AWB Chapter 301: Building a House
Chapter 301: Building a House
After agreeing to Grandpa Wu's request to find out what the captain was thinking, Liu Jingxue went to the captain's house the next morning.
By then several of the family's children were playing in the yard.
The weather is getting warmer day by day, and the ice in the river is getting thinner.
Starting this month, the children in the village have been detained by adults and are not allowed to skate on the river.
Since they can’t mess around outside, the children can only mess around at home.
Seeing Liu Jingxue coming over, Tiedan was the first to rush over and say hello, "Sister Xiaoxue, you're here."
Liu Jingxue looked at the children present, but didn't see the oldest Zhang Zhisheng, and the second-ranked Zhang Zhihe. "Why aren't your eldest and second brothers playing with you?"
"Big brother and second brother went to school."
Yes, it’s late March now and school has already started.
Each of them gave them a candy and sent them to continue playing. Following their guidance, Liu Jingxue found Aunt Sufen and Zhang Guiying.
The two men had already heard Liu Jingxue talking to the children in the yard, and were not surprised at all to see her come in.
"Xiaoxue, come and sit down."
"Aunt, Sister Guiying." Liu Jingxue greeted.
"Xiaoxue, why are you here today?"
"I came over to ask when we're going to start work."
“That will take some time, until mid-April.
Why are you asking when we will start work? Isn't it good to rest at home?" Zhang Guiying said with a smile.
Liu Jingxue replied, "I have been idle at home for 5 months and I feel like my bones are loose.
The weather is cold again, I think it would be better if it were a little warmer.
Although I have to work, being able to travel is better than staying at home all day."
Aunt Wu Su and Zhang Guiying both laughed.
"I think you're the only educated youth who has this idea. The others would like to rest as long as possible," said Aunt Sufen with a smile.
Liu Jingxue asked, "Where's the captain? Why can't I see him?"
“Didn’t we say before that we would expand the educated youth camp after the thaw?
Now that the ice has started to thaw, he went to arrange for people to prepare the materials.
To build so many houses, we have to prepare more adobe, wood and the like."
Zhang Guiying said, "My dad said that according to the practice of the past two years, the first batch of educated youth will arrive in April or May this year. We have to hurry up and build the houses, otherwise we will have nowhere to live."
"That's true. Li Jie's bed in the room for male educated youths was vacant, but the room for female educated youths was already full.
If we don’t expand, we will have no place to accommodate more people.” Liu Jingxue nodded.
As they were talking, the captain walked in and said, "Xiaoxue is here.
What are you guys talking about? "
Wu Sufen replied, "We are talking about the expansion of the educated youth camp.
When do you plan to start work?"
"I just went to the educated youth site to check, and it can barely start work.
But for the sake of smooth sailing, let’s wait another two or three days.”
"If we start construction so soon, will we have enough adobe?" Wu Sufen asked worriedly.
"Don't worry about that. This was decided last year. People arranged for it to be there before the freezing weather.
The captain sighed, "Just starting the construction will cost us another sum of money.
Even if the rent can make up for some of the loss later, it will take a very long time.
But we can’t not build it.”
“I just don’t understand. We villagers have solved our own housing problems, so why do the educated youths want us to solve their accommodation problems for them?
The higher authorities gave subsidies to educated youths who went to the countryside, but didn’t give much to our production team, so why should we pay for it?” Wu Sufen said indignantly.
The captain said, "Okay, just say this at home, don't shout it outside.
In the eyes of those with ulterior motives, we are seen as being dissatisfied with the policies from above.”
"That's right," Wu Sufen muttered.
Seeing the opportunity, Liu Jingxue quickly said, "Captain, why don't we let the educated youth build houses with their own money?"
"The higher-ups asked the production team to solve the housing problem for the educated youth and let them build houses with their own money, but they definitely wouldn't do that.
Maybe they will report us to the higher authorities." The captain explained.
"Captain, you misunderstood. I didn't say that the production team should not provide housing for the educated youth.
But you also know that there will definitely be many inconveniences for so many educated youth to live together.
It’s okay for those with poor conditions, but those with good conditions and who are pampered at home will definitely not be used to living with so many people.
If they can live better and spend a little more money, they will definitely be happy."
The captain was suspicious, "Didn't we agree to expand the youth camp and build some single rooms to rent out to them to improve their living environment?"
“Although you plan to build more single rooms for rent, they will still be located in the educated youth site, with the same entrance and exit gate.
You also know that some people nowadays are always staring at what’s in other people’s bowls and pots.
When we live together, those who are better off and want to eat good food will still be stared at.
If you are not careful, you will be accused of capitalism.
This is also the reason why I didn’t want to live with the educated youth and wanted to live alone.
I think those educated youth who have the ability to ensure their own safety and are not short of money probably have the same idea as me.”
The captain frowned and said, "You mean to build some houses outside the educated youth site and rent them out to the educated youth.
But this will cost a lot, and the villagers will definitely not agree to it."
“Why did the production team build it? Didn’t the production team provide them with houses? It’s them who don’t live in them.
If you want to live better, you shouldn't spend money.
This way, they will have no excuse to complain to their superiors.”
Liu Jingxue suggested, "Captain, you should tell the educated youth that if they can guarantee their own safety, the village will allow them to build their own houses at their own expense.
I know the village will not give free housing plots to the educated youth like the villagers do, but they can be allowed to buy or rent them. "
“If the production team didn’t want to sell the village land to the villagers, they could set a high price to make them back off.
If they are willing to pay, that's another matter.
At that time, they will pay to buy the residential land and build a house with their own money.
When they return to the city, they can negotiate with the villagers and sell the house to them. "
“If you don’t want to pay a high price to buy the residential land, you can pay to rent the land.
The production team did not require them to pay extra rent, and the only condition was that when they returned to the city, they would hand over the houses they built to the village for free.
In this way, isn’t it equivalent to the production team getting the house for free?
I don’t think the villagers will object to such a good thing.”
Zhang Guiying's eyes lit up, "It's possible to buy a homestead or rent it."
"I think it's better to sell it, and set the price higher." Wu Sufen suggested.
"The production team will get some money then."
The team leader shook his head and said, "It is not allowed to sell residential land in the village. The land belongs to the country and cannot be bought and sold privately.
Even if the educated youth agreed to buy the house at a high price, when they sold the house to the villagers later, they would definitely include the money for the homestead. By then, the house price would be too high and no one would be willing to buy it. "
“No one wants to buy something that’s not exactly right.
The educated youth wanted to go back to the city, but he couldn’t take the house with him, so if no one took over, he would have to lower the price.” Liu Jingxue said deliberately.
The captain shook his head, "No, no one's money comes from the wind, we can't do such an immoral thing.
I think renting a residential plot is a good idea, the rent is the same as the house.
In our countryside, building a two-bedroom house like yours only costs about 30 yuan.
We have already discussed it and decided to build single rooms for rent. The small ones will be rented for 8 cents a month, and the large ones will be rented for 1 yuan.
He spent 30 yuan to build a house, and after living in it for two and a half years, the cost of building the house was recovered.
If you stay longer, it will be worth it.
When he left, he gave the house to the village for free, so he didn’t lose much, and we can take it with no regrets.”
The captain raised his fist and said, "I can make the final decision on this matter.
I will talk to the educated youth later and see who is willing to build a house."
Liu Jingxue quickly reminded, "Captain, please make it clear that it is not recommended for female educated youth to build their own houses.
After all, safety is a big issue. If something happens to them, the production team will still be held responsible.”
"Of course. Unless you are as capable as me, we will not allow a female educated youth to live alone."
Wu Sufen said, "I am now looking forward to more educated youth with better conditions coming to the village. When they return to the city, they can get more houses for free."
When the others heard this, they also started laughing.