Love in the Siheyuan: Starting from Jia Dongxu

"Oh my god, don't call people Shazhu anymore, call them Zhuzi." Jia Dongxu said, looking at Jia Zhangshi.

"You don't let Zhuzi cook. Doesn't the master like the food you cook? And the cook has to prepare the oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar himself. You think you're getting a great deal! And we're staying at his house."

"Hey, kid, didn't you grow up eating the food your mother cooked?" Jia Zhang glared at Jia Dongxu with dissatisfaction.

"Mom, I think it's almost time. We should go toast to Master Lei, pay the deposit, and then give each of us a pack of cigarettes."

"We'll eat some with Zhuzi Yushui later."

Seeing that her son was better at arranging things than his father, Jia Zhang smiled and said, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say. He looks much better than your father!"

Jia Dongxu brought the parents to the dining table, picked up the bottle, and poured himself a glass of wine. "Director Wang and Master Lei have neglected you today. I will punish myself with a glass of wine."

After saying that, he drank it in one gulp. At this time, the wine was brewed from pure grains and tasted quite smooth.

After drinking, he took out 200 yuan and said, "Master Lei, this is a 200 yuan deposit. Please take it. We will pay the balance together after we finish the work."

Master Lei took the money, counted it, wrote out a receipt and handed it to Jia Dongxu, and the deal was done.

"Xiao Jia, today is an auspicious day for construction, but it's getting late. I'll go buy materials today and start construction early tomorrow morning. What do you think?"

"Okay, Master Lei, you take care of this matter." Jia Dongxu agreed readily.

When Master Lei agreed, he stood up to leave. When Director Wang saw that the matter was settled, he also stood up and said goodbye.

Jia Dongxu quickly took out cigarettes and gave each of them a pack. Although the cigarettes Jia Zhang bought were not good ones, it showed his personal consideration.

After sending the two away, Jia Dongxu took out a pack of cigarettes and gave each of them a pack, "Uncle He, Uncle Yi, this is the level, there are no good cigarettes."

"Okay, I didn't expect to get a cigarette from you." He Daqing took the cigarette and said with a smile, then looked at Yi Zhonghai, "Old Yi, do you want to have a drink?"

"No, I'll go back and take a nap." Yi Zhonghai looked at the few people. It seemed that the Jia family was getting closer to He Daqing. He had to go home and discuss it with his wife.

"Okay, I'll take a nap too." He Daqing said, looking at Jia Zhang, "Sister-in-law, you and Dongxu should go eat."

After saying that, he walked towards his room.

"Mom, let's go and have dinner. We'll have a treat today thanks to Zhuzi's cooking." Jia Dongxu said, pulling Jia Zhangshi.

"Mom, give me two dimes later so I can get a haircut and take a bath. I have to go to work at the factory tomorrow and I can't look like this."

Jia Zhang took out two dimes with a painful look on her face, and Jia Dongxu took it and said, "Mom, I'm going to work tomorrow. You can buy two firecrackers and some peanuts to cheer up the neighbors."

"Alright, alright, you just spend money. You haven't even started working to earn money, but you just spend it like this. Once you've spent all the money, let's see how you're going to marry a wife." Jia Zhang muttered.

"Mom, just for this house, will your son be worried about not being able to find a wife?" Jia Dongxu said with a smile, "It's a pity that we don't have a bicycle yet."

"Jia Dongxu, you are still thinking about buying a bicycle. Do you really think our family is a gold mine?" Jia Zhang stared at Jia Dongxu angrily.

"Well, that's what I said." Jia Dongxu didn't expect Jia Zhang to react so strongly. It seemed that she was seriously injured today.

"Zhu Zi, hurry up and bring out the dishes so we can have a drink!" Jia Dongxu shouted towards He Daqing's kitchen, "After we finish eating, let's go to the bathhouse to get a haircut and take a bath. Do you want to go?"

As he said that, he took out a pack of cigarettes and threw it over. Sha Zhu caught it and quickly took out a cigarette and lit it up.

"Go ahead. Considering this pack of cigarettes, I'll treat you." Sha Zhu smoked happily and brought the dishes to the table.

"Yu Shui, it's time to eat! Don't sit there. Let your brother take you to the bathhouse for a bath later." Jia Dongxu shouted hurriedly when he saw that Yu Shui was a little unhappy.

"Okay, I've never been there before." Yu Shui said happily.

"We men are taking a bath, why are we bringing a little girl with us?" Sha Zhu was carrying the dishes back and forth, looking at Yu Shui, "Yu Shui, go get the dishes and chopsticks."

Seeing Yu Shui pouting unhappily, Jia Dongxu shouted to Jia Zhang who was eating, "Mom, take Yu Shui to the bathhouse to take a bath later."

Jia Zhang said dissatisfiedly, "Why should I take a bath?"

Jia Dongxu handed 2 cents to Jia Zhangshi and said, "Take this and take a bath in the rain water."

Then he said to Yu Shui who was holding the bowl, "Yu Shui, your brother Dong Xu doesn't have money to treat you to a bath, so you have 2 cents to take a bath yourself, right?"

"I do!" Yu Shui nodded.

"Okay, you and my mom will go take a bath later." Jia Dongxu said, picking up another bottle of wine and was about to open it.

"No, I'm just practicing today and I feel pretty good. I won't drink this today. Let's drink some of my dad's good wine to celebrate."

Sha Zhu ran to He Daqing's room, saw that he was asleep, and took out a bottle of Fenjiu from the cabinet.

"Fenjiu?" Jia Dongxu said, looking at Sha Zhu, "You are really willing to spend it."

"That's right. As men, we have to be open and honest when doing things." Sha Zhu opened the glass of wine, filled it up, and then drank it in one gulp.

"That's not very kind of you. Why are you drinking it by yourself? Pour some for me too." Jia Dongxu slammed the wine glass in front of Sha Zhu.

"Okay, my bad. I'll fill your glass up." He then poured himself a glass.

"Come on, let's have a toast!" Jia Dongxu picked up his glass and clinked it with Sha Zhu's, then drank it in one gulp, baring his teeth and saying, "It's better than Sanlouzi!"

"That's right." Sha Zhu happily poured more wine.

"Drink slowly, drink slowly, you'll be drunk soon. Let me taste your cooking first." Jia Dongxu said as he picked up a piece of meat and put it into his mouth.

"How is it?" Sha Zhu looked at Jia Dongxu expectantly.

Jia Dongxu continued to taste it and nodded with satisfaction, "It's really good. You are worthy of being the successor of Tan's cuisine. You are quite good at it."

"That's right, I'm not bragging, my skills are good enough to be a master." Sha Zhu said with his head held high.

"Well, Zhuzi, in the next ten days, you should show your skills and practice well so that Uncle He can let you go out to serve." Jia Dongxu said while looking at He Daqing in the room.

"No problem. My dad will take the big banquets and I will take the small banquets later." Sha Zhu said happily.

"Why take a small banquet? How much does a small banquet cost? Once you have practiced it, your dad will take a rest on the side and you just do the work." Jia Dongxu took a bite of the dish and had to say that Sha Zhu's cooking skills were pretty good.

"I've agreed that the daily food expenses are 5 yuan, two meals for five chefs. Can you arrange it clearly?" Jia Dongxu said.

The two of them were talking loudly, and He Daqing must have been listening in the room. The two of them were chatting so that he could hear them, to avoid being accused of plotting against his stupid son.

Sha Zhu pondered the price of vegetables for a while, and then thought about the menu, "No problem, 3 meat dishes and 3 vegetarian dishes every day, enough to keep you full!"

"Okay, just for this, I'll toast to you!" Jia Dongxu picked up the wine glass and drank one with Sha Zhu.

Seeing that Jia Zhang had finished her meal, Jia Dongxu hurriedly said, "Mom, put the things at home aside first and prepare the quilt for sleeping."

"Also, when you stay in the rain, you should sleep on the floor. If you feel cold, put more padding on it and don't sleep on the rain bed."