Siheyuan: Returning from studying abroad, with extraordinary understanding

When it comes to free meals and the ways of the world, Yan Bugui knows a lot.

I remembered that I had a pot of wine mixed with water at home, which I could take over and give as a gift. As neighbors, there was no way they would refuse.

"Roast duck! I haven't even tried it. It must be delicious if it's from a century-old brand."

As soon as Yan Bugui recalled the fragrance he had just smelled, his mouth couldn't help but secrete saliva, making him swallow involuntarily.

My stomach also started to growl.

He couldn't help it any longer. He estimated the Lin family's dinner time and it was almost time, so he was about to go back to get some wine.

Yi Zhonghai's voice suddenly came from behind.

"Old Yan, have you eaten?"

"Huh?" Yan Bugui turned around immediately and saw Yi Zhonghai, Jia Dafu and Jia Dongxu, and noticed the piece of pork in Jia Dongxu's hand.

"Lao Yi, Lao Jia, Dong Xu, you are finally back! Oh, Dong Xu, what festive day is today? You even bought a piece of meat. It looks like it weighs two kilograms."

Jia Dongxu proudly showed the pork in his hand in front of Yan Bugui:

"Teacher Yan, two pounds and three ounces of fresh pork! Today I officially start working, so of course I have to celebrate."

"Dongxu, the steel plant has accepted you? What a happy event! When celebrating, the more people the better. I happen to have a pot of good wine in my collection. I'll give it to you as a gift. I wish you good luck in your work."

Yan Bugui thought about his two cents worth of wine and Jia Dongxu's two pounds of meat which cost more than two dollars, so how could he give up such a good plan?

He did not give up on the Lin family either. Both families had meat, and they could maximize the benefits by eating together.

If he couldn't go to one of the houses, he would pack up some food, after all, he was also giving a "gift".

"No, Mr. Yan, what are you dreaming of? The wine you collected? Isn't it just the rice wine sold at one dollar per pound from Zhang's Winery at the entrance of the alley? Moreover, half of your wine is mixed with water. I can't afford such wine."

"My pork weighs more than two kilograms and cost me almost two dollars. And your wine is not something that anyone would drink even if you gave it to them. You're dreaming about eating my meat."

Jia Dongxu is now an apprentice at Lou’s Steel Plant and has a job. Among all the young people in the courtyard, he is the most promising.

Normally, he was constantly instigated by Jia Zhang, and gradually, he admitted that he was the leader of the younger generation in the Siheyuan.

Now, he is young and has no job, nor does he have a background like him. He has long looked down on the younger generation in the yard.

Last month, hearing that the Lin family had overseas students made him feel extremely threatened, so he made many requests to his father to allow him to work at Lou's Steel Plant.

With a job, even if the Lin family has international students, he is still the leader of the younger generation in Siheyuan.

Nowadays, even if you are an international student, it is difficult to find a job without any connections.

He heard that some overseas students couldn't find jobs after returning.

Now he is the young generation of Siheyuan and the first young man with a job. He feels a little inflated and naturally looks down on other people.

What's more, his father is a master craftsman in a steel factory, earning more than 60 yuan a month, and he also earns 15 yuan a month as an apprentice. Together, his family has the highest income in the courtyard!

As the richest resident, he naturally looked down on others.

He had also been schemed against and suffered losses at the hands of Yan Bugui, but Yan Bugui was only an elementary school teacher, earning less than 30 yuan a month, less than half of what his family earned. Naturally, he looked down on Yan Bugui.

He had no request for Yan Bugui, so he spoke very aggressively, not giving Yan Bugui any face.

Yan Bugui was immediately angry when he was scolded by Jia Dongxu, but Jia Dafu and Yi Zhonghai were there, and the Yi and Jia families had a good relationship, so he couldn't get angry.

"You! Dongxu, how can you say that? My wine is not diluted with water!"

"Don't be so aggressive. Didn't Old Yi say that we are all neighbors and should help each other? Your entry into the steel mill is a great joyous event. Shouldn't we celebrate?"

In order to get a bite of meat, Yan Bugui spoke to Jia Dongxu in a nice tone.

"My happy event doesn't need you to come..."

"Dongxu! How can you talk like that? Old Yan is a teacher and an elder. Don't you understand respecting the old and loving the young?"

Jia Dafu interrupted Jia Dongxu and scolded his son, then smiled and said to Yan Bugui, "Old Yan, Dongxu is still young and ignorant. He speaks without thinking. Please don't mind it."

The Jia family, the Yan family, and the Yi family have been neighbors for more than ten years. Jia Dafu knew that everyone would live here in the future, and it would be bad if their relationships became strained.

"Yes! Old Yan, Dongxu was a little aggressive just now, don't take it to heart."

Yi Zhonghai also stood up at this time to speak for Jia Dongxu. He had not had a child for more than ten years, and Jia Dongxu grew up under his care, so naturally he had to help him.

Yan Bugui was immediately depressed. Jia Dongxu was impolite and he didn't scold him. He spoke to him in a nice tone. So how could you two let him off so easily?

After all, I am a teacher!

You say the child is ignorant and that the child is still young. He is already working, but he is still young?

In order to eat meat, Yan Bugui still put on a smile and said:

"It's okay, Dongxu is a child, I won't take what I said just now seriously."

"You, Yan.....mmmm!"

Jia Dongxu was very unconvinced. How could he not be angry when Yan Bugui wanted to take advantage of him? He wanted to scold Yan Bugui, but his father Jia Dafu covered his mouth.

"You little brat, don't you even listen to your own father?"

Jia Dafu covered Jia Dongxu's mouth, feeling a little angry. He had just given him a way out, but he still didn't know how to behave.

"Old Yan, you go ahead and do your work. I'll go back now and teach him a lesson so that he won't do anything wrong again. He's not polite."

After saying that, he ignored Yan Bugui and dragged Jia Dongxu into the courtyard.

"I'll go and persuade Lao Jia not to hit the child." Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai immediately followed.

"Hey! Lao Jia, Lao Yi, wait, let's celebrate..." Yan Bugui knew that they were making excuses to leave and wanted to stop them, but the two seemed not to hear him and walked faster.

Miscalculated again!

Yan Bugui looked at his thin body and did not dare to bring wine to the Jia family. Firstly, there was Jia Zhangshi, a shrew, who was trying to extort money from him. Secondly, the Yi family and the Jia family had a good relationship, and Jia Dafu and Yi Zhonghai were very strong. He was afraid of being beaten out, and even more afraid of being extorted for money.

The only option now is to go to the Lin family.

However, he was worried about being kicked out.

Wouldn't it be embarrassing if I were kicked out?

Thinking back to a month ago, when the Lin family was taken away for questioning, no one from his family went to help, and they all stayed away from everyone they saw.

Now that he has come to the door with such a thick face, he doesn’t know if he will be recognized.

Just as he was debating whether to go or not, he heard someone calling him:

"Old Yan, Old Yan, the meal is ready, come back and eat."