Siheyuan: Sap is the last word

He Yudong brought the supplies back to the courtyard, knocked on doors one by one, and distributed them to every neighbor. Everyone was very moved and thanked He Yudong for his generosity and kindness.

The deaf old lady trembled and said, "He Yudong, you are such a good child. We are so lucky to have you in our yard."

He Yudong smiled and said, "Old lady, we are all family, and we should care about each other."

In his dream, He Yudong saw a black cat saying to him, "He Yudong, your kindness touched me. But there is one final test. You must find this little yellow croaker."

He Yudong asked in his dream: "Small yellow croaker? What is that?"

The black cat replied mysteriously: "The small yellow croaker is an extremely rare fish, which symbolizes wealth and auspiciousness. Find it and you will gain endless wealth and happiness."

After He Yudong woke up, he kept thinking about the small yellow croaker in his dream. He was determined to find it, not only for himself, but also for the neighbors in the courtyard.

One day, he heard Liu Guangfu and Liu Guangtian chatting by the well in the courtyard.

"I heard that some strange fish have appeared in the nearby moat recently," said Liu Guangfu.

"Yes, I heard that they are some alien species, and someone even caught a small yellow fish." Liu Guangtian continued.

Hearing this, He Yudong decided to go to the moat to have a look. He took an old fishing net and a bucket, went to the moat, and began to search carefully.

The river water was clear and He Yudong searched carefully among the water plants. Suddenly, he saw a small yellow croaker swimming among the water plants. It was exactly the small yellow croaker he saw in his dream!

He Yudong's heartbeat quickened as he carefully used the fishing net to catch the small yellow croaker. Just when he was about to catch it, a black shadow flashed by, and the black cat actually appeared by the river!

The black cat stared at He Yudong, with a hint of hostility in his eyes: "This little yellow croaker is my guardian, no one is allowed to touch it."

He Yudong said firmly: "Black Cat, I understand your duty, but I need this little yellow croaker, not for myself, but to improve the lives of my neighbors."

The black cat said coldly: "You have to prove your determination."

He Yudong did not back down and continued to chase the small yellow croaker with a fishing net. The black cat was not to be outdone and slapped the water with its claws to disrupt He Yudong's vision. The two and the cat started a fierce chase by the river.

At this moment, an old yellow dog suddenly jumped out from the bushes and grabbed the small yellow croaker. He Yudong and the black cat were both stunned. They didn't expect that a third party would appear at this critical moment.

He Yudong shouted anxiously: "Yellow dog, put down the small yellow croaker!"

The black cat growled threateningly, "If you dare to touch my guardian, you will bear the consequences!"

The old yellow dog seemed to understand what they said and ran away with the small yellow croaker in its mouth. He Yudong and the black cat immediately chased after it. The old yellow dog nimbly shuttled through the alleys of the courtyard at an astonishing speed.

He Yudong and the black cat chased for several streets and finally found the old yellow dog in an abandoned yard. The old yellow dog put the small yellow croaker on the ground and looked at He Yudong with a strange emotion in his eyes.

He Yudong bent down and said softly, "Yellow Dog, can you give me the little yellow croaker? I really need it."

The old yellow dog seemed to hesitate for a moment, then picked up the small yellow croaker, walked to He Yudong, and gently placed it in his hand.

He Yudong said gratefully: "Thank you, Yellow Dog."

The black cat looked at the old yellow dog warily and muttered to himself, "This dog seems unusual."

He Yudong brought the small yellow croaker back to the courtyard. When the neighbors heard that he had caught a magical small yellow croaker, they all gathered around him.

Qin Huairu said in surprise: "Brother He Yudong, can this little yellow croaker really bring good luck?"

He Yudong smiled and said, "I don't know either, but I believe it will bring us good things."

At this time, the deaf old lady walked over slowly, stared at the small yellow croaker for a long time, and suddenly her eyes lit up: "He Yudong, this small yellow croaker is not an ordinary fish, it is a legendary auspicious fish. As long as we treat it well, it will bring us blessings."

After hearing what the deaf old lady said, everyone became excited and expressed their willingness to take care of the small yellow croaker together.

As the days passed, the courtyard seemed to have really changed. Liu Haizhong found a better job, and Qin Huairu's children became healthier and more lively. He Yudong felt that this little yellow croaker really brought good luck.

However, He Yudong knew that the real good luck did not come from the small yellow croaker, but from everyone's concerted efforts and mutual care. He decided to continue working hard to make life in the courtyard better and better.

One night, He Yudong was sitting alone in the yard, thinking about his future life. Suddenly, the black cat appeared in front of him, with a look of relief in his eyes.

"He Yudong, you did a great job." Black Cat said, "You passed all the tests. Now, you can realize your wish."

He Yudong said gratefully: "Black Cat, thank you. But my wish is not wealth, but I hope everyone can live a good life."

The black cat nodded: "Your wish will come true. This little yellow fish will always protect you."

He Yudong felt a warm feeling. He knew that this was not only Black Cat’s promise, but also the result of the joint efforts of all the neighbors in the courtyard.

The next day, He Yudong and his neighbors held a small celebration in the courtyard. Everyone sat together, sharing food and laughter. Qin Huairu brought a plate of hot buns and said with a smile: "Everyone come and try the buns I made today!"

Liu Haizhong also brought home-brewed rice wine and said with a smile: "Everyone is happy today, let's have a drink!"

He Yudong raised his glass and said, "Today is a good day for our courtyard. Thank you for your care and help. Let us work together to make our lives better and better!"

Everyone raised their glasses, and laughter echoed in the night sky of the courtyard. He Yudong felt extremely satisfied, as he knew that true happiness lies in this simple life.

However, He Yudong still had a question in his mind: what was the origin of the old yellow dog? He Yudong decided to find the answer.

A few days later, He Yudong came to the abandoned yard again. The old yellow dog was lying there quietly. He Yudong walked over, gently stroked its head, and asked, "Yellow dog, can you tell me how you knew about the little yellow croaker?"

The old yellow dog raised his head, and his deep eyes seemed to reveal a kind of wisdom. Suddenly, He Yudong heard an old voice in his mind: "He Yudong, I am the guardian of this street, and I have existed for a hundred years. You are the first person to discover my existence."

He Yudong looked at the old yellow dog in shock: "You...you can speak?"

The old yellow dog nodded slightly: "I exist in different forms to protect this land. Your kindness and courage touched me, and I decided to help you."

He Yudong was moved and said, "Thank you, Yellow Dog."

The old yellow dog smiled and said, "Don't thank me, He Yudong. You must remember that true happiness comes from people's kindness and mutual help. Keep working hard to make the people in Siheyuan live a better life."

He Yudong nodded, his heart full of strength. He knew that there would be many challenges waiting for him in the future, but as long as everyone united as one, they would be able to overcome all difficulties.

In the days that followed, He Yudong and his neighbors continued to work hard to improve their lives. There were more and more laughs in the courtyard, and everyone's life became better and better.

One day, He Yudong met Yi Zhonghai in the yard. Yi Zhonghai was an honest man who had been helping everyone silently. He Yudong decided to ask him for advice.

"Brother Yi, I have something to ask you." He Yudong said.

Yi Zhonghai smiled and said, "He Yudong, just tell me what you have to say."

He Yudong hesitated for a moment and said, "Do you know anything special that happened on this street? For example, the old yellow dog."

Yi Zhonghai pondered for a moment and said, "He Yudong, there are indeed many legends on this street. I have also heard about the story of the old yellow dog. It is said that it is the patron saint of this area and has been protecting us."

He Yudong nodded: "I see. Thank you, Brother Yi."

Yi Zhonghai patted He Yudong on the shoulder and said, "He Yudong, you are a good person. Keep up your kindness and courage. We will all support you."

He Yudong felt a warm feeling. He knew that he still had a lot to do in the days ahead. But with the support of his neighbors, he was full of confidence.

He Yudong returned home, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He put down his tools, and couldn't calm down for a long time. The mysterious appearance of the old yellow dog made him full of doubts, and the black cat's obsession with the small yellow croaker also made him feel uneasy. He Yudong felt that he had to take some measures to prevent the black cat and the old yellow dog from continuing to act recklessly in the yard.

"I can't just sit there and wait for death," He Yudong thought to himself, "I have to do something."

So He Yudong started to make a trap. He recalled some trapping techniques he had learned from his father when he was a child, found some steel bars and wires, and carefully made it. He Yudong thought to himself: "If this black cat and old yellow dog are really the mysterious guardians, I must catch them and get to the bottom of it."

He Yudong worked hard all night and finally finished the trap before dawn. He checked it carefully to make sure there was nothing missing, then smiled with satisfaction: "Okay, I'm just waiting for you to take the bait."

He Yudong carefully hid the trap in a hidden corner of the yard and put some food on it as bait. He prayed secretly: "I hope this plan will succeed."

During the day, He Yudong went to work in the factory as usual, but his mind was always on the trap in the yard. After get off work, he hurried back to the courtyard and couldn't wait to check the trap.