Chapter 43 : Han Zhenyu’s Admirer

Fang Xiangyun smiled and said, “Take one more. We can each take three. I don’t have anything to buy, so I’ll give them all to you.”

“These two are enough, thank you, Sister Yun,” Han Zhenyu declined, not taking anything else.

These items could be resold for a profit, so getting two was already a good deal for him.

If the family’s division wasn’t so urgent and they weren’t lacking everything, and if he didn’t have so many tickets, he wouldn’t take advantage of others.

Fang Xiangyun smiled and nodded, “Alright, if you need anything in the future, just let me know, and I’ll keep it for you.”

“Okay, Sister Yun.”

Han Zhenyu rode his bicycle into the city that day, and when he returned, the entire bicycle was full of things.

He left his purchases at the brigade headquarters and went to the foundation.

Su Xieqiu was putting pancakes into the pot when she saw him. She smiled and asked, “Are you back?”

“Yeah, do you need my help?” Han Zhenyu glanced at the pot. It contained roe deer meat stewed with potatoes, and a circle of pancakes stuck to the edge. It didn’t look like pure cornmeal, it likely had white flour mixed in.

There was also half a basin of cut kidney beans on the table next to it.

Su Xieqiu shook her head. “No, it’s almost done. I’ll just add some firewood later.”

Han Zhenyu nodded. “Then I’ll go to the foundation and take a look.”

“Alright.”

The twenty or so workers who came today were very efficient. In less than half a day, they had already built several dozen centimeters of the wall.

Grandpa Du was mixing the mud when Han Zhenyu took the shovel from him. “Grandpa, at this speed, it shouldn’t take long to finish.”

Grandpa Du smiled and replied, “It will take six days to finish the main structure and the courtyard wall. After that, we need to put up the beams and cover the tiles. I estimate it’ll take about 12 days.”

“So fast?” Han Zhenyu asked, surprised.

“Not that fast,” Grandpa Du replied quietly. “You hired nearly 20 people at once. Even if they work for 12 days, their wages will total more than 100 yuan.”

He felt extremely distressed when he saw so many people working in the morning and complained to Han Zhenyu.

“Why hire so many people? Your uncle, your great-uncle, and your two cousins could build it in two months. Why spend so much money hiring others?”

Han Zhenyu took the mixed mud and handed it to the bricklayer, then said helplessly, “Grandpa, are you just building a house for me? If I don’t earn work points, how will my family survive?”

“Then there’s no need to hire so many people. We can come and help when we’re free.”

No matter how Grandpa Du calculated it, he still felt heartbroken. That was more than 100 yuan. How long would the boy have to work in the factory to earn that much?

Han Zhenyu smiled, shook his head, and didn’t continue the conversation.

At lunch, Grandpa Du knew Han Zhenyu had to go back to the factory in the afternoon and work late into the night, so he urged him to get some rest after lunch.

“You don’t need to worry about the house. Your uncle, aunt, and I will take care of it. You should rest well and be careful outside.”

Han Zhenyu returned to the brigade headquarters alone with Su Xieqiu.

Su Xieqiu, afraid of disturbing his rest and feeling uncomfortable staying in the room, packed a few clothes and put them in a basin.

“Go ahead and sleep. I’ll go wash these clothes.”

“Wait a minute.” Han Zhenyu took out a stack of banknotes from his pocket. “I’ve already paid the workers’ wages to Grandpa. Take this 100 yuan and use it for daily expenses.”

Su Xieqiu thought for a moment and accepted the money. Building a house was a big task, and in case something happened while Han Zhenyu was away, she would feel more at ease having some money on hand.

“Don’t worry, I won’t spend this recklessly. If i don’t need it, I’ll give it back to you when you return.”

Han Zhenyu felt uncomfortable hearing her speak so formally.

He said seriously, “This money was meant for you. Buy whatever you want. I’ll give you more when you’ve spent it all.”

Su Xieqiu didn’t say anything, but simply pursed her lips and smiled.

She was a very independent person. In her previous life, aside from the tuition her stepfather paid when she was in school, she had never spent anyone else’s money after becoming an adult.

Now that the man said he would support her, she felt somewhat touched.

However, she also knew in her heart that he only said those words out of responsibility.

So, she wouldn’t waste other people’s hard-earned money.

Su Xieqiu went out with the basin.

Han Zhenyu looked at the neatly folded bed, hesitated for a moment, and then lay down on it.

Smelling the faint fragrance on the pillow, he felt hot all over and knew that he couldn’t sleep.

He took a deep breath, climbed out of bed, and rode his bike to the foundation to help.

Han Zhenyu left at four in the afternoon. He first returned the borrowed bicycle, then walked to the machinery factory.

It was time to get off work, and the workers were rushing to the canteen.

Han Zhenyu went to the dormitory to get his lunchbox, then walked towards the third canteen with his long strides.

Chen Hong and Zhu Yanli from the trade union came out of the office, chatting and laughing, and saw Han Zhenyu not far away.

Zhu Yanli nudged Chen Hong with her arm and teased her with a smile, “Speak of the devil, and he will appear. You were still talking about him this afternoon, and now he appears right in front of you.”

“Zhu Yanli, what are you talking about? Who’s talking about him?” Chen Hong’s face flushed. She glanced at Han Zhenyu, who was walking over, and then lowered her head shyly.

Seeing her expression as though she had seen her lover, Zhu Yanli smiled and deliberately frightened her, “If you really like him, then act fast. I heard from people that several girls in our factory are interested in him. If someone gets to him first, don’t cry.”

“Who told you that? Who else in our factory likes him?” Chen Hong glared, and her previous shyness disappeared.

She had fallen for Han Zhenyu when he first came to the machinery factory.

But Han Zhenyu often went on business trips and didn’t stay in the factory when he returned, so they hadn’t met many times.

Chen Hong was very confident in her own condition, she was very beautiful.

Her father was the director of a workshop, and her aunt was the vice chairman of the trade union.

There were very few people in the factory who were better off than her.

There were so many people pursuing her now that they could line up from here to the factory gate.

She thought that if Han Zhenyu knew that she liked him, he would definitely agree.

“Oh, don’t worry about who it is. Since you like him, just seize the opportunity.” Zhu Yanli stuffed two movie tickets into her hand. “I was originally planning to go to the theater with my boyfriend, but now I’m giving them to you.”

Chen Hong had initially wanted Han Zhenyu to know her feelings and have him confess his own feelings, but when she heard Zhu Yanli say there were other women who liked him, she became a bit anxious.

She didn’t like any of the guys who pursued her and only had feelings for this poor boy from the countryside.

Seeing Han Zhenyu getting closer and closer to them, she tightly clenched the two movie tickets in her hand and took a deep breath.

When Han Zhenyu walked past them, she tilted her head and said coquettishly, “Han Zhenyu, are you going to eat?”