After returning home, Wen Qian unpacked and organized her belongings. She sat at the table and poured herself a glass of cold water, then ate some rice cakes with the water. She couldn't finish a large rice cake after eating two-thirds of it.
Wen Qian placed paper and incense in a basket, and also put a sickle inside. With the door slightly ajar, she headed up the mountain. Her grandparents were buried near their home, and as she walked up the narrow path, it was now overgrown with weeds and thorns. Wen Qian used the sickle to clear the way.
She focused mainly on cutting branches and thorns, while the weeds could be trampled down on the ground. Wen Qian made a lot of noise, alerting any hidden snakes in the process.
On a small hill, slightly elevated, Wen Qian could see a stream stretching out below. The spot was originally chosen by her grandfather so that he could see their home, the fields, and the village. Later, her grandmother was buried there as well.
Wen Qian arrived at the gravesite and placed her things down. She cleared the surrounding weeds in a circle with the sickle, and then burned some paper as an offering.
For her, this was an annual activity. She didn't come back specifically for the Qingming Festival; whenever she had free time, she would make a trip home to check on the condition of her ancestral home and the two graves, while also burning some paper.
To Wen Qian, these were the things she cared about when she returned to her hometown. She took out her cellphone and played some traditional operas.
On the grass, Wen Qian burned paper bit by bit, with the cellphone playing the favorite operas of the elderly. She spoke to the flames, addressing her words to the two departed souls.
The sun was shining down on her, making her feel a bit hot. In a soft voice, Wen Qian recounted the things she had experienced in An City during this period of time.
Then she shared her plans for the future, mentioning that she might leave the village at some point, so she wanted to inform the departed souls in advance.
There were many things she used to be unwilling to share with others because it was pointless; she had to rely on herself for everything. But now, even if she spoke up, it wouldn't make a difference, or it might even bring danger. So she could only share these things with the two deceased elders.
After the paper burned out, Wen Qian sat in a shady place nearby for a while, making sure there was no danger of a fire before leaving.
Every year, there were forest fires caused by improper burning of paper, and Wen Qian didn't want to burn down the woods during this hot season.
Wen Qian went to the street and took a look at the things being sold, but she didn't have any idea of what to buy yet.
When she returned home, she took out a notebook and wrote down her future shopping plans. She realized that she needed to buy many things such as bamboo baskets, large iron pots, and stainless steel items.
If she were a skilled bamboo weaver, making bamboo baskets would be a breeze. But Wen Qian didn't think it would be that easy for her. So she decided to buy these skill-oriented items in advance to save herself from struggling later on. She didn't want to spend time making tools only to find out that she couldn't produce the same quality or better than what others made.
For her, preparing the tools in advance meant she wouldn't have to spend time making them in the future.
After writing down some items, Wen Qian took out a water storage tank she had bought and cleaned it before placing it in the room to drain.
Wen Qian planned to save some water every day. Drawing water from the well and replenishing it takes time, and in the countryside, apart from a little electricity, there isn't much else to pay for.
However, in the city, stockpiling a large amount of water would raise suspicions and prompt inquiries. Wen Qian didn't know how to explain it, and the water bill would also soar.
Coincidentally, the weather was hot at the moment, so during noon when Wen Qian was at home, she would draw and store water every day. In the countryside, all she needed to pay was the electricity bill.
Aside from storing water, there was another important matter: repairing the toilet. Wen Qian had Chen Lin's contact information, so she inquired about where to buy cement and sand. Chen Lin said his family had extra bricks, and Auntie Chen had sand. As for the cement, Chen Lin gave her the address.
Chen Lin knew that she wanted to repair the toilet at home and offered to help by bringing back two bags. Wen Qian entrusted the task to Chen Lin.
Chen Lin was a practical person, and since Wen Qian was an acquaintance, things were quickly arranged.
When he asked who she had hired to build it, Wen Qian pointed to herself.
Chen Lin was surprised. "Are you saying you want to build a toilet by yourself? How long will that take? Can you build a house? Even if it's just stacking bricks, you have to learn."
Wen Qian replied, "If that's the case, why don't you be the master craftsman? Can you do it? Name your price, and I'll just hire you as the master craftsman."
So Chen Lin readily agreed, saying, "Then I'll do it. Let's go with the price the local craftsmen charge. How big should it be? Where should it be built?"
Afterward, Chen Lin followed Wen Qian around inside and outside the house.
Both of them were young people who certainly didn't like dry toilets. Chen Lin's toilet at home was spacious, almost half the size of a room, with separate areas for bathing, washing clothes and faces, and using the toilet.
He didn't know if it should be built in the original room of the house or next to a wall.
"Well, it depends on where it's easier to dig the pit for drainage and waste. Dig it below your doorstep. Where should we dig the trench and bury the pipes? We'll build it where it's most convenient."
So Chen Lin suggested that she build the toilet behind the kitchen or in the stairwell.
Finally, they decided to build it in the stairwell. This way, they only needed to add one wall and a door, raise the floor and install a squat toilet, and also lay some ceramic tiles and connect a water pipe.
Wen Qian wanted it to be simple, just a squat pit with tiles, without a shower, heated hand-washing basin, only a light and a faucet.
Chen Lin negotiated the wage, and they agreed that Wen Qian would provide him with lunch every day at noon. Thus, the matter was settled, and the next day, he came to build the wall.
Wen Qian bought a cheap plastic folding sliding door online, the type that doesn't require drilling holes. She could install it herself and take it down later.
The next day, Chen Lin finished building the wall in the morning.
At noon, Wen Qian prepared three dishes and a soup for him, including fish and meat, and also brought a can of beer.
Chen Lin smiled and said she was quite good at cooking. He had initially thought she would ask Auntie Chen to help with the cooking.
In the afternoon, they started to dig trenches and bury pipes. The pipes followed the back gutter and went towards the side, following the downward slope. They didn't need to dig deep, just enough to cover the pipes with soil and prevent them from leaking out.
As for digging a pit, there's no need. It can be directly connected to the original toilet pit. If Wen Qian wants to demolish that toilet, she can do it herself. Afterwards, just cover it with two cement boards.
The next day, fill the ground, install the squat toilet, test the water flow, and tile the walls.
On the third day, tile the floor and finish up.
The progress was swift, and Wen Qian soon had a simple squatting pit at home. As for the outdoor dry toilet, Wen Qian didn't have time to demolish it for the time being. It can be dealt with later.
After completing everything, Wen Qian started using this place as a toilet and shower two days later. Finally, the comfort level improved a little.
Auntie Chen came to see the commotion and commented that their family had already made things convenient like this.
At noon, Wen Qian cooked and invited two people from Auntie Chen's family to have a meal. Auntie Chen hesitated a bit, but Wen Qian insisted and said to let Uncle Chen accompany them and have a drink with Chen Lin.
Auntie Chen thought about it and agreed. So, the two of them came for lunch, and Auntie Chen even helped Wen Qian with cutting vegetables and starting the fire.
