Xu Damao's Thirty-Six Stratagems in Siheyuan

The weather was getting colder and colder. Xu Damao took the trouble to drive the five children to school. The main reason was that the school the children were attending was a bit far from home and they were not in their own area. Another reason was that Lou Wenting and her brother were living in Yandaixie Street, and it was not convenient for Lou Xiao'e to take Lou Boxu to school. So he had to do it himself.

Every day I send my children to school first and then go back home to Dongsishitiao for dinner.

As a result, cars going in and out of the alley every day have caused trouble.

Just today, Xu Damao just sent his children to school and went home to drink porridge and eat tofu-stuffed buns with pickles.

There was a knock on the gate.

"Meifang, go check who it is? It's so cold so early in the morning. It's definitely not Xiao'e."

Sure enough, unexpectedly, the aunt from the neighborhood committee and the staff from the street office followed Gu Meifang into the house.

"Hey, Aunt Wu, you're up so early. It's so cold out there. You must have worked hard. Who is this...?"

"Da Mao, this is Wu Yuejin from the subdistrict office. He wants to know something from you."

"Oh, then sit down. Meifang, clean up the table and make two cups of tea."

"Comrade Xu, you're welcome. I just came over to chat with you." However, Wu Yuejin sat down anyway and put a faux leather zippered folder bag in his hand on the table.

Xu Damao felt that today was not a good day.

But he didn't do anything shameful. With a firm mind, he took the KENT cigarettes he brought from Hong Kong from the table in the hall and said, "Secretary Wu, try this foreign cigarette, called Healthy Brand. It has a stronger taste. Try it?" He gave one to Wu Yuejin and took out another one for Xu Damao.

"Aunt Wu, I know you can smoke, so you should try some foreign food."

Aunt Wu took the cigarette without hesitation and lit it with Xu Damao's lighter. She took a puff and coughed, "Oh, it's really a bit strong. I'm not used to it." But it was her first time smoking foreign cigarettes, so she didn't want to waste it.

When Gu Meifang came over with three cups of tea, Aunt Wu spoke first.

"Da Mao, actually you have lived here for quite a while. Your family has been here since the neighborhood committee was still run by Sister Yu. I remember the children were very young at that time. So many years have passed and Sister Yu has been retired for several years. I have been in charge of the neighborhood committee for several years."

"Yes, yes. I moved here in 1967 or 1968, which is nearly 20 years. My children are now in college and middle school. Aunt Wu, if you have any questions, just tell me. If the neighborhood committee or the street office needs my help, I will never refuse."

"Da Mao, let Secretary Wu talk about this matter, but don't get angry in a hurry."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Yuejin took over the conversation.

"It's like this, Comrade Xu Damao. The subdistrict office received several letters of complaint last week, saying that your family's lifestyle is problematic. You have two wives, and they go out in pairs, which has a very bad influence. In addition, your family has several luxury cars, and the source of your wealth is unknown. So, on behalf of the subdistrict office, I came here to inquire, and I hope you will cooperate with the work of the subdistrict office."

Xu Damao didn't expect that in the mid-95s, people would still be doing this. Hey, he was really a little angry. In the early years, he was reported twice by the neighbors of No. compound because of this.

"Secretary Wu, the reports are true. I did have two wives. One is Gu Meifang, who is now at home. She was originally a farmer from Baishui Village, Wenquan Township, Haidian District. A few years ago, Baishui Village was demolished for urban construction. Now she has a Kyoto hukou. She used to work at Fuxingmen Jingpai Sichuan Restaurant. Now she is unemployed and is raising children at home, just like me. The other one is my ex-wife Lou Xiao'e. Now the policy is good, and the enlightened capitalists who fled abroad did not respond to the call for national construction and returned to Kyoto. The Lou family implemented the policy six or seven years ago and returned part of the property. You can go and investigate. And now Lou Xiao'e is also in Kyoto, living in her original house on Yandaixie Street. It seems that that place belongs to the Shichahai Sub-district Office. Lou Xiao'e and I Lou Xiao'e lived there before the divorce. This can also be checked. Although Lou Xiao'e and I are divorced, we have children together after all. It is impossible not to be in contact. And now Lou Xiao'e has investments in Kyoto. The Sichuan restaurant I just mentioned was opened by her and my former neighbor, the chef of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill canteen. As for the reports that I have two wives, I am morally corrupt and have a bad influence, why didn't I know about it? Or the reporter saw with his own eyes what shameful things we did. There is no law or regulation that men and women are not allowed to have contact after divorce. My wife, Comrade Gu Meifang, didn't think it was wrong. I don't know what the reporter wants to do. I hope the government department will investigate it clearly and clear my name. Otherwise, if I am accused of bigamy or moral corruption, I will be in big trouble. "

"As for the property issue. Hey, there really is red eye disease. There is no way. I, Xu Damao, am lucky. My ex-wife said that she treated me badly over the years, and my eldest son also said that I, as a father, suffered in Kyoto. He kept spending money on me, buying this and that. A car, that's nothing. My eldest son, Xu Jun, the first child born to Lou Xiao'e and I, is a US citizen. He is now in Los Angeles. He has a factory there. He also invested in a factory in Fangshan last year. He makes money like a money printing machine, gushing.

Oh, by the way, this year my eldest daughter, who was also born to Lou Xiao'e, is a graduate student of Peking University and has a Hong Kong household registration. She jointly established an instant noodle factory in Fengtai with Kyoto Flour Factory No. 2. "Si Nian" brand instant noodles, you can eat them anytime you want, and they make people miss them. This slogan has been advertised in newspapers. It was my daughter Xu Nian. Do you think my family is poor? If Secretary Wu thinks I am talking nonsense and bragging, you can check it out. All the invoices, customs declarations, and tax certificates for buying cars are all there. Secretary Wu, if you have any questions, you can ask me, I will tell you everything I know. I am a party member and I used to be a department-level cadre. Although I have resigned and am at home and no longer hold any position, I still have the awareness of cooperating with the organization's work."

Wu Yuejin had never thought that Xu Damao had such a background. He now knew why Aunt Wu, who brought him here, was so quiet.

After asking a few more questions, Wu Yuejin said goodbye.

Xu Damao and Aunt Wu from the neighborhood committee fell behind.

"Da Mao, Aunt Wu is just showing you the way, please don't mind."

"How could that be possible? I know. This is an organizational procedure. I understand and I cooperate. I have no objection. When my daughter comes back to see me, I will ask her to get some instant noodles from the factory to support the work of the neighborhood committee. After all, there are still many lonely elderly people and people who need help in this area."

"That's great. Damao, I'll go back first. Call me if you have anything."

When Xu Damao returned to the house, Gu Meifang said with a worried look,

"Boss, now someone is reporting you. Are you bored and have nothing to do?"

"Meifang, it's okay. Our family is big and prosperous, and there are always people who are jealous and can't stand seeing others do better than they do. We just need to be careful. It's okay. I, Xu Damao, was reported many times during that era, but I was never scared. There's nothing to be afraid of now. If it doesn't work, we can immigrate."

"Boss, you can still blame your ex-wife for Xiao'e's matter, but what about Xiaoru, you..."

"That's even more impossible. Who can catch her in the act? After all these years, you still don't know Xiaoru. She is fearless, and whoever dares to challenge her will be in trouble. You don't know that when her parents and the Red Guards went to her house to arrest someone, Xiaoru almost wedged the person against the wall with a kitchen knife in one hand and a mallet in the other. Don't think too much, let's go back to the house and lie down for a while. It's freezing outside, so I might as well hold you and sleep for a while."

"You are so careless in broad daylight. Aren't you ashamed?"

"Why are you ashamed? We are an old married couple, can't we enjoy our own sexual happiness?"

Xu Damao picked up Gu Meifang and went straight to the inner room...