Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

"Master, I'm here to wish you a happy new year." Sha Zhu knocked on the door and went in, seeing the master and the eldest senior brother sitting there drinking tea.

"Master, Happy New Year! Happy New Year, Big Brother!" He Lai also poked his head out.

"Come in quickly, you naughty boy." Master Hu was also very happy to see He Lai coming.

"Where are the other senior brothers?"

"Everyone else has their own things to do, so they put down their things and left. Your eldest brother has followed me since he was a child, so he is considered half my son. So he will stay and accompany me."

"Oh oh." He Lai was still looking around.

"Don't look, there are only your master's wife and master's wife in the room." Master Hu knew what He Lai was trying to do. His two sons had already gone to their mother-in-law's house.

"I don't want to drink tea either. I'm going to go and wish my master's wife and the others a happy new year." He Lai couldn't sit still and spoke quickly.

"go Go."

……

At noon, at the dinner table

It’s great to have a great chef. The quality of the food instantly improves to several levels.

The master's wife and sister-in-law also liked this little apprentice they met for the first time. After all, Master Hu praised him every day and kept picking up food for He Lai.

After the meal, He Lai was full.

When they went back, they brought a lot of bags, but Sha Zhu only had a box of snacks.

"Brother Zhuzi, don't be angry, I'll give you some."

"Hey, that's more like it."

"Brother Zhuzi, you are so greedy. You even want things belonging to children."

"I don't want other people's, but I must have Xiao Laizi's."

The two of them rode slowly.

……

"Have you brought your things?"

"Ah."

"Let's go." Wu Juan was carrying a big bag and He Lai was carrying a small bag.

As soon as I got out of the house, I got on a rickshaw. After all, it was already called.

……

As soon as Wu Juan and her husband got off the bus, Da Hu and Xiao Hu came running over. It turned out that their grandfather had known they would come and had asked the children to come and wait for them.

"Da Hu, this is heavy, you have to carry it yourself." Wu Juan felt a little reluctant.

"It's okay, Auntie, I have plenty of strength." Da Hu grabbed the bag and walked forward. Xiao Hu also smiled at Xiao Lai Zi, took the bag and followed Da Hu.

The mother and son were embarrassed now and hurried to catch up.

As soon as Wu Juan entered the house, she saw a group of people, including her parents.

He Lai broke the awkwardness, "Grandpa, grandpa, everyone, happy New Year."

"Okay, okay, okay." As the host, Mr. He took the initiative to pull He Lai over.

Wu Juan was pulled into the inner room by the two mothers.

"Brother Xiaohu, bring my bag over here." He Lai said to Xiaohu.

"Okay." Xiaohu rushed into the house, took out a small bag and put it on the ground.

He Lai opened it quickly.

"Grandpa, grandpa, these are for you, the pipe and the tobacco." He Lai first gave them the pipe. This thing is a treasure for the old people, and they basically never let it go.

"There's also tea leaves, two bags per person. How about it, Xiao Laizi is good, isn't it?"

"Good, good, good." The two old men from the He family and the Wu family couldn't let it go.

"It must have cost a lot of money." Mr. He felt a little sorry for the money.

"Grandpa, it's easy to make money in the city. Your grandson can make hundreds of dollars just by catching some fish in the river!" He Lai also patted his chest and said.

"That's amazing. How many have been caught?"

"It's only a few thousand pounds."

"Grandpa, there is also a river here. Teach grandpa, and grandpa will take people to catch them." Grandpa He was really moved.

He Lai did not hide anything and told everyone how to make and use the hook.

"Grandpa, it's cold now and the river is frozen. Let's wait until the ice melts before going. Also, it's best to watch out for others who learn it easily. After all, this thing is simple. All you need is a boat." He Lai reminded.

"Okay, I got it." Grandpa He was already thinking about how to release it.

He Lai saw that Mr. Wu was a little uncomfortable and threw himself into his arms.

"Grandpa, let me help you try this pipe." He Lai said flatteringly in Grandpa Wu's arms.

"Okay, my dear grandson, grandpa will put it in right away." Grandpa Wu also put down his old pipe, picked up the new one, and filled it with tobacco.

He Lai grabbed the match and lit it for Mr. Wu. Soon the old man started puffing out smoke.

"Yes, this tobacco doesn't choke me. The things in the city are really good."

Everyone also laughed.

……

The two families gathered in the house, it was very lively, everyone was laughing, the younger generations were rushing to toast the two old men, and the women were sitting on the side holding their children and eating. Everyone took care of each other.

He Lai was also eating corn tortillas with great joy. Everything tasted delicious in the lively atmosphere.

……

Before falling asleep, Wu Juan hugged He Lai tightly as before, and kept talking about the interesting things that happened to him when he was a child. He Lai listened with great interest and occasionally interjected a few words.

Suddenly, He Lai playfully mentioned Wu Juan's childhood nickname - Xiao Juanzi. This amused Wu Juan, and she gently slapped He Lai's buttocks, pretending to be angry and said, "Okay, you naughty monkey, you actually dare to call me by my nickname!"

The two of them laughed and joked, full of warmth and love. Wu Juan continued to tell the story, and He Lai listened quietly, laughing happily from time to time. Gradually, He Lai felt sleepy and fell asleep. Wu Juan gently stroked He Lai's hair, watching him sleeping, her heart full of happiness and satisfaction.

"My little boy, grow up quickly."

……

When he opened his eyes again, his mother was gone. He Lai could do nothing. Everyone said that the city was good, but he didn't know where it was good. He had to work every day without any rest. It was a pity that people were miserable everywhere in this era.

He Lai was just getting dressed to go out, and was about to ask Old Lady He for hot water to wash his face and brush his teeth. As soon as he entered the main room, he saw Old Man He had already gotten up and was smoking a cigarette.

"Old woman, go get some hot water for Xiao Laizi so he can brush his teeth and wash his face." Seeing He Lai carrying a towel and holding a cup and a toothbrush in his hands, Grandpa He immediately gave the order.

"Okay, Xiao Laizi, wait a moment, grandma will get it for you." Grandma He immediately came out of the inner room and went to the kitchen.

After a while, He Lai squatted at the door and brushed his teeth, looking at the small yard where a few chickens were eating and the wall was piled with snow.

After washing his face and entering the house, Old Mrs. He brought the batter and eggs to He Lai.

"Thank you, grandma." He Lai quickly reached out to take it. This is how grandmas take care of their grandchildren, not wanting them to do anything.

"Silly child, why are you being so polite to your grandma?" Old Mrs. He touched He Lai's head, sat down next to Old Man He, and started mending shoes.

"Grandpa, are you still catching rabbits?" He Lai asked while drinking from the bowl.

"What's the point of catching them? They're all gone. If we catch more, we'll have to go back into the mountains. All the ones outside have been eaten by the little ones. We'll probably have to raise them. Do you want to eat some? We have several pickled at home!" Grandpa He said unhappily.

"Grandpa, I like eating eggs. Please buy me a few when the time comes. I will take them home and raise them." He Lai said after thinking for a while.

"Okay, I'll go to the village to buy a few hens and some eggs for Xiao Laizi later." Grandpa He was not vague at all and agreed directly.

"Grandpa, here you go." He Lai took out 50 and handed it to his grandfather.

"Take it back, take it back." Mr. He refused resolutely.

"Grandpa, just take it. You don't know, it's easy to make money in the city. There are so many rich people. It's easy to make millions or tens of millions. Grandpa, tell me in secret, I have almost five million in private money. Don't tell my mother." He Lai spoke in a lower and lower voice, almost whispering into the old man's ear.

"You didn't lie to me?" Grandpa He looked incredulous. Wow, a 10-year-old child can earn so much!

He came to see his grandfather, who didn't believe it, and held the old man's hand and reached into his pocket. Sure enough, Mr. He touched a dozen of money, at least 50 yuan. He was secretly amazed, this money is so easy to earn!

"Xiao Laizi, how about your grandpa also go to your place to earn money?" Grandpa He's heart began to liven up. It didn't make sense that if his grandson could earn money, he couldn't.

"Grandpa, just go to my place. You can make money by catching fish in the village. When the time comes, I will bring the fish to the city and I will find someone to collect them for you." He Lai decided to develop a fishing model in the countryside.

"Okay, grandpa will go find someone to buy a hook right away." Grandpa He was a little impatient.

"Where are you going to buy it? It's New Year's Day. Be honest. Didn't your eldest grandson say that the river is frozen and you can't fish? Go get a hen quickly." Old Mrs. He also scolded with a smile.

"Yes, yes, hen, I forgot about it, I'll go right away, right away." Grandpa He went out with his pipe.