The ups and downs of life in the Siheyuan

The Yan family in the front yard.

"Oh, it's Motoko, come in quickly."

The third aunt quickly got up and opened the door when she heard the knock on the door. Several children had already been guarding the window, watching Silly Zhu walking to the backyard. They were already anxious.

Yan Jiekuang didn't even bother to put on his shoes and ran directly to the main room.

"Third aunt, I made a chicken at home and will bring you some."

"Oh, no, no, it's so difficult for everyone right now, you can keep it for yourself."

The third aunt refused while holding the handle of the bamboo basket tightly.

"We put a lot of potatoes and cabbage, just to taste it, you have to accept it.

I let go, there are still two bowls inside, you will have to pay for them if they are broken."

Li Yuan teased with a smile, and then slowly let go of his hand.

"You kid, you are so kind and righteous. Thank you, Third Aunt."

Appropriate politeness is a must, but the proper etiquette cannot be lost. After all, Lao Yan's family is a scholarly family.

"You see what you said, you took care of me in the past, but now I am the only one in the house, and the house is next to the gate of the courtyard. People come in and out, and not a grain of rice is lost in the house.

It’s not like you’re always keeping an eye on me, I know that.”

Li Yuan has confirmed the fact that the third aunt is helping to guard the door. You should be more careful in the future.

Although it is superfluous, with the Nine Palace Grid, all valuable things have been put away. But as the old saying goes, a broken home is worth a thousand dollars, and if you lose something, you have to dispose of it, and that’s really embarrassing.

"Old woman, what are you doing? Let Motoko come in and sit down quickly. How can you block the door and chat with others?"

Yan Fugui spoke in the room, feeling that it was rude.

"Hey, hey, look at me, come in quickly."

Li Yuan was not polite and walked into the main room. The Yan family's father and son sat upright and looked at Li Yuan with smiles. Yan Jiekuang had secretly lifted the cotton cloth.

"Third uncle, Brother Jiecheng, liberation, are eating."

Now there is a basin of glutinous rice paste, a few steamed buns, and a plate of pickles on the Kang table.

"Xiao Yuan, hurry up and get on the kang, let's have something together," Yan Fugui said politely.

At this time, the youngest Yan Jiedi was struggling in Yan Fugui's arms to climb onto the Kang table.

"No, it's ready at home. I'll send some over. There are still guests at home. I have to go back and greet them."

"I won't say anything polite to you, third uncle. If you have anything to say, please tell me." Third uncle is also a bachelor.

"Don't worry, I'll go back to greet them first."

"I'll give it to you", he said and went to the ground to put on his shoes.

Li Yuan pressed him down, "You slapped me in the face!"

Yan Fugui laughed and said, "Liberation, give it to your brother."

Yan Jiefang got off the ground quickly and started putting on his shoes happily, "Brother, I'll give it to you."

Exiting the main room and coming to the main room, the third aunt was holding bowls. Next to her, Yan Jiekuang stood behind the door with red eyes.

"If we don't talk for a while, you can see that the bowl hasn't been washed yet."

"It's okay, I'll take it back and wash it."

"That's not possible. You go back first and I'll send it to you in the afternoon."

"Tokuze, why don't you bother".

After saying hello, he walked out of the room. The third aunt and Yan Jiefang walked to the door together.

Yan Jiefang, who was looking happy, wanted to follow, but was pulled back by the third aunt.

Yan Jiefang's exclamation made Li Yuan look back. The third aunt immediately changed her face and waved to him with a smile.

Yan Jiefang reluctantly smiled and waved.

Li Yuan knew it well, turned around with a smile, and greeted some neighbors in the yard who were standing in the yard eating with bowls in their hands.

Li Yuan understands everyone's mentality, but in everything there are people who are close and distant, who come and go, who always want to take advantage without giving anything, so they are just acquaintances.

In fact, these people just have a thought and hope for the eventuality.

It’s all difficult now. Even Silly Zhu, who is generous with his time, knows how to bring food stamps and liquor when he’s a guest. They were asked to take food stamps to Li Yuan's house to have a drink, but their family was not willing.

There are really not many people in this era who can do it by licking their faces and eating in vain. If others know about it, they will get poked in the back.

These are all agreed upon, otherwise there would have been chaos long ago among the 18 households and nearly a hundred people in the compound.

Today's children don't dare to eat at other people's homes until dinner time, and they will say goodbye and go home very sensibly.

Because anyone who dares to stay to eat will not be able to escape and be beaten.

Therefore, it is not the child who is sensible, but the stick that is scary.

Children of that era grew up in a "big family" and grew up in a period of scarcity. They knew how to observe words and emotions from an early age, cooperate vertically and horizontally, and were more able to endure hardships.

So, let them understand what depression is, and they will find it incredible. Every day when I open my eyes, I think about finding something to eat. What is depression? Can I eat it? !

If you let a lower-class person understand these diseases of wealth, they will just feel hungry. If one meal is not enough, then I will be hungry for two meals.

I digress, let’s talk about the old Yan family at this time.

Yan Jiekuang stood under the kang, eagerly watching the third aunt divide the dishes.

Each person had a piece of meat. Jiefang and Xie Kuang both made mistakes and had no meat to eat.

Then they divided some potatoes, mushrooms and cabbage, and gave Yan Fugui the few vermicelli.

Then he added a small spoonful of vegetable soup to Jiefang Xiekuang's bowl.

The remaining half of the vegetables and most of the vegetable soup were put away.

"Xiao Li Zhenrenyi, with so much broth and some vegetable leaves at night, it will be a good dish."

"Okay, come up and eat. If you do this again next time, you'll be hungry." The third uncle tapped the table with his chopsticks to invite everyone to eat.

The steamed buns had already been put away by the third aunt, and they were going to be served as breakfast for Jiefang Xiekuang the next day.

Jie Kuang burst into tears and laughed, happily climbed onto the kang, picked up his bowl, and started eating happily.

But from time to time I would look at a few meat eaters with regret in their eyes.

Yan Fugui looked at them, smiled with satisfaction, picked up some vermicelli from the bowl and distributed it to the two of them.

When Li Yuan returned home, He Yuyu was lying on the square table looking at the meat and vegetable basin in front of him.

Hearing the noise, he turned around to see it was Li Yuan and happily helped him pull out the stool.

Li Yuan was sitting at the main seat, with He Yuyu on his right. As soon as he poured the wine, Silly Zhu walked in carelessly and sat down on Li Yuan's left hand.

"Don't wait for me, be careful when the vegetables are cold. Eat them while they are hot." He said as he lifted the pot lid on the basin, and a stream of hot steam rose into the sky with the pot lid.

"Xiang, our craftsmanship is amazing." Silly Zhu didn't know how to be shameless.

He Yuyu rolled her eyes and was busy serving food to everyone. Then she put a big white steamed bun on the food and placed it in front of the two of them. She then happily sat down to eat.

"Come on, Xiao Yuanzi, let's go." Silly Zhu turned his back on the guests and picked up the wine glass.

Li Yuan picked up the clinking glasses and followed him.

As soon as he took a bite of the food, Shazhu picked up the second cup and said, "First three, that's the rule."

He Yuyu is too lazy to speak. Every time her stupid brother does this and dares to say something to stop you, he will choke you to death with one sentence, "The things between men are nothing to do with the little brat."

Fortunately, the wine glass at Li Yuan's house is small, which is only three yuan.

After three drinks, a few people chatted while eating.

Of course, Shazhu was talking most of the time, and the two of them responded. Now Yuyu only focuses on eating and rarely talks.

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I received good news yesterday. "Northwestern Taoist" has been unblocked, and the royalties for "Barefoot" have also been released. I will finish and save the manuscript of "Taoist Medicine" first, and write it when I have time. But for now, I will focus on "Siheyuan", so please forgive me.