Comfortable life in Siheyuan

In early 76, Liu's mother reached retirement age and went through the formal retirement procedures at the station. Her successor position after retirement was bought by the child of a colleague in the factory.

Now Liu's mother no longer has to go to work, and there is someone at home to take care of the children during the day.

Qin Huairu also heard about Liu's mother's retirement, so she came over after work in the evening and wanted to find a job for Banggeng.

"Aunt Liu, I heard that you are going to retire. Congratulations." Qin Huairu greeted her first.

"What's there to congratulate? I've worked all my life, and I'm not used to having some free time all of a sudden."

"It's time for you to enjoy your retirement at home. This is a happy event for you, so of course we have to congratulate you." Qin Huairu said with a smile.

"Huai Ru, I know what you want to ask. I'm not going to joke with you. I'll tell you directly. An old colleague in our unit has several children who don't have a job, and his son is in his twenties and still hasn't started a family. I gave them this job quota. They came to us a long time ago, and it's not easy for us to refuse. Besides, there are so many colleagues who have worked together for so many years." Liu's mother explained.

"Hey! I just wanted to come and ask about this. Banggeng has been doing nothing these days since he came back. He just hangs around there every day, which makes people anxious." Qin Huairu frowned, looking like he was worried about something.

"Yes, the child can't just sit there idle all the time, we still have to find him something to do. Didn't you go to the street office to ask? Didn't you make arrangements for these educated youth after they came back?"

"What arrangements are there? More and more people are coming back, and the street office doesn't have so many job vacancies. I even want to quit and give the job to him." Qin Huairu said helplessly.

"Then what are you going to do? It's too early for you to retire at your age."

"But I can't just ignore my son. As a mother, I have to find a way to take care of him."

Qin Huairu saw that the matter was a foregone conclusion. Although she was a little disappointed, she did not leave. She continued to chat at the door of Liu's house, looking outside from time to time.

Sure enough, after a while, Liu Qingshan and Feng Yu came in.

"You guys are chatting." Liu Jinshan greeted them enthusiastically and prepared to continue walking inside.

"Qingshan, wait a moment." Seeing Liu Qingshan preparing to enter the house, Qin Huairu shouted hurriedly.

"Sister Qin, is there something wrong?" Liu Qingshan stopped and asked with a smile.

"Qingshan, is your factory still recruiting?" Qin Huairu asked.

"You must know whether the steel rolling mill is recruiting or not, so I won't tell you. The box factory is not recruiting for the time being. It only recruited a group of people last year to expand production. There is no plan to expand recruitment now." Liu Qingshan explained with a smile.

"It's not a good idea to stay at home all the time. This job is really worrying me."

"Sister Qin, there are not many educated youth returning to the city now, so how did Banggeng come back?" Liu Qingshan was still a little puzzled. Logically, it should not be time for Banggeng to return to the city yet.

"He came back to find a job. Life over there is too hard. If he still can't find a job, he will have to go back." Qin Huairu explained.

When Liu Qingshan heard this, he understood. He guessed that he had come back for medical treatment or some other reason, and wanted to find a job to stay in the city.

"Isn't the old man about to retire? You can ask him, or you can go to the street office and ask, and find a temporary job first. Stay in the city first, and think of other ways later." Liu Qingshan suggested.

"This is the only way for now." Qin Huairu walked away feeling a little disappointed.

"Mom, the kids are home now."

"They are all at home, Niu Niu and Nanzhou are here too." said Liu's mother.

"Okay, let's go back. Don't worry about so many things after you retire." Liu Qingshan pulled his mother inside.

As soon as they walked into the courtyard, they smelled a fragrance. Feng Yu looked at her mother-in-law in confusion: "Mom, what delicious food did you make? It smells so good!"

"No, I just had to chat with Qin Huairu for a long time, and I haven't had time to make dinner yet." Liu's mother was also a little confused.

"Then where does this smell come from?" Liu Qingshan said as he stopped his bicycle and walked towards the kitchen.

Liu Qingshan gently pushed open the kitchen door and was immediately stunned by the scene before him.

At this time, Xiao Nanzhou from Nan Yi's family was sitting behind the stove and making a fire, and Niu Niu from Sha Zhu's family was frying vegetables with a big iron shovel.

Liu Qingshan's children sat next to their eldest sister Liu Xixi, each holding a small bowl and waiting at the table.

"Dad, you're back!" Xixi looked at her father with a somewhat evasive look.

"Liu Yuqian, what are you doing again? Why don't you do your homework when you get home?" Feng Yu came over and took a look, and was so angry that he laughed.

"Nanzhou, look at your face, it's like a tabby cat." Liu Qingshan also laughed.

"Uncle, aunt, come and try my cooking skills. Am I almost catching up with my dad's?" Only Niu Niu was not afraid at all and asked them to come and try it.

Liu Qingshan and Feng Yu were at a loss whether to laugh or cry, while Liu's mother walked into the kitchen and touched Niu Niu and Nanzhou's heads lovingly.

"You two little brats, why are you here to cook?"

"Grandma Liu, Sister Xixi said she was hungry after school, so we came over to cook for her. I learned a lot from my dad." Niu Niu said proudly.

"Me too, but I haven't learned as much as Brother Niu Niu." Nanzhou was a little discouraged.

At this time, Sha Zhu came over from the door and said with a smile: "Why are you all here? Niu Niu is at your home, right? Have you finished your homework?"

Liu Qingshan looked at He Yuzhu helplessly and chuckled, "Go in and see for yourself. This kid is becoming more and more capable now."

He Yuzhu walked straight into the kitchen without stopping. Looking at his eldest son at the stove, Shazhu took the spatula.

After stir-frying it for a few times, he picked up a piece of vegetable and put it in his mouth.

"Well, it's okay. The timing is good. It's quite interesting." Sha Zhu nodded and praised.

"Yeah, Dad, I think it's okay too, but you should eat less, this is fried for Xixi." Niu Niu said bluntly.

"Just be someone's son-in-law. What's wrong with your dad having a taste of it?" Sha Zhu said unhappily, looking at his stupid son.

"I only fried a little bit, how can it be enough for you to eat?" Niu Niu said bluntly.

"I'll let your mother punish you later for not doing your homework properly after school. From now on, you will be the one to prepare dinner at home, so your mother can have some free time." Sha Zhu taught.

"Lao He, your Niu Niu is becoming more and more caring. Are you planning to pass on your skills to him?" Liu Qingshan joked with a smile.

"He is interested in it and likes to watch me cook. He can even cook home-cooked dishes by himself now." After saying this, Sha Zhu looked at Nanzhou who was making a fire.

"Your father didn't pass on this skill to you, how come you made such a mess while lighting a fire?"

"Brother Niu kept urging me to get angrier and angrier. I was a little too anxious." Nanzhou explained.

"Hahaha!" Everyone in the room laughed when they heard this.