Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

Qin Mingguang was working in the field when he saw a woman pushing a bicycle to the edge of his field. He looked up and saw that it was his sister Qin Huairu, so he walked over.

"Brother, where are our parents?" Qin Huairu asked when she saw her brother coming over.

"Huai Ru, why did you come back at this time? My parents are over there, I'll go call them." Qin Mingguang asked curiously, then turned around to call his parents.

After a while, Qin Huairu's parents, two brothers and sister-in-law came over and accompanied Qin Huairu home.

"Huairu, did you come here by bike?" The second sister-in-law asked curiously when she saw Qin Huairu pushing a bicycle.

"Yes, he's Dongxu's uncle. After he was demobilized, he was assigned to the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, and his family was also assigned to our No. 95 courtyard," Qin Huairu answered her second sister-in-law's question.

"You are talking about Zhang Dabao, right? I know he is from Dongxu's third uncle's family. He is very good at fighting. He beat down several people in Jiajia Village. I heard that his second sister also went to the capital with him. Have you seen her?" People in Qinjiagou also heard of Zhang Dabao's glorious deeds.

"Of course I have seen her. I see her every day. Dongxu's aunt also lives in the courtyard. She has been arranged to work at the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill. She is a warehouse keeper," said Qin Huairu.

"What? Your aunt was also arranged to work in the factory? Was it Zhang Dabao who arranged it? Didn't he find a job for your mother-in-law? Your mother-in-law is his elder sister?" Qin Huairu's second sister-in-law was instantly excited when she heard the news that Zhang Lianhua joined the factory.

"It has been arranged, but my mother-in-law is old, so she didn't go. So they asked me to work at the street committee," Qin Huairu said, raising her head.

"What? You went to the neighborhood committee? You became a public servant?" Qin Huairu's parents, two brothers, and two sisters-in-law asked in unison.

"I've just been there for a month. It will take three more months to get a permanent job. Then I can move my household registration and Banggeng and Xiaodang can follow me to the city." Qin Huairu answered her family's questions affirmatively. Although she spoke in a low voice, she was happy in her heart.

"That's great! God has opened his eyes and your good days have come," said the mother happily.

"Where is Dongxu?" asked his father.

"He was waiting at the door. He had just learned to ride a bicycle and was a little tired, so we didn't let him come to the field." Qin Huairu had just finished speaking when she was hit by her mother.

"You silly girl, you didn't tell me earlier that Dongxu was coming. His dad, you and Xiaoguang, Xiaohui and the others, hurry up and open the door and let Dongxu go home for a drink of water," the mother said to her husband and two sons.

Old Man Qin and his two sons left quickly, and Qin Huairu and the other three walked slowly behind them.

"Huai Ru, why did you come back at this time?" The second sister-in-law asked Qin Huai Ru again.

"I want my fourth uncle's daughter Jingru to help me take care of the child. My mother-in-law is going to work in the factory, and there can't be no one at home to take care of the child." Qin Huairu's words shocked the three women again.

"Didn't your mother-in-law ask you to go to work? She will go to the factory and you just stay at home to take care of the children. Why do you want Jingru to go there?" the mother stopped and asked.

"Dongxu's seventh uncle saved a little child. When Dongxu was hospitalized due to illness a few days ago, he happened to be in the same ward with the child's grandfather. He heard that Dongxu was not happy with his work in the factory, so people recruited Dongxu to the post office to thank his seventh uncle. The position in the steel rolling mill was vacant, so my mother-in-law wanted to go there," Qin Huairu explained.

"Huai Ru, your family's fortune has changed. Now you have three workers? How much do they earn a month?" There was a lot of jealousy and a sour taste in the second sister-in-law's words.

"It's all thanks to Dongxu's uncle. Mom, is Jingru willing to go?" Qin Huairu changed the subject.

"Why wouldn't I be unwilling? But where will she live? Is there enough space in your house?" Qin Huairu's mother asked.

"Dongxu and I will stay at my seventh uncle's house for a while. After a while, my mother-in-law plans to buy a house. Dongxu's master and my seventh uncle can help." Qin Huairu's words left the two sisters-in-law speechless. Their lives were a mess last year, but now not only does her sister-in-law have a job, but her mother-in-law also works at such an old age and is planning to buy a house. Their lives are really taking off.

The Qin family had a sumptuous lunch. The dried fish and bacon that Jia Dongxu brought were all cooked. Qin Huairu's father, three uncles, and two brothers were there to keep her company, and some liquor was also ordered.

However, Jia Dongxu still had to go to Zhangjia Village and then go back to the city directly, so he did not drink. But his not drinking did not affect the enthusiasm of the Qin family at all.

Qin Huairu gave 10 yuan to her mother and Jia Dongxu gave 10 yuan to his father-in-law. The sisters-in-law of his two brothers saw it and were extremely envious. If a large family could get or yuan from farming for a year in a good year, it would be considered good. In this year, it would be considered good if they didn't owe the village any money. If the sister-in-law and her husband could give yuan each to their parents, then the family must be well off. Their own children might be counting on them, so they became even more enthusiastic towards Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu.

During the meal, Qin Huairu's aunt (who married her fourth uncle) came with her cousin, Qin Jingru. Qin Jingru had always envied her cousin for marrying into the city since she was a child, so she was very happy when she heard that she was going to the city to help her cousin take care of the children.

Qin Jingru's parents were also happy. Not only did their daughter's coming to the city to help save the family one person from having to eat, but Qin Huairu also agreed to pay her five yuan a month as compensation. Five yuan a month, sixty yuan for one person, was perfect.

After dinner, Qin Huairu asked her cousin to go to the city after Qingming Festival and wrote down the address for her. Then she said goodbye to Jia Dongxu and the Qin family and went to Zhangjia Village.

Jia Dongxu hadn't been back to his grandmother's house to visit relatives for several years. He took advantage of the fact that his uncles were all at home at noon, so he went to sit with them, left three yuan at each family, and apologized for not visiting his uncles in recent years.

The uncles were also very enthusiastic about the arrival of their eldest nephew and wanted to keep him for dinner in the evening, but Jia Dongxu and his wife said they had other things to do in the city and refused the uncles' request to stay. At around three o'clock in the afternoon, the two rode their bikes back to the city, and cousin Zhang Shoucheng even sent him off to the outside of the village before waving goodbye.

Zhang Shoucheng now has three rooms of his own. He and Song Juan are working hard to run their own small home, and their future life is full of hope.

It was already dark when the two returned to Yard 95. Jia Dongxu was extremely tired, so he ate something and went to sleep.