Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The New House Completed
Li Qinghai gave a bitter smile as he watched Mr. Gu’s back, feeling a bitterness in his heart. This in-law was good in many ways, with a sharp mind, but right from the start his heart was bent, and once that happens, everything he does is biased.
He strolled back to the shabby cave dwelling with his hands behind his back.
Gu Ruhai had already returned. Just as he finished tidying up, he saw his father-in-law walk in and quickly greeted him, "Dad, you must be tired. Wash up; dinner is about to be served."
Now Gu Ruhai wasn’t as stiff around Li Qinghai; at least he could exchange a few polite remarks.
Li Qinghai chuckled, nodded, then washed his face and hands before going inside to eat.
The family was still eating the same meals as the workers.
They fried some peanuts specially for Li Qinghai and brought out the leftover liquor from the New Year. Li Qinghai had a taste for it and would often have a sip or two at mealtimes at home.
Li Qinghai told Gu Ruhai about Mr. Gu’s visit today. Gu Ruhai said nothing, not in a hurry as he would have been in the past.
Gu Ruhai knew in his heart that his old man was startled by his grand gesture, not really sick, just uncomfortable at heart.
He always felt a pang in his heart, supporting the second and third sons without ever making his father proud.
Yet it was this unvalued eldest son who built a big brick house, causing the old man a bit of an emotional slump due to the sudden difference in perception, which would get better over time.
Gu Ruhai was too busy lately to find time to comfort his father’s wounded heart.
Gu Xiaoqing was planning something new for the summer, preparing to introduce new types of snacks.
They’re planning to start selling liangpi, liangmian, and liangfen.
In their area, liangfen and liangmian were known, but Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei had never heard of liangpi.
Gu Xiaoqing had already told Gu Ruhai the tools needed to make liangpi and even drew a blueprint for Gu Ruhai to take to the blacksmith.
They’ll make some at home first, let the family taste test, and if the flavor is approved, then launch it.
Gu Xiaoqing wasn’t worried about the taste; back in the day, she worked for a long time in these snack shops and learned a lot of skills.
The taste was guaranteed to make you want to come back for more.
Back in the day, these snacks were very popular, particularly some small shops; although they were small, their delicious flavors attracted crowds willing to stand in line to try them.
Gu Xiaoqing had already thought it over. Once the weather heats up, selling be eviscerated sheep soup won’t work, and sales of pan-fried and steamed dumplings will likely drop due to the weather.
So she planned to temporarily stop these items and introduce foods suitable for hot weather.
As for the fried noodles, Gu Xiaoqing didn’t plan to stop selling them, not because it’s the business of her uncle and cousins, but because these noodles, unlike their pan-fried and steamed dumplings, were universally accepted as a filling meal.
The fried noodles were a different story from their snacks.
If the fried noodle business were to last long-term, it could develop into a storefront, providing a stable business.
Of course, if her uncles wanted to change their business or if the noodle business wasn’t doing well, Gu Xiaoqing would think of ideas to diversify for Li Weimin and Li Weiqiang.
But for now, it’s a bit too early.
Gu Xiaoqing felt no change was needed yet.
Currently, Gu Xiaoqing’s main focus was still on school.
Half a month passed in a blink, and Gu Ruhai’s house was successfully completed. During this time, Gu Rushan and Gu Ruhe hadn’t shown up at all, and after Mr. Gu’s last visit, he hadn’t come again.
It was as if the Gu Family had suddenly gone silent.
The two-story small building of Gu Ruhai, with five spacious rooms on each floor, had a large courtyard in front with a gate four people wide, wide enough for a car to pass through, not that cars were common in the village.
The entire building was brick and tile, with a flat roof, and the cement finish was smooth and glossy, with every corner meticulously shaped under Li Qinghai’s instructions.
The courtyard walls were also built with red bricks, and outside, everything was finished with cement; the entrance was cement paved, stretching two meters from the courtyard gate to the outside.
Originally, Gu Ruhai wanted to build a screen wall facing the main gate, but Gu Xiaoqing persuaded him not to. In rural areas, this custom, though decorative, could hinder traffic.
Gu Xiaoqing thought that someday cars would be on the agenda, and if there was a screen wall at the main gate, how would a car get in and out? Rather than taking it down later, it was better to consider it from the start.
Of course, when discussing with Gu Ruhai, Gu Xiaoqing didn’t mention cars. She subtly reminded him that a wheelbarrow wouldn’t be viable or practical in the future—better to invest in a three-wheeler or even a tractor. These were the latest rural innovations and transport tools, essential for future access.
These words truly convinced Gu Ruhai.
After experiencing the inconvenience of the wheelbarrow, Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei had already been planning to buy a three-wheeler.
It looked lightweight and much more convenient.
In fact, Gu Ruhai had circled the market several times looking for a three-wheeler. It wasn’t available, so he planned to check in the county town, where rumor had it they were available, though whether tickets were needed was unknown.
Gu Ruhai noticed that the supply and marketing cooperative at the town’s summit had one, and he had long envied it. It was light and efficient, could carry much, and transport people, certainly more appealing than a wheelbarrow.
So Gu Ruhai took his daughter’s suggestion to heart and after a few days of thought, decided against building the wall, as it would indeed be inconvenient.
The two-story house was striking from afar, with the first floor having five rooms, including a large living room, the master bedroom for Gu Ruhai and Li Xuemei, a kitchen and dining area, and a storage room next to the kitchen. Upstairs, each child, Gu Xiaoying, Gu Xiaoqing, and Gu Xiaojie, had their own bedroom, with two extra rooms for guests.
The courtyard also included a separate bathroom designed to Gu Xiaoqing’s standards; though it didn’t have a toilet, thanks to Feng Zhihai’s connections they got a white ceramic squat toilet from the county, set on a cement base with a water tank on the wall, and a string to flush the toilet.
This amazed Li Xuemei and Gu Ruhai.
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