Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

"Guo Zheng, I'm going back first."

By the time Liu Guozheng finished cooking, the lunch break was over and Huang Qiuxia had to go home to cook for her husband and children.

"Sister Huang, wait a moment."

Liu Guozheng found two lunch boxes, filled them up, and asked Huang Qiuxia to take them back home. After returning home, they only needed to make a few steamed buns or cook some porridge, which would be enough for their family to have a meal.

Huang Qiuxia was not polite, nor was there any need to be polite. She knew that this was Liu Guozheng's way of helping her family in disguise. In the future, as long as she worked hard and fulfilled her duties conscientiously, it would be the greatest reward for the office.

"Brother Zheng, I think about it, but it still doesn't work."

After dinner, Liu Guozheng and Lou Xiao'e were resting and drinking tea in the living room when Lou Xiao'e suddenly said this.

"Wife, what you said is incoherent. What's wrong with you?"

"It's about Yu Shui paying for matchmaking for his brother."

"Why can't it work?"

"Think about it, what if that idiot He Yuzhu couldn't see himself clearly and kept dragging his feet on getting married?"

"Alas, wife, you are overthinking it. Yu Shui has thought about this problem a long time ago. She prepared two hundred yuan. After the money is spent, no matter what the result is, she is not going to ask any more questions. As a sister, she has done what she can."

"This is still okay. If it continues, no one can bear it. It will be a huge expense."

"Don't worry, that girl is not stupid."

"Yushui is not stupid, I am stupid."

"Hey, whoever dares to say my wife is stupid, it depends on whether I beat him or not."

"Okay, Liu Guozheng, you mean I'm still stupid."

"Wife, spare my life."

"I'll let you call me stupid, and you'll be done for if I don't punish you."

"Hahaha."

The couple were in the house, talking and laughing, playing and joking, looking so comfortable. This was what Liu Guozheng thought life should be like, with no worries about food and clothing and someone to keep them company.

After playing for a while, the two went back to the house to rest.

It was not until two o'clock in the afternoon, after a good rest, that Lou Xiao'e went to the courtyard again.

Liu Guozheng moved a reclining chair and sat in front of the office to bask in the sun. It was already late autumn and the weather was getting colder, especially in the mornings and evenings. The cold had its benefits. The colder the weather, the more comfortable it was to bask in the sun.

"Brother Zheng, are you asleep?"

When Li Dabao came back, he saw Liu Guozheng basking in the sun.

"Dabao is back. Hey, that's not right. The delivery truck hasn't arrived yet. How did you get back?"

"Brother Zheng, Damao and I came back in the finance department's car."

As he spoke, Li Dabao also moved a recliner out from the lobby.

"Driving the finance department's car? Why not driving the sales department's car?"

"The car in the sales department is a bit big, the smaller car in the finance department is more comfortable to drive."

Wow, Liu Guozheng has encountered two weirdos. A grown man actually likes a three-door small jeep. It's really unique. The mid-sized car originally assigned to the salesperson was neither too big nor too small, just right for driving, but these two guys actually like the smallest one.

"You two brought the finance department's car here, so what did the finance department drive?"

"Brother Zheng, the Finance Department's car has basically never been used except for one used by Yu Shui. Damao and I discussed it and decided to use the car we sold to replace it with theirs."

Not to mention the small car of the Finance Department, Liu Guozheng's car has basically not been moved. The main reason is that Liu Guozheng doesn't want to be too conspicuous. In addition, the road is not good, so Liu Guozheng doesn't want to drive.

"Where's Damao?"

"He drove his car to the factory to show off."

"Okay, as long as he's happy."

"Brother Zheng, I'm going to take a nap first. I'm getting sleepy in the sun."

Liu Guozheng didn't say anything. He was a little sleepy again. It was so comfortable to be in the sun. It was so warm that his eyelids started to droop after a while.

"Ok?"

As soon as I closed my eyes, I felt like someone was blocking the sun for me.

"Sister Xia? When did you come here?"

Liu Guozheng sat up hurriedly, Zhang Xia hadn't been here for a long time.

"Guo Zheng, I have something to talk to you about."

"How about we talk in the living room?"

"No, it's nice to just bask in the sun here."

Liu Guozheng went to the gatehouse again and brought back a chair.

"Sister Xia, what's this matter? Why do you, a busy person, have to come here in person?"

“That’s right, that’s right…”

Zhang Xia still felt a little embarrassed.

"Sister Xia, don't worry, I will never refuse as long as I can help you."

"Guo Zheng, you also know that there are some fifteen or sixteen-year-old children in the welfare home who have not been properly treated. I have also visited many factories these days, but no one is willing to accept them."

"Sister Xia, what do you mean?"

"Guo Zheng, isn't there a technical school in your village? Can you let those kids learn a craft?"

After saying this, Zhang Xia looked at Liu Guozheng with anticipation. These days, she had been really troubled. It was only 62, and there were still six years before the large-scale Up to the Mountains and Down to the Countryside Movement. The placement of these children had always been a problem.

"OK, no problem."

Liu Guozheng thought about it for a moment and agreed. What is most lacking in this era is hard-working laborers, and what is most lacking is technical talents with various skills. As long as you have a skill, it will be no problem to get a job in a factory.

The professions that students hope to learn at Xincun Technical School include chef, driver, and auto mechanic, as these are all talents that are in urgent need at present.

After they finish their studies, they can choose to work at the New Hope Food Factory, which can be regarded as a talent reserve for themselves.

"Guo Zheng, I really came to the right place."

"Sister Xia, our school provides free food and accommodation. Let me make something clear in advance. Anyone who fails the assessment three times each year will be expelled."

"Guo Zheng, isn't that a bit too strict?"

"Sister Xia, we provide the best learning environment. If they themselves are not interested, then why not give the place to someone who is willing to learn."

"That too."

Zhang Xia also understood that Liu Guozheng did this for the good of the children. The children in the welfare house were all orphans. They were at the bottom of society in terms of both their origin and social relations. From childhood to adulthood, their food and drink came partly from government grants and partly from donations from society. For example, most of the material donations to the Red Star Welfare House were provided by the Hope Fund.

Now someone has provided you with learning opportunities, and you don’t have to worry about food, clothing, and shelter. With such good conditions, you are still unwilling to work hard for your future, and others cannot help you even if they want to.

When the technical school was first established, it was actually to help the new village accept children. Not every child could get into high school, technical secondary school or university. These children were not very old, so the technical school gave them another option, which was also a way to succeed.

Maybe it's a bit of an exaggeration to say that they can make a name for themselves, but as long as they can successfully graduate from a technical school, it is easy for them to find a good job, work for a year or two, and then get married, have children, and start their own family.

This can be considered as making due contribution to society from another perspective.

Finally, the tuition fee issue was discussed again. Zhang Xia left satisfied. She was going to the welfare home to do some statistics, and then the group would be arranged to study at the New Hope Technical School.