Chapter 26:

With the approval of her family, Yu Xiang’an was even more motivated.

She worked with great enthusiasm, and after tallying up, it was decided that two buildings would be constructed this time.

Each building would have two floors—one with a mix of three-bedroom and two-bedroom units, and the other with a mix of two-bedroom and one-bedroom units.

This was the final decision after everyone had submitted their chosen units and deposits.

Because of this, Yu Xiang’an had fallen behind on many of her accounting duties.

Unsurprisingly, those who opted for three-bedroom units were either factory leaders or families with multiple wage earners—otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to afford it.

Those who chose two-bedroom units were mostly families with dependents. A two-bedroom would suffice for the next twenty years, even after marriage and children.

As for one-bedroom units, they were mostly chosen as marital homes by those with less favorable financial conditions. After all, who wouldn’t want a two-bedroom if they could afford it?

But with tight budgets, they had to settle for one-bedroom units.

Yu Xiang’an had already paid her deposit, but Sun Qingchun was still trying to persuade her, believing that a single, unmarried young woman didn’t need a two-bedroom.

Yan Yunzhen also thought a one-bedroom was enough. She was confident that by the time Yu Xiang’an needed more space, the factory would allocate housing again—she had high hopes for Xiao An’s future.

But since the decision was already made, she didn’t push further and occasionally shared updates.

For instance, the factory leadership had debated this matter for a long time, particularly whether it was permissible and if it violated regulations.

They even consulted with county officials first and only proceeded after getting their approval before soliciting opinions from the workers.

Once finalized, construction began swiftly, and news of this approach spread throughout the county.

The food factory wasn’t the only one facing housing shortages—every factory had the same problem.

Their solution opened a new door for others: if they wanted housing, there was now another way to get it.

Given the current prices, families with multiple workers had saved up considerable sums with nowhere to spend it. For example, a household with four workers could earn 100 yuan a month.

If they spent 30 yuan on food and 10 yuan on necessities, they could still save 60 yuan monthly—720 yuan a year.

And for families with high-ranking workers earning 50-60 yuan a month, plus various subsidies and benefits, savings were even greater.

With no other outlets for spending, this housing opportunity struck a chord.

The Chinese people have an extraordinary attachment to property and land.

If there was no chance, fine—but if there was, they couldn’t let it slip by.

The brick factory workers were walking with extra vigor lately—business was booming. After all, construction couldn’t happen without them.

Originally, Yu Manchang was supposed to return to farming after covering shifts for a few months, but with this new opportunity, he became a temporary worker at the brick factory.

Though it was hard labor, the pay was two yuan more than at the pig farm.

Yu Manchang wasn’t afraid of hard work—he just feared his strength wouldn’t be put to good use.

This time, it looked like he could work for nearly half a year and earn a decent sum.

As the one who proposed this idea, Yu Xiang’an received praise—albeit just verbal recognition.

But she was deeply satisfied. This was her contribution to changing the times.

When Yu Manchang joined the brick factory, Yu Xiang’an approached him with a suggestion: Could he learn brick-making from a master and later start a brick factory back home?

Yu Manchang was stunned.

Yu Xiang’an laid out her reasoning step by step.

If he learned the skill, the brigade had the materials—no need to buy them. Would the villagers object?

Even if they couldn’t sell the bricks, just using them within the brigade and paying with work points—wouldn’t they agree?

If honest work could earn bricks to build houses, wouldn’t they be willing?

And wouldn’t nearby villagers want to buy them?

Private sales weren’t allowed, but collective sales were.

Hongxing Brigade was a collective.

If things went well, they could establish a brick factory right in their village, allowing locals to work close to home.

Yu Manchang was fired up.

Yu Qingshan, upon hearing this, was equally excited. Though he no longer lived in his hometown, he still wanted to see the land that raised him thrive.

He even sought out and introduced a brick-making master to Yu Manchang, paying a small price for the apprenticeship.

If Yu Manwu hadn’t been too young and slight for heavy labor, Yu Manchang would have brought him along too.

When Yu Manchang returned and mentioned his job, Yu Manwu was frustrated, looking at his thin arms compared to his brother’s.

He wasn’t as strong yet, but he still had decent strength—he wanted to earn wages and visit the county too.

Yu Mansheng was even more disheartened—younger and smaller than his second brother, his chances were even slimmer.

Seeing their disappointment, Yu Manchang blurted out, “If you don’t have much work right now, why not come to the county for a couple of days?”

Yu Manwu’s eyes lit up. “Great!”

Then he realized his brother didn’t have the final say and turned to their parents. “Can we?”

He pleaded, “I’ve only been there twice in my life.”

Xu Xiaojuan, silent, added in her heart: *I’ve only been to the commune—never the county.*

Yang Huili couldn’t bear to refuse. She looked at her father-in-law, Yu Changyou, who hesitated before nodding.

The second son’s house had extra rooms—originally built to accommodate his five children. With two grandsons sent to the countryside and the eldest moving into factory housing, three rooms remained.

One had become a storage shed due to disrepair, but two were still available.

“Go ahead,” he said. “Xiaojuan should go too—you’ve never visited your uncle’s place, right? Go see it. There’s not much work at home now—stay a couple of days.”

He also wanted great-grandchildren—how could they conceive if they were always apart?

“The kids could use the experience,” Yang Huili agreed quickly. “I’ll pack some food for you—but don’t stay too long, or I’ll scold you. And take these mountain goods to your cousin Xiao An—she asked for them.”

Yu Manwu and Yu Mansheng saluted. “Mission accepted!”

Yang Huili laughed. “Don’t cause trouble there, understand? Be helpful—do whatever work you see. And if anything comes up, talk to your uncle.”

Yu Qingshan welcomed their visit. “Since there’s not much work at home, come enjoy yourselves. Xiao Ju, you know the area—show your brothers around.”

Xiao Ju puffed out his chest. “Leave it to me!”

Yu Manchang, feeling awkward for bringing guests unannounced, handed over eggs. “Grandma sent these for Sister-in-law—to help with her pregnancy.”

Yu Manwu presented the mountain goods. “These are for Cousin Xiao An.”

Yu Qingshan nodded in acknowledgment. Yu Xiang’an checked the goods. “Thanks for bringing them. I’ll exchange them tomorrow—you can have the proceeds then. Want to see where I work? I can take you at lunch.”

“Yes!” they chorused.

Xu Xiaojuan’s face also lit up with interest.

“Then it’s settled,” Yu Xiang’an said. “Xiao Ju knows the way—he’ll bring you.”

The gatekeeper recognized her and had them register, reminding them not to enter the workshops—just look from outside.

Yu Xiang’an agreed and gave them a tour.

“This is the production workshop…”

“The warehouse…”

“The parking area—see that truck? It’s not out today.”

“Wow! A real truck!”

“It’s so impressive!”

Their enthusiasm for the old truck was like seeing a private jet in later times—no, even rarer, since private car ownership was nonexistent then.

Next, she took them to the newly allocated building under renovation.

Since it was assigned to individuals, they couldn’t move in immediately—it was just a large empty space with no partitions, only doors and windows.

But the floors and walls were ready, which was enough.

Back then, there was no concept of “renovation”—usable was good enough.

Xu Xiaojuan and Yu Manwu marveled at the white walls and clean floors, careful not to dirty them.

When they learned Yu Xiang’an would soon have a unit like this, they were envious.

And when they heard she’d acted first and sought approval later, they were impressed.

Yu Manwu gave a thumbs-up. “Cousin, you’re bold.”

He wouldn’t dare.

Yu Xiang’an laughed. “Once it’s ready, Dad can move in too—two rooms are enough. Nothing to fear.”

Yu Manwu chuckled. “If I did that, Mom would beat me senseless.”

Yu Mansheng asked, “Will you move here permanently?”

“Depends on Dad,” Yu Xiang’an said.

She doubted Yu Qingshan would agree—he was attached to his hometown, and commuting to the hardware factory would be longer from here.

At the construction site, they saw many non-workers helping out—future residents eager to speed up progress.

They couldn’t do skilled work, but carrying bricks or passing tools? No problem.

With such oversight, the builders couldn’t slack off, so progress was swift.

No pilings or steel bars—just bricks stacked and mortared.

The tricky part was the plumbing.

After the food factory, they visited the brick factory (unremarkable) and the meat processing plant.

The sight of so many pigs left them awestruck. “So much meat!”

Yu Mansheng swallowed hard. At home, they only raised one pig—this was a mountain of meat.

Yu Manchang explained that the county’s demand required such supply.

Xu Xiaojuan envied city dwellers’ monthly half-catty meat ration.

In the village, they only ate pork during holidays—an egg was a luxury otherwise.

Yu Xiangju corrected her: “Having a ticket doesn’t guarantee meat.” He described their early-morning queues. “If you’re late, even bones are gone. Tickets mean nothing then.”

Xu Xiaojuan: “…”

Fair point.

While helping in the kitchen, Xu Xiaojuan shyly asked Yu Xiang’an for cooking tips.

She thought her skills were decent—until she tasted Yu Xiang’an’s dishes. Now she wanted to improve.

Yu Xiang’an readily agreed, but after Xu Xiaojuan watched her cook, she quickly understood why her own dishes weren’t as delicious.

She was too frugal with ingredients. With so much oil, salt, and other seasonings she didn’t even recognize, how could the food not taste good? If it didn’t, it would be a waste of those expensive ingredients. Realizing this, she quickly gave up—this cooking style just wasn’t for her. She couldn’t bring herself to be so generous.

On their first day, they visited a few factories. The next day, Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie planned to take them to the supply and marketing cooperative. Yu Manwu and Yu Mansheng were fine with it, and Xu Xiaojuan had prepared money and ration coupons. Her mother-in-law had given her some funds to buy things to bring back. It was her first time visiting a county-level supply and marketing cooperative, but she figured she’d manage.

They got up early, but by the time they arrived, a long line had already formed. The grocery store was always crowded in the mornings—people came to buy the freshest vegetables, fish, and meat. Their family didn’t need to buy those yet, though. Yu Manchang had brought plenty of vegetables from their hometown, enough to last a while.

Xu Xiaojuan wanted to buy two bars of soap—Yang Huili had reminded her that they were running low at home. She also wanted to buy two hair ties for herself. Yu Manchang had specifically told her to pick them out herself since he wasn’t good at shopping, even giving her some “private savings” for it.

Additionally, Yang Huili had given her money and fabric ration coupons to buy cloth. Some of the coupons were their family’s, while others were for her uncles—exchanged with Yu Xiang’an’s colleagues. With these, they could finally make new clothes.

Buying fabric was a big responsibility, and Xu Xiaojuan felt the pressure. She was afraid of making a mistake.

Since Yu Xiang’an and the others were at work that day, Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie took them around. Yu Mingjie had saved up two cents, while Yu Xiangju had five—his entire savings. He declared he’d spend it all on candy.

With a strong sense of hospitality, he believed that as hosts, they should treat their guests well. In his mind, the best treats were meat and candy. Meat was out of his budget, but candy was doable.

The county supply and marketing cooperative was much larger than the one in their commune. Faced with so many goods displayed in glass cabinets, Xu Xiaojuan was dazzled. No wonder it was the county—there were so many things here!

That apron was beautiful—a style she’d never seen at the commune’s cooperative, and the color was vibrant, even available in red. In those days, owning a red garment was enviable. If someone wore red, they’d be the talk of the town for days.

Someone asked about the apron’s price. The sales clerk glanced at the customer, assessing whether she could afford it, then answered, “Sixteen yuan.”

Xu Xiaojuan gasped—that was expensive! No wonder it looked better than the ones at the commune. But it was far beyond her budget—almost a month’s wages for her husband. She quickly dismissed the idea and moved on to other items.

Who knew if she’d ever get another chance to visit the county? She wanted to see everything so she could impress her friends back home.

Ye Qijia worked there, but she was too busy to spot them in the crowd. Fortunately, they’d arranged beforehand which counter she’d be at. When the crowd thinned, Xu Xiaojuan and the others went to greet her, and she led them to the backroom.

She had already informed her coworkers that relatives from her hometown were visiting, so they’d be accommodating. Everyone understood—after all, who didn’t have rural relatives?

With a smile, Ye Qijia said, “You’re in luck today. There’s a flawed bolt of fabric—one side is fine, but the other has moth holes. It doesn’t require ration coupons and is cheaper. Want it?”

Of course they did! A few small holes were nothing—they could just avoid those sections. For undergarments, it wouldn’t matter at all.

“This is the last one. Don’t mention it outside,” Ye Qijia warned.

Xu Xiaojuan nodded eagerly. “Don’t worry, sister-in-law, I won’t tell a soul.” With this, they’d save both coupons and money. Her mother-in-law would surely praise her.

Pleased with her bargain, Xu Xiaojuan couldn’t stop smiling on the way back.

Besides the cooperative, they visited the school, hospital, state-run restaurant, and government offices—all the notable spots in the county. Yu Xiangju and Yu Mingjie were thrilled too. Normally, they weren’t allowed to wander far alone, but with Xu Xiaojuan and the older boys, they could explore freely.

After seeing them off, Ye Qijia sat down to rest. Since becoming pregnant, she took breaks whenever tired, sitting on the stool behind the counter. She didn’t want to overexert herself—this baby was long-awaited, and she was just as careful as with her first.

Her counter was empty now, so she could relax.

Some sections of the cooperative were always busy, while others, like bicycles and sewing machines, saw few customers. The tobacco counter next to hers was also quiet.

Her coworker sighed, “I wish I could get a new house. Ours is too small—my sister-in-law isn’t married yet, and once she is, my brother-in-law will need to marry. There’s no space!”

Ye Qijia hushed her, and the woman corrected herself, “I mean, I’d love to qualify for a welfare housing unit.”

Ye Qijia’s situation was enviable—living independently with her husband, free from in-laws’ interference. Even though she hadn’t conceived for years, she wasn’t worried since she already had a son. Now that she was pregnant again, life was good.

She didn’t gloat, though. Some people resented her happiness.

One colleague smirked, “With your cravings, it must be a boy—‘sour for sons, spicy for daughters.’ But this pregnancy’s been rough, unlike your first. Maybe it’s a girl. Don’t be upset—after all, ‘women hold up half the sky.’”

The jab was thinly veiled, but Ye Qijia ignored it. Why bother with such pettiness?

But the woman persisted, “Are you even listening? Pregnancy isn’t that special—as if no one’s done it before…”

Some people just couldn’t stand others’ happiness. Deng Xiahong was one. Her family situation was similar to Yan Yuzhen’s, but she couldn’t afford a house. The thought of Yu Xiang’an securing a two-bedroom unit made her seethe with envy.

She often badmouthed Yu Xiang’an behind her back, but most people still admired her. Who wouldn’t want their own home if they could afford it?

When Yu Xiang’an returned that evening and heard about their purchases, she remembered something—she actually knew how to make soap. Back in college, a crafty roommate had taught her DIY projects: facial soap, lip balm, hand cream, even wool felting and papermaking.

Though their attempts at elegant invitation cards had been… questionable, she’d picked up useful skills. In this era, such knowledge was valuable—unlike modern times where tutorials were everywhere, many techniques were still “secret recipes” that could earn money.