Chapter 33

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Lin Yilan pointed to the last design drawing in Professor Wu’s hand. “As for this height, I designed it based on the combined heights of the Lai family’s parents, primarily taking Madam Lai’s height into consideration. Eight hundred millimeters is high enough for her to reach into the cabinet without straining.”

Professor Wu glanced at Lin Yilan and turned the drawing in his hand to the final page.

“Professor, I personally don’t think every height and measurement in a design should be rigidly implemented according to foreign experience and regulations.” Lin Yilan continued explaining her thoughts. “Of course, Professor, that’s only my personal opinion.”

Professor Wu still said nothing. Professor Shen looked at Lin Yilan, finding this student rather interesting.

As the number of drawings in Professor Wu’s hands dwindled, the number Professor Shen received increased.

When Professor Wu reached the bathroom design, he stopped again. Seeing this, Professor Shen moved closer to him.

Like the kitchen, the bathroom incorporated quite a few design methods normally found only in modern apartment buildings and villas.

A squat toilet, shower, washbasin, and makeup mirror were all novel features at the time, but to the two professors, they were nothing particularly unusual.

What caught their attention were the folding wooden stool and folding handrail beneath the showerhead, as well as the folding handrail beside the toilet.

Professor Wu stroked his chin, apparently lost in thought.

“Student Lin, what were you thinking when you designed these?” Professor Shen asked with great interest.

Looking at the expressions of the two professors, Lin Yilan knew she would not be able to finish explaining everything anytime soon. She pointed toward the stone benches not far from the school.

“Professors, why don’t I explain it to you over there?”

Standing here, they were visible to everyone returning to the women’s dormitory. It felt rather awkward.

Only after a female student glanced curiously at the three of them did the two professors realize the problem. They quickly followed Lin Yilan over to the stone benches.

Once the professors had sat down, Lin Yilan began explaining the thinking behind her design.

“This design takes into account the possibility that the household may include elderly people or those with limited mobility. To improve their safety while moving around, I added several extra features.

“I first used this design when renovating my grandparents’ home. Since Grandpa Lai’s legs aren’t in very good condition and he is growing older, I made these arrangements for him.

“Besides the bathroom, I also changed the thresholds into gently sloping transitions wherever possible, again for safety.

“Finally, since Grandpa and Grandma Lai will be living there, and there are also grandchildren in Uncle Lai’s family, I specially treated the lower areas that might easily injure children, reducing potential hazards as much as possible.”

Thus, although the house looked much like the other brick houses in the village from the outside, the details of its interior design were entirely different.

Cradling the design drawings into which she had poured so much effort, Lin Yilan finally reached the day construction began.

That day, she saw Lai Jialin, who appeared at least five years older than before.

She also saw an acquaintance: Second Uncle Lai.

Crack! Bang! Crack! Bang!

Lin Yilan waved away the gray smoke produced by the exploding firecrackers and walked over to Lai Jialin.

“Your Second Uncle came too?”

Lai Jialin said wearily, “Yes. Grandma comes looking for me every day. How could I refuse her?”

“You have no idea. She originally wanted Second Uncle to be in charge of the construction site. She nearly scared me to death.

“If I hadn’t been her own grandson and the person in charge of the site, I’m sure Grandma would have found a way to replace me with Second Uncle.”

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The more he spoke, the more pained his expression became, even tinged with disgust.

Lin Yilan kept watching him and naturally did not miss the resistance written across his face.

“Then your grandfather didn’t say anything?”

Lai Jialin froze for a moment before shaking his head. “He didn’t say anything. Sometimes, while we’re eating, he just tells me that my father and I should take care of the family’s younger brothers.”

“Grandpa is more reasonable than Grandma. When Grandma previously said she wanted to give Second Uncle more wages, he even helped me persuade her otherwise.”

From the corner of her eye, Lin Yilan glanced at Grandpa and Grandma Lai as they spoke. One possessed an imposing authority without needing to show anger; the other looked fierce and fiery. Yet people who were truly hot-tempered often watched the expressions of those standing behind them.

“Mr. Lai, believe me or not, if something difficult to handle really comes up during construction, it will definitely be something your grandfather caused.”

Lai Jialin turned to glance in his grandparents’ direction, then looked back at Lin Yilan and tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Of course I know. Take the matter with Second Uncle—if Grandpa hadn’t supported Grandma behind the scenes, she wouldn’t have carried on making such a fuss for so long.

“But to me, it makes no difference. As long as Grandpa lets me live in peace, I’m willing to show him a little more courtesy.” Lai Jialin spread his hands. “I don’t want to investigate the reasons behind everything. As far as I’m concerned, I only need to follow my father’s orders.”

“Miss Lin, you wouldn’t happen to feel sorry for my grandma because of this, would you?” Lai Jialin asked, smiling curiously.

His eyes were the same as she remembered. The way he smiled was no different from the sunny expression she had once seen on his face.

Looking at the canine tooth revealed by his smile, Lin Yilan suddenly laughed as well.

She had underestimated him. More precisely, Lai Jialin had reminded her never to underestimate anyone.

She had understood that principle long ago. It was only that the more comfortable decade and a half of this life, compared with her previous one, had caused her to unconsciously lose that vigilance.

Now, Lai Jialin had reminded her to reclaim it.

Come to think of it, how could a young man from a middle-class family raised in Harbor City be so naïve?

Lin Yilan smiled at Lai Jialin. “Mr. Lai, you’re overthinking it.”

Though she said that, she still felt sorry in her heart for a woman like Grandma Lai. If Lin Yilan herself were going to make a scene, it would certainly be to fight for her own interests, not to obey someone else’s demands.

But this was Grandma Lai’s own choice.

“Comrade Lin!”

Just as Lin Yilan was feeling a pang of sympathy, someone called to her from the construction site behind them.

She turned and waved. “I’m coming.”

When she reached the site, she saw the people who had come to “help” with the construction standing together, all facing the village party secretary.

At that moment, Lai Jialin came to stand beside her.

“Miss Lin, say a few words later.”

Lin Yilan pointed at herself, doubting her own memory. “Since when was that part of the process?”

Lai Jialin helplessly squeezed one eye shut at her, then secretly made a pleading gesture. “The village secretary originally asked me to do it, but I thought it would be better if you spoke. Can we follow the arrangement we agreed on before?”

So this was the plan in which she played the stern role while Lai Jialin played the conciliatory one.

All right. Lin Yilan nodded.

At the village secretary’s signal, Lai Jialin gave Lin Yilan a look before stepping forward to face everyone.

“Good day, fellow villagers. I’m sure everyone already knows me, so I won’t say much about myself. Next, I’d like to introduce someone: Miss Lin, the designer of my grandparents’ house.

“She will serve as the highest authority overseeing construction over the next few days. However, because of her own work, she will not be staying in the village the entire time. I hope everyone will give her a warm welcome.”

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After speaking, Lai Jialin applauded and stepped aside to welcome Lin Yilan.

Lin Yilan walked forward. Without any unnecessary remarks, she immediately began explaining the arrangements for the project.

“I have been entrusted by Mr. Lai Chengrong to oversee the construction of his parents’ house. Next, I’ll explain the rules and requirements everyone must follow during construction…”

The succession of official-sounding speeches from Lai Jialin and Lin Yilan left the villagers who had come to work completely bewildered.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Is this girl saying we have to wear those ridiculous hard hats while building the house?”

“They’re giving you a hat for free, and you’re still unhappy?”

“This is what happens when money burns a hole in someone’s pocket. Those bosses from Harbor City really have money to waste.”

“Good grief. I’ve worked for so many years, but this is the first time I’ve ever met anyone who won’t let us work after sunset.”

“Don’t even mention it. The last time we helped build Ding Ironhead’s house, his wife nearly made us sleep right there on the construction site.”

Several middle-aged men in ragged clothing, hoes in their hands, spoke with growing impatience.

Then Lin Yilan’s next words immediately put smiles on their faces.

“What did that young woman just say?”

“She said she’d pay us more.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. Listen carefully! She clearly said that if we finish ahead of schedule, she’ll give us extra money! She also said the fewer times we have to redo the work, the bigger our bonus will be.

“What exactly is a bonus? Is it money?”

“Of course it is! But why would we have to redo the work?”

“She clearly said we have to follow those blueprints.”

“All right, then. Educated people always have so many demands. As long as they pay us more, anything goes.”

Once Lin Yilan mentioned performance bonuses, the workers became thoroughly excited.

Although it was only 1979, people in the rural areas around the capital had already realized the importance of money. Even if they did not dare to seek work outside the village, no one would ever complain about having too much money.

Lin Yilan looked at the enthusiastic villagers and nodded in satisfaction.

Excellent. She and Lai Jialin had achieved their objective.

This way, the workers would not drag out the construction period in an attempt to earn more wages.

And so, with joy in their hearts, everyone dug up the first shovelful of earth.

“Good luck on the first day of construction!”

With a loud shout from Lai Jialin, Lin Yilan struck a match and set fire to the string of firecrackers hanging nearby.

Amid the roar of firecrackers, the villagers picked up their shovels and began the first step of laying the foundation: digging.