Siheyuan: Starting with one acre and three fen of land

He Yuzhu wandered through the maze-like alleys of Old Beijing. Some vendors had already set up stalls on those narrow streets.

They were wearing thick cotton jackets, cotton hats, and thick gloves.

Despite the razor-cold wind, their cheeks were still slightly rosy, showing their unyielding tenacity and love for life.

They worked hard to sell their goods to passers-by, and their unique shouts echoed in the streets, attracting passing customers.

There is a wide variety of goods on the stalls, ranging from exquisite needles and thread, to pickled vegetables and dried goods with unique flavors, to steaming and mouth-watering noodle snacks.

Although these commodities are ordinary, they carry the daily life and deep emotional memories of the citizens of 1949.

He Yuzhu joined the crowd flowing from Gulou East Street towards Dongzhimen, planning to go to Lama Temple Street and Beixiao Street near Dongzhimen, to contact the grain store about seeds, and then visit the shops there.

As soon as he stepped into Lama Temple Street, his eyes were attracted by the prosperity before him and his heart was filled with curiosity.

The shops on both sides of the street are bustling with activity. The noise of people and the shouts of vendors interweave into a hymn to life, showing the unique prosperity and vitality of the city.

He walked leisurely along the quaint streets. The sunlight shone through the ancient eaves, and the mottled light and shadows fell on the bluestone slabs, like a flowing painting.

There are shops everywhere on both sides of the street, and all kinds of delicious food are mouth-watering.

He lamented that even in these turbulent and tense days, this ancient street still maintained its liveliness and vitality. The story of Du Sheng, where rich people indulge in luxury while others freeze to death on the streets, is truly a true portrayal that will go down in history.

The first thing that caught my eye was a steaming bun shop. In the big steamer in front of the shop, white and plump buns were neatly arranged, giving off an alluring aroma of flour and meat. The shop owner was picking up the buns skillfully, with a smile on his face.

Several children gathered around the steamed bun shop, their eyes fixed on the steamed buns just out of the steamer. The saliva flowing from the corners of their mouths betrayed their longing for the delicious food.

He Yuzhu couldn't help swallowing his saliva. The steamed buns he had eaten at noon seemed to have been completely digested, and his stomach began to growl.

When he touched the few coins he had, he finally suppressed his impulse and continued walking forward.

After passing the steamed bun shop, He Yuzhu came to the snack stall area.

The area was crowded with people, and the aroma of various snacks wafted into the air, including the sweetness of candied haws, the caramelized fragrance of roasted sweet potatoes, and so on.

The stall owners were busy as hell, stirring the delicacies in the pots and greeting customers enthusiastically.

Walking among the dazzling array of stalls, He Yuzhu's attention was attracted by a unique sugar figurine stall.

He came forward curiously and saw the stall owner deftly drawing vivid little animals with syrup. These sugar figures seemed to be given life, lively and interesting.

He Yuzhu was deeply attracted by these cute sugar figures, and he couldn't help asking the stall owner about the price.

The stall owner responded enthusiastically: "You're welcome. I'll give you 5 gold yuan." He Yuzhu took out a 1-yuan gold yuan from his pocket, handed it to the stall owner, and bought a lifelike little rabbit candy man.

He took the 5 yuan change from the boss and put it in his trouser pocket. He carefully took the exquisite candy figure wrapped in candy paper, thinking about giving it to Xiao Yushui as a surprise to let her feel the sweetness and joy.

Continuing forward, He Yuzhu saw the Tianfuzhai Pork Sauce Shop.

The shop displays a variety of marinated meats, which are bright red in color and full of fragrance.

The boss skillfully cuts the marinated meat, and from time to time, well-dressed customers enthusiastically select their favorite meat products.

Attracted by the rich aroma of meat, his mouth was watering.

Although He Yuzhu was a New Age person who ate meat every day in his previous life, his current body is still that of a native boy, and he cannot control this physiological reaction.

He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and then reluctantly left the braised meat shop, swearing to himself in his heart: When I have money in the future, I must treat myself to a delicious braised meat meal.

Not far away is Dechenghao Oil and Salt Shop. Various condiments and grains and oils are neatly arranged in the shop, including oil, salt, sauce and vinegar. Some grain and oil products for sale are also placed at the entrance of the shop, attracting many customers to come and buy.

On the other side of the street is the Renhe Grain Store. There are some grain bags piled up in the store, and a sign hanging in front of the store clearly reads: Grain is sold out, please come early tomorrow.

Inside the store, a waiter sat quietly on a stool by the door, his eyes aimlessly following the bustling crowd on the street.

He Yuzhu recognized the man at a glance, and his joy was beyond words: "Oh, isn't this the person I'm looking for?"

He walked over quickly, carefully put the candy man in his pocket, then clasped his hands together and greeted the waiter warmly: "Brother Zhao, sorry to bother you."

The waiter heard the voice and came back to his senses. He politely clasped his fists and said, "Excuse me, who are you?"

"I'm Zhuzi from the old He family in the alley. When I was a child, I often played with your second child." He Yuzhu responded quickly.

"Oh, I know you. Why are you here today?" the guy asked puzzledly.

He Yuzhu looked around the store, walked over and pulled Brother Zhao, saying, "Brother Zhao, let's talk for a moment."

Brother Zhao took advantage of the situation and walked to the side of the store door with He Yuzhu and stood there, motioning He Yuzhu to tell him what was going on.

"Brother Zhao, you work as a helper in this grain store and you must be an knowledgeable person. I want to get some rice and wheat seeds now. Do you have any ideas?" He Yuzhu looked at him expectantly.

Brother Zhao touched his chin, thought for a while and replied: "How much do you need? If there are too many in this world now, it's not something I can interfere with."

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu quickly replied: "I don't need a lot. I have a total of 45,000 gold yuan now. Just give it to me." As he said that, he took out the money from his trouser pocket and quietly put it into Brother Zhao's hand.

"Okay, we're all neighbors, and they're asking me for help, so I have to do it." Brother Zhao squeezed the money in his hand, glanced down, put the money away silently, and raised his chin slightly to signal He Yuzhu to follow.

After a while, He Yuzhu walked out of the store. Apart from his slightly bulging chest, there was nothing unusual about him.

He looked around, took out the candy man from his pocket, turned around and continued walking into the street.

Stepping into the deep alley of Guanyin Temple, He Yuzhu's sight was first attracted by the quaint Fengshun Hall signboard, the golden words sparkling in the sun.

There were already crowds of people in front of Fengshuntang, waiting to taste the signature dishes. The tempting aroma of the dishes aroused people's taste buds.

He Yuzhu, who was short of money at this time, could only stand aside helplessly, sniffing the aroma of food in the air to comfort his hungry stomach.

Turning the corner and passing through the narrow passage of Guanyin Temple Hutong, he stepped into the busy market of Beixiao Street. A fresh scent of tea came towards him, which was the unique aroma emitted by Wu Yutai Tea House.

Inside the teahouse, waiters were busy shuttling back and forth, carefully selecting and packing the finest tea for each customer. The entire shop was filled with a light tea fragrance.

His sight shifted from Wu Yutai Tea House to the nearby Wanfenghao and Yongxinhao tea shops. The shops displayed a wide variety of teas, from the elegant fragrance of Longjing to the mellow sweetness of Pu'er. The rich variety and high quality were all breathtaking.

Continuing along the street, the signs of various medicinal materials of medicine shops such as Dashengtang, Zhishantang, and Sanyuantang swayed in the wind. The pharmacists prepared medicinal materials for the customers with a meticulous attitude. Their concentration and dedication are the best inheritance of traditional medical skills.

Walking past Zhou Faxiang and Guangyuan Meng cloth shops, colorful and fine cloths appear before your eyes.

A middle-aged woman was bargaining with a shop assistant. She was a little hesitant about the shop assistant's recommendation. But after the shop assistant's clever salesmanship, she finally smiled with satisfaction and happily paid for the product.

There are many kinds of hats on the shelves of Yihexiang Hat Bureau, with both fashion and tradition coexisting.

The guys at Ruilin Tobacco Shop greet every customer with a warm smile. They introduce the characteristics and taste of various tobaccos in detail, as if they were sharing a unique culture.

At the end of the market, Yongsheng and Qianyi Pawnshops quietly watch the passage of time. The pair of majestic stone lions at the door are like guardians of history, silently witnessing the hustle and bustle and changes of the market, and watching the stories of every passerby.