170: Making brick kilns

Early the next morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a dappled pattern of light and shadow on the ground.

Lu Fan got out of bed, feeling invigorated.

He had mentally rehearsed the plan to build the brick kiln countless times last night, and now he couldn't wait to put it into practice.

An Lan also woke up early and prepared a simple breakfast for everyone.

Watching Lu Fan's busy figure, her eyes were filled with trust and support. "It's going to be hard work for you today; building a brick kiln is no easy task."

An Lan handed him a glass of water and said with concern.

Lu Fan took the water, downed it in one go, and patted his chest with a smile. "Don't worry, this little difficulty won't stop me. Once the brick kiln is built, we'll be one step closer to a big house!"

After speaking, Lu Fan took his tools and headed toward the riverbank.

Arriving at the riverbank, he looked at the fine river sand and nodded with satisfaction.

Just then, An Lan followed him. Seeing Lu Fan preparing to dig sand, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why must we use river sand? I see plenty of sand at the beach too."

Lu Fan stopped what he was doing and explained seriously, "There's something you don't know! Sea sand contains a large amount of salt and shell fragments."

"After the brick kiln is built, the salt will migrate to the surface of the bricks as the water evaporates, leaving unsightly white frost. It will also corrode the joints between the bricks, making the entire kiln unstable."

"And those shell fragments act like time bombs during the firing process."

"They might explode due to uneven heating, blowing a big hole in our carefully constructed kiln. All our efforts would be for naught!"

"So, we should stick to river sand. Although it's more work, it's safe and reliable."

An Lan realized the reason and couldn't help but smile. "I didn't expect there to be so much knowledge involved in just sand."

Lu Fan chuckled and continued digging the river sand.

livestream room.

"Holy cow, I didn't know that."

"I feel like I'm actually learning something."

"As expected of the Wilderness Survival encyclopedia."

Before long, Lu Fan had collected a full basket of river sand.

Next, he found suitable clay and mixed the two in a specific ratio.

"It's like creating a magical combination. The mixed clay and sand are like a perfect pair of partners, acting as our 'cement' to bind the bricks tightly together," Lu Fan explained to An Lan while stirring.

With the materials ready, the next step was to build the brick kiln.

Lu Fan first drew a large circle on the ground, which served as the base of the brick kiln.

He picked up the semi-dry bricks and began to carefully stack them.

He placed every brick neatly, as if he were creating a work of art.

"I feel like the infrastructure gene in my bones has awakened."

Lu Fan cracked jokes while skillfully applying the "cement."

An Lan wasn't idle either; she helped by handing him bricks and occasionally teased, "You really look like a bricklayer."

"Of course, I'm a pro," Lu Fan responded with a laugh.

As time passed, the prototype of the brick kiln gradually began to take shape.

Lu Fan's face was covered in beads of sweat, but he had no intention of stopping.

While Lu Fan was focused on stacking bricks, one brick suddenly slipped and fell with a "clatter."

"I'm really fed up."

Lu Fan shook his head helplessly, picked up the brick again, and inspected it carefully.

Then he discovered a gap.

As he spoke, he filled the gap with more "cement" to ensure the brick was stable.

Once the walls reached the appropriate height, he used branches to build the roof frame, then layered it with clay to create an arched or flat-top structure, ensuring the roof's airtightness and load-bearing capacity.

Next, he reserved air inlets and outlets at suitable positions on the kiln body. The air inlets were for ventilation and combustion, while the outlet was at the top to facilitate smoke discharge.

After more than half a day of hard work, a sizable brick kiln finally stood before them.

Lu Fan straightened his back, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and admired his masterpiece with satisfaction.

"How's it look, An Lan? Our brick kiln looks pretty decent, doesn't it?"

An Lan nodded with a smile. "Yes, it looks the part, but we'll have to wait for it to air-dry before using it, right?"

"Exactly. Right now, it's like a freshly steamed bun; it needs to cool off for a bit."

Lu Fan said humorously, "Once it's completely air-dried and becomes rock hard, we can start firing bricks!"

Having finished all this, the two could finally take a temporary break.

An Lan brewed a pot of tea and added honey to Lu Fan's cup, knowing he had a sweet tooth.

The two sat there quietly drinking tea and enjoying the breeze.

Before he knew it, Lu Fan had fallen asleep in his chair.

Watching the sleeping Lu Fan, the corners of An Lan's mouth curled up involuntarily into a gentle smile.

She stood up quietly, went back to the house for a jacket, and carefully draped it over Lu Fan, her movements so gentle for fear of disturbing his sweet dreams.

"You've really worked hard these past few days; have a good sleep," An Lan whispered, her voice full of heartache.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled shadows on Lu Fan and An Lan.

A gentle breeze blew, bringing the fragrance of plants mixed with the scent of earth, making one feel exceptionally comfortable.

Not far away, Da Hei lay on the ground, also enjoying this rare peaceful time, occasionally wagging his tail to shoo away the occasional flying insects.

Big Horn and Lightning were leisurely eating fodder nearby, occasionally flicking their tails and snorting, as if adding a vivid footnote to this peaceful and beautiful atmosphere.

An Lan sat beside Lu Fan, quietly drinking tea, her gaze falling on his face from time to time.

She recalled the bits and pieces of their journey in the wilderness, from the initial struggle for survival to the current appearance of a stable life, her heart full of emotion.

The trials and tribulations they had faced together now turned into the most precious memories deep in her heart.

"I wonder what the future will be like?" An Lan murmured softly, her eyes full of longing for the future.

Perhaps it was the gentle caress of the breeze, or perhaps the inner peace, but An Lan also gradually felt sleepy.

She leaned her head back against the chair, closed her eyes, and enjoyed this moment of tranquility.

In a daze, she seemed to see their future home—a cozy little house built with bricks they had fired themselves, surrounded by all kinds of flowers and plants, with chickens, ducks, and geese in the yard, full of life and vitality.

After an unknown amount of time, Lu Fan slowly woke up.

He gave a long stretch, feeling much of the fatigue throughout his body dissipate with it.

He slowly turned his head, his gaze falling softly on An Lan beside him.

At this moment, An Lan was also sleeping peacefully against the back of the chair, like a quietly blooming flower, radiating a soft aura.

On her face was a faint, lingering smile, much like the shimmering light in the night sky, making one wonder if she was immersed in a beautiful dream filled with warmth and peace.

Looking at her, Lu Fan felt as if a clear spring was quietly flowing in his heart, creating ripples of tenderness.

He stood up with extremely light and slow movements, as if afraid of disturbing this moment of tranquility, and carefully took off the jacket he was wearing, draping it gently over An Lan like a rare treasure.

The jacket carried his warmth, like his silent yet deep protection, tenderly wrapping around An Lan.

Afterward, Lu Fan squatted quietly on the ground, staring at An Lan without blinking.

In his eyes was a curiosity filled with love.

Starting from her curved eyebrows, just like willow leaves in spring, light and graceful;

To her straight nose, as resolute yet soft as a mountain range;

And then to the slightly upturned corners of her mouth, which seemed to hold a thousand words, yet turned into silent tenderness in this stillness.

He looked at her gentleness, the care inadvertently revealed while supporting each other in the wilderness; he looked at her fortitude, the decisiveness and courage that never wavered in the face of difficulties.

Through this familiar face, he seemed to touch her flawless soul, as pure as the first snow in the mountains, clear and bright.

At this moment, time seemed to stand still, and everything in the world became a backdrop. Only An Lan before him was his everything, the wings he wanted to kiss countless times.