I sat down beside Mr. Qi and quickly ate a few bites of breakfast. After Mr. Qi finished eating and handed me the blueprints, I understood why my dad had looked so astonished earlier.
The first blueprint outlined a general renovation of the entire house, adding an extra floor to the original single-story dwelling to create a refined two-story structure. The overgrown weeds in the yard would be replaced by a small courtyard, forming a little garden where my parents could grow vegetables. Opposite the garden, there would be a small pond for raising fish.
Mr. Qi pointed to where the pond would be, "If you don't like a pond, you could also build a grape arbor. I remember you were always fond of grapes."
I nodded, "Yeah, grapes are great, but they attract too many bugs. Let's build a small swing set here instead, and place a stone table nearby—so dad can also enjoy some sun while drinking tea outside."
