Siheyuan: Five mouths waiting for food at the beginning

It was just past lunch time when Zhao Shanhe returned home.

Zhao Shanhe sighed that he could have a good rest this year. He had visited all the people he wanted to visit. His father-in-law and his family had returned to their hometown. His father-in-law felt sorry for the child and did not let him go back to his hometown. He could just wait until his father-in-law came back on the third day of the New Year before going back.

"Brother, after you left this morning, several colleagues from your unit came to wish you a happy new year. They drank a cup of tea and left. We couldn't keep them, so we left the gifts in the backyard for you," Zhao Shanhai said.

"Who are they? Have you written down their names? I can't let someone give me a gift without me knowing who sent it," Zhao Shanhe said.

"I'm sorry, brother, I forgot to ask at the time, but I can describe their appearance to you."

After Zhao Shanhai's description, Zhao Shanhe had a clear idea in his mind. His apprentice had not come yet, and Xiao Gao, whom he wanted to introduce to Daya, had not come yet either.

"Brother, you don't know, the third uncle's eyes widened when he saw the person who gave you a gift. He has been guarding the door since early morning, staring at our house." Zhao Shanhai imitated the third uncle vividly.

"Isn't the compound going to hold a group gathering? Has it started yet?" Zhao Shanhe asked

"It was open, and it was fine at first, but then Yi Zhonghai asked everyone to kowtow to the deaf old lady and wish her a happy new year, but no one was happy about it.

Uncle He, who had just returned, quarreled with Yi Zhonghai, and Uncle Xu also scolded Liu Haizhong. In the end, everyone left unhappily.

"What's going on between Uncle Xu and Liu Haizhong? Didn't Uncle Xu come here? Why did he start arguing with Liu Haizhong?" Zhao Shanhe loved to listen to gossip while drinking tea.

"Brother, you must have remembered it wrongly. Uncle Xu didn't come last year, but he's here to celebrate the New Year this year. Xu Zhuzi is so young and can't go out, and Aunt Xu hasn't left yet. Uncle Xu came yesterday, and I even said hello to him.

The thing is, Uncle Xu and Uncle He were bragging about their grandson. Didn't Yi Zhonghai let the old lady kowtow? Uncle He didn't know why Yi Zhonghai didn't get along, and the two of them started arguing.

Liu Haizhong did not handle the situation properly. He helped Yi Zhonghai, but he also asked everyone to kowtow and wish a happy new year. Uncle Xu could not stand it. Liu Haizhong's own children were not filial, so it was unreasonable for him to ask others to kowtow and wish a happy new year. The two of them started arguing and almost came to blows.

Brother, you have a good relationship with Brother Damao, Uncle Xu is smaller than Liu Haizhong, so I was afraid that Uncle Xu would suffer, so I pulled them apart with a few other guys, and then everyone left unhappily," Zhao Shanhai said.

"What about Xu Damao? His father is about to get into a fight with someone, why doesn't he help?" Zhao Shanhe asked

"I didn't see Brother Damao. I guess he went out to wish someone a happy new year," Zhao Shanhai replied.

"Shanhe, are you at home?" Speak of the devil and he will appear. Xu Damao's voice came from outside the door.

Zhao Shanhe opened the door and saw Xu Damao holding a gift. "Damo, let's go to my house in the backyard. Aunt Chen's room is inconvenient because of the children. Let's go to my room and have a couple of drinks."

Zhao Shanhe had a high rank and after he was promoted to chief engineer, he always called him Damao and could not even utter the word "brother" anymore. Zhao Shanhe thought it was all because of his vanity.

"Jingru, bring some snacks over so I can have a few drinks with my brother Damao. If anyone comes to see me, bring them to the backyard," said Zhao Shanhe.

Turning back to Zhao Shanhai, he said, "Third brother, go and ask your second brother to come to my room. Bai Xue's belly is getting big, and it's not good to keep going to his room and ask Bai Xue to make room."

Zhao Shanhe warmed up the wine, and soon Qin Jingru and her two sisters brought the dishes.

Zhao Shanhai poured the wine. Since he was the youngest, the four of them started drinking and bragging.

After just a few drinks, Qin Jingru came in again with a few young men from the technical department.

"Master (Chief Engineer Zhao) Happy New Year" Several young men wished Zhao Shanhe a happy new year.

"Happy New Year to you all, everyone please take a seat, we can have a few drinks together, you guys are lucky enough to have caught up with them, I didn't even get to see those guys this morning."

"Hey, Master, I know you must have gone out to pay New Year's greetings this morning, so I specially asked them to come over in the afternoon," Wu Cheng said

Zhao Shanhe pulled Qin Jingru over and whispered, "Go prepare a few more dishes, and bring Daya over later. Let Daya dress up. See that young man, he doesn't have a boyfriend yet, I'll help Daya find a date later."

Zhao Shanhe warmed up a few more bottles of wine and introduced his brothers and Xu Damao to everyone.

"Xiao Gao, you don't have a partner yet? Do you want me to introduce one to you?" Zhao Shanhe asked directly.

"Chief Engineer Zhao, you are biased. You only care about whether Xiao Gao has a partner, but you don't even ask us," a colleague said.

"Haha, I know all about your situation. Except for you and Xiao Gao, everyone else is married. I heard that you are also planning to get married. Why, are you still thinking of finding a new one?"

"Chief Engineer Zhao, this is just a joke. If I find another one, my girlfriend will skin me alive. We were planning to get married before the New Year, but something happened at home, so we postponed it to after the New Year. Chief Engineer Zhao, you'd better come over when the time comes," said a colleague

"Master, tell us about the girl from that family so that we can check it out for Engineer Gao," Wu Cheng asked.

"My sister, Zhao Guihua, is 18 years old and currently works in a department store. How about you checking her out?" Zhao Shanhe asked

"Chief Engineer Zhao, it turns out that she is our sister. Xiao Gao, you are so lucky. If you can marry Chief Engineer Zhao's sister, you and Chief Engineer Zhao will be relatives. With Chief Engineer Zhao around, it will be hard for you, Xiao Gao, not to improve your skills," said a colleague.

Another colleague joked, "Wu Cheng, if Xiao Gao gets together with Mr. Zhao's sister, what will you call Mr. Gao in the future?"

Xiao Wu was counting on his fingers, wondering what to call Xiao Gao. At this moment, Xiao Gao's face turned red, and he was very shy, sitting there like a quail.

"Xiao Gao, don't be nervous. I just want you to meet. It doesn't matter whether it succeeds or not. The key is whether you can be attracted to each other and whether the two of you are suitable for each other. If not, forget it. We can't force it," Zhao Shanhe said to Xiao Gao.

Zhao Shanhe chose Xiao Gao mainly because Xiao Gao was the second most handsome man in the department after him. He graduated from a technical secondary school and was 21 years old this year. He was honest, hardworking and very motivated, but his family conditions were not very good, otherwise he would have been married long ago.

Just as he was thinking about it, Xiao Gao spoke up, "Chief Engineer Zhao, you know my family conditions are not very good. My mother is in poor health, and I have two younger sisters to take care of. I am afraid that I will delay your sister's care."

"Xiao Gao, I am the kind of person who, if I were to despise the poor and love the rich, I would still introduce my sister to you. Family conditions are not a problem. What's important is that I think highly of you and you will have a good future. But the prerequisite is that you two must like each other, otherwise everything will be in vain."

As they were chatting, Qin Jingru led Zhao Guihua in.