Chapter 52: Neighbourly Help, Love Heats Up

The sky was just dimly bright, Zhao Jianguo pushed the door and walked out, carrying an old tin bucket. The bucket's bottom clanged against the doorstep, but he didn't mind, squatted down and carefully counted the stack of bricks at the Wall Base. Forty‑five pieces, neatly arranged, five fewer than yesterday.

He didn't frown nor sigh; instead he shouted toward the Courtyard Gate, "Sha Zhu! Is the cafeteria stewing meat today?"

Sha Zhu was squatting by the well platform brushing his teeth; he swung the toothbrush into his mouth and replied indistinctly, "It's stewed, but does it get to us? The first pot was already taken away by the factory chief's private dish."

"Then come over here in a bit," Zhao Jianguo straightened up, dusted the ash off his hands, "there's not only meat, you can also be a technical consultant again."

"Yo ho?" Sha Zhu spat the foam from his mouth, squinting as he sized him up, "You can dig a consultant out of that brick pile?"

"Director Li just took five pieces for testing," Zhao Jianguo pointed to the corner, "perfect, we'll use this empty spot to build a sample wall so everyone can see whether this 'lightweight brick' can actually hold up. Are you in?"

Sha Zhu was startled, then grinned, "Alright! Then I'll wear the 'technical consultant' hat out of respect. But just so you know, if it really collapses, don't blame me."

"If it collapses, that's on me," Zhao Jianguo said as he hauled a bag of cement out of the house, "the meat's on me too. You provide the labor, I provide the material; everyone gets a good meal, no one loses."

He Yushui at this moment also stepped out of the house, holding an old tile cutter, "Zhao Jianguo, can these bricks really bear weight? A couple of days ago I heard Old Li from the technical department say that too much fly ash makes it a tofu‑scrap project."

"That depends on who mixed the material," Zhao Jianguo poured cement into an iron tub, adding water as he spoke, "I tested this ratio three times before finalizing it. If you don't believe it, once the wall is built, you'll be the first to stand on it and try."

He Yushui laughed, "Then I won't be modest. If it really works, I'll have you replace the wall of my leaky side room as well."

The three of them went straight to work. Sha Zhu handled the mud, He Yushui cut bricks and adjusted the joints, Zhao Jianguo laid the lines and built the wall. As the sun just rose over the roof, a little wall a little over a meter high was already standing on the Courtyard's open ground. The wall surface was smooth, the brick joints aligned, looking proper.

Jia Dongxu passed by, reached out and gave the wall a push; the wall didn't budge a hair.

"Hey, it's really solid," he bent down, picked up a half‑broken brick, and scratched a white line on the wall, "without saying it's made of fly ash, who could tell?"

Qin Huairu, after hanging out the sheets, came over to watch, "Zhao Jianguo, your craftsmanship is more authentic than a regular mason's. When you really need to build a house, I'll help you apply wall plaster."

"That's great then," Zhao Jianguo wiped his sweat, "once the house is finished, I'll invite everyone to have the first pot of hot soup."

"I won't count on the soup," Sha Zhu swiped his wet hands over and said, "you have to order braised pork and add two fire‑roasted dishes. Otherwise I won't act as the 'technical consultant'."

"Fine, plenty of braised pork," Zhao Jianguo nodded, "later I'll tell the cafeteria to set aside three jin, you'll handle the distribution, guaranteeing each person gets a portion."

"Now that's more like it!" Sha Zhu slapped his thigh, "then today I'll go all out; this afternoon I'll even set up the roof beams for you!"

Just as he said that, Su Qing entered the Courtyard carrying a Meal Ticket.

She didn't call out, just walked silently to the wall, saw Zhao Jianguo's hands covered in cement dust, and pulled a clean cloth from her pocket, squatted down and wiped his hands.

"Director Li said the test will take three days," she said softly, "but your wall looks steadier than those from a brick kiln."

Zhao Jianguo lowered his head and smiled at her, "when this house is truly built, I'll cook the first meal for you."

Su Qing's hand paused, she didn't look up, but the corner of her mouth lifted slightly. She handed over the Meal Ticket, "My mom's steamed cabbage‑filled dumplings, still hot."

"You even made a special trip?" Zhao Jianguo took the Meal Ticket, his fingertips unintentionally brushed her warm back of the hand.

"On the way." She stood up, stepped back half a step, "you keep busy, I have to return to the factory."

"Wait a moment," Zhao Jianguo picked a whole lightweight brick from the corner and handed it to her, "take this for your mother to see; it's not a gimmick."

Su Qing took the brick, hefted it, nodded and left. As she turned out the Courtyard Gate, Sha Zhu whistled beside her.

"Jianguo, your little life is sweeter than in movies."

"Stop the bragging," Zhao Jianguo opened the Meal Ticket, picked up a pair of vegetable dumplings with chopsticks, "let's get back to work, the meat's still waiting in the pot."

The afternoon sun made people feel lazy. The three rested for a while then kept working. He Yushui lifted a beam taken from the old house, they set up ladders, nailed crossbars, working until the sun slid west; the roof framework finally stood up. A perfectly square little house shell, with door frames and windows neatly in place, from a distance really looked like a real building.

A deaf old lady, leaning on a cane, walked around once, muttering as she left, "That kid really has some skill."

Yanbugui also crossed his arms and stepped closer to look, tapping his cane on the ground, "The wall is straight, but I'm afraid a strong wind will make it collapse like paper‑mâché."

"San Daye, rest assured," Zhao Jianguo patted the wall, "I can stake my life on these bricks. After three days the technical department will release the results; if you still say it won't work, I'll tear down this house and build a pigsty for you."

"Hmph," Yanbugui lifted his cane, "I'll be waiting."

Qin Huairu, holding a child, stood nearby, then sighed, "Jianguo's craftsmanship, even the elder Yi Zhonghai wasn't this swift."

Jia Dongxu also nodded, "Exactly. He works silently, with materials, technique, and relationships all in place. This isn't just building a house; it's establishing a reputation."

When night fell, Zhao Jianguo stood in front of the new house, looking up at the roof frame still uncovered. The cool evening breeze slipped through the beams, making a soft whoosh. He was about to turn back inside when he heard someone shout at the Courtyard Gate:

"Jianguo!"

It was Su Qing; she had turned back.

She held a sheet of paper, walked over and handed it to him, "The factory's infrastructure department reviewed your application; the format is fine, but you need to add a line: New materials must undergo a public notice period, subject to public supervision."

Zhao Jianguo took it, glanced over, "Alright, I'll add it tomorrow."

Su Qing didn't leave immediately, stood there looking at the nascent house, then softly asked, "Are you really planning to live there yourself?"

"Of course."

"Then… could you leave a back window?" she said even softer, "when I pass by after work, I can see whether your light is on."

Zhao Jianguo paused, then laughed, "Sure, leave one or even two. At night I'll boil water, the teapot's spout will puff out white steam, and you'll know I'm back."

Su Qing lowered her head and smiled, turned to leave, then stopped and said, "By the way, Director Li asked me to pass a message: the test was moved up, the results will be out tomorrow morning."

"That fast?" Zhao Jianguo raised an eyebrow.

"He said… these bricks are too special, we need to investigate them promptly."