The mulberry life of a small peasant girl

Chapter 12

The mud master walked around the house, and said in a rather embarrassed way: "Brother, to be honest, your house may not be able to withstand the toss. The thatch will be replaced every few years, and you must have a lot of it." Hasn’t it been changed in the year? And… some families here will replace the thatched grass below with earthen walls, otherwise the wind will seep into the house in winter, even if you build an earthen kang, it will not be warm.”

Zhang De also knew that this house was not suitable for people to live in. In previous years, he would work in the county until the [-]th year of the new year, rest for a few days, and go out again in the third year of the junior high school.It's different now, the two little children are weak and can't stand the cold, and many children from poor families die after a cold.Thinking of this, he shuddered suddenly.

"Master, what do you think is going to be done now? Calculate the money, if you can, go for it."

The mud master pondered for a while, before he said: "Brother, no one in these ten miles and eight villages knows me, Lao Li. The house I built is the most solid, and I don't cheat the neighbor's money. If you want to save a little, you can do it yourself." Pick up big rocks in the mountains, and then move here, and prepare the thatch again. I won’t charge for the materials, and you can just pay for my labor. When you come down from this room, just give me a penny to ensure that you can survive the winter. I can live there before."

Zhang De thought for a while, and knew that the price was very fair, and he had to start the house early, "Then I will trouble Master Li. When do you think the construction will start?"

"How about this... You first prepare the stones for the foundation. The stones under the earth wall should be at least one meter high. I suggest that you invite a few people you know in the village to move them together. Not the sun."

Zhang De also has a few good brothers in the village, so I can only entrust them with this matter. Fortunately, it is the slack time for farming.

After everything was settled, Master Li left with his two young apprentices.Zhang De felt that it was not too late, so he ordered Nuan Bao to cut up some of the pork he had brought back and invited some brothers to come over for dinner and drinks tonight.Nuan Bao replied yes, and went to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat.

At night, four men in their twenties shouted loudly in front of the yard: "Ade!"

Zhang De took a closer look, frowned and said, "Why do you bring things here? Take them back quickly!" It turned out that the brothers had learned that Zhang De had invited several of them at the same time, and farmers generally didn't have much leftover rations, so let them After a meal like this, it is estimated that Ade would have to stop cooking for a few days, so everyone tacitly agreed that you would bring a handful of cabbage, I would bring a ladle of tofu, and he would bring a piece of bacon.

Of course, a few people didn't listen to him, and went home after clamoring that they wouldn't be allowed in. It was not uncommon for them to come.

Zhang De was a little moved. These are all brothers who grew up playing with each other. They are not real brothers but they are better than real brothers. When they were young, they both wore a pair of open crotch pants and grew up eating a bowl of rice.Now that these brothers have become families, the mother-in-law in the family like before will definitely not be happy, and I can't let my brothers feel ashamed.Ugh……

One of the tall men said, "Ade, since you asked us to come, why don't you invite us in quickly."

Zhang De knew that being polite would only appear hypocritical, so he called out the names of Nuan Bao and Xiao Fu loudly, asking them to identify him.

Nuan Bao had been hiding in the room to peek when they came to the door, and heard her uncle calling her, and took Xiao Fu's hand to go out.

Zhang Dela held Nuanbao and pointed them out to the four of them, "This is my adopted baby. I didn't have time to show you for recognition before. The older one is Nuanbao, and the younger one is Xiaofu."

Several people boasted that the two babies look good, and Ade will enjoy the blessing of the next generation in the future.

Nuan Bao grinned and said to the men: "Uncle invites all uncles to come today, but asks uncles to spend money. I'm really sorry. Nuan Bao will make five-flowered pork for everyone tonight. If it doesn't taste good, all uncles Don't be offended."

The youngest man among them said: "Hey... this baby is so clever, why don't you tell my family Dawang, and everyone can kiss and kiss, how about it?"

"Hey, you Liangzi, your son is still younger than others, what kind of crooked idea are you playing!"

The man said indifferently: "What's the matter, the female junior is holding a gold brick, that's all right."

Zhang De saw that these people were talking without thinking. He thought it was the same as before, when a few men gathered in the grass and talked about women, why didn't they see that the children were still there.Quickly cut off the conversation, "Come in and sit down, Nuan girl will pour water for everyone."

Nuan Bao smiled, these uncles are very talkative, how could her uncle, who is so dull, make such friends.

Zhang De invited them to sit down and began to tell the reason for inviting them here today.

Nuan Bao hid in the kitchen, five adults and two children, no matter what, five dishes were enough.A pork belly, a potato stew, a scrambled egg, a corn soup, and a spicy cabbage.

After ordering Xiaofu to go to the village to make a pot of wine, Nuan Bao started to get busy.

After the food and wine were served, Zhang De and his brothers talked about the same thing. The most important thing was that they were going to quarry in the mountains in the south tomorrow.

There are no trees on the big mountain in the south, and one mountain is full of stones. In the early years, the villagers said that this mountain was cursed, and no one dared to go there.Later, gradually, some people went there to move crushed stones to build houses, or to make small appliances such as stone benches and tables. Over time, this rumor gradually faded away.

When laying the foundation, not only wood is used, but also some stones should be surrounded outside, so that the house will not fall easily no matter how wind and rain blows.Several men said that it was rare that Zhang De knew that he wanted the Gu family, and they were willing to help him with this favor, no money was needed, as long as he had a meal when the time came, and he could also come to help when the soil embryo was being beaten.

Everyone patted their stomachs after dinner, and asked them to take the leftovers of Cai Nuanbao home.After all, there is meat, and children in the countryside don't care about eating leftovers.On the contrary, seeing meat in the bowl makes me happy.

The five big men moved the stones for a total of three days, and finally brought back all the stones they needed.Nuanbao has been making big steamed buns for them for the past few days, frying the dozen or so eggs they saved, and the family has become famine again.

On the fourth day, Master Li came early in the morning and directed everyone to tear down the dilapidated thatched hut. Zhang De had already moved out the things in the house, and built a simple wooden shed for the three of them to sleep at night. Where.It was the first time for Nuanbao to live in a wooden shed with ventilation on three sides. It felt so novel, and he didn't feel shabby at all. Fortunately, the weather is fine now, and it won't be windy or rainy.

On the day when the construction started, many villagers came to watch. After all, Zhang De was considered a poor family in the village.Now poor families can build new houses. Although they are still thatched houses, they are much better than the dilapidated houses before.

The adobe house is mixed with mud and thatch, and the clay has been exposed to the sun and clamped with wooden boards, so that the entire wall is rammed.It seems very simple, but it also requires the master to do it well. Otherwise, if the wall is uneven, or if the clay is not enough, the whole wall will collapse at once, and it will kill people if it is pressed down.

I lived in a wooden shed for half a month. When the weather became dry and cold in mid-to-late November, the new house was finally repaired.The new house has a kitchen, which is no longer in the open yard alone as before, and even the toilet has a roof.

In addition, the flavor of the New Year in the village has also begun to grow stronger, and it is time to buy new year goods.

(End of this chapter)