Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

Courtyard house

Yan Family

"Jie Cheng, wait a minute. I have something to ask you."

After getting home from get off work, Yan Jiecheng was thinking about going back to the bedroom to rest and think about how to get the money quickly. However, as soon as he entered the room, he was stopped by Yan Bugui.

"what's up?"

Yan Jiecheng, who had something on his mind, was a little impatient.

"I heard that Sha Zhu was punished?"

"The news spreads fast, Dad. Who told you this?"

"Don't worry about this, just tell me if it's true or not?"

"Of course. I was directly transferred from the kitchen to the most tiring foundry workshop for a year for labor reform."

Speaking of Sha Zhu being sent to the foundry workshop, Yan Jiecheng was very happy. He immediately became interested, pulled a stool and sat aside, and started talking about what happened in the afternoon.

"Brother, you are too boastful. Liu Guohao doesn't look strong. Can he lift someone up?"

"That's right, brother. I never thought that after just a few months of classes, you would learn to brag."

Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiekuang expressed their doubts. Besides, how much strength would it take to lift up Sha Zhu?

"Xie Cheng, how is your relationship with Liu Guohao?"

Yan Bugui's focus is always different from others.

"Dad, what do you mean by that? How is our relationship? I've been in the factory for so long, and I just met him today. How do you think our relationship will be?"

Yan Bugui had mentioned this matter before, and asked Yan Jiecheng to try his best to build a good relationship with Liu Guohao. He also wanted to, but he couldn't see the person and they didn't say a few words to each other in a year, so they could be said to be strangers.

"You can't do that. You've seen Wang Sigen. Since he hooked up with Liu Guozheng, he's made a lot of money and got married. Aren't you anxious?"

"Dad, what can I do in a hurry? Not to mention that I haven't met the right person, even if I did, do you think I would dare to ask him out to play? I have to hand over all the money I have except for the meal."

Yan Jiecheng was even more depressed when he heard this. He would be 19 after the Chinese New Year. He didn't have any good friends, not to mention his date. Why? Because he had no money. He never paid for meals and drinks. As time went by, people stopped inviting him to play.

"How dare you complain? I borrowed the money to buy your job. Don't you have to pay it back?"

"Yes, I have been paying it back, haven't I?"

"You... I mean you should find opportunities to interact with Liu Guohao more. Who knows, maybe you two can become good friends? Liu Guohao is also a rich man."

"Dad, how many rich people have you seen being friends with poor people?"

"Jie Cheng, stop talking about money all the time. Haven't you learned the ways of a gentleman's friendship?"

"hehe."

Yan Jiecheng became more and more impatient and didn't want to say anything anymore.

"Jie Cheng, you need to be more careful about building a good relationship with Liu Guohao. The same goes for finding a partner. Is there anyone suitable in your factory?"

"No, Dad, our factory is basically full of men, even if there are a few women, they are aunties. If you want me to get married, you should see if there is anyone suitable in your school, right?"

"Yan Jiecheng, don't you know your own worth? And you still want to find someone knowledgeable?"

"That's fine, I'll just be single."

"You...are you trying to piss me off to death? Once you've paid off your debt, ask your mother to keep an eye out for you and see if there's anyone suitable in the alley."

"Wait till the debt is paid?"

"Yes."

Yan Jiecheng was dumbfounded. He didn't have the confidence to get a regular job in one year. Now he had been moving raw materials in the workshop for half a year, and his master had never taught him anything.

"hehe."

After some calculation in his mind, he decided to go and ask for help. Judging from the current situation, he would not be able to get married for another four years. He could only find a way himself.

"I'm going back to the house."

The deflated Yan Jiecheng was about to go back to the house, when he heard Jia Zhang's scolding from outside.

"Silly Zhu, what do you mean? Where is today's lunch box? Are you going to starve my whole family to death?"

Jia Zhang pinched her waist and stood in front of Sha Zhu who had just entered the yard.

Sha Zhu suppressed his unhappiness and said, "Aunt Jia, I don't owe you a lunch box. If you are hungry, you can cook for yourself."

"Silly Zhu, stop talking nonsense. I just want to ask you, why didn't you bring your lunch box today?"

"Aunt Jia, don't just say I won't bring it today. I won't bring it tomorrow or in the future."

"Okay, Shazhu, you just want to starve us to death. How can you be worthy of Dongxu if you don't bring a lunch box? Do you still have a conscience? Did Dongxu give you a steamed bun back then?"

"Aunt Jia, I accept this favor from Brother Jia. Have I given all the lunch boxes I brought to your house over the past six months? Have I also repaid the favor of the steamed bun?"

"Bah, you idiot, haven't you heard people say that a drop of kindness should be repaid with a spring of water."

"Hey, Aunt Jia, you've even used the little words. Zhu Bajie wears glasses. Why are you pretending to be a college student?"

"You, silly Zhu, I will fight for you."

As she spoke, Jia Zhang was about to use her famous skill: brutal collision.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

"Didn't I tell you that Shazhu was punished at the factory? He won't have any lunch boxes for the next year."

Just when Jia Zhang was ready, Qin Huairu came out in time.

"I don't care. It's none of my business whether Shazhu eats or not. We can't run out of lunch boxes in our house."

Jia Zhang, who was being pulled by Qin Huairu, did not dare to pull her hard. You know, Qin Huairu was pregnant. If something unexpected happened, it would be too late to regret.

"Mom, don't worry, Sha Zhu won't ignore our family."

"Really? Qin Huairu, your words don't count."

"Aunt Jia, Sister Qin is right. If I have a stutter, I will definitely not let Sister Qin and Banggeng starve."

Sha Zhu expressed his opinion on the spot, now is the time for him to show his ability.

"I do not believe."

"Aunt Jia, what do you want me to believe?"

"Unless you give me two dollars first, no, three dollars, I will believe you."

"Okay, Aunt Jia, to prove that what I, Shazhu, said is true, I will give you the three dollars."

Everyone in the courtyard was dumbfounded. It was really just a wrong name, not a wrong nickname.

"Silly Zhu, I trust you this time. I'll see how you perform in the future."

"Aunt Jia, don't worry. Hehe."

Sha Zhu rubbed his hands, smiled foolishly, and looked at Qin Huairu.

"Mom, go back."

Qin Huairu turned around and left, ignoring Sha Zhu completely.

The smile on Sha Zhu's face gradually disappeared, and he thought to himself: I have disappointed Sister Qin. This won't do. I have to think of a way. I really can't stop eating this lunch box.

Jia Zhang went home, and the fun was over. Those who had watched the fun in the courtyard dispersed.

Jia family

"Huai Ru, do you think we can really tie up Sha Zhu like this?"

"Mom, don't worry. As long as you listen to me, I can definitely tie him up and make him give us a trap."

"Then you can't let him take advantage of you."

"Mom, don't worry. I won't let Dongxu down. No matter how hard it is, I will raise the children and take care of you in your old age."

"Okay, let's do this from now on. I'll scold Shazhu from time to time. I'll play the good cop and you'll play the bad cop. For the sake of our family Banggeng, you must tie up Shazhu."

"Mom, stop talking. I'm sleepy."

"Okay, okay, you have a good rest. I tell you, Huairu, you must give birth to another boy for my Jia family this time, so that you and Banggeng can support each other in the future. When they grow up, no one will dare to bully our Jia family."

"Mom, don't worry, I feel like it's really a boy this time."

"Boys are good, boys are good."