Siheyuan: Starting from a Truck Driver

During the two-day vacation, Li Aiguo decided to plan the house building carefully.

Breakfast was a pot of cornmeal porridge, a bowl of kimchi, two hot eggs and three scrambled eggs.

Full of pursuit of nutrition.

After eating and drinking, he jumped on his bicycle and headed to the bridge maintenance department in the locomotive depot.

This department focuses on the maintenance and repair of bridges, tunnels and culverts, and is equipped with a number of specialized technical construction teams.

They will come out in full force for major projects, and assist the locomotive depot in repairing buildings on a daily basis. Even when employees' houses need to be renovated, they will come to the bridge maintenance department for help.

First, since everyone belongs to the same unit, the fees are more affordable.

On the one hand, the skills of the masters in the bridge workshop are outstanding.

...

"Squat toilet" Li Aiguo politely rejected Liu Xiaoshan's suggestion.

Since learning that Li Aiguo was a contributor to the railway industry after retirement, Liu Xiaoshan has been very concerned about this topic.

Every day I have to hold my breath and run all the way to the simple toilet outside the courtyard.

Whenever there was cooking smoke, the house would be filled with a thick smell of fumes, and thick greasy marks would gradually accumulate under the sheets and on the walls.

"The concrete has not yet been finalized, so we cannot directly ask the Materials Department for help with the painting materials." Li Aiguo nodded in response.

This should be an old cadre who has been fighting on the front line for a long time.

I touched the wall with my fingers and explained, "The bricks at the foundation of the wall have not yet corroded to a certain extent. We need to pour concrete again to reinforce it, and then paint it with white lime. This way, it will be stable and strong."

"Director, looking for you?"

In that era, honorable titles often won respect for individuals and even brought them tangible benefits.

The eight young supervisors gathered next to the toilet in tacit understanding, leaning on a bamboo pole as a mark.

Li Aiguo handed Liu Xiaoshan a cigarette: "We need to improve the drainage facilities and direct the waste water to the external pipe system."

A tall, dark-skinned middle-aged lady in her seventies walked in.

...

"That's Liu Xiaoshan, the captain of the Seventh Construction Engineering Team."

To make delicious and affordable food.

"Okay, let's do it this way." Li Aiguo agreed.

"Is it feasible?" Li Aiguo was slightly excited.

In this day and age, the most practical need is probably to have one's own kitchen and bathroom.

Maintaining the simple essence of the working people can become a kind of decoration.

It was a hot summer day and it was uncomfortable outside.

"It's just a light repair, cleaning the house inside and out. He also knows that your old house is next to the Qiheyuan, it's hundreds of years old and in a dilapidated state."

"No, man. Although we are happy to take advantage of the group, it will be found out by others."

It not only achieves the sound insulation effect, but also pays attention to the beautiful appearance.

"Of course we can do it. Let alone that small project, your locomotive section's construction team can make people like Liu Xiaoshan handle it with ease. You can complete this big job within eight days."

Liu Xiaoshan frowned: "This is too luxurious."

In cold winter, water may freeze inside the toilet, making going to the toilet a hidden danger.

Walk back outside and look around.

"There haven't been any major projects lately, so the two teams are idle." The director puffed on his cigarette and looked at Li Aiguo and asked, "Does he need a simple repair, or a whole house renovation?"

As a worker, you must remain a worker.

Going back to the previous life, in the previous life, those titles were just empty names, and often due to too much criticism, they might suffer certain restrictions in the process of promotion.

"He is Comrade Li Aiguo, also a retired railway worker from our locomotive section. My family needs to renovate the house."

Li Aiguo pointed to the house and introduced the details.

And in winter, it is freezing cold.

"You're not driving today? Why don't you stay home and rest?" the director asked with concern.

This is the Qiheyuan.

“Captain Liu, that’s not your house. Your idea was to paint the interior white and separate the two rooms with a brick-thick partition.”

Two years later, the storm is coming.

When Liu Xiaoshan heard that he was called "the first retired railway worker", his expression immediately became serious.

From now on, the Li family's house was no longer divided, but only separated by cloth curtains.

Whenever the breeze blows, those who are alienated from the masses will suffer the consequences.

Is there a toilet?

A moment ago.

I reached out my hand with great excitement, shook Li Aiguo's hand tightly, and shook it back and forth: "Comrade Li Aiguo, the work of house repair is entrusted to you. Don't worry, he will definitely be satisfied."

Li Aiguo straightened up, put his hands on the table and said, "Now that you live on your own, your savings are enough to build a house."

During the rainy season, the toilet is filled with water and is surrounded by the remains of huge insects.

"We railway workers have a high level of ideological awareness. Go find the captain and ask him to arrange a construction team for us."

"Yes, his father gave up his house at that time. If he could live in the tube-shaped building..." the director pondered, "Then it is decided. The construction fee for this house construction will be reduced by half."

I hesitated for a moment, looked at Li Aiguo and said, "Our materials department doesn't have terrazzo yet. It's not as high-end as blue bricks..."

Used to tap frozen water pipes.

The director of the bridge workshop, who had met Li Aiguo at the commendation meeting, nodded appreciatively and then called the internal phone: "Xiaoshan, there is work."

"You can also connect him to the water pipe, so that he can flush the toilet directly in the room." Liu Xiaoshan said while smoking a cigarette, his eyes narrowed slightly, "Is the layout of his bathroom a squat toilet or a toilet? There is a toilet in the expert building. There are some wastes next to your engineering team's warehouse, you can take one out for him to use."

"Let him wait for a moment, you two go out for a walk first."

......

Is there a kitchen?

Even if tunnels hundreds of meters long have been built and seven-story buildings have been constructed, wouldn't it be a piece of cake to build a tiled house?

Liu Xiaoshan took the cigarette and smiled honestly:

Yet it always makes people feel uncomfortable.

The workers who can receive that honor must be those who have made significant contributions to national construction and railway industry.

Standing at the door of Li's house:

"Mr. Director."

It would be even better if the paint could be obtained to add a layer of waterproof protection.

Every time I enter the toilet, I need to muster up my courage.

Usually when there are no visitors, it would be more convenient to use the toilet.

Although I know that this is a low-protein food,

The cold wind tightened the birds' necks.

Liu Xiaoshan nodded and pointed to the corner of the wall and said, "There is no rat nest here. It seems that the bricks and stones on the ground must be completely removed and replaced with new blue bricks..."

"No problem, just come over tomorrow with the design drawings and the necessary materials."

"It doesn't matter if you don't use blue bricks, you can cover them with a layer of cement, which will be equally strong."

but……

Liu Xiaoshan walked around the outer room and suddenly asked, "Comrade Li Aiguo, if he wants to imitate the design of the expert building and set up a separate kitchen and bathroom indoors, how should he do it?"

Zhang Yazhi hosted a banquet

Considering that the construction team will officially enter the site, the mason's work is done.

Li Aiguo paid all the wages to the bricklayer, a total of five dollars as compensation for two days.

"You gave me too much. Only four pieces are needed." Although the bricklayer was an honest man, he still insisted on returning one piece to Li Aiguo.

Li Aiguo stopped him: "Uncle, these are the children's tuition fees."

Hearing this, tears welled up in the corners of the bricklayer's eyes. He thought that his experience at the Jia family a few days ago had made him realize that there were good people in the yard, too.

---

The construction crew will be here tomorrow.

Everything in the house needs to be cleared out to make room.

If Xu Damao lived in modern times, he would definitely not sell his wife. Perhaps he should go to the street office to go through some procedures.

"Wish him well first."

---

Jia Dongxu patted his back and curled his lips, saying, "This is nothing new. Li Aiguo will get a lesson sooner or later for offending the hooligans inside."

After returning to the dormitory, I prepared to take a short rest before going online to play a game.

After dinner.

Lu Yongshuang was really afraid that Aunt Liu would move away.

Whenever she started talking, she would always lead the conversation to the topic of marriage. Because no one had lived in the house for a long time, there was not even a straw mat outside.

Did Li Aiguo really offend the gangsters? She began to think about this question.

Li Aiguo handed the clothes to He Yushui and asked her to help take them away.

Heavy objects such as round tables, cabinets, stoves, etc. were placed under the eaves outside the door.

Aunt Liu smiled and said, "The girl I mentioned to you last time is pretty good. Not only is she pretty, but she also comes from a good family..."

At this time, Zhang Yazhi came out holding the washbasin.

For those people, the street office or the Women's Federation may be powerless to do anything. We must find another way... maybe we should find a place to avoid them.

The place we lived in was a tube-style building with only one floor and no heating facilities.

"The child's knowledge is too shallow."

Aunt Liu rode her bicycle to the street office. As soon as she arrived at the door, she saw the door next door was opened.

"Sister Zhi, go take a shower." Aunt Liu greeted her with a smile as if nothing had happened, as if she had discovered it by chance.

"indeed..."

Since Jia Dongxu got engaged to the Lou family,

Whenever someone praised him for marrying a girl with little money,

Zhang Yazhi would heave a sigh of relief, blushing slightly, and ask, "He just moved in?"

Without the stove,

Aunt Liu took He Yushui to sort out the clothes outside the courtyard gate.

Her wet hair was gathered in front of her forehead, a small red scarf was hung on her shoulders, she wore a printed blue shirt and shorts, and plastic sandals on her feet.

Jia Dongxu walked out with his hands behind his back.

Lu Yongshuang came over and asked curiously, "Aiguo, are you planning to move?"

Some train drivers, like Aunt Liu, live in dormitory buildings.

I couldn't take a shower because there was no bathroom on the rooftop.

"Is his marriage with the Lou family settled?" As he said this, he threw a cigarette to Jia Dongxu.

It was also to help Liu Changjiu solve his doubts.

After all, Lou Zhenhua is wearing the halo of "patriotic capitalist" at this moment.

The clothes and quilts will be temporarily stored at Liu's house.