040 – Live In a New House (2)
“How did you do that, little gongzi? You can cut into shreds faster than the master in the big restaurant!” The assistant had a look of beyond comprehension and shortly after, he scratched his head in puzzlement, “But, I didn’t see you use a chopping block either?”
Qin Mian put his hands behind him and said mysteriously: “I can, not only peel and slice this thing quickly, but also cut it into shreds quickly. Manager Liao, what do you think?”
Liao Zhifu offered directly and delightedly, “50 taels!”
Qin Mian felt very satisfied. He handed Liao Zhifu the small tool in his hand and spoke nicer words, “Exactly as told, Manager Liao is a forthright man. Otherwise, we won’t go straight to you.”
After seeing what the small tool was about, just like the noodle manual maker he bought last time, Liao Zhifu’s face once again showed a strange expression of both pleased and depressed.
Qin Mian took a sip of tea with a smile. “Manager Liao, if I hadn’t peeled potatoes until my hand was bloody that day, I wouldn’t have thought of such a convenient tool. This is what I came up with at the cost of my blood, so the 50 taels you spent won’t be a loss.” This was pure bullshit.
Liao Zhifu didn’t know whether to cry or to laugh.
Qin Mian passed him the remaining drawings. These drawings were nothing peculiar, only more modernized for their own used to be made in this shop.
After making appointment to deliver the goods in ten days, Liao Zhifu politely sent them out.
Half a month later, the new house had ventilated. The furniture arrived a few days earlier. The new house could be lived in but Qin Mian and Lei Tie were not in a hurry, they carried the furniture into the new house trip by trip. Coincidentally, Lei Xiangyi and Lei Xiangli saw them and came to help out.
When the sun set, everything was settled.
Qin Mian looked at his new home with appreciative eyes. After the entrance gate was a yard of about 60 square foot. There was nothing in the yard at present, only a small house in the northwest corner, which was a bathroom. In this ancient era, it was impossible to make the bathroom as it was in the modern era. It was just a place to take a bath, with a big tub and a drainage hole in the corner.
Into the main house was the living-cum-dining room. Placed beside a square pine wood dining table were two dining chairs of the same material, while against the wall were a settee and a coffee table, all of which were of modern styles. There was a window embedded in the south wall that was half larger than the window of an ordinary house, so the hall was particularly bright. Thick reddish brown, absolutely still curtains added some warmth to the autumn air. The conditions were limited, or else Qin Mian wanted to lay marble slabs on the floor of the central hall.
On the left side of the living-cum-dining room was the kitchen. The kitchen stove was paved with marble slabs, it looked smooth and clean. Having a cupboard, more dishware was added. The commonly used ones were placed in the most convenient position and the rice, flour and oil also got their own spot. The kitchen and the bathroom in the yard shared the south wall, but because the bathroom was smaller, the south wall of the kitchen could still open a window, providing sufficient light.
There were two rooms in the north; the smaller one was used to store various bits and bobs, such as farm tools, grain, spare chairs, etc.; the larger one was the bedroom. The utility room was opposite the bedroom with a hallway leading to the back door. The back was a vacant lot. It’s convenient to have a backyard in the future.
Qin Mian was most satisfied with the bedroom. Although he and Lei Tie still had to share the same room and bed, at least they had a large enough wardrobe that their clothes could be set apart.
Lei Tie followed him to look around the new bedroom and his eyes lingered for a long time on the heatable brick bed with the new mattress. It was just that the two separate quilts and a pillow at each side was somewhat an irksome presence.
After dinner, Qin Mian took a hot bath. Unable to hold himself back, he jumped onto the new ‘bed’ and the corner of his lips raised a smidgen of smile after measuring the width of the heatable brick bed. The bed was so big that it should be able to get rid of his problem of drilling into Lei Tie’s bosom. He rested in his own position, shaking his quilt open and lying down comfortably. Because he had some money in hands, he bought a new mattress and a new quilt.
The pillow was also new, with silk wadding inside, soft and comfortable. He rubbed against it with the back of his head and looked at the roof. The light on the table flickered gently and swayed his thoughts, making him unconsciously lost in thought.
Was he considered to have a home in this world?
Lei Tie came in wrapped in a faint steam, silently gazed at the teenager’s absent-minded face and the slight loneliness in his eyes. His heart throbbed.
He closed the door with a thud, neither light nor heavy.
Qin Mian turned to look at him and asked worriedly, “The gate is locked?”
“Locked.” Lei Tie drew the curtains, took off his shoes and went to bed. He stared at his quilt before raising it to be put on the other end with his right hand.
Qin Mian was dumbfounded as he watched Lei Tie put the pillow on the other side to the side of his pillow and then got into his quilt. His heart stopped for two seconds. Half propped up and chin slightly raised, he looked askance at Lei Tie. “What are you doing?”
Lei Tie said: “You’ll still squeeze in when you’re asleep.”
This unperturbed and determined tone almost made Qin Mian angry. Just as he was about to open his mouth, the man stretched out his long arms and encircled him. Although Lei Tie didn’t use force, it was nevertheless a gesture that wouldn’t accept rejection.
Qin Mian stabbed him with a piercing look but didn’t get a response, so he could only resign to his fate and lie down.
All of a sudden, Lei Tie spoke: “Not happy to live in this new house?”
“No.” Qin Mian’s attention had been shifted by him. “Right, do you think there is something missing in the room?”
Lei Tie’s eyes swept around the room.
He was really a stuffy man who wouldn’t talk even beaten with a stick. Qin Mian didn’t expect him to answer, but then heard him said, “Emptiness.”
“That’s it!” Qin Mian gave him a look of approval and pointed to the bare wall opposite him. “There is no lack of furniture, it’s the defect on the wall. Let’s go to town some other day and buy calligraphy and painting to hang.”
“In a few days. Tomorrow I’ll go up the mountain.” Lei Tie’s face was tickled by Qin Mian’s hair and he raised his chin to rub against it [the head].
All of a sudden, Qin Mian felt that the atmosphere was delicate, making him shrunk his neck. “Going to hunt? You said you would teach me kung fu.”
“I’ll go up the mountain after teaching you.” As soon as Lei Tie raised his hand, the light went out. The room plunged into complete darkness.
Qin Mian secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he couldn’t explain why he wanted to be as quiet as possible, “There is another thing; is there a practice that one has to pay a house-warming visit after moving?”
“That’s why I’m going to hunt,” said Lei Tie.
Qin Mian hurriedly said: “Game meat is more expensive than pork. This time, we entertain guests with less game meat and more pork. You figure it out.”
“En.” Lei Tie’s chest felt very hot. Was it because there was one more person in it?
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