Rebooting 60, let's go on a rampage with the orange cat!

Since they've said all that, it would be a bit unreasonable not to do it. Food is scarce right now, so feeding someone for a month would be a real show of sincerity. Besides, Zhong Hanzhe doesn't like wasting time on mundane things like cooking and cleaning, which made him somewhat tempted.

Zhong Hanzhe didn't stand on ceremony and laughed, "Okay, just don't blame me for eating too much. I don't really like cooking anyway. I'm only doing this because we live in the same courtyard. Otherwise, you really wouldn't be able to get me to come. Go and get some mortar and tile nails. Hurry up and don't waste time."

Old Yu was overjoyed and quickly sent Taozi to get mortar and buy tile nails, while he went inside to tell his wife to boil water and cook some good dishes. Then he ran back out to help.

Zhong Hanzhe then thoroughly inspected the leaking area, removing the old tiles that had aged due to years of wind and rain, and cleaning the base. He then located the leaking crack and began repairing it. He moistened the base to increase the adhesion between the tile and the adhesive. He then expanded the repair area by 3-5 times around the leaking tile for overall repair, which effectively plugged the leak. He used clay mixed with straw to brush several coats onto the leaking tile from top to bottom, and after it dried, he placed a new tile to form a localized repair.

In the 1950s and 60s, roof tiles were primarily secured using nails and battens. First, the roofing material was laid out. Then, a single tile was cut to fit the roof neatly. Next, nails and battens were used to firmly fix the tile to the roof, trimming any excess material from the edges.

The installation of roof tiles must be done in a specific order. First, a cross-shaped mark needs to be made in the center of the roof; this mark is called the "center point." Then, starting from the center point, the tiles are laid outwards in sequence. The tiles are laid from bottom to top and from left to right until the entire roof is covered.

Tiles generally don't need to be connected and fixed, but they do need battens to support them and prevent them from slipping off. Therefore, it's best to install battens before laying the tiles. If battens cannot be installed, a makeshift method can be used: while applying mortar, lay the tiles. When laying the eaves tiles, be careful to connect them to the other tiles on the roof to ensure proper drainage.

Zhong Hanzhe moved nimbly back and forth on the somewhat dilapidated roof, his hands as agile as a bird, quickly and precisely renovating the roof bit by bit. His movements were skillful and fluid, his efficiency matching that of three or four experienced workers! Lao Yu and Taozi, standing nearby, were responsible for assisting with tasks such as passing mud, handing over tile nails, and laying tiles. Although they also worked very hard, they were still slightly inferior to Zhong Hanzhe.

Time flies, and it was noon in the blink of an eye. Everyone stopped what they were doing and went to Old Yu's house for lunch. After a simple but delicious meal, everyone rested for a while before returning to their busy work.

The afternoon sun was still scorching, and sweat streamed down Zhong Hanzhe's forehead, but he didn't slow down his work at all. After several hours of hard work, he finally finished around four o'clock in the afternoon. When the last tile was placed firmly in place, the entire roof instantly shone with a brand new brilliance.

Standing in the courtyard, Old Yu and his son gazed up at the newly renovated roof, their eyes filled with amazement. Old Yu excitedly gave a thumbs-up and exclaimed, "Good lad, you're truly amazing! Look at this skill, it's simply divine! It completely crushes those so-called master craftsmen in the market! Let me tell you, even if you don't go to school, with this superb skill alone, you can easily live a good life!"

Taozi chimed in, "Yeah, Xiao Zhong, you're so talented, why don't you consider taking on some jobs? If word gets out, lots of people will definitely want to hire you!"

Aunt Yu chuckled and said, "This roof leaks when it rains, especially during the recent torrential rain. It was uninhabitable inside. Thank goodness for Xiao Zhong. You have such a great skill. The girl who marries you will be very lucky."

The people in the courtyard burst into laughter, attracting people from other courtyards to come and watch. They all whispered among themselves, praising Master Zhong for his skill.

Mr. and Mrs. Shi Renmei, along with the Zhang family, also gathered around to watch, praising the skills highly. Xiuzhi said, "I never expected such a capable person to come to our courtyard. He's so young, yet his skills are absolutely superb."

"Smart people learn everything quickly. It's really infuriating to compare yourself to others," Grandma Zhang exclaimed.

Grandma Zhang's daughter-in-law, Tu Lan, asked, "Young man, are you taking this job? Several families in my hometown also need their houses renovated, but I don't know how much you charge?"

Zhong Hanzhe climbed off the roof wearily and laughed, "Don't you dare ask me for any work. I won't do it no matter who asks. I still have to study. If it weren't for Uncle Yu's sake, I wouldn't have done it today."

Old Yu was also very pleased with himself. With a ruddy face, he stepped forward and patted his shoulder, saying, "Xiao Zhong, go take a shower first, change your clothes and let Aunt Yu help you wash them. Come to our house for dinner tonight and we'll talk about it then. If you need anything in the future, just let us know."

Zhong Hanzhe nodded with a simple smile and went back home to boil water for a bath. After Zhong Hanzhe finished bathing and came out with his dirty clothes, Aunt Yu quickly stepped forward and snatched the basin of clothes from him, saying, "You must be exhausted today, let me help you wash them."

Zhong Hanzhe didn't stand on ceremony. He was indeed tired today and wanted to rest. Besides, he hadn't planned to work for nothing.

At this moment, Xiuzhi brought out a large bag of fruit, snacks, canned goods, and other things, saying, "Xiao Zhong, I've been asking you to come over for a meal, but you wouldn't agree. You're young, shouldn't you be avoiding cigarettes and alcohol? Keep these things and eat them slowly. Thank you so much for today!"

Zhong Hanzhe smiled and declined, "No need, no need, Auntie! Shi Huai'an and I are classmates, it's only right that we help each other. If you don't mind, I'll come to your house often in the future, and I can do my homework and study with Huai'an."

Xiuzhi was about to agree when Huai'an returned home. She glared at Zhong Hanzhe and said irritably, "Absolutely not, there's no need!"

After saying that, he slammed the door shut, leaving Xiuzhi and Zhong Hanzhe standing outside in a daze.

Xiuzhi was extremely embarrassed and quickly comforted Zhong Hanzhe, saying, "She's just a child and doesn't know any better, please don't take it personally! Auntie welcomes you to come to our house more often!"

Zhong Hanzhe smiled slightly and nodded, indicating that he didn't mind. He knew that Huai'an had some misunderstandings about him, but he believed that time would prove everything, and one day he would make Huai'an understand his feelings.

As night fell and the city lights came on, Zhong Hanzhe arrived at the Yu family home and was warmly received by the Yu family, father and sons. Aunt Yu had prepared a sumptuous dinner, including stir-fried pork with green peppers, dried tofu with fermented black beans, a pan-fried carp, and Chinese cabbage, along with a large bowl of pickled vegetables to accompany the rice.

Everyone sat around the table and began to enjoy the delicious meal. The Yu family father and son treated Zhong Hanzhe with great respect, regarding him as an honored guest. Aunt Yu, after picking some food for herself, did not sit at the table but stood to the side with her rice bowl, eating while watching everyone eat with a smile.

Old Yu enthusiastically poured a glass of baijiu (Chinese liquor) and handed it to Zhong Hanzhe, who quickly declined, saying, "I don't drink, thank you, I'll just eat the food."

However, Lao Yu laughed and said, "It's alright, young man, it's normal to have a drink!"

Taozi also chimed in, "Try a sip! The liquor might burn your throat a bit, but it tastes really good!"

In his past life, Wallace Chung was a true master of drinking, once boasting that he had drunk enough alcohol in his lifetime to fill two trucks. He even believed that people who couldn't drink couldn't be friends with each other.

However, when the gears of fate turned and he came to this life, he developed a completely different attitude towards alcohol.

Wallace Chung's determination to quit drinking may stem from the health problems and family conflicts caused by alcoholism in his past life, which has made him wary; or perhaps he wants to re-examine his lifestyle and pursue a healthier and more sober life.

Zhong Hanzhe smelled the aroma of the wine, smiled, and shook his head. "Wine is just something that passes through the intestines. I don't believe I can't quit."

"Your skills are excellent!" Old Yu exclaimed, "How long have you been learning?"

Chung Han-che answered vaguely: "Everyone has a talent for learning things. Some people can master something quickly, while others can't learn it even after several years. I was considered lucky when I was an apprentice at the Housing Management Bureau. I even got a salary of ten or twenty yuan. Some private apprentices had a very tough job. They had to work for their masters for free for three years. Some masters were strict, and the apprentices had to do their masters' laundry and housework. Many people couldn't persevere."

Old Yu couldn't help but ask with admiration, "You must have suffered a lot to learn this skill, that's impressive. So why did you give up such a promising future?"

Chung Han-cheol looked down at his shoes, not wanting to elaborate, and simply said, "Because I want to study."

"How old are you now? You look only thirteen or fourteen?" Aunt Yu couldn't help but ask.

Zhong Hanzhe didn't hold back and said frankly, "I'll be fourteen after the New Year, but my identity information says I'm eighteen. Maybe the person in charge of household registration copied it wrong."

Yu Liang looked up and interjected, "This kind of thing is very common. There's a girl in my factory who's 18 years old, but her household registration says she's 28." Everyone laughed and started telling each other interesting stories from outside.

Old Yu was silent for a while, then asked, "Xiao Zhong, what do you think about introducing Taozi to the Housing Management Bureau as an apprentice? Would that work?"

Zhong Hanzhe looked up, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes, but he still nodded: "There might not be any apprenticeships available. I'll keep an eye out for you... but it also depends on whether he's willing to work hard. If they're recruiting apprentices, we can try to find someone to pull some strings."

Taozi eagerly shoveled food into his mouth, stuffing it bulging, and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Of course I'm willing! If I learn this skill, I can go out and earn money." His eyes sparkled with anticipation and excitement.

Old Yu looked at Taozi, sighed helplessly, and said earnestly, "Learning a skill is good. At least you can have a stable job in the future. They say a man fears choosing the wrong career, and a woman fears marrying the wrong man. For a man, choosing a suitable career is of utmost importance." His face showed his worry and concern for Taozi's future.

Zhong Hanzhe thought for a moment and slowly said, "I can use my connections to recommend him to the Housing Management Bureau as an apprentice, but whether he can learn anything depends on his own fate." He paused slightly, then added somewhat shyly, "However, I have a small request. I think Aunt Yu's cooking is quite delicious, so I hope to cook for you. I will provide 30 jin of rice each month, and pay an extra 6 yuan for food and laundry. I'm not picky; I'll eat whatever you eat."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Yu's face immediately lit up with a joyful smile, and she nodded repeatedly, saying, "Okay! Of course!" You see, she only earned a meager 3 yuan a month for helping to look after other people's children. Now, just adding an extra pair of chopsticks would bring in 6 yuan more, and it would also improve her meals—undoubtedly a good thing for her. Besides, doing laundry was also within her means; after all, earning a little more money was crucial for her family.

Chung Han-cheol said, "The main reason is that I want to focus on my studies and don't want to be distracted by these household chores. Also, I think your family is easy to get along with." As he spoke, his face was filled with a sincere smile, making people feel that he loved this environment.

Hearing this, Lao Yu couldn't help but ask curiously, "Then why don't you go home to live? Is there anything inconvenient about living at home?"

Zhong Hanzhe sighed softly and explained, "Every family has its own problems, so I won't go into family matters. The main issue is that I have many siblings, and they are all still young. They are always noisy, and there is no quiet study environment at all. That's why I chose to come out and find a place to live so that I can better focus on my studies." His eyes revealed a hint of helplessness, but even more so, anticipation for the future.

Aunt Yu asked with some concern, "Shouldn't you discuss this with your family before you start sharing the meals here? After all, it costs 6 yuan a month, and some families can't afford that."

Zhong Hanzhe said coldly, "I earned this money myself, they can't control it. Don't worry, I keep my word."

Taozi exclaimed in surprise, "Wow, how do you make money by yourself? Teach me how, and I'll follow you from now on."

Old Yu tapped Taozi with his bent index finger and said, "Are you craving snails? Look at you, you're four years older than Xiao Zhong, and he not only does well in school, but he also earns his own tuition and household expenses. It's true what they say, comparison is the thief of joy..."

Taozi chuckled and said, "What did I do to offend you? Now you listen to everything I say, don't you?"

The Yu family didn't press the matter further, perhaps out of trust in Zhong Hanzhe, or perhaps because they felt the question was no longer important. In any case, they chose to ignore it and started talking about other topics.

Zhong Hanzhe suggested that Taozi first master the skill of leak repair. It's always good to have more skills. After mastering the skill, he could form a small construction team to take on jobs, and the income should be quite good.

The conversation was lively, and everyone felt that Taozi's employment prospects were bright.

Meanwhile, Wallace Chung has perfectly solved his housing and food problems, and is not bothered by trivial matters such as eating and washing clothes, so he is in a very good mood.

Speaking of the leak repair team, he had considered it, but felt it wasn't the right time yet. He needed to focus on his studies and didn't have the energy. He wanted to get the coal ash business sorted out first, as it provided a decent monthly income. Moving too fast in this cutthroat society made him an easy target. He didn't tell the Yu family about the coal ash business; the fewer people who knew, the better. Anyway, he had money and resources, so there was no rush. He could take his time…