Chapter 21 Kiln Firing
"Ah? I didn't!" Old Man Chang was also surprised to learn that Xia Xiwu accepted Wang Deming as his apprentice after he got home at around 9 o'clock in the evening. "I just did what Deming said and asked him to be a guarantor so that I could join the Chinese Medicine Association."

Old Man Chang walked around Wang Deming twice with his hands behind his back and asked, "Could it be that Xia Xiwu saw at first sight that you, Deming, are a promising talent?"

"Yeah, it's possible. Haha, good thing!"

"But now that Deming has become my disciple, I have to pay him the apprenticeship gift quickly, otherwise he will be laughed at if the news gets out."

"It's a pity that Huixiantang on the north bank of Qianhai has closed down, otherwise that place would be the best. How about Sandpot Ju (Heshun Ju)? It's close, and we can ask the chef to come to our house to cook." After asking Wang Deming about his schedule, Old Man Chang made the decision: "Then let's do it on October 10nd. It's just after the National Day, and we're both free."

"I will go find Master Rong Si tomorrow, and then we will go to Xia Xiwu's place together."

Old Man Chang pinched Wang Deming's arm and nodded in approval: "Okay, you have the strength. You can't do bone straightening without strength."

"You should study hard after becoming my disciple. You can also learn other branches of Chinese medicine by reading books, but there are two things that you must learn from your master: bone setting and acupuncture. Otherwise, if you are not careful, something big will go wrong!"

"When you become an apprentice in bone setting, I will help you find a court physician who specializes in acupuncture."

"These two things are really the best ones that come out of the palace."

Wang Deming agreed with what Old Man Chang said. He had heard a piece of news in the medical circle in his previous life: a student from a Chinese medicine university messed up during an acupuncture class and pricked himself into half-paralysis. The teacher was so scared that he urgently gave him more than 100 needles before he recovered.
However, if I hold the apprenticeship banquet on October 10, I will be a bit pressed for time. Today is already September 2. If I go to Mr. Yin Changrong's clothing store to inspect sewing machines tomorrow, I will only be able to stay in Changping for two days.

It will take time to start the kiln on the mountain, and Qin Huairu's family
Forget it. The sewing machine isn’t likely to break down anyway. Besides, I have basically taught Boss Yin’s son how to repair it, so he can handle some minor problems.

I still have to go back to Changping first, take care of Qin Huairu's parents, and then take back the house in Nanluoguxiang after the National Day, and rebuild it myself. During the winter, let Qin Huairu live here and take care of me.
Haha, it makes me happy just thinking about it!

Wang Deming stayed in the capital for just three days before setting off back to Changping. He still went to Zhengyangmen to take the train. After getting off the train in Changping, he hailed a donkey cart to take him home.

At the gate of his home, Wang Deming smiled and waved towards the construction site. The bricklayers shouted "Mr. Wang!" one after another.

"Thank you for your hard work!" Wang Deming replied loudly. He was very satisfied with the masons he had invited. They had dug the foundation and prepared the stones in just a few days. You know, it was a full manpower effort at that time, which was not easy.

"Deming, why did you come back so soon? Have you finished your work?"

Wang Shuqin, who was feeding chickens in the yard, saw her son coming back. She quickly flipped the dustpan in her hand a few times and scattered the cooked earthworms on the ground, attracting a rooster and a dozen hens to rush over, clucking.

After Wang Deming entered the courtyard, he immediately took out the house deed and showed it to his godmother: "Mom, it's all done. Look, here's the house deed! It's not far from my sister's house, just a few minutes' walk. It's two rooms in the east wing of the front yard of a quadrangle."

Wang Shuqin quickly put away the dustpan, washed her hands in the basin at the door, and dried them with her apron before carefully taking the deed and reading it out word by word: "No. 95, Nanluoguxiang, District 2, Beijing, rooms in the east wing of the front yard."

As Wang Shuqin read, her expression became excited, her hands trembled, and tears couldn't help falling.

"Mom, what's wrong with you?"

"It's okay!" Wang Shuqin twitched her nose and took out a handkerchief to wipe away her tears. "Mom is happy!"

"We finally have a house in the city again. Although it's still a little small, my son is so successful. He will definitely be able to buy a house with a big yard in the future."

Wang Deming said half jokingly and half seriously: "Mom, if you are willing to live in the city with me, I will buy a single-family house with one or two courtyards in Beijing this year."

"I will be filial to you."

Wang Shuqin pretended to be angry: "Then wouldn't the houses built in our village be wasted?"

"Mom, can you come to the city and live with us during the winter when you are not busy with farming? It would be nice if you can just visit my sister's house during the day?"

Wang Shuqin returned the deed to Wang Deming: "How can I have free time? No one feeds the chickens at home? They lay more than ten eggs a day."

"Besides, it's okay to go to your sister's place once or twice, but if you go there all the time, people will gossip about you."

Wang Deming could only smile helplessly and shake his head. The old lady carefully put the deed away again and said, "Mom, I have some good news to tell you. Didn't I apply to join the Chinese Medicine Association? As a result, after I went there, I was spotted by a bone-setting doctor from the palace and was accepted as his apprentice."

"And because of my master's relationship, after I joined the association, I was arranged to study at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Continuing Education School in Xiaoshun Hutong after the National Day."

"So, I discussed with my father-in-law and decided to hold a teacher-apprentice banquet at home on October 10."

"Mom, you have to come with me into the city this time. You must be there for this occasion."

Wang Shuqin's eyes lit up, and the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes became clearer as she smiled: "Deming, this is great."

"As for Chinese medicine, there is a big difference between having a master and not having one. Not only can you ask for advice at any time, but your reputation will spread faster!"

Wang Shuqin suddenly frowned, thinking of some things her husband had told her about apprenticeship: "But."

"Mom, but what?"

"Mom is a little worried about your character. Being an apprentice is a hard and tiring job, and you have to serve others. There's an old saying about being an apprentice: In the morning, you have to sweep the floor and open the door; in the evening, you have to lie down and guard the door; from morning till noon, you have to buy wine and vegetables and tofu in the east and west; for three meals a day, the apprentice has to serve the food and meat."

How can this be called an apprentice? Doesn't this require any help? It shouldn't be that serious, right?
Wang Deming shuddered in his heart. If that was the case, why would he worship a master? I finally got a chance to live again, was it to suffer?

Probably not. Although we only met once, Dr. Xia was very friendly. He not only took the initiative to help me get the opportunity to study in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Training Class, but also took the initiative to arrange the teaching time with me.

Besides, who would be so blind after liberation? Isn't it a waste of liberation? Thank the new China! Thinking of this, Wang Deming laughed: "Mom, we are liberated. The new China is to eliminate oppression and exploitation. There is no way such apprentices can exist in society now? If such a situation really still exists, hey, we can ask the government to make the decision and directly put such people in prison for labor education."

"Besides, I am here because my father-in-law asked me to do this because my brother, Fourth Master Rong, asked me to do this, and I am also considering that I am a bannerman."

Wang Shuqin finally felt relieved, and a smile reappeared on her face: "Well, my son's apprenticeship banquet, mom can't be absent."

"In two years, when you get your Chinese medicine license, Deming, you'll have established your career!"

“It won’t be too late to start a family by then.”

"Hmm?" Wang Deming heard something behind his godmother's words and was about to ask.

Qin Huairu, carrying two buckets on her shoulders, walked into the yard tremblingly. When she saw Wang Deming, her rosy, slightly upturned mouth seemed to bloom with a flower, and her eight neat, porcelain-white upper teeth were revealed in a smile. She said in a joyful tone, "Deming, you're back!"

"Xiaoru?" Wang Deming rushed forward and moved the bucket from Qin Huairu's shoulder to his own. "Is it heavy?"

Qin Huairu's bright eyes smiled into crescents, and her forehead was slightly sweaty: "De Ming, it's not heavy, I only filled half a bucket of water on purpose."

"Didn't you have the well dug deeper so that you can lay the stonework? Plus, we have to boil water for the masons every day these days, so the water in the water tank at home is not enough."

"Auntie didn't let me fetch water because she was worried that I would get tired. It was me who took the initiative to fetch water."

"Don't we have a mason at home? Let them fetch water next time." Wang Deming carried a bucket into the house and poured water into the water tank: "Mom is right, don't do this kind of rough work in the future. It's easy to hurt your waist, especially bad for women, and it's easy to affect childbirth."

When Qin Huairu heard Wang Deming mention female childbirth, she immediately blushed and lowered her head in a low voice: "Well, Deming, you must be exhausted after the journey back. I'll pour you some water to wash your face and boil some water for tea."

"Well, Huairu, you're not in a hurry to go home, are you? Let's have dinner together at home tonight." Wang Deming put the bucket and the shoulder pole next to the water tank and said with a smile, "I brought back some marinated mutton from Yueshengzhai. We'll have a snack tonight."

Wang Shuqin praised Qin Huairu with a smile on her face: "Deming, Xiaoru stayed here the night you came to the city. She was afraid that I would be tired of being alone when we built a house, so she came with me to keep me company."

"Xiao Ru has been rushing to do all the housework these days. I, an old woman, can only wait to enjoy my life in the future."

"Yeah!" Wang Deming was really satisfied with Qin Huairu.

It's not about male chauvinism, but who doesn't want to be served tea and water by his wife when he gets home from work, and ask about his well-being? As soon as he sits at the dining table, hot meals are served? Before going to bed at night, he will be served with water to wash his feet.
Wang Deming suddenly thought of the masons working, and turned around and asked, "Mom, we're just going to have lunch, right?"

"Yes, we had steamed buns made from 20g of flour for lunch. Xiaoru and I specially saved some of the dishes we made for lunch for dinner. Deming, have you eaten lunch? Mom will heat up the buns for you."

"No need. I just came back from Changping after having lunch."

"Xiao Ru, I'm in the city this time." Wang Deming was just halfway through his words when Uncle Yan from the village came into the house and interrupted him: "Deming, you're back! As soon as the villagers told me, I hurried down the mountain to find you."

"Come with me up the mountain to check out the kiln. The temperature of the cement kiln has dropped. Is it ready to be fired? It will be used when you lay the foundation for your house."

"I have been adding water to the kiln as you said, but I still feel uncertain."

"You said the secret to firing green bricks lies in the "water kiln" stage, and you also told me how much water to put in each time. But you said it should last more than 20 days, I..."

Uncle Yan's face was full of anxiety, but he didn't know how to fire a kiln.

Wang Deming made it very easy to do, explained it clearly, and wrote down some key points and precautions for firing the kiln. But when it was my turn to do it, I always felt that I added too much or too little water. I was afraid that the whole batch of green bricks would be burned out.

This concerns the fortune-making plan of the entire Wayao Village!

"Xiao Ru, I'll tell you when I come down the mountain. Good news." Wang Deming smiled helplessly at Qin Huairu and went up the mountain with Uncle Yan.

Watching her son's back as he left the house, Wang Shuqin rolled her eyes slightly, turned around, smiled and made an excuse: "Xiao Ru, De Ming is back today, and it's not convenient to stay at home tonight. I'm not going to keep you for dinner, so I don't have to cook again. I'll get you a few pounds of flour, so you can go home now and make dinner."

"I'll save some marinated mutton for you. Come back for lunch tomorrow."

"Yeah." Although Qin Huairu was a little surprised, she still listened to Wang Shuqin obediently and went home with the two pounds of white flour that was forced upon her.

When Qin Huairu returned home, Aunt Qin immediately asked her, "Xiaoru, why are you back today?"

When Aunt Qin saw Qin Huairu holding the flour bag, she immediately took it and opened it: "Wow, this flour weighs two kilograms! Widow Yan is so generous!"

Qin Huairu rolled her eyes at her mother and said, "Mom, don't always talk about Aunt Yan like that. It's really ugly to say widow or widow!"

Aunt Qin smiled from ear to ear: "Okay, okay, I won't say that anymore. I'll make you steamed buns with white flour tonight. By the way, I just asked you, why are you back?"

"Deming is back, and Aunt Yan said it's not convenient for me to stay, so she asked me to go again tomorrow at noon."

"Yes, that's right! You haven't even gotten married yet!"

"Hey, Xiaoru, did Deming really buy a house in the city?"

(End of this chapter)