A Time Travel Effort in the 70s

After Liu Hui took a walk around the west room, he discovered that there was a drainage pipe under the ground on the side of the wall of the west room. After removing the brick cover, it should be able to serve as a drainage channel to drain water.

Liu Hui thought for a moment and said to Shen Jiaren, "Wait a moment, I'll go get some water from the yard and see if this drainage pipe can be used normally.

If it can be used normally, then we will point the drain hole of the bathtub towards the drain outlet and place the bathtub in this way.

If it doesn't work properly, I'll check where it's blocked and whether it's easy to repair.

If it is easy to repair, I will check and repair it for you after we move today; if it is difficult to repair, I will come and repair it for you after a few days when I have found a time.

I'll go get a bucket of water first, and you go find a longer stick, just in case."

After hearing what Liu Hui said, Shen Jiaren nodded and went to the kitchen to find a longer and straighter stick for use.

After Liu Hui left the west room, he went to the back of the tractor outside the yard, took a wooden basin, and walked towards the well in the yard.

After Liu Hui filled a basin with water, he took the basin to the west room and prepared to start pouring water to test the drainage.

When Shen Jiaren saw Liu Hui carrying the basin of water in, she also took a stick from the kitchen and went in.

Liu Hui said to Shen Jiaren, "Go to the yard and see where the drainage hole is and see how the water is flowing."

"Yeah, I'll go outside and take a look. How do we tell if the water is flowing well?"

"Pay attention to the speed of the water flow. I will try to pour the water at a constant speed. Just pay attention."

"Yeah, I see. Just tell me when you pour it."

"I'm starting to fall, watch out."

"Yeah, I'm already watching it."

Sure enough, after a while, Shen Jiaren saw water coming out, and the water flow rate was acceptable. Shen Jiaren called Liu Hui to come out and see if this speed was acceptable.

Liu Hui came out and took a look. He thought the speed was okay, proving that the drainage pipe could be used normally.

Liu Hui called Shen Jiaren into the house and told her how to place the bath tub, how to move the cover later, and how to drain the water.

After saying this, Liu Hui put the veil back on and left the yard to continue moving things.

"Shen Zhiqing, where is this washstand?"

"Let's put it in the west room, opposite the bathtub, so that we can use the same room for washing and brushing our teeth."

"Okay, don't move the things yet, I'll do it. Just look at me and decide how to arrange the things. If you feel really embarrassed, just pour me a glass of water."

"Yeah, well, I'll go get you a glass of water."

After Shen Jiaren finished speaking, she went to the outer room of the main house to pour water for Liu Hui.

Shen Jiaren washed her enamel cup, put some sugar and green tea in it, poured hot water and brought it to Liu Hui.

When Liu Hui saw Shen Jiaren bringing water over, he asked Shen Jiaren to put the cup in the yard and drink it when she was free.

After a while, Liu Hui moved all the wooden items belonging to the west room into the room. When Shen Jiaren went in, she saw that everything was there.

There is a bathtub with a cover on it; there is also a washbasin rack, a wooden basin, a footbath, a washboard, two water buckets, and a large basin for washing clothes.

There are several wooden boxes of different sizes next to the bathtub.

There is also a few wooden stools of different sizes in a corner. Although I don’t know what their functions are now, they should be related to washing.

Liu Hui left the west room and drank a glass of water. He found that it was still sweet green tea, so he looked at Shen Jiaren in surprise.

Shen Jiaren saw Liu Hui looking at her, "I put sugar in it because I was afraid you didn't eat and were a little hungry. I put green tea in it because I was afraid you were thirsty and had a sore throat. Does it taste good? I think it tastes pretty good."

"It tastes good, but sugar is a precious commodity nowadays. If you put it in, do you have any more?"

"Yes, I didn't put much. There's more. If you think it's not sweet enough, I can add more."

"No, no, this is enough. No need to add more."

"Well, shall I give you some more water?"

“Yeah, just add water, no need to add sugar.

Then I put the things that belong in the kitchen back in the kitchen?"

"Yeah, then after I pour the water, I'll go out and help you move your things?"

"No need, just stay in the kitchen and see how things are put in order."

"Yeah, then I'll wait at the kitchen door."

After Shen Jiaren finished speaking, she watched Liu Hui go to the tractor truck bed outside the yard to move things, and then she turned around and waited at the kitchen door.

Shen Jiaren stood at the kitchen door and watched Liu Hui run two or three times to move all the things in the kitchen and then put them in order for her, but without a cabinet, she had no way to organize things.

Shen Jiaren watched Liu Hui put all the kitchen utensils, especially the new things that were moved in this time, together and covered them up with something.

Shen Jiaren saw that the pestle head of the garlic pounding mortar was placed separately, and she suddenly felt that this kitchen did not seem like her own home. It was more like Liu Hui's home, because he was more familiar with the kitchen and the arrangement of things than she was.

Liu Hui put the remaining baskets, hoes, rakes and other things in the east room without putting them in order.

Because during the process of moving things, Liu Hui found that he had the small things, but there were no cabinets to put things in, so he planned to wait a few days until all the cabinets were built, and then help put things in order when he came to deliver them.

Shen Jiaren stood by and watched Liu Hui moving things in and out. He was carrying a lot of things that he didn't even recognize and putting them in different places. Some were placed in the corners, some were standing up, and some were placed on the ground. Shen Jiaren really wanted to ask Liu Hui what these things were and why they were arranged like this?

But Shen Jiaren didn't feel comfortable asking, because others were busy all the time. She just stood there awkwardly, feeling a little embarrassed to speak, as if she had walked into someone else's house.

Before Shen Jiaren could say anything, Liu Hui said, "The east room is still short of a few cabinets and buckets for storing grain. The kitchen and the west room are also short of cabinets. When the cabinets are ready in a few days, I will move you and put them in order when I deliver them. Don't move now. Because I see that you don't use the kitchen much, you mainly rely on the stove, so just wait until I come next time."

After Shen Jiaren heard this, before she could open her mouth, she heard Liu Hui say, "I saw some firewood piled up in your kitchen, and it's not cleaned up or organized. I guess you don't have the tools. I'll bring you the tools in a few days, and you'll be able to chop firewood.

As for the small firewood, I will pack it into small bundles for you to burn and stack them up for your convenience."

Before Shen Jiaren could react, she saw Liu Hui had already taken a small stool from the east room and went to the kitchen to start tying firewood.

Shen Jiaren said quickly, "No, really no, I'll have time in a few days, I can sort it out slowly by myself, it's all the same anyway, it doesn't matter if I sort it out in a few days."

Liu Hui said, "No, it's not much. It will be ready soon. Go get me a cup of water. I need to drink some more water."

Upon hearing this, Shen Jiaren quickly turned around to get a cup of water for Liu Hui, and forgot to tell Liu Hui that he didn't need to get any more.

When Shen Jiaren came over with an enamel cup and asked Liu Hui to drink water, Liu Hui had already tied up the firewood and stacked it together.

When Liu Hui saw Shen Jiaren coming over, he stood up and took the enamel cup. After taking a few gulps of water, he said, "It's ready. I'm going to leave now. Remember to lock the door later."

After saying that, he put down the enamel cup and prepared to walk towards the tractor.

Seeing this, Shen Jiaren quickly stopped Liu Hui and said, "Wait a minute, don't leave in a hurry. There are a few things I need to clarify, otherwise I won't dare to use you next time."

When Liu Hui saw this, he stopped moving and just stood there. "Shen Zhiqing, you talk, I'm listening."

"first,

First, you need to take the ten dollars for today's wood tools. I'll go back to the house and get it for you later.

Second, yesterday we were talking about bathtubs, wash basins, foot basins, and some daily necessities. Today, there are so many more tools. Are they included in the 10 yuan, or did you pay extra? If you paid extra, tell me the amount and I will give it to you. This is non-negotiable and must be paid.

Third, since you pulled it here today and took so long to move it, and you did so much for me, I will give you an extra dollar as a tractor usage fee and compensation for you. You can't say no. You have helped me so much, I can't let you pay for it. And the tractor usage fee is only 50 cents, so I will also give you 50 cents as a reward for your hard work.

Fourth, I have prepared a pound of white sugar and some fruit candies. Please take them later as a thank you gift for your trouble.

What I'm saying is that you can't refuse the things I give you. If you don't want them, then after we're done with this, I won't bother you again.

If you agree, I'll trouble you again.

Please go to the supply and marketing cooperative in town and help me find Su Hongmei and ask Sister Hongmei when I can go to collect the supplies listed in the food coupon book.

So, you choose to stand here and wait for me to go back to the house to get the things, or just turn around and leave, and we won’t have any dealings next time.

When Liu Hui heard what Shen Jiaren said, he wanted to laugh, but he also knew that he couldn't laugh. If he really laughed, the girl would really ignore him.

At this time, Liu Hui became even more curious. How old was the little girl? Why was she no different from his niece Erya?

Liu Hui really wanted to ask about Shen Jia, the educated youth's age, but after thinking about it, he decided not to do it. He had just spent the entire night trying to gain people's favor, and he didn't want to ruin his image in other people's minds because of a few questions.

Liu Hui thought for a moment and replied, "Then go get it. I'll wait for you here. I'll leave after you give me the things. Is that ok?"

When Shen Jiaren heard Liu Hui agreed, she said happily, "Just wait here. If you can't, just sit on the bench in the yard. I'll be out soon."

After saying that, Shen Jiaren ran back to her room.

Shen Jiaren took out eleven dollars from the manor, and also took out a pound of sugar, grabbed a handful of fruit candies, and five pieces of peach cakes. After wrapping them all in paper in the house, she went out to find Liu Hui.

As soon as I walked out of the house, I saw Liu Hui looking at the sky in the same posture as he was looking at the stars while eating noodles. I felt like laughing because the stool was too small for Liu Hui of that height. It looked like an adult was stuffed into a child's stool.

"Comrade Liu, here are eleven yuan, a pound of white sugar, some fruit hard candies, and five pieces of peach cakes. You can eat some of the peach cakes when you go back." Shen Jiaren said to Liu Hui.

Liu Hui couldn't help but smile when he saw that there were extra peach cakes. "Why are there extra peach cakes? You gave them to me, do you have any more? The autumn harvest will start in a few days, or you can keep them and eat them yourself when the autumn harvest comes?"

"No need, I still have some. Take them all and go back to have dinner. Otherwise, you'll be too hungry. Also, don't forget to ask Sister Su Hongmei when you can go get the supplies!"

"Okay, I'll take the things. I'll ask for your help. Also, since I've taken your things, would you like to consider coming to my house for dinner during the autumn harvest in a few days?"

Shen Jiaren was stunned after hearing this. It was a bit sudden. Aren't they talking about something? How could they suddenly switch to eating together?

Although eating together is good, since I can’t cook and can only boil water to cook everything, eating with others is not good either, because it is easy to cause conflicts.

After all, the rations we received were fixed, but the amount of rice each person eats is not fixed. The most critical thing is that the thickness of the rice and the quality of the dishes are all issues. If you think too much about them, conflicts will easily arise.

Shen Jiaren thought about it and said nothing.

Liu Hui was carrying the things, and seeing Shen Jiaren's expression, he knew that Shen Jiaren was probably unwilling. He said to Shen Jiaren, "I'm not asking you to agree now, I just want you to consider it. At least under the same selection conditions, give priority to our family. After all, you have also eaten at our house, and you know my mother's cooking skills. Compared with you looking aimlessly all over the world, at least we know her better."

After Shen Jiaren heard what Liu Hui said, she replied, "Okay, I'll think about it. I promise you that under the same conditions, I will give priority to living with your family.

But I have a question, can you represent your entire family?"

Liu Hui saw the way Shen Jiaren asked him and felt that Shen Jiaren was really considering it, so he said to Shen Jiaren, "I said this today just to prepare you mentally for living with us, and I promise that my mother will ask you before the day after tomorrow if you want to live with us. The most important thing is that if you save Goudan, my mother will definitely treat you as her own daughter.

And the most important point is that I can, I can represent the opinions of our entire family.

So, I hope you really think about it, and when my mom brings it up, you can agree to it."

Shen Jiaren looked at Liu Hui's serious expression and answered seriously, "Okay, I understand. I will seriously consider it."

After hearing Shen Jiaren's answer, Liu Hui picked up his things and left the yard, and asked Shen Jiaren to close the door.

After Shen Jiaren watched Liu Hui leave, she returned to her own yard and closed the door. She then remembered what Liu Hui had just said about living together. She felt it was a bit strange, but she couldn't think of what was strange about it.

But then I thought, it’s great that I have a wooden bath tub, I can take a bath happily.

Thinking about this, I walked towards the west room, wanting to see what my bathtub looked like.