NOVPUB
Chapter 295: Chapter 297 Designing a Love Nest_1
Tan Yuancheng took a couple of deep drags on his cigarette, then decided to put the issue aside for now; discussing it when just two months pregnant seemed too early.
What he was considering now was another matter: it was time for Xiao Fu’s full-moon celebration.
The customary gifts from the households of the landowning families weren’t much, but they were still money, right?
Listening to the rain outside, his thoughts began to wander, such as whom to invite over.
The rain outside intensified, and those tending crops in the fields frowned with worry.
The Xiao Family was hit the hardest, with a loss of nearly ten thousand jin from their fifty acres.
At four wen per jin of rice, that amounted to forty-two taels, and with this year’s doubling of labor costs, the loss was even greater.
At that moment, Qiao Duo’er was discussing the design for the new house with Tan Zhenghong.
"I want to partition off a bathroom in the bedroom for washing up and using the toilet; it would be best to have a flushing toilet."
Tan Zhenghong was utterly bewildered: what the heck was a flushing toilet?
Qiao Duo’er drew a diagram of the toilet with a charcoal pencil and explained its various features.
The principle of a flush toilet was simple, but the materials might not be available at that time.
Seeing Tan Zhenghong’s astonished face, Qiao Duo’er quickly added, "Of course, I don’t expect it to be completely achievable; just tell me what you can manage."
Her requirement was simple: as long as it could flush cleanly right away.
"Asking a master who fires ceramics to make the shape is doable, and the plumbing isn’t an issue; I would estimate five liang of silver. But this button is complicated, it might require using a basin to pour water," Tan Zhenghong thought for a moment before answering.
The mechanism inside the button might be beyond the capabilities of an average craftsman.
Qiao Duo’er nodded, "I can try working on the internal structure, and if it really doesn’t work out, we’ll just use a basin to flush, and leave this spot open for now."
After all, she wasn’t flush with cash right now.
In her previous life, when she had money, she would just leave it in the bank, spending as she wished, without a budget or restraint, as there was always enough.
In this life, it was the same; she thought she had enough silver to spend.
But it was only when she actually needed to spend it that she realized how scarce silver was; hence, earning more was necessary.
"No problem, and this here, if you want to bring water directly from the kitchen, it’s the same principle; and it’s also troublesome to get the water to come automatically. I might as well fetch water for you," he said.
Qiao Duo’er raised an eyebrow, "Then you’d have to fetch it for me for a lifetime." 𝒏𝒐𝙫𝙥𝙪𝙗.𝒄𝙤𝙢
"I’d be willing to for ten lifetimes!" Tan Zhenghong pledged, thumping his chest.
"You’re just boasting. By then, you’d probably have completely forgotten me," Qiao Duo’er said dismissively.
She thought it was best to focus on this lifetime— who knew about the next one?
"Wife, I’d recognize you even if you turned to ash."
Qiao Duo’er’s mouth twitched. Recognizing her even as ash – why did she feel like Tan Zhenghong was actually scolding someone?
Hey, that’s not right, Brother Hong, don’t distract us with nonsense, let’s focus on the matter at hand.
Those sugary words can be saved for the evening!
...
Tan Zhenghong was very familiar with house layouts and current technology, while Qiao Duo’er had a knack for interior decoration. The two discussed and bargained, gave and took, interspersing their conversation with sweet nothings, and time flew by quickly.
It took them an entire afternoon to finalize the rough outline.
It was their love nest—not perfection demanded, but comfort needed, for a lifetime’s stay.
To avoid being an eyesore, from the outside, it would just look like Zhou Zheng’s farmhouse, but inside, it was a world of its own, known only to those who dwelled within.
Apart from the toilet, Qiao Duo’er also planned to create some modern furnishings, like sofas and beds drawn from her own design plans.
And then, thinking of the comfortable and soft bed that would come later... she blushed at the thought.
