Siheyuan: Walking the Path of Qin Huairu

He Yuzhu's vegetable greenhouse is very successful. There is no technical content in it. The first thing is to ensure the temperature, and the second is to let in light during the day. As long as these two points are done well, there will be no big mistakes.

Director Li took some time to visit the vegetable garden. The vegetables were growing well. The seeds of these vegetables were from Xu Huizhen's space. She planted them in the yard this year and found that the seeds in the space had a high yield and few diseases and insect pests.

Director Li patted He Yuzhu on the shoulder and said, "Zhuzi, you have worked hard during this period. I remember your contribution. You will be one of the advanced workers at the end of the year. I will recommend to Director Yang that you be promoted to deputy director of the canteen."

He Yuzhu chuckled and said, "Thank you for coming. It is our duty as subordinates to share Director Li's worries."

After the vegetable greenhouse was back on track, He Yuzhu started to go to Xu Huizhen's house to check in every day. He could buy coal, buy vegetables, do housework, and take care of the children.

Xu Huizhen was also very busy. She went into the space to take care of the vegetable garden at night and had to go to work during the day. Hu Yingzi was also working now, so there was a free helper at home, and it was quite convenient to use him, so she just let him do what he wanted.

Before we knew it, a year had passed, and the Spring Festival of 1956 arrived as promised, accompanied by falling snowflakes.

At No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, Jia Zhang saw other families busy buying New Year's goods and sighed deeply. Jia Dongxu was the only one in her family who earned money to support a family of four and had to go to the pigeon market to buy expensive food. Life was very tight. Buying New Year's goods? What should he buy? After thinking about it, she found Yi Zhonghai.

Jia Zhang: "Uncle, you know the situation in my family. Dongxu is the only one who has a ration. We can't afford to buy expensive food every day! The New Year is coming soon. You are the uncle in the yard and Dongxu's master. You can't just ignore us!"

Yi Zhonghai had been silent for a year since he was beaten by He Daqing. The wound had healed and he had forgotten the pain. Now he felt that he was back to normal.

He said, "Sister-in-law Jia, I will hold a general meeting tomorrow and ask everyone to help."

Jia Zhang: "Thank you, you are so thoughtful."

The next night, Liu Guangtian, the son of the second uncle, notified everyone in the front and back yards to come to the middle yard for a meeting. In the middle of the yard, there was an eight-person table with three chairs. The three uncles sat in a row, with the first uncle in the middle and the second and third uncles sitting on both sides.

The second uncle spoke first: "Ahem, everyone, be quiet. The Chinese New Year is coming soon. In the past year, under the leadership of our three uncles, our Red Star Courtyard was rated as an excellent courtyard. Of course, it is also inseparable from everyone's efforts. Next, we would like to invite the respected uncle to speak. Everyone applaud and welcome him."

There was sparse applause in the yard, and He Yuzhu curled his lips in disdain.

Yi Zhonghai first talked about some unimportant things, such as fire prevention and theft prevention during the Spring Festival, and paying attention to the hygiene in the yard, and finally turned to the main topic. He said: "In our yard, everyone knows that only Dongxu has a fixed amount of food, and life is difficult. The Spring Festival is coming soon. Our yard is a civilized courtyard. Neighbors should help each other and respect the elderly and love the young. I propose to give some money to the Jia family so that they can have a good New Year. If there are rich families with food coupons, they can donate some food coupons. If there are no food coupons, you can donate money. One dollar is not too much, and ten cents is not too little. The main thing is to promote the spirit of mutual help and love. In the future, no matter who has problems, the people in our compound will not sit idly by. As the saying goes, a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. As an uncle in the yard, I will take the lead and donate 5 yuan plus ten kilograms of food coupons."

As he said that, he took out a big black ten from his pocket and put it in front of the third uncle, who was in charge of keeping accounts. The second uncle said: "My salary is not as high as the first uncle's, and I have many children at home. I can't compare with the first uncle, so I will donate five dollars."

Seeing this, the third uncle took out a dime and said, "Our school salary is low, not as high as that of the steel mill. I have many children. I will donate a dime to show my appreciation."

There is nothing after that. Who doesn't have a shortage of food now? The food we eat is not oily, so we eat a lot. Everyone's ration is not enough, and ordinary families dare not eat to their heart's content. Donate food coupons? I'll donate a fart to you, do you want it?

Seeing that the situation had reached a stalemate, Yi Zhonghai began to call out names: "Zhu Zi, you are now the deputy director of the canteen. You just got a salary increase, and you usually eat in the canteen. You must have extra food at home. You should take the lead and set an example for everyone."

Thinking of Yi Zhonghai riding on his head and acting arrogantly in his dream, He Yuzhu really wanted to go up and give him two big slaps in the face.

But Huizhen said that using force to solve the problem is the worst option. He closed his eyes and suppressed his anger. He said, "Uncle, you mean that I don't need to pay for food coupons when I eat in the cafeteria, right? Then I am undermining socialism? If this word gets to the factory, I will be drowned in spit! Everyone can go to the cafeteria tomorrow to ask, I have to pay for food coupons when I eat."

In Yi Zhonghai's memory, He Yuzhu was a young man who was easier to deal with than his father He Daqing. He stood on the moral high ground, and he would fall into the trap if he was fooled a little. He didn't expect that He Yuzhu would change his nature today and even learn to quibble.

He quickly explained: "Zhu Zi, that's not what I meant. No matter what, your family is much better off than the Jia family. If you help the Jia family, their whole family will remember your kindness."

He Yuzhu doesn't want to have any connection with the Jia family now, lest he can't get rid of them in the future. He said: "When my father just left the city, my sister and I were hungry and almost starved to death. Aunt Jia never gave me a steamed bun. So I don't owe the Jia family anything. No matter how difficult their family is, it is much better than our situation at that time. My salary has increased, but I still have to support my sister and save money to marry a wife. But you, the eldest uncle, have the highest salary in our courtyard, and you don't have any children at home. Jia Dongxu is your apprentice. It's better to keep the wealth within the family. Why don't you take out a few dozen yuan to help the Jia family? Why make such a fuss? It's not easy for other families in the courtyard."

Jia Zhang was waiting impatiently for everyone to donate money to her, but she didn't expect this idiot Zhu to dare to jump out and sing a different tune. She was furious and immediately uttered foul language: "Shazhu, you are a little bastard who has a father but no father. You have no conscience at all. I am showing respect to you by asking you to donate some money!"

He Yuzhu laughed and said, "Look everyone, she is so arrogant even when begging for food. With this shameless character, no matter how much money you donate, she won't say anything good about you. Don't say I don't have any extra food. Even if I did, I would rather give it to stray dogs on the street. Dogs can eat it and wag their tails at me. Giving it to the Jia family is like throwing meat buns at dogs, it will never come back."

Jia Zhang was enraged. She cursed, "Shazhu, you bastard! You actually called us dogs!"

Then he rushed towards He Yuzhu with the Nine Yin White Bone Claw. He Yuzhu dodged, and Jia Zhangshi couldn't stop, leaning forward. He Yuzhu kicked her from behind, and she fell to the ground. Then she screamed, piercing the night sky.

Yi Zhonghai shouted angrily, "Shazhu, why do you hit an old man?"