In the Years When I Was a Father-Chapter 173: The Cool Dad in the Apocalypse (3)

Qi Sheng moved quickly. Since he had decided to rebuild the house, that very afternoon he went out to find a construction team from the local village.
The leader of the construction team was from the same village and even a relative—also surnamed Qi. Because he was the eldest among his peers, everyone who was younger called him Brother Jun.
“Brother Jun, have you eaten yet?”
“Oh hey, Xiao Sheng! Just finished. Have you eaten? If not, I’ll whip up some dishes for you—want to have a drink together?”
Qi Sheng shook his head with a smile. “I just ate at home, no need to trouble yourself.”
Seeing Qi Dajun sitting in the main hall by a fan, Qi Sheng sat down nearby and asked, “Brother Jun, your team hasn’t taken on any projects recently?”
Hearing about the construction team, Qi Dajun looked a bit discouraged. He sighed and said, “Ugh, don’t even mention it. Originally, there was a real estate project that needed workers around the 20th of August. But the weather just keeps getting hotter, not cooler. With this kind of heat, the developer decided to postpone. I haven’t been able to line up any decent gigs, so now everyone’s just sitting at home.”
He sighed again, looking out at the scorching weather, clearly anxious about having no income for a while.
That was exactly what Qi Sheng was hoping for. He had been worried about not being able to find a reliable team on short notice. Luckily, his father had remembered Qi Dajun and told him to give it a try. Since Qi Dajun’s entire crew was still at home, and most of the workers were from the same village or nearby, it would be very convenient for them to do the job.
So Qi Sheng explained his purpose to Qi Dajun.
“Tear it down and rebuild? That’s going to cost a lot. Your old house had a solid foundation, and the bricks were good quality too. Isn’t it a waste to tear it all down? You don’t even live here full time.”
“It’s not a waste. That house is over twenty years old. I’ve been planning to rebuild for a while, but I’ve been too busy with work. Now that I have some time, it’s a good chance to finally get it done.”
“If you’re rebuilding, what kind of house are you planning? A single-story or a small multi-story house? Did you see the new house next door at Uncle Qi Er’s? My crew built that one—it looks just as good as a small villa in the city!”
Speaking of his team’s work, Qi Dajun was full of confidence. As he spoke, he walked into a bedroom and brought out a stack of blueprints, laying them out on the tea table and weighing them down with an ashtray. He frowned at the fan blowing nearby.
“This damned weather—too hot outside, and stuffy inside. Even with air conditioning and fans, it’s still no good!”
Qi Sheng agreed and, after glancing over the blueprints, started explaining his requirements: “Let’s skip the multi-story building. I’m sick of stairs after living in the city. A single-story is more grounded and comfortable.”
Qi Dajun smiled and didn’t object. Qi Sheng continued, “Brother Jun, this time I’d like your help with the design. I want to deepen the foundation, double the thickness of the walls, and make the courtyard walls higher too.”
Qi Dajun was a bit surprised and didn’t quite understand Qi Sheng’s reasoning.
“The foundation is already pretty solid—why deepen it more? And do you know how many bricks thicker walls will take? For just your family, there’s no need to go that far.”
Qi Sheng explained, “I just want to build it right the first time. When I retire, I plan to come back and settle here. Also, with the recent weather and the earthquakes down south, I’m thinking it’s best to be prepared. A deeper foundation helps protect against anything unexpected.”
Qi Dajun laughed. “Sounds like you’ve got money to burn. Earthquakes in the south don’t affect us—this is flat land! We haven’t had one in decades. Doesn’t matter how bad it gets down there, it won’t touch us.”
Then he added, “Is this more talk from those so-called ‘experts’ in the city? They’re always saying something. Weren’t they blaming our rural stoves for pollution recently, pushing everyone to switch to gas? But stir-frying over gas just isn’t the same as on a wood stove!”
Qi Sheng laughed too. “Stronger walls give peace of mind. Plus, thick walls keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. Helps a lot in weather like this.”
“That’s true. If this weird weather keeps up, I might thicken my own walls too.”
Qi Sheng didn’t say more. The unusual weather would continue all the way until late October. Every day would feel like extreme summer, and then in November the temperature would suddenly plummet—from 34°C down to below 10°C. If it hadn’t actually happened, no one would believe it.
It was this increasingly strange weather and frequent natural disasters that made people worldwide think the apocalypse was coming.
While their city did indeed have fewer natural disasters, just as Qi Dajun said, it wasn’t immune. The weird weather, occasional earthquakes, and sandstorms still showed up. Not to mention the unpredictable rainstorms and hail.
Qi Sheng was just getting a head start. Before long, more people would start noticing these abnormalities. Luckily, it seemed nature didn’t intend to cut off humanity’s lifeline all at once—so in the beginning, there wouldn’t be large-scale casualties. That said, the earthquakes down south and typhoons hitting the coast were still serious issues.
Qi Sheng went over the essential details. He had already printed out his requirements the night before and now gave a simple explanation to Qi Dajun before handing over the A4 sheets he’d prepared.
Qi Dajun read through them and was puzzled when he saw the part about the cellar. “Why build a cellar? Doesn’t everyone just use refrigerators nowadays?”
“Refrigerators are too small—they don’t hold much. A cellar makes it easier to store things in the future.”
“Alright, got it. I’ll send you a construction plan in a couple of days. And don’t worry about the cellar. I’ve got several old craftsmen who specialize in that—it’ll last for decades.”
In fact, many households in the area still had cellars, and there were plenty of experienced builders around, so Qi Sheng had nothing to worry about.
The two of them went over every detail again. Once Qi Dajun had a clear picture, he looked at Qi Sheng and said, “Xiao Sheng, you better have a rough idea of how much this’ll cost. With these specs, you could practically build a villa.”
“I know. Don’t worry, Brother Jun. Once the house is finished, I’ll pay every penny I owe. I’ll also transfer the deposit and materials fee soon. Just please help me keep an eye on everything—the quality of materials has to be top-notch.”
“Hahaha, don’t worry about that. When building a house for our own family, I know what materials to use. Third Uncle knows a lot about this stuff too—once we buy them, I’ll have him take a look first.”
The “Third Uncle” that Qi Dajun referred to was Qi Sheng’s father, Old Master Qi. Most people in the village shared the surname Qi, and many were close relatives. Qi Sheng wasn’t worried that Qi Dajun would cut corners on materials.
By the time they finished discussing the house construction, it was already evening. Qi Dajun had originally wanted to have a few more drinks with him, but Qi Sheng declined with the excuse that it was a rare visit home.
After Qi Sheng left, Qi Dajun’s wife, Wang Ling, returned from chatting at the neighbor’s house. Upon hearing from her husband that Qi Sheng was building a new house, she couldn’t help but smile.
“If that house gets built, Lei Lei won’t have to worry about a place to live in the future. You’d better keep an eye on it.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got it handled. Since we’re building a house for Lei Lei, of course I have to be extra careful. Otherwise, our little rascal will definitely make a fuss!”
Although Qi Lei seemed insignificant in Qi Sheng’s eyes, he was a treasured grandchild to the grandparents and the most well-behaved child in the neighborhood.
Qi Dajun’s youngest son had grown up following Qi Lei around, and Qi Lei even tutored the village kids. So, not just the couple, but many elders and parents in the village were very fond of him.
So, even though it was Qi Sheng footing the bill for the house, everyone subconsciously assumed it would eventually go to Qi Lei—after all, Qi Sheng lived away from home long-term and might not ever come back for good.
When Qi Sheng returned home, the old lady was busy cooking in the kitchen, and Qi Lei was beside her, occasionally helping with washing vegetables while chatting with her.
Qi Sheng didn’t interrupt. He was very self-aware and knew if he walked in now, the old lady would probably complain he was disturbing her precious time with her grandson.
But the old lady, sharp-eyed as ever, saw him coming in. Recalling how her dear grandson had been wronged in the past, she wasn’t too pleased with this son of hers. So, she pretended not to see him and continued asking Qi Lei about school, cooking only Qi Lei’s favorite dishes.
Qi Sheng went to his room and told his father the details of his discussion with Qi Dajun that afternoon.
“Five bedrooms? Why build so many?” the old man asked.
“I’ll occasionally bring Hanghang and the others back here. If there aren’t enough rooms, we won’t all fit.”
“There’s no need for that many. You only come back once in a while. Four should be more than enough.”
“It’s fine. The extra rooms can be used as storage. Didn’t you open a little shop? They’ll be perfect for keeping inventory.”
Qi Sheng had actually already planned for a storage shed in the courtyard, so that excuse was just a cover. He couldn’t say that eventually, all three of them would move back here permanently.
Seeing that everything had been settled and that Qi Sheng showed no signs of financial stress, the old man didn’t object further. He stared at the TV but was silently thinking: no matter how nice the house turns out, in the end, it’ll go to Lei Lei. If Qi Sheng spends a bit more money now, it just means he’s fulfilling his duty as a father.
At dinner, the old couple continued to dote on Qi Lei, constantly giving him food. Qi Sheng, feeling like he was invisible again, tried to make his presence felt by placing a piece of food in Qi Lei’s bowl.
The previously warm and cozy trio were stunned by the unexpected chopsticks. They all looked at the person reaching over—Qi Sheng—with puzzled expressions. Qi Lei lifted his eyes briefly, then lowered them again.
Seeing them staring at him, Qi Sheng still had the audacity to ask, “Dad, Mom, let’s eat. Why are you staring at me?”
Why? What do you think?! You suddenly do something so out of the blue—how would we know what you’re up to?
The couple thought the same but didn’t show it on their faces.
“Just eat your food properly!”
With that, they ignored Qi Sheng and turned their full attention back to their beloved grandson.
Qi Lei, ever cooperative, finished everything the old couple gave him—but never touched the food that Qi Sheng had put in his bowl.
The old lady noticed but didn’t say anything. She rubbed Qi Lei’s head and said, “Don’t sit down right after eating. Go out for a walk with your grandpa.”
Qi Lei wanted to help with the dishes but was refused.
“No need, someone else will wash them.”
Hearing that, the old man very helpfully took his grandson out for a walk—leaving Qi Sheng naturally to be the one doing the dishes.
Qi Sheng: …
He really had no status here!
While he washed the dishes, the old lady stood nearby watching him.
“What are you thinking these days? If there’s nothing, don’t bother our Lei Lei!”
“Mom, what do you mean ‘your Lei Lei’? He’s still my son too.”
“Your son? Have you ever treated him like your son?”
The old lady grew angry just thinking about how cold Qi Sheng had been to Qi Lei in the past. She sternly warned him, “Qi Sheng, you listen to me. If you can’t treat him the same way you treat Hanghang, then don’t go trying to get close to Lei Lei. He doesn’t need your affection, and he doesn’t need your sudden ‘concern’!”
For over a decade, he ignored the child. Even when the boy tried to get close to him in recent years, Qi Sheng was indifferent. She didn’t believe for a second that he suddenly had a change of heart.
Now that Qi Lei had given up on him, and was slowly opening up again, the old lady didn’t care if the father and son reconciled. In fact, she worried that Qi Sheng’s occasional gestures might rekindle hope in Qi Lei—only to let him down again later. If that happened, it would be her precious grandson who got hurt again!