Courtyard House: After disbanding the Elderly Care Gang, I went to the countryside to cultivate immo

The planned settlement for educated youth is very close to Grandma Hu Liu's house.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, roosters in the village crowed in unison.

Lin Shengli and the other three educated youths had already gathered at the designated open space.

The morning breeze carried a slight chill, but it couldn't extinguish the burning passion in their hearts.

Soon, footsteps and voices approached from afar.

Team leader Hu Guangming, carrying a gleaming copper tobacco pipe, led the village's male laborers, who were also carrying iron shovels, pickaxes, carrying poles, and baskets of soil, in a grand procession.

Hu Guangming walked closer, his gaze sweeping over the four young faces, then looking at the members who were gradually arriving. He took a deep drag on his pipe, exhaling a thick cloud of blue smoke, before speaking in a loud and clear voice:

"Comrades, educated youth! Our top priority today is to set up this educated youth settlement! Originally, according to the higher-ups' requirements, it should have been built long ago, but we were too busy with farming recently. Now that it's the off-season, and the weather is cooperating, we must get to work and build the houses solidly before the corn harvest, so that our educated youth will have a warm and bright home!"

His words drew a chorus of agreement.

Then, Hu Guangming called out, "Old Pao! Come and take a look!"

A robust man in his forties stepped out from the crowd; it was Hu Laopao.

He wasn't very tall, but he had broad shoulders and a thick back. The muscles on his arms were clearly visible under his faded white shirt. He had a dark red face, bright and piercing eyes, and walked with a brisk pace.

Hu Laopao was a well-known talent in Kaoshantun, with two excellent skills: building houses and hunting. In Kaoshantun and even several nearby villages, people would ask him to take the lead in building houses, kang beds, and stoves. He was also a hunter, and he was so skilled with a homemade gun that he was the nemesis of wild animals in the mountains.

Hu Guangming led Hu Laopao on a slow walk around the marked area.

After reading it, Hu Guangming stopped and said to Hu Laopao, "Laopao, here's the situation. The higher-ups have requirements. Our educated youth settlement needs to build two dormitories, one for the boys and one for the girls. We also need to build a separate small kitchen. There might be more educated youth coming in the future, so you need to keep that in mind and plan for the future in a spacious and long-term way."

Upon hearing this, Hu Laopao raised his thick eyebrows in slight surprise: "Brother Guangming, are you saying that educated youth will come to our remote mountain village?"

Hu Guangming nodded, his tone certain: "Yes, Shengli and his group are the first batch to take the lead. I went to a meeting in the township the other day and specifically inquired about it. The township officials said that in response to the call, more and more educated youth will be going to the countryside, and we should be prepared, and make sure that the male and female dormitories are ready."

Hu Laopao said "Oh" and didn't ask any more questions, but he started to think about it in his mind.

He carefully measured the area of ​​the foundation with his feet, pondered for a moment, and pointed to the open space, saying, "I think this piece of land is well chosen. It's high up, doesn't retain water, faces the sun, and is bright. Let's build two three-bay adobe houses facing each other, one for the boy and one for the girl, running north to south. We'll leave a large, square courtyard between the two houses, so it'll be convenient for the children to hold meetings, study, and dry their clothes and bedding. We'll surround the courtyard with an earthen wall, making it look like a proper house."

Hu Guangming listened and nodded, adding, "Your idea is good! I think we should build it the way you said. Also, we should build a small kitchen and a stove in the southeast corner of the yard. In the southwest corner, we should build a woodshed so that there's a place to store the firewood for heating the kang (heated brick bed) in winter. Furthermore, we can move the north wall back about twenty meters to enclose a plot of land for these city kids to grow vegetables. It'll be good exercise and can supplement their diet."

Hu Guangming combined their ideas and explained them to everyone loudly.

Everyone thought the plan was thoughtful and practical.

The two buildings, facing south, had mud walls and thatched roofs. Each building had three rooms with a door in the middle. Inside, against the back wall, was a large, open-plan kang (heated brick bed) running east to west. Opposite the kang was a walkway and space for storing chests, cabinets, and miscellaneous items. Simple, practical, and warm, this was the most common layout of collective dormitories in rural Northeast China at that time, and it also suited the living habits of the villagers.

At this moment, Grandpa Hu, with his white beard, strolled over. He took a puff of his pipe, squinted at the open space, and said, "The plan is finalized. The most important thing right now is to make the mud bricks quickly! These past two days have been sunny and dry, so the bricks will be firm. We also need to prepare enough thatch for the roof. We need to choose the longest and toughest thatch and dry it thoroughly. Thatching the roof is a technical job. If it's not done well, when the northwest wind blows in winter, snow will pour in and the wind will leak in. The children will suffer terribly."

Grandpa Hu was a veteran in the village, and everyone trusted his words.

As the educated youth listened to these simple yet thoughtful arrangements, they looked at each other, and a warm feeling welled up in their hearts.

They knew that life in Kaoshantun was not easy, and every household had its own troubles. But in order to settle these educated youth from outside the village, everyone from the team leader to the ordinary members contributed their labor without complaint and considered everything so thoroughly. This deep friendship was truly rare.

Lin Shengli was deeply moved. He stepped forward and said sincerely, "Captain, Third Grandfather, uncles and elder brothers, building a house for us is a big deal. The wages, the material costs..."

Before he could finish speaking, Hu Guangming waved his hand and said, "Shengli, you don't need to worry about that! The township has a special fund for the resettlement of educated youth. Although it's not much, it's enough to cover the basic materials. It's only right and proper for our village to provide labor; we're all contributing to socialist construction!" He looked around at everyone and raised his voice, "So, shall we get started now?"

"Damn it!" the crowd shouted in unison, their voices so loud that they startled a few sparrows in a distant tree.

The atmosphere was lively, but Lin Shengli hesitated for a moment before speaking again: "Captain, uncles and elders, I have a favor to ask, something I'd like to discuss with you all."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him.

Lin Shengli cleared his throat and said seriously, "I'm currently staying at Grandma Hu Liu's house. Grandma, Shuanzi, and Yadan treat me like family. However, I'm now also responsible for the village's health worker. In the future, more and more villagers will come to see me for treatment. Some patients need observation, need dressing changes, and some herbal decoctions need to be decocted for a long time. Doing these things at Grandma's house is inconvenient, and I'm also worried that if there's an infectious disease, it might pass on to Shuanzi and Yadan. In addition, I need a special, clean place to store the medicinal herbs and medical equipment I've purchased."

He paused, observed everyone's reaction, and continued, "So I was thinking, could you build me a small house on this open space between Grandma Liu's house and our educated youth settlement? It doesn't need to be big, just three rooms. I'll pay for the money and the main materials myself."

Upon hearing this, everyone began to whisper among themselves.

Lin Shengli then explained his plan: "The house will be built close to the educated youth settlement and next to Grandma Hu's house, so it will be convenient to take care of her. I plan to build three rooms. The middle one will be the main room, which will also serve as a clinic, so that villagers will have a place to sit when they come for treatment. I will live in the east room. The west room will be used as a pharmacy and treatment room to store medicines and equipment, and will also be used to change dressings and give injections to patients. In this way, it will be convenient for the villagers to see a doctor, they will have a proper place, and it will not disturb the peace and quiet of Grandma Hu's family. It will also be easier for me to work."

His words were clear, logical, and reasonable. Grandma Hu's family was indeed in poor condition, and Lin Shengli's stay there had already caused trouble.

Now he is an indispensable "Dr. Lin" in the village. Having an independent, decent, and fully functional place to work and live is indeed a great thing for the health and medical care of the whole village.

Hu Guangming and several other elderly people, including Hu Sanye and Hu Laopao, discussed something in hushed tones.

Hu Guangming turned to Lin Shengli and asked, "Shengli, it's good that you want to pay for and provide the materials yourself; the team can provide the labor, that's no problem. But the money and materials aren't a small amount, you…"

"Don't worry, Captain," Lin Shengli said confidently, "I have some money here. It should be enough to build these three small mud houses."

He didn't give a specific amount, but his certainty was reassuring. "As for materials, the team might need to help. Bricks, tiles, lime, and the like. We'll see if the village can help me buy some from the commune or county when they make purchases for the educated youth settlement. We'll try to avoid using the team's reserves, and I'll pay for it myself."

This shows a very humble attitude, addressing both one's own practical needs and considering the well-being of the village, trying not to add any burden to the collective.

"I think it's a good idea!" Grandpa Hu nodded first, tapping his pipe lightly against the sole of his shoe. "Shengli is a good kid, thoughtful and considerate. He's doing this for the benefit of the whole village, and he's even willing to pay out of his own pocket. No complaints! The timber issue is easy to handle. Our Kaoshan Village has plenty of timber, though!"

Old Hu patted his chest and said in a booming voice, "Shengli, don't worry! Leave this little courtyard to me! I'll make sure it's sturdy and bright, no worse than the dormitories at the educated youth settlement!"

The matter was settled amicably just like that.

Building collective dormitories for educated youth and constructing a private courtyard for Lin Shengli, an "unofficial sanitation worker," have become two closely related major events in Kaoshantun.

The next day, the news spread like wildfire, reaching every corner of Kaoshantun.

The first step in building a house is to select a precise site and lay a solid foundation.

As the commander-in-chief, Hu Laopao personally led several experienced commune members, carrying hemp ropes and sharpened wooden stakes, to repeatedly measure and trace the designated open space. They used long hemp ropes, wooden stakes, and lime to draw clear outlines of houses and foundation directions on the ground.

The two buildings at the educated youth settlement are neatly symmetrical, facing each other. Lin Shengli's courtyard is located next to the west side of the educated youth settlement, slightly offset, with a path leading to it. It has its own independent entrance and exit, while maintaining a convenient distance from the educated youth settlement, forming a small building complex that is both independent and connected.

Once the location was decided, almost all the able-bodied men in the village were mobilized.

The men divided into several groups, wielding heavy picks and sharp iron spades, and began digging foundation trenches according to the drawn white lime lines. It was hard work; sometimes a single swing of the pick could only dig up a patch of frozen soil, but no one complained of being tired.

The sturdy men took off their coats, wearing only shirts, and continued working with great enthusiasm, sweat streaming down their bronze backs.

Laughter, banter, and rhythmic chants rose and fell in waves.

"Hey! Keep it up! The foundation is deep and solid!"

"Old Nian, did you skip breakfast or something? Is this a rat hole you've dug? Dig it wider!"

"Old Hu, look at your eldest son! Those muscles in his arms, he swings the pickaxe with such force, he's almost as strong as a young calf! What a promising young man!"

The women and teenagers were not idle either. The women were responsible for clearing the excavated soil and stones, carrying them in baskets to the side to pile them up for later use in making mud bricks.

The older women began to prepare the wheat straw for mixing with mud, chopping it into small pieces with a chaff cutter.

The children, like happy sparrows, ran around, helping to pass tools and water bowls. Although they couldn't be of much help, their cheerful figures and crisp laughter added boundless vitality to the busy construction site.

The more important task was to "make adobe bricks." On the other side of the threshing ground, where a leveled open space had been prepared, several large rectangular mud pits were dug out.

Several strong members of the commune carried well water and poured it into the pool, adding high-quality yellow clay and chopped wheat straw. Then they jumped in barefoot, repeatedly stomping and stirring the mud until it became uniform, sticky, and elastic. This was the raw material for making adobe bricks.

The molding mold is a long, rectangular wooden frame. Two people work together in a team, cooperating seamlessly.

One person used a large iron shovel to vigorously scoop up the kneaded mud, aimed at the wooden mold, and slammed it in with a "thud." Meanwhile, another person quickly bent down and used their hands and a scraper to smooth, compact, and scrape away the excess mud on the surface, their movements clean and efficient.

Then, carefully lift the wooden mold, and a rectangular, wet, neatly edged clay block is left on the flat ground.

And so, one piece, two pieces, three pieces... row after row, column after column of clay bricks were made and neatly arranged in the open space, exposed to the sun.

This was a job that required a great deal of strength and skillful teamwork. Before long, the members responsible for making the clay bricks were all drenched in sweat, their hands, arms, and trouser legs covered in mud spots. But looking at the rows and rows of clay bricks that were gradually extending in front of them, everyone had a satisfied and proud smile on their face.

Lin Shengli has been spending almost all his time at the construction site these past few days. In addition to helping with tasks within his capabilities, such as handing over tools and tidying up the site, his more important task is to ensure "logistics".

He knew that building houses was hard physical work, and the commune members were all helping out voluntarily, putting in a lot of effort and sweating profusely. So, he secretly took out some flour from his "storage" and, taking advantage of the evening or early morning, sneaked to the nearby foot of the mountain and riverbank. Using grains or vegetable leaves mixed with spring water as bait, he successfully lured and caught several plump pheasants and rabbits.

He handed the game over to Grandma Hu, who felt sorry for the people who had worked so hard. She used her best skills to mix the flour and either make fragrant pheasant stew with mushrooms and cornbread or mouthwatering stewed rabbit meat, and also cooked a big pot of golden corn porridge.

When these extra "main dishes" were served at lunchtime, the workers were first taken aback, then burst into joyful cheers. "Wow! There's even game! Shengli, did you get this?"

"Dr. Lin, you're so kind of you!"

"This food is like Chinese New Year!"

As everyone ate the juicy wild game and chewed the chewy cornbread, their fatigue seemed to vanish, and they were even more energetic.

Old Hu was particularly interested in the pheasants and rabbits that Lin Shengli had hunted. During the meal, he leaned over to Lin and whispered, "Shengli, you're pretty good! I didn't know you, a city kid, had this skill. What did you use? A slingshot?"

Lin Shengli vaguely said that it was hit by a stone and that he was lucky.

Old Hu was skeptical, but his eyes were full of admiration. He patted Lin Shengli on the shoulder forcefully: "Good lad! You're quite something! When autumn comes, the game in the mountains will be even fatter. How about coming up the mountain with me then? I'll show you what real hunting is like!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Shengli's eyes lit up. He had already been planning to do this, hoping to improve his diet while also better integrating into the local life.

Now that Hu Laopao, an experienced hunter, is leading the way, they can go hunting in the mountains openly and honestly, and even learn real skills! He readily agreed happily.

The days flew by in a flurry of activity.

As the foundation took shape day by day, the mud bricks piled higher and higher, and the timber gradually became available, the educated youth became happier and happier.