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

With the foundation compacted, the mud bricks dried, and the timber prepared, the most important part of building a house—building the walls and installing the beams—finally arrived.

The main force in building the wall was Old Hu, who led several of the most skilled "master craftsmen" in the village. These veterans had all learned their craft from Old Hu, and although the oldest was only in his early forties, they were the pillars of the village's house-building business.

They used kneaded yellow clay as a binder to stack the hardened clay bricks together in a staggered pattern.

The master craftsman stood atop the gradually rising wall, while the "junior craftsmen" below continuously hoisted mud bricks and slurry into baskets.

Old Hu held a wooden level in his hand, occasionally gesturing it against the wall. If he saw a slight deviation, he would shout loudly, "The east end is half a finger too high, press it down!" His voice was loud and authoritative, and no one on the construction site dared to slack off.

Lin Shengli was also helping to transport adobe bricks and mud.

Watching the walls built perfectly straight under Hu Laopao's direction, with the mortar joints smoothed evenly and fully, one can't help but admire the keen eyes and skill of these master craftsmen.

"Victory, look at this wall," Old Hu said, pointing to the wall that had been built up to half a person's height during a break. "Don't be fooled by how wet and ugly the yellow mud looks now. Once it dries, it will be as hard as stone. The soil in our Black Pine Gully is good and very sticky. The houses built there can withstand decades of wind and rain."

Lin Shengli gave a thumbs up: "Uncle Hu, your skills are truly excellent."

Old Hu laughed, revealing his teeth stained yellow from smoking.

With many hands making light work, the main structures of the two dormitories at the educated youth settlement were quickly completed, and the group then moved on to the residential plot designated for Lin Shengli.

Because Lin Shengli had higher requirements, the lower half of the walls of his courtyard were made of blue bricks, which he paid a considerable sum to Hu Guangming to buy from the countryside, while the upper half was still made of mud bricks.

The blue brick section was built about three feet high. Hu Laopao said it was for moisture and alkali prevention, which could extend the life of the house. This circle of blue bricks made the courtyard look particularly neat, attracting many villagers to watch.

"Victory's house has a very solid foundation," said Wang Laoliu, the village's old carpenter, touching the blue bricks. "These bricks look like top-quality kiln bricks; one of them must be worth ten mud bricks, right?"

Lin Shengli smiled but didn't reply. These blue bricks had indeed cost him a lot of his savings, but when he thought that this was his first real home in this world, he felt that it was all worth it.

In just a few days, the walls of the two dormitories for educated youth and Lin Shengli's courtyard were erected, and doors and windows were also opened.

The rough mud walls gleamed yellowish-brown in the sunlight; though simple, they gave a sense of solidity and stability.

In particular, Lin Shengli's courtyard, with its blue brick base and mud-brick exterior, is already taking shape, drawing praise from the villagers who gathered around.

Next comes the most crucial and festive part – the raising of the beam.

According to the traditions passed down from the older generation, raising the roof beam requires choosing an auspicious time, setting off firecrackers, singing a "roof-raising song," and scattering steamed buns and candies, symbolizing a sturdy house and abundant food and clothing for the residents, leading to a sweet life. However, nowadays, none of these old customs are used. Nevertheless, everyone still made an excuse that the main structure of the house needs to be aired out for a few days and tacitly chose a good day. According to Grandma Hu Liu in private, this is an auspicious day for "breaking ground and raising the roof beam."

The weather was beautiful on the day the roof beam was raised; the autumn sky was clear and crisp, and the sky was a vibrant blue, as if it had been washed clean.

Almost everyone in the village came, and the construction site was surrounded by layers of people. Children darted in and out of the crowd, while adults gathered in twos and threes, discussing what the new house would look like.

Several elderly people, leaning on their canes, watched from afar with smiles of satisfaction on their faces—new houses had been built in the village, a sign of prosperity.

Seeing that it was almost time, Hu Guangming gave the order, and several strong men, under Hu Laopao's command, used thick hemp ropes and wooden levers, chanting in unison, to slowly lift the main beam.

The main beam was a thick pine tree, a good piece of material that Hu Guangming took out from the warehouse. It was straight and symmetrical, and the bark had been peeled off to reveal the pale yellow wood.

"Heave-ho! Heave-ho!" The men moved forward step by step to the sound of their chants, the beads of sweat on their foreheads glistening in the sunlight.

The main beam slowly rose, aligning with the tenon pre-drilled at the top of the wall. Old Hu stood atop the wall, his eyes fixed on the tenon and the beam, his hands making various hand gestures to direct the movement.

"Hold on! Slow down! Lift half an inch to the left... Okay! Drop!"

With a soft "click," the main beam settled firmly onto the two gable walls. Old Hu pulled a small wooden mallet from his waist and gently tapped the beam three times—a simplified version of the old custom, signifying "rooted firmly in place, as stable as Mount Tai."

"Bravo!" the onlookers cheered in unison. Although there were no firecrackers or ceremonies, the shout of "Bravo!" was exceptionally loud, echoing through the valley.

Several elderly people secretly wiped their eyes. Old Master Wang whispered to his wife beside him, "It's been so many years since I've seen anything like this. I remember when the roof beam of our old house was being raised, my father even scattered copper coins..."

The old lady gently patted him: "Keep your voice down, this kind of thing isn't fashionable anymore. But look how capable these young people are, how sturdy the houses they've built are."

Although no ceremony was held, everyone enjoyed the spectacle immensely. The children were especially excited, running and playing among the crowd as if it were a festival.

Lin Shengli and the other three educated youths excitedly took out their treasured candies and distributed them to the adults and children in the village. They had pooled their money to buy them at the township supply and marketing cooperative. Although it wasn't much, it was a token of their goodwill.

Everyone was happy to receive the candy, especially the children, who carefully unwrapped the candy wrappers, put the candy in their mouths, and were reluctant to chew it.

"Thank you, Dr. Lin!" a little girl said, looking up at her. She was holding two candies in her hand, clearly saving one for her younger brother who couldn't come home.

Lin Shengli patted her head: "Eat up, come visit often in the future."

With the main beam in place, the rest of the purlins and rafters were installed much faster. These secondary beams and rafters had already been prepared, cut to size, planed, and piled up to the side.

The men worked swiftly, placing the beams onto the roof one by one and securing them with nails. In less than half a day, the outline of the entire roof frame was complete, resembling a giant fish skeleton from a distance.

Then, a curtain made of reeds was laid on the rafters, and a thick layer of tamped soil was placed on top. This layer of soil had to be spread evenly without any cracks, otherwise it would leak. Old Hu personally inspected it, and if he saw any uneven areas, he would make it redo the work.

"You can't be careless about the roof," he told the young men. "It's convenient now, but it will be a problem when it rains. If it rains heavily outside and drizzles inside, life will be unbearable."

Finally, there is the most important material for thatching the roof—thatch.

The women and children in the village had already gone out together to the riverbank and meadows to cut down tall, high-quality thatch with sickles, bundle it up, and transport it back to dry.

The thatch should be selected with thick, tough stems that turn golden yellow after drying, making it an excellent material for thatching roofs.

Old Hu, along with his most experienced workers, began thatching the roof. Starting from the eaves, they layered the thatch, securing it with mud, until it was neatly laid down. This work required skill; the thatch had to be laid evenly, at a consistent angle, and the eaves had to be neat. Old Hu held a specially made long-handled wooden paddle, patting the thatch as he laid it to ensure it adhered tightly.

"The biggest threat to thatched roofs is the wind," he explained as he worked. "If the roof isn't laid firmly, a strong wind can blow it off. So each layer has to be compacted, and the eaves have to be extra thickened to make it wind-resistant."

Such roofs were warm in winter and cool in summer. Although they required regular maintenance, they were the most economical option at the time. A good thatched roof could last seven or eight years, after which it could simply be re-thatched.

The roof of Lin Shengli's courtyard was made of tiles he had bought himself. These were small, bluish-gray tiles, laid one by one on the soil and grouted with lime. The tiled roof was much more expensive and impressive than a thatched roof, gleaming faintly in the sunlight. Many villagers came to see the novelty, since there weren't many tiled houses in the village; apart from the brigade headquarters and a few well-off families, most houses had thatched roofs.

"Victory's house is really well-built," someone said enviously. "Brick base and tiled roof, how much money must have been spent on this?"

If Lin Shengli hadn't recently helped alleviate the suffering of many villagers, he might have succumbed to jealousy. But now, when people talk about it, they mostly express admiration and blessings—he's capable, so building a nice house is only right.

With the walls and roof completed, the next steps are to install the kang (heated brick bed), doors and windows, plaster the walls, and lay the floor.

Building a kang (heated brick bed) is a skilled job. How the fire hole is placed and how the flue is laid are crucial to whether it will be easy to burn, warm, and free of backdraft in winter. Old Hu personally took charge and built it quickly and well. He first used adobe bricks to build the outer frame of the kang, then used bricks to build a maze-like flue inside, and finally covered it with a kang board and plastered it with mud.

The doors and windows were all handcrafted by the village carpenters; though rough, they were sturdy and durable. The doors were double doors made of old elm planks, at least two inches thick, with iron door knockers and bolts nailed on top. The windows were two panes, one above the other, with a horizontal bar in the middle, covered with brand-new, translucent window paper. This window paper was made of mulberry bark paper soaked in tung oil; it was both translucent and waterproof, a characteristic of rural Northeast China.

The plastering was done with fine mud mixed with wheat straw, and it had to be smooth and even. Then a layer of "sweet mud" (mud without straw) was applied on the outside. The mud was applied to the wall surface again and again until the wall surface was as smooth as a mirror.

The ground was paved with a mixture of loess, lime, and sand, which was then leveled and compacted with a stone rammer.

Good ground must be tamped down to be as hard as stone, without producing dust or dampness. Several strong laborers take turns swinging the stone tamper, shouting "Heave-ho, heave-ho!" The sound is deep and powerful, like the pulse of the earth.

After nearly twenty busy days, two brand-new dormitories for educated youth and Lin Shengli's small courtyard finally stood properly on the land of Heisonggou Village.

The mud walls, thatched roof, spacious windows, and sturdy wooden doors, though simple, exude a brand-new atmosphere.

In the dormitory for educated youth, two large kang beds occupied most of the space. They had already been heated, which dispelled the dampness, and they felt warm to the touch. The kang mats were newly woven reed mats, emitting a unique plant fragrance.

A passageway and a space for placing boxes were left opposite the kang (a heated brick bed). The walls were covered with old newspapers that the educated youth had bought from the county's recycling station, making the place look much cleaner and brighter.

Several red paper-cuts were pasted on the window, a gift from a skillful aunt in the village. They depicted magpies perched on plum blossoms and carp leaping over the dragon gate, adding a touch of festive cheer to the simple room.

Lin Shengli's courtyard is even more tidy. The three-bay main house faces south, with blue bricks as the base, mud bricks as the body, and blue tile roof. It can be considered a "mansion" in the village.

The courtyard wall was also made of adobe bricks, with a simple wooden fence gate. There was also an open space in the courtyard where Lin Shengli planned to plant some herbs and vegetables next spring.

The central room was spacious, where he placed a square table and two chairs made by a carpenter, along with several shelves for medicine. Although simple, the furniture was all made of solid wood, polished smooth, and exuded the fragrance of wood. The east room was his bedroom, containing a small kang (heated brick bed), a simple wardrobe, and a desk.

The west wing is a pharmacy, but Lin Shengli left it empty for the time being, without much furniture inside. He planned to add some medicine cabinets and medical equipment when he had the means in the future.

Near the east room, a small room was built facing south to serve as a kitchen. Lin Shengli only left one stove in the kitchen, which was enough for him alone.

On the stove was a large black pot with a diameter of 1.8 feet, which Lin Shengli had smuggled out of his space, claiming he bought it from the countryside.

This pot is thick and durable, making it convenient for stir-frying and cooking. He also had a cupboard made, which, although rough, can hold bowls, chopsticks, and grains.

There was no grand celebration on the day of the move, but the festive atmosphere was naturally present.

On behalf of the village, Hu Guangming delivered two kerosene lamps and a pair of thermos flasks to the two dormitories for educated youth.

The kerosene lamp had a glass shade, which was polished to a shine; the thermos was made of bamboo and had the words "Serve the People" printed on it in red.

These are all public supplies of the team. Being able to take them out and give them to the educated youth is already a great support.

Each household also brought gifts: Aunt Zhang brought a newly made broom, tied with sorghum stalks, sturdy and durable; Aunt Wang brought several pickling jars, saying they had been washed clean and were ready to use; Grandma Li brought a hand-cut paper-cut window decoration, a cluster of orchids, which looked particularly elegant on the window...

The gifts were inexpensive, but the sentiments were profound. Lin Shengli and the educated youth thanked them one by one, feeling warm inside. These simple people expressed their kindness and acceptance in the most unpretentious way.

Li Kuiyong, Jiang Yuanchao, and Wei Min happily moved into their new dormitory.

They moved their bedding inside, arranged their boxes, and even pasted posters they had brought from home on the walls—posters of Tiananmen Square, the Yangtze River Bridge, and portraits of Chairman Mao.

Touching the smooth kang mat, looking at the bright window, and smelling the aroma of fresh soil and wood, the young people were so excited they didn't know what to say.

"We finally have a decent home!" Jiang Yuanchao's eyes were a little moist.

During this period, everyone stayed at the villagers' homes. Although the villagers were very kind to them, they always felt like they were living under someone else's roof.

Now that they have their own bunks and a space belonging to the educated youth community, the sense of belonging is unprecedented.

Wei Min was packing his suitcase, neatly arranging several books on the simple bookshelf by the kang (heated brick bed): "Now I can read in peace at night without worrying about disturbing others."

Li Kuiyong is already planning: "When spring comes, we'll plant some vegetables in the yard to be self-sufficient. I've heard that potatoes from Northeast China are especially delicious. If we plant two rows, it'll be enough to last us all winter."

Lin Shengli also officially moved out of Grandma Hu's house and into his own small courtyard.

Although Grandma Hu was reluctant to part with him, she was mostly happy that Shengli finally had a place to stay in this village.

She led Shuanzi and Yadan over to help him tidy up, repeatedly reminding him: "Keep the kang (heated brick bed) lit, don't skimp on firewood; make sure the water tank is tightly covered so ashes don't get in; and lock the door at night, even though our village is safe, we still have to be careful..."

Lin Shengli responded to each request, his heart filled with gratitude. He had been staying at Grandma Hu's house for the past two months, and the old lady had treated him like her own grandson. Shuanzi and Yadan also treated him like an older brother. He would always remember this kindness.

"Grandma, don't worry, I will come back to see you often. If you feel unwell in the future, just have Shuanzi call me anytime."

Grandma Hu wiped her eyes: "Good child, it's enough that you have this thought."

As night fell, the newly built educated youth settlement area was lit up with warm lights. The light from the kerosene lamps shone through the paper windows, spreading out warm yellow halos, which were especially cozy in the late autumn night.

Lin Shengli brought a pheasant and a rabbit to the educated youth settlement. He had hunted the pheasant on the mountain that afternoon.

Four male educated youths gathered together, some boiling water, some plucking feathers, busy and happy.

Wei Min truly lives up to his reputation as a man from Sichuan Province; his cooking skills are far superior to Lin Shengli and the others. He will be the head chef today.

"This pheasant needs to be blanched first to remove the fishy smell," Wei Min explained while preparing the ingredients. "The rabbit meat is firm, so it needs to be simmered over low heat to absorb the flavor. It's a pity we don't have fermented bean paste, otherwise we could make spicy rabbit cubes, that would be so satisfying."

Soon, the pheasant and rabbit were transformed into two pots of juicy, hearty dishes—one pot of stewed pheasant with potatoes, and the other of braised rabbit. Although there weren't many seasonings, the ingredients were fresh, the cooking time was perfect, and the aroma was irresistible.

The four men sat down around an old octagonal table that had been moved from the village committee office. Two large bowls of food sat on the table; though not lavish, it was a rare feast in those days. Li Kuiyong and his companions also contributed two bottles of sorghum liquor, which they had bought at the supply and marketing cooperative but had never been willing to drink.

"Come on, cheers to our new home!" Li Kuiyong raised his glass.

"Cheers to us taking root in Heisonggou!" Jiang Yuanchao continued.

"Cheers to every day to come!" Wei Min added with a smile.

"Cheers!" the four men shouted in unison, their glasses clinking together with a crisp sound.

After a glass of wine, everyone started talking more, reminiscing about their experiences in the countryside over the past two months, discussing their hometowns, and sharing their hopes for the future. The atmosphere in the room was lively and warm, with the flickering light of the kerosene lamp illuminating four young and hopeful faces.