Chapter 348: Chapter 348: Hand-Tailored
The homeowner was generous as well. "Since you were so straightforward about it, I won’t be stingy. I’m not taking the furniture; I’ll leave it all for you."
Tan Lin had already inspected the furniture inside. Some of it was old, but it was still usable—at least nothing was broken. He immediately thanked the owner profusely. "Thank you so much! This saves us from having to buy new furniture."
Of course, Tan Lin wasn’t going to be picky about freebies. ’Even if we can’t use it, I can just replace the furniture at the old house.’ However, he only dared to think this and wouldn’t say it out loud.
Tan You was the one calling the shots at the old house now. If he jumped in and started bossing people around, Tan Lin was afraid Tan You would come down on him hard. ’And what if she docks my pay?’ he thought.
With their business concluded, Cheng Wenhui didn’t go back with everyone else, instead returning to the clothing factory to work overtime. The factory was the kind of place that had people working overtime all the time. Although technical trainees like Cheng Wenhui weren’t required to, she was too conscientious and wanted to make up for the work she’d missed that evening.
The job hadn’t been easy to get, and taking a day off on just her second day made Cheng Wenhui feel uneasy. She was worried her supervisor might get the wrong impression.
Ding Lan paid her no mind, as she herself was someone who often worked overtime. Ever since getting the sample garments from Tan You, Ding Lan had thrown herself into studying the clothes, and was now burning the midnight oil in the office.
Meanwhile, at the Tan family home, Tan Lin was clutching the property deed to his chest, grinning from ear to ear. His spirits soared at the thought that from now on, he’d be living in town, in his very own house.
Tan You shot him a glance. "The deed’s not going to run away. Focus, and try not to toss it into the stove."
Tan Lin’s expression changed. "I would never! I’m going to put it away safely right now."
When he returned, Tan Lin started hemming and hawing, "So... um..."
"You want to move into the townhouse tomorrow?" Tan You could read him like a book.
"Doesn’t it need to be tidied up? It’s our house now, so I figured the sooner we clean it, the sooner we can move in." Tan Lin was all smiles, showing none of the irritability that Tan You remembered.
"Suit yourself. If you like the furniture over there, keep it. But don’t bring it back to this house. I’m planning on replacing all our current furniture in a while anyway."
Tan You brandished her spatula, multitasking as she spoke to Tan Lin.
Tan Lin smacked his lips. "This house is pretty rundown, too. You don’t want to build a new one?"
Tan You replied, "I don’t have enough money right now. I want to build a big villa for Grandpa. Once I’ve saved up a bit more. You don’t have any objections, do you, Grandpa?"
Of course, Tan Deming had no objections. "Of course not. We’ll save up some more. There’s no hurry."
Tan You raised an eyebrow. "You hear that? When I build Grandpa a big villa, don’t you get envious."
Tan Lin waved his hand dismissively. "I won’t be envious. I have my own house now."
Tan You paused. ’Tan Lin might have all sorts of flaws,’ she thought, ’but not being envious of others is a genuinely rare quality.’ Stepping outside her role as his daughter, she could see his merits objectively, though for now, they seemed pitifully few.
Tan You added, "By the way, while the weather’s good these next few days, Grandpa, please find a roofer to replace the tiles on the house. I don’t want it to be pouring rain outside and drizzling inside every time we get a storm."
"It needs to be done before I go back to school. Once my classes start, I won’t have time to deal with household matters."
Tan Deming didn’t drag his feet. "Alright, I’ll go find someone tomorrow."
When he heard Tan You talking about replacing the tiles, Tan Lin didn’t say a single word. He was staying out of all matters concerning the old house. It was just as Tan You said last night—he was her employee now. Who ever heard of an employee ordering their boss around?
When Tan You returned that afternoon, she also brought a sewing machine back from the clothing factory. After dinner, she didn’t rush to rest, but instead began to work on the pile of fabric her grandmother had saved up over the years.
Tan Lin had been back for two days, and he only had two T-shirts to alternate between, both washed so much they had faded. To be honest, Tan You felt a little odd about it. Tan Lin was frugal, but he was especially stingy with himself.
He would wear an item of clothing until it was completely worn out, and he wasn’t picky about food. Any money he got, he wanted to save. No one would act like that unless they were traumatized by poverty.
She happened to have the tools and fabric on hand, and since Tan Lin had been on his best behavior lately, Tan You didn’t mind doing something to make him happy.
Seeing Tan You sit down at the sewing machine, Tan Lin looked surprised. "Your mother doesn’t even know how to use one of those. Can you?"
"You’ll find out in a minute," Tan You replied casually. "Walk in a circle in front of me. Stand up straight."
Tan Lin did as instructed and walked a circle in the living room. Tan You studied him for a few seconds. "Alright, go sit over there."
Tan Yue stood by the sewing machine, watching Tan You work the pedal. "Big Sis, I want new clothes, too."
Tan You was in a good mood. "I’ll make you some tomorrow. It’s too late today."
Tan Yue was no longer antsy, simply watching Tan You work with wide eyes full of admiration.
Tan Deming couldn’t stay up. Having been running around all day, he went to bed right after dinner. Now, only Tan Lin, Tan You, and Tan Yue remained in the living room. The sound of the old couple’s snoring drifted in from the east room from time to time.
Around nine o’clock, Tan You pointed to two new T-shirts and two pairs of long shorts. "Go try them on. If they don’t fit, I’ll alter them."
"They fit, they’re perfect," Tan Lin said with a grin. "I already tried one on. It fits great."
Tan You stood and stretched. "Good, as long as they fit. I know you’re a real cheapskate, so you don’t feel the pinch when I use fabric we already have at home. Just don’t get petty later when I buy clothes for Mom."
"I won’t do that. Your mom’s clothes are store-bought, but mine are handmade. The significance is completely different." Tan Lin cradled the clothes as if he wanted to build a shrine for them, and the sight was so cringey that Tan You couldn’t even look at him.
"Alright, go give the clothes a rinse so they’ll be ready to wear tomorrow morning. Also, you have your own house now. Clean it up and move in soon. I really can’t get used to sleeping on that tiny bed."
Tan You stretched, subtly starting to push Tan Lin out. She could handle the tiny bed for one night, but she wasn’t happy about doing it for two or three. This was her house, after all. Tan Lin had his own place, so why was he still mooching off them?
Tan Lin could tell Tan You was urging him and his wife to move out quickly, but he wasn’t the least bit angry. To be honest, he’d had enough of the old family house. How could it compare to the comfort of a proper house in town?
"I promise we’ll move out within three days," he announced, then headed to the well to wash his clothes. He was already scheming. The previous owner had said they could keep the furniture, but they would have to get their own home appliances.
For one thing, a washing machine was a must; Tan Lin had been quite envious of the one at the family home. And a microwave, which would make reheating meals so much more convenient. As he schemed, Tan Lin’s hands moved even faster, washing his clothes with newfound vigor.
