Chapter 38: Chapter Thirty-Eight: Exactly, I Just Want to Install a Fireplace

He Yuzhu's class today was supposed to start at ten, but he arrived at school early this morning. He didn't come to look for Gao Yue; he came to find Liu Jiping, the head of the Radio Department. Upon reaching Liu Jiping's office, He Yuzhu didn't knock. He glanced inside and saw only Liu Jiping at the desk, then walked straight in and said, "Director Liu, are you not busy right now?"

Seeing He Yuzhu arrive, Liu Jiping said, "Yo, Zhuzi, you didn't have class today?" Then he gestured for He Yuzhu to sit down.

Because of He Yuzhu's exam paper, Liu Jiping also wanted to befriend him, and before long they became friends. This amazed Gao Yue, who, in her mind, believed a teacher and student could only have a teacher-student relationship. She never expected He Yuzhu and Liu Jiping to become friends, and seeing the two sitting together chatting like old friends only reinforced her surprise.

After sitting down, He Yuzhu said, "My class is at ten today, and I've come to ask for your help, Director Liu—you definitely have to help me."

Liu Jiping looked at He Yuzhu and said, "No problem, Zhuzi. Tell me what you need and I'll see if I can arrange it."

"'It's been raining heavily these past few days, and my house is leaking. I want to stay at the school for two days. I haven't completed the housing procedures, so I'm bothering you, Director Liu, but don't worry about the lodging fee—I'll pay whatever it's due. Zhuzi isn't short on money.'"

Actually, if He Yuzhu were renovating, he could stay in the side wing, but he thought that since the main house was already renovated, there was no need to spare the side wing; he might as well renovate it too, even though He Yushui basically never comes back to stay.

Even if she did return, she would stay with He Yuzhu in the main house, but He Yuzhu will eventually marry, and He Yushui will surely return to the courtyard house. After He Yuzhu marries, He Yushui will definitely need to live alone in the side wing. For now, he hasn't let her return because he fears she won't adapt to He Daqing's departure, but staying at Wang Youde's place isn't really a solution either.

After hearing He Yuzhu's request, Liu Jiping said, "That's it? No problem—I'll take care of it right now. I'll waive the lodging fee since you won't be staying long." He then wrote out a slip for He Yuzhu to give to the dormitory supervisor to arrange a room, and it would be a single room.

Upon hearing Liu Jiping say that, He Yuzhu hurriedly replied, "Director Liu, that won't do—you should still charge the lodging fee. I estimate I'll need to stay for about a month. Otherwise I wouldn't dare to stay there."

"All right," Liu Jiping said, and added a line to the slip: collect a lodging fee of 3 yuan.

After finishing the matter, He Yuzhu left Liu Jiping's office. Since he had no afternoon classes, after finishing lunch with Gao Yue in the morning, he rode his bicycle out of school and went to Nanlou Hutong in the West City District. He had previously inquired and heard that a master craftsman named Lai Youning did excellent renovation work.

Upon arriving at Nanlou Hutong, he made some inquiries and quickly found Lai Youning's home. He knocked on the door, and a woman came out and asked He Yuzhu, "What brings you here?"

He Yuzhu said, "Is Master Lai at home? I'd like to renovate my house. I've heard your craftsmanship is good, Master Lai, so I'd like to ask you to help me with the renovation."

Upon hearing that He Yuzhu wanted renovations, she turned and shouted inside, "Old Lai, come out quickly—we have a guest!" She ushered He Yuzhu inside. After He Yuzhu entered, he glanced around at the furnishings; everything was simple, but the open space was piled with pieces of wood. He Yuzhu didn't know much about wood and didn't examine it closely.

When Lai Youning came out from the inner room, he hurriedly greeted He Yuzhu and asked the woman to bring him tea. After He Yuzhu explained his purpose, Lai Youning slapped his chest and said, "Brother, you've come to the right person. Our ancestors did repair work for the imperial palace, and you can trust the work of Old Lai."

After hearing Lai Youning's words, He Yuzhu replied, "I definitely believe you, Master Lai—otherwise why would I have come to you? Shall we go take a look at my house?"

After He Yuzhu finished speaking, Lai Youning said, "All right, brother, wait a moment while I fetch something." He Yuzhu waited a bit, then saw Lai Youning emerge from the inner room carrying a box. The two left the house, and seeing He Yuzhu with his bicycle, Lai Youning's smile grew even brighter.

Upon arriving at the courtyard house, Third Aunt saw He Yuzhu bringing Lai Youning back and asked, "Zhuzi, you've brought a friend over, huh?"

He Yuzhu stopped and said, "Third Aunt, isn't my house leaking? I've hired a master to renovate it. Third Aunt, I'm going inside first." After saying that, He Yuzhu led Lai Youning toward the central courtyard.

In the main house, He Yuzhu told Lai Youning, "Master Lai, please help me convert this house into two rooms—a bedroom on the right and a living room on the left—and also squeeze out a bathroom." He Yuzhu had originally wanted to install a toilet, but sewage disposal would be difficult. Since he lives in the central courtyard, not to mention the hassle of digging from here to a public toilet and laying a pipe, even if it were possible, the neighbors in the courtyard house wouldn't allow it.

However, installing a bathroom is still feasible—the water pipes are right in the central courtyard, and drainage can simply be connected to a pipe leading to the courtyard's sewer; at most, one would need to add a water meter.

He Yuzhu also said to Lai Youning, "Master Lai, in this space—that is, the partitioned bedroom—please install a heated brick bed (kang) for me. Then, on the left-hand wall as you enter from the living room, please add a fireplace."

Upon hearing that He Yuzhu wanted to add a fireplace, Lai Youning said, "Hey He brother, that thing consumes a lot of firewood—are you sure you want it?" After hearing Lai Youning's words, He Yuzhu thought about it; knowing that the winters would only get colder in the coming years, he nodded and confirmed the addition.

After sketching on paper, Lai Youning looked at He Yuzhu's floor and said, "Brother, how do you plan to finish the floor?"

To be honest, He Yuzhu hadn't considered the floor at all, so he asked Lai Youning, "Master Lai, how do you usually handle the floor?"

Lai Youning replied, "Normally we use blue bricks, but since you're adding a fireplace, I recommend you use gold bricks."

Upon hearing "gold bricks," He Yuzhu quickly asked, "Can you obtain gold bricks? How much per piece?" Lai Youning answered, "Yes, though the quantity is limited, it would be enough to pave your house. But I can't tell you where to get them—just rest assured the source is completely legitimate."

He Yuzhu pondered and said, "All right, Master Lai, we'll use gold bricks. How much per piece, and roughly how many will we need?"

These gold bricks aren't actually made of gold; rather, they are a dark, lacquer-black material that rings like metal when struck. In the past they were reserved for the imperial family—ordinary commoners wouldn't even dare to think about them.

Lai Youning surveyed the interior area and said, "I estimate your house will need no more than 120 bricks. At three mao each, what do you think?"

Upon hearing three mao per brick, He Yuzhu thought, "That's as cheap as Chinese cabbage!" He still remembered that, according to Lou Xiaoe in later times, a single gold brick sold at auction in Hong Kong for tens of thousands. So 120 bricks would cost a fortune—even if he left them to his descendants as a safety net, it would be worthwhile.

He Yuzhu said, "All right, later we'll also tile the side wing with gold bricks." Then He Yuzhu led Lai Youning out of the main house. As they were about to go to the side wing, He Yuzhu pointed to the small kitchen that He Daqing had previously built and said, "Master Lai, could you rebuild this little kitchen and also open a door from it into the living room?"

Lai Youning walked over, took a look, and said, "No problem." The two went to the side wing, where Lai Youning glanced around and said, "All together, 150 gold bricks will be enough."

He Yuzhu said, "All right, Master Lai, please also whitewash both the side wing and the main house, and install a heated brick bed (kang) in this room as well. Then calculate the total cost."

Lai Youning calculated and said, "If you add the small kitchen, put up two partitions, install two heated brick beds, and repair the roof, without the gold bricks you'd owe me 140 yuan—but you'd have to provide me lunch at noon. With the gold bricks, the total comes to 185 yuan. I haven't included the fireplace in that figure; I suggest you first check the Trust Store, where they have ready-made units that are far better than building one from scratch and also save money."

After hearing the price, which he found acceptable, He Yuzhu said, "All right, Master Lai, I'll add another five yuan, making it 190 yuan total—you handle your own lunch." He then handed over ninety yuan and said, "This is the deposit; the balance will be paid upon completion."

Lai Youning gave He Yuzhu a receipt, then left, telling him that he would prepare the materials tomorrow and they could start work the day after.