novelraw Chapter 72 Who says studying is useless? Isn't it more profitable than toiling in the fields?
Chapter 72 Who says studying is useless? Isn't it more profitable than toiling in the fields?
"What can I do?" He didn't have the original owner's memories, but he had all his skills stored in his head, so he could do anything.
Fortunately, the original owner, Liu Fengyi, and Tong Linsheng had a lot in common in their work. He was somewhat lacking in the area of solving cases, but the county public security bureau rarely had any particularly serious or complicated criminal cases, so he could still handle it.
"The small bedroom in the newly partitioned east room needs a window. I've already installed the window frame. Could you get the window installed this afternoon?"
"I didn't even notice that the little house in the back doesn't have windows! But if the windows are open, won't it be cold in winter?" Liu Fengyi knew that if you didn't heat the kang (a traditional heated brick bed) in winter, it would be unbearably cold.
"We'll just have to make do this year. In winter, we'll add an extra charcoal brazier to each room, along with electric blankets. Next year, when I want to install central heating, I'll have to figure out how to get a small boiler."
"I'll figure that out. Leave the window to me, just leave me the tools."
"Okay! Uncle... Uncle Liu!" Tong Yuheng almost called out "Dad" instead!
In the afternoon, the girls asked Xiaoqi to stay home with Uncle Liu while they went to do chores. When they returned after finishing their work, Liu Fengyi had already dug out the two windows needed for the east room, installed the window frames, filled all the gaps with cement to prevent wind and rain, and installed the glass.
"Do you still need to dismantle the kang (heated brick bed) in the west room? What are your plans for that room?" Liu Fengyi asked.
"I plan to keep one bedroom for each person. The west room will be divided into three bedrooms and a small living room. That room is so big, it's almost the size of an apartment in Yan City."
"People here like big houses and big yards, why did you make it into small rooms?"
"Perhaps it's because I grew up in Yan City, but I still prefer the high walls and courtyards inside the city. My younger sisters will grow up quickly and need their own independent space."
Before, two people shared a room of five or six square meters. Now, each person has at least a room of seven or eight square meters. Before, no one complained about the small size, but now they complain!
"That's still not enough for one person per room! Are you suggesting we revert to our old layout? A hallway connecting four rooms, door to door?"
"Aren't there side rooms outside? The courtyard is so big, we can easily build two or three more. We can repair the original one and build two more over the old pigsty across the street. That should be enough for one person per room."
I'm also planning to tear down and rebuild the outer kitchen. The kitchen door will open towards the main entrance, and I'll build an open shed in the small space next to the side room to store bicycles. I specifically built that little storage shed that way, hehe, there's a secret inside!
As Liu Fengyi looked at his daughter and talked about his plans, her eyes filled with anticipation for the future, everything seemed so wonderful to him. His little girls were all growing up, capable of shouldering the responsibilities of a family. Who said daughters were inferior to sons?!
Tong Yuheng has fully adapted to this role and taken on the responsibilities of being the eldest sister. Her younger sisters have different personalities, but they are all good girls; they are kind-hearted and know how to care for their family. This makes her feel that her sacrifices for them are worthwhile.
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Tong Jiahui and Tong Yuyao stayed at the military base for six days. When they returned, Tong Yuyao looked dejected, something Tong Yuheng rarely saw his second sister in.
When the two sisters got together, Tong Yuheng naturally wanted to ask, "What's wrong, second sister? Did something upset you?"
Tong Yuyao said, "Sister, I didn't help much this time. I just helped Mom organize some documents and look up things in the dictionary..."
Tong Yuheng understood. It must be that the machinery they were dealing with was extremely complex and advanced. It wouldn't be normal for her. If it were her uncle and the others, the result would not be like this, right?
"Who said you weren't helpful? Those professional data and words were a headache for me too. If it weren't for you helping me look up words in the dictionary and materials, we wouldn't have been able to get back so quickly," Tong Jiahui encouraged her second daughter.
"Those machines and circuits are too complicated, and I can't understand those blueprints. Sister, you should have gone. You're definitely better than me. It's such a waste of such a good opportunity." Tong Yuyao felt it was a pity that her older sister couldn't show off her talents.
"How is that a waste? Haven't you improved a lot from your mediocre English before? You're like our mother, better at humanities. If you don't like science, then learn something you like. Don't make things difficult for yourself," Tong Yuheng advised her.
My mother majored in humanities, so she worked in advertising after graduation. Yuyao is currently doing very well in academic subjects and also excels in science, but she personally prefers humanities, so she has read a lot of literature and history books since she was little.
Many of the books she read are no longer available today; they were considered reactionary teaching materials. Her mother couldn't bear to burn them, so she hid them under the water tank in the house and put them away in a wooden box.
This time, when the family went to the countryside, Tong Jiahui saw her two daughters browsing through various books and asked her to make proper arrangements for them. Tong Yuheng put them into his spatial storage and brought them with him.
Tong Yuheng even went to the bookstore to buy the Little Red Book, one for each person. She also bought a set of Selected Works of Great Men, planning to study them together after work. This wasn't just for show; she genuinely wanted to learn with her family. It truly embodies the laws of history and the great wisdom of humankind.
As soon as Tong Jiahui and her daughter returned, many villagers became curious, and some aunties and older women from the village came to visit. It was fine during the day, but their visits at night became a bit of a disturbance.
They were all curious about what special skills the mother and daughter possessed that had attracted the military's attention, but Tong Jiahui smiled and told them that she had signed a confidentiality agreement and couldn't reveal any specific details. She only told them that she had helped with some technical work and that she might have to go back every few days in the future.
When asked if there was any compensation for helping the military, Tong Jiahui said, "The military provides food and lodging, and they even gave us thirty yuan. But the money doesn't really matter; it's an honor to be able to help!"
They didn't just receive thirty yuan; they gave Tong Jiahui three hundred yuan for translation. Tong Yuyao wasn't as unhelpful as she claimed; she just didn't solve the important problem. She was given a hundred yuan as a service fee, which she was embarrassed to accept, but her supervisor insisted that she take it.
"Wow, that's a lot! You only went for a few days and you got thirty yuan! Goodness, that's almost the money we can save from a year of farm work!" They were even more curious, but since it involved military matters, they didn't dare to ask, afraid of being interrogated as spies.
"You should all encourage your children to study hard so they can become workers and earn wages in the future," Tong Jiahui encouraged them. "Who says studying is useless? Isn't it more profitable than toiling in the fields?"