Chapter 39: Uncle Jiu's Grand Plan
Chapter 39: Uncle Jiu’s Grand Plan
Saturday, July 6th, Lunar Calendar
At four in the afternoon, Deng Shirong was at home preparing a feast. He had invited the village’s master builder, Deng Yunfeng, for a drink.
In Shuangwang, a master builder is referred to as a "Xiangtou." Deng Shirong wanted to build a new house and naturally needed a Xiangtou to oversee the project and estimate the costs, so he could have a clear idea of the budget.
Currently, in Deng Shirong’s system space, he had ten pig butts weighing about ten pounds each, ten pieces of braised pork weighing about fifteen pounds each, ten strips of five-spice pork weighing about one and a half pounds each, ten strips of five-spice pork weighing about one and a quarter pounds each, and ten pieces of pork weighing about two pounds each.
To say that he had an abundance of meat would be an understatement.
Today, to treat Xiangtou Deng Yunfeng, Deng Shirong sliced out two pounds of braised pork to make taro and braised pork, took out a piece of pork to fry with yellow sauce, and stripped the bones from a pig butt to make a soup. He also prepared fried peanuts and a variety of seasonal vegetables, creating a sumptuous dinner.
Since he had given advance notice, around five in the afternoon, Deng Yunfeng arrived with a small basket of eggs.
As soon as Deng Yunfeng entered the house, a rich aroma greeted him, invigorating his spirits. He called out loudly, "Uncle Jiu, what are you cooking that smells so good?"
Deng Shirong smiled and replied, "I’m steaming the taro and braised pork; it’s almost ready."
Deng Yunfeng’s eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Taro and braised pork? Looks like I’m in for a treat today. These are eggs from our old hen; Uncle Jiu, you keep them."
Deng Shirong took the eggs and placed them on the table, saying, "You didn’t need to bring anything. Just your presence is enough. Remember to take them back when you leave; we have everything we need now."
Deng Yunfeng politely replied, "I couldn’t come empty-handed. It’s just a few eggs, Uncle Jiu, don’t worry about it!"
Deng Shirong didn’t press the matter further and nodded, "Alright, sit down and have a smoke. I’ll finish up the taro and braised pork and cook a couple more dishes, and then we can start drinking."
...
Ten minutes later, a table full of dishes, each a feast for the eyes and nose, was set.
After Deng Shirong invited him to sit down, Deng Yunfeng asked, "Uncle Jiu, isn’t Yun Tai coming back for dinner?"
Deng Shirong, pouring the wine, replied, "Normally, he eats at the brickyard in the afternoon and comes home after work. But right now, they’re firing the kiln, and as the master in charge of the temperature, he has to stay and watch it, so he can’t come home for dinner."
"Uncle Jiu, this is the first batch of bricks your brickyard is firing, right?"
"Yes, this is the first batch since the brickyard was contracted out. I hope everything goes smoothly and we make a good profit. Otherwise, I won’t be able to build the new house."
Hearing Uncle Jiu mention the new house, Deng Yunfeng followed up, "Uncle Jiu, did you invite me over to discuss the house building?"
Deng Shirong smiled and nodded, "We’ll talk about that later. First, try the dishes I’ve made and let me know what you think."
Deng Yunfeng laughed, "Sure, I won’t hold back. Uncle Jiu, your cooking is so fragrant and appetizing; I have to give it a proper taste."
As expected, Deng Yunfeng was thoroughly conquered by the feast. It was a flavor he had never experienced in his decades of life. Each dish was a masterpiece, and even the fried peanuts were crispier than any he had tasted before.
He couldn’t stop eating.
After eating until he was about seven-tenths full, Deng Yunfeng patted his belly and said, "Uncle Jiu, your cooking is amazing. The dishes you made are absolutely delicious. I almost forgot about the important matters we need to discuss. I’m really sorry about that."
Deng Shirong popped a peanut into his mouth, chewed slowly, and then lifted his wine bowl with a smile. "What’s there to be sorry about? Eating and drinking should always come first. Once we’re full, we’ll have plenty of time to talk business."
Deng Yunfeng raised his wine bowl and clinked it against Uncle Jiu's. He sighed, "You know how to enjoy life, Uncle Jiu. Are you planning to build a new house for Yun Tai so he can get married?"
Deng Shirong took a sip of wine and set the bowl down. "I’m not just building a new house for Yun Tai. I plan to build houses for all five of my sons at once. This way, I can save a lot of trouble."
Deng Yunfeng was taken aback. Building new houses for all five sons at once was a massive undertaking.
However, he agreed with Uncle Jiu’s logic. Building all the houses at once would indeed save a lot of trouble, though the expenses would be significantly higher.
"Uncle Jiu, what kind of new houses do you plan to build?"
At this point, Deng Yunsong, Deng Yunhua, and Deng Yunheng, the three younger ones, had already finished eating and gone out to play.
As for Deng Yunzhu, she had taken a bowl of rice and gone out earlier and still hadn't returned. She was probably sharing her meal with her close friends again.
At the table, only Deng Yunzhen and Deng Yunheng remained, slowly eating while listening to their father and Deng Yunfeng, the construction expert, chat.
When Deng Yunfeng asked their father about the design of the new houses, the siblings perked up, curious about the details.
Deng Shirong said, "I plan to build brick and tile houses."
Deng Yunfeng’s heart skipped a beat. In this era, everyone in the countryside lived in mud-brick houses. The idea of building brick and tile houses was unprecedented in the entire Bangjie Brigade. Uncle Jiu would be the first to do so.
Deng Yunzhen and Deng Yunheng were equally stunned. They never imagined their father would want to build brick and tile houses like those at the Shuangwang Supply and Marketing Cooperative. They were shocked but also excited.
Deng Yunfeng took a deep breath and asked, "Uncle Jiu, are you serious? Are you really going to build brick and tile houses?"
It was no wonder he asked. In this era, even the better-off families only used brick for the foundation or the entrance. A whole house made of brick had never been seen in Bangjie Brigade.
Deng Shirong laughed. "Of course I’m serious. Let me tell you my plan and requirements, and you can help me estimate the cost."
Deng Yunfeng nodded seriously. "Sure, Uncle Jiu, go ahead."
"My plan is this: the houses will be shaped like an inverted 7. The long side will be a row of five large houses, each about ninety square meters, with two bedrooms, one living room, and one bathroom. The short side will be by the river, about one hundred thirty square meters, with three bedrooms, one living room, two bathrooms, and a kitchen..."
Deng Shirong detailed his house design, leaving Deng Yunfeng, Deng Yunzhen, and Deng Yunheng speechless.
Almost six hundred square meters of building area—such a large house had never been seen in Bangjie Brigade, nor even in the entire Shuangwang region.
(End of Chapter)
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