Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

After Xu Damao came out from Lou San's place, he went to Xu Long's place and then went home. As soon as he got home, he saw Xu's mother and her two daughters-in-law making dumplings. The three children were having fun playing with a dough each, and even their faces were covered with flour.

So Xu Damao stayed and wanted to continue drinking with his father, but his father, who had just sobered up, said he didn't want to drink anything. It was not until after dinner that Xu Damao took his family back to the courtyard.

As soon as Xu Damao and his family entered the backyard, they saw Sha Zhu walking out of Liu Haizhong's house. They didn't know why Sha Zhu went to see Liu Haizhong.

Another month has passed in a flash, and the decoration of Shazhu's house has been completed. The furniture is all new. It can be said that everything is ready, and only the east wind is missing. Recently, Shazhu has been cheerful every day when meeting people, immersed in the joy of getting married soon.

On this day, a staff member of the nursing home came to the nursing home and said he was looking for Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai. A group of people in the nursing home followed him to watch the fun. After the two came out, the man said he was from a nursing home outside the city. The deaf old lady inside was dying and wanted to see Sha Zhu and Yi Zhonghai before she died.

The two of them agreed to it quite readily, and said that they would take leave tomorrow to visit the old lady. After all, they have been together for so many years and there is always some affection. Sha Zhu was protected by the old lady after he got into trouble, and Yi Zhonghai also took care of the deaf old lady for many years, and often used the old lady's name as a martyr's relative to suppress the whole hospital.

The two had already asked for leave in advance, and Yi Zhonghai even rented a bicycle for a day from Yan Bugui for 50 cents. The next morning, the two rode together towards the nursing home.

"Zhu Zi, the old lady is dying this time. When she was in the hospital, she was closer to the two of us. Do you think we should bring the old lady back and send her off?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

"Didn't the government take care of the old lady's funeral arrangements? Can we bring her back and handle it ourselves?" Sha Zhu asked puzzledly.

"I'm not sure about this. Let's talk about it when we get there."

The two were relatively silent along the way, and soon arrived at the nursing home on the outskirts of the city. After explaining their purpose and registering their names, addresses and workplaces, they were allowed to visit the deaf old lady accompanied by staff.

Although they knew that the living conditions in the nursing home could not be very good, they still gasped when they saw the skinny deaf old lady. In the past, the old lady used a cane when she went out, but she was still very energetic and looked wealthy, unlike now, when she is so thin that she looks unrecognizable.

Yi Zhonghai bent down and said to the old lady, "Old lady, Zhuzi and I are here to see you!"

The deaf old lady turned her eyes to look in the direction of Yi Zhonghai and Sha Zhu, and said in a weak voice: "Xiao Yi, Zhuzi, you are here."

"Old lady, we are here to see you." Yi Zhonghai said hypocritically. In fact, since the old lady came to the nursing home, she has lost all her usefulness to him. Even the remaining family assets were secretly given to Sha Zhu by her, so he has never come once.

"Grandma." Sha Zhu was quite frank. He would come to visit her several times a year and bring her some daily necessities and food. If it weren't for the food Sha Zhu provided, the old lady would have starved to death in 1961.

"Good grandson, pour me a glass of water." said the deaf old lady weakly.

Sha Zhu picked up the water cup and poured a glass of water from the thermos, then helped the old lady up and fed her some water. After drinking the water, the deaf old lady regained some spirit and her face became rosier. Anyone with eyes could tell that the old lady was recovering.

"Old lady, I have enjoyed a lot of blessings in my life, but I have also committed a lot of sins. It is my retribution that I am left alone and helpless. But I am really worried about you, my silly son!" said the deaf old lady.

"Grandma!" Sha Zhu called again.

"Qin Huairu hasn't been bothering you since you last came to see me, right? She's not a good woman. You'd better not get involved with her."

"No, I don't pay any attention to her now. The letter of guarantee my sister asked her to write is still here, and she doesn't dare to talk to me." Sha Zhu said.

"Then grandma can rest assured. You are not young anymore. Stop being so careless. It's time to find a woman and live a good life."

"Grandma, I'm getting married soon. I have renovated the house and replaced all the furniture with new ones." Sha Zhu said with a smile.

The deaf old lady also smiled happily, "Then I'm relieved. Tell me about your wife and make me happy."

Sha Zhu didn't dare to say that his wife was also a widow, because he felt that the old lady had a lot of complaints about widows. So he said, "My wife is so pretty, and she's a welder in the factory, and her salary is higher than mine!"

The old lady's eyes were full of satisfaction. "Then you must treat her well and try to give birth to a big fat son as soon as possible."

A trace of desolation flashed across Sha Zhu's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He knew his situation. It couldn't be said that he couldn't have children at all, but the probability of having offspring was smaller.

"Xiao Yi, please go out for a while. I'll tell Zhuzi a few words. I also have something to say to you alone later."

Yi Zhonghai walked out of the room reluctantly and closed the door quietly. He deliberately left a gap so that he could eavesdrop. He was afraid that the old lady had hidden valuables and was not telling him.

The deaf old lady also knew Yi Zhonghai's character, so she lowered her voice and said, "Zhu Zi, you are a good child. If you hadn't sent me some food from time to time, I might have died long ago. I still have a little bit of wealth left. Put your ear close to me."

Sha Zhu put his ear close to the old lady and heard her whisper where she hid the things. It turned out that the old lady hid the things in the cellar in the backyard.

"Well, this is all I have left. You better not make any mistakes this time."

"Don't worry, grandma. I will definitely not let anyone know this time."

"Okay, live a good life with your wife in the future. You can keep the things I left for you. They will definitely be valuable in the future. Okay, you go out first and help me call Yi Zhonghai in. By the way, Yi Zhonghai is too cruel. Stay away from him in the future."

Sha Zhu placed a pillow behind the old lady's body and made sure that she could lean back comfortably before he walked out the door.

"Uncle Yi, the old lady asked you to come in."

After hearing what Sha Zhu said, Yi Zhonghai couldn't wait to walk in. He also wanted to know what the old lady would say to him.

"Old lady, I'm here." Yi Zhonghai didn't sit on the bed with some disgust, but moved a stool and sat beside the bed.

"Xiao Yi, you haven't had a child for so many years, have you ever thought about the reason?"

"Isn't it just that my wife is in poor health and can't have children? What's there to say about that?"

"I'm already a dying man, there's no need for you to hide anything from me, and I know this is all because of you."

Yi Zhonghai's expression changed. "In this case, I won't hide it from you, old lady. I did go to the hospital for a check-up a few years ago, and it was indeed because of me that I couldn't have children!"

"Haven't you ever thought about the reason?"

"What's the reason? Didn't I do some foolish things in my early years and hurt my body?"

"No, I'm telling you because you two have taken care of me for a while. It was Jia Zhang who gave you a drug that will end your childlessness!"