Siheyuan: I just want to live

Chen Feng practiced calligraphy for more than two hours in the room and felt a little bored, so he locked the door and went to the middle courtyard.

The Intermediate Courtyard was now bustling with people, and the women were discussing what kind of New Year benefits the factory would give out when the workers came back from their homes. Chen Feng stood behind the crowd, lit a cigarette, and listened to their discussion quietly.

Suddenly, Jia Zhang, who was in the middle of the crowd, saw Chen Feng smoking in the back, so she asked loudly, "Hey, Chen Feng, why are you back so early?"

Chen Feng saw that it was Jia Zhang who asked the question, and he didn't want to pay attention to her. But as Jia Zhang asked the question, everyone at the scene turned around and looked at Chen Feng.

Chen Feng could only helplessly say, "There are few workers in our unit, so we came back earlier."

Jia Zhang then asked, "Chen Feng, what benefits does your scrap yard give out during the Chinese New Year this year?"

Chen Feng really didn't want to talk to Jia Zhang, but there were so many people present. It was not good to suddenly not answer, making everyone feel that he was not sociable, so Chen Feng simply said something.

"Our company didn't give out many benefits today. We only gave out some melon seeds, peanuts and sugar. We also gave out some flour and oil, plus some bills and stuff."

"No meat today?"

Jia Zhang was also very surprised, so as soon as Chen Feng finished speaking, she couldn't wait to ask.

“Nothing was posted today.”

Chen Feng also answered truthfully. Jia Zhang asked about today. The scrap yard did not distribute meat today, but a few days ago, the yard distributed a big wild boar, but Chen Feng did not tell her. Yan Fugui's family knew about it, but Yan Fugui had no family here now.

After Chen Feng finished speaking, he saw the two Wang brothers who lived in the backyard coming back. In addition to the welfare given by the steel rolling mill, they also held a pair of Spring Festival couplets in their hands.

Chen Feng knew instantly that Yan Fugui must be setting up a stall at the front gate to write Spring Festival couplets. Chen Feng also wanted to see the famous scenes in the countless courtyard books.

Thinking of this, Chen Feng said to everyone, "Teacher Yan is writing in the front yard. I'll go take a look. I won't chat with you guys anymore."

After saying that, Chen Feng walked away, leaving behind a handsome back view for the group of old ladies.

After Chen Feng left, Jia Zhang curled her lips and said to the people around her, "I'm telling you! Small units are not good, if you want to work, you should go to a big factory. Look at Chen Feng, his unit doesn't even give him meat. Unlike our Dongxu, he will definitely bring back meat today!"

The aunties and young wives sitting in a circle all nodded in agreement.

While Jia Zhang was talking, Chen Feng had already walked to the front yard. Of course, she didn't hear it, and even if she did, she wouldn't say anything. If the meat didn't go in her mouth, she knew it herself, and Chen Feng didn't bother to explain to Jia Zhang.

As soon as Chen Feng arrived at the front yard, he saw that Yan Fugui had set up a table in front of his house. Yan Fugui was writing on the red paper on the table, and there was a circle of people around the table.

When Chen Feng saw this scene, he was curious and went forward to see what kind of beautiful calligraphy Yan Fugui, who always thought of himself as a cultured person, could write.

Chen Feng slowly approached and poked his head to look inside, but the result was disappointing - Yan Fugui's handwriting was not outstanding at all. It was even inferior to the Chinese teacher who taught the original owner in his memory!

It seems that the reason why Yan Fugui is regarded as an intellectual in this courtyard is probably only because most of the people living here now are from the working class and could not even read a few words originally. They can only recognize a few words after literacy education.

However, when the younger generation grows up, if they can concentrate on studying in school, most of them will probably have good handwriting in the future.

By then, Yan Fugui’s Spring Festival couplets might not sell so well. After all, everyone can write them, so who would buy his?

Chen Feng quietly watched Yan Fugui writing Spring Festival couplets. After each couplet was finished for a family, the family would take out a handful of peanuts or melon seeds from the welfare they had just received and put them in the basin held by the third aunt, who would take them with a smile on her face.

Soon, in less than half an hour, everyone in the courtyard except Chen Feng had finished exchanging Spring Festival couplets with Yan Fugui. Chen Feng saw this and prepared to leave. After watching the excitement, Yan Fugui also put down his pen and naturally wanted to go back.

"Hey! Chen Feng, don't be in a hurry to leave."

At this moment, Yan Fugui called out to Chen Feng.

Chen Fenghui turned around and asked Yan Fugui in confusion, "Teacher Yan, what do you want me to do for you?"

Yan Fugui came out from behind the table with a pair of Spring Festival couplets in his hand. He came to Chen Feng with a smile and handed the couplets to Chen Feng.

Then he said with a smile, "Here, Chen Feng, take it! This is the Spring Festival couplet I specially left for you. You don't have to pay me. Just give me two pounds of meat that your unit distributed last time."

Chen Feng did not take the Spring Festival couplets. He looked at Yan Fugui with some doubts. He didn't know if he was pretending to be stupid or really stupid. Could it be that he, a teacher who always claimed to be a cultured person, didn't know that Chen Feng's family couldn't put up Spring Festival couplets this year?

He even shamelessly asked Chen Feng to exchange two pounds of meat! He really dared to ask for such a high price. I really don't know how he could be so shameless.

Chen Feng looked at the Spring Festival couplets handed over to him, a helpless smile appeared on his face, then he turned to Yan Fugui and said, "Teacher Yan, looking at the situation this year, is it really appropriate for me to post the Spring Festival couplets you gave me?" There was a hint of doubt and dissatisfaction in his tone, but it was not easy to directly reject Yan Fugui's kindness.

Yan Fugui didn't seem to notice the change in Chen Feng's tone, perhaps because he was too excited, thinking about how he could get two pounds of meat in exchange for this couplet. He answered happily:

"It's appropriate! How can it not be appropriate? Let me tell you, I am the best calligrapher in our area! You have just set up your own household, so you must put up the Spring Festival couplets I wrote this year! In the past, your grandfather would come to me every year to ask for Spring Festival couplets... um, that, Spring Festival couplets."

Yan Fugui was talking when he suddenly got stuck, as if he had thought of something. Then Shanshan smiled and stammered, "It's... it's a little inappropriate! How about... I write one for you on white paper?"

When an elderly person dies in the family, generally, no Spring Festival couplets are posted in the first year. If you want to post them, you can post them, even white ones are fine! In the second and third years, green or purple Spring Festival couplets may be posted, but some people may not post them.

Yan Fugui might have thought of all this just now, and finally asked Chen Feng stutteringly if he wanted a pair of white Spring Festival couplets.

Chen Feng saw that Yan Fugui had already reacted, but he still tried to sell him Spring Festival couplets. Chen Feng rolled his eyes at Yan Fugui and said, "I won't put up Spring Festival couplets this year, not even white ones!"

After Chen Feng finished speaking, he walked out of the courtyard gate.

Yan Fugui held the couplets that had not been sent out and opened his mouth to call Chen Feng. However, facing Chen Feng's back, he opened his mouth and didn't know what to say.

Finally, he looked down at the Spring Festival couplets in his hand, sighed, and muttered to himself, "Hey! Chen Feng didn't want Spring Festival couplets, so I wrote an extra one. It's a big loss! How could I forget that Grandpa Chen Feng passed away this year?"

Chen Feng walked out of the courtyard gate not because he was confused by Yan Fugui's anger, but because he heard a firecracker just now. Chen Feng remembered that he seemed to have not bought firecrackers this year!

Chen Feng went to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy two strings of firecrackers with 1,000 bangs and several strings of firecrackers with 100 bangs. He saw a thick firecracker on the counter. He pointed at it curiously and asked the salesperson, "What is this?"

The salesperson looked at what Chen Feng pointed at and explained, "Oh, that's a mullet. It's a bit expensive. Do you want it?"

Without saying anything, Chen Feng took out two yuan from his pocket and handed it to the salesperson. When Chen Feng left the supply and marketing cooperative, he brought out a large bag of sesame seeds.

When they got to a place where there was no one, Chen Feng put Ma Leizi into the space and went home with only two strings of firecrackers.

When Chen Feng walked to the middle courtyard, the women who were chatting had not yet dispersed. Instead, many men joined in. Just like before, they were still talking about the benefits given by various factories during the New Year.

But now everyone has got their New Year benefits back, and these people are discussing which unit has the best benefits. Among them, the families of those working at the steel rolling mill are the most active, especially Jia Zhang.

When Jia Zhang saw Chen Feng coming back with firecrackers, she deliberately said loudly, "This year, our Dongxu brought back a pound of meat from the factory! There were also two pounds of flour and a pound of oil. I won't go into details about the other melon seeds and snacks. Unlike some people, the company didn't even give out half a pound of meat during the New Year!"

When Jia Zhang said this, she deliberately glanced at Chen Feng. But Chen Feng ignored her and just walked on his own, bypassing the crowd and going directly back to the backyard.

After seeing Chen Feng leave, Jia Zhang kept saying, "So that's why! Dongxu is really capable and can work in a steel mill. Unlike some people who can only collect garbage at a scrap yard!"

Some people in the crowd actually echoed it out loud.

When Chen Feng returned home, he found that it was still early for dinner, so he took out the notebook from the bedroom and started practicing calligraphy on the table in the living room.

Chen Feng was practicing calligraphy with great concentration when suddenly the door was pushed open, which scared Chen Feng.

Chen Feng looked up and saw that it was Yi Zhonghai. Chen Feng frowned as he looked at Yi Zhonghai who pushed the door open and said in a somewhat irritable tone, "Master Yi, is there something urgent?"

Yi Zhonghai frowned when he heard Chen Feng's address, then relaxed and said, "Today is New Year's Eve, this is what I think."

"Old Chen died this year, and you're the only one left in your family anyway. Why don't you go buy a chicken and spend the New Year with me this year? Then Sha Zhu will cook for us, and it will be more lively for us to spend the New Year together!"

Chen Feng looked at Yi Zhonghai speechlessly. Chen Feng and Yi Zhonghai were not very familiar with each other. How could he invite Chen Feng to his place to celebrate the New Year? And even buy a chicken? I really don't know what he was thinking.

After Chen Feng heard what he said, he said bluntly, "I won't go. I'm fine being alone at home. I don't want to spend the New Year with strangers."