Siheyuan: Happy Life of Jia Zhang Family

Zhang Dabao saw a middle-aged man in his thirties and a girl about fourteen or fifteen standing in front of the car. When they saw Zhang Dabao coming, the man came over to greet him.

"Brother, is this your car? Are you from Zhangjia Village?" The man asked when he saw Zhang Dabao coming down from the Zhang family cemetery.

Zhang Dabiao nodded. "Who are you to visit the grave?"

"We are from Qinjiagou. I am sending my cousin to the city. Where are you going? Can you take a ride to the highway?" the man asked.

"From Qinjiagou, going to the city?" Zhang Dabao looked at the girl, who was about fourteen or fifteen years old, a little over 1.6 meters tall, and good-looking. He thought of someone in his mind, Qin Jingru.

"Yes, my sister has no one to take care of her child in the city, so I asked my cousin to go over and help," said the man.

"Go to Jia Dongxu's house to see the children? His mother-in-law's home is Qinjiagou," Zhang Dabao asked.

"Yes, you know my brother-in-law? That's great," the man said happily.

"I know you. I'm Zhang Dabao, Jia Dongxu's seventh uncle. Get in the car. Jia Dongxu and his mother are in Jiajia Village. I'm going to pick them up." Zhang Dabao smiled. It was indeed Qin Jingru.

"Oh, the flood washed away the Dragon King Temple, and family members no longer recognize each other. Seventh uncle, I am Huairu's brother Qin Mingguang, and this is my fourth uncle's sister Qin Jingru." Qin Mingguang's face was full of smiles, he knew that the changes that happened to his sister's family were all brought about by the man in front of him.

"Let's go together," Zhang Dabao opened the door of the rear car.

Qin Mingguang and Qin Jingru got on the car and sat on the stools.

They soon arrived at Jiajia Village. At the door of Jia Youcai's house, Zhang Dabao honked the horn. Zhang Cuihua and Jia Dongxu came out after hearing it, and Jia Youcai's family came out to see them off.

"Brother Youcai, sister-in-law." Zhang Dabao got out of the car and greeted Jia Youcai and his wife, and lit a cigarette for Jia Youcai. At this time, Qin Mingguang and Qin Jingru also got out of the car, and Zhang Dabao also lit a cigarette for Qin Mingguang.

"Brother, Jingru" Jia Dongxu saw his uncle and sister-in-law getting out of the car and greeted them happily.

"Aunt Jia, Dongxu, I was sending Jingru to catch the bus, and we happened to meet Uncle Qi's car, which brought us here. Jingru can go with you, and I will go back from here," said Qin Mingguang.

"Mingguang, go back and tell your fourth uncle that we won't treat Jingru unfairly, don't worry." After Zhang Cuihua and Qin Mingguang finished speaking, they waved goodbye to Jia Youcai, got into the back of the car with Qin Jingru, and Jia Dongxu got on the passenger seat, and then returned to Beijing.

"My sister-in-law's family is living well. They have asked relatives to look after their children," said Jia Youcai's wife sourly.

"Who made her have a good brother? Not only was he assigned to a courtyard after being demobilized, but he also has abilities. Aunt Jiu made a wrong calculation this time. She has not been good to Youxing's wife at all. Look, Zhang Lianhua has also followed Zhang Dabao out of the capital, and has become a worker through connections and is eating public food. If Aunt Jiu had treated her well, wouldn't Youyang have benefited from it too? She calculated this and that, and not only did Zhang Dabao break his hand, but he also had to be locked up. Won't he have a bad reputation when he gets out?" Jia Youcai sighed and said.

"That's right, Aunt Jiu miscalculated. Let's get along well with Dongxu. Maybe the children will need Dongxu's help," said Jia Youcai's wife.

"Yes." The couple returned to their home only after they could no longer see Zhang Dabao's car.

At around four o'clock in the afternoon, they arrived at No. 95 Hongxing Street. Qin Jingru came to the compound with a small bag.

"Dongxu, there is still some meat in the kitchen. Let's put some cabbage in to make dumplings. This is the first time that Banggeng's aunt is here, so let's welcome her. Let your mother and your aunt make dumplings. You and Huairu should tidy up the place first. Ask Zhuzi and his sister to help make dumplings. They are professionals and can make dumplings quickly and well," Zhang Dabao said to Jia Dongxu after stopping the car.

"Okay, Seventh Uncle." Jia Dongxu agreed and entered the courtyard. Qin Jingru followed Zhang Cuihua closely into the courtyard.

Zhang Dabao remembered that he had not yet given Zhao Chunyan the mutton he promised her, so he drove to the street and took three pounds of mutton from the car and gave it to Zhao Chunyan.

"Aunt Zhao, you did a good job. I will come to you again if I have any problems." Zhang Dabao expressed his appreciation for Aunt Zhao's professionalism.

"Dongxu's uncle, just tell me if you have any problem. I can handle anything." Zhao Chunyan was delighted when she saw such a big piece of mutton. There was no meat in the market now. She had been a matchmaker for many years, and whenever she went to propose marriage, she would ask the brides to eat something good. However, it was so difficult to eat meat because it was impossible to buy it.

"I'll definitely look for you. I'll go back first." Zhang Dabao returned to Yard 95, while Zhao Chunyan cut a little more than a pound of mutton and gave it to her partner Liu Chuncao.

"Old Zhao, where did you get that? You're quite capable." Liu Chuncao's family lived even worse than the Zhao family. Both of his sons relied on odd jobs, while he himself made a living by doing some manual work assigned by the street. What they ate was not even as good as that of an ordinary family, and there was no way they could have meat or anything like that.

"This is to thank you for helping me. If it weren't for you, would Yang Ruihua have spared me?" Zhao Chunyan said.

"By the way, how did Old Yan offend you? The two people you introduced are too unreliable. If you introduce them to Chang Chao, I will beat you." Liu Chuncao spoke so bluntly.

"Yan Laokou has offended someone, but it wasn't me. Don't tell anyone. He said that if he has any problems in the future, he can come to me. Then I will call you. At least you can get some food." Zhao Chunyan comforted her partner.

"Old Zhao, please be sure to call me. I haven't eaten meat for more than a year. I'll make dumplings for my two sons tonight. My family didn't eat dumplings during the Spring Festival." Liu Chuncao thanked Zhao Chunyan again and again.

Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu moved to the backyard, and Qin Jingru moved into the Jia family.

"Dongxu, go to the steel rolling mill tomorrow to handle the formalities with your mother. After that, go to the street office to inquire about the three houses next to me. My aunt said last time when she came that they might be sold." After tidying up the room, Jia Dongxu sat next to Zhang Dabao and watched the women making dumplings.

"Seventh Uncle, what is the approximate market price of three houses?" Jia Dongxu was also tempted.

"One room is two hundred and fifty to three hundred, and three rooms are about eight hundred. The price is set by the higher-ups, and no one can get a cheaper price. Talk to your mother, and if you are willing to buy it, then buy it. If not, forget it. There is no point in bargaining." Zhang Dabao knew that his elder sister was the type who would not suffer any loss, so he gave Jia Dongxu some instructions.

"I know that when you bought the cross-campus property, the factory would not pay a penny less. They are all public property. How could you bargain?" Jia Dongxu was quite sensible.

"It's time to eat," Zhang Lianhua shouted, the dumplings were cooked.

When Qin Jingru saw the dumplings, she swallowed her saliva. She couldn't eat such dumplings at home during the Chinese New Year. Not only were they made of pure white flour, but the key was that they also contained meat.

Everyone welcomed her arrival and gave her a big bowl full of food.