Chapter 117: Rural Absurd Tales Chapter 117

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

The project Li Xiulan took on was in Shuikou Village, only one or two kilometers from Shangou Village, within walking distance.

The employer of this project was named Liu Dabiao; like many rural men, he had earned some money working outside and wanted to build a house in the village.

The house he wanted to build was not large, just one story, because he actually did not have much savings.

He was willing to give this project to Li Xiulan also because Li Xiulan's labor rate was relatively low.

Calculated by the day, Li Xiulan, this small worker, earned fifteen yuan a day, Wang Zhanggen, this big worker, twenty yuan a day, and he promised the rough structure must be finished within half a year, with overtime hours not counting toward pay.

Calculated this way, the monthly wages were around one thousand and fifty yuan, and half a year's wages were around six thousand yuan, still within an acceptable range.

Because now the wages for mud workers had risen sharply, many big workers demanded twenty-five yuan a day, those with better skills even thirty yuan a day, and besides, they did not lack projects to do.

Liu Dabiao was also trying to save money, which was why he let Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen take on his project.

Three days later was an auspicious day for breaking ground.

Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen brought all their tools to Liu Dabiao's home in Shuikou Village, and under Liu Dabiao's personal supervision, drew up the foundation framework diagram, then began work.

To save money, Liu Dabiao did not hire an excavator; he had Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen dig manually.

Wang Zhanggen said to Liu Dabiao:

"Hire an excavator to come over, half a day can finish digging the foundation, costing only one hundred yuan; if we dig it, it might take at least three or four days, more time spent, more money spent, not worth it."

Liu Dabiao, however, said:

"I'll help you dig together; two days should be enough to finish digging."

He and Li Xiulan shared a very similar trait: to save money, they were willing to endure more hardship.

To save money, they did not know how to be flexible.

Regarding this, Wang Zhanggen could only smile bitterly and said nothing more.

The three of them dug the foundation together, and in the end it still took three days to finish digging.

After the foundation was dug, Liu Dabiao went to the city to work.

He had already bought back some construction materials; the rest only needed Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan to do.

As for supervision of the work, it was handed over to his wife Zhang Xiudi.

What Zhang Xiudi had to do every day was record the work hours, supervise Wang Zhanggen and Li Xiulan not to slack off, and cook a meal for Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen at noon.

This was the first project Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen, a married couple, had taken on; they could not slack off and ruin their reputation, so they worked very diligently. Zhang Xiudi saw it all and was very satisfied.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed; the columns of the building had been erected, and it was time to cast the roof.

The structure was erected, the rebar was tied, and the roof casting began.

This day was the busiest, because the roof had to be cast within one day.

Fortunately, the building's area was not very large, so Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen could still manage without hiring extra people.

This was largely thanks to their previous experience building their own house; having that experience made this time somewhat easier.

Even Zhang Xiudi could not tell they were taking on a project for the first time, and thought they were experts.

After the roof casting was finished, they had to wait for the cement to harden naturally.

So the next period required a holiday of about one week.

This was a rare rest time for the couple.

Once Wang Zhanggen rested, he went walking through the village lanes, unwilling to stay at home.

He found the children annoying, and Li Xiulan did not give him a good look either, so naturally he avoided whenever he could.

Li Xiulan had complaints about Wang Zhanggen's behavior, but she did not say anything more.

Let him do as he pleased; let him go—out of sight, out of mind!

Li Xiulan used these holidays to do some farm work and plant some crops, such as peanuts, corn, and so on.

That day she had just returned from working in the fields.

Acting Village Committee Secretary Zhang Zhongtian came to her door.

He brought a bottle of peanut oil, a pack of cigarettes, and a small bag of fruit.

"Xiulan, I have good news to tell you!"

Zhang Zhongtian had a beaming smile.

Li Xiulan was stunned:

"What good news?"

Zhang Zhongtian said:

"The authorities have started the national census; in a few days, the census workers should come personally to register household information. By then, you just report your three children, and they should be able to get household registration!"

Li Xiulan immediately beamed with joy:

"Really? That's wonderful!"

Zhang Zhongtian chuckled:

"Of course it's true; how could I deceive you?"

Then he handed over the peanut oil, cigarettes, fruit, and other things he had brought:

"These are for you and your husband. I don't know what brand of cigarettes your husband smokes, so I just bought a pack of Red Rose."

Li Xiulan's face was full of surprise, and she hurriedly declined:

"Uncle Zhongtian, why are you giving me these?"

Zhang Zhongtian laughed and said:

"Just take it. The village committee election is coming up soon, isn't it? Remember to vote for me then. I've helped you plenty before, and I hope you'll help me out this time too."

Li Xiulan now understood Zhang Zhongtian's purpose for coming this time, but she felt no resistance to it, because Zhang Zhongtian had indeed helped her a great deal.

Zhang Zhongtian was very good at socializing, and Li Xiulan felt that even if he hadn't come to greet her, she would probably still vote for him when the election came.

So she said:

"Uncle Zhongtian, rest assured, my whole family will vote for you then!"

After getting the promise, Zhang Zhongtian laughed even more happily:

【68 "Then that's settled. I still need to visit other households, so I won't disturb you any longer!"

"Then I'll leave it at that. I still have to make the rounds at a few other households, so I won't disturb you any longer!"

After Zhang Zhongtian said goodbye and left, Li Xiulan showed a smile long absent from her face.

Voting for Zhang Zhongtian was a small matter to her.

The national census was the big thing!

Of her three sons, two had still not been registered in the household registration!

Now that the national census had come, they could finally be registered!

From now on, they wouldn't have to pay so much tuition for school anymore!

This would greatly reduce her family's burden!

At past nine in the evening, Wang Changgen came back from outside, getting drunk.

Li Xiulan saw that he had actually drunk himself into such a state, and her face was full of dislike, but she still told him the good news of the national census.

However, Wang Changgen's reaction was very flat:

"Oh, I know."

Then he went back to the room, and after lying down for a while, he began snoring.

Li Xiulan saw this and was furious.

This man was simply hateful!

The matter of household registration concerned his children's future prospects—a major issue—and he actually didn't care at all!

But Li Xiulan could only hold her anger inside and could do nothing about Wang Changgen.

Wang Changgen began talking in his sleep:

"He Dazhu, you stole my woman and built such a big house to overshadow me and bully me. I'll strangle you to death, strangle you to death……"

Li Xiulan heard him say these nonsense words and could only cry and laugh.

It turned out this man was still calculating what He Dazhu had done—truly both ridiculous and sad.