My Life as an Awoken

Chapter 125: Few Days of Work

The next day the windows arrived, delivered right to the front door.

I got a total of 29 windows. Each wing had 11 windows but I was only going to replace 8 of them. Each room had 1 window except for the first and last room of each wing.

The first room was bigger so it had 2 windows. The last room was on the end facing the obstructed view of the cliff. It had four windows, one was across from the door the others were facing the cliff.

The windows facing the cliff were 3 large windows. My thoughts were to replace the wall with floor to ceiling windows or accordion doors like the rest of the inn. I would have to work around the support beams, but that’s easy.

The rest of the inn was already doing that.

Then the upstairs had 13 windows. Except for the floor to ceiling ones. There isn’t a balcony for those so I will have to get real windows for those and I will have to pay for a real crew to help with installation.

With the windows delivered I got to replacing them. Removing trim, peeling back flashing, removing nails, removing sealant. Then putting the windows in, in the opposite order.

The process was quick with the help of a few body guards lifting the windows into place and holding them there while I fixed them into place.

Xue Qing watched the whole process and ordered food for lunch.

In one day we managed to do an entire wing, a full 8 windows. The major time constraint was doing it without breaking or damaging anything.

It’s not like I was going to take a crowbar to the trim and just pop it off. I took my time to make sure nothing was damaged.

I also made sure not to break the windows. They were still good and could be reused by someone else. Plus, I wouldn’t have to clean up the glass. I have done that too many times, glass shards are some of the worst things to clean up in demolition.

While Xue Qing and I were having dinner while watching TV, we started watching Orange Fishcake.

Xue Qing said, "I never realized how much work really went into physical labor jobs. I mean, I knew. But knowing and seeing first hand are different things."

"Yeah. Especially if you want things done to a high quality it takes even more time. I’m sure the work being done on the factory will take some time as well. Since they have strict requirements for the process of making microchips."

"Yeah, I think I have come to appreciate a man who can do things with his hands."

"Hmm?"

"I mean before I was indifferent to it. My thoughts were, "So what if he can’t build a house with his bare hands. You can just pay someone to build it for you." But, now I see what other women mean, a man who can do things with his hands seems more reliable."

"So the stereotype about manly men seems to be true?"

"I guess... but I think it has more to do with competence than anything else. Competence is attractive."

"I can agree with that. When someone just can’t seem to do something no matter how hard they try, it gets annoying. Not to be hard on someone who is learning, or if it’s their first time. But if they fail continuously without ever getting even a little better.

It’s that lack of progress despite the effort put in that I find annoying."

"Yep, it’s frustrating."

We continued watching Orange Fishcake until the day ended.

...

The next morning I had gotten ready for another day of installing windows when another convoy of cars showed up.

This time another handsome young guy got out of the car.

Like normal he introduced himself, "Hello, I’m from the Empires Union Consortium."

"As in THE Empires Union? The EU?"

"That’s right. It is a consortium of the top families from the EU. Here is the offer. Would you like to join?"

"Thank you for the offer, but I will have to pass."

"Alright, here’s my card if you ever change your mind."

With that they left.

Now I can get back to replacing the windows.

Another day passed, with another 8 windows being replaced.

The only windows left are the upstairs ones and they will require a bit of extra caution to replace.

...

Today was Saturday and instead of resting I was up a ladder trying to install a window.

Sometimes I really question my choices, but questioning the choices isn’t going to get the windows installed.

Sunday was spent doing the same thing.

Monday I put in the final window before lunch.

After having lunch on Monday, I got to thinking. Which is never a good thing. I was looking at the ceilings and realized that they were some cheapish dropceilings with can lights.

Now I wonder how good they would look if I vaulted the ceilings? Let the beams show. As for lights, I have always preferred lamp light over overhead lighting.

But, I could always put little spot lights up there and point them against the walls. I wonder how that would look?

Hmm. But they wouldn’t look that good in the guest rooms. Especially if the walls don’t go to the roof.

Well, I was thinking about making it into a house. So I wouldn’t need that many rooms. I would probably want to take a few walls down and open up a few rooms.

My first thought was the last three rooms in the left wing. I would open the middle of the wall leaving a partition on either side. In between the partitions I would put bookcases and make a library or large office space.

The upstairs office is nice but it is more for managing household paperwork like taxes than a place to actually spend a lot of time.

For the other three rooms on that side I would have liked to turn them into a media room or a home theater. But that would be a bit loud for the library on the other side of the wall.