Siheyuan: Returning to 61 to collect waste

"Okay! I'll keep it for you now. Look how generous you are as a young man. You even want to give me Maotai as a gift!" Han Lifen said with a smile.

Ye Chuan said shyly, "I can't help it. We are still dating. How can I go to my girlfriend's house empty-handed? At least bring something classy."

Han Lifen was surprised that this young man was so generous that he gave her Maotai on the first visit to her house.

She remembered that her father was very happy when her husband brought back a bottle of Fengxiang for the first time. "We just started dating a few days ago. I'll introduce you to someone sometime." Ye Chuan said with a smile. "Okay, I'll help you check it out." Sister Han interrupted jokingly.

Fatty Han smiled and said, "Sister, you definitely won't be able to figure it out." Ye Chuan and Han Lifen were stunned, especially Han Lifen, who was wondering, what kind of person does she look like that even her brother looks down on?

Fatty Han said in a gruff voice, “I’m too thin and I don’t have the energy to do anything.

I think I can lift it with one hand." Ye Chuan couldn't help laughing, and teased with a little sarcasm: "Skinny Bear, are you going to marry her home?"

Han Lifen smiled slightly, then she realized that her brother's aesthetic taste was different from that of ordinary people.

The neighbor girls were almost the same age as his brother: one was pretty but a little thin, while the other was strong and capable, and often helped the family move things.

What is surprising is that the fat guy actually likes the strong one instead of the pretty one.

Ye Chuan bought some meat and vegetables and went home. It was midsummer and the temperature was very high, so he didn't buy much. However, he only bought less than half a pound. The current ration supply was only a few ounces per person per month, so a family of three only had one pound per month.

In the courtyard, each family has started cooking, with smoke curling up and the aroma of food filling the air.

Since Huairu married into the Jia family, Jia Zhang rarely cooked. She often waited for her daughter-in-law to come home late at night to cook.

The meals at the Jia family were simple and easy to prepare. Huairu only needed to cook some thin porridge, steam some buns made of two ounces of flour, and cut some pickles.

Seeing his wife cooking, Jia Dongxu looked gloomy. He had not tasted any fresh food since he was discharged from the hospital. He had only porridge and pickles every day. He felt nauseous just thinking about dinner in the evening.

Their family became the worst food unit in the entire courtyard, and even the Yan family in the front yard ate better - their meals had some meat in them at least once a month.

For example, Yan Bugui could catch a few crucian carps and stew them in a big pot, which would be enough for the whole family to have a full meal.

Jia Zhang was sitting at the door, holding a cloth shoe in her hand, and she answered in a trance, "Oh, what's the matter?"

Jia Dongxu curled his lips. His mother had been wearing the cloth shoes for more than a week, and the stitches were not more than ten. "Mom, I'm hungry. Please buy me some meat tomorrow."

As soon as Bang Geng heard the word "meat", he jumped out and said, "Grandma, I want to eat meat too!"

Jia Zhang's face suddenly fell: "Let my daughter-in-law go buy things, I don't have money!" Jia Dongxu was unhappy: "Mom, the factory only gave us thirteen yuan this month.

I'll let you pay for it this month, and ask her to pay you back next month."

"Let's talk about it next month!" Jia Zhang refused to give in.

Jia Dongxu was angry: "The subsidy the factory gave me when I was injured is also with you! Use the money to buy meat!"

"I don't have any money!" Jia Zhang repeated over and over again, "Why should I pay for it?" I don't have any money! But I am still alive!

"Grandma, please buy us some meat!" Banggeng begged.

Jia Zhang's attitude softened slightly as she faced her grandson, saying softly, "My dear grandson, grandma really can't afford the money. Mom will buy it for you next month."

At this moment, Sha Zhu walked into the construction institute, holding an aluminum lunch box in his hand. When he saw Jia Dongxu, he greeted him with a smile, "Brother Xu, hasn't dinner started yet?" Jia Dongxu looked unhappy and ignored him, staring blankly at the lunch box in Sha Zhu's hand.

Sha Zhu is the factory's chef. He occasionally brings back leftover dishes from banquets to the factory - although they are called leftovers, they are actually selected and stored by him in advance.

Jia Zhang also saw it, and as her eyes turned, a plan came to her mind.

Not long after, Ye Chuan was also seen entering the atrium, but he was holding a piece of pork belly and a bag of vegetables in his hands. This scene undoubtedly made Jia Dongxu's face even gloomier.

In his eyes, the Ye family was not worth mentioning in the past, but now the Ye family’s food conditions are even better than his family’s, and may even be the best in the entire courtyard.

Jia Zhang muttered, "Oh, he just thinks about eating meat all day long. What else can he use to find a wife?" After Ye Chuan came in, she couldn't help but let out these words.

Jia Dongxu said sourly: "Just wait, there will always be someone who regrets his decision. He found a job collecting scraps and eats greasy meat all day long. How can she be worthy of him?" Seeing Ye Chuan enjoying his life, he felt even more jealous.

When Qin Huairu saw Ye Chuan carrying the meat in the kitchen, her heart suddenly became sad and tears almost filled her eyes.

She recalled that in the early days of her marriage she was a role model for all the unmarried girls in the village, but now this scene had become a laughing stock for her.

Jia Dongxu often scolded her for no reason, and her mother-in-law, Jia Zhang's expression suddenly changed since the day they got married, as if she had thrown all the housework onto her alone.

When Ye Chuan got home, he found his parents were already sitting at the dining table eating. They only used two bowls and did not reserve any for him.

Seeing him come in, Ye Yongshun and Liu Yue were stunned for a moment.

Liu Yue asked in confusion: "Didn't you eat with Yaoyao today?"

At this moment, Ye Chuan suddenly realized that his parents had mistakenly thought that he was out on a date and forgot to wait for him. "I went to the supply company for work today and had some things to do, so I didn't go to pick up Yaoyao." He explained.

Hearing this, Liu Yue looked embarrassed. Looking at the dishes on the table, she said apologetically, "I thought you wouldn't come back, so I didn't cook for you. When we are full, I will make noodles for you."

The corner of Ye Chuan's mouth twitched, and he lamented in his heart how low his status was. His mother was so lazy that she didn't even bother to prepare his share.

However, seeing his embarrassment, Ye Yongshun smiled and picked up a dish: "Hey, it's delicious!"

Ye Chuan raised the meat in his hand and said with a smile: "Mom, eat less and make me a plate of braised pork later!"

On the other side, the five members of the Jia family were also having dinner at the table.

The dining table was bare without a single piece of meat. Jia Zhang ate the bland porridge while muttering about the Ye family: "Humph, they bring meat home every now and then. That meeting, the master didn't even sponsor a penny."

Then he said: "That's right, what a heartless thing, the show-off Ye Chuan!" Jia Dongxu tasted the pickles and it only tasted like salt, without any other flavor.

Faced with all this, Qin Huairu silently lowered her head to chew the steamed bun, wiping Xiaodang's lips from time to time.

Jia Zhang ate a steamed bun in one breath, put down her chopsticks and commented: "Silly Zhu often takes leftover food from the canteen, which makes Yushui girl fat.

Why eat so well? You don’t make any money.”

These words touched Jia Dongxu's mind, and he suddenly regretted not thinking of this: Sha Zhu often brought back leftovers, and used to mock others for not being picky about food.

But now thinking back, the food in the cafeteria was already fat, and the things he once looked down upon now made him covetous.

He said tentatively: "Maybe, I can talk to Sha Zhu tomorrow and ask him to bring us some leftover food?"

Hearing this, Jia Zhang glared at Jia Dongxu and retorted: "What are you thinking about? Do you think you can get anything done by just saying a few words?" Then she gave a suggestion: "Find your woman and tell Sha Zhu!"

"What do you mean?" The couple were both shocked and unbelievable.

Jia Zhang squinted at her daughter-in-law and scolded her in a cold tone: "I saw it with my own eyes. There's something wrong with the way Sha Zhu looks at you."

When Jia Dongxu heard this, he glared at Qin Huairu fiercely, and suddenly felt that the top of his head was like a green grassland. "Mom, how can you say that? I rarely talk to Zhuzi!" Qin Huairu's face became more and more rosy as she spoke.

She had to do housework after working hard, but she was misunderstood and had an unclear relationship with Zhuzi, which made her feel extremely aggrieved.

She felt that her mother-in-law had wronged her, and her husband's face seemed to begin to doubt her innocence. "I'm sorry you dare! But you can ask Zhuzi later..." Jia Zhang wiped her eyes and suggested, "Why?" She continued. "Zhuzi is the chef of the steel mill cafeteria, and he has plenty of opportunities to take leftover ingredients home.

You should go find him and ask him to bring some food back every day. The food in the factory is abundant, and our family can save some money if we save a little." Jia Zhang's idea came out immediately.

Jia Dongxu thought this was indeed a good idea. When people need food and clothing, the emptiness of the grassland is no longer important. "I'm not going!" Qin Huairu refused firmly and stubbornly. "Why not?" Jia Dongxu stood up, pushed her, and said sternly: "Be obedient! If you don't do as I say, you will bring back five pounds of pork tomorrow. I haven't eaten meat for a long time!"

Hearing this, Qin Huairu's tears instantly rolled down, and she looked at him with disbelief, "Dongxu, I'm your wife, and you want me to find Zhuzi too?"

Jia Dongxu snorted coldly and said dissatisfiedly: "I didn't tell you to go and have a romantic time. Go and solve the problem and come back immediately!" His tone did not allow for rebuttal.

Qin Huairu was silent, holding the bowl of porridge, tears falling. "Mom, I want to eat meat too." Mubang pushed the bowl away, mumbling, showing dissatisfaction. "Mom, I want to eat meat." His younger brother Dangdang also followed him, begging.

Faced with the appearance of the children, Qin Huairu was extremely reluctant but finally had to agree.

After hearing the children's wishes, Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu felt relieved. Although they trusted that Qin Huairu and Zhuzi were fine, they understood the meaning of Sha Zhu's look.

After dinner, after coaxing the child to sleep, Qin Huairu washed her face, took off her apron, and prepared to go to Sha Zhu to clarify things.

Jia Dongxu looked at him coldly, "Don't talk to me about feelings! I'm asking you to do something, not to take you on vacation!"

Qin Huairu was so angry that she sat on the warm kang and retorted, "You wanted me to come just now, but now you change your mind. I won't go!"

Jia Zhang patted her son gently, gave her a comforting smile and said to her: "Huairu, Dongxu said this out of anxiety. Think about our family and go quickly!" Jia's mother's words seemed to hit the nail on the head, reminding Qin Huairu of her responsibility.