Siheyuan, Me and the Yu Sisters

He Daqing returned to the middle courtyard. As soon as he entered Shazhu's house, Yi Zhonghai inside stood up and asked

"Daqing, what does Zhang Renkang say?"

He Daqing sighed and said

“He agreed to take the houses and didn’t bargain.”

Yi Zhonghai breathed a sigh of relief and said

"That's good, that's good, this way the difference is less than a thousand yuan."

He Daqing sat on the bench and slapped himself hard, which frightened Yi Zhonghai so much that he stepped forward and asked:

"Daqing, what are you doing?"

He Daqing said with red eyes

"Old Yi, what sins have I committed over the years?"

"If it weren't for me, how could Shazhu become like this? Now the rain is also... ah..."

Yi Zhonghai said in confusion

"Daqing, please explain clearly, what's wrong with the rain?"

He Daqing said

"Zhang Renkang gave an extra 500 yuan, and asked that He Yushui be formally adopted by him at the street office tomorrow, and Yushui's surname would be changed to Zhang from now on."

Yi Zhonghai looked at He Daqing for a long time without saying anything, and asked quietly:

"You agree?"

He Daqing sighed and said

"What can I do if I don't agree? Shazhu needs money, and who will take care of Yu Shui in the future? It's better for her to follow Zhang Renkang than me, right? Bai Baihe will not agree to let me take Yu Shui over."

Yi Zhonghai sighed and said

"Da Qing, this is a good thing. Yu Shui is enjoying a good life with Zhang Renkang. If it were in the early years, how could Yu Shui survive? He still had to suffer, alas."

He Daqing said with red eyes

"I know this, but I feel guilty towards Yu Shui. I never took care of her since she was a child. Now I have taken back her dowry for Sha Zhu. Well, I won't say it anymore. I won't say it anymore."

Yi Zhonghai nodded and said no more. In his heart, Yi Zhonghai didn't care about He Yushui's life or death. Before liberation, He Yushui would have been sold to a wealthy family as a maid, or even sold to a brothel where her life was worse than death. If it weren't for the new society, who would care about her life or death?

He Daqing said

"Now I have collected 4,642 yuan, and I still need 308 yuan."

Yi Zhonghai worriedly said

"Xu Fugui might be difficult to talk to. If he refuses to agree tomorrow, it will be troublesome."

He Daqing said

"When the old lady passes away, I will give He Yushui the house. If he still doesn't want to, then we can just part ways."

Yi Zhonghai nodded worriedly and said

“That’s the only way.”

The two of them discussed the negotiation with Xu Fugui tomorrow, and Yi Zhonghai went back first. He Daqing thought for a while at the door, then took the iron box and two newspaper wrapped money and went to the deaf old lady's house in the backyard.

He Daqing said to the deaf old lady

"Old lady, I have already collected the money for Xu Fugui. Tomorrow, you can ask an old lady to help you pack up and move to the rainwater room in the middle courtyard. Do you have anything else to say?"

The deaf old lady sat on the kang and looked at He Daqing, sighed and said

"I am already an old lady half buried in the ground. What else can I say? Just find a way to rescue my eldest grandson and let me see him before I die."

He Daqing nodded, knelt down, kowtowed three times to the deaf old lady and said

"Old lady, I want to thank you on behalf of Sha Zhu. It's all because of Sha Zhu's unfilial behavior that you have to suffer."

The deaf old lady waved her hand and said

"Da Qing, your grandfather and I have been together for sixty years. I am almost ninety years old. I raised Zhuzi, and I treat him as my own grandson."

"Daqing, you don't have to think too much. I am an old lady who has lived to a ripe old age. I must rescue the pillar."

"Tomorrow, let the Yi family's daughter-in-law come over. I don't have much to clean up here. I will live with Yi Zhonghai for two more years and wait for my eldest grandson to come back."

After saying that, the deaf old lady lay down and turned her head away. He Daqing sighed, closed the door and went back.

At around four o'clock, Zhang Renkang and Yu Li took He Yushui and Yu Haitang out on their bicycles. The howling north wind made every household in the courtyard close their doors and windows and stay at home. Zhang Renkang took He Yushui, and Yu Li took Yu Haitang to ride to the Donglaishun section of Qianmen Street.

At the entrance of Donglaishun, the four people who had been freezing all the way put their hands together and exhaled when they entered the door. They slowly warmed up by looking at the hot steam in the house. It was already dark in Sijiu City at this time, and many diners at Donglaishun had started a heart-warming hot pot meal. Zhang Renkang picked a table against the wall and the four of them sat down. Zhang Renkang had brought Yu Li and Yu Haitang here before, so they were familiar with each other. He took He Yushui to order food

After a while, the hot copper pot was brought up. He Yushui was very surprised when he saw it for the first time and asked

"Brother Renkang, what is this? Why are you releasing water in such a small circle?"

Yu Haitang said with a smile

"Yushui, you don't understand this, this is the most famous hot pot in Old Sijiu City."

Yu Haitang excitedly pointed at the chimney on top of the copper pot and the big belly in the middle and said

"This is the paddle that controls the temperature. Look inside, this is where the charcoal is placed."

"You don't know, this mutton is so thin that it cooks in one dip."

He Yushui curiously stood on tiptoe to look at the chimney above the copper pot. The hot air made her eyes hurt. Zhang Renkang smiled and said,

"If you two think this is good, let's go back and buy a copper pot like this and cut our own meat and cook it in it."

When Yu Haitang heard this, she took Zhang Renkang's arm and said with a smile

"Brother-in-law, are you serious? Can we have hotpot after we go back?"

Zhang Renkang said

"It's not that difficult. We can just buy some charcoal and ask them where they got the pots from. Then we can just buy one and take it home."

Yu Li slapped Yu Haitang in dissatisfaction and said

"You just know how to waste money. Do you think you can do whatever they want?"

"It's OK to come out for a meal once in a while. How much does such a big copper pot cost?"

Zhang Renkang smiled and said

"It doesn't cost much. This pot is only about thirty yuan. Wouldn't it be cheaper to buy some hot pot at home instead of eating here?"

Yu Haitang said in dissatisfaction

"Sister, did you hear what your brother-in-law said? Are you still saving money?"

He Yushui also said excitedly

"Brother, are you really going to buy a pot?"

Zhang Renkang said

"It's definitely not possible today. We can't get it. I'll go to the factory and get off work early tomorrow, then come and buy some to take back. In the middle of winter, hotpot is still the best."

Yu Li glanced at Zhang Renkang coquettishly. This guy really didn't know how to live. He was too wasteful. She had to give him a good talk. How could he live like this? Everyone had to save food, but Zhang Renkang was different. He had snacks and canned food all day long. Not only did he eat meat, but he also had to eat it in different ways.

The waiters brought up the four plates of mutton and three plates of beef ordered by Yu Li and the other two. The thin slices of mutton dazzled He Yushui again. The four of them ate with relish and soon they were sweating profusely.

Jia family

Angrily, Jia Zhang looked at the corn paste and steamed bread on the table and said

"Qin Huairu, have you figured out a solution? How long will our family have to live like this?"

Qin Huairu ate the steamed bread and watched Jia Zhang swallow it slowly.

"Now either call Jingru back to see if there is any chance, or wait until He Daqing leaves and let Banggeng recognize Yi Zhonghai as his godfather. Anyway, you decide."

Jia Zhang took a breath and said, suppressing her anger.

"Bang Geng recognizes Yi Zhonghai, a man with a broken family, as his godfather. I don't agree. I'm still alive. Why should Bang Geng recognize Yi Zhonghai as his godfather?"

"Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing, these two bastards, deserve to be extinct for the rest of their lives. They will starve to death when the time comes. Why should my eldest grandson serve them?"

Jia Zhang is still brooding over the fact that Yi Zhonghai forced her to pay money this morning. This has broken Jia Zhang's golden body that only takes in money but never gives out. Yi Zhonghai looks so vicious that Jia Zhang is really afraid that he will instigate her to ignore her own grandmother.

Jia Zhang continued to curse

"Let our Jia family pay. Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing are conscienceless beasts who deserve to be struck by lightning."

"My eldest grandson is such a good person, but I can't let Yi Zhonghai corrupt him."

Qin Huairu looked at Jia Zhang speechlessly. In fact, she knew what Jia Zhang was worried about. If Bang Geng recognized Yi Zhonghai as his godfather, he would definitely take care of Yi Zhonghai in his old age and inherit Yi Zhonghai's things. Besides, she would not be afraid of this old woman making trouble, as Yi Zhonghai would take care of her. Jia Zhang was afraid that no one would take care of her and she would not be able to make decisions at home.

Qin Huairu was not in a hurry. At this moment, He Daqing and Yi Zhonghai were still busy running around for Sha Zhu. There was no need to rush for a day or two. Qin Huairu drank a mouthful of corn porridge and looked at Bang Geng on the side and said

"It's up to you. You have the final say in this family. If you don't let Banggeng recognize Yi Zhonghai as his godparent, then we can only try to get Qin Jingru back to see if she can succeed with Zhang Renkang. Of course, this also depends on how far Zhang Renkang and Yu Li have come. If Yu Li moves in, Qin Jingru won't have much of a chance."

Jia Zhang took a bite of the steamed bread fiercely, as if she were He Daqing or Yi Zhonghai, drank a mouthful of corn paste and swallowed it, then said:

"Okay, let your cousin do it again. I don't believe that Zhang Renkang will really turn his back on her."

"But let me be frank with you. Qin Huairu, our family doesn't have much food to support your cousin. If your cousin can't take down Zhang Renkang, I'll send her back. Don't meddle in other people's business."

Qin Huairu nodded and said

"Okay, I'll ask my uncle to take a leave tomorrow, and I'll go back to my hometown to bring my cousin Qin Jingru over this month. If it doesn't work out, you can send her back by the end of the month."

Jia Zhang nodded and said

"Row"

Qin Huairu continued

"Give me three dollars tomorrow"

When Jia Zhang heard this, she got angry and shouted

"Qin Huairu, what are you talking about? I'll give you money."

Qin Huairu said

"Of course. I don't have a dime in my hand now. You want me to walk back?"

Jia Zhang gritted her teeth and said

"Okay, just one dollar, if you want it or not"

Qin Huairu said

"Okay, one piece is enough."

Qin Huairu actually still had three dollars and fifty cents. She didn't want to spend her own money this time. Since Jia Zhang had already paid more than a hundred dollars today, what was the point of taking out a few more dollars? Qin Huairu was also curious about where Jia Zhang had hidden the money. She had only found a few dollars in Jia Zhang's pillow.

Seeking "Generation of Love"

Seeking "Generation of Love"

Seeking "Generation of Love"