Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

Xu Damao and several workers who lived nearby were responsible for the more than 20 poor households in Nanluoguxiang. As the alley was too narrow, the trucks could only be parked on the side of the road outside, so Xu Damao and his colleagues had to wade through the water and carry food to every poor household.

Several people received warm thanks from the poor workers' families. For them, this was real life-saving food. In this kind of weather, it was difficult to buy food even if you had money, not to mention that they didn't have much money!

It took several trips for the men to finally distribute food to all the poor workers' homes.

"Okay, everyone has worked hard. Now take your share and go home. If it rains again tomorrow, the factory will notify everyone if there is a need." After Xu Damao finished speaking, he also took more than ten kilograms of food. The last needy worker was Wang Quezi, who had been disabled due to a work-related injury in their backyard. He just happened to be going home to take some food back.

As Xu Damao entered the yard with food on his back, he saw the yard full of water. The two children from the Yan family and a group of children from Liang Ladi's family were gathered in the corridor under the eaves to fold paper boats. There were several folded paper boats floating on the water.

"Brother Damao, you're back!"

"Uncle Damao!"

Several children started calling out, and their voices attracted the attention of the adults in the room.

Yan Bugui opened the door and asked, "Da Mao, come in and take a rest first. You just came back from the factory? How is the situation outside?"

Xu Damao didn't hesitate. He put the food on the ground of Yan's house, untied his raincoat and hung it aside before saying, "The factory is in trouble. Many supplies have been flooded. We have been moving supplies for a day. The water on the street outside is more than a foot deep in some places and about half a foot shallow in some places. This evening, the factory arranged for me to distribute some relief food to the families of the poor workers in the factory. The extra portion belongs to Li Guizi in our backyard, and the rest is mine. Everyone who went to the factory to rescue people today will get some."

Yan Bugui slapped his thigh when he heard this. How come he didn't get such a good thing? Then he thought something was wrong, because his boss had also gone to the factory.

"Your steel mill still has the best welfare. Even at this time, you still care about the needy workers. Damao, have you seen the solution in the factory?"

"The factory is also in a mess. Jie Cheng may be working with their director. The workshop needs a lot of sandbags. If Jie Cheng doesn't come back at night, he must be on duty in the factory. There are many people eating and drinking there. Your family doesn't need to worry."

"Well, I feel relieved when you say that. Why don't you come over to eat by yourself tonight? I don't have any delicious food, but I still have some simple meals. It's just a matter of adding a pair of chopsticks."

"No, no, Nan Yi and Sha Zhu have been called to the cafeteria. Someone is on night shift at the factory. They may not be able to come back. You know his wife is still pregnant. Yu Shui is alone too. I have to help take care of her and cook a meal for her. They are working hard for the government, so we can't let them worry about their families, right?"

"Yes, it's time to take care of her. Doctor Ding is really pregnant. You should go now."

"Okay, I'll go first." Xu Damao put on his raincoat and carried the food on his back again, then walked into the rain.

"Yushui, Yushui! Are you home?" Xu Damao shouted, but because of the wind and rain, his voice was too soft to be heard.

The door opened with a creaky sound, and Yu Shui poked his head out. "Hey, Brother Damao, what are you doing?"

"Let's talk about this later. I just came back from the factory. Your brother may have to work on duty to cook and won't be back. Come to my place for dinner."

"Okay, then wait for me to get the umbrella. My brother has taken my raincoat."

Soon, the rain came out with an umbrella, and the trouser legs were rolled up high, revealing the snow-white calves. The two walked to the backyard one after the other. Qin Huairu was attracted by Xu Damao's voice and came to the window to look out, but she saw this scene.

Qin Huairu thought: They have a good relationship. Xu Damao has really helped Yushui, a little girl, a lot. They are alone and don't know how to avoid suspicion. Xu Damao's back is bulging and I don't know what it is. Could it be stolen from the factory? Wait, Lou Xiaoe is pregnant and not at home. Could Xu Damao and Yushui have an affair?

If I catch this, I will definitely be able to control Xu Damao. How can I worry about my family's future life? With Xu Damao's connections, Banggeng might be released early. As for Jia Zhangshi, the evil mother-in-law, she should just go to labor reform. I won't care about her.

The more Qin Huairu thought about it, the more excited she became, as if she had discovered a new world. "Xiaodang, come here, lie down at the window and look out. If anyone comes over, tell mom."

Xiaodang responded and lay obediently on the windowsill looking outside.

"Sister, what are you asking Xiaodang to do? What's outside on a rainy day?"

"Hey, just forget about it, you little bitch. Go and cook. I'm hungry."

"Yushui, please go back to the house first. I will deliver the relief food distributed by the factory to Li Quezi. Wait for me to cook together later. Your elder brother Nan may not be able to come back, so I also need to deliver some to your sister-in-law Qiunan."

Yu Shui responded by pushing open the door and entering the house. Fortunately, Xu Damao closed the doors and windows tightly before going out, so there was no water in the house.

Xu Damao knocked on the door of Li Quezi's house and gave the relief food from the factory to Li Quezi's family. Li Quezi was so moved that he said that the factory had never forgotten him over the years and would send some things from time to time to help his family.

Xu Damao also knew the situation of Li Quezi's family, so he simply gave him his share of food. Xu Damao left with Li Quezi thanking him profusely, and he came to Nan Yi's door and knocked.

"Who is it?"

"Sister-in-law, open the door. I was sent by my brother...!" Xu Damao suddenly remembered a joke from later generations.

"It's Damao, wait a moment!"

Soon, the sound of footsteps was heard in the room, and Ding Qiunan opened the door and welcomed Xu Damao in.

"Da Mao, you are the only one back. Where is your brother Nan?"

"Hi, there are people on duty at the factory tonight. I think Lao Nan might not be able to come back, so I came here in advance to let him know. Don't cook since you are not strong enough, I will bring it to you in a while. Yu Shui's brother might be back too, so I called her over as well. If you are scared at night, you can sleep with Yu Shui so that you can take care of her."

"Thank you so much. You are more thoughtful than my old Nan. He didn't even think of sending someone to bring back a message."

"Hey, sister-in-law, you don't know, the factory is very busy today. There are only a few men in the kitchen and the women are not allowed to go. There are so many people to eat, and they are doing all the work in the kitchen. Now they are exhausted."

"Okay, I get it. Then sister-in-law will wait for you to taste your cooking skills. Nan Yi has always said that your cooking skills are not worse than his, you are just too lazy to do it."

"Okay, sister-in-law, I'm going to go back now. The food will be ready soon."

When Xu Damao returned home, Yu Shui had almost finished her work. The vegetables had been cut and were waiting to be fried, and Yu Shui was lighting a fire to steam rice.

"Girl, you should sleep with Sister Qiunan tonight. It's really inconvenient for her to be alone at home with a big belly."

Yu Shui thought about Brother Nan's superb barbecue skills. Every time she ate it, her mouth was full of oil, so she agreed. However, she still had some thoughts in her mind, "Well, then I will sleep with my sister-in-law, and you can sleep alone!"

Xu Damao chuckled, "You have to sleep, but you can go a little later! I'll do it faster so as not to delay it."

"Be a good person!" Yu Shui rolled her eyes at him and continued to make a fire.