Chapter 112
“Although many sisters-in-law have only been on the island for a few days, our island isn’t that big, and everyone can see the basic situation These officers and soldiers have been too busy training to build houses lately” Xu Man spread his hands
Song Boying interjected, “In fact, with the exception of my newlywed sister-in-law, everyone should have gotten used to this situation It’s just like how we can never count on them when we need them the most at home”
Xu asked, “”
Song Baoying was afraid that this resentment would not dissipate for a while
She shook her head and helplessly said, “Although this isn’t very nice to hear, it does seem to be a fact However, the biggest difference between Rainbow Island and home is that at home, we don’t know what our men do every day and where they go, we can only guess and worry
On the island, it’s different, we can see them, we can see them every day, we can feel solid and less worried Even though, like Song’s wife said, nine times out of ten they can’t help the family Including building the school this time”
Some of the sisters-in-law were confused and asked, “Will the school be built or not?”
One moment they said they would build it and the next they said they didn’t have the time to do so
Xu Wen raised his hands in the air, “Blame me for talking nonsense Simply put, the school must be built, but for the time being, the officers and soldiers are not available to help, so if we want to build the school building as soon as possible, we can only count on ourselves”
“Huh?” Song Qin reacted quickly, asking in shock, “You mean we’re building the school ourselves?”
Xu Man nodded, “Yes! To be more specific, the sisters-in-law on the island, or almost everyone in this room, will build this elementary school For those who couldn’t make it, the children need to be taken care of day and night, so they can’t get away to help”
There was a moment of silence in the large room, followed by a chorus of chatter
Most of them were not very supportive, rather they didn’t believe they could build a school by themselves
It was only when the chattering turned from loud to small that Xu Wen spoke up, “I can understand how your sisters-in-law feel When I first heard about this proposal, I was just as incredulous as everyone else! Building a house is so complicated, so much technical and physical work We are all women, how can we do it?
When I mentioned it to my lover, he didn’t believe me either Most people don’t believe we can do it But, I ask, what are we missing? In the words of one of my sisters-in-law, ‘In the family, the man’s name is just an empty name, we plant the land, we raise the elderly, we bring up the children, and we fix the house when it breaks down All these are fine, why not building a house?’ To tell you the truth, the sister-in-law who said this is here, and her name is Wang Lingling”
These words resonated with most of the sister-in-laws, and thunderous applause erupted as soon as Xu Man’s words left his mouth
When the applause died down, Xu Man continued, “It was also Mrs Wang Lingling and a few other sisters-in-law who first suggested that we build our own school They told me that some of them knew carpentry, some had strength, and some knew masonry, and were willing to help carry bricks and tiles even if they knew nothing
I admired their courage and appreciated them So I think we can give it a try, and in the process prove to the men in our family and others that we are not just some kind of doddering flower that grows on men! We can be great without them!
But don’t get me wrong! I’m not advocating that people really don’t want men I’m just saying that they’re capable of defending our country we’re capable of guarding them and doing everything logistically to give them peace of mind”
The thunderous applause was interspersed with many sister-in-laws volunteering
“I know carpentry too, take me one!”
“I know how to build walls, take me one too!”
“I don’t know anything, but I can work as a handyman!”
“I can sell labor!”
“I can paint, can I help?”
“I can sing and dance Forget it I’ll just lift wood!”
Among the various sister-in-laws who had signed up, one suddenly shouted out Xu Man’s most lacking skill
“I can draw drawings, I studied architectural design”
This sister-in-law who spoke was called Xiao Yu, and was considered a half-local She was from Haicheng, which was particularly close to here, and could speak Cantonese as well as Mandarin, and she spoke Mandarin particularly well
Xu Wen was stunned, learning architectural design requires at least a junior college education, right?
Seeing Xu’s daze, Mrs Li took the initiative to explain to her, “This sister-in-law Xiaoyu just followed her husband to the island after the defense change She’s less than a month pregnant Her man’s name is Zhang Qinglong Apart from being a veteran, Zhang has no special strengths, and his education is not high, as he didn’t even finish junior high school What’s great is this Xiaoyu’s sister-in-law, a serious college student, and I heard that her family is especially rich It seems that her father is also a military officer”
Sister-in-law Li was originally a warm nature, since the opening of the kiosk, the island men, women and children all go to her to buy things, so that her kiosk directly into the news distribution center of Rainbow Island
There wasn’t a single person on the island that Sister Li didn’t know
However, of all the soldiers and officers who had newly arrived on the island, Mrs Li was most impressed by Xiao Yu, because she felt that Xiao Yu was somewhat similar to Xu Man
Even more than Xu Man, Xiaoyu is a college student, a serious high degree to arrange the kind of golden rice bowl But she did not want, so married a big head soldier
Xu asked at least not graduated from college, Lu Yuanzheng at least is a cadre
In short, is Xiaoyu and Zhang Qinglong’s family and personal conditions are too disparate, it is difficult to imagine how such two people come together
Xu Wen heard a little smacked, but also understandable Most of the time, women’s IQ will be online, but many women in love, IQ will be extremely fast decline, even if encountered scum, not to be hurt through it is also very difficult to realize
She only just met Xiaoyu is not good to evaluate what is the situation of their couple, only know, Xiaoyu is studying architecture, she will draw design drawings, but also willing to help this is enough
Of course, not all sisters-in-law were supportive, there were still a small number of sisters-in-law who didn’t speak out They didn’t have enough confidence in them, right?
This matter was all based on voluntarism, and Xu Wen and Song Baoying weren’t an official organization, so it was better if everyone was willing to work together to build it, but it was also correct if they weren’t
After this was largely finalized, it was time for free chatting
Anyone who wanted to talk about anything was free to do so
Although it was already past twelve o’clock, no one was sleepy, and only a few small children couldn’t handle it and went to sleep after eating and drinking their fill
Xu Man was actually a bit sleepy, but she recognized the bed, plus it wasn’t quiet here, so she couldn’t sleep, so she chatted with the people on her left and right
People from the north and south of the Tianhai got together, I don’t know if it was the night that made people less guarded, or if we were all military wives with a common language
Chatting feverishly, any topic
Chatting about food in their hometowns
Talking about men and children
Chatting about how they met the person they were with
Chat about why they went to the island
Until dawn, all the sisters-in-law fell asleep
Not sleeping for long, they were woken up again by the loud slogans outside
“Hard work everyone! After dinner in a while, all the sisters-in-law will catch up on their sleep first, and for the house building, let’s have a meeting in the cafeteria after breakfast tomorrow?” Xu Wen yawned and opened her mouth
This party was organized by her, so naturally she had to wrap it up
The sisters-in-law were fine with it and agreed
Everyone consciously arranged all the mats neatly and took away the trash
In the end, Xu asked a few of their more familiar ones to take care of the aftermath, clean up the auditorium, and return the mats
The main return sister-in-law Li’s, the battalion’s Lu Yuanzheng said that she did not need to care, there will be someone to come and get it
After breakfast, Dongsheng went to play, Xu Man went back to his bedroom to catch up on sleep
She slept until the afternoon, but she didn’t wake up naturally
Two guests came to the house and woke her up
Song Baoying and Xiao Yu
Xu asked them to sit in the living room for a while, while she went to wash her face and cut some fruit
Xiao Yu was much more generous than Wang Lingling and the others, and there was an obvious difference in temperament
Sometimes it doesn’t matter whether one is willing to admit it or not
It is said that all beings are equal, but the contrast between the people who dig for food in the ground and those who eat wages in the city is particularly obvious
And when Song Baoying, who eats wages, sits with Xiaoyu, there is still a more obvious difference in temperament
Sister-in-law Li’s information should all be accurate, this Xiao Yu is afraid that she is really a second generation
After exchanging pleasantries, Song Baoying went straight to the point, “I dragged sister-in-law Xiaoyu to look for you, just want to discuss the matter of our school building How many rooms will be built and how big will they be?”
Xu Man pointed to the painting on the opposite wall, “The area of the school building is that big anyway, how exactly is it laid out ” Xu Man asked Xiao Yu after a brief meditation, “Sister in law, you have experience, why don t you look at it first? ”
Looking at the map was certainly nothing difficult for Xiao Yu, and she stood in front of it for quite a while
Seeing that she had been holding her waist, Xu Wen greeted her and sat down on the sofa chair, finding a pillow for her to cushion behind her waist
Song Baoying said, “It’s still asking sister-in-law to be attentive I didn’t even notice!”
Xiao Yu shook her head, “It’s me being delicate that makes you guys laugh I’m actually only a little over two months pregnant”
Both Xu Wen and Song Boying could tell that she was poking fun at herself, and she looked uncomfortable
Song Bo Ying comforted her, “The first few months of pregnancy are like this! Pregnancy reactions are painful Otherwise, how about this, you go back to rest first and wait until tomorrow?”
Xiao Yu shook her head, “Didn’t we say we’d have a meeting tomorrow morning? At the very least, we need to have a general framework for today, so we can talk about it in the meeting tomorrow”
Xu Man also comforted her, “The body is more important”
Xiao Yu still insisted on staying, and asked Xu to borrow a pen and paper
A connoisseur will know if there is, this Xiaoyu should have some real material
She drew a box with her own hands, without a ruler, but she drew it more horizontally and vertically than with a ruler
Just like cabbage and tofu and other homemade dishes are the best test of a cook’s culinary skills, in the era of no computers, simple lines are also the daily routine of architects and designers
Xiao Yu explained to Xu Man and Song Baoying as she sketched, “Rainbow Island is especially humid, especially in the ‘South Returning Days’, so I suggest that the school be built like the family compound, with mainly two-story wooden houses The upstairs rooms can be used as classrooms for the children, and the downstairs rooms can be used as music classrooms, art classrooms, or rooms for sports equipment that are not used every day
Start by building a row of six rooms, and I mean six at the top and six at the bottom One room will serve as the teachers’ office and the rest as classrooms With the current children on the island, these six rooms are enough”
This idea coincided with Xu Man
Xiao Yu circled another area in front of the teaching building and explained, “This piece of land will not be planned for the time being If there are more children on the island in the future and one class per grade can’t fit, another teaching building can be built on this piece”
Song Boying thumbs up and compliments Xiao Yu, “Sister-in-law, you are too thoughtful”
Xiaoyu smiled shyly, “Don’t expect too much from me I haven’t seriously designed any buildings It’s just that elementary school is relatively easy I dared to sign up”
“There is a first time for everything In the future, the Rainbow Island Force No 1 Primary School will be your first work!” Xu Wen gave her a light encouraging pat on the shoulder
“That would be an honor!” Xiao Yu nodded, then drew a sketch in the box, “We can build a playground in this place, and make an activity area over here, where we can put up ping pong tables, badminton nets, and basketballs, so that the children’s recess activities can be enriched
Here to get a corridor, can let the children rest when there is a place to sit this side to get an octagonal pavilion ”
Xiaoyu quickly planned out the various functional areas of the school
Song Baoying added some suggestions based on her experience
Xu Man on the other hand made a few comments from the students’ point of view
The individuals discussed until sundown before returning to their respective homes
Just after they left, Lu Yuanzheng returned with dinner
Seeing Xu Man’s face not looking too good, he frowned, “Didn’t get a good night’s rest last night?”
Xu Man pinched his brows and leaned against the bean bag, hmming, “I didn’t get enough sleep today either Just discussed the school’s design with those two sisters-in-law you saw”
“I said it’s meal time and I didn’t see you go to the cafeteria to get your meal” He also waited in the cafeteria purposely for a while, wanting to eat with her
“So you’re coming back specifically to bring me food?”
Lu Yuanzheng nodded, “Came back to see you on the way”
He sat down beside Xu Man, both thumbs pressing on Xu Man’s temples, gently circling, “I haven’t seen you for a day, and I miss you I didn’t sleep well last night when you weren’t home I always feel like there’s something missing”
Xu Man tilted his head back and leaned into his arms, “Me too I chatted with my sisters-in-law until after midnight And then had Song Boying called up in the afternoon”
“Then you don’t have time to think about me here, do you?” Lu Yuanzheng said sourly, “Daughter-in-law, why do I feel that once you’re back on the island, you’re busier than me?”
It looked like he was busy, but he hadn’t left the island Just like now, he was able to take the opportunity to meet with Xu Wen over dinner when he wanted to
But Xu asked was really busy, first he left the island with Song Bo Ying for five days, and now he had some kind of slumber party
It’s all about being busy at all hours of the night
Xu Man raised his head into an exaggerated arc and said in amusement, ”I’m a bit busy, at least I don’t give you any trouble Do you also want me to be like those sister-in-laws who complain about you not being home all day?”
Lu Yuanzheng was silent for a while and asked her, “Isn’t there a more compromising way?”
Do you have to either be so idle that you’re looking for trouble all day long, or so busy that you can’t take care of your family?
“I’m afraid there really isn’t for the next while”
Lu Yuanzheng wrinkled his eyebrows, “Are you really planning to build your own school? Will it work?”
“Can we try it first? Besides, if it really doesn’t work, I’ll still have you to back me up”
Lu Yuan Zheng lowered his head and kissed the corner of her lips, “You’re wearing this high hat! I’m too embarrassed to say no”
She took him as her last resort, how could he let her down?
After breakfast the next day, Xu Man and the other sisters-in-law borrowed the battalion canteen for an impromptu meeting
The topic of the meeting was how to build an elementary school
Xu Man first took a pen and paper and had the sisters-in-law who were interested in participating in the construction of the school write their names so that they could arrange their tasks subsequently
Xiao Yu briefly introduced the scope of the school, as well as the various functional areas of the school
Finally, there was a division of labor
“Before sister-in-law Xiaoyu’s drawings are drawn, the first thing we need to do is to clear the weeds on the school site” As Xu Man finished speaking, he vaguely felt that this job was somewhat familiar
It seemed like he had done it when he was in high school
Xu Man tsked, thinking that teaching in this era was called quality education, and what he had learned in school was really useful!
For example, they went to the new school site to work in military training, and now this is not in use?
Xu Wen suddenly gained a few more points of certainty
She was familiar with clearing weeds, and had even done it with Lu Yuanzheng
“I see that we have forty-five sisters-in-law enrolled In this way, we’ll split into groups of five, and one person will divide an area to clean up This will save the mess, is that okay?”
“Yes!”
“I agree!”
“I have no opinion either”
“Then since we all have no opinions, tomorrow morning, after breakfast, let’s gather at the place where we’re going to build the elementary school!” Xu Wen declared the first meeting successfully concluded
Xiao Yu said that this kind of house had a simple structure and the drawings were good It could definitely be drawn before everyone finished clearing the weeds
Every sister-in-law rubbed their fists and waited for the big show
The tools from the construction of the family compound and the camp were all still there, so Xu Man first brought a few of his sisters-in-law to bring the tools over from the battalion headquarters
Sickles, hoes, axes, wheelbarrows, shovels, pickaxes and so on
Wang Lingling and some of her sisters-in-law, who were usually somewhat inferior, finally had their moment to shine
Xu Man also did not expect, Wang Ling Ling usually look not too flexible a person to do the work so skillful
Hand up sickle fall, clamor in front of the weeds fell to the ground
The city sisters-in-law, led by Jiang Yi Yi, praised Wang Lingling for her skill
They hadn’t done this kind of work before, but they weren’t afraid of hard work and followed Wang Lingling’s example, bending down and starting to cut the weeds
An unexpected sister-in-law of Xu Man also came, Wang Ying
Xu Man remembers that this sister-in-law wanted to leave the farm by any means necessary, but now she’s taking the initiative to do the farm’s work?
Wang Ying looked up to meet Xu Man’s puzzled gaze and took the initiative to explain, “I’m lazy and I don’t want to do this work But you’re all doing it, and I don’t want to be laughed at when my son comes to school here”
If this school was really built, it would become a legend on the island
Kids like her son would be proud to say, “My mom was one of the people who built our school” Then her son would be disappointed
She didn’t want her son to be inferior
Xu Man nodded, “That’s good! Cheer up!”
No matter what the reason, progress is good!
At the very least, it showed that Wang Ying had a sense of responsibility