Siheyuan: I am the Smart Pillar

Qin Huairu made a cup of tea for Liu Chunhua, while He Yushui went to play with the children in the yard. He Yuzhu was not at home tonight, so the two women chatted with each other. Qin Huairu sighed and said, "Chunhua, what do you think of these people in our courtyard?"

After thinking for a while, Liu Chunhua shook her head and said, "I feel that few of these people in the courtyard are normal. Especially the man named Yi Zhonghai, I feel that he is a little too serious. He talks about morality all the time, but the things he does, I feel, have nothing to do with these four words."

"Especially his disciple Jia Dongxu. I feel that I overestimate him a bit by using the phrase rotten mud that cannot be helped against a wall. That person is simply, simply a hopeless Liu Adou who relies on his master alone."

Qin Huairu nodded and said, "Chunhuaer, you are right. In my opinion, these people in the courtyard have their own plans. These people in the courtyard are not stupid, but very smart. But because they are very smart, I feel that some of them are too smart for their own good...."

Old Lady Long walked around the courtyard for a long time. The neighbors in the courtyard avoided her as if she were a plague god. But they thought too much. Old Lady Long was very picky about food. It was the early years of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and the living conditions of each household were not very good. Those who could afford to eat Wowotou were already very good.

Being able to afford white flour was a privilege only enjoyed by officials or people with money. Old Lady Long would definitely look down on the food of most families in the courtyard. When she walked to the backyard, she wrinkled her nose, and a faint aroma of fried eggs came from between her bangs.

Fried eggs can be considered a meat dish these days. Old Mrs. Long smiled and walked directly to the door of Liu Haizhong's house. Liu Haizhong wanted to drink some wine and eat some eggs, but he didn't expect that there would be a knock on the door just as he picked up the chopsticks.

In order to prevent Liu Haizhong in the house from finishing the eggs, Old Lady Long shouted at the door, "Oh, Haizhong. Old Lady, I'm hungry. I smell the fragrance of fried eggs in your house. I want to eat some fried eggs." A large group of people immediately gathered in the backyard, and many people came to watch the fun.

Liu Haizhong's face was so dark in the room. The two brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu beside him swallowed their saliva and looked at their father and said, "Dad, let's ignore that old thing and let's eat quickly." There were not many things to eat in the house. If they really let that old thing, Mrs. Long, in, wouldn't the two brothers have less to eat tonight?

Liu Haizhong slapped each of his two sons on the head and said with a sullen face, "Get lost, your father will be the head of the courtyard in the future, and the position of workshop director of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill will be mine. If the leaders in the factory know that I have done such a thing, will I still be an official in the future?"

Liu Haizhong's eyes were red, and he felt that his two sons were as stupid as pigs. Liu Guangtian rubbed his head, smiling, but in his heart he was still holding Liu Haizhong in his mind. Liu Haizhong didn't know that his son was holding a grudge against him, and said to his wife Wu Cuihua, "Hurry up and call this old man in. What should we do if this old man says something he shouldn't say again?"

Wu Cuihua said unhappily, "Old man, why do we care about so many trivial matters? Old Madam Long is supported by Yi Zhonghai and his wife, it is none of our business." Liu Haizhong said helplessly, "It's just a meal. Yi Zhonghai and his wife went back to their hometown today, and they also called Yan Fugui's stingy old man. I am the only one in charge of the courtyard, if I don't take care of it, who will? Stop talking nonsense and call that old man in quickly."

Wu Cuihua sighed, put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands, and went to open the door to bring in Old Lady Long. Old Lady Long walked in slowly with a cane in one hand, smiling and said, "Haizhong, old lady, I don't have any food tonight. I'll stay at your house for one night. Is that okay?"

Would Liu Haizhong dare to say no? Although he was a bit stupid, he knew the importance of people's livelihood in this era. He nodded and said, "Look at what you said, old lady, you should come to our house tonight for dinner. Cuihua, quickly add another set of bowls and chopsticks for the old lady. Come on, old lady, take a seat quickly. You two little beasts are still sitting there like corpses. Why don't you help the old lady over here?"

The Liu Guangtian brothers were shocked. When their father beat them, he was very cruel. The Liu Guangtian brothers were traumatized by Liu Haizhong's beating. They helped the old lady over. Old Lady Long narrowed her eyes and didn't say anything. She sat down at the place where he beat her and ate slowly.

Liu Haizhong's family's dinner was quite good. A large plate of eggs, a plate of pickled vegetables, and a few steamed buns were the family's dinner. The steamed buns in Liu Haizhong's family were naturally not as hard as those in He Yuzhu's family. Although Mrs. Long still didn't like to eat them, compared to being hungry, she still gritted her teeth and ate a few steamed buns.

The old lady's appetite was very good, much better than that of the average elderly. This made Wu Cuihua very distressed. The old lady ate so many steamed buns that Wu Cuihua was not full at all. But these days, there is no such thing as extra meals. The amount of food prepared for each meal is fixed. If the amount of this meal is exceeded, they will definitely go hungry for the next meal. He could only purse his lips and look at the old lady with some resentment.