Renovating the Old House

Chen Mo didn't know Chen Erhu's thoughts, and even if he did, he wouldn't have paid them any mind. He could easily handle Chen Erhu before, and it would be even easier now. If the fellow dared to act up, he would definitely make him experience what it was like back then.

There were no buses in the village, so people either walked or rode motorcycles. Electric carts had become very popular in recent years, with every household owning one. They were fine for riding around the village or going to the town for errands. However, due to Chen Mo's family's heavy financial burden, they hadn't bought an electric cart and were still using an old light motorcycle from years ago. While it still worked, the vehicle was very dilapidated.

Chen Mo didn't feel anything riding his small motorcycle. There were no checks for licenses or motorcycle inspections in the countryside; you could ride however you pleased without anyone bothering you.

He first went to the bank in town. Since he was a major client, he easily got the bank manager's phone number. This was because he was preparing to contract land, which would involve paying a contract fee. If he were to pay in cash, the bank would need to prepare the money in advance, so having the manager's number would be convenient.

He had also told his parents the night before that he would be responsible for his younger brother Chen Hui's tuition. Since mobile payment was very convenient nowadays, he had transferred a sum for Chen Hui's living expenses the previous night and had a long chat with his brother. They talked about many things as brothers. His parents were nothing but touched by Chen Mo's actions; they knew their child had grown up and could let Er Wa handle things.

After riding his motorcycle back to the village, he went directly to Chen Ming's place.

"Uncle Ming! Uncle Ming, are you home?" Chen Mo stopped his motorcycle and looked at the two-story courtyard before him. It had red bricks and green tiles and was quite impressively built.

"Who is it?" Chen Ming's wife came out. Chen Mo had to call her Aunt Ming.

"Aunt Ming! It's Er Wa," Chen Mo said, stepping forward and standing at the doorway to speak to Aunt Ming.

"Oh! Er Wa! When did you get back? Didn't you say you still had a year before graduation? Why are you back?" When Chen Mo got into university, everyone in the village was very happy and came to congratulate the family. Therefore, many people knew the details of Chen Mo's schooling.

"I'm about to graduate, so I came back to see if I could develop my hometown!" Chen Mo replied with a smile. He wouldn't pay attention to whatever Aunt Ming thought.

"Eh! I say, Er Wa, why are you so foolish! Cities are so much better. So many people in the village are running to the city, why do you want to come back?" Aunt Ming's reaction was just as Chen Mo had predicted.

"Haha! I'm just looking around for now. I'll talk about it after I get my graduation certificate. Is Uncle Ming home? I need to talk to him about something!" Chen Mo didn't want to continue talking about himself, so he changed the subject and asked about Chen Ming.

"Your Uncle Ming went to the construction site. Da Mao's family is building a house, the one near the village entrance. Your Uncle Ming is there!" Aunt Ming knew Chen Mo hadn't been back for years, so she stood at the doorway and pointed out the location.

Chen Mo thanked her and started his motorcycle, heading straight over.

Aunt Ming watched Chen Mo's retreating figure and shook her head. What was this Er Wa thinking, not being a city dweller anymore and insisting on coming back! It was such a waste to go to university, and she didn't know what Chen Jianguo was thinking.

Riding his motorcycle for only a few hundred meters, he arrived at Da Mao's house. The house was still under construction, and the frame wasn't even complete. However, it looked like they were planning to build a second floor. It seemed that many people from the village had gone out to work in recent years and earned more money. Most families had built two or three-story houses. Looking down the road, only a few households had single-story houses, and his own was one of them.

In rural areas, people cared a lot about face, especially with the prevailing culture of comparison. If every household in the village was building houses and striving for a comfortable life, and your family wasn't doing the same, you would be looked down upon and subjected to much gossip. Moreover, many people would confront you directly, making you feel inferior. If a family became wealthy, distant relatives would come to visit, and there would be a constant stream of visitors during holidays, bringing great prestige within the village. Everyone would respect you; it was that realistic.

"Uncle Ming! Uncle Ming!" Chen Mo stopped his motorcycle in front of the construction site and shouted. Although phones were convenient now, he didn't have Chen Ming's number, and finding someone could be incredibly frustrating.

"Who is it? Huh? Er Wa, why are you back?" A man in his forties, holding a cigarette, emerged from the construction site. He was a bit short and stout, but not fat-headed and big-eared; rather, he was slightly plump, not tall, only about 1.6 meters.

"I'm about to graduate and want to find some work to do at home!" Chen Mo said the same thing. He knew that if he didn't clearly state his reason for returning, the village would definitely spread various rumors.

"You decided to come back to develop here? You're a university student with knowledge and culture, and you're coming back to be a farmer? That's foolish!" Chen Ming said.

Chen Mo knew Chen Ming meant well, so he just smiled and didn't reply. If they continued talking, it would never end.

"Uncle Ming, I'm looking for you because I want to renovate our house and add a bathroom. Is that possible?" Chen Mo asked.

With business at hand, everything else was secondary. So Chen Mo changed the subject, wanting to hire someone for work. He had found the right person. Besides, Chen Ming was different from his wife; he was just curious and didn't have such gossipy intentions. Hearing Chen Mo speak, he stopped asking about Chen Mo's affairs and started considering how to take on this business.

"Er Wa, how do you want to renovate your home?" Uncle Ming asked.

"I want to tile the main house, including my parents' rooms and the living room, as well as the kitchen. I also want to build a tiled stove counter, paint the house, and create a bathroom. On the rooftop, I want to install a water tank and an electric water heater for convenient bathing," Chen Mo said.

He originally wanted to rebuild the house entirely, but he knew his parents wouldn't agree. That's why he spoke to his Father Chen Jianguo this morning, suggesting a renovation first. Once he had a visible income, he would rebuild the house, and then his parents wouldn't have any objections.

Parents always think about their children. Although Chen Mo had millions in savings, the Chen Family Elders were still worried about what would happen if he had no income in the future. That's why Father Chen Jianguo had thought for so long this morning before agreeing to Chen Mo's renovation plans, with the added consideration of saving money wherever possible.

"Alright! It's all small jobs, can be completed in two to three days. How about this, I'll go with you to your house to take a look. If it's feasible, we can start work the day after tomorrow. Coincidentally, I'm raising the ridge beam now, which will take two to three days for pouring. I have a few master workers who are free," Chen Ming was a man of action. He immediately rode his electric cart parked nearby, and went with Chen Mo to inspect the house.

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