Siheyuan: I am the Smart Pillar

Old Lady Long racked her brains to talk about the harm of adopting a child, which was also for her own good. If Yi Zhonghai and his wife really adopted a child, would they still care about themselves? Old Lady Long plotted against Yi Zhonghai, and Yi Zhonghai plotted against Jia Dongxu and Sha Zhu. This ordinary courtyard is full of calculations.

Mrs. Long thought for a while and said, "Zhonghai, if you want the people in the courtyard, especially the young people, to provide for you and your wife in your old age, you must set an example first." Yi Zhonghai frowned and looked at Mrs. Long, thinking that this old lady was really calculating. But the words of the deaf old lady had touched his heart. If he didn't set an example, why would others provide for him in his old age?

After thinking for a while, she nodded and said, "Don't worry, I will let Xiuying come to see you often in the future." Old lady Long nodded, and said on her face full of age spots, "Okay, okay, I knew that you, Zhonghai, are the most filial. What people lack most is a role model. If you two are filial to an old lady like me, others will respect you. I will also spread the word about your kindness in the neighborhood and will not let your help be in vain."

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai's old face finally showed a smile. He nodded with satisfaction and said, "Old lady, you are really too distant. I treat you like my mother in my heart, so you should be at ease." The deaf old lady nodded with a smile, snorted in her heart, and said, "What are you thinking about, you little thing? Do you think I don't know? You are playing tricks in front of me, an old lady who is like an ancestor."

The two chatted for a while, and seeing that it was getting too late, Yi Zhonghai said goodbye. Old Lady Long naturally did not try to keep him, so Yi Zhonghai left Old Lady Long's house. Aunt Wang, who was selling tofu, saw Yi Zhonghai holding a bowl and said, "Hey, Old Yi, what are you doing..." Yi Zhonghai smiled and said, "I'm just sending some food to the old lady. She's alone, so I chatted with her for a while."

Aunt Wang nodded and said, "Well, you two old people are the kindest in our courtyard. I have half a piece of tofu left today, how about I give it to them?" Yi Zhonghai smiled and waved his hand and said, "Old Wang, you have several children. Take this piece of tofu home and let the children satisfy their cravings. I am here for you, old lady."

Grandpa Sun, who came back from a walk outside, nodded and said, "Okay, okay, Xiaoyi, you are still a straightforward person. My sister-in-law is an elderly widower, and our families are very poor. I also want to give something, but we all seem a little unable to do so. Xiaoyi, you are a filial child, I think I should find Director Wang to praise you, so that these young people in the entire courtyard can learn from you."

Hearing what Grandpa Sun said, Yi Zhonghai's heart was full of smiles. This is the scene he wanted. I am filial to the old lady, but the young people in the courtyard are not filial to me. But he still said seriously, "Look at what you said, Uncle Sun. I just did a trivial thing. I dare not let the people in the street know. You two go first, go first."

Yi Zhonghai pretended to be very shy and ran away, leaving Grandpa Sun and Aunt Wang in the yard. Grandpa Sun nodded and said, "This child is really good, but God is blind. Why didn't he give this child a son?" Aunt Wang also nodded and said, "Uncle Sun, you are right. The old Yi couple are really good. If they hadn't taken care of Old Madam Long, I'm afraid she would have died long ago."

Grandpa Sun nodded and said, "Mr. Wang, you are right. Oh, you have a piece of tofu left today. Do you want to sell it? I just want to have a snack." Aunt Wang smiled and said, "The neighbors in the street are asking whether you want to sell it or not. It will be very strange if people tell others. Just take it and eat it. I will consider it as my filial piety."

Grandpa Sun smiled, waved his hand and said, "I appreciate your kindness. But I will never take advantage of the younger generation. How much is this piece of tofu? I'll give it to you according to the market price." Aunt Wang thought about it and couldn't refuse Grandpa Sun, so she said, "Then you just give me five cents, and I'll make the money from the labor."

Grandpa Sun nodded with a smile, took out five cents from his pocket and said, "Then I, an old man, will take advantage of you, girl." Grandpa Sun went back home with a smile, took a bowl, put the tofu in the bowl and said, "Oh, the tofu in your family is really good. I have been eating it since I was a child, starting from your father and your grandfather. I have tried all the tofu in your family, and this one still tastes the best."

Aunt Wang smiled and nodded, saying, "Thanks to the support of you old neighbors, otherwise our tofu wouldn't be so good. Okay, you stay here first, I'll go back first." Grandpa Sun also smiled and nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go back too."

Grandpa Sun returned home, took out a small bowl, poured half a bowl of vinegar into the dish, then added some chili powder and chopped some chilies. He then added a little soy sauce and stirred it with chopsticks. Then he cut the tofu he bought into small pieces and ate it while dipping it in the sauce.

He turned on the radio next to him, and the Peking Opera Sha Jia Bang was playing on it. Lying on the rocking chair with his eyes half closed, Grandpa Sun felt that life was really good. He was no longer afraid that the Japanese devils would suddenly rush into his house one day to burn, kill and loot, nor was he afraid that the Kuomintang soldiers would run into his house to steal money and food.

In Jia Dongxu's home in the middle courtyard, Liu Chunhua was sitting on the edge of the kang eating melon seeds, while Jia Dongxu was lying on a rocking chair. This rocking chair was a dowry from Liu Chunhua, and Jia Dongxu felt very comfortable lying on it. He squinted and said with a smile, "Grandpa Sun's home in the backyard has a rocking chair, and I used to envy it very much. I originally wanted to buy one for myself, but I kept putting it off until now."

Liu Chunhua said while eating melon seeds, "Isn't it just a rocking chair? It's very cheap in the supply and marketing cooperative. Jia Dongxu, how come you're only an apprentice after all these years? Can't you try harder? No, no, you must work hard. At least you have to be a first-level fitter. Then our family's living standard will be higher."

Jia Dongxu thought for a while and said, "Okay, now that I'm married, I will definitely not be the same as before. I will pass the first-level fitter exam as soon as possible, so that we can have a combined salary of 50 yuan per month. Chunhua, you see, in other families, men are the ones who manage the money, so when the time comes, the money..."