Gu Bin stepped forward with a grin, "Uncle Gu, how much do you think is appropriate? Is this the first time I've asked someone for help? Is five yuan enough?"
Yu Shan was startled, his fingers twitching slightly. "You're building three main houses with a courtyard wall, right?"
Gu Bin nodded, "Yes, Uncle, you need to fix my kang (heated brick bed) and stove for me. I don't know how to do it myself, so it's best to find someone who knows how!"
Yu Shan nodded, "Don't worry about that, I'll find someone to take care of everything for you!"
The villagers may not be proficient in other skills, but almost everyone in the village knows how to build a kang (a heated brick bed)! And they all do it quite well!
Thinking of the poorer families in the village, there happened to be two people who were very skilled at handling food, which was just right!
Just as Yu Shan was considering how many people to hire, Gu Bin spoke up: "Uncle, I want the house to be built as soon as possible. Would ten people be too few to build it?"
Yu Shan: "!"
"What a great thing!" he exclaimed with a smile. "Ten people are enough! Enough! You're building an adobe house, ten people are enough!"
"Well then, since you're in such a hurry, let me calculate how much wood you need. Once you pay, I'll have someone take you up the mountain to cut it tomorrow."
There are many forests here that belong to the village. When villagers build houses, they usually buy some of them, and the prices are much cheaper than outside.
In the end, Gu Bin bought eighty yuan worth of wood, and the brigade leader found ten people. They were not provided with meals, and they would receive five yuan each once the house was built.
After lunch, Yu Shan went to each of those families to tell them the good news.
Yu Xiaotu was eating when he looked up and saw the brigade leader who had suddenly come to their house. He immediately put down his chopsticks, stood up, and said with a smile, "Uncle, what brings you here? Is there something planned for the team?"
"Mom, give my uncle a bowl of rice too!"
Yu Shan pressed down on Yu Xiaotu, "There's nothing planned. Just eat your meal. I came here to tell you something, it's good news!"
He turned to his mother and said, "Don't serve me any more rice, I've already eaten."
Upon seeing this, Yu's mother put down the bowl in her hand and quickly brought a glass of water to Yu Shan, saying, "Brother Shan, have some water!"
Yu Shan nodded, glanced at Yu Deshui who was squatting on the ground drawing circles, sighed, and silently turned to Yu Xiaotu, saying, "It's like this, Gu Zhiqing wants to build a house. After it's built, he'll get five yuan in wages. Construction is starting tomorrow, and you..."
Yu Xiaotu interrupted Yu Shan directly, "Uncle, I'm willing, I have time! What time do we start work tomorrow?"
Yu Shan patted him on the shoulder, "Okay, come find me at the brigade headquarters after breakfast tomorrow morning, and remember to eat breakfast!"
"They don't provide meals over there; you need to be well-fed to work properly!"
Yu Xiaotu grinned, "Uncle, don't worry, I know!"
Yu Shan glanced at Yu Deshui, who was not far away, and said, "Take care of the family. I'm leaving."
Yu Xiaotu nodded, "I know, don't worry, Uncle, take care!"
Yu Shan sighed after leaving the house!
Why!
Yu Xiaotu is such a pitiful child!
He's so old and still can't find a wife!
It's all his father's fault that this child is being dragged down.
When his father, Yu Deshui, was young, he went with others to build roads. There was a stone forest there. At first, everything was fine, and he would often buy a lot of things to bring home. But later, for some reason, something happened.
I heard it was hit by a rock that rolled down the mountain.
By the time they arrived, the person had already been taken to the hospital and was unconscious.
There was another person with them at the time who died on the spot.
Although Yu Deshui survived by sheer luck, he became very slow to react afterward, and sometimes even seemed dazed. As a result, Yu Deshui was unable to do many things, so Yu Shan arranged for him to herd cattle.
Yu Xiaotu was just a child back then!
The entire burden of the family fell directly on Yu's mother's shoulders!
Although it was very hard, with the help of the villagers, life gradually became manageable.
Who knew that at this time Yu Deshui would become completely mentally impaired and somewhat insane, running around everywhere. He was already exhausted after work every day, but he still had to look for people!
Yu's mother was so entangled that she was completely unable to go to work.
Yu Xiaotu was only thirteen years old at the time, but he grew up overnight and took on the heavy responsibility of his family.
But he was still young, so he didn't earn that many work points each year, and his father was a drag on his life, causing trouble from time to time!
So all these years, the whole family has lived in poverty!
People of Yu Xiaotu's age already have children running around everywhere, but Yu Xiaotu is still all alone.
Yu Shan also helps them whenever he has the chance!
When Gu Bin was building a house, the first family Yu Shan thought of was theirs!
After turning a few corners, Yu Shan arrived at another house. As soon as he entered, he could smell a strong odor of chicken droppings!
Not far away, a brightly colored rooster was watching Yu Shan warily, flapping its wings as if ready to attack at any moment!
A few hens were scattered around it, eating the things on the ground without even glancing at Yu Shan.
Yu Shan glanced at it disdainfully. "What, you want to peck me? Believe me or not, I'll eat you up!"
The rooster opened its round eyes, tilted its head, and charged straight at the target.
Yu Shan raised his leg and kicked the rooster away.
The rooster, sent flying backward, let out a miserable cry in mid-air.
Yu Shanli ignored it and turned to walk directly into the house.
"Big lion, have you eaten yet?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a middle-aged man dressed in tattered clothes, covered in patches, walked out of the house. He had slightly long hair, big yellow teeth, and his dark face was lined with deep wrinkles, like dried tree bark.
He looked at Yu Shan with surprise, "Oh! What brings you here, Captain?"
Yu Shan smiled and said, "What a nice breeze! A nice breeze blew me here!"
The big lion lifted the curtain. "Come on, let's sit inside for a while!"
Just as Yu Shan was about to enter the house, a group of ragged children came out, the older ones looking about eleven or twelve years old!
The little one is just learning to walk, being led by the older one, and they stumble and fall as they go!
Yu Shan looked at them with pity; they were all thin and bony, and looked pitiful!
He pulled the lion aside and took a few steps, saying, "I won't go in. I need to talk to you about something!"
Yu Shan told him about building the house, and Da Shizi laughed after hearing it, his old face wrinkling up like a chrysanthemum. "Don't worry, I promise I'll be there on time tomorrow!"
"I have to thank you, brother, for remembering me for this good thing!"
Yu Shan waved his hand, "Go ahead and do your thing! I have other people to notify!"
The big lion shook his head. "There's nothing to do now. I was just about to go out for a walk anyway. Let's go together!"
Yu Shan nodded and walked out first. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a mess on the table inside the room, and a short woman was tidying it up little by little!
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