Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

The beginning of the year is easy, but the spring is hard to endure. The first half of 1961 should be the most difficult time. Due to more than two years of continuous drought, people’s supplies were reduced and their lives were miserable. Many people had no livelihood and had to find ways to make money.

Just after the tenth day of the first lunar month, two cases of missing children have occurred in Beijing. The Hongxing Sub-district Office, Hongxing Police Station, and the Security Department of the Steel Rolling Mill have all gone to the No. 95 compound to remind everyone, requiring everyone to be vigilant and pay attention to strangers, especially children. The neighborhood committee has also compiled some methods used by human traffickers to lure children, and demonstrated them to everyone in person.

Due to the heavy work load, Qin Huairu went to work after the Spring Festival and was very busy at work. Fortunately, Zhang Dabao had prepared milk powder in advance at home, otherwise Huaihua's meals would have become a big problem.

"Xiao Zheng, Aunt Si Ni, there are bad guys coming now, we must be vigilant and prepare some self-defense supplies in case of emergency." Bang Geng listens to his mother at home every day, and he has a thorough understanding of it. He thinks it is necessary to increase the level of defense for his two good friends.

"Bang Geng, how can we recognize the bad guys?" Niu Xiaozheng asked.

"Look? You've learned it in vain. Didn't my mom tell you? If bad guys want to do something, they first choose a target, a girl or a boy. Girls are sold to be wives, and it doesn't matter how old they are. You can buy a young one and raise it for two years. But it's different for boys. You're old. Is it any use buying someone like my dad? Who will be the son of whom? So the younger the boy, the better. It's best if he doesn't remember anything. They want us if we're this age. It won't work if we're older."

"That's the first point. The second point is that they can't rob on the street, right? So they usually cheat, like giving you food or asking you to lead the way. Whoever asks us to do these is a bad guy," Bang Geng said to the two.

"But we are so young and they are all adults. We can't beat them, even if the three of us act together," said Niu Xiaozheng.

"That's why we're preparing. We go to my uncle's place every day to listen to his stories. Can you think of some way to defeat the big with the small, the strong with the weak?" Bang Geng inspired Niu Xiaozheng.

"I thought of it, lime powder, chili bread; kick the crotch," Niu Xiaozheng said excitedly.

"Oh, these are all good ideas, and they are easy to carry. Let's prepare them today." Banggeng and the other two began to prepare for a rainy day.

"Zhu Zi has taught the children bad things. Listen to what methods he used to teach them?" Yang Ruihua said to the second aunt.

"Wasn't Zhuzi like this when he was a child? He has never been a decent person since he was young. But this also has its advantages. He doesn't suffer any loss. He is the one who bullies others, and others can't bully him," said the second aunt.

"That's true. But Zhuzi has become obedient now. His wife's family is too tough, so he has used all the means he could think of," Yang Ruihua said with a smile.

"Lotus' belly is so big, could she be pregnant with two babies? Lou Xiao'e did give birth to two babies, both boys, and now Xu Fugui is swaying when he walks," said the second aunt.

"Who says it's not true? Other people have two grandchildren with one son, but we have three sons, but we don't have any grandchildren yet. Isn't it infuriating? By the way, isn't Guangtian getting married? Have you set the date?" Yang Ruihua asked the second aunt.

"It'll be done on the 16th day of the first lunar month. It won't be a big wedding, just the two families can sit together and have a meal. Guangtian's father-in-law is a leading cadre, and a grand wedding will have a bad impact." The second aunt can now hold her head up a little higher, because Liu Guangtian's father-in-law is really a cadre, and the director of the new workshop of the steel rolling mill, one level higher than the directors of other workshops.

"You are also a blessed person. Has Guangqi not written to you yet?" Yang Ruihua asked again.

"There's no letter, and I don't know where he went. His father likes to beat his children, but he has never beaten him once. Why did he run away?" said the second aunt. She was really confused.

"There is no news from my family's Jie Cheng either. Alas, it's all fate." Yang Ruihua was silent.

Banggeng and two other people went to the cross-yard and ground three large bags of lime powder, wrapped them in cloth, and put them in their schoolbags. Then they went to Zhang Dabao's kitchen, took out some dried chilies, and continued grinding. By the evening, the three of them had red eyes, but everything was ready.

The children of No. 95 Yard go to school together early in the morning. There is no danger at this time. When they arrive at school, it is another uneventful day. Now it is the second semester of the first grade. Arithmetic has become more difficult. Addition and subtraction have introduced carry and borrow, and Chinese has also added short article reading, which makes their study pressure increase suddenly.

"Banggeng, who can I borrow from? Who can lend it to me? What should I do if 7-9 is not enough?" Niu Xiaozheng's comprehension ability is slightly worse than Banggeng's, so he has not yet fully understood the subtraction with borrowing.

"Isn't there a 2 in the first tens digit? Can't you just borrow it and add it to 7?" Bang Geng said.

"Who to borrow from?" Niu Xiaozheng still doesn't understand who the subject of the borrowing is.

Banggeng was quite patient with his friends, explaining again and again, but in the end Niu Xiaozheng still didn't understand. He was always struggling with one question, "What if people don't lend it to him?"

Banggeng couldn’t answer this question because the teacher didn’t tell him either.

After school in the afternoon, the two waited for Yan Jiedi at the school gate and went home together. The three of them had labor to do after returning home, so they did not participate in the labor class at school.

"Aunt Si Ni, Bang Geng said today that when subtracting single-digit numbers, if the subtrahend is smaller than the minuend, we should go to the front and borrow one. Whose should we borrow from?" Niu Xiaozheng suddenly thought of this question again.

"Isn't it borrowing the number in the tens place?" Yan Jiedi said.

"What if the top ten doesn't lend it?" Niu Xiaozheng asked.

"Is it okay if he doesn't lend it? He must lend it." Niu Xiaozheng's question directly confused Yan Jiedi.

"I mean, what if he doesn't lend it to me? What should I do?" Niu Xiaozheng asked again.

"There's no such thing as a chance of that happening." Yan Jiedi felt like she was going to go crazy discussing this issue with Niu Xiaozheng.

"Does he have to borrow it?" Niu Xiaozheng asked again.

"Is it necessary? Xiaozheng, don't ask this question anymore. You've been asking me this question for the whole afternoon. I'm getting overwhelmed now. How about we buy a bag of fruit danpi to eat today? One bag per person, or one bag per three people?" Banggeng interrupted Niu Xiaozheng's question.

"Of course one pack per person. It's not like we don't have money. Aunt Si Ni also has money. Third Uncle has always tried to cheat her money away, but he hasn't succeeded," said Niu Xiaozheng.

"No one can cheat me of my money. My father is just thinking about it. Once the money is in his hands, it's the same as lost. No one can use it, not even to buy snacks or meals." Yan Jiedi also complained about her father.