Chapter 39: Repairing the House

Chapter 39: Renovating the House

After a dreamless night, He Yuzhu woke up early the next morning to make breakfast for Yushui.

He had promised her crab roe soup dumplings the night before, but there was no time to prepare them from scratch. The process was tedious, requiring the preparation of gelatinous stock and chicken broth, which were time-consuming. Instead, he slipped into his spatial kitchen, using its time-acceleration properties to process the ingredients. He made a large batch at once and stored them in the space for future use.

He woke Yushui, and the siblings sat at the table.

"The dumplings are very hot; you have to eat them like this," Yuzhu cautioned, demonstrating how to properly consume a crab roe soup dumpling to avoid burns.

Yushui obediently followed his lead, nibbling a small hole in the skin and slowly sipping the soup inside. It was incredibly delicious.

"Brother, these are so good! I want to have them again tomorrow," Yushui said.

"I’ll make them for you again tomorrow," Yuzhu replied.

Once they finished, Yuzhu packed some up to bring to his master and his master’s wife. They arrived early at their teacher’s house, just as the master’s wife was heading out to buy breakfast.

"Zhuzi, you're here so early today! Have you and Yushui eaten? If not, I’ll buy extra," she asked.

"We’ve already eaten, ma’am. I made some crab roe soup dumplings this morning and brought some over for you to try," Yuzhu said, handing her the package.

"My brother makes the best dumplings!" Yushui added.

"Alright, let me see just how good they are," the woman said with a smile, pinching Yushui’s cheek.

She placed the dumplings on the table, and the master, Fan Yao, and Xiao Hu sat down to eat.

"Ma’am, you have to bite a small hole first and drink the soup slowly, otherwise it’ll burn you," Yushui instructed, teaching them how to eat the soup dumplings. The family looked at her with doting smiles and followed her advice.

After they finished, Yuzhu took Yushui and Xiao Hu to school. On his way back, he stopped by the master’s house to say goodbye before heading home.

Back at the house, he surveyed his living space. Now that Yushui was in school, they could no longer share a bed; it was time to separate their sleeping quarters. He didn't need a major overhaul—just a reorganization of the current bedroom and a new study desk for Yushui. He planned to keep his own bed in the study, which connected to the living room fireplace, making a traditional heated brick bed unnecessary. He also wanted to connect the kitchen to the study so he wouldn't have to walk outside during the winter. For any traveler from the modern era, a proper bathroom and toilet were essential. The courtyard he had bought had a primitive latrine in the back, which needed a complete overhaul.

After some thought, Yuzhu rode his bicycle to the neighborhood office to find Wang Dong. Every neighborhood kept a registry of local craftsmen, and the neighborhood committee was the best place to find recommendations.

"Brother Dong, busy?" Yuzhu asked as he entered.

"Oh, Zhuzi! This is your first time visiting me. What brings you here?" Wang Dong asked.

Yuzhu pulled out a pack of cigarettes and handed them around to those present. "The roof is leaking, and I want to fix it up. Since I don't know anyone, I was hoping you could recommend someone."

"Easy enough. There’s a mason named Liu not far from your place. Just go find him and say I sent you. I’ll register the work for you as well," Wang Dong said.

"Thank you, Brother Dong." After receiving the receipt, Yuzhu slipped a pack of cigarettes to Wang Dong.

He went to Master Liu’s house, only to be told by Liu’s wife that he wouldn't be back until evening. Yuzhu headed home, intending to return later.

That evening, after picking up Yushui and leaving her at home for a moment, he returned to the master’s house. A middle-aged man answered his knock.

"Is Master Liu home?" Yuzhu asked.

"That’s me," the man replied.

"Master Liu, hello. I was sent by Wang Dong from the neighborhood office." Yuzhu handed him a cigarette.

"Come on in," Liu said. Inside, after some polite conversation and tea, Liu asked, "So, what kind of work do you need?"

"The roof is leaking, and I want to add a bathroom and a toilet," Yuzhu explained.

"A leaking roof is easy. I’ll need to see the space for the bathroom and toilet. Let’s go," Liu said.

They headed to Yuzhu’s place. "So, you’re the one who bought Old Doctor Hu’s courtyard," Liu remarked.

"Yes, it was a lucky opportunity," Yuzhu replied.

"Show me around and tell me what you have in mind."

Yuzhu walked him through his plan: connecting the kitchen to the main room, turning the side room into a bathroom and toilet, installing a bathtub with tiled walls, and setting up a flush toilet with a septic tank in the back. He also wanted indoor plumbing.

Liu frowned, considering the plans. "You want to connect the kitchen and the bathroom to avoid going outside in the winter, right?"

"Exactly. It’s too cold."

"I don't recommend a full structural connection. Let me share an idea," Liu suggested.

"You’re the expert, please go ahead."

"If you don't mind the cost, why not just enclose the corridor in front of the house? Build a low wall and use good wood for windows with glass panes. It would keep the cold out," Liu said.

"Won't that block the light?" Yuzhu asked.

"We’ll just enlarge the windows of the rooms," Liu replied.

"That sounds reasonable. Let's do that," Yuzhu agreed.

"Now, about the bathroom and toilet. The city laid sewage lines on the main street a couple of years ago. Unless you plan on making compost, we can connect directly to that. You’ll need a custom-made ceramic toilet, and the bathroom tiles will need to be specially fired. It won’t be cheap."

"No problem. I’ll leave the procurement to you."

"Fine, but since a lot of this needs to be custom-ordered, I’ll need a deposit," Liu said.

Yuzhu paid the 100-yuan deposit, and Liu wrote out a receipt with his thumbprint.

"When can you start?" Yuzhu asked.

"I need to place the orders for the materials first—that will take a week. I have another job that will take two weeks. You know how materials are scarce these days. You’ve already registered with the neighborhood office, so I can start buying."

"That’s fine. Thank you for the trouble."

"No problem. I’ll be off then," Liu said.

Before he left, Yuzhu remembered he also wanted a greenhouse in the back. "I’d like to build a small greenhouse in the backyard. Can you do that too?"

They went to the back, discussed the size and location, and finalized the plan. As Liu left, Yuzhu handed him a one-jin jar of white liquor.

"Master Liu, take this for your trouble. I appreciate your help with the house."

"Don't worry, it’ll be done right. I live in this neighborhood too; I wouldn't ruin my own reputation," Liu said, accepting the gift.

After seeing him off, Yuzhu returned inside to wash up and rest with Yushui.