Siheyuan, a comfortable life under Zhengyang Gate

After having dinner at the master’s house and chatting with the master and his family for a while, Yang Yukun and Xu Jingping took the children back home.

When the family of five returned home, Xu Jingtian and Ming Jirui were still having dinner.

My third sister and her husband's family will not be home for dinner tonight, so there is no ready-made food. After Xu Jingtian and Ming Jirui come back from the company, they can only cook it themselves.

"Woof woof woof..."

"Black Panther, we're back." Little Zongzi patted Black Panther's head and ran into the restaurant: "Fifth Aunt, Fifth Uncle, what are you having for dinner tonight?"

"Try the braised pork made by Fifth Aunt." Xu Jingtian picked up a piece of braised pork and fed it to Xiao Zongzi: "Is the braised pork made by Fifth Aunt delicious?"

"good to eat."

"Third sister, third brother-in-law, we won't go to Uncle Niu's house for dinner tomorrow. Please hand over a gift for us and write Dad's name on it."

"You two are busy?"

"Xiao Rui has to go out of town tomorrow, and I can't leave when the banquet starts."

"Okay, then we'll eat for you and bring back more."

"Give one to the second and fourth sisters as well."

Xu Jingtian gave the money to his third sister, one portion for her, one portion for his second sister, and one portion for his fourth sister.

She and Ming Jirui are not free tomorrow. Her fourth sister is on a business trip and has not returned yet. Her fourth brother-in-law is also not free tomorrow. Her second sister and her family are far away in Shanghai and cannot make it here.

We are going to Uncle Niu's house for a banquet tomorrow. I can only ask my third sister and her husband to take the gift money over and share their portion.

"Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi, do you want to go to the movies with your fifth aunt and uncle later?"

"Fifth Aunt, Fifth Uncle, I want to practice martial arts. You can take Pingping and Xiao Yumi with you."

"Fifth Aunt, Fifth Uncle, I want to go to the movies."

"I'll go as well."

"Okay, let's go later. Call Xiao Li and take you to the cinema to watch a movie."

"Aunt Cheng and the others are back?" Yang Yukun asked.

I heard from Fan Xiaojun before that Cheng Xueru took Hou Li, Fan Yonglan, Fan Yongheng and other little ones to his father-in-law and mother-in-law's home in Quancheng.

"I'm back. Xiao Rui and I came back from get off work today and saw Aunt Cheng."

After cleaning up the kitchen and dining room, Xu Jingtian and Ming Jirui called Pingping and Xiao Yumi to get in the car. They first went to Cheng Xueru's house to call Hou Li and Fan Yonglan, and then headed straight to the cinema with the little ones.

It was not until after eight o'clock in the evening that Xu Jingtian and Ming Jirui brought Pingping and Xiao Yumi back.

the next day.

Niu Ye’s great-grandson held a full-month banquet and invited relatives, friends, and neighbors to the Chaba Tower for the banquet.

The banquet was held in a hotel, so there was no need for Yang Yukun, the chief steward, to help arrange anything, nor was there any need to go there early.

After having breakfast at home, Yang Yukun made tea, picked up the unfinished book on the table and read it, occasionally putting a plum into his mouth.

There was nothing to do now, so he and Xu Jingping planned to go to Chabalou Restaurant when the banquet was about to start, pay the gift money, eat the banquet, and then leave.

"Sister Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi."

"Feifei, Mengmeng."

"Brother Feifei, Sister Mengmeng."

Xiao Zongzi, Pingping and Xiao Yumi did not go to the Children's Palace today. They will go to Chabalou Restaurant for a banquet with their parents later.

After breakfast, Feifei and Mengmeng came to play with Xiaozongzi and the others.

"Black Panther."

Seeing Black Panther sleeping under the crabapple tree, Feifei ran over and woke him up.

Black Panther glanced at Feifei reluctantly, then went into the living room and lay down at Yang Yukun's feet to continue sleeping.

“Black Panther, don’t run.” Feifei chased Black Panther into the house: “Hehe…, Uncle Kun.”

Yang Yukun said with a smile: "You kid, help yourself to the fruit."

"okay."

"There's watermelon in the refrigerator, go get it out and cut it up for yourself."

"Got it."

Feifei grabbed a few plums, then ran to the kitchen to get the watermelon from the refrigerator and cut it.

"Uncle Kun, you eat first."

After cutting the watermelon, Feifei took a big piece and ran to the living room for Uncle Kun to eat it first.

"Okay kid, very sensible."

"hey-hey……."

"Did your father go to Chabalou Restaurant?"

"Not yet. He went to the company and will be back to pick us up in a while."

"Go and play."

Yang Yukun waved his hand and let the boy go play.

Soon after, a large group of little guys from the alley came together.

This group of little guys came for the ripe fruits on the two jujube trees in the yard.

Yang Yukun smiled, picked up a bamboo pole and started picking dates for the little ones. He knocked the ripe dates off the tree and shared them with the little ones.

…………

The meal starts at 11:00 noon.

At half past ten, Yang Yukun and Xu Jingping brought Xiao Zongzi, Pingping and Xiao Yumi, and came to Chabalou Restaurant with Han Chunming's family, Yang Huajian's family of three, and Mao Ditu's family of four.

"Big brother, Little Brother Wu, Brother Jian, Brother Tu..."

"Xiaojun, when did you come here?"

"I just came here a while ago."

Fan Xiaojun and Zhao Lili had just arrived. They saw that it was almost time, so they came over from the company. "Have you bought your meal ticket?"

"Bought."

“Where can I buy meal tickets?”

"It's in the hall on the right hand side of the door. I'll take you there."

"Let's go buy a meal ticket first."

Yang Yukun and his party followed Fan Xiaojun and his wife to the lounge, where the reception desk was located at the entrance.

Neighbors, relatives and friends who came to the banquet were all playing cards and chatting in the lounge.

"The chief steward is here, and the head chef is here too. How much is the gift money?"

"This is mine, this is my father-in-law's, Chunfen's, and Lixia's."

"Yang Yukun, Cai Quanwu, He Chunfen, He Lixia, right Uncle Kun?"

"Good job, kid. You were able to remember the names of all the neighbors in the alley after doing it once last year. You have passed the test to be the Minister of Rites."

"Thank you Uncle Kun for the compliment."

"Mine, Teacher Su's."

“Han Chunming, Su Xiao.”

"Yang Huajian."

"Mao map."

After paying the gift money, Yang Yukun and his companions walked towards the master and Uncle Guan, Uncle Niu, and Uncle Pian who were sitting together and chatting.

"Master, Uncle Guan, Uncle Niu, Uncle Pianer..."

"Master, Lord Hou, Lord Niu, Lord Pianer..."

"Xiao Kun, Chun Ming..., now that you are here, please find a chair and sit down. The banquet will be held in a while."

"Okay, Master Niu."

After staying in the lounge for about ten minutes, Niu Ben ran over and asked everyone to move to the hall next door. The banquet began.

"Where are the little Zongzi and the others?"

"Let's play outside."

"Didn't you see it?"

"Inside, all seated."

"Hey, these little guys are pretty quick."

When the meal started, Xiao Zongzi and the others were nowhere to be seen. Yang Yukun and his friends looked for them outside but couldn't find them. Then they discovered that these little guys had already sat down at the table before them.

"There are two seats here, wife, let's sit here."

"Row."

"There's still room over there, Chunming, let's sit over there."

"He said we should sit together and have a couple of drinks, but it looks like we have to sit separately."

"It's okay, come to my place for a drink tonight."

After sitting and waiting for about ten minutes, the food, drinks and wine came one after another.

After eating, Yang Yukun and Xu Jingping found Xiao Zongzi and the others at the front door of Chabalou Restaurant.

After a few minutes, Han Chunming and his group came out after eating.

"Brothers, shall we retreat?"

"We've already eaten and drunk, why not leave?"

"What are your plans for the afternoon? Do you want to go and play some clubs?"

"I can't go. I have to go to the museum soon. The exhibition will start the day after tomorrow, so I have to go there to make some arrangements."

"then you go."

"Brother Jian, Brother Tu, Xiaojun, come to my place for tea."

"Jingping..., let's go shopping."

"Okay."

Han Chunming is going to the museum to arrange an exhibition of red official kiln porcelain. The exhibition will start the day after tomorrow and will last for a week.

Yang Yukun invited Yang Huajian, Mao Ditu and Fan Xiaojun to his home for tea.

Xu Jingping went shopping with Su Meng and the others, and the little ones followed them.

On July 20, 1993, the second day of the sixth lunar month in the Year of the Rooster, the Red Official Kiln Porcelain Exhibition jointly organized by the Kunping Museum, the Yaguan Museum, and the Yaxuan Museum opened.

In the morning, Yang Yukun showed up at the exhibition site. After lunch, he left, leaving the rest of the work to Li Wende, and ran home to enjoy the air conditioning and eat iced watermelon.

"Uncle Kun, Uncle Kun, are you home? I'm here to see you!"

"Who?"

"Uncle Kun, it's me!"

"Oh my god, why are you in the capital?"

"I missed you and came to see you."

"When did you come?"

"I arrived at noon. I just came from my eldest brother's house. This is a specialty I brought for you."

"only you?"

"Yes, I came here alone, first by bus and then by train."

"Come inside."

Hearing someone calling in the yard, Yang Yukun stood up and lifted the door curtain to look into the yard. Unexpectedly, it was this boy. (End of this chapter)