Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

The third aunt replied, "We bought a lot of things today. Jie Di and I made two trips to buy everything. We were lucky today. We bought some defective cloth and cotton at the department store. I will make a new cotton-padded jacket for you and Jie Di later. The quilt we are sleeping on should also be re-stuffed with some new cotton. I plan to add the remaining cotton."

Yan Bugui said: "My clothes are still wearable. Let Jie Kuang make them!"

The third aunt said, "I originally wanted to do it for Jie Kuang. Who made your son feel sorry for you as his father?!"

Yan Bugui grinned and said, "Who made our Jie Kuang filial?!"

The third aunt continued, "Jie Kuang brought back three pounds of gray wool today. Let me knit a sweater for myself."

Compared with the sweater, the cotton coat instantly lost its appeal. Yan Bugui said sourly: "Your son treats you well?!"

The third aunt suppressed her laughter and asked, "Why?! It's bad for you?!"

Yan Bugui quickly replied: "Not bad! Not bad! Not bad at all!"

The next morning, just after daybreak, Jia Zhang was awakened by Jia Dongxu who had gotten up to urinate. Jia Zhang greeted Director Wang and his family in bed, and then reluctantly got up from the kang. After getting dressed, Jia Zhang took a steamed bread that had been warmed on the kang last night and went out.

It has to be said that Jia Zhang had offended too many people. Usually they had no chance to deal with Jia Zhang, but now the chance came. After they came back from buying vegetables, they knew that Jia Zhang was assigned to sweep the floor on that road. After they came back to put away their things, they found some garbage and came to the place where Jia Zhang was sweeping the floor. While Jia Zhang was away, they scattered the garbage on the ground.

As soon as they left, Jia Zhang came back. Seeing the garbage everywhere on the ground, Jia Zhang couldn't hold it anymore! He cursed the person who threw the garbage and prepared to go home and lie down. At this time, the inspector came and saw the garbage on the ground. Even if the inspector was a fool, he understood what was going on. He understood it, but it didn't stop him from asking Jia Zhang to redo the work.

"Jia Zhang! What the hell is going on?! Are you trying to resist transformation?! If you don't want to sweep the streets, then go sweep the toilets!"

Jia Zhang said with a bitter face, "Comrade Xie, it's not that I'm resisting reform! I had already swept the floor this morning. I just went to the toilet, and when I came back it was like this."

Comrade Xie snorted coldly and pretended to be dumbfounded and said, "How is this possible?! You clearly didn't clean it up, and you still want to wrongly accuse others?! It seems that there is something wrong with your thinking?!"

Without waiting for Comrade Xie to finish his words, Jia Zhang hurriedly said, "I'll get back to work right away!" After that, Jia Zhang took the broom and started sweeping swiftly.

Seeing that Jia Zhang was sweeping quite diligently, Comrade Xie didn't say much and reminded her, "I'll come back to check in half an hour. If you can't finish sweeping, go sweep the toilet tomorrow."

Although Jia Zhang was reluctant, she still tried hard to wave the broom in her hand to clean up the garbage on the street, while she kept muttering. As for what Jia Zhang muttered, no one knew because the voice was too soft. Anyway, there was nothing good to say.

As time went by, the Spring Festival was getting closer. Students also started their winter vacation. The sound of firecrackers and children's laughter began to ring out on the streets. Yan Jiekuang rode his bicycle every day, taking Yan Jiedi everywhere. He took Yan Jiedi to play in all the places that could be played.

"Hey?! Uncle, you bought a lot of vegetables today?!" Yan Bugui had just entered the courtyard with a basket when he met He Yuzhu and his wife who were about to go out.

Yan Bugui asked: "Silly Zhu, where are you going?!"

He Yuzhu replied: "Where else can we go? Of course, we're going to the factory to work overtime. Uncle, we're in a hurry, so I won't talk to you." After that, He Yuzhu took Liu Lan outside.

"Uncle, please make way!" At this moment, Xu Damao's voice rang out from behind Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui made way, turned his head and asked, "Da Mao, why are you so embarrassed?!"

Xu Damao replied, "Uncle, don't mention it! The road was covered with snow, and I accidentally fell. Fortunately, the machine was not broken, otherwise, I would have to repair it now! I won't talk to you anymore, I'm going to go back and get the bath ticket and take a bath in the bathhouse."

Yan Bugui looked at Xu Damao's back, thought of Yan Jiecheng, sighed unconsciously, and went into the kitchen with the basket. When the third aunt saw Yan Bugui had bought the things, she asked, "Old Yan, how much New Year's money are you going to give to the children this year?!"

Yan Bugui replied: "I will give one point to the younger generation in the courtyard who come to pay New Year's greetings on the first day of the new year. I will give five points to our own children."

The third aunt said, "Old Yan, I have no problem giving a penny to an outsider. But isn't it too little to give five cents to our own child?!"

Yan Bugui replied, "It's a lot! Their daily food and living expenses are all paid by us. This five cents is their pocket money. I don't ask them to return it?!" Then he asked, "What are you doing?!"

The third aunt replied, "Prepare to make croquettes."

Yan Bugui said with some concern: "How much oil does it take to make fried meatballs?!"

The third aunt rolled her eyes at Yan Bugui and said, "It's not yours to waste the oil. When Jie Kuang came back yesterday, he brought ten kilograms of vegetable oil and two bottles of sesame oil. I wish you could be as capable as Jie Kuang someday. Then I won't have to suffer with you."

Yan Bugui said, "No matter how great Jie Kuang is, he is my son." Then Yan Bugui said mysteriously, "Old lady, I have been selected as an advanced worker. It will be announced after the Chinese New Year. Not only will my salary increase by one level, but I will also be directly enlisted. I am now rated as level 12 and can earn 62 yuan per month."

"Really?!" Auntie looked at Yan Bugui in disbelief and asked, "Old Yan, am I dreaming?!"

Yan Bugui said: "This is all thanks to the fact that I helped some of our school's teachers with bicycles and radios a while ago. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so smooth."

The third aunt smiled and said, "How dare you say that? If it wasn't for Jie Kuang teaching you the skills, how could you have been so successful?!"

Yan Bugui said, "Speaking of craftsmanship! Yan Jiefang is not a decent guy. When Jie Kuang was teaching me, he was secretly learning from me. He made a lot of money during this period."

The third aunt was stunned for a moment and asked, "Old Yan, will Jiefang be okay?!"

Yan Bugui said: "Fortunately, we found out early. I have asked him to stop this. Speculation is no small matter. If you get caught, you might end up eating peanuts. I don't want to see my son die before me."

The third aunt asked, "Count the days, is it time for Banggeng to come out?!"

Yan Bugui thought about it and said, "I will come out on the fourth day of the New Year."

The third aunt sighed and said, "It was hard to get through a period of peace. Now that this kid has come out, our courtyard is no longer peaceful."

"Dad, you didn't go out?!" Yan Jiekuang came in from outside carrying a cloth bag and bringing Yan Jiedi.

Yan Bugui asked: "What are you carrying?!"

Yan Jiekuang replied, "I asked someone to get the flour. Isn't the Chinese New Year coming soon?! Dad, you won't let us eat steamed bread during the Chinese New Year?!"

Yan Bugui asked with a smile: "Why?! Are you still not satisfied with eating steamed bread?! Then what do you want to eat?!"

Yan Jiekuang said: "My requirements are not high. I just want to have something good to eat during the New Year. Dumplings and steamed buns, that's not too much to ask, right?! But with the limited food in our family, if we want to have enough to eat, we have to find another way." After saying that, Yan Jiekuang handed the cloth bag to Yan Bugui.

Yan Bugui took the bag, weighed it, and looked at Yan Jiekuang in surprise. Yan Jiekuang smiled at Yan Bugui and said, "Jie Di, it's cold outside. Let's go back to the house. I'll tell you a story!"