Siheyuan: I am different He Yuzhu

On the third night after He Yuzhu got off work, he went to Daoxiang Village to buy two sets of Beijing Eight Pieces, one for Lou Xiao'e to use when she returned home, and one for her sister He Yushui and Lou Xiao'e to eat. On the way back from buying the Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiang Village, He Yuzhu found a corner where no one was paying attention and went into the blessed land to catch a chicken.

When He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle into the yard, Yan Bugui, the gate god of the courtyard, saw that there was a set of Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiang Village hanging on the left handlebar of He Yuzhu's bicycle, and an old hen hanging on the right. He couldn't help but look at He Yuzhu with envy, "Zhuzi, you've spent a lot of money today."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Uncle, isn't today the day my wife comes back to her parents' home for the third time? I bought these things for my wife's parents' home. Well, I'll go home first." After saying that, He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle and walked inside.

Although the residents of the courtyard knew that He Yuzhu was the canteen director of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, they all tacitly never called He Yuzhu "Director He" in the courtyard. They still called He Yuzhu "Zhu Zi" as before, but their tone was much more enthusiastic than before when they didn't know He Yuzhu was the canteen director of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill. After all, they were neighbors who had lived in the courtyard for a long time. If they were too enthusiastic about He Yuzhu, it would be embarrassing to be accused of fawning on He Yuzhu's identity as the canteen director.

After He Yuzhu pushed his bicycle back home, he first untied the old hen from the handlebars and put it in the corner of the kitchen yard, and then carried the Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiangcun into the house.

Lou Xiao'e, who was reading a book, saw He Yuzhu coming back and said with a smile: "Brother He, you are back."

"Well, Xiao'e, pack up. We're going to your parents' house later. Today is the third day for you to visit your parents." He Yuzhu put the Beijing Eight Jian from Daoxiangcun on the table and said casually.

"Okay, Brother He, I'll go pack it right away." Lou Xiao'e said as she fixed her clothes and hair in front of the mirror, "Brother He, let's go to my parents' house. What should we do if it rains?"

"It's not appropriate to leave Yu Shui alone at home during these three days and take her with you when you go back home."

"Then how will she eat if she is left alone at home?" Lou Xiao'e asked with concern.

After listening to this, He Yuzhu smiled and said, "It's okay. Yushui can cook. Just let her make something to eat when she finishes her homework. Besides, I bought an extra set of Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiangcun. If she doesn't want to cook, she can just have some snacks. Anyway, she won't starve. You clean up first, I'll go talk to Yushui." After saying that, He Yuzhu opened the door and walked out.

He Yuzhu came to He Yushui's room, looked at Yushui who was doing homework on the table and said, "Yushui, big brother is going to take your sister-in-law back to her parents' house in a while. You can cook whatever you want to eat tonight. If you don't want to cook, there are some Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiangcun on the table in my room. You can eat whatever you want to fill your stomach first, and I will cook for you when big brother comes back."

When He Yushui heard that there were snacks from Daoxiang Village, he immediately smiled happily and said, "Okay, brother, I understand. Just take your sister-in-law with you. I'll be fine at home alone."

He Yuzhu touched his sister He Yushui's head, smiled and walked out of her room. When he returned to his room, Lou Xiao'e had packed up and was waiting for He Yuzhu with her small bag ready to leave.

He Yuzhu picked up a set of Daoxiangcun's Beijing Eight Pieces on the table and said to Lou Xiao'e, "Xiao'e, lock the door for a while. I'm going to the kitchen to bring the chicken I bought."

The old hen, who had just had a moment to breathe, was hung upside down on the handlebars of the bicycle by He Yuzhu, while Lou Xiao'e was carrying the Beijing Eight Pieces from Daoxiang Village in her hand. The two walked side by side to the outside of the courtyard. After walking out of the gate of the courtyard, He Yuzhu got on the bicycle and turned to Lou Xiao'e and said, "Xiao'e, get on." After Lou Xiao'e sat firmly, He Yuzhu pushed hard with his right foot, and the bicycle drove out steadily.

Because Lou Xiao'e was pregnant, He Yuzhu didn't ride very fast, but rode slowly. When they arrived downstairs of Lou Xiao'e's house, as soon as He Yuzhu's bicycle stopped, Lou Xiao'e jumped off the bicycle and shouted loudly: "Dad, Mom, Brother He and I are here to see you."

Tan Yali, who was sitting in the room, opened the door and said with a smile, "Xiao'e, you are already married, why are you still so carefree? Xiao He, come here."

Lou Xiao'e took Tan Yali's hand and asked, "Mom, you and Dad, have you missed me these days?"

Tan Yali touched Lou Xiao'e's forehead with her hand and said with a smile: "How could I not miss you? There are only me and your father at home. Now that you've gotten married, the house has become much quieter. Okay, stop talking and go into the house. By the way, you and Xiao He haven't eaten yet, right? Your father and I haven't eaten either. Mom will go cook now."

Lou Xiao'e quickly stopped Tan Yali and said, "Mom, don't worry about cooking. Let Brother He do the cooking. He cooks better than you, and you don't know how much Brother He eats. Where's my dad?"

Tan Yali smiled and said, "Your father is reading in the study. It doesn't make sense for you to ask your newlywed son-in-law to cook for you when he comes to your house for the first time. You should let your mother do it."

After listening to this, He Yuzhu held up the old hen and said with a smile: "Mom, now is a new society, there is no need to be so particular, we are all family, you can just talk to Xiao'e."

Seeing this, Tan Yali could only say, "Okay, I'll listen to you, Xiao He. I'll take you to the kitchen and tell you what's in it. I'll trouble you to cook when the time comes. It's a good opportunity for me to try your cooking skills, Xiao He."

After Tan Yali took He Yuzhu to the kitchen, she returned to the living room, sat on the sofa, took Lou Xiaoe's hand and said, "Xiaoe, how do you feel these past few days since your wedding? Are you used to living in Xiao He's house?"

While her mother Tan Yali was taking He Yuzhu to the kitchen, Lou Xiaoe opened the box of Daoxiangcun Jingbajian and took out a piece of Shaqima to eat. When her mother asked her questions, Lou Xiaoe could only give a vague answer: "It's okay. Although Brother He's house is not as big as ours, it's very comfortable to live in. Brother He specially paid someone to renovate it before he got married."

"Xiao He has gone to work. Are you bored at home alone?"

"It's OK. I just eat and sleep. If I'm bored, I'll read a book. Anyway, the day goes by very quickly."

"That's fine. If you're bored, why don't you take your bike back when you go home today? When Xiao He goes to work, you can ride back and talk to your mother."

Lou Xiao'e blushed and said embarrassedly, "Mom, Brother He won't let me go out casually now, and I can't ride a bike."

When Tan Yali heard this, she quickly asked, "What's wrong? Why is Xiao He so overbearing? I don't think he is the kind of overbearing and unreasonable person."

Lou Xiao'e quickly explained: "No, it's not Brother He's fault, it's my own problem."

Upon hearing this, Tan Yali asked anxiously, "What's wrong with you? Are you feeling unwell?" After saying that, Tan Yali quickly stood up and started touching Lou Xiao'e's body with her hands.

Lou Xiao'e quickly grabbed her mother Tan Yali's hand and whispered in her mother Tan Yali's ear: "Mom, I'm pregnant." After that, Lou Xiao'e blushed and lowered her head, embarrassed to look at her mother.

After hearing this, Tan Yali said with surprise: "Xiao'e, are you saying you are pregnant?" Then Tan Yali asked with a puzzled look: "No, Xiao'e, you just got married for 3 days, so you can't get pregnant so quickly?"

Lou Xiao'e blushed and said nothing. Tan Yali looked at her daughter and asked in a low voice, "Is it the time you had with Xiao He before you got married?"

Lou Xiao'e nodded with a red face. Seeing this, Tan Yali tapped Lou Xiao'e's head fiercely with her finger and said, "You, you are lucky that you and Xiao He are married now. Otherwise, when you get pregnant, your father and I will be so embarrassed." After that, Tan Yali stood up with a happy face, "Xiao'e, you sit here first. I will go tell your father the good news."

Just as Tan Yali was about to turn around and go upstairs, she saw Lou Bancheng coming down from upstairs. Lou Bancheng smiled and said, "Madam, do you have any good news to tell me?"

Tan Yali came to Lou Bancheng and whispered, "Xiao'e, I'm pregnant. I'm going to be a grandmother and you're going to be a grandfather."

Lou Bancheng also laughed after hearing this. After a while, Lou Bancheng whispered, "That's not right, wife. Xiao'e has only been married for three days. How could she know she's pregnant so soon? Could it be that the child isn't Xiao He's?"

After hearing what Lou Bancheng said, Tan Yali twisted Lou Bancheng's arm and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? The child must be Xiao He's. How can a father miss his daughter so much?"

Lou Bancheng asked doubtfully, "What about Xiao'e?"

Tan Yali could only lean over and whisper in Lou Bancheng's ear: "Before our Xiao'e and Xiao He got married, they couldn't help but do that in advance."

Lou Bancheng suddenly realized, "Oh, so that's how it is. I thought so. I remember it took you a month to find out you were pregnant with Xiao'e." Because his daughter was already married to He Yuzhu, Lou Bancheng couldn't say anything unpleasant.

Lou Bancheng came to Lou Xiao'e and said with concern: "Xiao'e, Xiao He doesn't have many elders at home, why don't you go back home and live there, your mother can take care of you."

"No need, Dad. Brother He takes good care of me."

Lou Bancheng stopped talking after hearing what Lou Xiao'e said. Tan Yali beside him smiled and said, "You are really old and confused. How can you let a married couple separate? Xiao'e is just pregnant now. As long as she is careful, she will be fine. You will need to be careful when the pregnancy is advanced. You don't know anything. You should go back to your room and read your book. Let me tell Xiao'e what to pay attention to during pregnancy."

Seeing this, Lou Bancheng could only laugh and cry as he sat up from the sofa, turned around and went back to the study to continue reading. Before going up the stairs, Lou Bancheng suddenly turned around and asked, "Where's Xiao He? Why don't I see Xiao He?"

Tan Yali smiled and said, "Xiao He is cooking in the kitchen. Look at Xiao He. Old Lou, you should learn how to cook."

After hearing this, Lou Bancheng turned around without saying a word and walked up the stairs to the study room.

After Lou Bancheng went upstairs, Tan Yali took Lou Xiao'e's hand and patiently told her what she needed to pay attention to when she was pregnant.

When He Yuzhu finished cooking and called Lou Xiao'e and Tan Yali to eat, the mother and daughter had not finished talking. Tan Yali could only say with lingering feelings: "Xiao'e, I'll talk to you after dinner. Let's eat first." After that, Tan Yali got up and went to the kitchen to help serve the dishes. Lou Xiao'e also hurriedly got up and followed her mother to the kitchen.

After walking to the kitchen, Lou Xiao'e asked, "Mom, where is our hot pot?"

Tan Yali asked with a puzzled look on her face: "Why are you looking for the soup bowl? When Xiao He was cooking, I told Xiao He where our plates were?"

"Don't worry about it. Just tell me where it is."

Seeing this, Tan Yali could only tell Lou Xiaoe where the soup basin was, "Look, it's in that cabinet."

Lou Xiao'e hurried to the cupboard, took out a soup basin, rinsed it under the faucet, and walked out holding the basin.

Seeing this, Tan Yali quickly said, "Xiao'e, why did you leave with an empty basin? Why didn't you fill it with some rice?"

Lou Xiaoe responded: "Mom, please come out with the bucket of rice."

Seeing this, Tan Yali could only come to the wooden barrel filled with rice with a puzzled look on her face. When she opened the lid of the wooden barrel and took a look, she couldn't help but say, "Why did Xiao He steam so much rice?" After that, Tan Yali didn't think much about it and walked out of the kitchen with the wooden barrel filled with rice. Just then, she ran into He Yuzhu who had just returned to the kitchen after serving the dishes. Tan Yali smiled and said, "Xiao He, go upstairs and call your dad, and leave it to me when you serve the dishes."

"Okay, Mom." After saying that, He Yuzhu turned around and went upstairs to call Lou Bancheng to eat.

When Tan Yali came to the table with the tableware for the last time, she saw Lou Xiao'e filling the soup bowl with rice. She asked curiously, "Xiao'e, I've already brought out the bucket for rice, why are you still putting rice in the bowl?"