The Beginning of Siheyuan: The Pig Killer of Qinjia Village

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

This is Tianzao.

She didn't even go back home, but went door to door to notify the neighbors in advance and prepare to weave wicker baskets, etc.

But then she thought that there were still people she could appeal to, so she ran to the familiar shops nearby and talked to the shop owners, hoping to get more donations.

Who is Tian Zao? She is a well-known child king. Which shop would not give some face, especially for such a patriotic act? Most shops agreed and were willing to donate. The few who were unwilling did so because their business was really bad.

By the time she finished her busy run and returned to the yard, it was dark.

At the dinner table at Uncle Gui's house, Tian Zao said, "Uncle Gui, I'll ask my friend to bring a truckload of brambles tomorrow morning."

Aunt Li asked curiously, "Zao, why did you get a truckload of brambles?"

"Of course, it's baskets, dustpans and the like."

Uncle Gui asked in surprise. "Wow, a truckload of rattan. How many baskets and winnowing baskets are you going to make? Why do you need so much?"

Tian Zao explained. "Uncle Gui, you don't know that the government is preparing to launch a patriotic campaign to donate airplanes to the volunteer soldiers on the front line. I plan to exchange the baskets and dustpans I made for money and donate them to the volunteer soldiers to buy airplanes to fight the American imperialists."

Uncle Gui slapped his thigh excitedly. "Oh my, Zao, this is a great relationship! It's a great thing."

"Uncle Gui, you don't know that people from all over the country will donate money to help the volunteers buy planes. I have to help, although it's not much. How do you say it?" Tian Zao scratched his head and remembered. "Yes, I will do my best."

Aunt Li's eyes lit up as well. "Zao, you are really smart. This wicker basket is a business with no capital investment. It depends on your skills and your ability to endure hardship. You will make a profit no matter how much you sell it for."

"Uncle Gui, Auntie, I have already notified all the neighbors in our area. Once the rattan sticks arrive tomorrow, I will arrange for my brothers to deliver them to every household. But I don't know how to weave them, so you have to teach me."

"Don't worry, Uncle Gui promises that he will teach you in just one day."

Aunt Li nodded. "Zao, you are really thoughtful. All the older neighbors in our area who used to come to the countryside to make a living can make this kind of thing."

……

Siheyuan.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife left the hospital and returned home with disappointed looks on their faces.

Gao Shuzhen asked tentatively. "Old Yi, then do you think I should continue treatment?"

Yi Zhonghai thought deeply for a moment, then looked at Gao Shuzhen and said seriously, "Treat her. She must be treated. Didn't the doctor say there is hope? As long as there is hope, we can just try harder. If you really can't get pregnant, that's fate."

Gao Shuzhen heaved a sigh of relief. "Lao Yi, I asked the doctor, and he said that there are a few days every month when it is easier to get pregnant."

When Yi Zhonghai was examined, the doctor told her, upon her inquiry, that she was concerned about everything related to childbirth.

Even if Yi Zhonghai said it was incurable, she would still go for the surgery secretly.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes lit up and he said with hope. "Really? That's great. Shuzhen, you should take care of yourself recently. After the operation, we will give it a try. Maybe in those few days we can reach the normal pregnancy rate that the doctor said, and maybe we can get pregnant."

……

It is now the slack season for the villagers and they have nothing to do at home, so there is definitely enough manpower.

Qinjia Village,

By the evening, with the joint efforts of the whole village, a pile of brambles had been cut, filling less than half of a truck.

The remaining ones were divided among each household, taken home and soaked, ready to be dried tomorrow.

In other villages, under the propaganda of the village chief, villagers joined the ranks of cutting rattan and weaving, and the work was carried out in full swing.

At night, Tianzao

She was holding a notebook and writing down the shops that were willing to donate.

Li Xiulan walked in.

"Sister, what are you remembering?"

"I'm not thinking about buying airplanes for the volunteer soldiers, so I'll raise as much as I can. This afternoon, I visited all the shops in our area and mobilized them. Now I'm writing down the shop owners who are willing to donate."

Li Xiulan nodded. "That's right. If we add some bramble weaving, we can at least buy an airplane wheel, right?"

Tian Zao said with a smile, "That's right, even if I can buy one more screw it would be good."

Li Xiulan asked with a sly look in her eyes. "By the way, sister, how are you and Coach Chang doing?"

"What's wrong? He's my Kung Fu teacher, what else can I do?" Tian Zao answered casually, and then deliberately teased him. "Xiu Lan, you girl, are you attracted to him?"

Li Xiulan quickly shook her head. "No, no."

Seeing Li Xiulan's expression, it didn't seem like she was really into Chang Wei, so Tian Zao breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm telling you, the Chang Wei you're talking about is the husband of a good friend of mine in the study class at the municipal government, so don't let your imagination run wild."

Li Xiulan was disappointed in her heart, but she looked surprised. "Ah? He's married? I thought you guys..."

"What do you think?" Tian Zao rolled his eyes and poked Li Xiulan's forehead. "He can get married if he wants. It has nothing to do with us. But Xiulan, I tell you, this guy is really smart. It was his idea to weave and sell rattan for money."

Then Tian Zao whispered quietly, "Xiu Lan, your sister is also getting married soon."

"Sister, you and Brother Tiedan?"

"No~" Tian Zao waved her hands, showing the attitude of a little woman in love. "Before I met him, I always thought that your brother Tiedan and I were in a marriageable relationship. But after meeting him, I found that Tiedan and I were just family members, and we were siblings. I never had that kind of... that kind of... yes, the heart-pounding feeling I had when I met him."

Seeing this, Li Xiulan's lost mood was instantly pulled back and filled with joy. "Sister, when are you getting married?"

"Let's wait for him to come back next time! He is working in another city and should be back during the Chinese New Year."

Li Xiulan blushed and hesitated for a moment. "Then sister, can you match me up with Brother Tiedan?"

Tian Zao smiled slyly. "Xiu Lan, so you like Tiedan? What's so good about a stinky Tiedan? Okay, I'll help you with this."

……

The two of them didn't know that their conversation was heard word for word by Sun Tie who was standing at the door.

Sun Tie put the pastries in his hand at the door in disappointment and left quietly.

The next day, in the morning.

After Chang Wei closed his butcher shop, he drove a small truck loaded with rattan to the entrance of the alley where Tian Zao lived.

Tian Zao, with a group of children and Li Xiulan, was already waiting, pulling a few carts.

Seeing Chang Wei getting off the car, Tian Zao greeted him generously. "Brothers, call me Brother Wei."

The two boys took the lead and shouted, "Brother Wei..."

……

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