Siheyuan: Struggle in the Red Era

After the meeting, when they returned home, Hu Meihua twisted Chen Datou's ear and scolded him: "Did a dog chew your brain? So many people are silent, but you are the only one who is capable. We asked you to stand up and show off. Now, those three old gangsters are fine. Just wait and see how they deal with you."

Only when Chen Datou cried out in pain did Hu Meihua let him go.

Chen Datou rubbed his ears and said nonchalantly, "How else can they deal with me? I'm not one of those cowards in the steel mill who is suppressed by those two old men. They can deduct my salary or make things difficult for me. I'm really not afraid."

Hu Meihua slammed the table, "Yes, you can. You don't have to look at their faces to eat. You were really tough before. You didn't give them coal and vegetables for free."

Chen Datou said awkwardly, "It's because I saw that Xiao Li was good at scolding, so I wanted to scold him too."

"Can you compare with Xiao Li? You are alone, you have just been assigned here, you are still a technical secondary school student, and your family is all in the countryside. Those three old people can't find any handle on you even if they want to. What about you? Your son is still in elementary school, and you have to go in and out here every day."

Hu Meihua called Chen Guangzong over again and held him in her arms, looking him up and down: "Son, is there anyone who is trying to attack you now?"

Chen Guangzong held a white flour bun in his hand, tearing it apart while eating, and said vaguely: "There are none left this week, but they don't want to play with me."

Chen Datou disagreed: "If they don't want to play with you, why don't you find kids from other yards? There are plenty of other yards around. I don't believe that all the kids won't play with you."

Hu Meihua felt relieved that she was not beaten any further. Otherwise, she would have felt very uncomfortable after coming back with great difficulty to see her son with a pig-face.

After hearing what Chen Datou said, she also said: "When you go to school, bring some dried sweet potatoes with you. If someone is nice to you, give one to him. I guarantee that many people will rush to play with you."

After hearing this, Chen Zhaodi rolled her eyes in her heart. She thought that making friends like this was just a bunch of bad guys. Doing this was not helping her son, but rather sending him down the wrong path.

I was secretly resentful. The only things I could eat were hard and irritating steamed bread, and the only snacks I could give to my son were sweet dried sweet potatoes. No, I had to think of a way. It was too depressing to live like this.

However, it was already very late after the meeting, and seeing her youngest son squinting his eyes while eating steamed buns, Hu Meihua asked Chen Zhaodi to do something.

"Hurry up, go boil some water, add some water, and wash your brother so he can go to bed. You are so tired after working so hard all day."

Chen Zhaodi had no choice but to go boil water. She wished the time would pass quickly so that she could find out the mystery of her life as soon as possible and take revenge.

The next afternoon, Chen Zhaodi took the opportunity to run out again, changed a small stone mill, bought some oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, and hurried home.

After making dinner in the evening, I waited for Chen Datou and his son to come back, but no matter how long I waited, they never came back. I became impatient and went to the central courtyard.

I saw a circle of people gathered in front of the west wing of the central courtyard. Chen Datou and his son were also inside, watching with great interest. Even He Yushui, who seldom got involved in what was happening in the courtyard, was standing outside watching the fun. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong were standing at the door of the east wing watching.

"Brother Li, is what Qin Huairu said true? Your family ate meat again today. Where did you get the meat? We didn't see you buy meat today." Aunt Jin in the front yard asked suspiciously.

Liu Sanya also said affirmatively: "That's right, I was at home all day today and didn't see you buy meat. Where did you get this meat?"

Xiao Li said angrily: "Whatever Qin Huairu said is true. I also said that they hid a gold ring at home and Jia Zhang saved at least 800 yuan."

Liu Gen's mother said, "Jia Dongxu has just been promoted to junior fitter, how much money can he make? Even if Qin Huairu and her mother-in-law have food to eat, Jia Zhang is so greedy that she always goes out to buy roast chicken. How can she save money? It is impossible for her to have so much savings."

One boy shouted, "That's right, Granny Jia always buys roast chicken for us to eat, it's so delicious."

Jia Zhang was anxious and ran out shouting, "Who said I bought roast chicken? How could my family afford to buy roast chicken? Whoever said that is nonsense, I will tear his mouth apart."

Someone else said, "Hey, Jia Zhang, you always go to the roast chicken shop in Zhima Hutong to buy roast chicken, and eat all the roast chicken there. People in the next yard have seen it and have told us more than once."

"Otherwise, how could you, Jia Zhang, grow so fat." Someone added, making everyone jealous.

In this era, being fat means having money and being wealthy.

But usually the Jia family always cries poor in the yard. Just now, Qin Huairu was crying poor and didn't want to pay Xiao Li back for the meat.

Xiao Li said, "Right, the people of the Jia family are full of lies. They like to take things from neighbors when they are not at home and never return them. You should be more careful in the future. I locked the door yesterday."

This sentence is very destructive.

Although everyone is not rich, the things in the house are all bought slowly by saving up pennies, and they would be heartbroken if any of them were lost.

Now everyone realized that yesterday, the Jia family broke into Xiao Li's house and stole his meat.

Yesterday, everyone's attention was diverted because Xiao Li was making a fuss about reporting to the police and making a fuss about the Third Uncle deceiving the compound. Now that Xiao Li brought it up, everyone's eyes turned unfriendly.

These days, everyone really hates thieves.

Qin Huairu burst into tears: "I'm sorry, everyone. I know I shouldn't have gone to Xiao Li's house to take two plates of meat when I went to our house yesterday, but Xiao Li's family eats precious meat every day. We really smell it every day. We smell it too much and we really can't stand it anymore."

She raised her head and looked at the people around her: "I was supposed to pay it back today, but my family really has no money, so I thought about discussing with Brother Li whether I could pay it back a few days later, until Dongxu gets his salary. But I didn't expect that I smelled the aroma of beef from Brother Li's house again, and Banggeng, the disobedient child, started making trouble again."

Some people wondered: "Why did the Jia family smell something? Didn't the other families in the Central Courtyard smell it?"

"Hey, look at the central courtyard. There is only one Jia family in the west wing. There is a moon gate in front. The main room, the side room and the east wing are all very far away."

"What about your house, Liu Gen Niang? Your house is located in the west wing of the hall, not far from the south room of the west wing of the central courtyard."

"Oh, I really didn't smell it."

Everyone looked at Qin Huairu suspiciously for a moment.

Xiao Li sneered, stood there with his arms folded, watching Qin Huairu's performance.

He learned his lesson today and only came out after eating. There was no trace at all in the house and no one could find any clues no matter how hard they looked.

Aunt Wang suddenly took two steps forward, moved closer to Xiao Li, sniffed hard, took a deep breath, and said intoxicatedly, "It smells like beef, and it's stewed with potatoes. It smells really good."

When the others heard this, they also became agitated. A few of the thick-skinned ones came over, grabbed Xiao Li's clothes, and followed him to smell it. Then, a few more people shouted, "It smells like beef. Yes, it is indeed stewed beef."

Xiao Li was attacked by Aunt Wang so suddenly that before he could break free, he was surrounded by others and grabbed by his clothes. He was so anxious that sweat broke out on his head and he kept saying, "Let go, let go, you smelled it wrong."

Qin Huairu said: "I really wasn't lying, Brother Li really ate beef."

Aunt Wang also said dissatisfiedly: "My nose is the most sensitive. If I say it is beef, it is beef."

Xiao Li finally broke free, took two steps back, looked at everyone warily, and changed the topic: "Who goes to eat hot pot without getting the smell on their clothes?"

People didn't quite believe that Xiao Li had stewed beef at home. After all, no one saw him bring beef back, and the stewed beef was so fragrant, but no one could smell it.

If you eat outside, it is possible that the smell will get on your clothes.

Qin Huairu said quietly, "You just changed into this dress this morning, right?"

Xiao Li really hated Qin Huairu at this moment. If anyone told him that he must marry Thirteenth Aunt when they were together, he would spray salt soda in his face.

He said angrily: "I wish someone would wash my clothes every day. If I don't change them every day to get rid of the smell, how can I wear them?"

In this winter, no one would change or wash clothes every day. Those who love cleanliness but don't want to wash clothes, if one piece of clothing is dirty, they will change it for another one that is not too dirty.

Everyone looked at each other, not knowing whether to believe what Xiao Li said, but the seeds of doubt were planted after all.