Comfortable life in Siheyuan

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, the streets of Beijing were filled with the strong flavor of the New Year. The winter sun shone on the ancient alleys and courtyards. Red lanterns were hung high in the streets and alleys, and spring couplets and window decorations decorated the doors and windows of every household. Children excitedly set off firecrackers, and laughter echoed in the air.

Early in the morning, Liu Qingshan deftly helped the two children put on new clothes, and then he and Feng Yu took the children to pay New Year's greetings.

They first came to Liu's father and mother. Xixi knelt on the cloth mat with a silly look on her face. Like a clumsy little bear, she kowtowed several times in strange shapes, making the whole family laugh.

"Haha, Xixi can kowtow now. I, grandpa, have to give a big red envelope to my precious granddaughter." Father Liu said with a smile.

Xixi stared at the red envelope handed over by her grandfather, just like a greedy cat seeing a fish. She stretched out her two little hands, grabbed the red envelope and put it into her mouth.

"Hey, you can't eat this." Feng Yu stood aside, his eyes and hands as quick as lightning, and grabbed the red envelope.

"Come here, Xixi, let grandpa hug you. Look, this is our eldest granddaughter." Father Liu picked up Xixi with a smile.

Mother Liu also took Nannan from Liu Qingshan's arms with great joy and said happily: "Next year during the Spring Festival, we won't be able to hold her again. Look, Sisi's belly has grown bigger. When she gives birth, we will have to exercise our old arms and legs if we want to hold two babies at once."

"Then you must seize the time to exercise. In the future, you will have a bunch of grandchildren around you at home. Don't cry when you hug each one." Liu Qingshan joked with a smile.

"I won't listen to you. When the older ones are able to run by themselves, we will just pick the lightest ones to hold." Liu's mother said cheerfully.

"Okay, you guys go to the yard first and wish everyone a happy new year. You'll come back in time for breakfast. Sisi, don't go out. It's not convenient with a big belly." Father Liu smiled lovingly.

"Okay, sister-in-law, you stay at home and help Xiaoyu take care of the children, and we two brothers will go for a walk in the yard." Liu Qingshan said to his sister-in-law.

The Liu brothers first went to the deaf old lady's house in the backyard.

"Old lady, I wish you a long life and good health." Liu Qingshan congratulated with a smile.

"Old lady, I wish you good health and all the best." The eldest brother also said with a smile.

"Hey! Thank you, you two have grown into two grown men in the blink of an eye. You are both capable." The deaf old lady looked at the two of them happily.

"Take good care of yourself, good days are yet to come! Let's go and pay New Year's greetings first. You take a rest!" As soon as Liu Qingshan finished speaking, Xu Damao and his family also entered the house.

"Old lady, Happy New Year! I'm here to wish you a happy new year." Xu Damao said with a smile, holding the child in one hand.

"Good! All good!" The old lady smiled from ear to ear.

"Da Mao, let's go to Second Uncle's house to pay New Year's greetings first." With that, Liu Qingshan and his brothers prepared to go out.

"It's a good opportunity for us to go together. I was planning to go there too." Xu Damao smiled and greeted the old lady again, then turned around and went out together.

The group bowed together in the yard again, and Liu Qingshan asked Xu Damao with a smile: "Damo, what are the names of these two children?

"The eldest is Xu Xinwen, and the second is Xu Xinwu." Xu Damao said with a smile.

"Wow! One is literary and the other is martial. You have chosen a good name!" Liu Qingshan said with a smile.

"Thank you. It took me a long time to figure this out." Xu Damao scratched his head embarrassedly.

"Okay, let's go back and have breakfast. You go ahead and do your work." Liu Qingsong said.

"We're going back to our parents' house after breakfast. We'll talk again when we have time." Xu Damao said with a smile.

Ever since Liu Qingshan was promoted to section chief, Xu Damao became very polite whenever he saw him in the hospital. Liu Qingshan couldn't ignore him, so he just nodded in agreement.

After breakfast, Liu Qingshan and Nan Yi arrived at the He family in the central courtyard early.

"Chef Nan, is your wife home alone?" Liu Qingshan asked with a smile.

"My father-in-law and the others are here. The house is lively now." Nan Yi said with a smile.

At this time, Sha Zhu came in wearing an apron and said, "Pour your own tea. I won't serve you. Please do as you please here."

"Don't worry, I won't be polite with you." Nan Yi said carelessly.

"Hurry up and prepare all the dishes. Don't slack off today." He Daqing said leisurely.

"Don't worry, I can do this job easily. It's no problem." Zhuzi said and went back to the kitchen.

After a while, He Yushui ran in hurriedly from outside the yard.

"Dad, brother, sister-in-law, Weidong's people are here, come out quickly." Yu Shui shouted loudly.

"Dad, you just sit at home. Zhuzi and I can go. Why would we ask you to pick someone up?" Sister-in-law Tian Xiuyun said with a smile. Then she turned to Sha Zhu and said, "Take off your apron."

Sha Zhu hurriedly took off his apron and followed Yu Shui and his wife out of the yard.

At this time, quite a few people had gathered in the middle courtyard. They whispered to each other, "What's going on? Someone from the He family came?" "Could it be Yu Shui's boyfriend? Yu Shui is also at the age of getting married, so it should be correct." "No wonder his family started busying themselves early in the morning. Liu Qingshan and a man from the next courtyard had already gone to his house." "Then he must have gone to keep him company, but why didn't he call the uncles in the courtyard?" Liu Qingshan curled his lips when he heard this. None of those uncles were good people.

At this time, Sha Zhu and others walked into the central courtyard. Next to Yu Shui stood a man. He was as tall and straight as a pine tree, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and a smile as warm as spring breeze on his face.

"Oh, this boy is really good-looking. He and Yu Shui are a perfect match made in heaven!" said the third aunt with a smile.

"Look at his clothes, so neat and tidy. Could he be a soldier? He looks as energetic as the eldest son of the Liu family!" Aunt Li echoed while eating melon seeds.

"Dad, this is Li Weidong, my boyfriend." Yu Shui shyly introduced him to He Daqing.

"Come on, come in, don't stand outside." He Daqing's face was full of joy and he quickly invited the person into the house.

"Hello uncle, this is a small gift my mother asked me to bring. Please accept it." Li Weidong's face flushed and he gently placed the thing in his hand on the table.

"It's good that you're here. No need to be so polite." He Daqing said with a smile on his face.

Sister-in-law Tian Xiuyun held a kettle and enthusiastically poured a cup of hot fragrant tea for each of them.

Yu Shui looked at the somewhat shy Li Weidong and enthusiastically introduced Liu Qingshan and Nan Yilai to him.

"Weidong, this is Brother Qingshan from my backyard. He has been tutoring me in my homework since I was a child and he is so nice to me." Yu Shui moved to Liu Qingshan's side and said.

"Hello, Brother Qingshan." Li Weidong quickly stood up and greeted him.

"Hello, don't feel shy here, just relax. We are all very easy-going." Liu Qingshan said with a smile.

"This is Nan Yi from next door to us, the famous Chef Nan. He and my brother have a very close relationship." Yu Shui introduced with a smile.

"If you ever feel like eating something in the future, just come to me. Zhuzi and I have our own strengths in cooking, but we will definitely not let you down." Nan Yi said happily.