As per Da Dan's request, there are three stove tops, just like in Ning City, with high and low shelves built to accommodate his various jars and pots.
Next to it is a door without any cover, and upon entering—
"What's this empty room for?"
Chen Changhai laughed: "Winters in Beijing are especially cold. You need to burn the kang here, which uses up a lot of firewood. This room is specifically for storing firewood, so it's not all in the yard, which isn't convenient or nice to look at."
Since they just moved in, they're planning to buy a couple of small coal stoves later when it gets colder. They'll also store coal bricks here, which will make it even more convenient.
This is a little bit of Chen Changhai's self-interest.
They still need to continue their work, and for piecing parts together efficiently, naturally, the tidier the yard, the better. All this firewood, coal, and such should be stuffed into the room if possible.
