Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

"Zhiyong, the factory will have a holiday the day after tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Uncle Xu has asked for two days off for you. You can go back to the village two days in advance. I have also prepared some New Year supplies for you. You can ride the company's car back. Also, give this fifty yuan to your mother. It is the money Uncle Xu gave to your sister for school. Let Zhiyu finish high school well."

"Uncle Xu, I already earn a salary, I can't take Uncle Xu's money."

"Just take it, little brat. Study your skills well. In two or three months, Uncle Xu will apply for you to become a regular employee. Also, you are an adult now. You know about your mother and I. It was indeed Uncle Xu who was not good in the past. So you have to give the money to your mother. I hope you understand your mother. Your mother has not had an easy life."

Xu Damao spoke his true feelings to Chen Zhiyong with a guilty conscience.

"Uncle Xu, it's not your fault. You are much better than my uncles. They are related to me by blood, but none of them has ever taken care of me and my sister. Without Uncle Xu's help over the years, I would not be able to go to the city, and my sister would not be able to go to school. I think my family would have a hard time. Uncle Xu, I am not an ungrateful person. I can tell who is good to us."

"Then listen to Uncle Xu, pack your things and go home for the New Year as early as possible. When you come back on the fifth day, just bring some local specialties to your master. You don't need to bring too much else."

Xu Damao arranged for Chen Zhiyong to go home for the New Year, and a few days later he sent some supplies to Chen Xiaoshun, especially five pounds of pork, as well as cakes, fruits and candies to take back to the village. He also asked Chen Xiaoshun to bring some rural specialties to his master Zhang Taihe. According to seniority, Xu Damao and Chen Xiaoshun are still brothers.

Xu Damao did everything well, for no other reason than that he was happy. In recent times, everything has been going well and there have been too many good things. Not only was he promoted from deputy section chief to section chief, but he also gained more power in Li Huaide's heart and helped Li Huaide win over the financial section chief and the personnel section chief. His wife, Lou Xiao'e, is pregnant and healthy and happy.

I went to a cultural exchange meeting with Pu Yulin, met Fang Xiaoru, and accomplished something good.

In order to avoid potential dangers, he figured out Yan Yikuan's route and got a lot of unexpected wealth. Xu Damao went back to the courtyard to count and was shocked: 20 large yellow croakers, 43 small yellow croakers, kinds of ancient jade, including several jade bracelets, several ancient seals, two bronze cups, hundreds of large and small copper coins, and a set of ivory mahjong. It was really a huge fortune.

How could he not be happy? How could he not be secretly happy?

They spent a high price, which was of course much lower than the market price, and got 100 kilograms of pork, 100 kilograms of seafood, 50 kilograms of fruit candies, 50 kilograms of brown sugar, two pieces of cloth and other supplies from several business unit managers with whom they had a very good relationship. Before the New Year, all the New Year gifts were delivered to Li Huaide, Li Huaimin, Ruan Fangshui, Pu Yulin, Hu Tianhua, Zhang Taihe and others.

On the twenty-ninth day of the lunar year, Xu Damao arrived at Fang Xiaoru's residence, bringing five pounds of meat, five pounds of brown sugar, two pounds of fruit candy, five pounds of seafood, and two meters of cloth.

"Sister Fang, I brought you some things for the New Year, but they're not very good."

Fang Xiaoru looked at the pile of things and felt like Xu Damao had robbed the supply and marketing cooperative. She cursed, "Did you move the supply and marketing cooperative back home or something? You're still giving me some stuff. As a lecturer in a college, my annual benefits are not as much as what you brought this time. Do you want me to take it or not? Go to hell with you."

"Sister Fang, I, Xu Damao, don't have any other skills, but I do have ways to get some food. That's all I can do. I thought you might go back to see your parents, and these are all things you need. I know you're not short of money. But I have something to say. If you can go back to see your parents, try to go back. Even if your parents don't like you, don't be angry, because they still love you in their hearts. That's what I think. You can also be thick-skinned and have a reunion dinner at your parents' house. What's the big deal? Right? So, I wish you a good mood on this New Year's Eve."

"Thank you for your concern. But since you came to my door today, I have no intention of letting you go. Come in and don't think about running away."

"Sister Fang, I didn't say I was running away. I'm here to celebrate the New Year, so you have to treat me to a lunch."

There was wine and meat for lunch, and tea and meat after lunch. Before leaving, Fang Xiaoru actually gave Xu Damao a watch in return, with the watch face showing (Audemars Piguet).

"This is an Audemars Piguet watch imported from Switzerland. Xu Damao, I don't want to think about what will happen between you and me. It's enough for us to love each other. I hope that next time we meet, I can see you wearing the watch I gave you."

"Sister Fang, this is too expensive, isn't it? This is a good thing worth hundreds of dollars, and you just give it to me as you say?"

"Open your eyes and take a look. This is a men's watch and I can't wear it. I originally bought it for my brother, but he didn't want it. Now I don't want it anymore, so I'll give it to you at a discount. I hope you cherish it."

Xu Damao received both affection and hard stuff today. What else can he do? Love each other. Love is love, what else can he do? Live as you please. It is as the saying goes: The lowest level of freedom in life is to be able to do whatever you want. It seems that Xu Damao has achieved it now. The next level is a better level of practice: not to do what you don't want to do. And he has to endure it.

On New Year's Eve this year, the whole capital, from the highest officials to the common people, was filled with a very joyful atmosphere. For the country, Qiu Xiaojie's shocking sound in northwest China made the Chinese people really hold their heads high. After three years of hardship, the people ushered in a new year with more abundant living materials than last year. Every household can have a very rich new year this year. On the first day of the new year, they can generally eat white flour dumplings stuffed with pork. What is more tempting than white flour dumplings stuffed with pork?

The Xu family was no exception, and of course they spent New Year's Eve in the Qi family's house. The conditions there were more comfortable than those in Yandaixie Street.

Lou Zhenhua was also surprised at how well his son-in-law had managed to build such a neat courtyard with a brick-carved screen wall and a hanging flower gate. He valued Xu Damao even more.

Early in the morning of the first day of the new year, the whole Kyoto was shrouded in a vast expanse of white snow.

The scenery of the north is like this: thousands of miles of ice and thousands of miles of snow.

The family ate white flour dumplings and drank millet porridge with shredded pickles and mashed garlic and vinegar, steaming hot and full of joy.

Lou Zhenhua, Xu Damao, Xu Jun and Xu Ning walked on the crunchy snow, set off firecrackers and had a snowball fight at the entrance of the alley. In one word, it was fun.

"Da Mao, you have made great progress in the past few years, and you have made a lot of money. What's going on with this yard?"

"Dad, do you remember Mr. Qi, Qi Delong, who spent the New Year with me two years ago? This yard is his. I didn't tell you in detail at that time. Although this house is mine now, I promised Mr. Qi that if his son who is abroad comes back, I will return it to him. But Mr. Qi gave me a large thank-you gift, and I think it's a good deal. This will provide for his old age and see him to the end of his life."

"I didn't hear you mention this."

"He gave me two boxes of antique calligraphy and paintings passed down from his family. I saw that they were worth a fortune, so I agreed. Alas, I can't turn my back on such good things. Anyway, it's worth it."

"Son-in-law, what do you think of the situation going forward?"

Xu Damao didn't know why his father-in-law brought up this matter for no reason. "Dad, what's the matter? Did you hear any rumors?"

"That's not the case, but I just feel uneasy."

"Dad, maybe you are right. I think we should make plans early. It is impossible for you to marry Xiao'e to me and change the reality that you are a big capitalist. Throughout history, lessons must be learned."