Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

"Dad, Mom, today is New Year's Eve. Xiao'e and I would like to offer you a glass of wine and wish both of you good health and all your wishes come true."

In order to take care of Lou Xiao'e's parents, Xu Damao decided to celebrate the New Year together in a separate courtyard on Yandaixie Street. It was just right for eight people from two families to celebrate the New Year together.

Xu Damao made all the arrangements and prepared new bedding rolls for Lou's parents in the courtyard. They lived in the main house, and the heated kang was warm, as were the east and west wing rooms. On this great and festive reunion New Year's Eve, Lou Zhenhua and Tan Yali were very satisfied with the arrangements made by their son-in-law. After all, Lou Zhenhua was over 55 years old, and one could imagine how much he missed his family during the New Year. Xu Damao couldn't let the old couple spend New Year's Eve alone. But as a son, he was not happy to let his parents go to his wife's parents' house to celebrate the New Year. It just so happened that Yandaixie Street was the intermediary, and the place was big enough.

The two families had a particularly happy time on this special New Year's Eve, especially Lou Zhenhua, who felt that this son-in-law was capable and intelligent and worthy of cultivation.

Lou Xiao'e was even happier. How could she not be happy that her husband was valued by his biological father? You have to know that ten years ago, she, Lou Xiao'e, was at the bottom of the Lou family. How could her brothers and sisters from the main and second wives be valued by their father? After all, her mother was Lou Zhenhua's third concubine. It was also the rolling of history that made Tan Yali stay alone in the country. Only then did Lou Xiao'e feel a little favored. Although Lou Xiao'e also knew that she was still a bargaining chip for her biological father Lou Zhenhua, she married Xu Damao in order to find a balance in their family background. But she was very satisfied at the time. Xu Damao was not only very gentle to her, but also very strong. He seemed to be doing well in the unit. In just a few years, he was promoted from a worker to a cadre.

Moreover, Lou Xiao'e clearly felt that she was pregnant again on New Year's Eve. Her second child would be born in the near future. Xiao Huohuo had given her a backbone. A woman with a son had someone to back her up.

Xu Damao was drunk, and he took his son Xu Jun, who was dressed very well, and his sister Xu Xiaoling, who was almost grown up, to the entrance of the alley to set off fireworks and firecrackers.

This year was really interesting. At around nine o'clock in the evening, the weather suddenly changed. It started with a drizzle of snow, and soon it turned into heavy snow, which continued all night long.

Xu Damao woke up early on the first day of the new year and practiced Xingyi Baguazhang in the yard in the falling snow. Repeatedly, he drew the open space in the middle of the yard into a Tai Chi Bagua circle, which was very obvious and neat.

Lou Zhenhua also got up early. He inadvertently noticed that his brother-in-law seemed to have good martial arts skills. He waited until Xu Damao finished practicing several rounds of palm techniques and ended his movements before he applauded.

"Da Mao, when did you learn this?"

"Dad, Happy New Year, why don't you get some more sleep?"

"As you get older, you sleep less. Time is not forgiving."

Xu Damao went to the east wing where he lived, took out his cotton-padded jacket and put it on, then came out to Lou Zhenhua.

"Dad, what do you think of the current situation? Do you have confidence?"

Lou Zhenhua was very surprised by Xu Damao's question.

"Da Mao, why do you ask? Although I have donated the steel mill and other industries, I am still a shareholder of the steel mill after all. The new society should be getting better and better. Why do you have a different opinion?"

"That's not the case. But Dad, don't you think the policies from above last year were a bit exaggerated? I often go to the countryside. Last year, many places in the countryside built earthen furnaces to make steel for the country, and cut down the trees on the mountains. You have a say in the steel industry. Do you think this step is right?"

"Da Mao, what do you think?" Lou Zhenhua looked at this familiar yet unfamiliar son-in-law in surprise.

"Dad, I don't know about the rest. You know I was just a projectionist in the factory. By chance, I caught two spies. I'm good at scheming, and I got the favor of the section chief, so I was promoted from a worker to a cadre. At the end of last year, our section chief treated me as one of his own, and took me to the district training, and my rank was promoted to the next level. In fact, Director Yang and Deputy Director Li have their own ways. Although it is not so obvious in the factory, the struggle is everywhere, Dad, didn't you notice it? A glimpse of the whole leopard, Dad, you know that you are a big capitalist, and this fact will not change because you donated the factory and your daughter married a working-class son-in-law. Dad, you still have to be mentally prepared, and you must also be prepared in action. This matter may be a life-and-death struggle, Dad, do you understand what I mean?"

Lou Zhenhua fell into deep thought for a while, and after a long while he looked at Xu Damao seriously, "Damo, I know what happened, but don't mention it to Xiao'e again. If the situation really changes, I will make reasonable arrangements."

Xu Damao nodded, "Dad, let's go and have breakfast. My mom should be ready. I'll go wash up too."

Xu Damao went to the west wing and washed his face. After practicing several rounds of palm techniques, he was sweating all over, but he felt very comfortable and refreshed. Xu Damao felt that he had already begun to understand the basics of the fixed eight palms and was getting better. He clearly felt that there was a ball of internal energy burning in his dantian.

After finishing breakfast, Xu Damao took his son Huo Huo to play in the snow and used small firecrackers to blow up the snow.

In the west wing, Tan Yali and Lou Xiao'e were chatting.

"Xiao'e, are you sure you are pregnant again?"

"Mom, I feel the same way as the last time I was pregnant, sleepy, drowsy, and occasionally excited. Wait a few days, mom, accompany me to the hospital for a check-up."

"Okay, but you have to be careful these few days, especially when you are with Damao. You have to know what to do and what not to do. You are a mother now, not like a few years ago when you were still single and stayed at home as a rich girl."

"Mom, look at what you said. How can I be called a rich lady? In the past, Xiaohui and Xiaoxian were called rich ladies. What am I? I am just an ugly duckling. They are swans."

Tan Yali quickly covered Lou Xiaoe's mouth, "Silly girl, don't talk nonsense. If your father hears it, nothing will happen to you. They are not in the country now, what's the point of comparing with them? Besides, they are the legitimate daughters, how can they be compared?"

Before liberation, Lou Zhenhua had one wife and two concubines. His first wife, Liu Shuhua, gave birth to two daughters and one son. Xiaohui was the eldest daughter, Xiaoxian was the second daughter, and there was a son, Lou Yuanhang, in between. The name was really appropriate, and he really went far away. The first wife, two daughters and one son, were arranged to go to the United States at the end of 48. His second wife, Shi Yiping, gave birth to two sons, Lou Yuanjian and Lou Yuanyang, who were arranged to go to Hong Kong at the same time.

Tan Yali and Lou Xiao'e stayed in China to accompany him. In fact, this period was the best ten years for Tan Yali and Lou Xiao'e in the Lou family. Tan Yali could speak loudly at home, and her private money was increasing. Most importantly, she no longer needed to serve the main wife.

Lou Xiao'e was so bold now, which was beyond Tan Yali's expectation. She didn't want her master Lou Zhenhua to hear that she, an only daughter, was so unruly in front of him. In Tan Yali's eyes, Lou Zhenhua was her heaven, much more important than her daughter.