Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

Soon, they arrived at the park and everyone watched He Lai and others operate, and they all learned it in no time.

It turns out that catching cicadas is so simple. Just tie a flashlight to a tree and pour sand into a plastic bottle to make some sounds.

Everyone dispersed and began to set up.

We tried using kerosene lamps first, but it didn't work. He Lai and his team were already catching cicadas, but we still hadn't found any.

The kerosene lamp is not bright enough in comparison. This is mainly because the current kerosene lamp technology is not good enough, it is too rough, and it is still not obvious even when it is turned to the maximum brightness.

Everyone put on flashlights and formed teams to catch them.

At first, everyone was having fun catching cicadas, but as the batteries ran out, the flashlights dimmed, and the number of cicadas gradually decreased. Then we stopped catching cicadas. Only then did we realize the importance of batteries.

Everyone had to go back one by one, and even so each person only caught about two kilograms.

Yan Fugui could only catch them slowly, not willing to turn on the flashlight. He only caught about ten in total, and they were all just shaking the bottle. In the end, he could only leave helplessly.

He Lai and the others laughed out loud when they saw Yan Fugui. They continued to catch him for a while and then went back.

……

The next morning, He Lai and his friends finished their homework early and played in the yard.

Not to mention that the summer temperature in Beijing is really not hot, probably only around 25 degrees, not at all as horrible as in the south where the temperature can easily reach 40 degrees.

He Lai was lying on the swing reading a book, feeling so comfortable.

"Well, come on, brother, let's go catch cicadas during the day. Can you think of a good idea?"

Little Tiger came over, scratched his head and said.

"What's wrong?" He Lai wondered why Xiao Huzi suddenly wanted to catch cicadas.

"Well, my grandma went to sell cicadas this morning, and they were selling for 2500 per pound. So I thought of catching more. Come on, brother, can you take a look and see if it's okay?" Xiao Huzi said a little embarrassedly.

After all, my family’s conditions were not good, so I couldn’t eat them all, so I only ate the cicada larvae.

Liu Guangtian also wanted to catch one, after all, He said that eels cannot be caught all the time, otherwise they will be exposed. Now some people are trying to catch them.

He Lai pondered over it. Yes, he didn't need it, but Xiao Huzi's family did.

"Okay, let's go this afternoon. Let me think about how to catch him more easily first."

When the children saw that He Lai agreed, they all danced with joy.

He Lai was wondering how people in later generations lived during the day.

The first one should be the net bag, but where can I get a small net bag? I can't take apart my own net bag.

The second one is to stick cicadas. This can be tried. He Lai thought about it and thought that there seemed to be nothing suitable in the world at this time. Oh, yes, glue. This thing is good.

He Lai thought of a solution.

"I figured it out. We need some paste. We need to find someone to make some paste, so Liu Guangtian asked your mother to make more. Remember to make it thicker."

"Okay." Liu Guangtian ran to his home.

"Everyone, go find some long poles. Don't make them too thick or they'll be inconvenient for us to hold if they're too heavy. Bamboo or fishing poles are best."

All the little ones went to look for poles.

He Lai came to Xu Damao's house, knocked on the door, and saw Aunt Xu and Xu Zhaodi washing clothes at home.

There was no running water at the time, so everyone had to fetch water from the well to wash at home.

"Aunt Xu. Where is my brother Damao?" He Lai said.

Aunt Xu looked up and saw that it was He Lai. She smiled and said, "Xiao Laizi, your brother Damao rode his bike out to play early in the morning. Is there anything wrong?"

"I have something to ask you to make some paste."

"Paste? Okay, I'll make it for you right away." Aunt Xu also got up and went to the kitchen.

He Lai stepped forward and took over Xu Zhaodi. He said to Aunt Xu, "Aunt Xu, make some more. I want to use it to catch cicadas."

"Okay. Auntie got it."

He Lai finally felt relieved. He took out two White Rabbit candies and gave them to Xu Zhaodi, and peeled one and put it into her mouth.

"Thank you, brother." Xu Zhaodi thanked with a smile while holding a candy in her mouth.

"Sister Zhaodi is so good!" He Lai touched her head.

Zhaodi and Guangfu would occasionally come out to play, but Aunt Liu and Aunt Xu were not comfortable with following them, so they would take them away when something happened.

After a while, all the little ones gathered together again, each with a pole in their hands.

"Okay, now everyone wrap some cloth around the pole head so it will be easier to apply the glue on it later."

He Lai was the first to get involved, and the other little ones followed suit.

"Let's go. Shichahai Park!"

The five people began their battle to catch cicadas.

I have to say that children have good eyesight. He Lai can see the cicadas on the tree very clearly. He can catch them every time.

Everyone was enjoying the fun of catching cicadas. They all raised their heads, held long sticks, and looked carefully at the trees.

Time passed slowly. He Lai twisted his neck and looked at the bag. There were already quite a few cicadas. He took out his pocket watch and saw that he had been catching cicadas for more than two hours.

This is a physically demanding job, so we quickly gathered everyone and went back.

The little guys then put down their fishing rods and went back together.

As soon as he got home and put down his equipment, He Lai took a big sip of water, and then poured a large bowl of rainwater.

"Rainwater, are you tired?"

"Not tired."

"Ah, Brother Lai is tired. Then Brother Lai should go lie down for a while." He Lai deliberately turned his head and pretended to go back to his room.

Yu Shui was actually very tired, but seeing that everyone was trying to catch the fish, he kept on trying.

I just didn't want He Lai to worry. Seeing He Lai was going to lie down, I also lay on the table.

How can it not be tiring? Children just rely on excitement.

"Little fool, remember to tell me when you feel tired next time. We are just going out to play."

He Lai suddenly appeared in front of Yu Shui and gently tapped Yu Shui's forehead.

"Come on, brother..." Yu Shui seemed a little aggrieved.

He Lai quickly spoke up, "Let's wash our faces, wipe off the sweat, and lie down together for a while. Okay?"

"Yeah." Yu Shui came back to life after hearing that.

The two of them washed themselves and then went back to Wu Juan's room to lie down together.

When He Lai and Yu Shui woke up, Wu Juan and the others had already returned. They were speechless when they learned that the little ones had gone to catch cicadas again.

I have been dealing with cicadas these days, catching them at night and during the day.

Yu Shui lay in Wu Juan's arms, and it was obvious that his fatigue had not yet subsided.

"You guys, Yu Shui is only 8 years old, and they are girls, you don't know how to take care of them. Look how tired Yu Shui is."

Wu Juan touched Yu Shui's back and complained.

He Lai smacked his lips, forgetting all these as he enjoyed the joy of childhood.

"Don't blame Brother Lai, it's Yu Shui who just wanted to play." Yu Shui whispered in Wu Juan's arms to defend He Lai.

"As for you, mom can't say anything to him! You're so young and yet you only know how to protect him." Wu Juan also laughed and scolded the rain in her arms.

The three of them played around for a while, and Wu Juan lost her temper. She took the two of them to cook.

Now that food is becoming scarce, He Lai suggests that Sha Zhu should not carry a lunch box with him all the time, but everyone can take turns carrying one.

The price of grain is fluctuating now, and is rising slowly.

Everyone noticed something and started buying more food little by little, just in case.