House: Isn’t that just building things?
Grandpa Jiang’s photography skills were hopelessly stubborn, but Grandma Jiang’s improved a lot after Su Xiaoman’s guidance.
Xie Mingtu came back wearing a coat and carrying his suitcase. Before he even entered the house, Grandma Jiang picked up the camera and said she wanted to take his photo.
The camera had become Grandma’s new favourite thing. She practically wanted to spend her entire monthly retirement pay on film.
Su Xiaoman guessed that next year, the thing their home would have most of would be photographs. Decades later, when they looked back, every picture would be a mark of this era.
Who would have thought people in this era would take so many photos?
These precious photos had to be protected from damp, insects, and mice, and carefully preserved.
Xie Mingtu smiled. “Alright, Grandma, take the photo.”
Grandma Jiang took two photos of him, then called Su Xiaoman over. “Xiaoman, stand beside Xiaotu. Grandma will take one of you two.”
Su Xiaoman smiled and walked over to hold Xie Mingtu’s arm. Grandma Jiang took a photo of them.
Xie Mingtu wrapped an arm around Su Xiaoman’s shoulders and kissed her lips in the cold wind. Grandma Jiang criticised them in her heart for being too shameless to look at, while happily snapping the photo.
Being kissed in front of Grandma made Su Xiaoman blush at first. She instinctively wanted to push him away, but then remembered Grandma was taking a photo. Her idol burden was strong, so she cooperated very well in front of the camera, even adjusting the angle and tilting her head up to kiss him back, trying to create a beautiful scene.
“Why aren’t you coming in? Why are you taking so many photos at the door?”
Grandpa Jiang, who had rushed inside earlier, came back out and immediately saw this scene. He quickly covered his eyes and sighed about the decline of public morals. Young people these days…
So bold.
Xie Mingtu blinked and playfully bit Su Xiaoman’s lip before finally letting her go.
“You bit me!”
Su Xiaoman was furious. She wanted to bite him back, but Xie Mingtu had the height advantage. He could forcefully kiss her, but she could not forcefully kiss him. She could only push him angrily while tugging at his coat.
Most people wore three layers inside and three layers outside in winter, but this Xie dog wore only two pieces of clothing in total. Su Xiaoman slipped her hand into his coat and pinched his waist. Xie Mingtu smiled and wrapped her up in his coat, carrying her into the house with him.
“You messed up my hair!”
“I’ll personally comb it for Manman later.” As Xie Mingtu spoke, he took off his own hat and put it on Su Xiaoman’s head.
“Manman, are you cold? Come inside and warm up by the fire.”
Of course she was cold. The moment Xie Mingtu came back, Su Xiaoman stuck close to him, leaning against the man beside her for warmth. Not wanting to make the two elders watch them, Xie Mingtu simply carried her horizontally back to the room.
He pressed her onto the bed, his gentle kisses falling on her eyebrows, nose bridge, eyes, cheeks, and chin. Both their bodies began to heat up. Su Xiaoman hugged his neck, her voice carrying a hint of coquettish complaint. “You came back and haven’t even bathed yet.”
Xie Mingtu’s peach blossom eyes were full of smiles. He bumped her lightly with the tip of his nose, his voice husky. “What does Manman think I want to do?”
Su Xiaoman’s face burned even hotter. “How would I know what you want to do? I’m not a worm in your stomach.”
“Manman, in a few days, it’ll be my birthday.”
Threatened by the little rabbit, Su Xiaoman’s body went soft. “Your birthday is your birthday…”
“I’m telling you in advance, precious Manman. Is the wedding dress finished?”
“It’s finished, finished…”
The smile at Xie Mingtu’s lips deepened. He continued asking, “And the baby clothes?”
“No…”
“Liar. Manman is a little liar. I clearly saw them. Could it be those clothes aren’t for a child, but for Manman to wear? Manman, wear them for me to see?”
Blushing, Su Xiaoman pushed him several times and urged him, “Go bathe. Hurry up and bathe. The water has already been boiled for you.”
“Manman is really impatient.” Xie Mingtu kissed her face, then whispered a few words by her ear. Su Xiaoman’s face grew redder and redder.
“Manman, wait for me.”
Su Xiaoman threw a cushion at him, her face so red it seemed about to drip blood. Xie Mingtu picked up the cushion and gently tucked it under her waist, then took the clothes Su Xiaoman had prepared for him and left.
Su Xiaoman lay on the bed without moving. Not long later, he returned. Only then did she suddenly realise the cushion was still under her waist. Just as she wanted to pull it out, the large man pressed her down again.
Every time he came back on the first day, he was always the most excessive!
Su Xiaoman took four days off and returned to Qiaoxin Village with Xie Mingtu. Originally, only the two of them were going back, but Grandpa and Grandma Jiang also said they wanted to go. So the two couples, old and young, went back together.
When they arrived in the village, they did not tell Liu Shufeng in advance. They went straight to the Su family, giving her mother a big surprise.
“Xiaoman is back!”
“Xiaoman and her husband are back?!”
…
Yang Yingzi held a baby who had just finished feeding, while Liu Shufeng was busy in the kitchen. As soon as she heard that her daughter and son-in-law had returned, she stopped working immediately, called Su Third Brother over to watch the fire, and ran out to see her daughter.
Su Third Brother: “Mum, how can you do this!”
He also wanted to see his little sister more, okay?
“Xiaoman, my daughter, you finally came back!” Liu Shufeng excitedly hugged the daughter she had not seen for so long. Su Xiaoman happily hugged her back too. “Mum, Xiaotu and I are back, and so are his grandparents.”
After simple introductions and greetings, everyone entered the house.
“The wind outside is strong. Come in and sit first. I’ll pour hot water.”
Liu Shufeng had not seen her daughter for almost half a year. Before this, she had only received the photos her daughter had sent back—military-uniform photos of her and her son-in-law together. One was handsome, the other beautiful, leaning together in the photo, truly a perfect pair.
When Liu Shufeng received the photos, she was overjoyed. “Look at our daughter. So beautiful, now an art soldier.”
“Oh my, my son-in-law is really handsome.”
“Mingtu, this child, how can he be so good-looking? After putting on this uniform, it’s even more impressive.”
…
At the time, Su Guodong pursed his lips. The whole family gathered around to look at the photos, but he stubbornly refused to go and look. That annoying son-in-law had taken away his daughter—what was there to see?
“Hey, hey, don’t touch the photos carelessly. I have to put Xiaoman’s photos away properly!” Liu Shufeng smiled happily. After everyone had seen the photos, she immediately hid them in a place even mice could not find.
Su Guodong: “…”
He had not even seen his daughter’s photos yet!
He deliberately circled in front of Liu Shufeng seven or eight times. Liu Shufeng pretended not to see. Su Guodong was so angry he snorted and glared. “Where are the photos?”
Liu Shufeng played dumb. “What photos?”
“My daughter’s photos.” Su Guodong snorted. He only wanted to see his daughter’s photo, not his son-in-law’s.
“When I showed you just now, you refused to look. Now you want to see them? Are you lacking sense?”
“Why should you hide my daughter’s photos?! I want one too.”
“Our daughter only sent one back.”
“Write to her and tell her to send another photo. No son-in-law in it.” When Su Guodong got the photo, his eyes immediately lit up, and he became extremely excited. “My daughter and son-in-law…”
Before the words of praise came out, he stopped himself and used his finger to cover the man’s face in the photo, only slightly revealing his features between his fingers. “My daughter looks so good in a green military uniform!”
“The one beside her is barely passable. Barely pleasing to the eye.”
Liu Shufeng slapped the back of his head. “What exactly is wrong with Mingtu? You’re still not satisfied?”
“Our Xiaoman married over so casually. I feel wronged for my daughter.”
“What’s there to feel wronged about? As long as the children live well. Mingtu is a good child.”
This time, Xie Mingtu and Su Xiaoman had returned to make up for their wedding banquet. When Liu Shufeng heard this, she did not object. She called Su Xiaoman’s brothers to start preparing, including cigarettes, alcohol, sweets, biscuits, and all sorts of things.
Over the past year, Qiaoxin Village had raised silkworms, set up fish ponds, and added many pieces of machinery. By the end of the year, every household’s dividends had doubled compared with previous years. Everyone was especially happy this year. The Su family’s dividends were also considerable. Since their daughter wanted to make up the wedding banquet, they were generous and willing to spend money to support her.
How could Su Xiaoman and her husband let her parents pay? Xie Mingtu secretly made up the betrothal gifts together with Grandpa and Grandma Jiang. They went through every procedure that should be done. Although Su Guodong kept a stern face throughout, his eyes finally carried a smile in the end.
Xie Mingtu also planned to repair the house, but Su Xiaoman refused. She said the two of them would not live here, so there was no need to repair a house just to leave it here. Only then did Xie Mingtu give up. Even so, he personally repaired the Su family’s old house inside and out, and added several wooden rooms himself. The timber, boards, and other tools had all been prepared in advance. He drove them back to the village by tractor, and Su Xiaoman took the chance to take several photos of him.
Su Xiaoman still had to go back to work, so she left Xie Mingtu and the grandparents here to prepare.
The Su family’s old house did not have many rooms. After Grandpa and Grandma Jiang moved in, Xie Mingtu and Su Xiaoman no longer had private space. Even if he wanted to cling to Manman, he could not. She slept beside him, yet he could not eat meat.
After holding back for several days, Xie Mingtu silently worked overtime building the house. He hired several men to help, and in seven or eight days, the wooden house was built.
Or rather, it could be called a small wooden building.
Beside the foundation of the old house, he added a two-storey wooden building, somewhat like the stilted houses along riversides. It complemented the simple brick-and-tile house beside it very harmoniously. One wall was opened to make a doorway, connecting the two.
In any case, the house he built… not only the villagers, even Su Xiaoman thought he could switch careers to housebuilding. It was extremely beautiful. His hands were clever. He even knew mortise-and-tenon structure, and the windows he made had relief carvings.
Su Third Brother, who supervised from the side and helped here and there, kept twitching at the corners of his eyes. His brother-in-law was far too skilled and efficient. Those who knew would know he had been a soldier for one year. Those who did not might think he had spent ten years repairing houses.
The courtyard was also nicely renovated by Xie Mingtu. He rebuilt a vine trellis outside, made reclining chairs and bamboo swings out of bamboo, hung red lanterns everywhere, and pasted red double-happiness characters.
After the house was finished, Su Third Brother was completely convinced and could not help saying, “Brother-in-law, when I get married, can you come help me build a house?”
After repairs, the simple old house was completely refreshed. Inside and out, it looked beautiful, even more like a new home than a new house.
Xie Mingtu: “…”
Before Xie Mingtu could answer, Su Guodong slapped Su Third Brother on the head first. “How would your brother-in-law have time to build houses for you? In the future, he’s going to build airplanes.”
Now Su Guodong was like Liu Shufeng. The more he looked at Xie Mingtu, the more satisfied he became. Not only had he become a soldier, joined the Party, but next year he would go to university to learn how to build airplanes. Ah, how could this son-in-law be so capable?
Belatedly, Su Guodong finally felt that their family had picked up a treasure.
Building airplanes!
Such a high-end thing as airplanes—he had only ever heard of them, never seen one. Recently, when he mentioned this in the village, who didn’t envy him for having such an impressive son-in-law?
Next year, he was going to the capital to attend university!!!
Even the educated youths had not gone to university, but his son-in-law was going to university?!
He had truly never expected to have a university-student son-in-law.
Su Guodong was extremely satisfied. His own sons were almost pushed aside. Now his heart and eyes were full of this good son-in-law who would build and fly airplanes in the future. Not to mention, he obeyed Manman in everything.
“Do you know airplanes?”
Su Third Brother said, “Does building airplanes stop him from building me a house?”
Aren’t they both building things?
Su Guodong said, “That would delay your brother-in-law’s proper work!”
Su Third Brother said, “Is building me a house not proper work?”
“Is building a house as important as building airplanes?”
“Dad, you’ve never even seen an airplane. How do you know building airplanes is important?”
…
Xie Mingtu said, “Third Brother, I’ll draw you a house design.”
Su Third Brother covered his head. “Don’t draw that stuff for me. I won’t understand it.”
“We don’t have anyone around here whose carpentry is better than yours. Brother-in-law, I remember you didn’t know how to do these things before…”
Naturally, Xie Mingtu had not known these things back when he was in the village. But during this year’s training, the base had a library. He had borrowed many architecture-related books, studied them seriously for a period, and made many miniature houses. Naturally, he had practised the skill.
He had always wanted to personally build Manman a house, and he had treated this matter very seriously.
“Brother Xie, when my family builds a house in the future, can you come help us?”
Not only did Su Third Brother try to get Xie Mingtu to help build a house, even several men who had come to help build the house hoped that when their families built houses in the future, Xie Mingtu could help.
At this moment, before Xie Mingtu could speak, Su Third Brother rejected them first. “My brother-in-law is going to build airplanes in the future. How would he have time to help you build houses?”
Even if he did help build houses, he would have to help the Su family first.
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