Chapter 38: Time to Build a House

Li Yi returned home to find the front gate wide open. Many people were moving about inside, with ox carts and horse-drawn carriages coming and going, hauling dirt and water.

It turned out his father had already hired people to help make mud bricks. Judging by the yard full of bricks left out to dry, they had clearly been at it for quite some time.

After tethering his red mule and unhitching the cart, Li Yi greeted the workers and headed into the house. He retrieved the sugar jar, a thermos of hot water, and a stack of large bowls.

"Uncles, please take a break and have some sugar water!"

He set up a station on the stone millstone under the eaves to mix the drink. Although it was already 1980, supplies were still scarce. White sugar cost 1.2 yuan per jin at the supply and marketing cooperative. More importantly, it was rationed; a family didn't get many sugar coupons in a year, so to the commune members, it was a real treat.

Hearing that there was sugar water to be had, the workers stopped what they were doing and came over to grab their bowls. Li Yi was generous, putting two large spoonfuls of sugar into each bowl before pouring in the boiling water. The sweet aroma wafted through the air instantly.

Taking advantage of the break, the men began to chat.

"Shankui, time really flies. In the blink of an eye, Yi is already building a house and getting married!"

"You're not kidding. A few years ago, I still saw that kid running around the streets in open-crotch pants, and now he's a grown man."

"Haha, Yi was a troublemaker since he was small. He did plenty of damage to my little orchard!"

"That's nothing, a couple of years ago my family's..."

They traded stories about Li Yi’s past antics, leaving him feeling quite embarrassed. He couldn't refute a word of it, as they weren't wrong. Even setting aside his childhood, once he started school, he became the leader of the village children, leading his little gang to raid one household after another. It could be said that there wasn't a single household with "specialty" crops that hadn't been targeted by him. In recent years, he had even escalated from minor mischief to outright petty theft. Hearing these things brought up made him want to hide.

Remembering he had something to discuss with Tang Xue, Li Yi spoke to Li Shankui: "Dad, I'm heading over to the educated youth quarters. You all keep busy!"

With that, Li Yi took the items he had bought for Tang Xue in town, hopped on his bicycle, and headed straight for the quarters.

These days were the slack season in the fields, and the production team's tasks were simple—mostly gathering pig feed or clearing irrigation ditches—so everyone got off work relatively early. By the time Li Yi arrived, most of the educated youths were back, hanging around in small groups under the shade of the trees, chatting and joking.

It was now June 1980, and most of the educated youths who had connections or talent had already returned to the city. Either their families had found them jobs, or they had been admitted to universities. Those left behind were the ones with neither connections nor prospects; they were the most discouraged, just waiting for time to pass.

To Li Yi, these people seemed particularly dejected. They, in turn, looked down on him. Seeing him zoom past on his bicycle, someone remarked sourly, "Just a hoodlum, what's he so smug about?"

Another chimed in, "Exactly. A real bumpkin. A single bicycle and he acts like he owns the place. What a character!"

"Why bother with him? Do you think what Brother Xu said will work? Can those mushrooms really be sold for money?"

"Probably. Didn't Xu Hong say he found a channel for them? We picked so many this afternoon; we should be able to make at least a few dozen yuan!"

"Dozens of yuan? Can it really be that much?"

"Heh, you know how much that hoodlum pays the village kids per day? It’ll shock you—up to five yuan!"

"Good heavens! Five yuan a day? That’s 150 yuan a month..."

Li Yi ignored them and rode straight to the female dormitory. As he arrived, he saw Zhang Xinyao washing clothes outside. Seeing Li Yi, she immediately called toward the room: "Xiaoxue, your man is here to see you!"

Li Yi chuckled inwardly at being called Tang Xue’s man. This woman was alright; she knew how to treat people.

Tang Xue was inside cleaning. Like the others, she had been working since dawn and only had time to tidy up in the evening. Hearing Zhang Xinyao, she knew it was Li Yi and stepped out. She saw him standing by his bicycle nearby, waiting for her.

Tang Xue had resigned herself to her fate. She had lost her innocence, and even though she had received a notice to return to the city, she didn't dare go home. Since Li Yi was willing to take responsibility and had truly turned over a new leaf, she felt she should give him—and herself—a chance.

"Wait a moment, I'll be right there!"

She quickly went inside to change into a clean set of clothes before coming back out. Walking up to him, she asked, "How did you find the time to come here? Didn't you go to the back mountain to pick up those kids?"

Tang Xue knew that Li Yi had been leading the village children to forage for mountain goods lately. With "spies" like Li Na around, Li Yi had few secrets from her.

"No need, Dongzi and Shitou are with them; it's fine."

Li Yi took a small net bag from his handlebars and handed it to her: "This is for you."

"Sandals?"

Through the net, she saw a pair of plastic sandals, light yellow with metallic ornaments. They looked very pretty.

"Yeah, I saw them at the supply cooperative today and thought they would look good on you, so I bought them."

Tang Xue hesitated for a moment but took them. "It's not easy for you to earn money; don't be so wasteful in the future."

Li Yi smiled. "Buying things for my own wife isn't wasteful at all."

Hearing him call her "wife" repeatedly, Tang Xue blushed deeply. "Keep your voice down, we aren't married yet!"

"That's only a matter of time."

Li Yi then continued, "Actually, I came to discuss something with you—or rather, to ask for your opinion."

"What... what is it?" Tang Xue asked, nervous at his serious tone.

"The family is planning to build a new house. I wanted to ask what kind of house you’d like, and if you have any requirements for the layout?"

"Oh? Why the sudden decision to build?" she asked, surprised.

"I’m planning to marry you, and I’m worried that using the old house as a bridal chamber would be unfair to you, so I'm building a new one."

Before he could finish, Tang Xue said, "It's not unfair. Isn't that how everyone lives these days?"

"I don't care about others. Since I have the ability, I won't let you be wronged," Li Yi said earnestly.

Tang Xue’s heart trembled. She whispered, "You don't have to do this."

"I said I would give you a grand wedding and bring you into my home in style. I, Li Yi, keep my word."

"Okay... thank you."

"Tell me, what do you want for the house? So I can go back and plan it," he said.

"Could you include a place to bathe? You know how inconvenient it is for us women to bathe."

"No problem, I'll design a bathroom."

"And could the kitchen be a bit larger?"

"Sure, bigger is better."

"That's about it."

"Alright, I'll go back and design it according to your wishes. This is our first house; I have to make sure you're satisfied!"

Li Yi chatted with Tang Xue for a little while longer until the sun began to set, then reluctantly left the educated youth quarters.