Chen Lan dared not answer her mother-in-law's words, so she immediately changed the subject and continued to instruct, "Uncle De, Uncle Fu, I'll put a small batch of cement in the original place tomorrow. I'll also use less red bricks and sand. You can use these materials slowly for now. When these are almost used up, Uncle De, remember to remind me in advance, and we'll move the cement, sand, and red bricks to another location. This current spot is a bit too far from where we're building."
Everyone nodded in agreement, signifying they had no objections.
Chen Lan then remembered something else and asked Uncle De, "Right! Uncle De, who is taking care of the lambs and two piglets we bought back earlier?"
Uncle De smiled and explained to Chen Lan, "It's Grandpa Zhou. He enjoys looking after livestock and is teaching several of Mingxuan's comrades who are still reasonably mobile. He teaches them hands-on every day, and they are all brimming with enthusiasm, keeping the temporary sheep pens and pigsties spotlessly clean. You've been too busy lately, you haven't seen how much the little lambs and piglets have grown!"
Hearing Uncle De's words, a smile involuntarily bloomed on Chen Lan's face. If Grandpa Zhou was in charge of the little lambs and piglets, it couldn't be better!
Granny Zhou had mentioned before that Grandpa Zhou had looked after sheep for the landlord for over a decade, and later, when their own family had a good year, he raised sheep for several years. Grandpa Zhou had worked with sheep for over ten years; he was a seasoned expert! His experience in raising sheep was undoubtedly unparalleled! What the little lambs liked to eat! What they disliked! Grandpa Zhou would certainly know. Whether a lamb was unwell, Grandpa Zhou would know just by looking and touching. This kind of experience was accumulated over more than a decade of his life, not something anyone could learn instantly. Therefore, Chen Lan was now very reassured to entrust the little sheep and pigs to Grandpa Zhou.
Although it was a bit challenging to have Grandpa Zhou leading Xu Mingxuan and the injured comrades in raising these livestock, every beginning is difficult. Once everyone got used to the feeding routines, it would be fine. Fortunately, the lambs and piglets were still quite small, and as long as they were cared for diligently, they would be relatively easy to raise!
The main issue was the severe shortage of manpower in the valley. They had to work overtime to build houses, plan for warehouse construction, and repair roads. Naturally, they couldn't spare enough people, so everyone had to work a bit harder and make do for now. Thinking of this, Chen Lan couldn't help but frown.
Seeing the expression on Chen Lan's face, shifting from a smile to a frown, Uncle De understood. He knew Chen Lan was worried that Grandpa Zhou might be overwhelmed. So, he said with a chuckle, "Little Lan! You really don't need to worry about your Grandpa Zhou. He gets along very well with the young fellows and is happy every day. Mingxuan's comrades are becoming more and more skilled, and Grandpa Zhou isn't as busy as he was at the beginning. You don't need to worry anymore."
Uncle De's words settled Chen Lan's heart. She smiled and replied, "That's good, that's good! It's best that everyone gets along harmoniously! After all, we're all one family. If we get along well, our valley will prosper, everything will go smoothly, and everyone can live a good life."
Her mother-in-law, Uncle De, and everyone else nodded in agreement: "Little Lan, you're right, that's exactly the principle!"
As things were mostly arranged, Chen Lan was about to announce the meeting's adjournment when her mother-in-law spoke, "Little Lan! The number of children in the valley is growing, and your mother can't possibly look after them all by herself! You need to arrange for more capable people to help her."
Upon hearing her mother-in-law's words, Chen Lan felt both surprised and touched. She hadn't expected her mother-in-law to be so concerned about her own mother!
So, she replied with a smile, "Thank you for your concern, Mother-in-law. And thanks to your reminder, I'll speak to Mama Liu and Mama Cui tomorrow morning, and also to Auntie Xiaoshan. I'll have them help out at the kindergarten. They've all helped look after the twins, so they're quite familiar with the kindergarten's procedures for childcare. I'll also have Zhao Xiaoyue assist and learn parenting experience by their side. I'll prepare a few more rocking cribs and large toys. That should keep the children content to stay in the kindergarten.
Besides, the children over five years old are all attending the reading club to learn to read and write, and the older children over twelve are helping with the work. The few of them should be able to manage."
As she spoke, Chen Lan suddenly remembered what she had said about Zhao Xiaoyue. So, she asked, "Right! Mother-in-law, Brother Erhu, isn't Xiaoyue due soon? In winter, with so many clothes on, her belly wasn't very obvious. Now that the weather is warmer and people aren't wearing as many clothes, and I've been out early and back late for over a month without paying close attention, it's suddenly occurred to me. Xiaoyue's belly has gotten so big. Is she due soon? Has the sewing workshop prepared the baby clothes and swaddling blankets in advance?"
Her mother-in-law smiled and said, "The baby in Xiaoyue's belly is about eight months old. A few days ago, Doctor Guo checked her pulse, and he said the baby is developing well in the womb and advised Xiaoyue to move around more for an easier delivery. So, don't worry! The sewing workshop has long since prepared all the necessities for the baby and the mother. You just focus on preparing to be an aunt! Remember to give your little nephew a big red envelope when the time comes."
Chen Lan chuckled and replied, "That's a must!"
With all matters clarified, everyone stopped chatting. They had all been very tired lately, and starting tomorrow, another tough battle awaited. So, everyone dispersed, quickly returning to their homes to get some much-needed rest.
All tasks proceeded in an orderly fashion according to Chen Lan's plan; Sun Xiaomei and her daughter's cooking skills finally passed the mother-in-law's assessment and received unanimous praise from everyone.
Xiang Dong and Er Hu, along with Teacher Zhou, had finalized their plans and launched a labor competition. Two skilled workers would lead a group of four adolescent boys, with five construction sites operating simultaneously. In the beginning, when pouring the foundations, the differences were not apparent. But after a few days, once the foundations had cured and they started installing the light steel keel frames, the disparities began to emerge and became increasingly obvious. Some teams could no longer afford to be sluggish.
The first houses they built were for Doctor Guo, his daughter, and granddaughter. It was a two-story building with a clinic. The design of the house differed from the others: the first floor would be the clinic, and the second floor would be for living. The second floor was also planned with six rooms, allowing Guo Xiaofu to live at home conveniently when she grew up and married, making it easier for her to look after her mother and Doctor Guo.
In short, everything in the valley was gradually developing in a positive direction, presenting a vibrant and thriving scene everywhere.