Siheyuan: Five mouths waiting for food at the beginning

"Silver boy, Iron boy, I want to go back to my hometown for the New Year. I've been dreaming recently that your father told me that he had been waiting for me for too long and asked me to go and accompany him."

"Mom, what nonsense are you talking about? You are so strong."

"That's right, grandma, you will definitely live a long life."

"You don't need to try to make me happy. I'm already eighty years old, with a lot of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Now I'm sometimes confused and sometimes clear-headed.

Especially recently I often dreamed about your father. He said it was too cold down there and asked me to go down and accompany him. I have lived enough. Each of you has a promising future.

I can die with my eyes closed, and I will have an explanation to give to your father even if I go down to see him."

The old lady's sudden words made everyone lose interest in drinking.

Zhao Shanhe's heart shuddered. Could the old lady really be dying? She didn't look like that. She could eat and run, especially her bow legs, which made her walk with great vigor.

Seeing that no one was talking, the old lady continued, "Iron Boy, Silver Boy are busy with work, why don't you take me back to see those old acquaintances again so that I won't have any regrets."

"Mom, I can take you back with me, but please don't keep dying. It's unlucky."

"Okay, as long as you can go back with me, I won't say anything if you don't want to hear it, old lady."

"Grandma, it's freezing cold, and there's no heating in the countryside. You'll be freezing. Why don't you wait until the next New Year when the weather gets warmer before going back?"

"That's right, mother. Shanhe is right. It's winter now and there's no heating at home. I'll be retiring soon after the Chinese New Year, so I'll take you back then."

"I know you all care about an old lady like me. I am content. I feel like I can't make it through this."

"This……"

"Okay, grandma will ask Uncle San to take you back later."

"Oh" the old lady was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling.

"Shanhe, you..."

Zhao Shanhe pulled his second uncle's arm and said, "Second uncle, let's go to the toilet."

Without waiting for his second uncle's consent, Zhao Shanhe pulled his second uncle over.

Zhao Shanhe offered his uncle a cigarette, "Uncle, how is the old lady's health recently? Have you taken her to the hospital for a checkup?"

"I don't know. You know I basically never go home. I've always been taken care of by your second aunt."

"Why don't we take the old lady to the hospital for a checkup? She's a bit demented but not seriously ill. She's not sick or in any danger. Why are you saying this all of a sudden? It doesn't make sense."

"I find it strange too. Let your second aunt take him to the hospital tomorrow. You can't go back. It's freezing cold out here."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I was fine, but I got frozen during my trip back home. Let's just put it off for now."

"Then you said you would let the third brother take it back."

"We need to calm the old lady down first. If she continues to talk, she might say she won't live past tomorrow."

"You are so young, so smoke less. I'll keep these cigarettes for you." After saying that, the second uncle took the cigarettes from Zhao Shanhe's pocket.

"Hey, Second Uncle, you are older than me, so you should smoke less." Zhao Shanhe said as he was about to snatch the special supply back from his Second Uncle.

"Alright, just consider it as your honor to me, isn't it? I've only smoked this stuff a few times, and you know that smoking and drinking are my only hobbies."

"Okay, okay, here you go."

"Do you have any extra? Get some for Uncle Er."

"There's no way we can have more of this stuff. I only have a few packs a month, and they're not even enough for me to smoke."

"Shanhe is fine. He can lead this thing."

"You know, we are under a lot of pressure. We got special approval from the higher-ups, but it's not much."

"That's enough. At least you can lead it. I'm not qualified to lead it. I just go to my old boss to get some, and I have to get kicked by him."

"I'll get you two boxes when we leave later. I still have a few packs left in my car."

"Uncle, brother, why don't you guys go in and talk? It's cold out here."

"Is the matter settled?"

"We've discussed the general idea, but haven't finalized it yet. Why is it that making a TV series is like burning money?"

"How can it not cost money? The main reason is that the film is expensive. How much did it cost?"

Zhao Shanhu stretched out five fingers.

Zhao Shanhe remembered that he seemed to have raised three million in his previous life, but it was still not enough, so a few episodes were cut. It seems that there will be no need to shoot a sequel this time.

"I also told them that the company can't come up with that much money at once, so we'll pay it in three installments, two million this year, two million next year, and the remaining one million will depend on the situation, no later than the year after.

As for the revenue, we still need to talk to the leaders, they can’t make the decision, and we think we can sign the contract after the discussion.”

"Okay, if it's possible next year, I'll give it all. As for the profits, forget about it. I'll just consider it as a contribution to traditional culture. What about the clothes? Do you need sponsorship?"

"Brother, what are you doing? You don't want the profit, but it's several million. Our family's money didn't come from the wind.

The clothes are sponsored, so of course they want them, but they say they can’t have trademarks. We’re dealing in both money and clothes, so aren’t we doing a losing business?”

"It's fine if you lose money, don't you want to watch the TV series we invested in, or the Four Great Classics?"

"Brother, what on earth are you up to?"

"There's no medicine, so just consider it as a contribution."

"I don't believe you. I think you are letting the TV show advertise for us. Although we spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the college entrance examination, the effect was surprisingly good. We have a good reputation and word of mouth, and we have earned it back several times. Is it the same this time?"

"Just say so."

"Of course. I've never seen you do a business that loses money. You always look three steps ahead before you act. Then I'll go there again tomorrow and we'll make the decision."

"Shanhe, Shanhu, you guys are really rich. You keep talking about millions. Even the landlords in the old society were not as rich as you."

"Uncle, believe it or not, a few million dollars will be nothing in a few decades."

Zhao Shanhe was not talking nonsense. In a few decades, one hundred million will be a small goal. Some people also say that money is just a number in my eyes and I am not interested in money.

"Believe it, why not? You have made millions in just a few years. If you continue to develop at this rate, I dare not imagine how rich you will be in a few decades."

"But now there are still many ordinary people who don't have enough food to eat and clothes to wear. If you have money, do more charity. If you are poor, take care of yourself. If you are rich, help the world. Don't let the blood of our ancestors be shed in vain."

"I know Uncle, the slogan is that the rich first will help the poor, and we will become rich together."

"I believe in you. If you can give up your returns and invest in the Four Great Classics, I know you have a sense of social responsibility. But not everyone thinks this way. Some people have forgotten their roots.

They think that now that they have conquered the world, they should enjoy the good life. Some people can no longer hold back and are bullying the people. What happened in September is the best example of this.”