Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

After being busy for several days, Zhang Dabao wanted to have a good rest. After dinner, he chatted with Jia Dongxu and Xu Damao at the door for a while and watched the children in the yard playing games. At about eight o'clock, the adults began to call the children's names, and the people who were chatting went home.

Thinking that he had not yet looked at the four large boxes collected from Xiao Wutai Mountain, Zhang Dabao closed the doors and windows and opened a box first. This box was 40*60cm and was full of opium. Damn, the deaf old lady's husband's family must have been no simple one at that time.

I put away the first box and opened the second one, which was also a 40*60cm box. It contained gold and silver jewelry and other antiques that could be worth a lot of money.

The third box was bigger, measuring 80*200cm. When it was opened, it contained a box of Hanyang rifles and bullets. The other small box contained ten Mauser pistols and bullets.

I have to say that these things can really help a ruined family to make a comeback. With money and weapons, opium was also a hard currency in the old society.

After putting away all his things, Zhang Dabao had a good sleep.

It's Monday, and Zhang Dabao is going back to Zhangjia Village today to take his brother and nephews to the city to make a living.

Zhang Dayang, Zhang Dasen, Zhang Shoumin and Zhang Shouyong were all waiting at Zhang Dasen's house early today. The family members were also there. The mother of Zhang Shouyong and Zhang Shoumin kept instructing the children.

Zhang Dabao arrived at nine o'clock, bringing four people and two cars into the city. He first came to the street office. Wang Xiuqin had already found a place. It was a small courtyard. The house was very old. There were three rooms in the north, two rooms in the west wing, and one room in the east wing. The rent was two yuan a month. It was enough for people to live in, raise horses, and cook.

Zhang Dabao put rice, flour, grain, oil and vegetables in the kitchen for four people. After dinner, he took the four people to bring the horses back from the steel mill, and took Zhang Dasen and Zhang Dayang to visit the managers of the coal stations on the two streets. Since Li Huaide had already made arrangements, they would be able to deliver the goods tomorrow, one car for each coal station.

In the evening, Zhang Dabao brought four people to Yard 95. Zhang Cuihua was very excited to see her two younger brothers and two nephews. She held her two younger brothers' hands and tears welled up in her eyes while talking. When she recalled the difficult times in the past, several of them shed tears.

In Courtyard 95, Zhang Dabiao introduced He Yuzhu to several people, saying that he was going to marry Zhang Lianhua in the fall and they were new relatives. After hearing about He Yuzhu's situation, Zhang Dasen and others were also happy for Zhang Lianhua, thinking that He Yuzhu was a good person and a good match for her.

Zhang Dabao introduced He Yushui to a few people, saying that she was his girlfriend and they planned to get married next year. Everyone congratulated Zhang Dabao again.

Zhang Dasen and his companions felt that they drank a little too much tonight. Since the two nephews had never drunk much and were the younger generation, they were not allowed to drink too much. However, Zhang Dayang and Zhang Dasen were fine. They got very drunk. In the end, Zhang Dabao carried them to the car and took the four of them to their residence.

When Zhang Dasen and others entered the city, they caused a huge commotion in the village, even bigger than when Zhang Dabao and Zhang Lianhua entered the city. This was because Zhang Dabao was a retired cadre and should have gone to the city to work, while Zhang Lianhua, a widow, had no choice but to follow her brother into the city.

But Zhang Dasen and his three companions are different. They are all farmers who have been working in the village. They have never been seen going to the city to work. I heard that they are still working as drivers of carts. Who wouldn’t be envious?

Zhang Shoucheng and Song Juan were even more envious, especially Zhang Shoucheng. He was the eldest son and grandson. Because his father had a bad relationship with his younger uncle, when his uncles discussed who would enter the city, they did not notify his family, and he was not even eligible to draw lots.

Without the opportunity to go to the city, I can only endure in the village. Although my uncle brought water from the mountain, sweet potatoes were planted and wheat was watered with this water, but how can the countryside compare to the city? Song Juan said a few words to Zhang Dasong in the past few days, which made Zhang Dasong, who was already angry, even angrier and fell ill.

"Shoucheng, do you think I did something wrong?" Zhang Dasong asked his son.

"My uncle said that you are too smart, but you are only smart within your family. You treat everyone else as fools. As a result, no one is willing to play with us, the clan leader is lost, and our family is getting poorer and poorer. Why is this?" Zhang Shoucheng also asked his father.

Zhang Dasong stopped talking.

"Shoucheng, what do you think about me apologizing to Dabiao?" Zhang Dasong asked his son again.

"My uncle won't buy it. Dad, don't plot against him. He is smarter than you. We brothers just need to get along well with him. Don't make trouble anymore." Zhang Shoucheng said directly what Zhang Dasong was thinking.

"Well, I also feel a little regretful," Zhang Dasong sighed deeply.

Zhang Dalin did not go into the city, but because of Zhang Dabao's water diversion, he has now become a waterway inspector. Every day, he and Zhang Shouzhi, Zhang Shoucheng and others inspect the bamboo poles to see if there are any leaks. Compared with carrying water, the work is much easier, so he is very satisfied now.

Zhang Dasen and Zhang Dayang were in one group, and the work started quickly. On the first day, the group completed eleven deliveries and earned five yuan and seventy cents. This made Zhang Dayang, who had the money in his pocket, always worried about losing it. At night, Zhang Shouyong dug a hole under the bed and put the money in it, and the four of them were able to sleep peacefully.

"I've never imagined that I could have enough to eat every day," Zhang Shoumin said to his two uncles and a younger brother while having breakfast the next day.

"Who said it wasn't true? He eats dry meals every day and still gets enough. I didn't expect that you are relying on your uncle for help. Do your job well. We can't cause trouble for him," said Zhang Dayang.

After dinner, the four of them drove out again.

Zhang Dabao thought that after he came back, he had not yet visited Zhang Weihua at the police station. He was his aunt's comrade-in-arms and was quite helpful in handling Yan Jie's case. Also, he wanted to know how Yan Jie had become.

There was also horse meat in the space. Zhang Dabao took about 20 kilograms of it and a few kilograms of smoked meat and went to the police station.

Zhang Weihua felt a little embarrassed when he saw the meat on Zhang Dabiao's car, "Dabiao, you can't beat that guy anymore. His body can't take it. It will be hard to deal with if something happens again."

"Uncle Zhang, I didn't mean that. I'm on a business trip. The specialties I brought back are the smoked meat for you, and the horse meat for my brothers as a snack," said Zhang Dabao.

"You scared me earlier. Lian Biao, put the meat in the kitchen," Zhang Weihua shouted, and Cao Lianbiao and two young men came out and took away all the meat. Before leaving, the three of them smiled at Zhang Dabao.

"Uncle Zhang, Yan Jiecheng is in poor health, so let him go home and recuperate early. What's the big deal for you?" Zhang Dabao said in Zhang Weihua's office.

"Are you so kind?" Zhang Weihua asked Zhang Dabao with a smile.

"Of course, we are neighbors after all. Besides, his report didn't cause me any loss," Zhang Dabao said to Zhang Weihua in a serious tone.

"I'll listen to you and let him go home tonight," Zhang Weihua said, slamming the table.

The two chatted for a few minutes, and then Zhang Dabao said goodbye and left, thinking to himself, I must treat you well when I go home tonight.