CHAPTER 86: CHAPTER 86: BUILDING FURNITURE

Generosity is hard to refuse, so Gao Lei had to accept the gifts, leaving two big fish for Wu Agui, and sending the rest back home.

Zhao Dongling knew it was a thank-you gift from Chen Wenjun, and she sighed deeply, remembering her younger son’s injury, lamenting, "I can’t say anything about you playing with all those random people, nor can I stop you. But since you can play with anyone, why not play with Chen Wenjun?

Going fishing with him is fine too. Fishing is fun and not dangerous. If you ask me, you should definitely stick with Chen Wenjun in the future."

Gao Lei really scared her this time, almost leading to a situation where she’d have to bury her own child. She frequently nagged him recently, urging him not to play with that group of delinquents, but Gao Lei wouldn’t listen, and he got angry when she pushed too hard.

Zhao Dongling could only take a step back and approach it from another angle.

Gao Lei waved impatiently, "Mom, Chen Wenjun is my savior. This brotherhood I acknowledge. Ah Gui, they are not delinquents; don’t speak so harshly. Anyway, I definitely won’t do anything dangerous in the future. You can rest assured. Just don’t worry about the rest."

"You... Are you trying to drive me mad!" Zhao Dongling’s eyes flared with anger, yet she felt powerless against her younger son.

After delivering the items, Chen Wenjun was unaware of these messy matters.

He was contemplating, nearly having repaid the 300-plus yuan he owed Zhang Yongquan. The materials Gao Lei provided were all there, and now he had to decide whether to continue with the renovation or to pause and make the furniture first.

When he returned home, he immediately pulled Lin Qin aside for a discussion.

Without hesitation, Lin Qin stated, "Definitely make the furniture first. Not to mention anything else, but at least we must get four beds done. Cabinets, tables, and chairs can wait. Once the beds are ready, we can sleep on proper beds, and then we can take our time with the first-floor renovation."

They’re sleeping on wooden planks now. The second floor is so clean, so what’s the use of putting red bricks and wooden planks up there?

Chen Wenjun also thought Lin Qin made sense and could only seek out Lin Yi for advice on carpenters.

Lin Yi, recently enamored with cycling, promptly agreed to go to Shanglin Village upon hearing Chen Wenjun’s request.

Chen Wenjun sent him to the shore.

Lin Yi lifted the bike onto the road, disappearing swiftly from Chen Wenjun’s sight.

As soon as he entered Shanglin Village, Lin Qingxiang, busy working in the field, spotted him.

"Wow! Where did the bike come from? Did you just buy it?"

Lin Yi grinned and nodded earnestly, "The two kids are attending the city experimental elementary school. It’s easier to pick them up with a bike. Wenjun just bought it, and once I get used to it, I can take the kids to and from school."

Lin Qingxiang gave a thumbs-up, teasing, "Came back just to show off? Aren’t you afraid you’ll make Lin Zhi and his family furious?"

When Lin Yi mentioned Lin Zhi’s family, his smile faded somewhat, "I’m not that idle! Ah Qin’s family wants to make furniture and needs a carpenter. I’m going to check with Ah Fu. If he’s not busy, we’ll ask him to make them, starting with the beds. Once we have beds, we can move to the second floor, and then we can start the renovation on the first floor."

Lin Qingxiang was very surprised, "Wasn’t there still some debt left for the second floor renovation? Why start on the first floor so soon?"

Lin Yi vaguely explained the rescue incident involving Chen Wenjun.

Lin Qingxiang sighed again, "Great deeds bring good rewards. You’ve managed to save several thousand dollars now! Well, go ahead and come find me if you need any help."

"Got it!"

Lin Yi spent about an hour in Shanglin Village before leaving.

Lin Zhi and Li Lian also learned about Lin Yi’s return on a bike, and it was indeed like Lin Qingxiang said, they were hopping mad, cursing Lin Yi and Lin Qin at home.

Busy as they were, the lunar October arrived in the blink of an eye.

By this time, the weather had turned cold, and An City still had distinct seasons, with frost starting to appear in October. In the morning, it was freezing outside, and leaves and grass shoots in the yard were covered with a layer of sparkling white frost.

Early in the morning, Lin Yi woke the two kids. Yaya just pulled off the quilt and shrank back into it.

On the other hand, Ping’an obediently began putting on his clothes.

Lin Yi couldn’t help but grumble at Yaya, "Look at your brother. He’s already starting to get dressed, and you’re still lying in bed. If you’re late for school, I won’t wait for you!"

Yaya pouted, grudgingly picked up her clothes to put them on, complaining bitterly about the cold all the while.

Lin Yi emitted billows of white smoke with each breath and muttered too, "It is cold indeed. I’ll get some kilos of yarn later to knit you each a sweater."

The kids’ eyes lit up instantly.

Their pace in dressing picked up noticeably.

Lin Yi recalled Ping’an seemed to lack a sweater and casually asked, "Did your dad not knit you a sweater?"

Ping’an honestly shook his head, "Dad doesn’t know how to knit sweaters. In past winters, I stayed in the aft cabin, sleeping until almost noon; it was very warm then. Coming out to the deck to bask in the sun wouldn’t be cold. Once the sun set, Dad and I would go to sleep. There was no need to wear thick clothes.

Sometimes when it was too cold, I’d wear Dad’s clothes anyway. It’s not like I went outside."

Lin Yi felt a pang of sadness hearing this; initially planning to knit two sets, now he considered making four.

After the three of them finished breakfast, Lin Yi rowed the bamboo pole to take the kids across the river, parking the boat properly, carrying the bike ashore, and leading them to school.

Delayed somewhat by buying yarn, he returned to Nanxi only to find Lin Qingxiang and Ah Fu had come after all.

And there was a pile of stuff beside them.

He hurried down with the bike, "Is the bed all made?"

Ah Fu smiled and nodded at him, "As per your request, all are 1.8-meter beds. We delivered them via tractor; where do you want them now? Shall we help you take them home?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Lin Yi promptly joined in, moving the items onto the boat with Lin Qingxiang and Ah Fu.

Now they don’t live in a five-canopy boat; parts of the bamboo canopy had been dismantled, leaving only the aft cabin. The front was converted into a cargo boat.

Transporting four beds at once wasn’t problematic.

It was Ah Fu’s first time on a Dang family boat and also his first time in Nanyu. He marveled at everything he saw, commenting on everything, shamelessly expressing his envy.

"I wondered why you chose to stay at your son-in-law’s place, leaving a perfectly good house empty, not farming lands. Now, I understand! If I had such a son-in-law willing to take care of me, I wouldn’t return home either!"

Lin Yi laughed heartily at the joke, "Come on! Let’s move the stuff to the second floor. Once the beds are set up, stay for a meal; I’ve planted plenty of veggies here, and whatever you like, we have it."

Along the way, Ah Fu indeed noticed a vast field full of vegetables. Surely, they couldn’t consume it all by themselves.

Arriving at the paddy fields, he asked doubtfully, "You can’t plant rice now, so why tidy it up so much?"

Lin Yi replied heartily, "Planning to plant some lotus roots next month; there’s plenty of wasteland on the island. Once the lotus roots are in, we’ll open some paddy fields to plant rice next year."