Eldest Sister, Why Haven't You Married Yet Chapter 62

Published at 1st of February 2023 10:16:02 AM

Chapter 62 Canal Workers Dormitory

Seeing the increasing number of people in Luohe Prefecture, You Jin knew that the canal construction was probably true. It will take a lot of labor to dig the canal and the people who dig the canal may not necessarily be all Luohe Prefecture’s citizens. Meaning basic necessities of life would become a problem for some of them. This would be a business opportunity.

"You’re looking for someone to build a house?" He Hao really didn't know whether it was Su Family having vision or luck. Who would have thought that the old and weak female and children of Su Family would spend so much money to buy so much wasteland. Initially, he felt that they were silly. The slap in the face came in a blink of an eye. He was the silly one! "Is the current house not enough for your family?"

You Jin explained: "I noticed people coming and going in Luohe Prefecture. It seems the construction of the canal is a certainty. I think I can earn some money by building some thatched mud brick houses on the wasteland. "

Su Family now had ten mu of land about a stone's throw away from the Wuliqiao River. Only four mu were planted, and the remaining six mu were vacant. If some houses were built, they would be rented to canal workers in the future. This is a way to make money, no? After discussing with Mrs. Su, You Jin sought Lizheng to find someone to help: "Our family doesn't have any acquaintances in Wuliqiao, so I want to ask Uncle Lizheng for help and find a craftsman team."

He Hao was full of emotions in his heart. No wonder Su Family had a good life! Su Family’s eldest lass really dared to think and do. He Hao nodded and replied, "Sure, I will take care of this."

Right now, out of the entire Wuliqiao, only Su Family occupied ten mu of open land on the west side of the river. If he wants to take advantage of the early wind of digging the canal to earn some money, he has to be on good terms with Su Family.

"Then many thanks Uncle Lizheng. When the house is built, Auntie Zhao can make some steamed buns, mantou, and the likes and sell them there. She can earn enough to cover the expenses of the whole family." You Jin naturally understood the logic of give and take. In the future, if only her family earns all the money, others will be jealous, no?

Zhao Chun Hua's eyes lit up after hearing this. Their family’s eldest son spent a lot of money every year studying in a private school in Luohe Prefecture. It would be nice if they could earn more money: "Deal! When the time comes, we will have to rely on You Jin to help us out!"

Zhao Chun Hua really liked Su Family’s eldest lass more and more. She had a sweet mouth and knew how to act. It was just that she was too young. If not, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to marry her into the family as a daughter-in-law.

After discussing with Lizheng, a construction team of 18 people went to the wasteland on the west side of the river two days later. They began to lay the foundation and build the house according to You Jin's idea. You Jin's idea was also very simple. The dormitory was mainly divided into two types. One was a shared quarter, which can accommodate 20 people in one room. The other was a small single room with a small kang bed and simple table and bench set. This kind was prepared for the canal engineering stewards.

The construction activity on the west side of the river had alarmed many villagers of Wuliqiao. More and more villagers went to the west side of the river to watch the excitement. Some people were envious of prospering Su Family. Naturally, some were also jealous.You Jin didn't bother to pay them any heed either. Now that the pups in the family had grown up enough to watch the home, she led Da Huang and Xiao Hei around the village a few times to dispel some people’s bad intentions. The dogs following behind Su Family’s lass had majestically scared away many bad-intentioned people with its teeth glistening with coldness.

Right now, everyone in Su Family’s life peacefully passed. Every day sour plum soup was sold. Afterward she led her few younger sisters on exercising and trained the dog. There was the addition of digging golden Cordyceps sobolifera in the mountains. You Jin's life can be said to be quite fulfilling. The days passed day by day. In a blink of an eye, it was the fiery season, July. The house on Su Family’s side of the river had already been built: You Jin adopted a layout similar to that of ordinary houses. There was only one entrance in and it was divided into the main room, the east wing and west wing. But all of them were made into shared quarters. There was no kitchen. The number of showers and toilet huts had increased. The backyard didn’t have a storeroom either as it was made into a shared quarters. Altogether, the main, east, and west consist of six shared quarters. It can accommodate up to 120 people.
 

As for the single rooms next to shared quarters, they were slightly better built. The single rooms were string together in rows. Each room was accessed independently. Only the shower and toilet were shared. There was no courtyard wall or courtyard door. You Jin planned to directly lease them to canal engineering stewards for the long-term. Then she only needed to find someone to clean the latrine regularly.

Half a month after Su Family’s house was built, the canal construction in Luohe Prefecture began. You Jin took You Yin and You Zhu to the riverside to attract guests who needed accommodation: “Shared quarters cost three wen a night! Three Wen per night!" You Jin's price wasn’t high. Only ninety wen for a month's stay. It was half the price compared to the six wen per night in Luohe Prefecture.

Sure enough, after You Jin yelled a few times, someone immediately came to ask: "Little girl, is it really three wen a night?"

This time, many of the canal diggers came from other places. Although digging the canal was a bit tiring , one can earn thirty wen a day. But this didn’t include food or accommodation. Prices in Luohe Prefecture were high. The cheapest shared quarters cost six yuan a night. And the daily meals, it was at least ten wen. What was truly left was only ten wen. Most of the canal workers want to earn some money, so naturally they would save as much as they can.

Seeing someone coming to ask, You Jin quickly pointed to a small black dot in the distance and stated: "That is our house. 20 people in one shared quarter. It costs three wen per night. Do you want to take a look?”

Listening to You Jin's sales voice, the three who came to ask looked at the direction she was pointing at. By foot, it was estimated to take one or so kilometers. Not too far away. So they made an appointment with You Jin to stay tonight.

You Jin sisters only stayed on the edge of the river for half an hour and at least thirty people came to enquire. A middle-aged man with a foreign accent came over and asked: "Little girl, does your place have single rooms?"

"Yes, there are! Single rooms are calculated on a monthly basis. 415 wen a month." This was the first steward who came to ask about single rooms. You Jin hurriedly introduced the situation of their family’s single rooms to him: "Our single room got a kang bed. And tables, chairs and benches. Just beside the river base. Very convenient.”

"Sure, I'll go take a look after I get off work." The price of 415 yuan a month was still good-value compared to the price of 20 yuan a day in the city. The steward nodded and decided to take a look.

After returning from the river, You Jin sisters helped Mrs. Su on sewing the quilts for the single room. It was only July. It wasn’t expensive to buy cotton. Su Family bought more than a dozen quilts worth of cotton. One, the dormitory required it. The other, their family also need covers. For the convenience of management, You Jin had hired a widower in his early fifties from Wuliqiao Village, Uncle Hong. For one silver coin a month, he’ll watch the gate of the canal workers' dormitory. Uncle Hong was too old to farm the land, so he was delighted with this employment.

That night, there were already nearly 30 canal workers living in Su Family's canal worker dormitory and two single rooms were also rented out. It was all paid first and then moved in. In one go, nearly a silver liang was earned. Everyone in Su Family was over the moon.

When collecting the money, You Jin asked everyone directly if they wanted to order breakfast for tomorrow morning: "One three-grain mantou and one bowl of coarse grain congee is two wen." After hearing this, everyone felt that the price was reasonable and ordered it. After arranging the accommodation, she gave some instructions to Uncle Hong and left Xiao Hei to guard the gate. Only then, You Jin took Da Huang and walked to the house not far away with a lantern in hand.

After returning home, everyone in Su Family was busy preparing the breakfast that had been ordered for tomorrow morning: Mrs. Su, who had put the two little babies to sleep, kneaded the dough with You Zhu, who had already grasped the mantou making process. You Jin took the coarse grains out of the warehouse, soaked them in water, lit a fire, and added firewood. She cooked the coarse grain congee. Only then, everyone washed up and went to bed.
 

Early the next morning, before dawn, You Jin came out of the east wing with a lantern, went into the kitchen, cut Mrs. Su and You Zhu’s risen dough into equal-sized portions, and put them into the steamer. It was set on the top of the pot where coarse grain congee was cooking. The sun-dried bamboo burned with crackling sounds. Within a quarter of an hour, it was all ready.

When all the steamed buns were put into the basket covered with a layer of white cotton cloth and the coarse grain congee was poured into the wooden bucket, Mrs. Su in the main room and You Yin in the west wing room had got up. You Jin and Mrs. Su carried the large bucket of coarse grain congee, while You Yin carried the clean coarse porcelain bowl. The mother and daughters went to the canal worker's dormitory in the midst of the fading night.

The canal workers who got up early had just left the entrance when they found Su Family’s mother and daughters’ stall all set upl. The fragrant smell of the fist sized three-grain mantou seduced the awakened taste buds. Everyone hurriedly took out two wen and handed the money to You Jin. They asked for a bowl of congee to pair with the three grain mantou and nicely finished off their breakfast. Afterward, they waved Su Family’s mother and daughters goodbye. The canal workers all went to work at about the same time. The breakfast brought by Su Family was sold out within a quarter of an hour. The mother and daughters packed up their things and went home.

Back to Lizheng He Hao's house. Mrs. Zhao had heard the news that few dozens of people had lived in Su Family's canal worker's dormitory. She was a little anxious: "Family Head, do you think we should quickly set up a stall across the river? These canal workers can earn a lot of money!"

He Hao was a well-established farmer. He had never done any small business and was a little worried. But thinking how Su Family's children who hadn’t grown up yet and dared to do, they can do it too. He spoke: "In a while, go to Su's house to discuss with You Jin lass. Their family has built a lot of houses now. We can rent one room for food-selling."

Hearing what Family Head said, joy sprung on Mrs. Zhao’s brows and she acknowledged in response. Then she hurried out to the west of the river. On the way, she encountered two villagers who had made mantou and sold them at the river base. They were returning with all with all smiles and grins. Seeing the baskets on their backs were empty, she can tell the business was good. At this, Mrs. Zhao became even more anxious. She couldn't miss this opportunity to make money!

It was now noon break time for the canal workers. You Jin had completed the check-in procedures for nineteen more canal workers. Now it changed to paying the accommodation fee every ten days. Although the canal workers were a little reluctant, who made Su Family’s dormitory cheaper than the city. So they paid for it. You Jin, who came back from the dormitory, heard that Mrs. Zhao was here. She hurried into the main room, where Mrs. Zhao was chatting and laughing with Mrs. Su.

Chapter end