Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

The third aunt agreed, "You should tell your father." Then she asked, "Whose child do you think Qin Huairu is carrying now?!" Without waiting for Yan Jiekuang to answer, she muttered, "Why am I asking you this? You are just a young boy, how can you understand these things?!"

Yan Jiekuang replied: "Mom, I really know."

The third aunt looked at Yan Jiekuang curiously and asked in disbelief, "You knew?!"

Yan Jiekuang nodded honestly and waved to the third aunt. The third aunt leaned close to Yan Jiekuang, and Yan Jiekuang lifted her ear and said, "It's Yi Zhonghai's!" Then Yan Jiekuang told the third aunt about the several times he saw Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu go into the half-collapsed house behind the alley when he got up at night, and what happened a long time ago.

After listening to Yan Jiekuang's narration, the third aunt opened her eyes wide with a surprised expression, muttering: "I never thought that Yi Zhonghai and Qin Huairu were so bold?!"

Yan Jiekuang nodded in agreement, thinking to himself, "Jia Dongxu, Jia Dongxu! Should I save you or not? Forget it, I'd better not save you! Your survival is a waste of space and food. I just wonder if Shazhu will still feel wronged after Jia Dongxu is gone?!"

The third aunt saw Yan Jiekuang suddenly become dazed and asked, "What are you thinking about?!"

Yan Jiekuang replied weakly, "I'm not thinking about anything!" Then he changed the subject and added, "I was just wondering what Jia Dongxu would think if he knew that Qin Huairu was pregnant with Yi Zhonghai's child?!"

The third aunt sneered, "What can you think? This is not your business. Go do what you need to do."

Yan Jiekuang said with a bitter face: "Mom! You can't just burn your bridges after crossing them, can you?! I haven't eaten yet?! Do you want to starve me to death?!"

"I really owe you!" The third aunt glared at Yan Jiekuang and left the main room. Not long after, the third aunt came in with food and said, "Eat!"

Yan Jiekuang walked to the table and sat down, asking, "Have you and Jie Di eaten yet?!"

The third aunt replied, "I have eaten. These are for you."

A little after two o'clock in the afternoon, Yan Bugui came back. As soon as he entered the house, without waiting for Yan Bugui to speak, the third aunt pulled Yan Bugui into the room and told him about Qin Huairu's pregnancy. After listening to his wife's narration, Yan Bugui showed a surprised expression on his face and said, "This Yi Zhonghai is really amazing!"

The third aunt said, "Just ignore him. Yi Zhonghai will never admit that the child is his. Who is Jia Zhang? She will definitely use Qin Huairu's pregnancy to make a fuss."

Without waiting for the third aunt to finish her words, Yan Bugui sneered, "She's dreaming! No one is rich now. How can we squeeze out food for them?! But when Liu Haizhong comes back later, I'll tell him, lest he agree to this in a rush."

The third aunt then told Yan Bugui about Yan Jiekuang's return of the grain. Yan Bugui warned her, "Old woman, don't tell anyone about this."

The third aunt said smugly, "Do you think I'm stupid?! I won't tell anyone about this!" Then she asked, "I heard from Jie Kuang that the school is going to have a holiday again?!"

Yan Bugui replied: "It's not a holiday! It's because of the food shortage. The school plans to cut other unnecessary classes and only have Chinese, mathematics and ideological education classes. So students only need to attend half a day of classes."

The third aunt asked, "You won't be affected, right?!"

Yan Bugui replied: "How could I, a Chinese teacher, be affected? You don't have to worry about it."

"Brother, you're back?!" At this moment, Yan Jiefang's voice rang out from outside the door. Yan Bugui and the third aunt heard the noise and immediately went out. Yan Bugui saw Yan Jiecheng and asked curiously, "Jiecheng, why are you back today?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied, "It's because of the famine. The number of passenger trains has been reduced. I'm running from Sijiucheng to Tianjin now. I go back and forth once a day. I get off work when I come back." Then he asked, "Mom, is there any food at home?!"

The third aunt shook her head instinctively and replied, "Not yet."

Yan Jiecheng sighed and said, "I won't chat with you anymore. I'm going to go back to my room and lie down for a while."

When Yan Jiecheng returned to his own room, Yan Bugui asked in a low voice: "Is there really no food at home?!"

The third aunt glared at Yan Bugui and said, "We have already divided the family. Why do you care so much?! Let me tell you, I saw Yu Li selling off her food coupons a few days ago. Since they have so many food coupons, it is impossible that they are without food at home."

Yan Bugui muttered, "I really didn't realize that! They are a couple who really know how to make money!"

The textile factory works in three shifts. Yu Li was working the day shift today, so she got off work at four in the afternoon. A little after half past four, Yu Li returned to the courtyard. As soon as she entered the house, Yu Li saw Yan Jiecheng at home and asked curiously, "Why are you back today?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied: "Isn't it because of the famine?! The number of passenger trains has been reduced. I was transferred to the train from Sijiucheng to Tianjin. I make one round trip a day and get off work when I'm done. If I'm lucky, I can return directly from Tianjin and get home at noon. If I'm unlucky, it will be night."

Yu Li asked, "Have you made dinner?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied: "How can I cook?! Aren't I waiting for you to come back?!"

"Okay! Master, just sit down and I'll serve you!" After saying that, Yu Li hung her bag on the wall, rolled up her sleeves and prepared to cook.

Yan Jiecheng held Yu Li, looked outside, and mysteriously took out a can of luncheon meat and said, "I met an acquaintance in Tianjin today, and he gave me a can of luncheon meat. You can make some steamed bread later, and we can use the steamed bread to cook this can of luncheon meat."

Yu Li looked at the can in Yan Jiecheng's hand, swallowed her saliva, and said, "Isn't it too extravagant to eat the whole thing in one meal?! Otherwise, how about we cut the luncheon meat into pieces and eat one piece at a time, and have more meals?!"

Yan Jiecheng thought about it and nodded, "Although the weather is getting colder, this thing may not be able to be kept. So, eat one meal today and another meal tomorrow. Eat this can of stuff."

"Okay!" Yu Li agreed readily and said, "I'll go make steamed bread right away."

When Yu Li was busy mixing corn flour, Liu Haizhong came in from outside. Yan Bugui, who was waiting at the door, pulled Liu Haizhong aside and said, "Old Liu, Qin Huairu is pregnant again. Jia Zhang made a scene in the middle courtyard at noon. I guess she will come to see us in the evening."

Liu Haizhong was stunned for a moment and asked, "Why does she want to find us?!"

Yan Bugui replied: "They just want us to call on the neighbors to help their family."

Liu Haizhong's face changed and he said, "What's the situation now?! It's good enough that they are not starving to death. Who has surplus food to help them?!"

"I'm just reminding you. If the Jia family comes to you, don't be impulsive and agree to it." After saying this, Yan Bugui turned around and went back home.

Liu Haizhong looked at Yan Bugui's back and muttered, "What the hell is this?!"

"Second uncle!" Just then Jia Dongxu's voice rang in Liu Haizhong's ears. Liu Haizhong turned his head to look at Jia Dongxu, and without saying anything more, he walked straight past Yan Bugui's door.

"Why is he ignoring me?!" Jia Dongxu muttered to himself and followed Liu Haizhong towards the central courtyard.