Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

After lunch, Jia Dongxu couldn't hold his temper in the workshop. He knew that Zhang Dabao was going to invite the Yan family for dinner today, and he also told him that his family should come to dinner as well. Thinking of the pig's head that He Yuzhu put in the big pot last night, Jia Dongxu's mouth was watering.

He had no intention of processing parts. He went to the toilet, smoked a cigarette, and looked at the scenery outside the workshop. At three o'clock, he really couldn't stand it anymore, so he told the workshop director that he had a stomachache, asked for leave and left the factory, then ran back to Yard 95. At this time, Zhang Dabao and Qin Huairu had also returned. Zhang Dabao went back to the backyard to prepare the ingredients for dinner, and Qin Huairu was talking to her mother-in-law about what happened at work today.

"It's so good to be in the neighborhood committee. In the past, the cabbages these people distributed to our family were rotten. I went to find them, but they argued with me. Next time they distribute cabbages, we must pick the good ones." It has to be said that Zhang Cuihua's way of thinking is a little different from that of normal people.

Qin Huairu didn't know how to continue chatting with her mother-in-law.

"By the way, Huairu, do you provide meals?" Zhang Cuihua thought of another question.

"We provide lunch at noon. We go to the street office to get it. There are six of us and we take turns to get it and eat at the neighborhood committee. My seventh uncle even gave me a new lunch box today," said Qin Huairu.

"I forgot to prepare it. Dabiao is too thoughtful. By the way, Banggeng needs a schoolbag for school tomorrow. You can go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy one for him," Zhang Cuihua said to her daughter-in-law.

"Mom, schoolbags are quite expensive. The last time I saw one it cost more than five dollars. I can just make one for him. Don’t we have a sewing machine at home?" Qin Huairu said.

"I don't know how to use it," Zhang Cuihua said a little anxiously.

"Mom, this was bought when we got married. Did you forget that I know how to use it? We didn't have cloth at home before, so we couldn't make things. This time we can just use Banggeng and Xiaodang's old clothes. Then they both will have new clothes," Qin Huairu said.

"By the way, you can use it. I'll go ask Lianhua if she can do it. Jingshu also wants to go to school." Zhang Cuihua got off the bed and went to the backyard carrying her granddaughter.

"Grandma, come and eat some meat. My seventh uncle brought back a lot of meat. It's so delicious." When Zhang Cuihua came to the backyard, Banggeng and Jingshu were eating pig tails. Zhang Dabao told them that eating pig tails would stop them drooling.

"Eat meat, even just one piece is fine." Zhang Cuihua could hardly walk when she saw the white pig's head.

"Eat it. Eat now and you'll eat less at night." Zhang Dabao found his elder sister's expression a little funny and quickly cut a few pieces for her.

"Da Biao, this is so delicious." Zhang Cuihua's mouth was full of oil. She ate piece after piece until she was full. She wanted to go home and drink some water. The meat was a little salty, and it was just right to eat with steamed buns.

After returning home, Zhang Cuihua drank a large bowl of water and thought to herself, what was I doing in the backyard? It seems like something happened and I forgot about it.

"Mom, did you know that my seventh uncle is having a dinner with guests today?" Jia Dongxu came back, sweating profusely.

"Tsk, Dabiao is my younger brother, how could I not know that? I'm full. It was all meat, the fattiest pig head. It was so delicious," Zhang Cuihua said to her son a little boastfully.

"But it's too early. Teacher Yan and his family haven't arrived yet," Jia Dongxu said to his mother.

"I'm a woman and I don't sit at the table. What's wrong with eating early? Go to your seventh uncle's house to help. Shazhu is here too. I'll take a rest for a while." Zhang Cuihua drove her son out.

"Zhu Zi, you're here earlier than me?" Jia Dongxu asked when he came to the backyard and saw He Yuzhu was already busy.

"Brother Dongxu, I'm the chef. Is it okay if I don't come early? I'll make braised pork and lion head tonight so that you can taste my cooking skills," He Yuzhu said to Jia Dongxu while he was busy.

"Assign something to Dongxu, let him chop the meat." Zhang Dabao saw Jia Dongxu walk around the kitchen twice and taste three kinds of cooked food.

It was six o'clock in the evening, and the entire Room 95 was shrouded in fragrance. "Dad, go quickly, Brother Dabiao is ready," Yan Jiedi could no longer hold her patience.

"You don't have the energy to calm down at all. Lao Yang, let's go." Yan Bugui's family of six closed the door and walked towards the backyard.

"Old Yan, what are you doing?" Yi Zhonghai, who had just returned from overtime work, was washing his hands when he saw Yan Bugui's family.

"Da Biao in the backyard invites our family to visit. I'll go over first," Yan Bugui replied and came to the backyard.

"Zhang Dabao treated us. I thought it smelled so good." Yi Zhonghai returned to his room and thought for a while, then went to the backyard and found Liu Haizhong.

"Old Liu, smell it. It's a difficult time now. It's not appropriate for them to eat and drink so much in the yard," Yi Zhonghai said to Liu Haizhong.

"Of course it's not appropriate. Where is Old Yan?" Liu Haizhong said angrily.

"They were bribed. The whole family was invited to the backyard as guests," said Yi Zhonghai.

"What? You invited the third uncle, but not the first and second uncles. Does Zhang Dabao want to rebel? Let's go find him." Liu Haizhong slammed the table angrily.

The dishes at Zhang Dabao's house were almost ready. There were two large tables full of food, one for the men and one for the women and children. Zhang Cuihua, who had eaten her fill in the afternoon, also sat at the women's table. Looking at the braised pork and braised lion's head, she felt extremely regretful. If she had known, she would not have eaten so much this afternoon. It was really infuriating that she could not finish so many delicious dishes.

"The hot and sour potato shreds are here, all the dishes are complete." He Yuzhu served the last dish. The women and children's table had already started eating, while the men's table was still waiting for He Yuzhu to take his seat.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong came to Zhang Dabao's door.

Zhang Dabao, who went out to shout at He Yuzhu to hurry up, saw the two of them coming and laughed angrily. Why didn't they have any memory at all?

"Are you begging for food again? Put on a show, and if you do well I'll give you meat and vegetables." Zhang Dabao spoke first.

"Zhang Dabao, the country is going through a difficult time right now. You are openly eating and drinking lavishly in the hospital, which is a serious violation of national policies. Stop it immediately," Liu Haizhong said.

"Which policy is violated? Which one? Which item? Liu Haizhong, tell me." Zhang Dabao came in front of Liu Haizhong and said loudly.

"Da Biao, what Lao Liu said is biased. The main reason is that it has a bad influence. Now everyone has to eat coarse food, but you are enjoying meat and fish. Others are not satisfied." Yi Zhonghai still spoke with such interest.

"Who is affected? Yi Zhonghai, I'm really too lazy to talk to you, go away," Zhang Dabao laughed angrily.

"Da Biao, listen to me. Distribute the dishes to everyone in the hospital. It's not appropriate to invite only Old Yan's family. If you distribute the dishes, everyone in the hospital will remember your kindness," Yi Zhonghai continued.

"Yi Zhonghai, I sincerely advise you to be a human being. I invited Teacher Yan's family because they helped me. I divided the vegetables, and I'm going to give them to you, damn it. Why do I need you to think well of me? You, Yi Zhonghai, get 99 yuan a month, and you're still broke. The average for a couple is almost 50 yuan per person, and ten yuan a month is enough for the two of you. Why don't you divide the money? If you divide the money, maybe someone will think well of you and provide for your old age. At least they will bury you in the ground after you die," Zhang Dabao asked Yi Zhonghai.

"Zhang Dabao, I'm going to fight you." This time, Zhang Dabao singled out the two words "extinct the whole family", which directly hit the most painful spot in Yi Zhonghai's heart. He got angry and rushed forward to grab Zhang Dabao by the collar.

"Fuck you!" Zhang Dabao kicked him out, and then slapped him twice, "Yi Juehu, don't mess with me. If you come to cause trouble again, you'd better try it."

Zhang Dabao turned around and saw Jia Dongxu, "Dongxu, send this bastard back," he pointed at Yi Zhonghai on the ground and said to Jia Dongxu.

Jia Dongxu also felt a little sorry for his master, but Zhang Dabao was angry, so he didn't dare to persuade him. After hearing what Zhang Dabao said, he hurried over and sent Yi Zhonghai back home, "Master, don't mess with my seventh uncle. You can't beat him, and he speaks so viciously."

"Dongxu, you don't understand. Go eat." Yi Zhonghai would certainly not listen to Jia Dongxu's advice. He lay down on the bed without saying anything to his wife.

Today's little episode did not affect everyone's meal, mainly because today's dishes were too hard, with meat dishes as the main ingredients and vegetarian dishes to relieve the greasiness. The Yan family and the Jia family had never eaten such a banquet before, so they focused all their attention on the dishes and did not drink much wine.

"It's so delicious, but I can't eat it anymore," Yan Jiedi said sadly.

"Me too." His third brother Yan Jiekuang also put down his chopsticks.

"I don't know when I can eat such food again. Brother Dabiao, do you have any work to do at home? We will help you cook it." Yan Jiedi thought of a way to eat delicious food again.

"There is work. When it gets warmer in a few days, can you come and help me turn the land outside? I want to plant some sweet potatoes," Zhang Dabao said to Yan Jiedi with a smile.

"No problem, we will definitely do it quickly and well." Yan Jiedi was also happy because she had a good meal.