Siheyuan: Starting from a Truck Driver

Li Weidong seemed a little impatient and replied, "Go home and eat, what else can you do?" Yi Zhonghai couldn't hold back his face and he sternly accused, "We are all in a meeting! You really think too much. Aren't you in a hurry to eat now? I'm talking about a major matter that concerns the vital interests of everyone in our courtyard!"

Li Weidong smiled contemptuously. He knew what Yi Zhonghai was thinking. He just wanted his meal coupons and the pig intestines that he hadn't gotten yet. He said, "Then go on. Don't count me in. Also, neighbors, you'd better go home and cook early instead of listening to his nonsense here. If it wasn't someone else's property, when did Yi Zhonghai have the power to distribute our things? There are so many families in need in our yard. He earns more than 90 yuan a month. Why doesn't he take it out to benefit everyone, but only stares at other people's boxes of meat and vegetables?"

As soon as this was said, everyone couldn't help but burst into laughter. Someone immediately joked, "He did. Didn't he often secretly send cornmeal to Qin Huairu in the middle of the night?" Everyone laughed for a while, and then someone else joked, "Sent cornmeal? I think he sent corn!"

Then someone else interrupted: "Oh, that doesn't make sense. Yi Zhonghai is the master and Qin Huairu is the apprentice. As the saying goes, 'rabbits don't eat grass near their burrows'!" This immediately caused another person to retort: ​​"What do you know? Rabbits don't eat grass near their burrows, but sooner or later you'll bump into them when you come in and out." The originally serious atmosphere instantly became filled with laughter.

With so many people in the compound, it was impossible to conceal the fact that Yi Zhonghai sent food to Qin Huairu in the middle of the night. If he was worried about being gossiped about, he could have sent it the next morning. How could calling a widow out to deliver food late at night not arouse other people's suspicion? However, Qin Huairu was not a pushover. Although she could tolerate some trivial matters for her own benefit, she would never compromise once it came to matters of principle. More importantly, she knew that Jia Zhang had been guarding against her. If she was unwilling to accept this passive attitude of waiting and watching, she would be forced to fight back one day.

Yi Zhonghai felt so painful that he looked around but could not recognize who was behind the scenes. The voice was obviously pinched, perhaps to prevent Yi Zhonghai from hearing who was saying such embarrassing words. There were so many people who opposed him in the yard that he could hardly distinguish them. At this time, Li Weidong and Yu Li were taking the opportunity to leave. They did not want to participate in such a meaningless and annoying quarrel. Wouldn't it be better to go home and enjoy the bacon?

Seeing this, others were eager to try, especially the workers in the steel mill, who were unwilling to have their meal coupons used up. Even Sha Zhu, who was usually quiet, quietly slipped out. Although he once regarded Yi Zhonghai as his idol, he was not so stupid as to not have a meal just to contribute his meal coupons. Xu Damao was the first to take action. He didn't mind being a robber, but if anyone in his family wanted to take advantage of him, that would be impossible.

When Qin Huairu and Jia Zhang finally left, Qin Huairu really didn't know what was so good about Yi Zhonghai's suggestion. If she followed Yi Zhonghai's advice, she would have to share the meal coupons with five people, and the children's appetites were so big that there was not enough to eat. But if Yi Zhonghai's idea was really implemented, their family would indeed benefit. Jia Zhang was silently scheming her sweetheart - she knew that Li Weidong got two extra meal coupons and a portion of fresh pig intestines, which was indeed not easy for an ordinary family to get.

"Huai Ru, why don't you go to Li Weidong's house tonight to see if you can get some food, or even his meal coupons!" Jia Zhang suggested. Qin Huai Ru disagreed a little, she shook her head and said, "Mom, why would someone give me meal coupons for free? Once the news spreads, how many people will want to buy them!"

Jia Zhang didn't take it seriously, instead she said in a gossip tone: "So what? For Li Weidong, this is nothing to him. Do you remember the eggs you got from him last time? You said that Huaihua's birthday is coming up, call him Uncle Li, he might show some sincerity." Qin Huairu sighed, knowing that Li Weidong was no longer the man who was easily persuaded by her. No, not only was he persuaded by her, but he was also used by her. Her cheeks suddenly flushed, her heartbeat accelerated, and her plump buttocks subconsciously tightened. Fortunately, the night was dim, Jia Zhang didn't notice Qin Huairu's abnormal reaction, but continued to talk.

Faced with Jia Zhang's urging, Qin Huairu finally agreed reluctantly. Jia Zhang nodded, and happily handed the stool to Qin Huairu: "Go, I'll go home and cook for you first, and when you come back we'll have a good meal together." Qin Huairu was a little melancholy, and agreed as if she was driven, then turned and walked towards the backyard.

When Qin Huairu walked to the door of Li Weidong's house, she unexpectedly found a figure standing at the door. The figure looked very familiar, and it seemed to be Xu Damao. She gently patted the man's shoulder from behind, and the man was startled and trembled. When he saw that it was Qin Huairu standing behind him, he breathed a sigh of relief and said with some dissatisfaction: "Qin Huairu, are you sick? You scared people and made them jump. What are you doing standing here in the middle of the night?"

She looked at the man who stood up with contempt, and then questioned him: "How can you be so timid as a six-foot-tall man? What are you doing standing at the door of Li Weidong's house? Besides, don't you usually brag about how many delicious foods you have eaten?"

Xu Damao looked back and saw no sign of Li Weidong leaving the house, so he lowered his voice and explained hastily, "Yes, Li Weidong's family is steaming bacon, and the aroma is simply mouth-watering. But no matter how much I begged, he just wouldn't give me any, so I planned to stand here and see if I could make myself want to eat it just by smelling it."

"You're kidding, Xu Damao. Haven't you always boasted that you have tasted all kinds of delicacies from land and sea many times? How could you lower your pursuit to this extent?" Qin Huairu sneered.

“You woman, what do you know?” Xu Damao refuted, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he suddenly changed his mind and realized something, and then said bluntly: “If you want eggs, I can give you two?”

Qin Huairu couldn't help laughing. She looked at the two fingers that Xu Damao stretched out and felt a little unexpected. She felt that this action was not something that Xu Damao, such a brilliant and great man, could do.

"How did the relationship in our dormitory come about?" Qin Huairu asked curiously.

Xu Damao smiled bitterly and gave a thumbs up, thinking that no one in this compound was smarter than him. Everyone was like a simple, naive child. But in his heart, Qin Huairu was very unusual. As a widow who lost her husband, she supported a family alone. Even when facing a domineering and arrogant mother-in-law, she would choose to endure, which shows that she is not a woman who easily gives up on challenges. Moreover, what he admired most was that Qin Huairu was good at scheming. Among many competitors, she could easily make men like Jing Yi Zhonghai, Li Weidong and Jia Zhangshi soft-hearted and take care of her actively, which Xu Damao felt that he could never do.

"If you can help me get some bacon from Li Weidong, I will give you two eggs. What do you think?" Xu Damao stretched out two fingers with a distressed look, and it was obvious that he was reluctant to give up.

Qin Huairu sneered: "Forget it, I thought you would have some good news. If I can get bacon, why would I care about your two eggs? Keep them for yourself!" She said as she walked straight to the door. Seeing this, Xu Damao hurriedly shouted: "Two won't work, then how about three?"

"Keep it for yourself!" Qin Huairu walked into Li Weidong's room without looking back, leaving Xu Damao standing there with helplessness on his face.

Inside the house, under the dim light, Li Weidong and Yu Li were having dinner together. Li Weidong put a piece of taro into Yu Li's bowl and said with a smile: "Try this taro, it has absorbed the aroma of bacon and is very tempting." Yu Li took a bite and her cheeks flushed: "It's really fragrant, the bacon oil has soaked the taro, I have never eaten it like this before."

Li Weidong continued, "Then eat more. We'll prepare some bacon, duck and fish for the New Year."

"Okay, duck and fish are easier to get, but pork is not that easy," Yu Li responded.

"Don't worry, I have a way." The two were chatting when they were suddenly interrupted by a voice.

"Weidong, Lily, are you eating?" It was Qin Huairu's voice.

Li Weidong and Yu Li turned their heads and saw Qin Huairu coming in, pulling a chair unceremoniously and sitting at the dining table. Although the chair was small, after she sat down, she almost occupied the entire chair, with a majestic aura, which made Yu Li frown.

Qin Huairu glanced at the steamed taro and bacon on the table and couldn't help swallowing. "Your family's food is so rich!" she exclaimed.

If Yu Li hadn't been there, Li Weidong might have still joked with Qin Huairu. But now, with his wife sitting opposite him, his mind had completely changed. Li Weidong said expressionlessly, "What do you want?"

At this time, Qin Huairu remembered her purpose, and immediately put on a pitiful look, tears welling up in her eyes. She sobbed softly: "Weidong, you have to help me this time. I'm really desperate. Huaihua's birthday is coming soon, and she hasn't celebrated it yet, while other children have already celebrated their birthdays, except for her. I feel so sad! But I can't do anything. I have been working in the steel plant for so many years, and I am still an apprentice. I have to rely on relief every month. Weidong, since we live in the same yard, can you give me one of your meal coupons? Just one is enough! Although I have one myself, there are three children in the family, and it is not enough. Please, in the next life, I will..."