Siheyuan: Yan Jiekuang's carefree life

"Mom! Where are you going?!" Just then Yan Jiefang came in from outside. The third aunt said, "Let's go to your grandma's house on the second day of the New Year."

"Going on the second day of the New Year?!" Yan Jiefang scratched his head and said, "It's meaningless to go. I won't go."

The third aunt said, "It's just right that you don't go. You can stay at home and keep Jie Kuang company."

Yan Jiefang said: "Jie Kuang is already this old, and he still needs me to accompany him?!"

Yan Jiekuang said hurriedly, "Mom, my second brother has his own things to do, I don't need him to accompany me. You, Dad, and Jie Di should go early and come back early. Nowadays, people in the countryside eat from a big pot. If you go, I guess there won't be anything for you to eat. I advise you to bring some with you so that you won't be hungry on the road."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Yan Bugui echoed several times, saying, "Old lady, let's take three 200g steamed buns to eat on the way. It will save us from going hungry." Then Yan Bugui showed a tangled expression on his face. Yan Jiekuang sighed and said, "Dad, don't be reluctant. It's just a few 200g steamed buns."

Yan Bugui glared at Yan Jiekuang and said, "You are the head of a household, but you don't know how expensive firewood and rice are. Don't underestimate the steamed buns made of two grains of flour. At a critical moment, they are life-saving food."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, I won't tell you anymore. It's useless to tell you. I can see that if my grandparents knew about your scheming, they would definitely tear open your coffin!"

"What are you talking about, you little bastard?" Yan Bugui pretended to hit Yan Jiekuang. Yan Jiekuang leaned forward and said, "Dad, don't just pretend! Come on! Hit this way. Aim carefully! Don't miss."

Yan Bugui raised his hand in the air, neither hitting nor putting it down. He just froze in the air. The third aunt couldn't help laughing and said, "Old Yan, I finally understand. You are being bullied by our Jie Kuang!"

Yan Bugui put down his hand and said, "What do you mean by eating so hard? I don't believe that a good son is born under the stick. In our family, we mainly convince people with reason."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Dad, before you hit someone, write the word 'reason' on the palm of your hand. Otherwise, how will people know that you are convincing them with reason?"

Yan Jiefang secretly gave Yan Jiekuang a thumbs up and thought to himself, "You are the best, Third Brother!"

"Okay! I can't argue with you!" Yan Bugui replied, looked at the third aunt, and said, "Wife, now that we are back from liberation, how about we have dinner?"

The third aunt said, "Wait a little longer, Jie Cheng hasn't come back yet."

Yan Bugui raised his wrist to check the time on his watch and said, "According to reason, he should be back by now. Is the train late today?!"

Speak of the devil, and he will appear. Yan Jiecheng walked in from outside just as Yan Bugui finished speaking. Yan Bugui said, "Jiecheng is back, let's have dinner!"

Yan Jiecheng was slightly stunned and asked, "What?! You haven't eaten yet?!"

Yan Jiefang replied: "I'm still waiting for you."

Yan Jiecheng said, "Dad, you don't have to wait for me in the future. I'll come back after I finish eating in the company cafeteria."

"Have you really eaten it?!" Yan Bugui asked Yan Jiecheng with narrowed eyes.

"I really have eaten! The food in our cafeteria today is pretty good. So I will eat first and come back later." After saying that, Yan Jiecheng pulled out a chair and sat down.

Yan Bugui said, "Since you have already eaten, we will not be polite. Old lady, let's eat!"

"Hey!" The third aunt responded and ran out of the main room.

Not long after, the third aunt brought the food. Yan Jiecheng looked at the food on the table and said with a smile: "I didn't expect that the food at home is so good after I haven't been home for a few days!"

Yan Bugui took the bowl from his wife and said, "Since you think it's good, why not have some more? Your mom made your portion today anyway."

Yan Jiecheng shook his head and said, "Forget it!"

The third aunt then asked: "Jie Cheng, when are you going to have a holiday?!"

Yan Jiecheng said: "How can we conductors take a holiday? Not only do we not have a holiday, but all our rest days are cancelled. In addition to the regular trains, I have to run two temporary trains. I will be back around the fifth day of the New Year."

The third aunt asked: "Where did you spend New Year's Eve?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied, "Of course I spent it on the train." Then Yan Jiecheng took out ten yuan from his pocket and handed it to Yan Bugui, saying, "Dad, this is this month's money, please keep it!"

Seeing Yan Jiecheng giving money so readily this month, Yan Bugui showed a curious look on his face and asked, "You gave so readily this month, did you make a fortune?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied: "I didn't make any windfall. But I got a permanent job ahead of schedule."

"What?!" The third aunt was shocked. She looked at Yan Jiecheng in disbelief, then exchanged glances with Yan Bugui and asked, "What's going on?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied, "I was lucky this time. I found a group of human traffickers on the train last time. I cooperated with the police on the train to catch the traffickers. I made a contribution, and then I was directly converted to a regular employee. I can now earn 35.5 yuan a month, plus some subsidies, which is almost 40 yuan."

Yan Jiefang said hurriedly: "Brother, now that you have been promoted, shouldn't you treat us to a meal?!"

Yan Jiecheng looked at Yan Jiefang with a look of disdain and said, "I don't have money to treat you. If anyone wants to treat you, it should be Jie Kuang. Right?! Jie Kuang?!"

"Me?!" Yan Jiekuang pointed at his nose and looked at Yan Jiecheng with a puzzled look. He thought to himself, "I was just eating and Yan Jiecheng made a weird comment about me. What did I do to offend anyone?!"

When the third aunt saw Yan Jiecheng passing the blame to Yan Jiekuang, she was immediately unhappy and said, "Jiecheng, we were talking about you, why are you talking about Jiekuang again?! Jiekuang is still studying, where does he get the money?!"

Yan Jiecheng said, "Mom! Stop covering for him. When I came back and met Liu Guangqi, he told me everything. Yan Jiekuang taught Dad how to operate bicycles and radios. According to our family tradition, if Dad doesn't give Jiekuang some benefits, will he obediently hand over his skills?! Do you think I'm a fool?!"

Yan Bugui sighed and said, "You can eat and wear well, but you will be poor if you don't plan ahead. I have planned ahead myself. Jie Cheng, you are wrong. There is no interest involved at all this time."

"I don't believe it! Jie Kuang is smarter than a monkey. If you don't give him some benefits, he will teach you the skills?! Even if you make up a lie, make it more convincing!" After saying that, Yan Jiecheng changed to a more comfortable sitting position, leaning on the back of the chair, looking at Yan Bugui sideways.

Yan Bugui said: "Xie Cheng, you have learned my calculations very well. I don't blame you for that. But you haven't learned how to be a good person from me. I'm sorry for not teaching you well."

"Isn't this script wrong?!" Yan Jiecheng muttered in his heart, and said, "Dad, don't try to be sentimental. I won't fall for it." Then he looked at Yan Jiekuang and asked, "Jiekuang, are you going to treat the whole family to a meal?!"

Yan Jiekuang asked with a smile: "How do I say please?! How do I say no?!"

Yan Jiecheng said: "If you invite me, I will. If you don't invite me, I won't invite you either."

"Okay! No problem!" Yan Jiekuang readily agreed and asked, "Will you take a break tomorrow?!"

Yan Jiecheng replied, "No rest. The bus is at 8 o'clock tomorrow night." Then he asked, "What do you mean?!"

Yan Jiekuang said, "It's better to do it today than to wait for a day. Let's do it tomorrow. You can choose between noon and evening. You can go to Quanjude at noon and I'll go to Donglaishun at night. Or vice versa."