Siheyuan: Five mouths waiting for food at the beginning

"Ma Dongmei, you have lost your conscience. The old lady is so old, and you still make her kneel. Aren't you afraid of shortening her life?" The neighbors who were watching the fun in the yard came.

"I'm not afraid. If she wants to kneel, let her kneel. If she can't, take her away."

The neighbor asked, "Auntie, what is your relationship with Ma Dongmei?"

"I have nothing to do with her. I want to find He Daqing."

"He Daqing is in the backyard. I'll take you there."

The elderly at home came out to persuade him, "Passerby B, don't get involved in this matter, or Shazhu will hate you to death."

Then the old man pulled Passerby B aside and told him what happened that year, "Shazhu and Yushui were both children back then. She was so cruel, and now it's all retribution."

The neighbors who were watching the excitement in the yard also knew what happened that year, and no one spoke up for Old Lady Bai. What the old lady did back then was not a decent thing.

I don’t know who failed to take care of the children at home, and several children ran to find He Daqing.

He Daqing, who is in his early seventies, has a more hunched back, but he is still energetic.

Arriving at the middle courtyard, he walked towards the White Widow step by step. "Are you Xiao Bai?"

"The Qing Dynasty is me"

"Get up quickly, why are you like this?"

The white widow couldn't stop crying, "Daqing, I'm here to find you."

He Daqing didn't respond, but turned to look at Ma Dongmei, "Dongmei, look at this?"

"Dad, you know Zhuzi hates him. You can handle your own affairs. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

Ma Dongmei is a daughter-in-law after all, and it is not her place to interfere in her father-in-law's affairs. She hopes He Daqing can be sent away as soon as possible, otherwise there will be trouble again.

Ma Dongmei left without looking back. He Daqing looked at the White Widow and felt embarrassed. The White Widow was no longer young and charming, and most of her hair was white.

He is no longer in his thirties or forties and was still the head of the family. Now he is over seventy, and to put it bluntly, it is no longer his turn to make decisions on family matters. He has finally reconciled with his son and is counting on his son to support him in his old age.

"Come on, let's go out and talk."

"Daqing, I came here from Baoding with great difficulty, and now you don't want me anymore. Then I can only die."

"No, I'll take you out for dinner and buy you some clothes. We can talk slowly."

He Daqing pulled the White Widow out, and the people in the yard began to disperse.

Some gossipers even gathered together to discuss whether He Daqing would have a twilight romance and take in the White Widow.

After He Daqing brought Widow Bai out, he said, "Xiao Bai, what happened to you? Didn't we agree on this at the beginning? I gave you the money, and the job to your son."

"Alas, I have two ungrateful bastards. They married wives and forgot their mothers. My two daughters-in-law scolded me all day long and even refused to let me eat. I was so hungry that I picked up garbage to eat."

"I almost froze to death last winter. I walked all the way here as the weather got hotter. Daqing, I really had no other choice. Otherwise, I wouldn't have come to find you. Daqing, please, please leave me here. I'll keep you company."

"Let's go first. I'll take you to eat first. We can talk later if there's anything."

We found a vendor selling wontons, but Old Mrs. Bai was old and couldn't eat anymore, so she ate only one bowl and stopped.

"Daqing, please keep me here. I will serve you and keep you company."

"Hey, Xiaobai, listen to me. I'm old now, and it's not my turn to make the decisions at home. My son and daughter resented me when I left with you."

"You turned them away back then, and they hate you. If I keep you, Sha Zhu won't agree. I won't live for many more years, and I still need Sha Zhu to take care of me in my old age."

"Daqing, since I have served you for decades, please take me in. I really have no way to survive, and you have been alone for so many years. I will keep you company."

He Daqing felt a little sad for the White Widow, but also a little fortunate. It was a good thing that he came back that year, otherwise these two ungrateful bastards would definitely drive him out, and he would end up with no one to collect his body.

"Xiao Bai, I'm old now. There are some things I can't decide on my own. Why don't you understand? I really can't control you."

"Daqing, I know you are in a difficult situation, but one night of love means a hundred days of kindness. I have been with you for decades. Don't you have any feelings for me?"

"Xiao Bai, it's not that I don't remember the past. I helped you raise your sons, found them jobs, and left you money. I don't owe you anything."

"Daqing, I really have no way to survive, please."

People on the street pointed and talked about the old couple, and He Daqing was really in a difficult situation at this time.

"Xiao Bai, I'll give you the travel expenses. Go back and find your son. Let the government intervene. They don't dare to go against the government."

"It's useless. I've looked for you more than once. Please, Daqing, please keep me."

"Hey, why do you have to pester me? I'm old too. You don't want me to be kicked out by your son, do you?"

"Daqing, I finally found you, are you really so heartless?" The old lady cried heartbreakingly.

He Daqing's face, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, finally showed a slight change, "Alas, that's all."

"How about this, I'll rent you a house and give you some money, and you can live on your own. If I take you home, my son won't agree."

"Daqing, I knew you wouldn't watch me die,"

"Alas, you might as well die on the road"

"Let's go, I'll buy you some clothes and then rent a house."

He Daqing found a small vendor and bought some cheap clothes for Old Mrs. Bai.

He then asked Old Lady Bai about a house in a remote place and soon found a small room with a rent of five dollars a month.

He Daqing paid one year's rent, and took Old Lady Bai to buy pots, pans, bedding, and food, and hired a car to deliver them back.

"I will give you ten dollars a month from now on. If you pick up some trash and sell it, it should be enough to live on. I will come to see you when I have time. Don't come to the courtyard to find me. If you leave, Sha Zhu will see you."

"Okay, Daqing, as long as you pay me on time, I will never go to the Siheyuan."

In fact, He Daqing didn't have much money. Most of the money he earned was given to Ma Dongmei. He only had enough money to buy cigarettes and alcohol. Ten yuan a month was the limit for him after deducting daily expenses.

When He Daqing returned to the courtyard, it was almost dark. As soon as he arrived at the gate of the courtyard, he was stopped by the third uncle.

"Lao He, where is the White Widow?"

"Sent away,"

"Really sent him away?"

"Um"

When they arrived at the middle courtyard, Yi Zhonghai glanced at He Daqing and said, "Old He, you can't stay, Widow Bai. Go to the pillar..."

"Send it away," Lao He said, and walked to the backyard.

Yi Zhonghai said to He Daqing's back, "Hey, Lao He, I know you. Don't let her come to the courtyard."

He Daqing didn't say anything and went straight back to the backyard.