Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

Xu Damao was very busy during this period. He got up early every day to practice martial arts. After learning the fixed eight palms, he had a lot of experience, which encouraged him to practice every day. In addition, during this period of severe cold weather, when there were few tasks to send movies to the countryside, he went to the Palace Museum almost every day to participate in voluntary labor, and did not go home until 8 o'clock in the evening.

He was a little too busy to take care of Lou Xiao'e and her son, so he sent them to Lou's house and lived there every day. This routine of life did not stop until the New Year's Eve.

"Da Mao, why don't you go to the museum today?"

"Hey, the museum is closed for the holidays. Before I knew it, it's Chinese New Year again. I'm going to buy supplies and prepare for the New Year while there are still a few days. You and the children have had a hard time during this period."

"You're not just hanging out, so I have to support you. How are your studies going?"

"I have some feeling, but the museum rarely lets me see the real objects, so I just look for opportunities to see the things myself. But Xiao'e, you know what, I really have some feeling. With the comparison between book knowledge and actual operation, it is really the right way to learn. And sometimes I can watch the old masters repairing porcelain and furniture, and I can see the details of the materials very intuitively. It's the teachers in the museum who are generous and give me some advice. Anyway, I feel that I have gained a lot."

"That's good. I'll ask my dad to take you to visit the collection at home later. You can look at it as long as you want."

"Don't worry, I've just started learning, and I haven't even gotten started yet. Besides, it's Dad's treasure. If it gets broken, he'll be heartbroken."

"When are we going back to the compound? We have to go back for the New Year, right?"

"I'm going to go home today and clean up the house and buy some necessities, then I'll come and pick you up. We'll spend the 29th at home, and the 30th at my parents' house for a reunion dinner."

Three days before New Year's Eve, Xu Damao returned to Compound No. 95 alone.

Not only the third uncle Yan Fugui was puzzled, but also the little boy Li Yuanchao and Yu Li from the Intermediate Court were wondering where Xu Damao and his family of three had gone during this period.

Xu Damao answered that his mother-in-law missed her grandson, so she stayed with the child's grandmother for a while. He looked like he didn't want to do that either.

He would not explain to the people in the compound that he was practicing martial arts and learning about cultural relics. You have to know that although the situation is not tense yet, after all, if you have money to spend on antiques, people will doubt your motives. Only people in the circle can understand this. He hasn't even entered the circle yet, so how can he publicize it everywhere?

On the 29th day of the lunar year, Xu Damao took the mother and son back to the compound, and by the way, he also sent an old hen weighing more than four kilograms to He Yuzhu's family, and bought He Yuzhu a pack of cigarettes for the New Year, as a way of expressing gratitude to He Yuzhu and Yu Li for taking care of Lou Xiao'e's meals during this period.

The etiquette of the world is about give and take. He Yuzhu was not hypocritical and accepted it with a clear conscience, but he also gave Xu Damao a pot of braised meat in return.

Yu Li immediately went to the backyard and told Lou Xiaoe what had happened before New Year's Day.

As expected, Lou Xiao'e was very calm.

"Yu Li, Damao told me about this before I married into the compound, so it's not surprising. The main thing is that we are a little bit independent now, and the eldest uncle thinks that the problems between our two families are thorny and wants to straighten us out. We just listen to his arrangements. Ignoring him is the worst. We don't rely on him for a living. If we have no desires, we will be strong. At most, he has a bad relationship with us, but what can he do to me! Damao is right, we should close the door and live a good life, that's enough."

Yu Li nodded, and discussed the general arrangements for the Spring Festival with Lou Xiao'e, and made an appointment to have dinner together on some day, before returning to her home in the Central Court.

I bought a set of couplets from the third uncle for one cent, paper offerings to the Kitchen God, the word "Fu" and so on, and pasted them all up.

At noon on New Year's Eve, Xu Damao and his family of three went to Xu's house in Hepingli to celebrate New Year's Eve.

The year of having a grandson, the joy doubled, even Xu Xiaoling, the aunt, took out her own small treasury and gave Xu Jun a red envelope of 50 cents, but Xu Xiaoling still felt distressed. But then the sister-in-law Lou Xiaoe gave Xu Xiaoling a big red envelope of 10 yuan, which shocked Xu Xiaoling. It seemed that she had never held a 10-yuan bill in her own hands. Not to mention a 10-yuan bill, she had never even held a 2-yuan bill.

Father Xu also generously gave his eldest grandson Xu Jun a ten-yuan New Year's gift.

A home that celebrates festivals will always be blessed.

Xu Damao's change also changed the way of life of Xu's parents. Originally poor and calculating, Xu's parents changed their lifestyle after Xu Damao got married because the family's financial situation improved greatly.

Xu Damao has personal experience of this. Originally, Xu's mother was also stingy, but now she has improved a lot.

The New Year's Eve dinner at home was rich in variety, with chicken, duck, fish and meat. Lou Xiao'e also brought several kinds of fruits, including apples, Tianjin pears, and Cangzhou golden silk dates. These were specially prepared by Tan Yali for Lou Xiao'e to give to her in-laws.

The following days were as usual. On the first day of the new year, I went to Zhang Taihe's home in No. 88 Courtyard to pay New Year's greetings, and in the evening I went to Lou's home for a reunion dinner. On the second day of the new year, I went to the home of Chief Li of the Propaganda Department for a tour. On the third day of the new year, I rested at home and had a meal with He Yuzhu's family in the Central Courtyard. Xu Damao gave He Yushui and He Jianxin a big red envelope of five yuan each, and He Yuzhu returned a red envelope of five yuan to Xu Jun. The seven people from the two families spent the Spring Festival happily together.

On the fourth day of the New Year, Lou Xiao'e and her daughter went to the Temple of Heaven Park on bicycle for a day.

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Xu Damao had lunch, settled Lou Xiaoe, packed up the gifts he had prepared: two packs of tea, two bottles of wine, a pack of cigarettes, a beautiful tin-printed biscuit box, and a pound of brown sugar, and headed to Hu Tianhua's home in Zhuanta Hutong.

I didn't expect the Hu family to have so many people. Xu Damao thought to himself, if I had known, I wouldn't have come today. There are so many people that I can't get time to talk to Professor Hu. He really has a lot of questions he wants to ask Hu Tianhua.

Now that you're here, you have to go in.

As soon as Xu Damao entered the courtyard, he was seen by Hu Wanxi.

"Brother Xu, you are here?"

Xu Damao had really forgotten what Hu Wanxi looked like. That time when Hu Wanxi was surrounded by people, Xu Damao didn't take a close look at what Hu Wanxi looked like.

"You can't remember? Didn't you teach three thugs a lesson on Xishiku Street? Have you forgotten?"

"Oh, oh, Professor Hu's student, you should also wish Professor Hu a happy new year. Nice to meet you."

Hu Wanxi laughed and didn't answer.

Xu Damao went in carrying the gift, and was lucky enough to see Hu Tianhua sitting in the front hall.

"Professor Hu, I wish you a happy new year."

"Hey, Xiao Xu." Hu Tianhua had a better impression of Xu Damao after his little daughter told him about how Xu Damao saved her last time. Now Xu Damao came to pay New Year's greetings again, very politely.

Hu Tianhua was very happy and politely asked Xu Damao to sit down and talk.

There were guests at home, and many people came out to check.

Seeing that everyone had come out, Hu Tianhua simply introduced his family to Xu Damao.

"Xiao Xu, come, come, meet my family. This is my eldest daughter, Hu Shuxi, who works in the editorial department. This is my son, Hu Yuanxi, who now works in the Dongcheng District government department. You saw my youngest daughter, Wanxi, when you came here last time. I didn't have time to thank you for saving Wanxi last time."

Xu Damao looked at Hu Wanxi's strange smile with a surprised look...