow and ask around. I don't need much, so they should be able to make it. That thing is a bit expensive though."

Xiao Wei said, "As long as it works, it's fine. It's okay if it costs a little money; as long as it works. What kind of steel is 304?"

Geng Hui said, "304 steel is better at preventing rust, has higher corrosion resistance, and is harmless to the human body."

Xia Maosheng raised his hand and scratched his eye with his finger. Geng Hui asked, "What are you doing?"

Xia Maosheng said seriously, "I'm quite impressed."

Xiao Hong's thoughts were interrupted. She turned her head to look at Xia Maosheng blankly for a moment, and then suddenly started to laugh.

Aunt Wang shook her head, wiped her forehead with her sleeve, and said, "This child has gone crazy again. Your uncle has spoiled him so much that he's been acting like this all day."

Xiao Wei skillfully sliced ​​potatoes, then turned to look at Xiao Hong, who was laughing so hard she was practically convulsing in her chair, and said, "I'm just a little worried about what will happen if Xiao Hong gets pregnant in the future. She laughs too much."

Geng Hui said, "It's so good that she's always smiling; Xiao Hong has a great personality."

Aunt Wang said to Uncle Wang, "Try to tame her, don't make her laugh until she's breathless. This child is so silly, I don't know who she takes after."

Uncle Wang reached out and patted Xiao Hong on the back, saying, "Where do you install the pump and water tank? I remember, 304 is afraid of being buried and afraid of tap water, right, Xiao Hui?" Geng Hui was also patting Xiao Hong to help her catch her breath, saying, "Yes, 304 is afraid of chlorine, the soil and tap water have too high a chlorine content."

The disinfection of urban tap water supply systems mainly uses bleaching powder, also known as calcium chlorate, which is added directly to the water. Therefore, tap water is highly corrosive to steel. This is why iron faucets are more durable than steel faucets.

After catching her breath for a while, Xiaohong finally stopped laughing and said, "I've figured it out. The principle of a water pump injecting water and pressurizing it is indeed feasible. We can just build a small hut in some inconspicuous corner of the house and put the pump and water tank inside."

Geng Hui said, "We also need to protect it from the frost, because it will freeze in winter."

Xiao Hong paused for a moment and said, "Then what should we do? Turn on the heating in the house?"

Xia Maosheng said, "We can build a basement, a water tank and pump, and it can also be used as a storage room. I just don't know if it will get damp."

Uncle Wang took out a cigarette, looked at Geng Hui, and then put it away, saying, "The basement is bound to be a bit damp, so we need to ventilate it and run the heating pipes through it. It's not that damp in Northeast China."

Xiao Wei finished chopping the vegetables, and Aunt Wang started stewing the ribs. The two washed their hands and walked out of the kitchen. Aunt Wang reached out and slapped Xiao Hong on the forehead, and Xiao Hong rolled her eyes.

Xiao Wei got a chair for Aunt Wang to sit on, then sat down on the small horse-drawn carriage. He took out a cigarette, glanced at Geng Hui, hesitated for a moment, then put it back. He said, "Okay, let's make a basement then. It'll be awkward to have a house next to it. Aren't foreign liquors usually stored in basements? Let's get some too."

Xiao Hong exclaimed and sat up straight, gesturing as she said, "Fruit trees, fruit trees! There's so much space to plant fruit trees—apples, plums, pears, apricots, peaches, cherries, grapes—we can even grow strawberries! I really want to eat them. I can just climb the trees and eat them!"

Uncle Wang stroked his chin and said, "Planting some fruit trees is fine. It doesn't matter if they bear fruit or not. The air will be better, there will be shade in the summer, and the flowers will be especially beautiful in the spring."

Aunt Wang said, "That's fine. I was thinking of planting some wild vegetables here so we wouldn't have to go up the mountain to pick them. Ugh, we can't even find any wild vegetables here; we have to buy them, and they're ridiculously expensive."

Xiao Hong said, "You're still going up the mountain to pick them? Are you going to watch the mountain from here?"

Aunt Wang laughed and said, "It's true, there isn't even a mountain here. What is nature thinking? It's so unfair! It's so hard to find a flat spot over there, but here, there isn't even a mound of earth."

Xiao Wei laughed and said, "That's easy! Auntie, do you want to live on the mountain? I'll fill in our land, build you a small hill, and then build you a house on top." Everyone laughed, and Xiao Hong said, "Are you crazy? Isn't living upstairs the same height?"

Geng Hui said, "In the past, weren't capable women fond of building mountains? They would dig lakes, build mountains, and then construct a garden."

Aunt Wang chuckled and said, "Yes, digging lakes and building mountains? Am I some kind of 'traitor to the country'? Am I the Empress Dowager Cixi?"

Xiao Hong paused for a moment, then leaned back and started laughing again: "Hahaha, nine, nine mu, the west, west, Empress Dowager, hahaha."

Aunt Wang patted her daughter's head and turned to Uncle Wang, asking, "Why are you back so early today? Have you heard anything about the house?"

Uncle Wang said, "I went to the TV tower this afternoon to check on the work. I came back after that. Everyone else has gone home, it's not like I'm the only one. As for the house, I asked about it. There are two options now. One is to get a three-bedroom apartment in an old building in Huanggu District. The other is to wait for a new house, but you have to pay some money. They say it's some kind of fundraising fund. Then you can get a bigger one, or two units."

Aunt Wang asked, "What is meant by 'fundraising funds'?"

Uncle Wang said, "Now that welfare housing has been suspended, you have to raise funds to build houses. It's like everyone is contributing money to build them, so it's no longer considered welfare housing."

Xiao Wei asked, "Where is the house? How much does it cost?"

Uncle Wang thought for a moment and said, "It's in Heping, near Bayi Park. They said it would cost a few hundred yuan, maybe two or three hundred. They said there would be a discount because I've never been allocated a house before, and my previous years of service would also count. But I was planning to just get an old one, so I didn't ask any more questions."

Xiao Wei said, "We're moving out of our own house at the end of October, what's the rush? If you want a new one, ask if there are any restrictions. If there aren't, buy more. Huanggu is too far away, and it's an old house, what's the point of keeping it?"

Xiaohong said, "Yes, we shouldn't live in old houses. Who knows how many people have lived there before? It would be uncomfortable. Besides, the houses are all old."

Uncle Wang checked the time and said, "Okay, I'll call and ask." He picked up the phone and dialed.

"Feed? Little Liu?"

"Director Wang? Is something the matter?"

"We were talking about the house today, right? My family discussed it, and they're thinking of waiting for a subsidized housing unit. I wanted to ask you, if we're sure we want the subsidized housing, how much do I need to pay?"

After a moment of silence, someone said, "Director Wang, since you haven't been allocated housing at your workplace, after your length of service is verified, you'll need to pay 126.3 yuan per square meter. If you're sure, come and look at the blueprints to see how big you need, and then just pay me the money."

(End of this chapter)