Starting a new chapter in life

Chapter 139 The Whole Family Came to Visit

The house renovation officially started. He Zhijun had a good relationship with the logistics department of his unit, so he bought a lot more coal. While they were all there, he had it transported over. Liu Qiang looked at the large pile of coal in the yard, and then went inside to take a look. He was somewhat helpless to find that there was no place to store coal in the house.

They could only set up a rain shelter here for temporary storage. After building two kang beds, they started building a storage room on one side of the yard. While building, they muttered to themselves, "Fortunately, this is work for Zhijun's family. The decoration costs can be settled later. Otherwise, we would have lost money on this storage room this time."

Master Chen was a little puzzled: "If it were someone else's house, we could leave out the storage room if it wasn't in our renovation plan, so why would we lose money?"

Liu Qiang explained: "Because the client's requirement for us is comfortable living, which was not included in our design plan, but if the client feels that the lack of a place to store coal has caused them inconvenience after moving in and complains to us, then we are in the wrong. In the future, when we provide a design plan, we will definitely have to consider these factors comprehensively."

Master Chen shook his head: "The work of packaging materials is indeed not as easy as it used to be when I only had to do manual labor."

Liu Qiang laughed: "That's right, money is never easy to earn. Okay, let's get to work. It's already good enough that we can sleep warmly now. Later, when we go to other people's homes, they won't need us to build a kang (heated brick bed), so we'll have to live on the ground. That's when things will be tough."

"Let's build the barn first. Xiaoxu, you'll be in charge of building the stove in the kitchen tomorrow. Once the stove is up and running, we can cook for ourselves and won't have Zhijun bringing us food every day."

The craftsman named Xiaoxu nodded in agreement, and just like that, the renovation got on track. After He Zhijun stopped delivering meals, he would only come over occasionally after get off work to take a look. He gave Liu Qiang and the others complete trust. Well, what difference would it make if he didn't trust them? He didn't understand anyway, so whether he came over or not wasn't that important.

Liu Qiang and his colleagues worked very diligently, and didn't return from Changxing Island until before the Lunar New Year, when they were on holiday with He Zhijun. They arrived home on the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month. After returning home, He Zhijun told Jingyan about the progress:

"The cement floor of the basement is finished, and the two bedrooms on the first floor with heated brick beds, the kitchen stove, cupboards, the bathroom, and the living room and dining room are all completed. They also built an extra brick and tile storage shed in the yard and a chicken coop for us."

The only thing we haven't started doing yet is applying the white paint to each room. The weather's been damp and cold lately, making it difficult for the paint to dry. We plan to do it after the New Year. While waiting for the paint to dry completely, we can also use the time to insulate our shop area, so it won't cause any delays.

Jingyan nodded: "It seems like we can move there without any problems in the first half of the year. After the New Year, I'll go and look at some furniture and stuff. We'll need to buy some things eventually."

He Zhijun brushed a stray hair from her ear: "What are your preferences or requirements regarding furniture?"

Jingyan thought for a moment and said, "I want to put Simmons mattresses on the beds on the second and third floors. They will be soft and comfortable to sleep on. I don't have any other requirements. As long as they are usable and sturdy, that's fine. Of course, I want more and bigger bookshelves in the study."

He Zhijun agreed: "Then let's leave these to Liu Qiang and his team. Since we've already contracted them out, we shouldn't bother two people. Anyway, the design he gave us included furniture and the like."

Jingyan didn't care at all. "Okay, you can mention it to them later. By the way, have we paid any money upfront for the renovation? Normally, we should pay a deposit first, then another portion when the project is halfway done, and finally the final payment upon completion. What stage are we at in terms of payment?"

He Zhijun ruffled her hair: "I gave them three thousand yuan. I thought they might not have enough working capital, so I gave it to them first. After the project is completed, they can report back to me and I'll refund any overpayment or make up any underpayment."

Jingyan was fine as long as she knew the progress, so she didn't ask about the details anymore. "Just keep track of the house's progress. By the way, are Mom and Dad coming over tomorrow? How about we go see the new house as a family on the second day of the Lunar New Year?"

Do you think my older brother and sister-in-law will feel bad? Our house was prepared by Mom and Dad, and it was already bigger than theirs. Now we're buying another house, but they have nothing..."

He Zhijun grabbed her hand and laughed, "After we get married, we'll have to manage our own little family. The majority of the money for that house was earned by you. Your older brother and sister-in-law aren't that petty. They work and earn money step by step. They don't save as much as we do, but they're still quite well-off. If we have to compare everything, life will be too tiring. It's not worth it."

Jingyan thought about it and it didn't seem wrong. Her older brothers and sisters lived very different lives, but they didn't seem to have any conflicts. When they got together, their relationship was just as good. So she simply stopped worrying about it.

The next day at noon, the whole family finally gathered together for New Year's Eve dinner at home. While playing mahjong, He Jiaoxu asked about the progress of the house renovation. He Zhijun gave a fairly detailed report. Jing Yan, watching from the side, felt that this scene didn't seem like a father and son chatting, but more like employees doing an annual summary report. Apart from not having a written document, the question-and-answer format was indeed quite impressive.

Seeing Jing Yan's surprised look, Cui Hongru smiled and whispered in her ear, "That's how they've always gotten along. Your dad is only gentle with his daughter-in-law; he talks to his sons like he's disciplining his soldiers."

A few years ago, you didn't notice much difference because he didn't talk much at home, but now he asks more questions whenever there's something to say. See, the lecturing tone has suddenly come through. I wasn't used to his sternness towards our son before.

"But after all these years, I've gotten used to it. At most, I'll smooth things over when he says something really nasty. If you feel pressured, we can just go away and ignore him. Anyway, Zhijun won't get beaten up."

Jing Yan looked at Cui Hongru with a horrified expression: "Why do I have to be beaten again?"

Cui Hongru said nonchalantly, "Kids are naughty, isn't it normal for them to get a beating? What, didn't you get a beating when you were kids?"

Jingyan shook her head: "No, my eldest brother is eighteen years older than me. He was already working when I had any memories, so I don't know if he was beaten when he was a child. But in my memory, my third brother was the most disliked child in the whole family."

The neighbors would always come to complain, saying things like, "She made this child cry today," or "She cut off that girl's braids tomorrow." She was always getting into trouble, but my parents never laid a hand on her. At most, they'd punish her by making her do chores. I was a very mischievous child, and whenever I made a mistake, I was only punished, never hit.

At this moment, Cui Hongru had great respect for Jing Yan's parents: "Your family has eight children and you still managed not to hit them, they must be quite something. My family only has two, and when they were little, two feather dusters were broken from all the beatings they received."

Later, his father replaced it with a bamboo cane, which was thicker and less prone to breakage. As they grew older and calmer, the house finally became quiet, and that bamboo cane hasn't been used for many years.

Jingyan felt pain just listening to it, "It seems my family is still the gentler one."

Cui Hongru chuckled.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted while playing cards, and the father played cards while listening to reports. The couple were masters of multitasking. They had asked almost everything they needed to know. He Jiaoxu made the decision with one sentence: "Then let's go on the second day of the new year. Our family will go to Changxing Island to see how your house is decorated."

Every year during the Spring Festival, it's pretty much the same. Early on the second day of the Lunar New Year, the whole family sets off in a big group. Sister Wang originally wanted to stay at home, but she was persuaded to come along. Jingyan felt that their relationship with Sister Wang was no longer just a simple employer-employee relationship, but more like that of family. She also wanted Sister Wang to see the new house that belonged to her personally. Sister Wang couldn't refuse, so she had to go with them.

On the way, Cui Hongru mentioned her son in Yangzhou: "Your son came to my house before the New Year to inquire about you. He said he heard that your husband was looking for you everywhere. Your son changed his name, and his appearance has changed a lot since he was a child, so that man couldn't find him."

But your son is aware of him and knows that person wants to bring you back to take care of him, so he came to my house and asked me to tell you when he has a chance to tell you that it's best not to go back to Yangzhou, lest he find you and disturb your peace.

Sister Wang was very calm and nodded: "I have no intention of going back. It's good here in Jingyan. They don't treat me like an outsider. It's very comfortable to get along with them. It's almost like my own home. As long as I can still work, I have no plans to leave."

Cui Hongru sighed and advised, "Actually, you're not that old. If you meet the right person, you can remarry. With Jingyan and the others here, if you suffer any grievances, Zhijun can stand up for you. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone who cares about you?"

Sister Wang shook her head: "I'm not young anymore, almost fifty. With Jingyan and Auntie here, I'm not lonely at all. Our three children are very well-behaved and easy to take care of. This kind of life is fulfilling. There's no need for me to find another old man to serve me."

I don't plan to remarry. When I can no longer work and have my own savings, I'll ask Zhijun to inquire about the nursing home my aunt used to live in. If I can get in, my later years will be secure, and I won't be a burden on my son. That would be perfect.

Cui Hongru thought about it and agreed, so she didn't continue. She then changed the subject and started talking about the children's daily lives. When she heard Sister Wang say that Zhizhi was bullying An'an, and An'an just endured it without fighting back, she was amused. Who would have thought that such a young child could dote on her younger sister like that? As they talked, they arrived at their new home.

Most of the renovation materials are piled up on the first floor, along with a lot of wooden planks that are intended for basement storage cabinets. The kitchen cabinets are also planned to be nailed together by the owners themselves, rather than being purchased ready-made. So the items are a bit miscellaneous, but they are still relatively clean and organized, with everything stacked in categories.

He Jiaoxu was quite satisfied with the scene: "The renovation workers you hired are good at their work, clean, and very nice." After carefully inspecting each room, he was even more satisfied: "The renovation is not much different from the drawings, and the work is done meticulously. Did they also build the storage room outside?"

He Zhijun quickly replied, "Yes, we didn't consider this when we were making the plan. It was only after I bought the coal that I realized we had nowhere to put it. That's why Liu Qiang converted this place into a warehouse and built a chicken coop for us. Once we move in and raise a few chickens, the kids won't have to worry about eggs."

Zhou Jie followed Cui Hongru to look around, and Jing Yan led them up to the second floor: "The two bedrooms here are for Zhizhi and Sister Wang, one each. The two bedrooms on the third floor are for Xiaoli and An'an. The boys live on the third floor, which is a good way for them to burn off their excess energy."

Zhou Jie entered the room and saw that the two rooms were almost the same. She turned around and smiled, "One room is enough for the two children. There is no need for them to occupy a separate room."

Jing Yan smiled and shook her head: "Right now, it's fine for several children to share a room, but as they grow up, they'll all want their own space. Since we have enough rooms, we'll prepare some in advance."

Xiao Li lives alone now, only sleeping on the kang (heated brick bed) with her grandma in winter. It will be the same when she comes here; she'll sleep with her grandma in winter and go back to her own room the rest of the time. I'm also planning to put Simmons mattresses on every bed; they'll be soft and comfortable.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jie said, "You want me to make a Simmons mattress too? Then I'll make the bedding for the house." She didn't want to owe too many favors; she already owed favors for her child's schooling, but she was willing to do more for her child's life.

Jingyan quickly interrupted her, saying, "Sister-in-law, don't be so formal. Xiaoli is our nephew too. How can we treat him any differently than our own child? Besides, these things are provided for every room. They weren't prepared just for him. Don't be so particular with me."

The children didn't have so many worries and concerns. They ran around up and down the stairs with great enthusiasm. The basement was their favorite place, which made Jingyan wonder if she should put some toys and facilities for the children to play with there, since there was enough space.

He Zhicheng pointed to a corner of the yard: "How about we make a swing chair here? When Zhizhi grows up a bit, she can sit here and read. Just thinking about that scene makes me feel so happy."

He Zhijun nodded: "Yes, if we plant a few more climbing roses nearby, they will look even better when they bloom in the summer and climb on both sides of the swing chair."

Jingyan, standing to the side, pursed her lips and said, "You'll spoil the child like this."

The two brothers were in agreement at this point: "Girls should be pampered."

Well, Jingyan was too lazy to argue with them. If they wanted to do it, so be it. But she added, "Make the swing chair bigger so I can sit on it too."

He Zhijun...

He Zhicheng...

Zhou Jie laughed out loud: "Sister-in-law really is... childlike."

After looking at the house, everyone strolled around the island. He Jiaoxu rarely showed a relaxed feeling: "The construction here is really good. It looks like there are quite a few residents on this island. It might be able to develop into an independent town in the future. The prospects are good."

He Zhijun added, "The factories here are all related to the military. Private enterprises are not allowed here; they are all state-owned enterprises, and security is quite strict."