Chapter 5 A New Home
A new day dawned.
Tang Banxia and Wen Mubai still hadn’t gone to work. Tang Banxia had things to take care of, and as for Wen Mubai, he had vanished early in the morning without even eating breakfast.
Tang Banxia found it curious, but only for a moment. If he didn’t eat, it saved food anyway.
After breakfast, she washed the sinful bedsheet from the night before, braided her hair, put on a straw hat, and set out.
Today was the first day her rented house would be renovated, and she needed to supervise. After all, it was a place she’d be living in for a long time, so she wanted it comfortable.
The hunter’s house had only two rooms: one main room that doubled as a kitchen, and one bedroom—just right for two people. Though the house looked dilapidated, it cleaned up quickly with some effort.
The brigade leader and Accountant Hu were both honest folks, and the workers they found were reliable. In just three days, the formerly shabby house looked presentable.
Since she’d started, Tang Banxia decided to do things properly: she had a kang bed built, repaired the stove and chimney, and sealed the doors and windows. That finished the job.
On the day the house was completed, Wen Mubai, for once, was dependable. He somehow managed to procure two boxes of cigarettes and gave each worker two sticks.
Cigarettes were rare in the countryside, so everyone was pleased.
Tang Banxia also handed out half a pound of sugar cubes, and after a lively celebration, the new home was finished.
When everyone had left, Tang Banxia and Wen Mubai walked around, inspecting inside and out.
“Tang, when do we move in?” Wen Mubai, fully aware of his dependency, deferred to her in all matters.
“Now,” Tang Banxia replied without hesitation.
These past days, the atmosphere at the Educated Youth Point had been dreadful. It didn’t affect her much, but seeing those sullen faces all day was enough to scare away good luck. Especially since Xu Guiming had been sleepwalking—several nights he’d wandered off to the mountain in his sleep. The constant commotion was unsettling.
“Alright.”
Tang Banxia wasn’t one to procrastinate. When she said move, she moved, without a trace of hesitation. Together with Wen Mubai, they made several trips back and forth, moving all their belongings to the new house.
Wen Mubai, a grown man, was already exhausted from the little work he’d done, sprawled on the bed pretending to be dead.
Tang Banxia nudged him, “Get up.”
The one playing dead rolled over, turning his back to her, “I’m tired!”
“Tonight, we’re having chicken.”
“Any more chores? Just say the word!” At the mention of food, his reaction was quicker than anyone’s.
“Clean the house inside and out, wipe everything down, strip and wash the bedding, and open up a patch of land in the yard,” Tang Banxia said bluntly.
With every task she listed, Wen Mubai’s expression grew more strained. He wore a beautiful, miserable face, “Tang, please~”
“Go work, or your meals will be cut in half,” Tang Banxia replied, unfeeling.
She wasn’t about to pamper a master!
“Oh~” Wen Mubai responded grudgingly and slowly went off to work, his attitude clearly half-hearted.
“If you don’t finish, tonight’s dinner is wild vegetable soup,” Tang Banxia added.
Wen Mubai: “Heave-ho~ heave-ho~ heave-ho~”
Tang Banxia nodded, satisfied, and took half a pound of coarse cakes and headed out.
“Aunt Hu, are you home?”
“Yes, yes,” an elderly woman came out, wiping her hands, “It’s Tang, the educated youth, right? Looking for our Dazhu? He’s not in, went to the fields.”
Tang Banxia smiled, “Aunt, I’m not looking for the brigade leader, I’m here to see you.”
“What for?”
“I want to plant some vegetables in the yard, so I came to see if I could trade for some seeds,” Tang Banxia got straight to the point.
“Oh, I was wondering what the matter was. Just some vegetable seeds? Wait, I’ll get them for you.” Aunt Hu thought Tang Banxia wanted something much bigger.
Soon, she brought out several paper packets, “Ours is the most complete selection of vegetable seeds—you’ve come to the right person.”
“Tang, look, these are beans, tomatoes, this packet is cucumbers, then eggplant, peppers, potatoes.”
“Oh, and I have some chive roots—do you want them?”
“Yes,” Tang Banxia nodded, “Thank you, Aunt Hu.” She handed over the coarse cakes, “Take these as a treat.”
“What’s this for? It’s just some seeds, not worth much!” Aunt Hu protested.
Tang Banxia smiled brightly, “Don’t rush to refuse, Aunt, I have more to ask.”
Aunt Hu slowed her protest, “What’s the matter?”
“I’d like to trade for a kang mat, two baskets, two carrying frames, and I need a broom and a water jar—do you know where I can get these?” Though Wen Mubai didn’t need them, the kind-hearted Tang Banxia still included his share.
“These things aren’t worth much around here, every household can make them,” Aunt Hu was honest, “We have them at home—if you like them, just take from us.”
“That’s great, saves me a lot of trouble.”
Tang Banxia followed Aunt Hu into the house, sat on the kang, drank some water, and waited while she fetched the items.
A moment later, Aunt Hu returned, accompanied by two other women.
Tang Banxia frowned—why did these two seem hostile toward her?
She searched the original host’s memories—she’d never met them.
“Tang, take a look—are these alright?”
Tang Banxia refocused and examined the kang mat.
It was a tawny brown, tightly woven, smooth and firm to the touch. The baskets were solidly made, looking durable.
“Aunt Hu, your craftsmanship is excellent!” Tang Banxia gave a thumbs-up, “I’ll take them.”
She raised the coarse cakes in her hand, “Is this enough?”
Truthfully, she wasn’t sure about the market value. In modern times, such handmade items were expensive. The original host had no experience with these things, so she could only estimate.
“It’s more than enough,” Aunt Hu was clearly pleased by the praise.
“How about this, Tang, I’ll add four more baskets, so you’ll have them for drying vegetables later, and four covers for them—how’s that?”
“That’s perfect!” Tang Banxia hadn’t expected to get so much, “Aunt, I trust you and the brigade leader, both honest folks.”
With the transaction finished, Tang Banxia took her leave. Having just moved into a new home, she had plenty to do.
She left the brigade leader’s house and hadn’t gone far when—
“Wait!”
Tang Banxia turned, puzzled, “Something else?”
“Tang, the educated youth.” The speaker was the brigade leader’s daughter, Hu Chunhua.
At the moment, she looked Tang Banxia up and down with undisguised disdain, “Are you the one who took advantage of the situation to marry Wen, the educated youth?”
Tang Banxia: ???
She mimicked Hu Chunhua’s manner, giving her a few impolite once-overs, then frowned, “How old are you?”
Hu Chunhua was baffled, “Sixteen, why?”
Tang Banxia gritted her teeth—Wen Mubai, that scoundrel!
“Little girl, have you finished your homework?” Tang Banxia kept her face expressionless.
Hu Chunhua was indignant, “You…”
Tang Banxia: “Out here competing for men?”
She raised her brows, “Sister’s advice, little one—men aren’t worth a thing.” Especially ones like Wen Mubai.
He’d give up his pride for a bite to eat.
With that, she gave no chance for a reply and strode past her on her way home.
Unexpectedly, even greater surprises awaited her at home...