Chapter 9.2

The next day, both father and daughter were sore all over. After resting for half a day, they began applying putty in the afternoon. Su Ying’s dad brought out the electric drill from home, attached a mixing head, and—just like that—it became an electric mixer. Su Ying was amazed.

They had bought water-resistant putty powder and mixed it with water in a 1:0.5 ratio. As the mixer spun, the putty powder and water blended together, gradually turning into a thick paste. Seeing the consistency a bit thin, Su Ying asked, “Should we add more powder? It feels a little watery.”

Her father examined it and replied, “No need. Let it sit for a while. Once the powder fully dissolves, it’ll thicken up.”

After letting the mixture rest for 15–20 minutes, her dad stirred it with a wooden stick and tested a small amount on a spare wooden board. It held its shape and didn’t fall off—just the right consistency.

He then pulled out the putty scraper. Su Ying had also bought a new set when she purchased materials. They folded two hats out of old newspapers, put on gloves, and Su Ying began applying putty for the first time in her life.

Her father moved with skill, looking like a professional craftsman. With ease, he scooped the mixture onto the scraper, spread it onto the wall, and smoothed it out. Su Ying clumsily imitated him, patching and re-patching before she barely managed to get her section flat. The contrast between their work was obvious.

Still, Su Ying didn’t get discouraged. She kept practicing, and the more she worked, the better she became. That afternoon, the two of them managed to cover just two walls. The remaining two would have to wait for tomorrow.

Meanwhile, her mom took charge of the household logistics. Though her father usually cooked, her mom’s cooking was also excellent. Since she couldn’t help much with renovations, she focused on preparing a hearty dinner for them.

The previous day, she had soaked a large basin of mixed grains—peanuts, red beans, black rice, and glutinous rice. After soaking overnight, the grains were plump and full of water. She lined a steamer with cloth, spread a thin layer of grains inside, covered it, and steamed for 20 minutes over medium heat.

Steaming kept each grain distinct. Once ready, she lifted the whole cloth out of the steamer and inverted it into a large basin. She added washed raisins, corn kernels, a bit of glutinous rice flour, and sugar, mixing until every grain was coated.

She then pressed the mixture into balls with her hands. If they didn’t fall apart, it meant the ratio was perfect. Rolling each ball in a layer of glutinous rice flour, she placed them back in the steamer, spacing them apart. It took two full layers of the steamer to fit them all. After steaming for 15 minutes over high heat, the sticky grain balls (zhan dou bao) were ready.

The grains inside were soft and gooey, sweet and sticky—Su Ying’s favorite, and one of her mom’s specialty dishes.

In another pot, she prepared the large goose they had bought that morning. After chopping it into pieces and soaking for 30 minutes to remove the blood, she blanched the meat with green onions, ginger, and cooking wine for ten minutes, then rinsed it clean.

She heated a wok, added soybean oil, and—here was the secret—a spoonful of rendered pork lard for extra aroma. Once the oil was hot, she stir-fried the goose pieces with rock sugar until they browned.

Then she added cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, and dried chili peppers, sautéing until fragrant.

She poured in strong white liquor, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine, salt, and pepper. After stir-frying for 5 minutes, she added enough hot water to cover the ingredients.

Once it boiled, she turned the heat down and simmered for an hour. After that, she added peeled chestnuts and continued cooking until the sauce reduced and thickened. The aroma of braised goose filled the kitchen.

Dinner that night was braised goose in an iron pot with sticky grain balls. After a day of hard work, they were both starving, and the rich smells made their mouths water.

Su Ying bit into a sticky grain ball with her left hand—the fragrance of peanuts, the soft red beans, the chewy black rice, the tender glutinous rice, the sweet-sour raisins, and juicy corn all burst together in layers of flavor.

With her right hand, she picked up a piece of goose. The tender, flavorful meat and the sweet chestnuts completely washed away the day’s fatigue. Each sticky grain ball was the size of a fist, and Su Ying ate five of them. Her dad was no exception, devouring eight.

By the end, the huge pot of braised goose was reduced to just a little broth. Both father and daughter were stuffed. After the meal, they lay down on the heated brick bed, holding their rounded stomachs, too full to move.

Her mom gathered their dirty clothes and urged Su Ying, “Go take a shower! You’ve been working all day—you’re covered in sweat.”

Su Ying enjoyed a hot shower, changed into pajamas, and started editing that day’s footage on her laptop. The video was part of a series, which had already surpassed one billion views. Her follower count was approaching half a million.

When you’re busy, time flies. Three days later, the putty was finished and left to dry. Once the outer cement walls had cured, the workers returned with tools and materials.

First, they sanded the walls smooth. Using a laser level, they easily ensured the walls were even. When the grinder switched on, dust filled the entire yard, though thankfully the house’s doors and windows were shut tight.

For a while, the workers’ hair all turned gray from the dust. After sanding, they washed away the surface dust with water and waited for it to dry. That afternoon, they applied three coats of wall sealer, which took another two days. Once that dried, they brushed on two coats of waterproofing, ensuring they would never have to worry about water seeping through the walls again.

After the waterproofing cured, it was time to begin the microcement work. The workers first applied mesh to the walls to prevent future cracking. The first coat of microcement was coarse, but Su Ying thought it already looked quite nice. Two more coats of finer material would follow.

In seven days, all three exterior walls were finished. After sanding, polishing, and applying a protective coating, the exterior construction was finally complete.

Because of all the dust, Su Ying and her dad didn’t continue with the interior putty work. Instead, they assisted the workers. On the last day of construction, the workers even helped sand the interior putty. With machines, the job was quick—the walls became flat and smooth. The remaining minor imperfections could be patched easily.

Su Ying ran her hand over the smooth microcement walls, growing even more excited about her soon-to-be-renovated bedroom.