Chapter 8 Brick House
When it came to repairing houses, the educated youth were full of enthusiasm and couldn't wait to start without giving it any thought.
A poor family is worth a fortune. Although the thatched house is windy and leaky, it is spacious and free. The office is not afraid of wind and rain, but it is an office space after all, and daily life is inconvenient.
Seeing everyone so excited, Tao Nanfeng hesitated for a moment and then expressed his concerns.
"If I build another thatched house, I'm worried about what to do if it rains again or in winter."
Her voice was unique and pleasant, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day, and the educated youth who had been excited and a little drunk just now suddenly came to their senses.
"Yes, Tao Nanfeng's worries are justified."
"Thatched houses are quick to build, but they don't block the wind at all. Won't people freeze to death in the winter?"
"What if it rains again? Should we repair it after it collapses?"
Suddenly, the office was noisy again.
Hearing these words, Luo Xuan glared at Tao Nanfeng in anger and said, "What do you know, little girl? Thatched houses are the fastest to build, so it's important to settle them down first. You can warm yourself up by the fire when it's cold in the winter. You can chop firewood all over the mountain."
Huang Xingwu, who had been silent, also snorted: "This is in the mountains, the conditions here are not as good as those in your big cities. Hardships can sharpen a person's will. A delicate lady like you should experience some hardship, so that you can understand the hard work of farmers in farming."
This sounds familiar.
Tao You, the stepsister, criticized Tao Nanfeng at school, saying that she was a spoiled bourgeois lady who could not endure hardship or fatigue and should accept re-education from the poor and lower-middle peasants.
Tao Nanfeng's eyes turned somewhat dim.
But others didn't agree.
Li Huilan retorted, "Who said Tao Nanfeng is a spoiled lady? Last night, she packed up the bedding for the four of us and carried it here by herself. How can such a capable and enthusiastic comrade be spoiled?"
Ye Qin was already furious after being forced to sleep on the desk in the office late at night. When he heard Huang Xingwu criticizing Tao Nanfeng, he immediately became unhappy. He curled his lips and snorted coldly.
"It's easy to talk when you're standing! Why don't you leaders go to harsh environments to sharpen your will? You know that this big brick and tile building is comfortable to live in, and you also know that the first floor is damp so you should sleep on the second floor. Tao Nanfeng is worried about the winter. This is called foresight and preparation. What's wrong with that?"
Xiao Aiyun quietly held Tao Nanfeng's hand. Her soft palm had a delicate touch, warming Tao Nanfeng's heart.
"You're not good at building houses, but you're good at putting labels on people. When the house collapsed, you didn't reflect on it, but instead asked us educated youth to repair it ourselves. You criticized Tao Nanfeng just after he said five words. What's going on? Are you bullying an honest person?"
The girls shared a common hatred for the enemy, and the male educated youth expressed their support. Even those who just thought that as long as the house was built, it didn't matter whether it was warm or not, began to support Tao Nanfeng.
"Yes! The original thatched house is completely uninhabitable. When the wind blows, the thatch will fly away, the walls will collapse, the beams will break, and the roof will collapse. What will we do when the wind and snow come in winter?"
“Why do leaders live in small Western-style buildings, but let us educated youth live in thatched houses? We also want to build brick and tile houses!”
"Yes, only by improving the living environment can we work and live with peace of mind."
Feeling the warmth from his companions, Tao Nanfeng's hands trembled slightly and a fire seemed to be burning in his chest. She stood up slowly, her eyes determined and her words concise and powerful.
"Houses are for people to live in, so we must have long-term plans. Protecting against wind and rain, and keeping warm are the most basic functional requirements! If it can't even do this, how can it be called a house?"
Huang Xingwu was furious: "Other educated youths are obedient, but you guys from Jiangcheng are the ones who are causing trouble. If you want to build a brick and tile house, go build it yourself. We in the Infrastructure Department will not be responsible!"
After saying that, he waved his hand and walked away.
Luo Xuan spread his hands and shook his head helplessly: "You guys are still too young. What's the point of going against the people in the infrastructure department? Now that Section Chief Huang doesn't care about you, who will build the house?"
The Infrastructure Department doesn't care, so you build the house yourself? The educated youth were stunned.
They are just high school graduates, and most of their knowledge comes from textbooks and classrooms. No one has ever taught them how to build a house.
Tao Nanfeng's words just now gave rise to hope in everyone's hearts.
Xiao Aiyun asked: "Tao Nanfeng, you know how to build a house, right?"
Qiao Yadong looked at Tao Nanfeng and asked, "Do you know anything about construction?"
Li Huilan's eyes were full of expectation: "Tao Nanfeng, if you know anything about architecture, why don't you lead us to build a house together?"
Everyone said, "If you can do it, why not give it a try? The house we built together is better than the thatched house that collapsed when the wind blew and leaked when it rained."
Everyone's eyes were on Tao Nanfeng. She took a deep breath and spoke slowly. Her voice was like a stream flowing over bluestone, soft and mellow.
"I learned a little about architecture from my father and read some professional books, but I only had theory and no practice... I have never actually built a house."
Qiao Yadong asked: "Is your father in the construction industry?"
Tao Nanfeng nodded. Professor Tao Shouxin is well-known in Jiangcheng Architectural University. He once presided over the reconstruction of the former site of Mingyue Tower, a famous building in Jiangcheng, and received recognition and praise from the mayor.
Her father is Tao Nanfeng's role model and also her life mentor.
Ye Qin asked her curiously, "I remember your father is a teacher, right? How is he related to architecture?"
Tao Nanfeng said: "My father teaches architecture at the university."
architecture? Hearing this term, everyone cheered.
"Tao Nanfeng's father is so awesome!"
"University teacher, just teaching you a little bit is enough."
"Of course, of course, Tao Nanfeng, I think you can do it!"
Tao Nanfeng raised his head, his bright eyes flashing with an inexplicable light: "Then let me give it a try?"
Her words stirred up everyone's emotions.
——Even if the Infrastructure Department doesn’t care, Tao Nanfeng can lead us to build a house!
Qiao Yadong looked at her without blinking: "Tao Nanfeng, give it a try, we will listen to you!"
The girls smiled brightly: "Go ahead and try! At least you know something, which is better than those of us who know nothing."
Carrying the heavy burden, Tao Nanfeng felt pressured.
"I need a drawing board, a T-square, and a pair of set squares. I will design the architectural drawings of the new house first, and then we can work according to the drawings."
A smiling voice came from the corridor: "Good fellow, Tao Nanfeng, you are a professional. You can even draw architectural blueprints."
When I looked up, I saw that the person coming was Engineer Yang Xianyong from the road construction team, with smiling eyes behind his black-framed glasses.
Tao Nanfeng said: "I learned tracing from my father." To draw a picture, you must first trace it, which is the basic skill of an architect.
Mao Peng and Xiang Bei walked over side by side. Mao Peng said, "Don't worry. The road construction team also belongs to the infrastructure department. We are here to help you. Drawing tools, measuring tools, tools for building a house... we are responsible for these."
Xiangbei didn't smile or say anything, just nodded slightly.
Seeing Xiangbei nod, the educated youth were completely relieved and began to relax.
"Tao Nanfeng, let's build the most beautiful house in Xiufeng Mountain, let the other educated youth drool, and slap the faces of the Infrastructure Department! Oh, I forgot that the road construction team is also part of the Infrastructure Department, damn it!"
Everyone burst into laughter and surrounded Tao Nanfeng as they walked into the road construction team's office.
Engineer Yang gave up his desk, which was a professional drawing table - with an adjustable tilt table top and a high chair. A piece of grid drawing paper was taped to the drawing board, and a T-square and a triangle were neatly placed on the board.
When Tao Nanfeng saw the familiar drawing tool, his eyes lit up and he rolled up his sleeves and sat at the table.
When she put the T-square on the side of the drawing board and slid it gently, and picked up the pencil to draw a horizontal line, she became completely different.
Relax your shoulders and back, slightly raise your forearms, breathe evenly, follow your eyes with your hands, and be calm and relaxed.
——The professional skills that my father had rigorously trained me through so many years shone brightly at this moment.
Everyone held their breath, worried that loud breathing would blow away the drawings and disturb Tao Nanfeng's thoughts.
Tao Nanfeng, who was sitting in front of the drawing board, became noticeably more talkative.
“There are 20 people in total, and five dormitories are designed with four people in a room.
The east and west ends are pushed forward 1.5 meters to leave an eaves corridor, which provides shade in summer and shelters from rain in rainy days. People can also chat under the corridor, making it a public activity space.
The kitchen and toilet are located on the north side. The kitchen is equipped with a wall-mounted flue, and the dry toilet is connected to a septic tank. ”
When the educated youth heard that they were going to build a dormitory with four people, they could not hide their excitement and could no longer hold back their chattering.
"We used to live in an eight-person room, and Wei Min's snoring was so noisy. Now, let him live in the same room with Lao Fan and other snorers."
"The kitchen at the educated youth camp didn't even have a piece of tarpaulin to protect it from the rain. I was always worried that I wouldn't be able to light the firewood in the rain. Now the design is good, the kitchen is indoors."
"The toilet must be well built, otherwise it will stink."
Xiao Aiyun approached cautiously and made a suggestion: "Tao Nanfeng, can we make a shower room?"
Tao Nanfeng didn't look up and added two lines on the drawing: "Okay, make a small compartment at the west end of the kitchen, connect it to the drainage pipe, and it will be convenient to boil water."
Seeing that his suggestion was adopted, Xiao Aiyun clenched his right fist and waved it in the air, "Great!" It was great to be able to carry a bucket of hot water and take a good bath.
Qiao Yadong suddenly remembered something and asked Mao Peng: "Deputy Captain Mao, I heard someone say that the road down the mountain collapsed. Is that true?"
Mao Peng nodded and said, "It was windy and rainy last night, and the section halfway up the mountain was blocked. We have arranged six people to dig the road. Let's see if it can be unblocked in two days."
Qiao Yadong asked: "Tao Nanfeng, what materials did you use to build this house? If it is a brick and tile house like the field office building, it would be difficult to carry the red bricks, tiles, cement and other building materials up the mountain by manpower."
Building materials? Tao Nanfeng put down the paintbrush in his hand, his eyes unconsciously staring at the upper right corner of the drawing, and fell into deep thought.
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