Chapter 68
Yoda's design included bedrooms on both the first and second floors; the first floor was reserved for Mo Nan's parents, and the second floor for Mo Nan.
Mo Nan's mother didn't understand and said to Yoda, "Why did Mo Nan go to the second floor? Her eyesight is not good, it would be more convenient for her to go to the first floor."
Yoda glanced at Mo Nan. She understood that Mo Nan didn't want to expose her pain, didn't want the outside world to focus too much sympathy and attention on her, and didn't want her family to make her the center of their lives because of her accident.
So after communicating with Mo Nan, we arranged for Mo Nan's parents to have the bedroom on the first floor, which is connected to the living room and kitchen.
But seeing the worried expressions on Mo Nan's parents' faces, it was clear that Mo Nan was their biggest concern at the moment. This was only natural, and Yoda believed that time would allow Mo Nan's parents to gradually accept her ideas, but now was not the time to force them to accept them.
So Yoda explained to Mo Nan's parents, "There's a bathroom on the second floor now. For people with poor eyesight, although washing up is a very familiar daily activity, it's still more convenient to keep the toothpaste, toothbrush, and towel in a fixed place."
"The first-floor restroom is both a public restroom and used by the uncles and aunts. However, with so many people using it, Mo Nan's belongings sometimes have to be moved around, which is inconvenient for her. Considering this factor, that's why Mo Nan lives on the second floor."
With that, Yoda decided to lead them to see the second floor first. "Actually, Auntie, you don't need to worry. Even if Mo Nan is on the second floor, you can still take care of her in time. The first half of the second floor can be used as a work area or a bedroom."
Yoda reached out and closed the sliding door in the middle of the second floor. "This will be a separate bedroom. If you need to take care of Mo Nan, you can sleep here. You can also hear Mo Nan's voice if she needs anything."
Two separate bedrooms, each with its own space, so they aren't always tied together.
Mo Nan's mother breathed a sigh of relief, only to discover that her sewing machine was in the front room on the second floor. "Huh, what's this?"
Yoda smiled and said, "The second floor is divided into two areas. The back part is Mo Nan's bedroom and a separate bathroom, while the front part is the aunt's work area and the stairwell. This whole row of cabinets can hang all the clothes you make."
The entire space is connected by a row of floor-to-ceiling cabinets placed against one wall. All the cabinets can be used for display and storage.
The second floor is safe from pedestrians, so floor-to-ceiling windows were used. Sunlight streams in from the south, illuminating the sewing machine's pedal, making the entire room bright and clean. Although it's lovely, Mo Nan's mother still worries: "It's so bright, let's make it Mo Nan's bedroom."
Yoda chuckled: "Don't worry, Mo Nan's bedroom is also very bright."
When I went over to take a look, sure enough, Mo Nan's bedroom also had a window.
Mo Nan's mother: "Huh? How come there's a window here?"
Yoda: "The lighting was poor before because there was only one-way light from the south-facing window. Now that we have a second floor, and I moved the exterior wall of the first floor back, the bedroom on the first floor also has a window. Of course, there are fewer obstructions outside the second-floor window, so it is brighter."
The group looked down and saw that the original roof had been removed, and the area that belonged to the bedroom was now a light well and planted with flowers and plants, making it a small back garden.
Mo Nan's nostrils twitched slightly: "Is it osmanthus?"
Yoda: "Yes, the osmanthus fragrance is strong." When you can't see, your other senses become more sensitive. Yoda hopes that even if Mo Nan can't see in the future, as long as she smells the fragrance of flowers, she will feel at home and be able to completely relax.
What are those bushes?
“It’s Phoebe zhennan. It’s dense, hard, and resistant to pressure.” Yoda said, looking at Mo Nan, “It can grow strong no matter what environment it’s in.”
Mo Nan's father exclaimed, "That's so true! That's what I was thinking when I named Nan Nan. Because golden nanmu wood is very rare. And daughters are very precious, so I named her Mo Nan."
Now that he knows that the Phoebe zhennan tree has this characteristic, Mo Nan's father thinks more and more that the name was really well chosen.
It's called a renovation, but apart from the overall framework, everything else is done by cutting corners wherever possible.
The basic plumbing and electrical work was completed once the walls were finished. A carpenter built kitchen cabinets and a row of storage cabinets on the second floor. The remaining space will be filled with the furniture we already had.
However, Mo Nan's parents were very satisfied. They hurriedly thanked Yoda.
Mo Nan stood silently to the side, her emotions churning. Even through her blurry vision, she could sense that Yoda's design had indeed improved her living conditions. Watching her parents happily strolling around their new home, Mo Nan felt apologetic for her previous indifference, wanting to speak but unsure how to begin.
“Come with me.” Yoda took Mo Nan’s hand and placed it on the handrail of the stairs leading to the second floor.
"The steps and slope of the stairs are within a reasonable range, and the size is the most suitable for your use. In addition, anti-slip strips are installed on the steps."
There are basic dimensional standards for the slope, height, and tread width of stairs, so most people can use them by simply glancing at them or instinctively lifting their feet when going up or down stairs.
However, Mo Nan's condition requires her to be extra careful when going up and down stairs. Therefore, Yoda used different colors to mark the intervals between each step to prevent her from accidentally missing a step due to poor visibility.
Mo Nan touched the handrail and immediately noticed something was different. "This handrail?"
"The handrail has raised sections, which can increase friction and also serve as a guide." The raised sections on the stair handrail all face the direction of going downstairs, so you can tell the top and bottom of the stairs by touching them.
Furthermore, the handrails corresponding to the last and first steps feature large, raised circular patterns. This is both for aesthetic purposes and as a key reminder, since these are the areas most prone to misstepping.
Mo Nan held onto the stair railing and slowly climbed the stairs. Once she was familiar with it, each step she took was steady and firm.
Upon reaching the second floor, Mo Nan turned towards Yoda. As if to say something, Yoda told her to continue forward. The same raised circular pattern was on the cabinet door panel directly opposite the stairs.
Mo Nan touched the seemingly regular and changing patterns on his hands, which seemed rather strange.
“It’s Braille,” Yoda stepped forward and explained softly. “It’s used to distinguish the contents of different lockers. As long as you remember the texture and feel, you can accurately find each locker and easily retrieve items. Moreover, it’s also tactile paving.”
Mo Nan was puzzled: "Blind path?" Her understanding of blind paths was still limited to the road surface.
Yoda nodded: "Yes, the tactile paving on the wall serves as a guide."
When Yoda tried walking blindfolded, he found that the tactile paving on the streets was often affected by the road conditions. So when designing the lockers, he suddenly thought of why not just make the cabinet doors have the same pattern and make them at a height that Mo Nan could reach, which would still guide Mo Nan's movements.
This way, the tactile paving on the wall doesn't take up much space or look out of place. Moreover, behind each locker are clothes handmade by Mo Nan's mother. Every time Mo Nan touches the locker door as she moves forward, just a door away are her memories of her family.
Yoda earnestly told Mo Nan all her thoughts. She knew Mo Nan was resistant to vision problems, so she tried her best to soften her tone.
After speaking, she still felt a little uneasy. After all, "blind" and "unable to see" were hurtful words for Mo Nan. But Yoda couldn't avoid the topic, since the design was meant to help her live a better life.
After a long pause, Mo Nan's voice rang out: "Actually, I've never liked it here. The dimly lit rooms, the drafty kitchen, and the cramped bathroom all made me want to escape. Now I realize that what I really want is very simple: to live with my family in an ordinary house like in the city. After all, home is where your family is."
"Thank you, Yoda."
Yoda's heart, which had been in turmoil, instantly settled down, and he felt that everything was perfect.
Yoda watched quietly as Mo Nan's family stood together, chatting and laughing in a rare moment of ease, and her heart gradually returned to peace after the recent period of hustle and bustle.
No matter how many projects I've worked on, I'm always touched by these beautiful moments.
Mo Nan's happiest moments are those spent with her parents, while Yoda's happiest moments are the heartfelt thanks from clients after each design is completed.
Yoda left quietly, leaving the future to Mo Nan and her family. This was the most perfect ending to the design project, a testament to her deep involvement in the lives of each homeowner, yet ultimately, she had to leave.
Yoda showed Shi Xing the photos he took of the exterior of Mo Nan's house: "This may be the most imperfect design I've ever done, but it makes me feel very warm inside."
Because of limited funds, the exterior walls of the house weren't treated much; they were simply smoothed with cement mortar. Yoda had originally wanted to at least apply one coat of faux stone paint to make it look better.
However, Mo Nan's father refused. The usually silent man sincerely told Yoda, "We have already received so much help and improved our living conditions. Let's just take our time with the rest."
Yoda didn't insist, after all, a large part of the meaning of home is to make the whole home more comfortable through one's own efforts.
After Yoda finished speaking, Shi Xing said mysteriously, "I have a gift for you."
Yoda looked around, front and back, left and right: "You wouldn't have miraculously appeared beside me again, would you?"
Shi Xing chuckled: "Do you remember the last time? The place where you fell when we were together. Go over there and take a look."
Naturally, Yoda walked over and discovered that the slope that used to trip people up was now level with the road, and the road signs that used to hit people's foreheads had also been raised. "Wow, how did you do that? You're amazing, you can even manage this."
Shi Xing: "Don't think too highly of me. I used the simplest methods."
Yoda: "What methods?"
Shi Xing: "The mayor's mailbox—as long as you seriously raise questions and offer suggestions, you get a response immediately."
Yoda suddenly realized: "How come I didn't think of that? I always felt that things on the road had always been like this, and I never thought of changing them."
Shi Xing: "Actually, before this, I also felt that all public buildings were far away from us and could not be changed. But after you said that, I checked the road design and found that the ramp was set up to leave enough distance for the branch road to merge into the main road. But when the tactile paving is laid later, this should be changed accordingly."
Previously, Yoda felt that the outdoor facilities for people with disabilities were inadequate, and that he could only change things at home, but not the outside world, so he felt powerless. Although Yoda quickly cheered up and focused on redesigning Mo Nan's house, Shi Xing did not miss the regret in Yoda's tone.
So he checked urban construction standards and consulted friends in the industry, offering specific and feasible suggestions for modification, which is why he received a response so smoothly. Shi Xing comforted Youda: "Urban development may sometimes lag behind, and designs may not take everyone into account, but design itself is done by people, and as long as everyone makes an effort, there will be change."
Looking at the unobstructed tactile paving, Yoda could picture the earnest expression on Shi Xing's face when he did these things in other places. It felt so good to know that someone was quietly making sacrifices for him, even without his knowledge.
Yoda couldn't help but say to Shi Xing, "Sometimes I feel so lucky that I can get your full support without doing anything."
Shih Hsing: "How can you say you haven't done anything? You work hard and take care of everyone around you. Your very existence is the reason why you deserve to be loved."
Yoda: "Am I really that good?"
Shi Xing: "Really."
Yoda: "Then I've also discovered one of your strengths."
Shi Xing: "What?"
Yoda: "He has an exceptional eye for talent."
They both laughed. But then Shi Xing's voice suddenly turned somber: "Can you accept this sudden flaw of mine?"
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