Siheyuan: Starting from Building a Village

Sijiucheng

No. 95, Nanluoguxiang

in the afternoon.

Xu Damao returned to Sijiucheng without stopping. He went to the unit first to complete the handover. He stayed in the section until the afternoon. Seeing that there was nothing to do, he said something to the section chief and then went straight back to the courtyard, which is the famous No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, a courtyard full of monsters and demons.

"Hey, Damao, this trip to the countryside is going to be quite long."

As Xu Damao entered the Chuihua Gate, a thin, middle-aged man (between 40 and 50 years old) wearing black-framed glasses, with an inexplicable light in his eyes, came up to him with a smile.

"It's work, there's nothing I can do about it."

"Uncle, you are busy. I will go home first. I am exhausted this time."

As he spoke, Xu Damao entered the hanging flower gate and walked towards the backyard.

Yan Bugui saw this and thought, this is outrageous. I got off work early and just waited here. It’s so cold. If I don’t do anything, then I’m going to lose money today, right?

"Da Mao, boy, can't you chat with your uncle for a while?"

As he spoke, Yan Bugui put his hands on the back seat of the bicycle.

"Uncle, I didn't bring back any mountain products this time, so forget it."

As they all lived in the same courtyard, Xu Damao naturally knew what Yan Bugui meant. Whenever he came back from the countryside, he would always give some of the fungus, mushrooms and garlic he brought back to Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui would not mind if there were fewer people, as long as there was someone there.

This time is different. Half of his pig head meat has been distributed in the factory, and Xu Damao is not going to give the remaining half to others.

"Da Mao, how come you have learned to lie with your eyes open?"

Yan Bugui looked displeased.

"Uncle, how could I lie with my eyes open?"

After hearing what Yan Bugui said, Xu Damao stopped moving forward, because the force behind him was getting stronger and stronger. It was too strenuous to walk like this. If that old mule Yi Zhonghai saw him, he might be accused of being disrespectful to the elderly.

"Da Mao, as a teacher, I have to say something to you. People, especially young people like you, must be honest and set a good example for the children in the courtyard."

"Da Mao, you are not young anymore. It is time for you to get married. If your dishonesty gets out, who would be willing to be your matchmaker?"

"It's fine for you, but you've implicated these good kids in our hospital. Don't you think your sin is serious?"

Wow, that’s a threat now.

"I say, Third Master, if you say so, should I die as an apology?"

Xu Damao looked at Yan Bugui unhappily and said.

"It's serious. Admitting your mistakes can help you improve."

Yan Bugui looked like an old scholar and spoke in a pretentious manner.

"Uncle, please tell me clearly what you want to do."

Normally, people would take advantage of wood ear mushrooms, but this time I really don’t want to because meat is so precious these days.

"Da Mao, tell me the truth, what's that bulging thing in your bag?"

"You are still young, don't make mistakes."

Yan Bugui stared at Xu Damao's bag with shining eyes. At the same time, he leaned his head towards Xu Damao and sniffed hard. Unfortunately, he only smelled cigarettes.

"Alas, what am I supposed to do? I've been in the countryside for a few days and I've deeply felt how difficult it is to be a projectionist. My father has really suffered a lot over the years to raise me."

"So, I thought, I'll buy a piece of braised meat and come back to have a drink with my dad. It can be regarded as a way to honor my father and express my gratitude as a son."

"Uncle, today's braised meat is for my father, so I can't share it with you."

"Next time, wait for next time, we'll have a drink together when we have time."

After saying this, Xu Damao wanted to give himself a few likes.

"Well, that's right. Look, I've said it before. In our courtyard, we still have to look up to you, Damao. You're a filial child."

"This time I blame Third Uncle for not thinking things through. Next time, don't forget it. Let's drink more."

Having said that, Yan Bugui had no choice but to let go, and he even looked dejected.

"Okay, Uncle, you are busy."

Seeing that Yan Bugui let go, Xu Damao pushed the cart and jogged a few steps, quickly crossed the front yard, and came to the middle yard.

"Da Mao, I'm back."

"Da Mao, this time you're in the countryside for quite a while."

"Da Mao, next time you go to the countryside, can you bring something for me? See if you can find some fellow villagers to exchange for some food."

"..."

Going back home is like going through many levels and passing through many checkpoints.

"Xu Damao, you bad boy, what's that bulging thing in your bag?"

On the corridor connecting the west wing of the central courtyard, there was a plump woman in her fifties with triangular eyes and a face full of flesh. She did not look like a good person and was sewing the soles of shoes in a serious manner.

"Humph."

Xu Damao snorted coldly and didn't say anything. But he knew that Jia Zhang was even more difficult to deal with than his mother and he couldn't afford to offend her.

"Bah, you are such a bad guy. You don't even respond to your elders. I think the young people in this hospital don't respect the elderly or the young at all. When Old Yi comes back, we must have a meeting to talk it out."

Hearing what Jia Zhang said, the other old ladies in the central courtyard looked at each other, picked up their things, and went back to their homes. There was no more chatting that day.

"Bah, what a bunch of bastards."

Seeing that everyone had left, Jia Zhang rolled her triangular eyes, packed up her things and went back to the house.

"Son, you're back. Are you tired?"

Xu's mother doesn't have a job. Like most housewives, she cooks and does housework at home every day.

"Mom, isn't my dad back yet? Look what I brought?"

During this period of time, Xu Damao's parents had not moved out yet, and Xu Damao had not completed his "evolution" as shown on TV. In terms of the way he treated his parents, he could not be said to be good or bad. After all, he was a young man, and his relationship was like the traditional one between father and son, or mother and son in the Xia country.

"hiss.."

"Da Mao, my son, are you not living your life well? This is half a pig's head."

Although the Xu family was well off, they were not so wealthy as to directly buy half a pig's head.

Xu Damao said as if he was presenting a treasure: "Mom, this is just the beginning. I brought back a whole pig's head, braised."

"A whole head? What about half a head?"

When she heard that it was a whole head, Xu's mother became upset.

"I assigned it to my colleagues in the projection department."

Xu Damao said nonchalantly.

"Da Mao, you are such a fool. That's half a pig's head. If we eat it sparingly, it can last for seven or eight days."

Mother Xu felt a little heartbroken now, and her heart ached even more when she saw the half pig's head in front of her.

"Mom, please don't follow He Daqing's example and give your son a nickname."

When he heard his mother calling him Shamao and thought of his archenemy Shazhu, he felt disgusted (here this word means disgust) in his heart.

"You still say you're not stupid. If you're not stupid, how can you give half a pig's head to others for nothing?"

Xu's mother hurriedly snatched the half pig's head from Xu Damao's hand and quickly put it in the cabinet, fearing that Xu Damao would give this half away.

"Mom, what are you doing? Why are you still hiding? Let's have a good meal when my dad comes back."

(This book assumes that Xu Damao is an only child)

"Wait until your dad comes back."

"..."

Xu Damao was helpless, and he was thinking of getting a pig's snout to fill his stomach.

I looked at the watch and there was still some time before the end of get off work, so I decided to drink some water and take a rest.