Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

"Son-in-law, I can help you, but after you're done I have to hurry back and be ready to drive at any time." Zhao Changfeng said.

"Okay, let's do it now."

After a lot of hard work, the two finally assembled the thin aluminum antenna. Xu Damao climbed up the house with a wooden ladder and tied the antenna to the chimney. Lou Xiaoe also came out of the house, turned on the TV and began to instruct Xu Damao to adjust the signal. A group of neighbors below also watched the two work eagerly, wishing that they would finish it quickly so that they could watch TV.

"Da Mao, go a little to the left."

"Hey, there are too many. Move a little to the right."

"Okay, don't move, that's it."

The TV changed from being snowy to having a fairly clear image. Xu Damao looked at the antenna on the chimney with some disdain. It was because of it that he had been on the rooftop drinking the northwest wind for half a day. Xu Damao climbed down the wooden ladder. The neighbors in the compound gathered around the windows and doors, craning their necks to look inside.

"Oh, there's a villain, and he's still moving."

"There's also sound, is this crosstalk?"

“I’ve only heard it on the radio before, but now I can see it in person.”

"I think we should move it into the compound so that everyone can see it," said Jia Zhang.

"I think it's best to move to your house."

This caused a burst of laughter from everyone.

"Everyone, please go away. When the weather gets warmer, I will put the TV in the yard when I have time, and you can come and watch it then. It's too cold now and my wife is pregnant. We can't have it too noisy," said Xu Damao.

After hearing what he said, everyone dispersed. Only Jia Zhang was the last one to go back with Banggeng, and she was muttering something as she left.

Xu Damao didn't care and turned around and went into the house. Lou Xiao'e and Yu Shui were sitting on the sofa watching TV. Yu Shui was talking while watching. She seemed very excited as it was her first time watching TV.

Zhao Changfeng said, "Miss, son-in-law, I'm going to go back first. The boss may need the car in the afternoon."

Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao tried to persuade him to stay but to no avail, and finally had no choice but to let him leave.

"You two watch TV first, I'll go cook. Yu Shui, don't leave at noon, just eat here." Xu Damao said. He was not interested in this black and white TV, not to mention that there were no entertainment programs at that time.

Lou Xiao'e waved her hand and said, "Go quickly and don't disturb us while we are watching TV."

He Yushui was not polite. This was not her first time eating here. She was closer to Xu Damao and his wife than to her silly brother. "Brother Damao, let me help you."

"No need, you just stay with your sister-in-law Xiao'e. I'll make something simple, and then we'll have delicious food when we have guests in the evening." After saying this, Xu Damao went straight into the kitchen.

Soon three dishes and a soup were placed on the table, and the three of them ate while watching TV. He Yushui also stole glances at Xu Damao from time to time. She thought she was hiding it well, but she was still discovered by the careful Lou Xiaoe.

Lou Xiao'e was a little conflicted. On the one hand, someone liked her man, which showed that she had good vision and the man she chose was good enough. On the other hand, although she was born in a family like the Lou family, she was not too opposed to polygamy. Her mother was originally his father's concubine, and only became his wife after the death of the first wife. But as a woman, she still had selfish thoughts, especially when it came to men.

But it was really pitiful that Yu Shui had been lonely and helpless since childhood. In the whole compound, Yu Shui had the best relationship with herself. She often came to chat with herself whenever she had time, and it seemed that she had already fallen deeply in love with her. For a moment, Lou Xiao'e was a little conflicted, afraid of hurting this sensitive girl.

After the meal, Xu Damao cleaned the table and placed various rare dried fruits that he had exchanged on the table for the two of them to eat.

"Mozi, let the rain accompany you in the afternoon. It's the end of the year now, I'll get some things to make some connections." Xu Damao didn't notice anything unusual and rode away on his bike.

Xu Damao came to the subdistrict office with a big cloth bag containing a can of milk powder, a can of malted milk and two pounds of brown sugar. He heard that Director Wang's daughter-in-law had just given birth to a grandson, so he took advantage of the end of the year to bring gifts in the name of New Year's greetings. After all, the county magistrate is not as good as the current one, and he will live in Nanluoguxiang for a long time!

Xu Damao came to Director Wang’s office door and knocked.

"Please come in."

"Aunt Wang, I'm here to wish you a happy new year and to thank you for your help some time ago." Xu Damao put his things on the table and said. Previously, Xu Damao was able to approve the land for an extra room and the allocation of housing to the Nan Yi family thanks to Director Wang's help.

"Oh, it's Deputy Section Chief Xu, what are you doing?"

"Auntie Wang, why call me Deputy Section Chief Xu? Just call me Damao. I heard that my sister-in-law just gave birth to a baby, so I got some milk powder and malted milk to nourish my sister-in-law." Xu Damao said.

Wang Lixia's eyes lit up when she heard that it was malted milk and milk powder. These nutritional products are rare. Not only are tickets very difficult to get, but even if you have tickets, you may not be able to buy them. There are too few of them. His daughter-in-law is a little thin and has insufficient milk. His grandson doesn't have enough to eat every day. This milk powder comes at the right time.

"Da Mao, if it's anything else, I definitely won't accept it, but I do need milk powder and malted milk. Auntie Wang won't be polite with you. I'll get you the money and the ticket." Wang Lixia said.

"Don't worry, I already said it's a New Year gift, how can I accept your money? That would be profiteering. Okay, Aunt Wang, I have something else to do, so I'll leave first." After saying this, Xu Damao turned around and left the office.

The next stop Xu Damao planned to go to the trust store to see his cousin Xu Weiguo and get some good stuff from him.

Xu Damao’s home in the backyard of the courtyard.

Lou Xiao'e and He Yushui ate dried fruits while watching TV and chatted from time to time. Lou Xiao'e hesitated to speak several times, but was still discovered by He Yushui.

"Sister Xiao'e, if you have something to say, just say it. Why are you still hesitating?" He Yushui asked me about this.

Lou Xiao'e thought, "Are you hesitating now? You haven't seen me hesitating before!"

"Yushui, you are about to graduate from high school, what do you plan to do after graduation? Do you want to go to college?" Lou Xiao'e planned to talk about some light topics first to lay the groundwork, so as to avoid the embarrassment of talking directly.

"Well, I will graduate next summer. As for university, I feel it will be difficult for me to get in with my grades. If I fail, I might try to find a job first." He Yushui was also a little conflicted. Before, she just wanted to escape from this courtyard that made her sad, but she found that she seemed to have fallen in love with Brother Damao without realizing it, and she was reluctant to leave this courtyard.

Whenever it was late at night and everyone was asleep, she would think of Brother Damao and his care and concern for her, which made her feel warm even though she had been abandoned by her father since childhood.

"Have you ever thought about getting married?" Lou Xiao'e asked.

Lou Xiao'e's question made He Yushui blush, "No, I haven't thought about it, Sister Xiao'e, I'm still young."

"You're already seventeen years old, and it's time for you to get married. Your face is so red, do you have someone you like?" Lou Xiao'e teased.

"Oh, sister-in-law, what nonsense are you talking about!"

"Do you like your brother Damao?" Lou Xiao'e suddenly asked.