On a clear morning after the Frost's Descent, a thin layer of frost still clung to the dirt road in the Red Flag Production Brigade, making a crunching sound underfoot. But at Lin Wanqiu's house site, a lively scene unfolded—dozens of thick poplar logs were neatly piled in the corner, bricks and tiles were bundled together with straw ropes to form a small hill, and several strong young members of the commune were working together to carry a heavy bluestone slab, shouting as they walked towards the foundation. The rising heat condensed into white mist in the cold air, carrying with it the earthy smell of the soil.
"Wanqiu, let me double-check the lime ratio for this foundation to make sure it's sturdy!" Bricklayer Master Wang squatted beside the foundation, holding a wooden ruler in his hand, instructing his apprentice. He was the most famous bricklayer in the nearby villages, building houses that were both sturdy and well-proportioned. Lin Wanqiu had specially asked Aunt Li to invite him, and even paid him 1.2 yuan a day, 2 mao more than usual.
Lin Wanqiu quickly handed over a kettle of hot water: "Master Wang, thank you for your hard work. This house will be our family's home from now on, so please take good care of it. I'll make you some scallion pancakes later so you can take them with you on your journey." Master Wang took the kettle and said with a smile: "Wanqiu, don't worry, I'll make sure it's well-built for you, so it's sheltered from the wind and rain, and you can live here for decades without any problems!"
Shen Tingzhou was directing the commune members to move timber. He was wearing faded work clothes, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his strong forearms. Sweat beaded on his forehead, but he didn't seem tired at all. Seeing Lin Wanqiu approach, he went over and took the basket from her hands, which contained apples he had just taken out of his spatial storage: "Don't just stand here. It's cold. Go back inside and rest for a while. I'm here; nothing will happen."
Lin Wanqiu smiled and shook her head, taking an apple from the basket and handing it to him: "I'm not cold. Watching our house being built little by little makes me happy. You should rest for a while and have an apple to replenish your energy." Shen Tingzhou took the apple, wiped it with his sleeve, and took a big bite. The sweet and crisp juice spread in his mouth, instantly dispelling his fatigue. He looked at Shen Nian'an, who was helping to pass tools not far away, and his heart was filled with warmth—his son was wearing a newly made cotton-padded coat, his little face red from the cold, but he was still running very fast, constantly shouting, "Grandpa Li, the hammer you wanted is here!" "Uncle Zhang, the nails are in this basket," making everyone laugh.
Aunt Li arrived as well, carrying a cloth bag filled with freshly steamed sweet potatoes and corn. She distributed them to the villagers who were helping out, saying, "Everyone, have some to tide you over. Wanqiu said we'll have pork and cabbage stew with vermicelli for lunch, and there'll be plenty!" The villagers happily agreed, working even harder. In those days of scarcity, pork was a rare treat, usually only eaten during the New Year. Everyone was very grateful for Lin Wanqiu's generosity.
Just then, several women from the village arrived, carrying sewing baskets. They said they were there to help mend clothes and look after the children. One of the women smiled and said, "Wanqiu, don't worry about building the house. We'll take care of the work around the house. If Nian'an gets hungry, come to my house for a meal; I just steamed some buns." Lin Wanqiu felt a warmth in her heart and quickly thanked them, "Thank you so much! Once the house is finished, I'll definitely invite everyone to my house for a meal to properly thank you all."
Around 10 a.m., Secretary Zhou from the commune arrived. He brought with him Director Wang from the agricultural station and a subsidy of fifty yuan from the commune: "Late Autumn, this is a housing subsidy from the commune for you. You've done a great job leading the villagers to grow off-season vegetables, and the commune will definitely support you. Don't worry, if you need any materials, just tell me, and the commune will help you find a way."
Lin Wanqiu accepted the money, her heart filled with gratitude: "Secretary Zhou, thank you so much for your support. I will definitely build the house well and work even harder to help everyone get rich, so as not to let you down." Secretary Zhou smiled and nodded, then visited the foundation under construction and said to Shen Tingzhou: "Tingzhou, you are a veteran, strong and experienced, so you must help Wanqiu build a good house so that she and her daughter can live comfortably." Shen Tingzhou quickly agreed: "Don't worry, I will definitely build the house solidly so that Wanqiu and Nian'an can live in peace."
Lunch was cooked on a makeshift stove set up in the courtyard. Lin Wanqiu took out twenty catties of pork, fifty catties of cabbage, and ten catties of vermicelli from her spatial storage, along with some modern seasonings. She personally took charge of the cooking, and the pork simmered in the pot, its aroma wafting far and wide, making the villagers who were helping to swallow their saliva. Shen Nian'an helped tend the fire, his little face flushed red from the heat, but he was still full of enthusiasm: "Mom, the pork smells so good today, even better than what we ate during the New Year!" Lin Wanqiu smiled and patted his head: "Once the house is built, Mom will cook delicious food for you every day."
During the meal, everyone sat around the stone slab in the courtyard, each holding a large bowl of pork and cabbage stew with vermicelli, and two steamed buns, eating with great relish. Aunt Li said between bites, "Wanqiu, your cooking is amazing! It's even better than the chefs in the town's restaurants. If you open a restaurant someday, it'll definitely be a huge success." Lin Wanqiu smiled and said, "When things get better, maybe I really will open a restaurant, and then I'll invite everyone to eat for free."
In the afternoon, the construction progressed even faster. The villagers divided into several groups; some continued building the walls, some began erecting the roof beams, and others were busy mixing mortar. Shen Tingzhou stood on the roof beam, hammer in hand, carefully securing the wooden beam. His movements were skilled and steady, clearly indicating he had experience with manual labor. Lin Wanqiu stood below, holding a rope, occasionally reminding him to be careful: "Tingzhou, slow down, don't rush, safety first." Shen Tingzhou turned around and smiled: "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
In the evening, Grandma Shen and Zhang Lan arrived. They stood beside the house site, watching the bustling scene with reluctant expressions. Grandma Shen coughed and said to Lin Wanqiu, "Wanqiu, we've come to help. Just tell us what you can do." Lin Wanqiu knew they weren't genuinely there to help, but had come because they'd heard that building a house included meals and wages. However, being family, Lin Wanqiu couldn't refuse, so she said, "Then you can help carry some bricks, but be careful not to overwork yourself."
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