Su Yan was woken up by Li Juan with dark circles under her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and opened the door, her hair a mess. "Mom, what's wrong? I'm still not awake."
"You lazy girl! The sun's already high in the sky, and you're still sleeping." Li Juan scolded, "Mom's almost done making lunch, hurry up and brush your teeth and come out to eat."
Su Yan was still half-asleep, but her mind was half-awake. Hearing her mother's words, she couldn't help but ask, "Mom, don't you have to go to work?"
“What job? I went to town early this morning to quit. The boss kept asking me to stay, she was really sincere, but I wanted to help you sell braised food, so I gritted my teeth and refused.”
Li Juan's words still carried a hint of reluctance.
Suddenly losing her job left her feeling empty and insecure.
Su Yan was no longer confused. She put her arm around her mother's shoulder and teased with a smile, "Oh my, I didn't expect my mother to have the potential to be a strong woman. I'll have to train her properly."
Li Juan couldn't understand her strange words, and laughed and scolded, "You brat, you keep saying things your mother doesn't understand. Alright, go and get yourself ready."
Su Yan responded and touched her face, suddenly realizing that she still hadn't seen what this body looked like.
"Mom, don't we have a mirror?" she asked.
Li Juan had already reached the stove when she heard her daughter's words and replied loudly, "No, a mirror costs two yuan. We don't do that in the countryside. Everyone just goes to the river to look at themselves."
Su Yan: "..."
How can you live without a mirror? She had been busy making money recently, so she hadn't had time to think about these things. Now that she had money, she realized that her home was bare and the blankets were old.
At noon, Li Juan made stir-fried beef with chili peppers, pork with soy sauce, and a minced meat soup with pickled cabbage and vermicelli. Her cooking skills were limited, so the taste was neither amazing nor bad. Su Yan thought so, but everyone else thought that the meals were already very good, with meat and white rice at every meal.
After washing the dishes and coming out of the stove, Su Yan took out 100 yuan and gave it to her grandmother. "Grandma, after my mother and I go to set up our stall, we may not have time to buy rice and vegetables. You can buy some in the village. I will bring the meat back from town. I will give you 100 yuan a month from now on. Please don't be stingy. Remember to tell me when you run out."
In the village, given the current conditions, one hundred yuan is almost a year's expenses for a large rural family.
Grandma Li knew that Su Yan insisted on eating white rice at every meal, and that she had indeed made quite a lot. Since it was all because her granddaughter was being filial, she didn't refuse this time and accepted it directly. "Okay, Grandma will arrange it."
Su Yan then smiled and said, "It has to be like this from now on. Grandma is not allowed to treat me like a stranger."
"Don't be so formal. I'll take whatever you give me from now on," Grandma Li said happily.
"Ayan, Ayan."
Grandpa Li's voice suddenly rang out from outside.
Su Yan quickly went outside and saw a kind-looking old man standing next to her grandfather. "Who is this?"
Grandpa Li introduced, "This is Secretary Li Zhongnan. He was the previous village secretary and is now retired. Didn't you say you wanted to build a wall? Secretary Li's family has experience in building multi-story houses, so I invited him over."
Upon hearing this, Su Yan extended her hand and politely said, "Hello, Grandpa Party Secretary, my name is Su Yan."
Sometimes, a retired village party secretary can be more influential than a current village official. She has a highly respected reputation, and regardless of rank, as long as you treat people politely, that's enough. She never looks down on anyone; after all, they might have some powerful connections.
Li Zhongnan looked at the composed and unassuming Su Yan with some surprise, a hint of astonishment flashing in his shrewd eyes.
"Hello." He smiled. "No need to be so polite. Just treat me like an ordinary old man."
Su Yan gestured an invitation and replied generously, "Sure, since Grandpa Zhongnan has said so, then I won't stand on ceremony."
These words made Li Zhongnan burst into laughter, and she said to Grandpa Li, "Your granddaughter is an interesting girl."
Grandpa Li said with a smile, "Ayan is now daring to say and do anything, and sometimes even I, her grandpa, can't keep up with what she's saying."
"It's a good thing that young people are bold yet know how to handle things properly."
Su Yan's eyes flickered. This Grandpa Zhongnan was very shrewd; he could figure out her personality in no time.
After sitting down, she poured tea for the two elderly people.
Li Zhongnan took a sip of his drink and then said, "Your grandfather said you should make the decision about the wall. Tell me your thoughts."
Su Yan suggested, "Build it a little higher, enclose the house, leave space for an iron gate, and expand the stove a bit into the yard."
How tall?
"About 1.7 meters."
Su Yan referenced the houses with walls, which were basically 1.6 meters high. People could climb in from the outside by stepping on a stool. Adding 10 centimeters would be safer.
"Oh, by the way, we need to stick glass shards on top of the wall. I'll have to trouble Grandpa Zhongnan to find some."
Li Zhongnan had just poured the tea into his mouth when he heard this and almost choked!
He wiped his mouth and frowned, saying, "Adding glass isn't necessary, is it? The village is quite safe."
Although Grandpa Li thought the same thing, he couldn't very well contradict his granddaughter since she had already said so, so he simply sat to the side and didn't say anything.
"I'll add it, just in case, to get it all done at once and avoid trouble later."
Su Yan insisted on this, and Li Zhongnan couldn't say anything, but he felt that she was being a little too cautious.
After spending half an hour measuring and studying the structure, the final tentative price is: 35 yuan for materials and 20 yuan for two days of labor for three people.
Su Yan thought for a moment and said, "I'll cover lunch, and after the work is finished, each person will receive two catties of cured pork belly or one catty of cured pork ribs."
Yesterday, Grandpa brought back the pork that was distributed that day from the brigade leader's house. Although she said that no special treatment was needed, the brigade leader still kept ten catties of pork belly and ten catties of ribs, as well as pig offal for Su Yan's family.
Grandpa Li was bad with words; he didn't want to take so much, but he couldn't persuade the brigade leader otherwise.
Li Zhongnan was surprised by Su Yan's generosity and admired the girl even more. He said, "Then I will work with my eldest son and third son to build it. I guarantee I will do a good job for you."
Su Yan smiled and said, "Then I'll thank Grandpa Zhongnan in advance. Oh, by the way, I prepared some Pu'er tea for you. Please take it home and brew it."
She picked up the Pu'er tea wrapped in yellow paper from the table and handed it over.
Li Zhongnan had just drunk several cups of tea and liked the taste, so she prepared some; it wasn't worth much anyway.
Li Zhongnan was surprised that she had even discovered his hobby. His affection for Su Yan instantly soared, and he laughed loudly, "Alright, Grandpa won't stand on ceremony with you. Come visit often when you have time. I have a granddaughter who is about your age."
He must have considered Su Yan's favorite junior as a guest; otherwise, he wouldn't usually invite anyone to his house.
"Don't worry, I'll definitely bother you when I have time. Just don't find me annoying," Su Yan said exaggeratedly.
Li Zhongnan's laughter erupted in the courtyard again, prompting Liu Cuihua, Dazhu's wife, who was eavesdropping outside the door, to mutter jealously.
"You little vixen, you're so young yet you already know how to win people over, look how infatuated you are with the village secretary... Bah! Just wait and see how I deal with you!"
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