Mu Huaixi was not good at mediating a fight, but fortunately, her sister saw that she did not come downstairs and rushed up. As soon as she arrived, she pulled apart the cross-eyed Cao and Zhao.
"Aijun, Xiao Zhao, let's go to my house for a cup of tea and cool down, okay?" Sister Yu took one of them downstairs, holding her hand, and did not forget to arrange for her, "Xiao Mu, you go with Xiao Cang for a walk first, I'll come find you later."
Mu Huaixi nodded. She deeply felt that it was not easy for Sister Yu, the wife of the regiment leader. Yesterday, when she went to Yu's house for tea, two families had a quarrel at home because of the stove in the corridor. The tea table at Yu's house almost became a platform for persuasion.
There are three small high-rise buildings behind the guesthouse, arranged in a "slanted three" shape to ensure that each building can get sunlight. There is a shed under each building with coal briquettes, cabbages and radishes piled on it.
Opposite the small high-rise building is a two-story building. They are not facing due south or due north, but are arranged radially against the mountain. The first floor of every household is "L" shaped. Basically every family has a vegetable garden in front of the door and a fence to enclose the yard.
Perhaps because she came out late, she didn't meet anyone on the road. There was someone busy in the yard, but she didn't dare to go up and talk to him. The fruit candy she had in her pocket was no use.
"These buildings are where the company commanders of our Fourth Battalion live," Xiao Cang pointed out the location and then pointed to a small building behind those buildings. "How about Comrade Mu, you live here? There will be someone to look after you."
Mu Huaixi shook her head. When she woke up this morning, she found condensation on the glass windows. She knew that there was fog in Hulu Valley at dawn and dusk, and the small building Xiao Cang pointed out to her was too close to the water source, so the house must be damp.
"Let's go a little further."
Xiao Cang took some time yesterday to look at the remaining buildings and thought this one was good. The others were too close to the mountains and unsafe. But thinking that Mu Huaixi had not visited them yet, he nodded and continued to lead the way.
Those small buildings are close to the mountain but far from other houses because there is a large sand pit between them. The sand pit should have been used when building the houses. No one knows who decided to keep it and poured a cement floor next to it. They also made slides, swings, climbing frames, etc. with oil drums and wooden tires, turning this place into a children's playground.
Mu Huaixi was curious about whose idea it was, but Xiao Cang gave her a name that she didn't expect.
"This is what our battalion commander suggested we keep," Xiao Cang straightened his chest. The entire army was mobilized to build these family buildings. When the first few buildings were completed in the summer, the families couldn't wait to move in. This big sand pit became a playground for the children. Originally, they were going to fill it up, but Ying Mingcheng suggested leaving the sand pit and brought the people from the Fourth Battalion to create this "paradise".
"The battalion commander said that there will be more and more children in the future, so we must leave a place for them to play. He also had a slide and swing made by his grandfather when he was a child. Some brothers said they didn't have them when they were young, so the battalion commander said, "Well, if you learn it now, your children will have it in the future, hahahahaha~"
Mu Huaixi was surprised at first, but then she thought about it and felt that this was indeed what Ying Mingcheng would do. He was always sincere. She stroked the smooth wooden ladder and could imagine the children sliding down with laughter.
"I'll wait for Sister Yu here, you go and do your work first." Mu Huaixi and Xiao Cang toured the remaining small buildings and returned to the sand pit. She found a swing to sit on, planning to bask in the sun for a while and observe which small building had more light.
Xiao Cang nodded and kindly reminded him, "Comrade Mu, last year it snowed in the mountains in late January. You should decide where to live as soon as possible so that you can build fences and dig the vegetable garden before the freezing weather sets in."
"Yeah," Mu Huaixi responded, then said, "I don't plan to put up a fence or build a vegetable garden in front of the door. When the time comes, I'll just trouble you to help install the glass and tamp the soil. Then, next spring, we'll pour cement in front of the door and it will be fine."
There were only Ying Mingcheng and her at home, and she was planning to give up and eat in the cafeteria every day, so what was the point of having a vegetable garden? Even if she wanted to grow onions, ginger, and garlic, a few boxes and pots would do. And making a concrete floor in front of the door would not only reduce the humidity in the house, but also be used to dry clothes and herbs. Why not?
Xiao Cang also asked other brothers for advice on how to build a fence, and even planned to go pick up green bricks for building a vegetable garden starting tomorrow. However, he didn't expect that Comrade Mu would not follow the beaten path and had no intention of building these at all!
Mu Huaixi couldn't help but find it funny when she saw his lost figure from behind. It seemed that she had to work hard to find some opportunities for Comrade Xiao Cang to perform!
"Sister, we want to play on the swing too."
Before Mu Huaixi could wait for Sister Yu, she first waited for a pair of little sisters holding hands. They both had the same upturned hair and looked at her with their big watery eyes, which was simply irresistible.
She offered the swing to them, and the little sisters thanked her sweetly and asked her to help push it. Soon, joyful laughter rang out. The little sisters played on the swings and then on the slide, and finally invited her to play house with them. Fortunately, Sister Yu came over and asked them to go home for dinner, thus avoiding Mu Huaixi's fate of becoming a "baby".
"Shuai and Shuling are cute, aren't they? If you like children, you and Xiaoying should have one as soon as possible. The more lively our courtyard is, the better!" Seeing Mu Huaixi playing with the other children patiently, Sister Yu had a better impression of her. She said that Xiao Mu only looked aloof, but was actually a warm-hearted person. Otherwise, why would she protect Zhao Huihui in the morning?
Mu Huaixi didn't expect Sister Yu to say this. She blinked before abruptly changing the subject. "How are Zhao Huihui and Captain Cao doing?"
"Alas," Sister Yu wanted to sigh whenever she mentioned Xiao Zhao. "Xiao Zhao insisted on leaving, and Cao Aijun couldn't stop him. In the end, he didn't want to stop him either. It seems the two of them are going to break up. I also tried to persuade Aijun that a forced melon is not sweet. It's just that he can't accept it right now. Let's take it slowly!"
Mu Huaixi had expected this outcome. She saw a familiar determination in Zhao Huihui's eyes. She wouldn't give up her job or the life she wanted for love and marriage. The clothes she wore were all of good quality. Either her family was well-off or she had a good job. If she became a housewife again to join the army, she was afraid her relationship with Captain Cao wouldn't last long.
Not all family members accompanying the army can be assigned jobs, and there are not many jobs to be arranged in these remote mountains and wild areas. She had learned yesterday that except for three temporary workers in the canteen kitchen, everyone else was eyeing the planned supply and marketing cooperative and the school jointly run with the local government.
However, the school foundation has not been dug yet, and these jobs are just "seeing the plum to quench thirst". Fortunately, Mu Huaixi does not aim to be a salesperson or a teacher, she has her own plans.
But what she didn't expect was that after Sister Yu finished talking to her about choosing a house, she also mentioned that Captain Wei had returned and would meet her tomorrow.
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