Chapter 10: Selecting Materials

Upon getting out of the car, the boss immediately came out to greet me: "Xiao Yi, what can I do for you?"

Oh! I wonder which type the young man prefers? Let me introduce them! I have three types of flooring here. This non-slip flooring is the most expensive, at eighty each; this printed one is the most visually appealing, but the cheapest, at thirty each; and this type here dries the quickest, at fifty-three each. The boss, seeing another business opportunity, immediately became quite animated.

There are, indeed! This door is made of olive wood, which many people like, and the price is reasonable. Originally, it was over 300, but since you have supported me so much, let's just forget about the change. Shengyi, you and the young brother go in first and have a cup of tea; I will have it loaded onto your vehicle shortly. The boss was exceptionally happy, as this was a business worth over 16,000, which is not insignificant.

The effect is minimal; aside from major repairs, improving the drainage channels is essential; otherwise, all efforts will be in vain. Whenever it rains heavily, this road turns into a small river. The potholes, which were previously filled with soil and gravel, will soon be hollowed out again. Chu Shengyi has become accustomed to this.

The car quickly arrived at the brick factory, where the red bricks were inexpensive. Buying a few more wouldn't matter much, but Chu Jiaqiang didn't ask for many either. Uncle Wu said that at most five hundred yuan would be sufficient.

They are all acquaintances, so I will speak frankly about the prices! Cement is currently 25 yuan per bag, and lime powder is 30 yuan per bag. How much does this young man want? The boss gave a cigarette to each of Chu Jiaqiang and his companion.

Chu Jiaqiang contemplated for a while and decided to install flooring in the side room, the restroom, and the living room

Then he went to the street to buy bowls, chopsticks, iron pots, and other kitchen utensils, as well as bedding items like quilts, pillows, and mosquito nets. He entered a grocery store and requested several energy-saving bulbs, two fluorescent tubes, and a bundle of wires. Chu Jiaqiang placed the items in the car and continued to browse. He walked into the market and bought a few pounds of beef. When he came out, he saw a large Superman figure at a stall, next to which was a set of small monsters. After inquiring about the price, he learned it was a total of 156. After some haggling, he got it for 120.

Fifteen bags of cement and eight bags of lime. By the way, what is the price of the flooring here?" Chu Jiaqiang felt a stir in his heart upon seeing the displayed tiles and flooring

Hehe! Now you know? The materials you bought are high-end, and this floor costs over 10,000. The materials are getting more expensive, and in our village, no one dares to build a house or a study for this reason. A building costs at least 60,000 to 70,000, and there are only a few families in our village that can afford such wealth. Moreover, once built, they immediately become broke; who would be foolish enough to do that?" Chu Shengyi laughed.

Back in the car, Chu Shengyi was taken aback: "You really bought that for the kid?" He had asked about this set of items before, over one hundred, and he was reluctant to spend that money.

That's good, everything is basically ready now, let's head back! Chu Jiaqiang thought for a moment and felt that it was about time.

Everyone was busy, and Uncle Wu immediately went to find someone. Now that the busy farming season has passed, it is not difficult to find help. Meanwhile, Chu Jiaqi went to the town with Chu Shengyi

Haha! I thought you had forgotten! Uncle Wu also told me in the end that there is no rush for the sand. We can go to the neighboring village once; there is someone there who specializes in dredging sand, and the quality is definitely better than that extracted by a sand pump.

Hehe! Since you promised, you should fulfill it, right? Let's not talk about that. Uncle Shengyi, do you think we should first check the lime cement or buy the red bricks?

Well! Good! Rest assured, with me overseeing it, I will definitely help you create beautiful illustrations and books, and you need not worry about the quality.

Upon arriving at the old house, Second Uncle and others were busy with cleaning. When they saw Fifth Uncle arrive, they all greeted him warmly. Fifth Uncle first examined the old house carefully, and after a moment of contemplation, he estimated the quantities of cement, lime, and other materials needed. Chu Jiaqiang took the opportunity to express his own requirements, to which Fifth Uncle nodded in acknowledgment.

Ah! By the way, we also need sand!" Chu Jiaqiang suddenly said

Chu Shengyi nodded and started the car. On the way back, he significantly reduced the speed, mainly out of concern that the floor might crack. The condition of the road was so poor that it was truly hard to say.

Back in the car, Chu Jiaqiang said with a bitter smile: "It's a headache; this money is not worth much even in the countryside now"

Feeling the constant bumps and vibrations of the vehicle, Chu Jiaqiang remarked, "This road needs some repairs"

Chu Shengyi smiled faintly; he could relate to this sentiment. He drove this route almost every day, and the condition of the road had a significant impact on the vehicle. Sometimes, a single breakdown could nearly wipe out a month's earnings.

Uncle Er and Aunt Er opened their mouths slightly, ultimately giving a bitter smile and shaking their heads. Chu Jiaqiang's approach is a disguised way of raising the labor costs for construction workers. In the future, if someone in the village wants to undertake construction projects, it will naturally be difficult to offer too little money, and at that time, they will surely blame Chu Jiaqiang.

"This is the kind that dries easily! First, install three hundred yuan's worth for me, and if it's not enough, I'll come back. By the way, this bathroom door is nice; do you have a smaller one? It should be eight centimeters wide and two meters high." Chu Jiaqiang finally fixed his gaze on a bathroom door with an opaque glass panel in the middle.

"Let's go check the lime cement first! The brick factory is a bit far, so we can go there last." Chu Shengyi immediately drove towards the end of the street. The end of the street is a hub for building materials, where rebar and cement can all be found.

Oh! That's not expensive. How about this! I don't have time to manage meals, so Uncle Wu, you can have 100 a day! The other workers will get 81 a day, and everyone must help me get this sorted out. Chu Jiaqiang doesn't care about that little money; he is willing to pay a bit more to motivate the workers and ensure the renovation of the old house is done well.

The boss soon instructed someone to swiftly load the materials onto the truck, which filled the tractor to more than half capacity. Once the red bricks are loaded, it will be a full load returning.

After settling the account, Chu Jiaqiang discovered that the twenty thousand yuan he had withdrawn, combined with the more than one thousand yuan he had left, amounted to very little. He couldn't help but smile wryly and withdrew another ten thousand yuan.

In that case, I will go with Uncle Sheng from m.hetushu.com! I will leave this to Second Uncle. By the way, Fifth Uncle, how is the payment for this work calculated?

Hmm? We usually calculate it this way: fifty for a day's work including meals, and sixty without meals. What do you think, Qiangzi?" said Uncle Wu.

Shengyi, you will go and bring back the materials shortly. I have checked the dates, and both today and tomorrow are good. The stove can also be rebuilt. We will try to get it done in the next two days; the day after tomorrow is not suitable for starting work. I will find a few people later; the workload is not large, so we should be able to manage it in time. Uncle Wu may be in construction, which is why he is so decisive in his actions.

Haha! I haven't asked you, the big boss, for any favors yet! This is my nephew; he needs some cement, lime, and such for renovations. By the way, what are the current market prices?

Chu Jiaqiang nodded thoughtfully, having understood the situation in the village. A major repair was out of the question, as the villagers were reluctant to spend money on the road. At most, they would organize everyone to do some repairs, clear the blocked drainage ditches, and level the road surface a bit.

Upon arriving in the town, Chu Jiaqiang first withdrew 20,000 from the rural credit cooperative. There are no banks in the town, only a rural credit cooperative and a postal savings service.