Siheyuan: I am a big capitalist after the founding of the People's Republic of China

In 1952, the New Year's Eve was not far away. The residents of the courtyard began to prepare New Year's goods. Cabbage, green onions, coal, potatoes, all were brought to their homes by tricycles.

No matter if you are rich or poor, the New Year is coming. Adults will buy new clothes and shoes for their family members.

Children also run around with small firecrackers in their hands. Wealthier families also put candies and melon seeds in their children's pockets.

And those children with snacks and firecrackers in their pockets naturally become the center of the group of children, showing off.

Adults are busy and frugal all year round, but they also indulge themselves by going to sales outlets, supply and marketing cooperatives, and People's Department Stores to buy things that they usually don't want to buy.

A bottle of good wine, a bag of milk candy, and a pound of high-quality sugar are all high-end gifts for ordinary people to give during the Chinese New Year.

The streets are filled with the hawking of vendors, fried tofu, candied haws, stewed meat, fried dough sticks, steamed sausage, fried tripe, rice cakes, steamed buns and shabu-shabu meat. The fragrance of Xinghua Village's cakes fills the streets.

Li Zihang could no longer bear the loneliness, so he took his uncle, aunt, Dewang, Decai, Yushui, and Liu Tieniu to the market.

Li Zihang has learned his lesson since he was caught taking photos last time. Whenever he goes out with a camera, he will say hello to the street police station where he is going to take photos, for fear of being reported again.

In this era, the common people were really poor. In the market, the passers-by, their cotton-padded jackets and trousers, were all covered with patches. Three years of poverty, three years of wealth, three years of patching. Many people coming to the city from the countryside were wearing shoes with fur soles.

Maowozi are thick winter shoes woven from the soles of reed clogs.

Most women and men wrapped their heads with scarves or towels, leaving their eyes uncovered to block the wind and keep warm. Some wore old hats or octagonal Red Army hats. The rich wore leather hats. All of them put their hands in their sleeves and walked around.

Xiao Yushui was wearing a thick cotton-padded jacket with flowers, blue cotton trousers, a small fur hat, and small knitted gloves. She was holding Aunt Qi's hand and dancing as she walked.

As there are more boys than girls in the Li family, the old man and his family have long regarded Xiao Yushui, whose father ran away and mother was gone, as their own granddaughter. Uncle Qi and Aunt Qi have always wanted a daughter, but since giving birth to two sons, their stomachs have not moved. In addition, the old man and grandmother love Xiao Yushui, so they also raise her as a daughter and naturally will not treat her badly.

The two brothers Dewang and Decai wore cotton-padded jackets on the outside, sweaters and trousers on the inside, and dog-skin hats, looking like little bears.

Li Zihang, on the other hand, wore a military cotton cap, a fitted small military coat, a leather jacket, thermal underwear, and a small vest. He wore thickened black military pants with velvet, velvet leather shoes, and a pair of leather gloves. He also had a camera hanging around his neck, and he looked like a government official. When he walked on the street, pedestrians avoided him.

In fact, the old man also prepared military cotton hats, military coats, new cotton clothes, cotton pants, and leather shoes for Yushui, Dewang, Decai, and Shazhu. But they all wanted to wear them on the New Year's Day.

Liu Tieniu followed the two brothers, while Aunt Qi held Xiao Yushui's hand. Uncle Qi followed Li Zihang wherever he went.

On the streets, people were coming and going, in ox carts, horse carts, and donkey carts, people were close to each other, shoulder to shoulder.

Li Zihang saw that there were too many people and it was impossible to take a photo, so he called his seventh uncle next to him: "Uncle! Can you carry me on your shoulders so I can take a photo?"

Uncle Qi squatted down without saying anything and motioned him to come up. Li Zihang, sitting on Uncle Qi's neck, used his camera to record the mark of this era.

We walked around for a few more hours, adults and children, eating all the way. We were too tired to eat anymore and decided to go home.

At the entrance of No. 40, Nanluoguxiang, a few people who had just returned from the market ran into Jia Dongxu's family who were returning from buying New Year's goods.

Jia Dongxu: "Where are Uncle Qi's family going?"

After greeting, he saw Li Zihang with a camera around his neck and said, "Hey, young master, you are out collecting folk songs with a camera. What is this?"

Uncle Qi heard Jia Dongxu's greeting and responded, "We have been staying at home all winter, so today, the family is going out for a walk while the weather is nice. What are you doing..."

Jia Zhang: "Well, the New Year is coming soon. Dongxu, why don't you take me and my daughter-in-law to the People's Shopping Mall to buy some New Year's goods?"

After Jia Zhang saw Li Zihang's camera, she suddenly had an evil idea and said to Li Zihang

"Young Master, I have a favor to ask of you. Dongxu has been married for a few months. Can you please take a wedding photo for them as a souvenir?"

Uncle Seven and Aunt Seven didn't say anything, waiting for Li Zihang to reply. Only when they saw an unwilling expression on his face would they speak up to help him out.

Li Zihang: "Okay, Aunt Jia. You just came back, why don't you ask Brother Dongxu and Sister-in-law to change their clothes, and let Sister-in-law dress up, and I will take pictures of them."

Jia Zhang: "Thank you, young master."

Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu beside them also hurriedly expressed their thanks.

Li Zihang: "Then we'll go back first. Brother Dongxu and sister-in-law are ready, just call me in the yard."

Afterwards, the two families returned home one after another.

As soon as they got home, Aunt Qi made a cup of malted milk for each of the children to warm up. The old man had gone to work in some store. Grandma sat under the window, listening to the radio and basking in the sun.

After making malted milk for Li Zihang, Aunt Qi started nagging: "Xiaohang, why do you bother with the Jia family? They only want you to take pictures for them, and never mention the money."

Li Zihang blew away the steam in the cup and replied: "I didn't plan to ask for money, I just took a photo, it's no big deal."

Aunt Seven: "My dear young master, this is not just about a photo. Just wait and see, who knows what kind of trouble will come out. Even the residents in the next yard can quarrel for a long time just because of an egg. You are taking photos for the Jia family for free, who would not want to take advantage of you if they see you."

"This photo studio charges 2 yuan for a photo. Door-to-door photography is even more expensive. You'll see, when the residents in that yard hear that you don't charge, they'll all ask you to take their photos. I wonder how you'll end up."

Li Zihang said nonchalantly, "It's okay. It's just what I want the residents in the yard to come and take pictures. When there are more people, I can ask for money for the pictures. I won't ask for much, just the film and the money for developing the photos. This way I can shut them up."

Aunt Qi felt relieved when she heard that Li Zihang had made up his mind.

Aunt Qi: "Just keep it in mind. I'm going to clean up the house."

Li Zihang put down the water cup, took the bird cage and walked into the bird room. Someone blew a whistle in the bird room, and the starling automatically flew into the bird cage.

Li Zihang said to the bird, "Good luck to you." The starling followed and said, "Good luck to you, good luck to you."

Li Zihang: "Have you eaten?" The mynah bird followed and said, "Have you eaten?"

This bird has a strong ability to imitate human speech. Sometimes it will start to curse if it is provoked. The dirty words come out of its mouth fluently. At first, Li Zihang was puzzled. No one taught this bird to curse, so why did it curse? Until one time, Uncle Qi took the birdcage out for a walk, and Li Zihang followed him. Only then did he realize that Uncle Qi always liked to watch the fun. When someone quarreled and cursed nearby, the bird would follow and learn.

Until now, when this bird is unhappy, it will say, "Your uncle~, grandma~, grandson~, little bastard. You deserve a beating."

There were a few times when the bird really offended the old man. The old man was so angry that he wanted to stew it. The bird was also smart. After knowing who not to offend, it never dared to say bad words to the old man again.

A few times, Xiao Yushui deliberately starved it for a meal because it swore. The bird started to curse at Xiao Yushui, but before Xiao Yushui could finish scolding the bird, she was so angry that she cried. Then she cried and looked for her grandma.

The mean bird once cursed at Li Zihang. But if it dared to open its mouth, Li Zihang would starve it for a day. He would continue to starve it if he cursed again. Once, he starved it for two and a half days. From then on, the bird knew who was the grandson and who was the grandfather. It never cursed at Li Zihang's family again. But if a stranger dared to tease it, it would open its mouth and curse back.