Siheyuan: Rebirth of Liu Ergou

Hello, brothers, eight horses! Liu Yi heard a noisy game of finger-guessing in a daze. He rubbed his eyes, yawned, got up from the bed, and then slowly put on his clothes, intending to see what was going on.

When he walked out of the room, a gust of early morning cold hit him in the face, but he didn't care. He squinted his eyes and looked at the scene in front of him. He found that the yard was already full of people, playing finger-guessing games and drinking. He muttered to himself: "These guys, they started drinking so early in the morning..."

At this moment, a familiar voice came: "Hey! Xiaoyi, today is the first day of the new year, and you come out in such a sloppy manner without washing your face or rinsing your mouth? Go back and wash up quickly, and change into new clothes!"

Liu Yi looked carefully and found that it was Brother Zhuzi. He scratched his head and said with a smile: "Brother Zhuzi, what are you talking about? I was half asleep when I heard someone playing finger-guessing games. I came out to see why I was so slovenly. I changed my clothes yesterday. They are brand new."

Brother Zhuzi looked at him and couldn't help laughing: "Look at yourself, you look so sleepy, you couldn't sleep last night because you missed your wife so much, that's why you look like this now."

When Liu Yi heard this, he felt embarrassed: "Hey! Brother Dongxu, it's really unkind of you to say that. Forget it, I'm too lazy to argue with you. I'll go wash up and make some breakfast." After that, he turned and walked towards the kitchen, ready to wash up and eat something.

After Liu Yi finished washing up, he simply made some dumplings for dinner and prepared to go to pay New Year's greetings. He first went to the deaf old lady's house, wished her a happy New Year and gave her his best wishes. When the deaf old lady saw Liu Yi coming, she smiled with relief, held Liu Yi's hand, and kept saying words of blessing.

After leaving the deaf old lady's house, Liu Yi went to the second uncle's house. The second uncle was drinking tea at home. When he saw Liu Yi coming, he quickly stood up to greet him. Liu Yi wished the second uncle a happy new year and gave him his gift. The second uncle took the gift and said with a smile: "Liu Yi, you are such a sensible child."

Then, Liu Yi went to the first and third uncles' homes to wish them a happy new year and send them his best wishes. The first and third uncles welcomed Liu Yi's arrival and thanked him for his blessings.

Finally, Liu Yi came to Jia Zhang's house. When Jia Zhang saw Liu Yi coming, she showed disdain on her face. Liu Yi wished Jia Zhang a happy new year and presented her with his gift. Jia Zhang took the gift, took a look at it, and threw it aside, saying, "What a shabby gift this is. It's too shabby." Liu Yi felt very upset when he heard it, but he still held back and didn't get angry. He turned around and left Jia Zhang's house, thinking, "This Jia Zhang is really too much."

Liu Yi was about to leave when he met Jia Dongxu who just walked in.

Jia Dongxu nodded at Liu Yi, "Xiaoyi, Happy New Year." "Please sit down first, I'll pour you a cup of tea." After saying that, Jia Dongxu turned and walked into the kitchen.

At this time, Jia Dongxu came to her side and whispered: "Mom, Xiaoyi came to you early this morning to wish you a happy new year. I heard everything you said just now. It's not good for you to do this. We must know how Xiaoyi treats us!"

"Dongxu, it's New Year's Day, and you ate firecrackers? How dare you yell at your mother like that? You unfilial son!" Jia Zhang was very impatient. No matter what time or who they were with, she would do whatever she wanted, making Jia Dongxu feel embarrassed and ashamed.

Seeing Jia Dongxu and his wife like this, Liu Yi felt very uncomfortable. He stood up and said goodbye, "Aunt Jia, Brother Dongxu, you guys chat first. I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

After leaving Jia's house, Liu Yi brought 10 jin of pork belly, a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes, and two bottles of Erguotou to pay New Year's greetings to his brother-in-law He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu, who was in a good mood, prepared four dishes and a soup, and the two brothers drank happily.

He Yuzhu and Liu Yi sat at the dining table, eating and chatting. He Yuzhu mentioned his sister Yushui and nephew, with a happy smile on his face. He said Yushui was a well-behaved and sensible girl, and his nephew was also very cute. Liu Yi listened with a smile, but a wave of sadness surged in his heart.

Liu Yi sat there, his eyes somewhat empty, his thoughts drifting far away. He thought of his big family in Hong Kong, and those familiar faces emerged in his mind one by one. He had been away from his family for a long time, and his longing for his family surged into his heart like a tide, getting deeper and deeper. He didn't know how they were doing now, whether they were healthy, and whether their lives were going well. He also wanted to go back to see them, chat with them, and listen to their voices, but due to his own reasons, this wish had not been realized.

He Yuzhu noticed Liu Yi's mood change. He frowned slightly and asked with concern: "Xiaoyi, what's wrong with you? Is there something on your mind? If you want, you can tell me, maybe I can help." Liu Yi came back to his senses, shook his head gently, smiled and said: "Nothing, I just suddenly remembered something from the past. Don't worry, I'm fine." He Yuzhu looked at Liu Yi, with a trace of worry in his eyes. He knew that Liu Yi must have remembered something unhappy, but didn't want to make others worry, so he pretended to be strong. So he patted Liu Yi on the shoulder and comforted him: "Don't think too much, let the past go. We all have to look forward and cherish our present life. No matter what difficulties we encounter, we must face them bravely and believe that everything will be fine." Liu Yi nodded gratefully and said: "Thank you, Brother Zhuzi. I will."

The two continued chatting, and the topic gradually became relaxed and happy. They began to talk about interesting things at work and share their experiences and insights. Then, they talked about the little things in life, such as the scene of playing cards together recently, a dish they had eaten, etc. As the conversation deepened, the haze in Liu Yi's heart gradually dissipated, and a smile bloomed on his face again. At this moment, he temporarily forgot his troubles and enjoyed the happy time with his friends.