Siheyuan: The Counterattack of Passerby

By this calculation, even if Yan Jiecheng had not found a formal job, he still had to pay Yan Bugui 13 yuan a month. He and Yan Jiecheng did odd jobs outside, and they did not have a guaranteed income. When there was work, they might earn a few cents a day, but there was not work every day.

In this way, the two of them worked odd jobs outside for a month. Even if they worked very hard and had a good time, they could only earn fourteen or fifteen yuan, which was considered good. If the weather was bad in a certain month, or there was little work, the two brothers would earn less than thirteen yuan a month. Not only did they have to give it all to Yan Bugui, but they also owed Yan Bugui some money, and they would make up for it next month when they earned more.

As a result, even if Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang worked hard for a month, they could only have one or two yuan in pocket money at most, which was not enough to buy economic cigarettes at eight cents a pack. They had to smoke other people's cigarettes all day long, not to mention having a good meal outside. It was like they worked hard for a month in vain, and all the money was taken away by Yan Bugui and his wife.

But now Yan Jiecheng suddenly found a job and had to move out to live in the factory, so Yan Bugui could no longer ask Yan Jiecheng for accommodation and food expenses. This suddenly left him with eight yuan less income per month. Eight yuan was not a small amount for him. If he calculated carefully, it was enough for his family of six to eat for a week or even ten days.

So Yan Bugui and his wife refused to agree on the spot and immediately objected in unison, not allowing Yan Jiecheng to move to the factory to work. Their reasoning was that they could eat and live in the factory, which was not as good as living at home. They demanded that Yan Jiecheng must continue to eat and live at home.

How could Yan Jiecheng not see what his parents were up to? He sneered and said, "Mom and Dad, can you please use your brains? Sijiu City is so big, and the agricultural machinery factory is in the western suburbs of the city. The road is not good, and there is only one bus. The factory is 40 to 50 miles away from our home, and it's a hundred miles round trip a day.

Even if I take the bus to get off work, I have to change buses several times. How can I go to get off work? What time do I have to get up in the morning to squeeze into the bus? In the evening, when I get off work and take the bus back to the city, there are no buses. How can I get back? "

Yan Bugui agreed when he heard this. After all, the city of Sijiu was not small, and the agricultural machinery factory was too far away from their Nanluoguxiang. The round trip was almost a hundred miles a day, and it was not convenient to go back and forth every day.

But when they thought of Yan Jiecheng moving to the factory to live and eat, and no longer having to pay eight yuan for accommodation and food, the couple felt so heartbroken that they could hardly breathe. At this moment, they completely ignored Yan Jiecheng's life or death, and kept saying that it was a small matter and could be overcome.

Yan Jiecheng rolled his eyes and said to Yan Bugui, "If you want me to live at home, that's fine. You can also buy me a bicycle. I can ride the bicycle to and from get off work every day!"

When Yan Bugui heard Yan Jiecheng wanted him to buy him a bicycle, he immediately refused and started to curse, "You little bastard, you're dreaming. A bicycle costs nearly 200 yuan, and you need a bicycle ticket. Where can I get the money to buy you a bicycle ticket?"

Yan Jiecheng spread his hands and said, "Isn't that settled? Since you don't buy me a bicycle, how can I commute a hundred miles to get off work every day? Aren't you making it difficult for me? If it doesn't work, let's go to the street office to talk about this. My workplace is so far away, aren't you trying to make it difficult for me?"

Yan Bugui couldn't take it anymore and raised his hand to hit Yan Jiecheng, cursing, "You bastard, how dare you talk to your parents like that? We let you live at home for your own good, how dare you talk to us like that? I tell you, if you want to live in the factory, there's no way, no matter who you talk to! Don't even think about it!"

Yan Jiecheng was really furious. He pushed Yan Bugui away and shouted, "Don't think I don't know what you are thinking! Didn't you hear that I want to live and eat in the factory and I won't pay you accommodation and food expenses every month? You are reluctant to spend the eight yuan for food and accommodation, and you don't care about my life or death. No matter how far it is, you force me to run back and forth every day!

Are you really my real parents? In your eyes, there is nothing but money. No wonder people call you calculating!

I tell you! I have to live in the factory today! I want to see what you can do to me!"

Yan Bugui was caught off guard by Yan Jiecheng's sudden resistance. Yan Jiecheng pushed him and he staggered and fell on his butt. When he heard what Yan Jiecheng said, he was so angry that he got up and jumped up, looking for something to hit Yan Jiecheng.

After Yan Jiecheng vented his anger and saw that he pushed Yan Bugui to the ground, he felt that he had gone too far. However, he would not wait to be beaten. He turned around and ran, picked up the bedding roll and lunch box that he had secretly prepared, rushed out of the house and escaped from the courtyard.

Yan Bugui grabbed a broom and chased after him, but he was, after all, a skinny old man who taught. He had always believed that the less he moved, the slower he got hungry, and he never exercised. Although Yan Jiecheng was also very thin, he was a big guy after all, and he could definitely run faster than Yan Bugui.

By the time Yan Bugui chased out of the courtyard, Yan Jiecheng had already run away with his bedding roll and daily necessities in his hand. Yan Bugui was so angry that he almost died. He turned around and saw his wife also chasing out, sitting at the gate of the courtyard crying and wailing. When the residents of the courtyard heard the noise, they all rushed out to find out what had happened.

Of course Lin Geng also heard the noise from the Yan family in the front yard. Before he could call Yu Li to go and see what was going on, Yu Li jumped up with excitement, pulled him outside, and urged him to hurry up to see what was going on at the Yan family.

Lin Geng thought to himself that he didn't expect Yu Li to like gossip so much, but then he changed his mind and realized that it was nothing. There was no entertainment at all now. Only his family had a radio, but there were very few programs that could be listened to. Life was really boring, so watching the fun and gossiping with others became a rare form of entertainment for the people.

So Lin Geng quickly took Yu Li's little hand and ran to the front yard, leaning against the gate like a monkey and watching the excitement in Yan Bugui's house.

Lin Geng also grabbed a handful of melon seeds and gave them to Yu Li, and took out a box of Daqianmen, and distributed them to the gentlemen who came to watch the fun. Everyone started smoking and eating melon seeds, watching the excitement in Yan Bugui's house as if they were watching a monkey show.

At this time, everyone in the front yard heard the whole story of the Yan family, and they whispered to the residents in the yard what happened. After listening, the residents in the yard showed contempt for Yan Bugui and his wife.