Volume 1 Beginning of Summer Chapter 10: Pond
A few days later, when Lao Cai passed by the insect house, he saw the yard was in a mess. Two workers in blue overalls were digging the soil with shovels. Judging from the shape, they seemed to be digging a pool. Next to it was a roll of hose, a submersible pump, and a small pile of pebbles. Jiang You, wearing a vest and shorts, and wearing slippers, stood beside them and directed them, "Yes, the size is like this, and then I want to make a waterfall effect..."
"Xiao Jiang!" Old Cai called out.
"Hey!" Jiang You turned around, wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, and walked quickly to the gate of the yard, "Old Cai, you're here, come in, it's hot outside, come in and sit inside."
He took Lao Cai into the store and pulled out a stool. "Sit down first. I'll go upstairs and wash my hands."
"Go ahead, I'll sit by myself for a while."
Jiang You washed his hands and wiped his face , then he went downstairs with two cans of Coke. He placed one in front of Lao Cai and sat down opposite him. "Thank you for the trip."
"I just happened to be coming to the street too," Lao Cai picked up the Coke and glanced into the yard, "Why did you think of renovating the yard? Wasn't it pretty good before?"
Jiang You opened the pull ring and took a sip . "I've always wanted to make it again. I'm short of money, and I just happened to make a small fortune unexpectedly recently."
Old Cai looked around and lowered his voice, "You've lived here for almost five years. Nothing has happened, right?"
"There's a temple in the park behind, with so many monks chanting sutras, doing morning prayers and performing rituals every day, how could there be such a dirty creature that would settle here? I told you when I bought this store, but you didn't believe me. What's the price of a store on the street now?" Jiang You smiled, "Luckily, I was able to buy it. Now, the stores with courtyards on Wenhua Street are in great demand and priceless!"
Old Cai smiled awkwardly. "At that time, the rumors were very detailed. It's better to believe it than not to believe it. Something happened in your family at that time. You were so thin that you looked like skin and bones. You stopped studying and bought houses everywhere. People said that you..."
"What are you talking about me? Is he possessed by a ghost?"
"Hehe," Lao Cai laughed dryly. He took out an envelope from his bag and put it on the table. "You asked for this. I went to ask around and thought some celebrity would come."
Jiang You picked it up and opened it. Inside was a ticket and an admission card. He took it in his hand and looked through it. "How is business lately?"
"Definitely better than you."
"Compared with you and me..." Jiang You laughed out loud, "My monthly sales, including my Taobao store sales, seem to be close to a thousand. Summer vacation is coming soon, so I think I can double it in July and August."
"Let me tell you, I have a distant niece who is graduating this year and preparing to take the civil service exam..."
"Please matchmake for me. Will she be interested in someone like me?"
"You underestimate yourself. In your position, working in the catering industry, making two or three hundred thousand a year is too little!"
"Catering is so tiring, dirty, and requires a lot of attention."
Old Cai glared at him and said, "If you find a wife and have a child, you won't be so lazy. You are not a child anymore, and your parents are not around..."
"Okay, okay, okay," Jiang You interrupted Lao Cai, "When my yard is ready, I'll invite you and your niece to have tea."
"We agreed that you won't stand me up when the time comes, okay?"
"I dare not, I dare not."
Lao Cai stood up and said, "Okay, I'm leaving now. You can do your thing."
"Go ahead, I'll continue working on the yard."
It took about three days to dig the pond, spread a thick layer of fine sand, put the pond liner, and press it down with some small pebbles. Then bury the water pump, connect the hose, filter box and skimmer.
After filling with water, the pad is flattened.
Jiang You and two workers piled up the larger stones along the edge of the pond to create a shape, and then filled it with the remaining pebbles. Finally, Jiang You found a small pottery jar, placed it between two landscape stones, and connected the water pipe to it, and the waterfall effect came out.
Jiang You rubbed his waist and stood up. He took out his wallet, counted out sixteen bills, and gave eight hundred to each of the two workers. "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Liu, thank you for your hard work."
Mr. Zhang and Mr. Liu took the money.
Engineer Zhang said, "I'll ask Carpenter Guo to come over tomorrow? When he finishes the scaffolding, we can start building the road."
"Okay, thank you for your help."
"You're welcome, let's go!"
After Engineer Zhang and Engineer Liu left, Jiang You walked around the pond several times.
"What do you think about putting two koi in this pond?"
"Forget it, let's just grow water lilies."
"Who are you talking to?"
A cold female voice came from behind Jiang You.
Jiang You turned around and saw Tang Butian standing in the middle of the yard looking at him.
She wore a blue and white pinstriped off-the-shoulder dress, pumps with white sneakers, and carried a light blue chain envelope bag.
No wooden sword was taken.
Jiang You's eyes quickly swept across her collarbone. "Officer Tang, I'm struggling with my own thoughts," he walked over to Tang Butian, "What do you think of this pond I made?"
A smell of sweat rushed into Tang Butian's nostrils.
She saw Jiang You's sweaty vest stuck to his belly, and his face and hands were covered in mud.
She took a step back, putting some distance between herself and Jiang You.
Jiang You saw Tang Butian's disdain and said, "You've been exposed to the sun for a whole day. How about you go sit in the store for a while while I take a shower and come down later?"
After Tang Butian hesitated for a moment, she nodded, "Okay."
Jiang You brought Tang Butian into the store. He walked to the counter and took out a watermelon-flavored soft candy from the candy bowl. "I ordered a takeaway of milk tea. If it's here, please help me collect it."
"good."
Jiang You went upstairs while peeling the candy wrapper.
Tang Butian stood in the store for a while.
Despite the mess in the yard, the store still had an unusually clean feel. Even without air conditioning, the temperature seemed several degrees lower than outside.
She walked to the counter and saw a piece of paper in front of the cash register. She reached out and picked it up. It was the design drawing of the yard.
A corner of the drawing fluttered.
She turned around suddenly, and the wind blew, causing the branches and leaves of the sunflowers on the flower stand to tremble.
There is no one.
She put down the blueprint and walked to the door.
“Jubilee Tea Takeaway.”
A man in a blue delivery uniform was sitting on an electric bike and shouting, "Tang Butian walked out."
"Yes, it's Mr. Jiang's..." The delivery guy looked at Tang Butian with some confusion.
"I'll get it for him."
"Okay," the delivery guy took out a bag from the takeaway box, which contained two cups of milk tea, "Remember to give me a good review!"
"I'll tell him."
"Thank you!" The delivery guy started the electric bike and drove to the next delivery address.
Tang Butian turned around, and when she walked back to the store, Jiang You had already finished taking a shower.
He changed into a light blue T-shirt, wore shorts, and walked downstairs in slippers.
He heard Tang Butian say, "Liang Hao's case is closed. He committed suicide."
