Siheyuan: I live next door to Xu Damao, my last name is Cao

On the other side, the two brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were squatting alone under a locust tree in the corner of the yard.

Their figures looked particularly small and lonely in the dim afterglow.

The silence all around formed a sharp contrast with the laughter coming from not far away. The laughter pierced their hearts like a sharp sword, making them seem even more lonely and helpless.

In their hands, they each held a steamed bun that they had secretly taken from the kitchen.

The steamed buns had become dry and hard after being stored for a long time. It took a lot of effort to take a bite, and my cheeks were sore from chewing.

They swallowed hard, their eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and bitterness.

At the same time, at the other end of the yard, Liu Haizhong, Cao Wei and Xu Damao were sitting together, clinking glasses and laughing.

The table in front of them was filled with sumptuous dishes and filled with aromas.

The lively atmosphere was like a burning fire, forming a sharp contrast with the deserted atmosphere on the brothers' side.

The two brothers seemed to be covered by a layer of frost. They squatted there quietly, as if they were out of tune with this world.

They are like shadows forgotten on the edge of the world, not even qualified to sit at the table for dinner.

In this courtyard full of laughter and warmth, they seemed like two abandoned children, their hearts full of grievances and loss.

Brother, do you think our father doesn't take us seriously at all?"

Liu Guangfu took a bite of the steamed bun, and the crumbs accidentally stuck to the corner of his mouth.

He was completely unaware of it, mumbling incoherently, his eyes full of dissatisfaction and grievance.

In the gradually dimming light, his lost appearance seemed particularly pitiful.

Liu Guangtian curled his lips with disdain on his face, and said in a low voice: "You are talking nonsense! Our father only has big brother Liu Guangqi in his eyes. In his heart, the two of us are no different from picked up children."

"Look at today's meal. Even Xu Damao and Cao Wei can sit at the table and eat, but the two of us can only stay here and eat dry buns."

As he spoke, he took a big bite of the steamed bun in his hand, as if the bun represented his father's partiality and he wanted to vent all his dissatisfaction in his heart.

Liu Guangfu sighed heavily, and there was too much helplessness hidden in that sigh. His eyes also dimmed.

"I don't know where my eldest brother has gone now. My father must be worried about him again. But what about the two of us? We are like dust forgotten in a corner, no one cares about us."

There was a slight tremor in Liu Guangfu's voice, as if he was trying hard to suppress his emotional fluctuations.

Liu Guangtian frowned, with unwillingness flashing in his eyes.

"I remember when I was a kid, my eldest brother always got the newest toys and the best clothes, while the two of us could only pick up what he left. Even if we made mistakes, my eldest brother could be easily forgiven, but the two of us had to suffer severe punishment. This unfair treatment has continued to this day."

Liu Guangfu nodded silently, and his thoughts seemed to drift back to the past.

"Sometimes I really wonder if it's because we are not good enough that Dad prefers my older brother. But no matter how hard we try, it seems that we can't get his recognition and attention."

There was a deep sense of frustration in his tone.

Liu Guangfu sighed heavily, and there was too much helplessness hidden in that sigh. His eyes also dimmed.

After hearing this, Liu Guangtian's eyes rolled around and he looked like a cunning little fox.

He leaned close to Liu Guangfu's ear and said mysteriously, "Guangfu, listen to me, my brother will probably never come back after running away."

"My father used to rely on my eldest brother to take care of him in his old age. Now that my eldest brother is gone, doesn't the burden of caring for him in his old age fall on us?"

Liu Guangfu was stunned, as if he was suddenly awakened by these words, and then his eyes lit up, full of surprise.

"Brother, are you saying... that we will be the pillars of the family from now on?"

Liu Guangtian nodded proudly, and the expression on his face was like a king who was about to ascend the throne.

He lowered his voice and said, "That's right! As long as we behave well and make our dad happy, won't all the delicious food and drinks in this house belong to us in the future?"

"Think about your eldest brother. When did our dad ever have the heart to beat him? He could eat as many eggs as he wanted and get as much pocket money as he wanted. If we could live the same life as him, it would be so wonderful!"

A hint of greed flashed in Liu Guangfu's eyes, and he rubbed his hands excitedly, as if he had already seen a bright future.

"Then brother, we have to think carefully about how to make dad happy."

Liu Guangtian smiled slightly, with a gleam in his eyes. "We have to take our time. We can't be impatient. Let's start with the daily chores. Let Dad think that we are reliable and more filial than my eldest brother."

"Yes, yes!" Liu Guangfu nodded repeatedly, and the two smiled at each other, as if they had already seen the day when they would hold full power in the family.

They knew that as long as they could please their father, all the benefits in the family would naturally fall on them.

Liu Guangfu was so delighted that he even forgot to eat the steamed bun in his hand. He said excitedly: "Brother, you are right! We must behave well in the future and not be so careless like before."

He clenched his hands tightly, as if he had already grasped the tail of a happy future life.

Liu Guangtian patted Liu Guangfu on the shoulder, looking shrewd and calculating.

"That's right. From today on, we have to learn to act according to our father's mood. We will do whatever he likes and stay away from what he hates. As long as we can make him happy, good days for us will not be far away!"

There was a cunning gleam in his eyes, as if he had carefully planned a perfect plan.

Liu Guangfu nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of longing.

"Brother, you're right! We will be the backbone of the family from now on. We don't have to live under the big brother's rule anymore!"

His face was filled with smiles, as if he had already seen himself in the powerful position of having the final say at home.

The two brothers became more and more excited as they talked, as if they had already seen a bright future in which they would turn the tables and become the masters of their own lives.

Liu Guangtian even began to fantasize: "When we become the head of the family, we can eat whatever we want and buy whatever we want. We won't have to eat these dry buns in secret anymore!"

As he spoke, he danced with his hands, as if he was already in that affluent world, enjoying all kinds of delicious food and wealth.

They are immersed in their own fantasies and seem to have forgotten all the difficulties in reality.

Liu Guangtian continued, "When the time comes, we can replace all the old things at home and buy some new furniture to make the house look brand new. We can also buy some nice clothes for our parents so that they can enjoy them too."

Liu Guangfu also agreed, "Yes, we can also buy ourselves some nice clothes and wear them out to show others that our Liu family is also a well-known person. We don't have to wear these shabby clothes anymore and let people look down on us."

They became more and more excited as they talked, as if the beautiful blueprint for the future was just around the corner.

Liu Guangtian patted his brother's shoulder and said confidently: "Don't worry, Guangfu, we can definitely realize these dreams. As long as we work hard to please Dad, let him be on our side, and be loyal to us, everything will be fine."

Liu Guangfu also nodded firmly, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

"That's right, brother. Let's work hard together and fight for a better life in the future!"

The two brothers held each other's hands tightly, as if pledging a happy life in the future.

They are full of confidence and expectation, and are not defeated by the real difficulties at all.

They believe that as long as they work hard, everything will go as they wish.

Liu Guangfu's voice was full of anticipation, his mind was full of golden and fragrant scrambled eggs, and even drool was flowing from the corners of his mouth.

Just as the two brothers were immersed in beautiful fantasies, a roar suddenly came from the yard.

"Liu Guangtian! Liu Guangfu! Where have you two bastards been? Come over here and help clear the table!"

The sound was like a thunderclap, instantly pulling them back to reality from their sweet dreams.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were so frightened that the steamed buns in their hands almost fell to the ground.

Liu Guangtian quickly stuffed the remaining steamed buns into his mouth and said incoherently, "Hurry, hurry over! Don't let our dad wait anxiously!"

As he spoke, he pulled Liu Guangfu and ran into the yard.

The two brothers ran into the yard in a panic, with ingratiating smiles on their faces.

As Liu Guangtian ran, he whispered to Liu Guangfu: "Remember, be smart later, work more and talk less!"

His eyes were filled with nervousness and anticipation, fearing that his plan would fail from the start.

Liu Guangfu nodded repeatedly, but he had already started thinking in his mind how he should perform in order to make Liu Haizhong look at him with admiration.

Various flattering scenes flashed through his mind rapidly, and his pace unconsciously quickened, almost tripping over the threshold.

Just when the two brothers were completely immersed in beautiful fantasies and full of infinite longing for the future.

Suddenly, a deafening roar came from the yard, like a bolt from the blue, instantly pulling them back from their beautiful dreams to the cruel reality.

The roar came from their father Liu Haizhong, who shouted, "Liu Guangtian! Liu Guangfu! Where have you two bastards been? Come over here and help clear the table!"

The sound echoed in the yard, like a thunderclap, shaking the entire yard.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were so frightened by the sudden roar that the steamed buns in their hands almost fell to the ground.

Their faces were pale, their heartbeats were accelerated, and their hearts were filled with fear and anxiety.

Liu Guangtian quickly stuffed the remaining steamed buns into his mouth. His mouth was bulging with the air and he said incoherently, "Hurry up! Don't let dad wait anxiously!"

As he spoke, he hurriedly pulled Liu Guangfu and ran into the yard.

The two brothers ran into the yard in a panic, forcing a flattering smile on their faces, fearing that their father would be angry.

As Liu Guangtian ran, he whispered to Liu Guangfu: "Remember, be smart later, work more and talk less!"

His eyes were filled with nervousness and anticipation, fearing that his plan would fail from the start.

He prayed silently in his heart, hoping that he could get through the day peacefully and not let his father discover their secret.

Liu Guangfu nodded repeatedly, but he had already started to think about how he could behave in a way that would satisfy his father without exposing their plan.

Liu Guangtian thought silently in his heart that he must complete the task assigned by his father as soon as possible, and then find an opportunity to implement his own plan.

He believed that as long as the two brothers worked together, they would be able to succeed.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu ran into the room and saw the table littered with cups and plates. Cao Wei and Xu Damao were already drunk with their faces flushed, and were leaning back in their chairs burping.

Cao Wei's face turned as red as a ripe tomato and his eyes narrowed into slits.

Xu Damao tilted his head and muttered something that no one could understand.

Liu Haizhong sat in the main seat, holding a wine glass in his hand, with a drunken look on his face and a dazed look in his eyes.

"Where have you two been, you bastards? Hurry up and clean up the table!"

Liu Haizhong glared at the two of them with a hint of impatience in his eyes, and his voice became a little hoarse due to being drunk.

Liu Guangtian quickly apologized with a smile: "Dad, we were just outside feeding the chickens. As soon as we heard you calling, we ran over here!"

As he spoke, a smile spread across his face that contained a hint of flattery and nervousness, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Liu Guangfu also quickly agreed: "Yes, yes, Dad, we will clean it up right away!"

As he said this, he quickly started to clear the dishes on the table. His movements were a little flustered and he almost dropped the plate.

The two brothers began to clear the table quickly.

While tidying up, Liu Guangtian secretly observed Liu Haizhong's expression. Seeing that Liu Haizhong seemed to be in a good mood, he tentatively said, "Dad, you are really awesome today! Yi Zhonghai, that old fox, was completely subdued by you. It's really gratifying!"

There was a hint of exaggerated admiration in his voice, trying to make Liu Haizhong even happier.

After hearing this, Liu Haizhong showed a hint of pride on his face, but he pretended to be serious and said, "What do you know, you little kid? Hurry up and work, don't talk nonsense!"

Although he said this, he couldn't hide the smile on his face, and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

Seeing this, Liu Guangfu also hurried to flatter him: "Dad, you are really a hero in our hospital today! Even Brother Cao Wei and Brother Xu Damao praised you!"

His voice was full of flattery and his eyes were full of expectation, hoping that his father would praise him a few more times.

After hearing this, Liu Haizhong's smile deepened, but he still said, "Okay, okay, stop flattering me and get back to work!"

His tone no longer had the harshness from before, but instead had a bit more gentleness, making people feel a lot closer to him.

Seeing that Liu Haizhong's attitude had softened, the two brothers secretly breathed a sigh of relief and worked even harder.

While wiping the table, Liu Guangtian secretly winked at Liu Guangfu, as if to say, "Look, our plan worked!"

His eyes were full of pride and excitement, as if he had already seen a beautiful life in the future.

After cleaning the table, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu stood aside, carefully observing Liu Haizhong's expression.

Liu Haizhong took a sip of tea and said slowly, "You two should learn more in the future and stop idleness. Our family will have to rely on you to support us in the future."

There was a hint of fatigue and expectation in his voice, and his eyes showed a little more attention to his two sons. He no longer ignored them like before.

After hearing what their father said, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu couldn't help but feel excited. The feeling of being trusted and expected made their blood boil.

They nodded and agreed immediately: "Dad, don't worry, we will do our best and will never let you down!"

Their voices were filled with unprecedented determination and excitement, as if they had truly become the backbone of the family, carrying the responsibility of the entire family on their shoulders.

Although this responsibility is heavy, it also fills their hearts with strength and hope.

Liu Haizhong looked at the determined eyes of his two sons and couldn't help feeling a little relieved.

He nodded slightly, with a relieved smile on his face: "Okay, it's getting late, you should go to bed early."

There was a hint of kindness in his smile, which he had not shown in front of his two sons for a long time.

This kindness is like a ray of warm sunshine, sprinkling on the hearts of the two brothers and making them feel warm.

The two brothers felt relieved and quickly slipped back to their room.

As soon as he entered the door, Liu Guangtian said excitedly: "Guangfu, did you see that? Our father's attitude towards us has changed! Our good days are coming!"

His voice was full of joy and excitement, as if he was standing at the pinnacle of happiness and the wonderful life in the future was within reach.

He has even begun to look forward to the future, thinking about how to make this home better.

Liu Guangfu also nodded excitedly: "Brother, you are right! We must behave well in the future and can't live in a muddleheaded way like before. We must work hard to let Dad see our changes and make this family happier."

There was a determination gleam in his eyes and his heart was full of expectations for the future.

The two brothers lay in bed, unable to fall asleep for a long time. They thought about their father's words, the responsibilities and hopes for the future, and their hearts were filled with fighting spirit.

They knew that from now on, they could no longer live a mediocre life, but had to work hard for their family and for their father's expectations.

They slept particularly soundly that night because they knew that a better life in the future was beckoning them.

They believe that as long as they work hard, they can make this family happy.

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