Siheyuan: I am the Smart Pillar

After get off work in the afternoon, Xu Damao waited for He Yuzhu at the gate of the steel mill. Seeing He Yuzhu and his wife walking towards him lovingly, Xu Damao was very envious. He imagined that when Zhang Li married into the Xu family, he and Zhang Li would also go in and out lovingly.

He Yuzhu looked at Xu Damao with a smile, not understanding why this boy was standing at the gate. He smiled and said, "Hey, Xu Damao, you are standing at the gate of the steel mill. Are you waiting for me?" Xu Damao nodded, and a smile appeared on his horse face. He said, "Yes, I am waiting for you two."

He Yuzhu asked tentatively, "Is it about Jia Dongxu?" Xu Damao looked at He Yuzhu in surprise, smiled and said, "I find that you have really become smart. Yes, it is about Jia Dongxu. Jia Dongxu, the short-lived ghost, is now dead. Tonight, Yi Zhonghai will definitely ask for donations from our courtyard. I want to discuss it with you in advance."

He Yuzhu nodded and said, "Let's go, let's go to Hongxing Primary School first, and after we get the rainwater, we'll find a place to have a good chat!"

Xu Damao nodded, and the three of them rode their bicycles together and headed straight for Hongxing Primary School. At the gate of Hongxing Primary School, He Yushui was leaving the school gate with several classmates, and found his brother, sister-in-law, and Xu Damao standing at the school gate. He Yuzhu smiled and motioned for his sister to come over. After He Yushui said goodbye to several classmates, he ran towards He Yuzhu.

"Brother, sister-in-law, brother Damao, why did you come to our school today?" He Yushui asked in confusion. He Yuzhu touched his sister's head and said, "Something happened in the yard. Jia Dongxu died in the steel mill this morning. There must be a general meeting tonight. Let's eat outside."

He Yushui opened his eyes wide and said to his brother in disbelief, "Brother, you are kidding, this Jia Dongxu, this Jia Dongxu is actually dead?" Although He Yushui had no good feelings towards anyone in the Jia family, he still felt very uncomfortable that a person who was alive yesterday died today.

He Yuzhu said with a wry smile, "How could I joke with you about other people's lives? Tonight, that old man Jia Zhang will definitely make a scene again. Let's have dinner outside. Let's go. How about we have mutton hotpot today? Xu Damao!"

Xu Damao thought about it, nodded and said, "Okay, but Zhuzi, you have to treat us." He Yuzhu said with a smile, "Hey, you are a little too much." Xu Damao said in a flattering manner, "Zhuzi, we can't say that. The combined monthly salary of you and your sister-in-law in the factory is almost 100 yuan. Can't you treat us to a mutton hotpot?"

This made Qin Huairu beside her very happy. She covered her cherry lips and said, "Okay, I'll treat you today. Anyway, my monthly salary is about 30 yuan, let's have a meal outside today." Xu Damao laughed when he heard it, and said cheerfully, "Oh, sister-in-law is still generous, let's go to Bianyifang?"

He Yuzhu didn't say anything. The four of them headed for the hot pot restaurant. There were only a handful of people who could afford to eat in restaurants these days, and even fewer who could eat mutton in a hot pot restaurant. After the four of them parked their bicycles and paid 30 cents for parking, they swaggered into the hot pot restaurant.

The waiter quickly arranged the four people to sit by the window. He Yuzhu smiled and ordered a few plates of mutton with some side dishes such as fish, tofu, and potatoes. This made Xu Damao very happy. Today he could finally have a good meal. Although Xu Damao's salary was only about 20 yuan a month, he still didn't dare to eat in a place like a hot pot restaurant. The reason was that the price was too high.

After ordering the dishes, He Yuzhu gave his wife and sister a bottle of Beibingyang each. Although it was his wife who treated them, it was definitely him, the man, who paid the bill. Because of the system, He Yuzhu made a lot of money in the black market. Qin Huairu also knew that her husband had a business outside, but what kind of business was it? Qin Huairu didn't know.

Xu Damao ordered two bottles of Erguotou, and He Yuzhu smiled and started drinking with Xu Damao. After three cups and two glasses of light wine, the shabu-shabu meat was cut. The four of them ate and chatted. After Xu Damao took a sip of wine, he said, "Hey, Zhuzi. Let's discuss business. That old bastard Yi Zhonghai will definitely ask for donations from our courtyard, but have you ever thought about it? It's not right for us to donate or not. I'm worried in my heart. What do you think we should do?"

Qin Huairu nodded and said, "Brother Damao, what you said is true. No matter what, when a person dies, it is like a light going out. When a person is alive, no matter how many evil things he has done, his debts should be erased when he dies. Especially in the current situation of the Jia family, if our two families do not donate or even donate too little, we will be criticized by the neighbors in the courtyard. People's words are scary, we must have a good discussion."

Xu Damao nodded with a smile and said to He Yuzhu, "Hey, Zhuzi, you can marry such a smart wife. It must be because you did good deeds in your previous life. My sister-in-law is beautiful and smart. Alas." He Yuzhu nodded, and said with some displeasure in his heart, "Hey, you kid. What are you talking about?"

"Why? Are you jealous? Aren't you going to get married soon? Don't worry, I've heard of the eldest daughter of the Zhang family. She's very beautiful, and she's on par with my wife. Forget it, let's talk business. Hey, Huairu, how much do you think we should donate?"

Qin Huairu fell into deep thought. He Yuzhu sighed and said, "According to my personality, I really don't want to donate a penny. But what my wife said is really right. When a person dies, it is like a light goes out. All the grudges when he was alive should also dissipate. There is no need to be petty and let my wife and children get implicated."

"I heard from Deputy Director Li that the steel rolling mill also suffered a heavy loss this time, and the compensation is 500 yuan. Forget it, just consider it as a gift to Jia Dongxu." In fact, deep down He Yuzhu didn't want to donate at all, but he really didn't want his daughter and sister to be stabbed in the back by these people in the courtyard.

Their family's living standard is among the top three in the Siheyuan. Even if they say that their family's living standard is the highest in the Siheyuan, I'm afraid no one will say anything? In this era, everyone has no entertainment activities and relies on gossip to pass the time. If we really don't donate to their Jia family, it would be really unreasonable.

The situation of the old Jia family is the easiest to get sympathy from others. He changed Qin Huairu's fate, but he didn't expect to harm Xu Erni. Is there another child in Xu Erni's belly? He Yuzhu felt that he had to donate a little this time. But he must not be like Shazhu in the original book, donating a month's salary in one go and offending these people in the courtyard.

How much to donate must be discussed, and we must stand together with this bad boy. Xu Damao also thought about it in his mind. He realized that he had to donate money in the matter of Jia Dongxu, otherwise Xu Damao would not care about these trivial matters. Wouldn't it be better to keep the money and find a widow in the countryside? There is no need to give it to people who have no relationship with him!