Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

"Aunt, is my uncle's house bigger than yours?" Song Juan asked Zhang Cuihua.

"There are too many big ones. Your uncle is a cadre and was given three rooms. He bought two more a few days ago, making a total of five rooms. Our house only has one. You have to stay at his house at night. There just happens to be a room with all the beddings and other items," Zhang Cuihua said sourly.

"My uncle is a cadre? Isn't he a soldier?" Song Juan asked again.

"He was brave enough to be promoted to cadre. He was a company commander and changed his career. When he entered the factory, he was a clerk. Then he was promoted to deputy section chief. He will become a high-ranking official sooner or later. The relatives of my third aunt have been found. My cousin is the deputy director of the steel rolling mill, and Dabiao's aunt is the director of the street office. Both of them are high-ranking officials, just like the county magistrate in our hometown," Zhang Cuihua said to her niece-in-law.

"So powerful?" Song Juan opened her mouth in shock.

"Of course it's amazing. Your aunt is now working in the factory as a worker thanks to the big bid," Zhang Cuihua said proudly.

"My aunt joined the factory? She's a worker?" Song Juan opened her mouth even wider.

"Da Biao also asked his aunt to find a job for me. I'm old and illiterate, so let your cousin's wife go to work. She can work in the neighborhood committee. She will be able to get a permanent job in three months. Then her and the child's household registration can be transferred in, and our lives will be a little better." Zhang Cuihua sighed deeply.

Song Juan was so shocked by what Zhang Cuihua said that she opened her mouth wide and couldn't utter a word. In her impression, her uncle was still the one with a limp, a fierce face, and the one who hit her with a crutch. How could he be so powerful?

In the evening, Zhang Dabao did not use the bacon brought by Jia Dongxu. He had a full set of offal in his own space. What was the point of eating bacon? Besides, he had a greasy meal at noon, so something light would be fine in the evening. At least he would not eat meat tonight.

Zhang Dabao stir-fried a pig's face with chili peppers, cut some pork liver, mixed some pig ears, and then stir-fried a few vegetarian dishes, such as shredded potatoes and cabbage, and boiled rice porridge.

After not drinking or eating, Zhang Dabiao called Zhang Shoucheng and his wife and said, "Shoucheng, what's the matter with you coming into the city?"

"I want to borrow some money from my eldest aunt. The house at home is not big enough. Xiaojuan and my mother have different tempers, so it's not suitable for us to live together. My two younger brothers are grown up, and the second one should get married. There's not enough room for him at home," Zhang Shoucheng said with his head down.

"Your aunt's family may not be rich. In a few months, her family will be a little better off, but now it's not better than yours. I've taken a look at the house in my hometown. Your father should have spent some money on it over the years. The roof and walls are well maintained. I'll give you a hundred yuan, and we'll be even," said Zhang Dabao as he took out a hundred yuan.

"Uncle, this is not appropriate. We have lived here for more than a year," Zhang Shoucheng pushed back.

"Shoucheng, you are better than your father. If he had taken the money long ago, he would have been scheming since he was young. He has not only offended everyone, but also has not lived a good life. There are seven brothers in our family and more than twenty other brothers, but only your father has a bad life. He is the eldest and you have grown up. Why is this?" Zhang Dabao said to his nephew.

Zhang Shoucheng shook his head.

"Your father is too smart. He thinks he is smarter than others. Sometimes people feel that being smart is not a good thing, especially when getting along with their relatives. You are the eldest grandson in our family. You should not learn from him. He has nothing for you to learn. Go back and divide the family and live your own life well." Zhang Dabao stuffed the money into his nephew's hand.

"Thank you, uncle," Zhang Shoucheng was a little touched.

"You're welcome. Your grandpa is Zhang Zhifeng, my uncle. Just go to the room where you rest today with your wife tonight. Have breakfast tomorrow morning before leaving. Your aunt has to leave at 7:30, so you should get up early too." Zhang Dabao instructed his nephew and asked them to go back to their room to rest.

After Zhang Shoucheng and Zhang Songjuan finished their noodles in the morning, Zhang Lianhua brought two dried fish as gifts for her nephew and niece-in-law, and five steamed buns as dry food for the two of them at noon. The two of them left No. 95 Yard together with Zhang Lianhua and the others.

On the way home, Zhang Shoucheng didn't say anything. He kept thinking about what Zhang Dabao had said to him. He began to wonder whether his father Zhang Dasong had really done something wrong. The more he thought about it, the more he felt that his father had more problems.

Song Juan did not speak either. She had been thinking about the three meals she had at Zhang Dabiao's house, a banquet with ten dishes. She had lived for more than 20 years and had never heard of it, not to mention that there was fish and meat for lunch and meat and vegetables for dinner. It was either white flour buns or rice. In the morning, they had noodles. Her sister-in-law also gave each of them an egg. This was the life that people should live. What kind of life did she live before? This situation must be changed. Only Zhang Dabiao had the ability to change the fate of herself and Zhang Shoucheng. Her father-in-law Zhang Dasong did not have that ability. However, she heard from her family members talking about the past and from her uncle Zhang Dabiao's words that they all had a big opinion of her father-in-law and mother-in-law. He and her family had a meeting to break off the relationship and might not be able to help. Song Juan thought about it for a long time, but could not think of a breakthrough.

At noon, the two returned to Zhangjia Village.

"Shoucheng, now that we have built the house, let's separate from our parents," Song Juan said to Zhang Shoucheng at the entrance of the village.

"Let's divide it. The second brother is grown up now. This time, I estimate that each of us two brothers will have three rooms. If there are more, there will not be enough materials." Zhang Shoucheng is very familiar with the situation at home.

"Three rooms are three rooms. We have to separate them. We have also stayed in the city for a day. Look at the life of my uncle's family and then look at how we live at home. I think my uncle is right," said Song Juan.

"Yes, our family has been surpassed by our uncles, and now we are the poorest family in the village. If we move out and suffer for two years, we will definitely be able to live a good life," said Zhang Shoucheng.

"Shoucheng, if you go to find your uncle, can he find a job for you?" Song Juan asked her husband again.

"No, it's already very good that my uncle can give us money. My younger aunt and he have been close since childhood, and it seems that my eldest aunt is taking care of him as a side job, because they live in the same compound. It's not easy for a widow to raise a son, and the family life is difficult, so my uncle helps out wherever he can. Among the brothers in the family, my uncle has the best relationship with my sixth uncle, and he has the worst relationship with our family." Zhang Shoucheng has a very thorough understanding of the problem.

"Okay, if my uncle has the ability, don't tell anyone. Let's wait a few years to ease our relationship with him, and then go and beg him." Song Juan also has her own cleverness.

"Yes, just say that the money was borrowed from my eldest aunt. My eldest aunt didn't have it, so she got it from my young uncle. So we just need to return it directly to my young uncle," Zhang Shoucheng further elaborated on his wife's statement.

After discussing it, the two returned home.