Chapter 159: Glutinous Rice Soup and Lime

Chapter 159: Chapter 159: Glutinous Rice Soup and Lime

"When it’s time to build the walls, that’s when we’ll need the cement," Zhang Dazhuang said after he’d had his laugh.

"Uh..."

Gu Nuan Nuan broke into a nervous sweat. She really didn’t understand anything about building a house. ’Grandpa’s "cement house" is probably a little different from the reinforced concrete buildings of the future, right?’ After thinking for a while, she still couldn’t let it go and asked again, "When there wasn’t any cement, what did people use to lay bricks?"

"Well, people weren’t so particular back then. Some didn’t even use bricks, just adobe. Or they’d mix straw and mud together to build the walls. But while those methods cost a lot less, they’re nowhere near as sturdy as using cement," Zhang Dazhuang said with a smile. "A house is built to last a lifetime, or even several generations. Naturally, the sturdier, the better."

"Ohh..."

Gu Nuan Nuan frowned, then suddenly said, "But can’t you use sticky rice soup mixed with lime? Our ancestors used it for thousands of years. It’s supposed to be incredibly strong, even stronger than cement."

"Sticky rice soup and lime? Kid, where did you hear that?" Zhang Dazhuang was a little surprised.

"I think it was in a textbook, maybe? I forget which book I saw it in. Anyway, I know that’s how ancient city walls were built, and they’re still standing strong after thousands of years." Of course, it wasn’t in any textbook—at least not in the ones she had now. But Gu Nuan Nuan lied through her teeth anyway. She wasn’t wrong, after all. Using sticky rice mortar to build was the real deal; it was the culmination of thousands of years of our ancestors’ wisdom. ’How could Grandpa have never heard of it?’ It was a real puzzle.

She blinked. "Grandpa, let’s just use that. Don’t waste money buying cement. Using sticky rice has to be way cheaper than cement, right?"

"...But will it really work?" This time, it was Zhang Dazhuang’s turn to stare wide-eyed and hesitate.

"It will! Why don’t we test it? We can build a small section of wall with it and then try to knock it down to see how it holds up. Grandpa, just think, if it’s for real, then even Eldest Uncle and the others can save a lot of money when they build their houses." Gu Nuan Nuan spared no effort in persuading her grandfather. ’Yes, I genuinely think it’s a great idea. It’ll also save Eldest Uncle some money. I figure that once he has the money, he’ll tear down his current house and rebuild it anyway. So why spend more than necessary?’

’As for my other two uncles,’ Gu Nuan Nuan thought, ’I’m not concerned. If they want to follow suit, they can. If not, whatever.’

"Let me think about it some more." Zhang Dazhuang was tempted.

"Okay, take your time thinking, Grandpa. I’m going to find Mom!" Gu Nuan Nuan said with a smile, then darted off in a flash. It wasn’t until her figure had vanished from sight that Zhang Dazhuang suddenly shouted, "Hey! Why’d you run off like that? I haven’t even told you where the other house is..."

Gu Nuan Nuan was fast. She, of course, knew where their other house in Lihua Village was. It was another small farmhouse with a courtyard, its gate half-open. When the familiar gate came into view, she stopped, her expression complex. ’Returning here feels like a lifetime has passed. In this life, no one will ever have the right to drive me and my mother out of this place again.’

"Huh? You’re back? Where’s your eldest uncle? Why are you just standing foolishly at the gate all by yourself?" Gu Nuan Nuan was still lost in thought when her mother’s voice suddenly rang in her ear. Zhang Minzhen peeked out the gate but didn’t see any sign of Zhang Wei Qiang, which puzzled her. ’Why did your uncle leave without saying anything?’

"Mom, I came by myself. I just went with Eldest Uncle to see the construction site. I didn’t have him walk me over," Gu Nuan Nuan replied with a smile, snapping out of her reverie.

"So your eldest uncle told you where it was, and you found your own way here?"

"No, I’d already run for a bit when I remembered I forgot to ask Grandpa and Eldest Uncle for the address." Gu Nuan Nuan suddenly recalled that she had bolted without asking a single question. She stuck her tongue out discreetly and could only make up an excuse. "But I asked someone in the village for directions afterward."

"You silly goose. Good thing you’re not a complete ditz and knew to ask for directions." Zhang Minzhen chuckled and pulled Gu Nuan Nuan inside. She first asked about her grades with concern. When she saw the report card, she was so moved she was on the verge of tears. "I was so worried all this messy business would affect you. You did well enough to get scores in the eighties and nineties on the midterms, but you’ve actually improved this time."

"Hehe, that just proves your decision was the right one, Mom. You know, Teacher He praised me a lot, too. But Lin Jiayi and Lin Jia Bao weren’t so lucky. They both only scored in the sixties and dropped from the top of the class to the bottom. Teacher He really laid into them," Gu Nuan Nuan said, gloating.

"Why are you worrying about other people? From now on, as long as they don’t bother you, just ignore them. Pretend they don’t exist," Zhang Minzhen said, frowning at the mention of her ex-husband’s illegitimate children.

"Mhm." Gu Nuan Nuan smiled. ’I have no intention of letting those two off easy, but there’s no need to tell Mom that. I can handle it myself in private.’ She followed her mother to the kitchen, listening as she explained, "When we came a few days ago, your grandpa looked at two properties and finally decided to tear down the other house and rebuild it, so we just tidied this one up for now. The other house will be built quickly; it should only take about a month. We can clean it up and move in. By then, it’ll be around August, and you’ll still have a month of vacation left. That’s when we’ll set out to scout for business."

Gu Nuan Nuan nodded, listening as her mother continued.

"Even though that house is a bit far from the village entrance and it’s secluded without many neighbors, the good thing is it’ll be easier for us to come and go without attracting attention. We don’t have to worry about it being too secluded, either. Your grandma said she and your eldest aunt will take turns coming over to help us make and sell steamed buns. Your eldest uncle and grandpa will also come by almost every day, and they might even stay the night sometimes. With them around, even if there are scoundrels in the village, they’ll have to think twice before trying to bully us."

"Mom, with my strength, we really don’t have to be afraid of anyone trying to bully us."

"Yes, yes. I’ll be relying on my daughter to protect me from now on." Zhang Minzhen patted the back of Gu Nuan Nuan’s hand and laughed. After a moment, she added, "A few days ago, I didn’t tell you because I was afraid of disturbing your exams, but your grandpa and I have already discussed it. We’re all going to go into business together..."

"Mhm. Mom, you don’t have to tell me again. Eldest Uncle already told me on the way here. I know he even took an unpaid leave of absence from his job for this." Gu Nuan Nuan cut her mother off, leaning in to look at her with a serious expression. "Mom, have you ever thought about making our business huge? Bigger than the supply and marketing co-op? Spanning the entire country, or even the whole world?"