Branch Secretary Liu hadn’t expected that Tian would still want the house even though it was this dilapidated.
“Well, if it’s just fixing the roof, I can find some people right now. It shouldn’t take more than half a day to get it done.
But if you want to repair other places, you’ll likely need to buy materials.
However, don’t worry. This house is old and run-down anyway. Since you’re spending money to fix it up, I’ll make the decision: twelve yuan a year in rent, for as long as you want to rent it.”
When he mentioned having to buy materials, Branch Secretary Liu hesitated to meet Educated Youth Tian’s eyes.
After all, if she rented this place, the village should at least fix it up enough to make it livable.
Otherwise, what right did they have to collect rent from her?
But repairing the walls and the house would require buying materials. Even if the village had the money, they wouldn’t spend it on fixing this house.
So, if Educated Youth Tian truly wanted to rent it, she would have to pay for the materials herself.
Catching his implication, Tian Baozhu readily agreed.
However, she insisted that both the cost of the materials and the wages for the villagers who came to help would have to be paid after the repairs were completed.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Branch Secretary Liu nodded in agreement.
As an educated youth sent to the countryside, although Educated Youth Tian had settled in their Chengjiawan Production Brigade, she wasn’t considered a member of the Chengjiawan village.
Moreover, this house was being rented to her.
Even if she stopped renting it after the repairs, the house would still belong to the Chengjiawan Production Brigade.
The brigade would just front the costs initially; it wasn’t as if they wouldn’t be reimbursed.
Both were satisfied with the arrangement.
Branch Secretary Liu thought about the thatch on the roof still needing attention.
So, he hurried back with Tian Baozhu to the brigade office to sign a rental agreement.
Tian Baozhu had insisted on the agreement. After all, if she fixed the house and then the villagers objected, she would have wasted her time and effort.
Branch Secretary Liu didn’t dwell on her little calculations. Perhaps people in this era valued keeping their word.
He excused himself and went to find a few of the younger Liu family members to help with the work, allowing them to earn some money to support their households.
Tian Baozhu returned to the house and walked around again. The more she looked, the more satisfied she became.
To her surprise, she even discovered a well near the collapsed wall.
Although it was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, it would only require cleaning out, disinfecting with lime, and letting it settle for a few days.
Then it would be convenient for her to wash things in the yard. However, it would be even better if she could install a pump well.
Although this method of drawing water would still be somewhat troublesome for Tian Baozhu, it would be far easier than tying a bucket to a rope, lowering it into the well, and hauling it up full of water.
It was also simple to use. Before pumping, you just needed to pour a scoop of water into the pipe to prime it, then grip the handle and push it down and pull it up. By repeatedly working the handle, water would be drawn up from the well through the iron pipe due to pressure.
But this device also had a drawback: in the early mornings and evenings of winter, the iron pipe could freeze.
So, the scoop of water used to prime the pipe would need to be warm water.
Tian Baozhu walked around the house, inside and out. After forming a plan in her mind, she reached into her pocket and felt the three yuan and twenty cents inside.
No way. Waiting for that scumbag to pay her back—who knows how many years that would take!
Although Branch Secretary Liu had readily agreed that she could pay the money later, having no money in hand made her anxious.
So, Tian Baozhu didn’t return to the educated youth site.
Since she had nothing to do for the rest of the afternoon, she decided to go to town and see if she could find a way to make some money.
After all, she had so many good things in her space!
It was fortunate she was only going to town, as she didn’t need an introduction letter from the village. Otherwise, she would have had to bother Branch Secretary Liu again for help.
However, you could never have too many introduction letters.
Next time, she’d get closer to Aunt Yuegui. Then it would be easier to obtain an introduction letter to go farther, maybe to the county seat or the city.
…
Xie Zhong lowered his head, about to push open the courtyard gate, when the gate of the adjacent yard suddenly swung open with a slam.
A gaunt old woman with narrow, upturned eyes, a hooked nose, and a wide mouth strode out quickly.
She reached out to grab the basket on Xie Zhong’s back, but Xie Zhong merely shifted his body slightly, causing the old woman’s outstretched hand to grasp nothing.
“Bastard pup, have you been up the mountain again?
Hurry up and let me see what you caught!
My eldest grandson hasn’t had a taste of meat in days.”
Xie Zhong, however, quickened his pace to open the gate. Before the old woman could reach out again, he slipped inside and slammed the courtyard gate shut with a bang, bolting it.
The old woman hadn’t expected the bastard pup to move so fast. Furious, she clapped her hands and stomped her feet, cursing loudly for a long while, spewing all sorts of vile insults.
But that wretched brat remained silent, as if no one was in the courtyard.
Exhausted and hoarse from cursing, she reluctantly returned to her own yard.
Xie Zhibao had originally thought Grandma would bring back something from that bastard. But now, seeing her empty-handed, he pouted unhappily.
“Grandma, I want to eat meat.”
“Oh, my precious grandson! That bastard didn’t get any meat today.
Grandma will make you some steamed egg custard tonight. Next time that bastard brings back meat, I’ll make it for you.”
Although Wang Cuihua had just been cursing Xie Zhong as if he were an enemy, when she looked at her little grandson, her voice immediately softened as she coaxed him.
“No, I want meat. Grandma, I want meat. I want meat.”
Just before she went out, Grandma had told him that the bastard had gone up the mountain today and must have caught something. She said she would take it and cook it for him.
Now that there was no meat, he refused to give in.
Xie Zhibao wailed, shouting that he wanted meat.
When Wang Cuihua tried to step forward to hug and comfort him, Xie Zhibao simply threw himself on the ground and started rolling around.
“Oh, my little ancestor! These clothes are newly made and cost me quite a few cloth coupons!
Get up! Stop wailing! Careful you don’t ruin your throat!”
No matter how much Wang Cuihua fretted and fussed, Xie Zhibao wouldn’t listen to her soothing words.
“Daidi! Daidi! You worthless girl, where have you run off to?
Hurry up and come soothe your brother! If Xiaobao ruins his voice, you’ll feel it on your skin.”
Wang Cuihua, her head spinning from Xie Zhibao’s wailing, shouted loudly.
Hearing her grandmother’s roar, Xie Daidi timidly came from the backyard to the front yard, a handful of weeds clutched in her hand.
Just moments ago, Grandma had been scolding her for being lazy, saying there were too many weeds in the backyard vegetable patch and that she hadn’t even bothered to pull them out.
She hadn’t even finished weeding one ridge before Grandma was now yelling at her again, calling her back to the front yard.