Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

Banggeng put on new clothes and immediately walked around the yard. It was not until the third time that Yan Jiedi from the front yard noticed something was wrong, "Banggeng, are you wearing new clothes? It's a small military uniform, so beautiful."

"Aunt Si Ni, my seventh uncle bought it for me. My sister also has one," Bang Geng said proudly.

"Really? Your seventh uncle is so nice," Yan Jiedi said enviously.

Yan Jiekuang heard their conversation and came over. He was also envious of Banggeng's new clothes.

"Third brother, don't we have an uncle?" Yan Jiedi asked her brother.

"How could there be nothing? But our uncle's family is even poorer than us. They can't even get enough food to eat, let alone new clothes. They don't even have any themselves," Yan Jiekuang said to his sister.

"I also want my mother to buy me new clothes." Niu Xiaozheng from the front yard is the same age as Banggeng this year. After seeing this situation, he ran straight back home. Then he was beaten out by the mixed doubles of men and women. He looked at Banggeng's new clothes with tears in his eyes and envy.

After showing off for a while, Banggeng came to the backyard to play with Jia Jingshu, and then Niu Xiaozheng and Yan Jiedi joined in. Guo Xiaobao, the four-year-old son of Guo Kang, the neighbor in the backyard with bangs, also came. At the door of Zhang Dabao, the children had a lot of fun.

"Freshman, is there anything you need to buy?" Zhang Dabao asked his good brother.

"I can't think of it. I'll buy it when I think of it. Brother, are your legs okay? It's five miles from here to the steel mill, and it'll take twenty minutes to walk," said Huang Xinsheng.

"It's indeed a bit far. When I get to work, I'll ask Deputy Director Li if I can get a bicycle," said Zhang Dabao.

"Bicycles are not cheap, they cost about 170 or 80 yuan, and the key is that you need a ticket," said Huang Xinsheng.

"I have money. I haven't spent my military allowance, and I still have the money for my demobilization. The key is that the regiment commander and the political commissar also sponsored some money, so there is no problem buying a bicycle," said Zhang Dabao.

Huang Xinsheng didn't want to go to the supply and marketing cooperative because he didn't want to buy anything, and Zhang Dabao didn't want to go alone, so he moved a chair to the door and watched the children play games. In fact, he couldn't tell what games they were playing. He just saw them running back and forth, their faces covered in sweat, shouting something loudly, with smiles on their faces. No one cried out in pain when they fell down. This is childhood!

Zhang Dabao boiled two large pots of hot water and took out four or five large bowls. He asked the children to drink some water every half an hour. At noon, the adults began to call the children's names. It was time for lunch and the children all dispersed. After lunch, Zhang Dabao immediately went to sleep and slept until three in the afternoon.

The first thing he did after getting up was to go to the toilet. He left the compound and came to the public toilet. The sanitary conditions were really terrible. This was winter. If it were summer, Zhang Dabao wouldn't even dare to think about it and would simply not be able to stand it.

After using the toilet, he felt a lot more relaxed. When walking back, Zhang Dabao saw Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, who were also from the backyard, squatting at the east wall of the toilet to bask in the sun.

When the two men "Brother Dabiao" saw Zhang Dabiao looking at them, they stood up and greeted him.

"Does it smell good here?" asked Zhang Dabao.

"My dad can't see me here, and it's warm too," Liu Guangtian said with a smile.

"Were you kicked out again?" Zhang Dabao was very curious.

"We didn't fight, we were just driven out. They drove us out early in the morning," said Liu Guangtian.

"No food to eat?" Zhang Dabao continued to ask.

"No, I haven't eaten anything since last night. I'm almost starving to death. What kind of family is this?" Liu Guangfu on the side almost cried when he said this.

"It's so cold, and you don't give us any food for the whole day and all night. Liu Haizhong is really a good father. Here are two dollars and a pound of food coupons. Go to the snack bar in front and buy something to eat. Don't get sick from hunger." Zhang Dabao felt pity when he heard this situation.

"Brother Dabiao, this is inappropriate." Liu Guangtian returned the money and food coupons.

"Guangtian, please accept it. Consider it a loan from me. Pay me back when you get a job. Guangtian is in trouble and cannot wait. You and Guangfu are not yet adults. In the old society, there was no such thing as a father beating his son. What's more, it's a new society now. If there is really no other way, we have to go to the government." Zhang Dabao really couldn't stand Liu Haizhong's behavior and pointed out a way for Liu Guangtian.

"Thank you, Brother Dabia." Liu Guangtian must have heard it, because his eyes lit up when he heard Zhang Dabia speak.

"Brother, go buy some food quickly. I'm starving." Liu Guangfu urged Liu Guangtian when he saw him still standing there.

"Guangfu, do you want to have this full meal or always have full meals?" Liu Guangtian asked his brother.

"Of course we can have enough to eat every day. Can Brother Da Biao give us money every day?" Liu Guangfu asked his second brother.

"Of course not. No one can give us money every day. So we have to go to the street office now. The government can let us have meals every day." Liu Guangtian held his brother's hand, and as they walked, Liu Guangtian kept instructing his brother.

The Liu Guangtian brothers came to the street office, and the gatekeeper asked them who they were looking for.

They said they were looking for Director Wang, and they were the sons of Liu Haizhong from Yard 95.

"Go ahead. Didn't your father just come here this morning? It's the third room on the left. There's a sign on the door." The doorman didn't quite understand the behavior of the Liu father and son.

As soon as they entered Director Wang's office, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu knelt down and started crying without saying anything. The old man who was guarding the door heard it and hurried over.

"Is Liu Haizhong dead? Didn't he just come here this morning?" the gatekeeper asked the Liu Guangtian brothers.

"My father is not dead, but we are almost starving to death. Please, government, give us a way to survive," Liu Guangtian said crying.

"You are the second son of Liu Haizhong's family, right? Stand up and speak. What do you mean by the government giving you a way out? I don't understand." Director Wang was a little confused now.

"Director Wang, from yesterday afternoon till now, my two brothers and I haven't had anything to eat and we are not allowed to go home. Last night, my younger brother was so hungry that he asked if we could cook. My father almost beat us to death. It was Da Biao, our brother from the same courtyard, who stopped him. But this morning he started to go crazy again and drove us out of the house. We have been hiding there until now and dare not go home for fear of being beaten to death. Director Wang, can you find a place for us two brothers to live? A small room will do, or a job cleaning the toilets will do. We two can't survive at home anymore. My younger brother is only fourteen and it's time for him to grow..." Liu Guangtian started crying again.

"Does Liu Haizhong often beat you?" Director Wang was now furious.

"If I don't get beaten for a day, it will be a waste of time. I get beaten almost every day. Look at me." Liu Guangtian showed the mark on his neck left by Liu Haizhong.

"Why did he hit you?" Director Wang continued to ask.

"We don't know. Yesterday my younger brother asked my eldest brother if we were picked up. But my eldest brother said no." Liu Guangtian certainly didn't know why he was beaten.

"How old are you this year?" Director Wang asked again.

"I'm sixteen now. I can work and do everything," said Liu Guangtian.

"Okay, I'll take care of your business. You guys wait in the street office for a while. I'll go to Courtyard 95 with you later. Let's have dinner in the street office tonight." Director Wang kept the two Liu Guangtian brothers.