Chapter 245

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Protagonist:

Li Xiulan

Upon learning their eldest son had found a partner, both Li Xiulan and Wang Zhanggen were overjoyed.

That very noon, Li Xiulan slaughtered a chicken, made offerings to the gods, and prayed for divine blessings that her eldest son's marriage would proceed smoothly and harmoniously.

That evening, Zhang Zhongtian paid an unexpected visit. Seeing the old couple eating chicken meat and noticing red firecracker scraps still littering the courtyard entrance, he asked with a curious smile, "Is there some happy occasion?"

Zhang Zhongtian's suspicion was only natural — it wasn't the New Year yet, and ordinary people wouldn't set off firecrackers at this time, let alone slaughter a chicken for worship.

Wang Zhanggen's face beamed with pride and happiness as he declared:

"Dashan just called today and said he's found a partner!"

Zhang Zhongtian's son, Zhang Zhiqiang, had married not long ago, which had made Wang Zhanggen endlessly envious. Now that his own son Wang Dashan had also found a partner, he felt a sense of not having lost to Zhang Zhongtian.

That was just his nature — he loved to compare in everything, cared deeply about face, about dignity.

Zhang Zhongtian's son getting married actually had nothing whatsoever to do with him, yet seeing Zhang Zhongtian's son marry made him think his own son should be marrying too!

"That's a happy occasion! Congratulations, congratulations!"

Zhang Zhongtian offered congratulations with a smile, then said: "Changgen, the Cultural Room is basically finished, just needs renovation. I'm thinking we start the tap water project next spring. Once the water's done, we can do road hardening. Aim to complete all projects before June next year — what do you think?"

This was the real reason Zhang Zhongtian had come to find Wang Zhanggen. As for whether Wang Zhanggen's son had found a partner, he didn't care in the slightest — just asked in passing.

The New Rural Construction project concerned the future development of all of Shanggou Village. As the Village Party Secretary, Zhang Zhongtian naturally took it especially to heart.

Additionally, he could skim quite a bit of profit from this project — that was also a key reason he was willing to run himself ragged for it.

As the foreman on this project, Wang Zhanggen originally also had the chance to eat the middle difference and make money, but his inner conscience and morality led him to choose not to take that sum.

He had a bottom line in his heart — he knew clearly what money could be earned and what money could not.

Shanggou Village was the place that gave him birth and raised him; he knew every villager here. He didn't want to be pointed at and gossiped about behind their backs, whispered about badly, just over a bit of petty cash.

What he was most unwilling to endure was others speaking ill of him behind his back — just like back when people said his wife had cuckolded him with a green hat. That was something he could not tolerate.

So he took this project without earning any middle difference at all, only earning the labor wages that rightfully belonged to him. Same as every other worker who came to work, he calculated wages strictly by daily wage.

"Finishing all projects before June next year — the timeline's likely a bit tight."

Wang Zhanggen put it this way.

Zhang Zhongtian, however, had his own plan:

"When doing the tap water, hire more people, compress the schedule some. I have a plan that can both save money and shorten the construction period."

"Let's hear it."

"Haven't we already decided on the tap water? Not connecting to the Town Government's Tap Water Company pipes, but drawing mountain spring water ourselves. Without connecting to the water company pipes, we won't have so many red tape restrictions. We buy the pipes ourselves, build the water tanks ourselves. As for labor, I think we can do this: give all villagers two choices — either contribute labor or contribute money. Those choosing labor don't have to pay money; those choosing money don't have to contribute labor. For labor, each household sends one person to work during the tap water installation. For money, each household pays its share — exactly how much, I can't say for sure right now. We'll calculate carefully later, recover the tap water construction costs, then set up a maintenance fund account."

It was obvious Zhang Zhongtian already had his own ideas and plans before coming to discuss with Wang Zhanggen.

Now laying them out, they were logical and clear, arranged in black and white.

Wang Zhanggen listened and couldn't pick out any flaw, so he immediately said:

"Good idea. Lots of folks who went out to work with families in tow definitely won't want to come back just for this. If they want tap water installed in their hometown, they'll naturally choose to pay. Those who stayed in the hometown will basically all be willing to contribute labor. That way, both the funding problem and the labor problem for installing tap water get solved."

Zhang Zhongtian laughed:

"I'll go tally it up then — who's willing to pay, who's willing to labor. Once tallied, we'll calculate costs and aim to break ground next spring."

At this, Wang Zhanggen said:

"But the Cultural Room renovation — I haven't finished that yet!"

Zhang Zhongtian replied:

"You don't have to do everything yourself! You're the General Contractor Foreman now — just supervise! Have your workers do the Cultural Room renovation. You supervise the Cultural Room on one side, supervise the tap water project on the other — no need to labor yourself, just walk between the two sites. Besides, weren't you hospitalized for illness before? You should rest. Change your mindset — don't do everything by hand!"

Wang Zhanggen's face showed a trace of hesitation:

"But if I don't do it myself, I'm afraid quality won't be guaranteed!"

Zhang Zhongtian found Wang Zhanggen's mindset a bit laughable yet helpless:

"Even I, the Village Committee Secretary, am not afraid — what are you afraid of? No problem. If any quality issue is discovered, you report it to me first thing. I won't blame you! Right now the most important thing is catching up on the schedule — because the second half of next year they'll be selecting the 'Most Beautiful New Countryside'! After finishing the Cultural Room and tap water, we still have road hardening to do!"

With Zhang Zhongtian putting it like this, Wang Zhanggen could only nod:

"Fine, fine. I'll just supervise then. Won't do the Cultural Room renovation myself — let the two Big Workers handle it."

Seeing Wang Zhanggen agree to his proposal, Zhang Zhongtian stood up and said:

"I've got other matters to attend to, won't chat more. You two eat slowly!"

After Zhang Zhongtian left, Li Xiulan said:

"Think we should make some sugar rings and dumplings this year?"

Back when the kids were little, every New Year they'd make sugar rings and dumplings — because the family was poor then, not much money to buy snacks for the kids. So making sugar rings and dumplings at New Year gave the kids something to snack on.

Now all three kids are grown, their demand for snacks isn't much anymore. These past few years Li Xiulan hasn't made sugar rings and dumplings by hand either — just buys some in town to dress up the New Year atmosphere.

This year Dashan said he's bringing his girlfriend home for New Year, and that's why Li Xiulan thought — should she personally make some sugar rings and dumplings to receive her eldest son's partner? That would show proper regard.

Wang Zhanggen thought a moment, then said:

"Dashan's bringing his partner home for New Year this year — can't be too shabby. I say not only make sugar rings and dumplings, but also prepare more New Year goods. And during the big cleaning, get the house spotless!"

Wang Zhanggen also sighed:

"If I'd known Dashan would bring his partner home for New Year this year, we should've set aside some time to fix up this old house nicely!"

Wang Zhanggen looked at this unfinished shell they'd lived in for over a decade — only rough construction, no renovation — and couldn't help but lament.

He couldn't help worrying — if the girl comes home and dislikes their conditions, wouldn't that ruin Dashan's lifelong marriage?

It wasn't that he lacked money for renovation — these years doing masonry he'd saved quite a sum.

It's just that I've always been out working for others, with no time to renovate my own house.