Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

Xu Damao and He Yuzhu's rhythm of the Spring Festival was surprisingly similar. On the first day, they went to his mother-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings, on the second day, they went to their master's house to pay New Year's greetings, and on the third day, they slept at home.

The Spring Festival in No. 95 compound was peaceful. The Jia family didn't make a fuss, which was good.

At noon on the third day of the Chinese New Year, the front yard was quite lively. There were guests at the Third Uncle's house, and they were not just ordinary guests. Yan Jiecheng went to his future father-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings on the first day of the Chinese New Year. Yan Fugui asked Yan Jiecheng to bring a valuable gift for the first time: a pound of fat meat and a box of snacks.

The other party felt that the Yan family was sincere. On the third day of the Chinese New Year, the girl came to pay New Year's greetings, and the future father-in-law brought his daughter with him.

Yan Fugui was so happy. This was a sure thing that he would be his daughter-in-law.

At the Jia family's house in the middle courtyard, Qin Huairu got up early in the morning, made breakfast, and then proposed to go back to her parents' home.

"Why are you going? Since you married into the Jia family, you belong to the Jia family. Do you want us to support your Qin family? You are not allowed to go."

Qin Huairu has money in her pocket, so she speaks with confidence.

"Mom, I'm marrying into the Jia family, not being sold to them. I don't want to ruin the festive atmosphere of the compound during the holidays. If you want to have a big fight, then go ahead and yell. I don't care anyway. It's the Jia family that's losing face, not me, Qin Huairu. Dongxu, give me two dollars. If you don't go to my father-in-law's house to pay New Year's greetings, you have to give me the fare."

Jia Zhang was already distressed that her pension fund had been emptied years ago, so how could she be willing to let her son give Qin Huairu two dollars now? "There is no money, Dongxu, don't give it. If she wants to go back to her parents' home, she can go back by herself."

"Dongxu, will you give it to me?"

At this moment, Jia Dongxu and his son Banggeng were still sleeping on the kang.

Qin Huairu walked over to Jia Dongxu, woke him up, and asked him for the ticket.

Jia Dongxu was a bachelor, so he didn't want to sleep any longer. "Huairu, it's in my cotton-padded jacket pocket, you can take it yourself. Tell my father-in-law, I won't go. I'll visit my father-in-law when I have time later."

Qin Huairu took out two one-dollar bills from her limited cash and waved them in front of Jia Dongxu, "I only took two. If there's less, don't say it was me who took it."

Then he left the bedroom and went outside the compartment. He ate a bowl of millet porridge with shredded pickles, a steamed corn bread, a steamed bun with white flour, and then he put the wrapping paper that had been prepared long ago in between and left the house with a big belly.

I changed buses, arrived at Deshengmen, and took the earliest long-distance bus to Changping. I returned to my mother's home quietly.

The most depressed family in the Central Courtyard is actually the uncle's family. Originally, the family was quiet during the big festival. Other masters had apprentices who came to pay New Year's greetings on the third and fourth days of the New Year, but the uncle didn't. Even Jia Dongxu, who lived next door, didn't bring the simplest gifts. On New Year's Eve, the uncle also contributed supplies and the aunt contributed physical effort to prepare New Year's Eve dinner for the old lady in the backyard and the Jia family. The dishes were still cleaned up by Qin Huairu and the aunt. And Yi Zhonghai was worried, how could he be happy? No, it was impossible.

Today, when he saw Liu Haizhong's three apprentices from the backyard coming to pay New Year's greetings together, he felt a little jealous.

Although Liu Haizhong used sticks and belts to educate his two younger sons, he still taught his apprentices in the factory. Last year, his eldest apprentice He Feng was also a fixed-level fifth-level forger, which was a great contribution made by Liu Haizhong. Several apprentices came to pay New Year's greetings, and Liu Haizhong was not stingy. He asked the second aunt to prepare a table full of dishes to entertain them. The lively atmosphere of the backyard and the strong emotional drama of Yan Fugui's family in the front yard highlight the deserted state of the middle yard. The No. 95 courtyard has the largest area and the most residents, but there is no atmosphere during the festival. This is a slap in the face of the old man living in the middle yard.

He Yuzhu didn't care about that. He got up in the early morning, added firewood to the kang, and once again got into the quilt full of love, and continued to sleep with his wife Yu Li, who he had tossed to pieces last night. He didn't get up until almost noon, cooked millet porridge and eggs, heated up the vegetables and white flour buns left over from New Year's Eve, boiled hot water, and then called his wife and sister Yu Shui to have breakfast and lunch. He was going to take Yu Li and Yu Shui to the park today. It was rare that there was no snow from New Year's Eve to the third day of the first lunar month. The weather was amazing.

He Yuzhu already has a wife, children and a warm bed, and now all he needs is a child.

The same thing happened to Xu Damao and his wife. After the dangerous period of the first three months, he and Lou Xiao'e also lived a shameful and embarrassing life hiding at home, and they didn't get up until almost noon.

The deaf old lady in the backyard seems to be the most comfortable person in Yard 95. Apart from eating, drinking, defecating and urinating by herself, she doesn't have to do anything else and enjoys the care of an old lady.

Haha, the uncle only talks, but the aunt does all the work. Who told the aunt not to have children and not to have a job? The man is responsible for the outside world, while the woman is responsible for the inside world, which is fully reflected in the aunt. Look, it's noon, and I'm serving food to the old lady in the backyard again.

"Guifang, it's the third day of the festival, why don't you have any meat? If you don't have pork, you can eat chicken. This dish is too plain, take it back, I won't eat it."

The aunt was actually very annoyed. She didn't have a good New Year's Eve. She worked the most but ate the least. She only picked up a piece of braised pork. When she picked up another piece, Jia Zhang licked the braised pork plate. She still had to clean up after the meal.

"Old lady, this is all I can do. If you want to eat meat, buy it and I will cook it for you. I don't make money and I'm not in charge of the household. I have no objection if you want my husband to take care of you in your old age. But if you ask me to create something that doesn't exist, I really don't have that ability. Here are the two dishes and the steamed buns. Eat them if you like. If you don't like them, I'll come back to take them away later." She put down the things and went out, returning to her home.

"Lao Yi, the old lady said she wants meat. If there is no pork, she can eat chicken. You decide. If you continue like this, I can't serve you anymore."

"Guifang, you are not so magnanimous. Let the old lady say whatever she wants. She didn't give enough money, so what else does she want to eat? When there is nothing to eat, she can even swallow dirt. Ignore her. You should deliver it on time. If she doesn't eat it, take it back."

"That's what you said. Also, Lao Yi, can you stop interfering in the affairs of the Jia family next door? It gives me a headache to see the whole family, young and old."

"Guifang, you think I am willing to take care of it. There are not many good choices now. I thought Shazhu was obedient and could be considered. Look at Shazhu now. He walks with his head held high even after marrying a wife. How can he be trusted?"

"You did it yourself. You asked him to respect the elderly and give away the good things at home to others. Who would be happy to hear that? I think we should go to the street office and adopt a boy as soon as possible. I really don't believe that we can't raise him well."

"Let's talk about it later. Let me think about it."

The old man had a headache. It wasn't that he didn't want to consider adopting a child, but he had seen examples of adopted children who made their parents hate them. He saw it with his own eyes, and he was scared. He didn't really care about Jia Dongxu, especially after he found out that he was addicted to gambling a few years ago. This thing is no less harmful than opium.

But now it seems that he really doesn't have much of a choice.

Oh, I’m worried…