Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

"Shoucheng, did your aunt lend us money?" Zhang Dasong asked when he saw his son and daughter-in-law coming back.

"My aunt's family lives an average life. My cousin is the lowest-level worker in the factory. My aunt, her wife and their two children all have rural household registration. They have no quota in the city and have to eat expensive grain. Their family is not much better off than ours," said Zhang Shoucheng.

"I knew that the Jia family is a bunch of ungrateful people. They ate and drank at our house for several days before the New Year. Now they want to borrow money and give a lot of reasons. I think Zhang Cuihua just doesn't want to lend us money." Zhang Dasong's wife started to get angry.

"Are you staying at your eldest aunt's house?" Zhang Dasong knew the situation of his sister's house. There was no room for them to stay. When his son went there, he only brought money for the bus fare. The two of them stayed there for a whole day and night, and the weather was so cold. It would be impossible without a place to stay.

"There is only one room in my aunt's house, how can we live here? We live in my uncle's house. The house he got is also in the same compound as my aunt's. His house has five rooms, and we also eat at his house," Zhang Shoucheng said to his father.

"Da Biao's house? Five rooms?" Zhang Dasong was a little surprised.

"My uncle is a retired company commander. He was given three rooms and he bought two more. My aunt's family had no money, so she interceded with my uncle and took 100 yuan from his family. We will just return it to him when the time comes," said Zhang Shoucheng as he took out the yuan given by Zhang Dabao.

"Zhang Dabao's money should be paid back?" Zhang Dasong's wife said reluctantly.

"Mom, what are you talking about? You just don't have to pay back the money you borrowed from my aunt. She is a widow and her family is not much better off than ours. How can you have such an idea?" Zhang Shoucheng became angry when he heard his mother's words.

"Didn't I say I wouldn't pay it back? How dare I not pay back Zhang Dabao's money?" The mother's voice was louder than Zhang Shoucheng's.

"Dad, Mom, I borrowed the money and I will pay it back. Let's take this opportunity to build a house for the second son together. We brothers will each have three rooms. After the houses are built, we will separate. Whether we will live a good or bad life in the future depends entirely on our own efforts," Zhang Shoucheng expressed his thoughts.

"What kind of family is Shoucheng? Shouping is only twelve," said Zhang Dasong.

"You and my mother are forty-five, and Shouping can still be raised. The second brother and I will also help with his marriage. You two don't need us brothers to support you for the time being. After you are fifty-five, the three of us brothers will take care of you in your old age, and we will give you everything we deserve. Shouping is the youngest, and you like him, so we can leave all the old houses in the family to him, and you can live with him. What do you think, second brother?" Zhang Shoucheng asked his younger brother Zhang Shouan.

"I agree." The second son, Zhang Shouan, was very honest. He was neither old nor young in the family and was the least valued one. He did not expect that as soon as his eldest brother came to the city, he would fight for three rooms for himself.

"When a tree grows big, it will branch out. We should divide the family business. I agree. Shoucheng just brought two fish. Shouan, go call Uncle Zhiling, your second uncle, third uncle, and fourth uncle, and we'll divide the family business tonight." Zhang Dasong saw the determination in Zhang Shoucheng's eyes and knew that if he continued to pressure his son, he would be even more dissatisfied with him.

Zhang Dasong's three sons divided the family's property and food in the presence of Zhang Zhiling, Zhang Dayang, Zhang Dabai and Zhang Dalui. Zhang Shoucheng and Zhang Shouan moved out immediately after building their houses.

We will start building the house tomorrow. When the weather gets warmer, there will be more work to do in the fields and my brothers won’t be able to help.

Zhang Dabao's straddle was dismantled into parts, and the main problem of the car was also discovered. The motor oil in the engine was thicker than mud. It seemed that the car had never had its oil changed since it was produced by the Japanese until it was put into the warehouse. It was completely unusable, and even a god would have a hard time changing the oil.

Zhang Dabao collected a tricycle from the space, dismantled its engine, studied the structure of the body for two days, and bought steel pipes, steel plates and other accessories from the steel rolling mill. A few days later, a three-wheeled motorcycle came out. The cargo box was one meter wide and two meters long, and the baffle of the car body was 40 centimeters high with a slide on it. Six one-meter-high steel pipes were sewn with canvas and could cover the entire car body when pulled open. An iron door was installed at the back that could be locked, and it was safer to put things inside. The tricycle cab was also wrapped with steel pipes and canvas, and a windshield and windows were added to solve the problems of direct cold wind in winter and wind blowing in rain.

The tricycle has an advanced design and a wide range of uses. The entire vehicle is painted military green, making it look more high-end and classy. It took a full five days to complete. On Friday afternoon, Zhang Dabao took a letter of certification issued by the steel rolling mill to the police station to go through the procedures for registering the tricycle.

Zhang Weihua couldn't let go of the car after seeing it, and felt that it was a pity to purchase it. However, when he heard Zhang Dabao talk about the cost, he stopped talking. It cost one hundred to buy an old car, and more than seven hundred for various accessories. It would take seven days to repair the car, and it could not be copied because he didn't have those old cars.

From then on, Zhang Dabao drove his beloved little motorcycle and never got stuck in traffic again. Of course, there will be no traffic jams in Beijing now.

When we arrived at the Red Star Photo Studio, the photos had already been developed. The day after tomorrow is Saturday, so I will send the photos to Teacher Wen Li. If I have time, I will go take some more photos with her.

Zhang Dabao sometimes felt that it was not good to be so close to Wen Li, but when he saw Sister Li, he really thought that the heroism and charm in her were not possessed by ordinary women. What's more, she knew how to dress up, which made her look even more beautiful.

The motorcycle could not be driven into Courtyard 95 as the threshold was too high, so it could only be parked outside the gate. Fortunately, the entire vehicle was tightly wrapped and Zhang Dabao locked it with a padlock.

Jia Dongxu always appears when he should. As soon as Zhang Dabao locked the car, Jia Dongxu ran over. "Seventh Uncle, is this your car?" Jia Dongxu asked while stroking it with his hand and making a clicking sound.

"I modified this car from an old one in the factory. Can you drive it?" Zhang Dabiao was a little proud now. A new car? It was meant to be envied by others.

"I don't know how to drive. I haven't even learned how to ride a bicycle. Uncle Qi, can you find some time to teach me how to drive your car?" Jia Dongxu said to Zhang Dabao with eager eyes.

"Let's look at the time. This is not a car, but a motorcycle. Do you remember the one in the factory warehouse?" Zhang Dabao didn't want to teach him. It was a new car and he hadn't used it enough. How could he let a novice drive it?

"Kuaizi, the one we captured from the Japanese? I can't see it." Jia Dongxu walked around the car twice more.

"Why did you get off work so early today?" Zhang Dabao suddenly remembered that it was not time to get off work yet, and wondered if Jia Dongxu had left early again.

"Bring some bedding for my master. It's still about the deaf old lady. I don't know who reported it to the factory, insisting that my master and the deaf old lady are in cahoots. The police station has already investigated it, and there is no relationship between the two people, but the factory can't do anything about it. If someone reports it, it has to be dealt with. Section Chief Xing said that let my master spend one night in the factory. If there is nothing wrong, he will be released tomorrow." Jia Dongxu thought of his mission.

"Hurry up and go. It's already late. Let's get down to business first," Zhang Dabao said to Jia Dongxu.

Jia Dongxu looked back every few steps, reluctant to leave the car.

"I'll teach you how to drive when I have time. Look at you, you look so ugly," Zhang Dabao cursed.

Jia Dongxu didn't know what he was thinking of, he turned around and came back, "Seventh Uncle, why don't you take me to the factory? I'm holding a quilt and walking very slowly, and it's almost time to get off work. Please pick up my aunt, Jingshu, Banggeng and others and let them ride in your new car."

Zhang Dabiao thought about it and felt that Jia Dongxu's idea was a good one. "Go and get it quickly. I'll be waiting for you here. Day by day, the light will serve you."