Chapter 54
Yoda wouldn't back down just because the renovation was difficult. Her hesitation stemmed from the feeling that the two were using the guise of DIY renovations to create a blogger's experience, which explained the current state of the project. Furthermore, their insistence on secrecy made Yoda feel that taking over would be helping them fake it.
Knowing that Yoda was there for this reason, the two breathed a sigh of relief. Tang Yun said, "Actually, we also wanted to clarify things with our fans. Some people have already gone through our renovation process. They've even made screenshots as evidence, proving that the renovation process we posted was actually full of mishaps. It's exhausting to keep hiding it."
Ye Xin also said, "We both feel that the most important thing now is to renovate the house properly. We grew up together and even after we started working, we wanted to live together and not be separated. That's why we each took out a loan to buy a house together. If we ruin the house, our original intention will be lost."
Yoda looked at the two of them, and for some reason thought of himself and Shixing, and said, "I've decided to take on this project. But if you've already decided to be honest with your online friends, why don't you say so now?"
The two said embarrassedly, "Although we've decided to stop hiding it, if we tell you now, it's like revealing the results our fans want to know, and then no one will pay attention anymore, and we won't get any traffic."
Yoda hadn't expected this reason, but Liu Si, who was beside him, agreed understandingly: "That's right, if you just tell everyone the answer, no one will continue to pay attention. So sometimes I leave some suspense to attract people to follow my account."
Seeing that all three nodded in agreement, deeply resonating with the idea of creating their own media, Yoda, though not understanding, could only nod helplessly: "Sigh, fine."
Seeing that Yoda had taken on the project, Tang Yun and Ye Xin were completely relieved. Relaxed, Ye Xin regained her energy and couldn't help but complain, "We clearly followed the order of renovations. Masonry, water, tiles, wood, paint—that's the mnemonic, right?"
Yoda smiled, noticing the two still looking gloomy, and said earnestly, "The normal order of renovation is masonry, plumbing, tiling, carpentry, and painting. The first step is to dismantle the walls according to the design drawings; this is the mason's job. Then the plumbers and electricians come in to modify and arrange the water and electricity lines. After the plumbing and electrical work is completed, the tiling workers come in to wrap the water pipes, do waterproofing, and lay tiles. After all that is done, the carpenters come in to build cabinets and install the ceiling, and finally the painters apply the wall paint."
As soon as Yoda spoke, the two nodded in agreement, as if they had found a kindred spirit: "Yes, yes, that's what the tutorial we saw said."
However, the group looked around. Reality was harsh; the formula was correct, so why did the result turn out like this?
Yoda explained, "The order is one thing, but these steps are not entirely independent. If some steps are not connected properly, it will affect the final result." Yoda turned to look at the house, which was hardly effective.
He scratched his head, not wanting to explain too clearly for fear of hurting Tang Yun and Ye Xin, but seeing their eager expressions, and even Liu Si waiting for Yoda to continue, he could only explain further: "Design is actually a comprehensive project, and many things need to be considered from the beginning. For example, water and electricity design; whole-house customization should actually be arranged before water and electricity design. Because the location and height of water and electricity for the cabinets need to be set in advance according to the layout of the kitchen."
"And nowadays, in the past, a wardrobe was all that was needed for a walk-in closet, but now it's popular to add a makeup mirror for convenience when applying makeup. But to do that, you need to connect to the power supply, which requires an electrical outlet. If some customers need it, they can also put a sink in the walk-in closet. They can wash their hands while doing their makeup, and it's also very convenient for girls to clean up after applying a face mask. But to do that, you also need to connect to the water supply and drainage."
Tears welled up in Ye Xin's eyes. It wasn't that she was incapable, but that she hadn't learned everything yet: "I thought home renovation was done step by step, but I didn't expect it to be a comprehensive process. Does that mean that if I do it myself, I'll just keep making mistakes?"
Yoda comforted him, "Actually, no. As long as you understand the basic concepts, you can totally do it yourself. Even if there are some things you didn't consider during the renovation process, you can make up for them later."
Yoda pointed to the kitchen, where the wall tiles were only half-laid, and the current electrical outlets were definitely insufficient. "For example, the location of the kitchen's water and electricity outlets. If you're unsure about the location beforehand, you can use track sockets, which can be moved as needed. Hmm, but I don't really like using them because over time, kitchen grease and grime will seep into the gaps in the tracks, making them difficult to clean."
Following Yoda's finger, everyone looked at the wall: "And the walls, if it's a whole-house custom project, the painter will be required to level the walls and make the corners perpendicular before painting. But if it's not leveled during the process, you can use some edge banding strips of the same color to decorate it later."
"Well, the effect is actually quite good, but I'm a perfectionist. I like the cabinets to fit perfectly against the wall. So during the construction process, I would go back and measure multiple times to make sure the measurements were correct."
"This way of creating a look will have fewer cluttered decorations, which is better for homes with a minimalist and grand style. However, for some European styles, which already have many decorative strips, as long as the edge banding is done neatly, it won't be too noticeable when integrated."
Looking at the appliances piled up on the stairs, she continued, "If you're really into perfection, there's another very important thing: you need to consider all aspects of your appliances, even before the plumbers and electricians come in. For example, automatic mopping robots need water supply and drainage, so you need to consider their location. If you want them to be usable throughout the house, it's best to make all the floors level. Especially in the bathroom, don't consider a traditional squat toilet. A Western-style toilet is better. A robot vacuum cleaner can clean the whole house, which will greatly reduce your housework workload."
Tang Yun suddenly realized why merchants were sending samples to him so soon after his account gained some popularity. At the time, he thought the merchants were in a hurry, so he just accepted the samples without opening them, planning to unpack them when he was installing the appliances.
It turns out that merchants know more than I do.
Yoda talked for so long, but Tang Yun and Ye Xin didn't find it annoying at all; they just kept nodding. Only those who have actually done home renovations themselves know that every word he said was full of experience. If only they had known this earlier, they could have avoided so many detours.
The contract was finally signed, but Yoda wasn't in a hurry.
Because their budget was limited—after all, they had already spent a considerable amount of money on hiring contractors and buying materials themselves—they needed to save up more money. Furthermore, they were making videos of the renovation process, so they were very interested in every step. Some steps required their own involvement, so the project was progressing quite slowly. However, Liu Si and Ye Xin got along very well.
After all, basic demolition and electrical work doesn't offer much innovation in home renovation; it's just the same old process. It's the subsequent soft furnishings, like smart home systems and other convenient design features, that are more appealing for social media content.
With the help of professional designers, Tang Yun and Ye Xin's previously wildly imaginative ideas became easier to realize. Liu Si, who was also working in social media and needed new material, was also a perfect match for them.
Today they're designing an automatic retractable shoe cabinet, tomorrow an automatic lifting snack bar. Yoda saw them engrossed in their work and didn't interrupt. After all, Yoda could just add his own designs as long as it involved basic renovations.
Filming the renovation process will be the content for Tang Yun and Ye Xin's accounts. The project isn't in a rush, so the more footage, the better. Besides, this is Liu Si's first official project as an interior designer, allowing her to participate fully and expand the content of her own account.
Yoda let them try different ideas, as she had more important things to do.
Xie Yiyi's voice was full of energy, showing no trace of the weakness she had experienced during her second pregnancy. Yoda only felt a furious voice piercing the air towards him: "Li Mi cheated on me!"
Yoda rubbed her ear absentmindedly, her tone unusually calm in contrast to her disbelief: "How could that be? He's always been honest and good to you. Besides, she's only just gotten pregnant, how could he possibly cheat on her?"
Xie Yiyi shook her head: "You don't understand, this is my intuition. Isn't he always away on business trips? When I ask him what he's doing, he stammers and won't say. If I ask him a few more questions, he'll just give me some other excuse. Just last night, he gave himself away! He even called out that woman's name in his dream."
Yoda asked curiously, "What's your name?"
Xie Yiyi said painfully, "Dian Dian." Thinking of the reluctance and deep affection in Li Mi's voice, she became even angrier.
"You're pregnant, it's not good to be so angry." Yoda racked his brains to persuade her: "It doesn't necessarily have to be a woman's name, it could be a favorite game character, or it could even be a dog's name."
Xie Yiyi looked up: "How could it be a dog? Neither he nor I like keeping dogs. You know I'm afraid of dogs."
Xie Yiyi wasn't so angry after Yoda interrupted her. But as her rationality returned, she couldn't help but analyze with Yoda: "This name sounds like it belongs to a young girl, and the reduplicated words sound quite affectionate."
Yoda looked at Xie Yiyi beside him, whose tone was sour: "Yiyi, aren't you also using reduplicated words?"
Xie Yiyi rolled her eyes at Yoda, but her mood had already been swayed by Yoda, so she simply said, "Whatever, we'll find out who it is tomorrow anyway."
"What are you going to do?" Yoda asked, very alert.
Xie Yiyi's face held a hint of murderous intent: "I've figured out his pattern; he goes out every Thursday. This time, I'm going to see for myself who it is."
Yoda looked at Xie Yiyi's slightly heaving belly and advised, "It's better not to. You're pregnant now, and getting so emotional isn't good for the baby. Even if something really happens, you can't do it when you're at your weakest. Be patient, protect yourself first, and then fight back."
Xie Yiyi couldn't bear the thought of all the scenarios that flashed through her mind: "No, I can't take it anymore. I can't tolerate any infidelity, and my child can't grow up in doubt. I need to see with my own eyes how he betrayed me. He hasn't even fulfilled all his wedding vows yet, how could he have changed so much?"
Yoda was only worried about Xie Yiyi's health. Losing a man was one thing, but her body was another. She still tried to persuade her, "Don't be too anxious. Maybe it's just a misunderstanding. Aren't you taking care of the child with your parents? There are so many people at home every day. If something were really going on, others would have found out by now, right?"
At this point, Yoda felt even more that Xie Yiyi's suspicions were unlikely. Although she hadn't had much contact with Li Mi, she always took great care of the children and family. Even if something were to happen, with so many people living together, it wouldn't have taken until now for Xie Yiyi to discover it.
Seeing that Yoda still didn't believe her, Xie Yiyi reluctantly revealed her observation: "They're all helping him keep it from me."
Yoda smacked his lips a few times, completely at a loss. He didn't know what to say to comfort Xie Yiyi, telling her not to be so upset, as it was really bad for her health.
But at this moment, Xie Yiyi didn't need comfort. She had already made up her mind: "Whether it's a misunderstanding or not, we'll know once we see it for ourselves. You're my best friend, you have to help me!"
Now that things had come to this, Yoda refused to back down: "Fine, what do you want me to do?"
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