Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

In a corner of Beijing gently touched by time, the courtyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang lies quietly in the afternoon sun, like an old woman who has experienced vicissitudes of life but still retains her charm. Every brick and tile hides countless stories. On this day, a young man of medium build, carrying an old cloth bag on his shoulder, hurriedly stepped into this alley full of historical atmosphere with a bit of anxiety and expectation in his eyes.

His eyes swept across the mottled wall, and finally stopped at a slightly old house number - "Nanluoguxiang No. 95". After confirming that it was correct, he took a deep breath, as if to encourage himself for the next move, and then walked into the courtyard.

In the yard, an old man with gray hair and hunched body is carefully tending the flowers and plants in the yard. He is Yan Bugui, known as "Uncle San". His eyes are sharp, as if he can see through people's hearts, and he is vigilant to everyone who sets foot on this land.

"Hello, uncle! Are you calling No. 95, Nanluoguxiang?" the young man asked politely, with a barely perceptible tremor in his voice.

Yan Bugui raised his head, squinted his eyes and looked at the young man in front of him, then started his "interrogation mode": "Oh, yes, who are you looking for?"

"I'm here to see my aunt Zhang Xiaomei and my cousin Jia Dongxu." The young man answered sincerely and eagerly.

After some detailed questioning, Yan Bugui finally put aside his doubts, nodded, and motioned him to follow him. Passing through the winding corridor, they came to the east wing of the central courtyard, where lived Jia Zhang, a ferocious but strong old man.

The door creaked open, and the young man saw Jia Zhang sitting on the edge of the kang. At that moment, all his strength seemed to collapse in an instant. He fell to his knees with a plop, tears rolling down like beads from a broken string: "Aunt, I... my family is short of food, grandma, grandma is starving, I... I'm here to take you home and see the old lady for the last time!"

When Jia Zhang heard this, a flash of surprise flashed in her eyes, and then she was deeply moved. She hurried forward and wanted to help the nephew who suddenly appeared, with a choked voice: "Child, get up quickly, get up quickly! Is your grandma starving? How could this happen? Although my life is tight, I haven't yet abandoned my mother."

The young man wiped his tears while telling her about his family's difficulties and his mother's worries. Jia Zhang felt mixed emotions after hearing this. She knew that her nephew would not have come all the way here if it was not a last resort.

"Good boy, don't be afraid, your aunt is here. Your grandma will be fine!" Jia Zhang comforted her, but she had already started to think about how to solve the problem at hand. She thought of Liu Yi, a kind-hearted and helpful young man who lived not far away.

So, Jia Zhang brought her nephew to Liu Yi's house and knocked gently. After the door opened, Jia Zhang explained her purpose. Liu Yi did not hesitate and immediately agreed to help. He turned and walked into the house, and took out 30 kilograms of Fuqiang flour and 100 kilograms of corn flour from his own granary. These heavy grains seemed to be the best interpretation of his neighborly love.

"Aunt Zhang, you're welcome. We are old neighbors, and it's only natural for us to help each other." Liu Yi's words were warm and firm, making people feel extremely relieved. A warm current surged in the hearts of Jia Zhang and the young man, and they felt the kindness and support from their neighbors.

As the sun sets, the afterglow shines on the roof of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, casting a golden glow. The courtyard is filled with a warm atmosphere, and a sudden predicament is no longer so insurmountable because of the warmth and mutual help between people.

The young man carried the heavy food on his shoulders, his heart filled with gratitude and hope. He knew that no matter how difficult the road ahead was, as long as there was love, there would be the strength to move forward. In this small courtyard, the friendship between neighbors was like sunshine, warming everyone's heart.

After thanking Liu Yi, the young man and Jia Zhang moved the grain back home. Along the way, Jia Zhang praised Liu Yi's good deeds and told the young man to be as kind and helpful as Liu Yi in the future.

When the young man's mother saw so much food, she was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. She held Jia Zhang's hand tightly and thanked her repeatedly. Jia Zhang just smiled and said, "This is all a little kindness from the neighbors. It's only natural for everyone to help each other." That night, Jia Zhang's family had a sumptuous dinner, and they were grateful.

Jia Zhang's nephews and nieces devoured the food with happy smiles on their faces. Jia Zhang felt warm in her heart as she watched them. However, she knew that this was only a temporary solution and that she would need more food to make a living in the future.

The next day, Jia Zhang got up early and prepared to look for other ways. She thought of the market in the city, where there might be some cheap food to buy. So she took a few bamboo baskets and set off for the market.

The market was bustling with people. Jia Zhang took a look around and found that the prices of grains were much higher than usual. She was secretly anxious, but she still tried hard to find a suitable seller.

Just when she was almost desperate, a strange voice came into her ears: "Auntie, are you looking for food?" Jia Zhang looked up and saw a middle-aged man looking at her with a smile. The man claimed to be a farmer from a neighboring village and had some extra food at home that he was willing to sell to her at a low price.

Jia Zhang was delighted when she heard this. She quickly followed the man to look at the grain. As expected, the man's grain was of good quality and the price was very fair. Jia Zhang happily bought a large amount of grain and filled several bamboo baskets.

Carrying the heavy food, Jia Zhang staggered back home. Although she was physically tired, she felt particularly relaxed. She knew that the food was enough to support the family for a while.