Chapter 98 Adding a Wall to the Courtyard
Once outside, everyone started mixing cement.
Take out all the ladders we had stockpiled at home and put them all outside to see how they fit and how to use them.
Since only the outer side of the courtyard wall is made of bricks, while the left, right, and back sides are all part of the mountain itself, only the front wall needs to be built.
One group started building from one end towards the middle, and by the time it got dark, they had built more than a meter high.
Adding the height of the previous courtyard wall, I estimate that this courtyard wall is more than three meters high, almost four meters high.
"Don't worry about this height, girl. They might not even be able to climb up here."
Brother Liu turned around, patted the wall, and said confidently.
I asked Brother Liu to leave a hole the size of a bowl at the top of the courtyard wall so that I can modify a bow and arrow myself and shoot anyone who comes through this hole.
When the wall was almost finished, Taozi was a little worried: "Does your house have any broken glass? I can put a row of them at the top, so that if someone climbs up, they won't be able to hold onto the wall."
"Yes, yes, I'll go get it."
I didn't throw away any of the glass bottles that I had used up. I put the nice ones on the windowsill and the less nice ones in the corner of the threshing ground.
They brought over a large pile of various wine bottles and vinegar bottles and placed them on the ground.
"Oh my, girl, you're a drunkard?"
Brother Liu looked at the pile of wine bottles on the ground and burst into laughter.
I was a little embarrassed by the laughter. Actually, I didn't drink much, but I had accumulated quite a bit over nearly three years.
Then everyone went outside, put the beer bottles in sacks, and smashed them with stones, saying that if they were smashed directly on the ground, the beer would splatter everywhere, and they were afraid of hurting the family's dogs or wolves.
After applying a thick layer of cement to the top of the wall, Taozi, wearing gloves, carefully inserted numerous shards of glass into the cement.
After everything was finished, it was already getting dark. Taozi jumped down from the ladder, clapped his hands, and said to me, "Don't worry, sister, I've filled it up completely."
Yes, just fill it up.
"Thank you for your hard work, thank you for your hard work, everyone has worked hard."
As I spoke, I jogged to the car and unloaded the bag of rice and two boxes of eggs.
"I forgot to take the car for everyone when I left, so please divide it up yourselves when you get back."
"Oh dear, I can't accept this!"
While verbally refusing, Brother Liu reached out to take it.
"That old bastard!"
Brother Liu laughed and slapped Brother Liu the Second.
"Wait for me a moment."
I jogged back to the small west room and took out eight pairs of gloves from the wardrobe.
Then he ran back to the yard.
"Each of you should wear two pairs of these eight gloves when you're doing any dangerous work."
Although gloves are not expensive items, they are very useful for farmers.
Even if you have a lot of stuff stockpiled at home, it's been three years since the apocalypse, and it's probably all worn out by now.
Brother Liu accepted the eight pairs of gloves with a face full of gratitude, then turned around and gave two pairs to one person.
Using the pretext of settling the cement bill, they lured Brother Liu into the small west room.
"I don't have much medicine here. Take this alcohol and amoxicillin; they can save your life in case of any emergency injuries or illnesses."
I handed a bottle of alcohol and amoxicillin to Brother Liu.
"No, no, this won't do. It's too valuable. I can't accept it."
"Please accept it. You've taken such good care of me; it's what I should do. If you don't take it now, I really won't have any more to ask for later."
He forcefully pushed the medicine into Brother Liu's arms, and Brother Liu, with a complicated expression, put the medicine into his military overcoat.
"How much does the cement cost? I'll get you some other things too."
"Why would you want cement after giving me the medicine? I don't need it anymore, really. If you ever need any help in the future, just come to me."
After saying that, Brother Liu turned and walked outside.
I didn't insist too much and went outside with Brother Liu.
The group didn't linger; they got into the car and prepared to leave.
I didn't dare linger, since it wasn't safe to be on the road after dark.
"Sister, come visit me sometime."
Taozi is always the last one to talk to me.
"Okay, I'll come visit you sometime... If you need any help from me, feel free to come find me anytime."
I thought about it and added a sentence at the end: "He's so young and all alone at home, it's really not easy for him."
"I need your help with something right now."
"Oh, what's up?"
I was taken aback, and I was just being polite, but I didn't expect this kid to be so honest.
"Um...it's okay, I'm leaving now."
Taozi stammered for a long time, unable to say a word, his face turning bright red, and then he turned and ran away.
"Young people live such abstract lives."
That's all I can say about Taozi.
After everyone left, the courtyard immediately became quiet.
"Sigh, I have to say it's more comfortable to be alone."
After calming down, I felt completely relaxed.
Looking at the high courtyard wall, the top layer of glass panes shone brightly under the lights inside the courtyard.
Looking at it gives me a great sense of security. I'll see who dares to bully me and my dogs now.
The day after the courtyard wall was completed, they got up early to heat the kang (a heated brick bed) and light the stove.
This is the first time I've lit the stove since the beginning of spring. The fire is blazing, and the house is so warm that I just want to wear short sleeves.
The outdoor temperature is below zero now, but it's not particularly cold.
After breakfast, I put on a comfortable cotton-padded jacket, a hat, and gloves, and prepared to keep the outdoor chicken coop warm.
They pried up red bricks from the four corners of the chicken coop and buried four thick wooden stakes deep into the ground.
Reinforce the wooden stake with small wooden planks to ensure it is stable enough.
By piecing together the plastic sheets we brought back last time and nailing them onto the structure, a lightweight chicken coop canopy was completed.
The ceiling of the chicken coop wasn't particularly high; it was only slightly higher than the wooden chicken coop inside.
Take out a large piece of plastic sheeting and cover all four sides of the chicken coop, including the roof, leaving only the sunny half open to allow fresh air to circulate.
On the sunny, open half, nail a small dog out of an old cotton pad to serve as a curtain. Roll up the pad during the day and lower it at night.
After receiving sunlight during the day, the temperature inside rises to a certain extent. Covering it with a cotton pad at night can retain some of the heat from the day.
This completes the insulation of the chicken coop. As long as the temperature is within the normal range in winter, the chickens will not freeze in the insulated coop.
There's very little work in winter; this is enough for one day, and the rest can be left for tomorrow.
Go to the west wing to get some honeycomb briquettes, and then carry some firewood back into the house.
For the rest of the day, I probably won't go outside in the cold, except to feed the chickens and pigs.
I went back inside and changed into some thermal underwear, which wasn't too thick, and started making myself lunch.
Winter days are shorter, so I plan to eat only two meals a day, lunch and dinner.
We still have some fresh eggplants, green beans, and tomatoes at home. We plan to eat these with short shelf lives first, and then eat the vegetables we have stored.
Looking at the eggplant and green beans, I'm going to make a stew.
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