Siheyuan: Xu Damao's New Life

Early the next morning, Xu Damao and his wife got up early and started packing. Now the couple has no children, so they plan to go to their parents' house to celebrate the New Year together and have some fun.

Xu Damao and Lou Xiao'e moved back to the courtyard with their children. Their younger sister Xu Xiaoying got married soon after, and the old couple felt a little lonely. Their younger sister couldn't go back to her parents' home until the second day of the Chinese New Year, so they decided to go over and spend the New Year with her.

"Brother, take the bananas and oranges with you, and tie the bacon tightly so it won't fall down the road." Yu Shui said.

"Okay, I get it, go change your clothes."

Soon the two of them finished packing and pushed the cart out of the yard with large and small bags of things hanging on the cart.

"Yushui, where are you going? When will you come back to your mother's house?" Liang Ladi came out to pour water and saw the two people carrying large and small bags.

"Sister-in-law, let's go to my mother-in-law's house to celebrate the New Year. We can come back anytime." Yu Shui said.

"That should be the second day of the Chinese New Year, the day when married girls return to their parents' home. Although we live in the same courtyard, you just got married after all, so let's follow the tradition."

"Okay, then let's set it for the second night of the New Year." Yu Shui said.

She also knew that her sister-in-law's parents' home was in the countryside, and it would take a lot of time to go back and forth, so she decided to give her daytime time to her sister-in-law.

Anyway, she and her brother lived in the front and back yards. After dinner, she could take a walk and go back to her parents' home. She passed by her brother's house every day on her way to and from work. She really didn't have the homesickness that a married girl would have.

"Okay, thank you as sister-in-law. I'll ask your brother to get some good food to treat you two." Liang Ladi said.

"I know my sister-in-law is the best. Let's go first."

"Go now, don't delay."

Xu Damao also said hello and pushed the cart out of the yard with Yu Shui.

Jia Zhang happened to see the large and small bags on the two people's bicycles. "Xu Damao must have gone to his parents' house to celebrate the New Year. His family is so rich, but he didn't even help us. His conscience has been eaten by dogs."

"Mom, please stop talking. He is now the deputy director of the factory. Isn't it easy for him to punish a cleaner like me? If he fines us a few times, it will make our family even more difficult."

"Hmph! If he dares to fine you, I'll slap him in the face." Jia Zhang snorted coldly. She knew that what Qin Huairu said made sense, but she was just being stubborn instinctively.

Qin Huairu didn't respond to her and continued to work. Banggeng was often not at home recently. When asked, he said he was staying at a friend's house. Qin Huairu was used to it, but it was a bit inappropriate for him to be away from home during the Chinese New Year.

"Mom, if you don't want to help, can you go out and look for some fun? We have to spend the New Year at home, right?"

"Oh, now that you mentioned that, I realized that Banggeng did not come back last night. I'll go look for him nearby." Jia Zhang was too lazy to work, so she used this excuse to hide away and come back when it was almost time for dinner.

Xu family courtyard.

"Dad, Mom, Yu Shui and I are here."

"Oh, you're finally here. I've been waiting for a long time. Why are you carrying so many things? Come into the house and warm up." said Xu's mother.

"Mom, you guys go ahead, I'll move the things first." Xu Damao said and moved the things into the kitchen.

Yu Shui carried some fruits and went into the house with Xu's mother.

"Mom, where is my dad?"

"He went out to buy some seasoning. He will probably be back soon." While Xu Damao was moving things, Xu's mother pulled Yu Shui into the inner room and started whispering.

Just as Xu Damao finished moving his things, Xu's father came back carrying two bottles.

"Dad, what did you get?"

"We ran out of soy sauce and vinegar at home, so I went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy some. When did you come?"

"I just got here a while ago. I put everything in the kitchen. You don't have to buy anything when my brother-in-law and his family arrive."

After Mr. Xu put the seasoning in place, the father and son went into the main room together, lit a cigarette and started chatting.

Around ten o'clock, Xu's mother and Yu Shui went to the kitchen together to prepare lunch, but the father and son had already taken out the chessboard and started playing chess.

Siheyuan, Yi Zhonghai’s home.

"Lao Yi, it's getting late, let's start making dumplings." Wang Sufen said.

"Well, didn't the factory distribute some pork yesterday? Let's make pork and cabbage filling. Put more meat in it. The two kids will like it." Yi Zhonghai said with a smile as he looked at the two children.

Now he likes these two sensible children very much. If he had known this, why would he insist on finding a caregiver for the elderly? He has done so many bad things because of the care for the elderly. Now he regrets it when he thinks about it.

If it wasn't for retirement, he would still have a lot of retirement money! If it wasn't for retirement, he would still be the respected uncle and seventh-level worker! If it wasn't for retirement, he wouldn't be in disgrace!

Forget it, I don’t want to think about it anymore. The more I think about it, the sadder I feel.

Yi Zhonghai put aside his thoughts and started making dumplings with his wife. The two children each took a small piece of dough and followed the adults to make dumplings, laughing from time to time.

Soon, the dumplings were wrapped, and Wang Sufen went to the stove and started steaming the dumplings.

She looked at the empty vinegar bottle on the stove and said, "Old Yi, we're out of vinegar. Can you go get some?"

"Okay, we can't eat dumplings without vinegar, otherwise they will feel tasteless." Yi Zhonghai felt in his pocket and found some money. He took some bills from the inner room, picked up the vinegar bottle and went out.

When Yi Zhonghai walked onto the street, he saw Jia Zhang wandering around the street, calling out Bang Geng's name and taking a bite of a pork elbow from time to time. This old hag was here to steal food again.

But the big pork elbow is really delicious. Buy one when you go back. The kids will definitely like it!

Yi Zhonghai first went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a bottle of vinegar, and then went to the store selling cooked food.

"Comrade, give me an elbow, too."

"Oh, you're a little late. The pork elbows are sold out, but we still have roast chicken. Do you want some?" the salesperson said enthusiastically.

Things sold very quickly today. Everyone wanted to eat something delicious during the New Year, and she also wanted to sell things quickly and go home to celebrate the New Year, so she was very welcoming to people.

"Then give me one and wrap it up."

"Do you have a ticket?"

"Yes, I'll give it to you right away." Yi Zhonghai reached into his pocket to take out the money and meat ticket, but unexpectedly touched a hard paper bag. Yi Zhonghai thought, this is the poison he bought, and he was afraid that his wife would find out and carry it with him. If he bought a roast chicken and tried to get Jia Zhang to eat it...

"Comrade, give me two, and save one for two days."

"Hey, okay, wait a minute."

The salesperson was very efficient and quickly wrapped the two chickens.

Yi Zhonghai paid the money and carried the two chickens into a small alley. He looked around to see if there was anyone around, took out an oil paper bag from his pocket and sprinkled a thin layer of medicine powder on one of the roast chickens. The roast chicken was still hot, and the medicine powder melted as soon as it was sprinkled on it, leaving no trace at all.

Yi Zhonghai carried the drugged roast chicken in his right hand and walked out of the alley. Now he just had to find Jia Zhang's whereabouts and find a way to give the roast chicken to her.