Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

No. 18, Jinyu Hutong. Zhang Dabao wrote down this address. Since he and Jia Dongxu came here to deliver a donkey and a cart, they had no means of transportation when they returned, so they walked to No. 95 Yard.

"Seventh Uncle, ever since I got a bicycle, I don't want to walk anymore. I didn't walk for long today, but I always felt tired. I used to walk every day and never felt tired," Jia Dongxu said to Zhang Dabao as they walked.

"Dongxu, it's like you eat meat and fish every day, and suddenly these things are gone, and replaced by steamed bread and stubble porridge. You may not be able to get used to it," said Zhang Dabao.

"Yes, I don't feel like swallowing the steamed bread now. It's too rough. I used to eat it every day and didn't think it tasted bad." Jia Dongxu asked.

"Why? Because people cannot enjoy happiness. It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but it is difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. Don't you know?" Zhang Dabao asked Jia Dongxu.

"I've never heard of this. What does this mean?" Jia Dongxu didn't understand what Zhang Dabao said.

"This is a famous saying by Sima Guang, haven't you heard of it? It is easy for him to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality." Zhang Dabao looked at Jia Dongxu with contempt.

"I haven't heard of this guy named Si. Is he from your army?" Jia Dongxu asked.

Zhang Dabiao was speechless. He wanted to scold Jia Dongxu, but he really didn't know. He was in his twenties and just had little experience. It wasn't like he made any mistakes. "Dongxu, this man's surname is Sima, and he was a prime minister in the Northern Song Dynasty. Forget it. You wouldn't know even if I told you. You're pretty smart. Jia Youfu and Zhang Cuihua spoiled you too much. You didn't study hard and you don't know anything."

Jia Dongxu did not answer but smiled awkwardly. He never felt that he had little knowledge when he was working at the steel rolling mill, but now that he was at the post office, he found that his colleagues knew a lot. Sometimes when everyone was talking about something, he could not get a word in, so he did know less.

"Banggeng is smarter than you. If you train him well and study hard, he should be able to become a talent," Zhang Dabao said seriously to Jia Dongxu.

"Seventh Uncle, Banggeng listens to my mother now. He doesn't listen to me and I can't do anything about it. As soon as I try to control him, my mother will beat me," Jia Dongxu said aggrievedly.

Zhang Dabao was speechless again, and smiled and said, "Take some time and I'll talk to you about your mother."

The two talked as they walked and soon returned to Yard 95.

"Seventh Uncle, did you really buy a donkey?" Banggeng and Jingshu had been waiting at the gate of the courtyard for a long time.

"Of course, let Jingshu ride it tomorrow," Zhang Dabao picked up his niece.

"Not good," said Jia Jingshu.

"Why?" Zhang Dabao asked.

"Because I had a little donkey that I never rode, one day I had a little donkey that I never rode

One day, I rode to the market on a whim; I had a small whip in my hand and was feeling very proud; somehow, I fell and got covered in mud." Jia Jingshu directly sang a song about a little donkey.

"The Yuhong class also teaches singing?" Zhang Dabao was surprised.

"Of course we learned singing. The teacher taught us a hundred songs," said Jia Jingshu.

"So many?" Zhang Dabiao was a little puzzled. How long has the school been going on? Are children's receptive abilities so strong now?

"Aunt, don't always say one hundred. Didn't you teach three songs in total?" Bang Geng said.

"It's just one hundred. One, two, one hundred." Jia Jingshu counted and Zhang Dabao realized that his niece had no idea how much one hundred was.

"Then let's not ride. Let's go see the donkey tomorrow. We'll go after dinner. Banggeng, doesn't your teacher teach you to sing?" Zhang Dabao put his niece down and asked the smart classmate Jia Geng.

"We won't learn such childish songs. We all know how to read now. I know a lot of words now. I can count to one hundred," Banggeng said proudly.

"Banggeng is smart, smarter than Dongxu." After hearing this, Zhang Cuihua praised her grandson repeatedly and despised Jia Dongxu at the same time.

"Seventh Uncle, aren't we eating donkey meat basil? Do we put a live donkey directly in the basil? How big should the basil be?" Jia Dongxu suddenly thought of a question.

"Dongxu, I found that you are not as smart as Banggeng. Banggeng asked your dad, how can we eat donkey meat hotpot?" Zhang Dabao felt that his nephew's IQ was too average and he could not be saved.

"Dad, are you stupid? Of course we cut the donkey into small pieces after it died and ate it. It's so big and has hair on it, how can we eat it?" Bang Geng looked down on Jia Dongxu.

"Get lost! Do you think I don't know? I just don't want to tell you what time it is and why aren't you sleeping yet? If you can't get up tomorrow morning, I'll beat your ass." Jia Dongxu was furious.

Everyone burst into laughter. Zhang Cuihua protected her grandson and glared at her son. Jia Dongxu was defeated.

After laughing, everyone washed up and fell asleep happily.

Zhang Shoumin didn't return to Zhangjia Village until 7 o'clock in the evening. He didn't go home directly, but came to Zhang Dalin's house. "Fifth Uncle, are you home?"

"Shoumin, weren't you delivering goods with Dasen? Why are you back?" Zhang Dalin asked his nephew to sit down and poured him a bowl of water.

"Fifth uncle, my uncle bought a donkey from Baoding and delivered the donkey and a cart to where we live tonight. He asked me to go home and ask you to go into the city. My uncle will contact a street corner so that you can deliver goods with the donkey cart," said Zhang Shoumin.

"Is Shoumin real?" Zhang Dalin's wife asked happily again.

"Of course it's true. My uncle said it's not good to keep you at home. We are all brothers, so of course I have to help if I can," said Zhang Shoumin.

"His father, we can't forget Dabiao. Go and talk to Fourth Uncle and ask him to arrange someone else to inspect the waterways," said Zhang Dalin's wife.

"Shoumin, can I have my own car? Is that ok?" Zhang Dalin asked his nephew again.

"Sixth uncle suggested calling eldest brother, and youngest uncle agreed without saying anything else," said Zhang Shoumin.

"Call Brother Shoucheng to come with us?" Zhang Dalin asked again uncertainly.

"Sixth uncle said that he is the eldest grandson after all..." Zhang Shoumin repeated Zhang Dasen's words.

"His mother, go call Shoucheng, let's go find Fourth Uncle together, don't let Eldest Brother see us." Zhang Dalin asked his wife to call Zhang Shoucheng.

Sweet potatoes and sorghum were planted in Zhangjia Village. It still didn't rain, but with the water brought down from the mountains, the villagers had no problem with water. They also watered some wheat and other crops. The effect was not good, but it was much better than not watering at all.