Chapter 398

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Protagonist:

Chai Mi

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Zhu Shukun arrived on time with the workers.

Today they would start building the door and window lintels, preparing for the subsequent beam-raising; cement floor beam formwork and fixation were needed.

"Lao Zhao, mix some mortar first, plug the gaps at the edges of the floor beam molds, and fix them firmly." Zhu Shukun instructed.

Lao Zhao, who was mixing mortar, acknowledged and walked to the cement pile, lifting the plastic sheeting to move a bag of cement.

"Huh?" The moment his hand touched the topmost bag, his expression changed.

That bag of cement was soaking wet, hard as a rock! He tugged hard and discovered the several bags beneath were all the same, all dampened by water.

"Boss! Come quick and look!" Lao Zhao's voice carried shock and suspicion.

Zhu Shukun, Master Wang, and the others gathered around at the sound. Chai Mi's heart also tightened, and she stepped forward quickly.

They saw Lao Zhao laboriously tear a small opening in the top cement bag; what was revealed inside was not gray-black dry cement powder, but a gray-white lump already solidified hard as stone! He checked a few more bags beside it; wherever the edges had been soaked through by water, the cement inside had formed hard clumps of varying sizes!

Cement generally sets rapidly upon encountering water, but if the water isn't excessive, and depending on the sand conditions each year, the cement will form some lumps.

But overall it's still ruined.

"This... how did all this cement clump?! Ruined! Completely ruined!" Master Wang wore a dazed look.

This is all money!

Zhu Shukun squatted down, looking at the obvious water stains on the ground and the irregular water marks on the plastic sheeting; his face instantly darkened. This was absolutely not dew or accidental leakage! This was someone deliberately splashing water to sabotage!

Chai Mi wasn't all that angry instead: "Heh, ruined is ruined. Just right, I originally thought this cement grade wasn't high enough anyway, worried the floor beam wouldn't be sturdy enough. Uncle-in-law, trouble you to make a trip to Old Wu at the township and haul back twenty bags of the best high-grade cement, money as agreed. Make it fast, don't delay today's work. As for these..." she kicked the ruined cement bags at her feet: "don't just throw them away... or whoever can use them, take them home after work tonight. We're not short this bit of money now, just don't delay the work."

Zhu Shukun nodded: "Right! I'll go now! You all do other things first, clear the site, prepare the formwork boards!"

Chai Youqing had originally been listlessly carrying a few broken bricks; hearing "cement ruined," he suddenly shuddered, jumped up with a shout, and rushed to the cement pile.

Seeing over a dozen bags of cement all ruined, he instantly panicked too.

"Damn it! Which conscience-less, smoke-belching thing did this?!"

Chai Youqing's face instantly turned livid with rage; he spun in circles on the spot in frantic anxiety, cursing nonstop: "This is all money! White silver money! Several yuan a bag! These... these dozen bags... spendthrift! Beast! Thing born without an asshole!"

The more he cursed the angrier he got; he lifted his foot and kicked an innocent stone nearby hard, hurting himself so he bared his teeth and grimaced.

Su Wan ran out from the kitchen at the sound, apron still tied on; one look at the scene and tears streamed down. She gasped in heartache: "Oh my heavens... what do we do? It was new cement just hauled yesterday... can... can this still be used? Who has such a black heart? Who did we provoke? Building a house, who does it obstruct?"

While wiping tears, she hatefully glared toward the direction of Chai You De's house next door, grinding her teeth and cursing: "It's definitely that black-hearted, rotten-lunged family! Besides them, who else could it be!"

"Right! It's that dog thing Chai You De! I'll go find him!" Provoked by Su Wan, Chai Youqing's blood surged; he bent to grab the iron shovel on the ground, posturing for a death match.

"Dad!" Chai Mi walked over, blocking between Chai Youqing and the pile of ruined cement, her face without much ripple, eyes calm.

"Put the shovel down. You go now, do you have evidence? When the time comes you can't out-fight him, can't out-curse him; besides getting a tongue-lashing from him, what else can you do? Making a scene for people to laugh at?"

"Then... just let it go?! This anger I can't swallow!" Chai Youqing was unwilling.

Su Wan also pulled Chai Mi's arm: "Chai Mi, this anger is truly stifling! Over a dozen bags of cement, dozens of yuan! Just wasted like that? Is our money blown by the wind? It's definitely that shrew Che Lianyun instigating it! Can't just let them off!"

Chai Mi lightly patted her mother's hand, then looked at her father: "Mom, Dad, listen to me. Dozens of yuan, not a little, our house-building is tight. But this money, compared to delaying the schedule, compared to tearing with that family of scum, it's not much money; do what needs doing."

"What? Not much money?" Chai Youqing and Su Wan both froze, looking at their daughter in disbelief.

"Right, not much money. What's most urgent for us now is getting the house built smoothly. Uncle-in-law already went to fetch new cement, arrives in a bit. Wages are calculated by the day; every day delayed, wages still paid, work not finished, that's the real loss. Wrangle with Chai You De and his wife? They've got time to waste on you, their shrew-scolding and false-accusation skills, can you match? When the row starts, it delays our work, ruins our health, not worth it."

She paused: "This matter, I have a plan. Whoever did it, can't escape. But now isn't the time to settle with them. Let them jump a couple more days. Wait till our house is capped, Xiu'er's room has a landing... they'll be autumn grasshoppers, won't jump for many days. Then new accounts old accounts, plenty of time to slowly settle. Now, not worth getting fired up over this 'trifle'."

Chai Youqing looked at his daughter's eyes; that rush of hot blood slowly cooled.

He was too familiar with this expression of Chai Mi's; last time when she dealt with Chai You De snatching the calf it was like this.

He knew Chai Mi's "settle accounts after autumn" was absolutely not empty talk; that nameless evil fire in his heart was inexplicably suppressed a large chunk; though still stifled, at least he no longer clamored to go fight to the death.

He dejectedly threw down the shovel, squatted to the side, smoking and sulking.

Su Wan's tears also gradually stopped.

She looked at her daughter's composed appearance, then at the pile of ruined cement, sighed heavily, wiped her face: "Alas... you're right, Chai Mi. Getting angry at that family of scum, not worth it. Ruining your own health, plays into their hands. Fine, Mom listens to you, swallow this anger for now! Wait till our house is built..." she didn't continue, turned and walked to the kitchen: "I'll boil water, the workers need to drink in a bit."

Just as they spoke, hearty laughter came from the courtyard gate: "Yo he! Early this morning, the courtyard's quite lively! Chai Mi, Brother and Sister-in-law not late, right?"

Only to see Chai Mi's cousin Liu San and his wife Zhang Hailan walk in one after the other. Liu San still wore that half-old coat of his, but in high spirits.

Chai Mi went up to greet them: "Cousin, Sister-in-law! Why'd you come? Come in quick! Just need manpower!"

Liu San rubbed his hands, laughing: "Heard Da Zhi say your family's walling and capping today, exactly the labor-intensive time! That kid got drunk that day, muddled for days, couldn't drive. My mom nagged at home, insisted I come with your sister-in-law to lend a hand! Heavy work I can't do, moving bricks, mixing mortar, passing things still fine! If you let me do it, even if done badly can make do..."

Zhang Hailan laughed: "Of course! Chai Mi, just don't mind Sister-in-law being clumsy. Kitchen work give to me, I'll help Third Aunt, guarantee the masters eat full at noon, work with energy!"

She saw Su Wan's eyes still a bit red, also glimpsed the pile of discarded cement bags in the corner, understood several parts in her heart, but very tactfully didn't ask more, just lightly patted Su Wan's hand.

Su Wan seeing this couple, the depression in her heart instantly dispersed more than half, face showing genuine smile: "Aiya, Hailan, Liu San, you came at just the right time! Quick, sit inside, drink some water!"

"Not sitting not sitting!" Liu San waved his hand, one glance seeing Chai Youqing squatting in the corner, "Third Uncle-in-law, what you squatting there for? Come come, move those bones! Chai Mi, whatever heavy work, just order!" Saying so he walked toward Chai Youqing.

Chai Youqing was hauled up by Liu San, the gloom on his face also dissipated quite a bit, forced out a smile: "Liu San... sigh, home... has some heart-troubling matters."

"Hey! Living life how can there not be some ditches and bumps!" Liu San carelessly patted his shoulder, "Start working and all worries forgotten! Look at me and Hailan, earlier weren't we worried scorching? Now didn't we come over too? People, gotta look forward!"

Here Zhang Hailan had already nimbly tied on her apron, and ducked into the kitchen with Su Wan.

Soon, sounds of pots and pans clattering and the two women's low, laughter-tinged voices came from inside.

The heavy atmosphere in the courtyard was diluted a lot by this couple's arrival.

Chai Mi directed: "Cousin, trouble you and my dad to gather up the crushed stone and sand hauled yesterday again, clear space, when new cement arrives in a bit it's easy to unload. Also fill the water vats full, mixing mortar uses lots of water."

"Right!" Liu San acknowledged, pulling the still somewhat listless Chai Youqing, "Let's go Third Uncle-in-law! Fetch water! Move around, sweat a bit, no more worries!"

Watching her father half-dragged half-pulled by Liu San to go work, Chai Mi breathed a sigh of relief.

She walked to the kitchen door, said to Zhang Hailan who was chopping vegetables: "Sister-in-law, hard work for you. Home vegetables enough? If not I'll go buy more..."

"Enough, enough, enough!" Zhang Hailan waved her kitchen knife, movements crisp. "I saw beans, eggplant, meat, eggs — it's all there! Don't worry, I'll make sure it turns out proper! You go tend to your business!"

Chai Mi nodded, then turned to help Master Wang and the others clear the site, preparing the formwork for the ground beams.

Before long, Chai Youqing and Liu San returned after finishing carrying water.

Anyway it's just that one big vat; when the time comes we'll just carry water as needed.

Liu San came over and asked Chai Mi: "Chai Mi, these past two days I see there's nothing much going on... the business definitely won't be done. But outside there's still plenty of famine, this body of mine doing day labor is definitely scorching, age isn't suitable, plus the family can't be left without someone, so I was thinking of farming and such. I see that river beach land over there has no one farming it, how do you feel about it?"

Chai Mi was just using a small broom to sweep the loose soil on the ground; hearing this she raised her head: "Cousin, you mean that piece by the West He Tan? It's a piece of good land, just lots of stones, costs effort. A few years back someone also wanted to open it up, but gave up because it was too tiring."

"Costs effort, what's there to fear?" Liu San's eyes lit up, he perked up. "Effort isn't worth money! Me and your sister-in-law were just figuring, once spring opens, we'll tidy up both that slope behind our house, and that piece of yours by the West He Tan! Plant some fruit tree saplings on the slope, level the river beach land a bit, plant some drought-resistant mixed grains! It's still better than going out to do odd jobs and watching people's faces! Digging food from your own land, the heart is at ease!"

At this moment, Zhang Hailan came out carrying a basin to pour water, hearing her husband's words, she also chimed in: "Exactly! Chai Mi you don't know, Liu San this period has been like he's possessed, mumbling about reclaiming wasteland every day. Saying the contract work isn't stable either, better to guard your own land. I think he was scared by having to pay compensation for that last accident, feels digging in the soil is still steadier." Though she spoke like this, her face carried a smile, clearly also supporting her husband.

Chai Mi put down the broom, said seriously: "Cousin this idea is pretty good. Digging food from the land is the foundation. However, reclaiming wasteland is indeed hard work, especially the river beach land with many stones. If Cousin and Sister-in-law really want to do it, when the time comes the stones I'll figure something out. Opening it up to plant mixed grains is good, or... plant some valuable medicinal herbs? I see on the Back Mountain someone's planting astragalus and bupleurum, the harvest seems not bad?"

Liu San waved his hand: "Medicinal herbs, that thing, the tricks are too deep, we don't understand, don't dare mess with it. Still better to honestly plant some corn, millet, soybeans, practical, harvest however much is however much, heart has a bottom. At worst, feed pigs feed chickens also works! Still better than leaving it fallow. Chai Mi, you say yes or no?"

"It's this reasoning." Chai Mi nodded, "Steady and solid is right. However Cousin, have you ever thought... do something a bit different? For example... make a small warm cellar? Winter plant some spinach, baby bok choy and such? No need to be as big an investment as the greenhouses the township pushes."

"Warm cellar?" Liu San froze a moment, then shook his head, "That thing costs even more money, right? Need plastic sheeting, also need to burn fire, can't afford the fuss. Besides, winter vegetables, sell to who? Our ten li eight xiang, which family doesn't have some autumn vegetables?"

Chai Mi smiled, didn't directly mention Zhou Fang's sky-high prices and supermarket channels, just said: "True, depends on the sales channel. I was just saying casually. Cousin your reclaiming wasteland idea is very good, relying on strength to eat, most righteous."

Zhang Hailan interjected: "Chai Mi speaks correctly, we eat according to how big our bowl is. Reclaiming wasteland although a bit tiring, but don't need to beg people, also don't need to worry about owing debts. Not like that greenhouse..." she lowered her voice, winked at Chai Mi, "Heard the township held a meeting? Xiangli Chief didn't tell you? That thing sounds unreliable, investment too huge! You mustn't let someone fool you into jumping in!"

Chai Mi knew Zhang Hailan meant well, also replied in a low voice: "Sister-in-law rest assured, I have a scale in my heart. Before figuring it through, I won't move."

"That thing right now still isn't finalized, they say they'll give support and whatnot, but there's no document or anything, just empty slogans, definitely won't work, that requires talking it through with the bank first. Us saying which family borrows several thousand yuan, the bank immediately refuses. Just my Second Uncle who's still a teacher, has a proper job, I heard a few days ago he applied for a loan, they only gave him five hundred, angered him so he didn't borrow."