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Chapter 44: A Pleasant Surprise
Chapter 44: A Pleasant Surprise
Ever since the brickyard started paying wages, the workers’ enthusiasm has skyrocketed. Everyone is working their hearts out, for a job with such high pay is hard to come by, and no one wants to lose this opportunity to change their lives.
Deng Shirong has been extremely busy lately, responsible for feeding and watering two to three dozen people every day. It’s no easy task.
Of course, with over twenty able-bodied men helping, the progress on his house has been remarkable. They managed to dig the foundation in just two days. Since the bricklaying could only begin on the 21st, the men didn’t idle. Instead, they went up the mountain to cut pine trees, which would be used for the beams.
In Shuangwang, over 95% of the houses use pine wood for their beams.
In this era, rural houses rarely use paint. To prevent the beams from being infested by insects, people use a traditional method passed down by their ancestors: they soak the cut beams in the river, the longer the better.
Two years ago, when his eldest son turned eighteen, Deng Shirong began cutting pine trees and soaking them in the river.
However, he hadn’t anticipated needing so many beams for the new houses, so the supply was a bit short. The men had to go back up the mountain to cut more.
Now, the freshly cut pine trees wouldn’t have enough soaking time, but Deng Shirong wasn’t the only one who had prepared in advance. Many families who planned to build new houses in the coming years had also cut and soaked their pine trees.
Since these families didn’t have immediate plans to build, Deng Shirong could swap his freshly cut trees for their pre-soaked ones, and they were willing to do so as a favor.
Soon, the 21st of July arrived. At 6:28 AM, after laying the foundation stones and setting off fireworks, construction on Deng Shirong’s new house began.
By this time, summer vacation had quietly slipped away, and the next day, his sons would be heading back to school.
That evening, after the family had finished their baths and gathered in the living room to chat, Deng Shirong pulled out a stack of money from his pocket. He counted out twenty-five yuan and handed it to his second son, saying, “Yunheng, this is your tuition and two weeks’ living expenses. You only have two semesters left in high school. I’ve already told you everything you need to know. If you don’t get into college, you’ll have to come back and do manual labor. Only by getting into college can you live the life you dream of.”
Yunheng took the money, his expression resolute. “Dad, I understand. I’ll work hard and won’t let you down.”
Deng Shirong nodded, then counted out ten yuan and handed it to his third son. “Xiaosong, take this to pay your tuition. The extra money is for your pocket expenses. You’re starting junior high school now, and the next two years are crucial. They will determine the path you take in life. You need to work hard.”
In this era, schools weren’t very standardized. For example, Nayue Village’s school offered not only elementary but also junior high school classes, which were later phased out.
The tuition at Nayue School wasn’t fixed. It might be higher one semester and lower the next, depending on the school’s economic situation. Schools in this era had side businesses and even set up labor classes to have students help with work, which could offset part of their tuition.
Xiaosong took the money and nodded. “I understand, Dad. I’ll study hard.”
Deng Shirong then counted out two eight-yuan bills and handed them to his fourth and youngest sons, adding, “The same goes for you two. I know you might not fully understand the future right now, but I’ve already told you about the rewards for mid-term and final exams. If you want money to buy snacks, you need to study hard.”
Deng Yunhua and Deng Yunheng nodded as they took the money.
Deng Shirong thought for a moment, then counted out two more two-yuan notes and handed them to his daughters, saying, "Ajian, Azhu, this is your pocket money. As young ladies, it’s important to have some money on you."
Ajian and Azhu’s faces lit up with surprise as they took the money, clearly not expecting their father to give them so much pocket money.
Azhu’s excitement made her cheeks turn bright red.
Even Ajian, who was already eighteen, couldn’t hide her smile. The red envelopes she received from her father and other relatives during the New Year never added up to more than two yuan, so this sudden gift of two yuan as pocket money was a huge surprise.
Seeing his daughters’ joyful expressions, Deng Shirong felt the four yuan was well worth it. He smiled at his eldest daughter and said, "Ajian, tomorrow Yunheng will be going to school. Walking would waste too much time, so you can ride the bicycle with him. Drop him off at school, and then you can have some noodles at the commune before riding back."
Hearing this, both Ajian and Yunheng couldn’t hide their excitement.
Ajian was thrilled because she had never been to Songshan commune before and was eager to see it.
As for Yunheng, his joy was obvious. He had been attending Songshan High School for a year, and the most tedious part was walking to school with his luggage and rice, a journey that took over three hours. It felt like doing hard labor.
Now, he could ride a bicycle to school, which would be much faster and less burdensome. He couldn’t be happier!
After some more casual conversation, the family members retired to their rooms for the night.
Lying back in bed, Deng Shirong began to think about how to arrange more marriages for others.
The pork and other meats in the system space were being consumed quickly, despite the variety of fish, shrimp, eels, snails, and frogs that helped supplement the meals. With the house construction just beginning, the pork and meats had already been depleted by nearly a third.
If he didn’t find a way to replenish the supply, he would have to spend real money to buy more, which would be less cost-effective.
There were many eligible young adults in the village, but after considering them, Deng Shirong found that none of their marriages could compare to the one between his parents, Deng Changfu and Guan Yongying. Some couples had argued for half their lives, some divorced in their forties or fifties, and others, though peaceful, had lived in poverty for decades.
Deng Shirong naturally didn’t want to help arrange such marriages.
After much thought, he realized he needed more resources. The pool of potential matches was too small, and a matchmaker needed a broader network. It was time to visit other villages and gather more information on eligible young men and women.
As for cooking for the workers, he could leave that to his eldest daughter. After days of his guidance, her cooking skills had improved significantly. Though she still couldn’t match her father’s, she was one of the best in the village.
With Ajian in charge of the kitchen and a few helpers, Deng Shirong only needed to ensure there was enough meat each day, allowing him to step back from the kitchen duties.
(End of Chapter)
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