Siheyuan, a comfortable life under Zhengyang Gate

"You didn't go to work today, or did you skip work?"

Inviting Cheng Zhongguo to sit down, Yang Yukun picked up the teapot and poured tea.

"Go to work. It's not the weekend today. Why don't you go to work? There's nothing going on in the club today. I'm bored in the club. I came here to drink tea and chat with you."

Cheng Zhongguo picked up the teacup and took a sip to moisten his throat.

The unit where he worked was not very far from Yang Yukun. After staying at the unit for a while, he felt bored, so he rode his bicycle to Yang Yukun's place.

"If you don't work hard during the working day, the government will kick you out."

"I'm telling you, classmate Yang Yukun, you can't expect me to do well. If the government really screws up my brother, how will he make money to support his family?"

"Aren't you a great writer? The royalties you get are enough to cover your salary for several years."

"Writing is a hobby, and work is the main job. You can't lose your hobby, let alone your main job."

Cheng Zhongguo has published poems, prose and short stories in magazines one after another since he was in college. After graduation, he wrote two novels in his spare time and published them in magazines.

Because of the good response, the publishing house published his two novels.

The serialization and publishing royalties added up to five to six thousand yuan, which was equivalent to four to five years of his salary based on his current salary.

But Cheng Zhongguo never thought of throwing away his job and turning his hobby into his main job.

So far, he has only told Yang Yukun and Zhao Huijun his pen name, not even his family or colleagues at work.

"Okay, Lao Cheng, your mentality is good, not drifting, very good, keep up the good work."

"It's necessary. You're the only one at home. Where are classmate Xu Jingping and Xiao Zongzi?"

"Jingping went to the company, and my father-in-law and mother-in-law went for a walk with the little rice dumplings."

"I met Lao Hao yesterday. Over at the department store, his wife came to the Imperial Capital and took her shopping. He said he would have a holiday this weekend and let us have a dinner at his place."

"Lao Hao, his wife's job transfer process has been completed. Has she been transferred from her hometown?"

"I didn't even ask. The process should have been completed, otherwise Lao Hao and his wife wouldn't be able to come to the imperial capital. It's not winter or summer vacation now."

"Right."

Hao Aiguo's daughter-in-law was introduced by her family and is a Chinese teacher at the middle school in their hometown town.

One was in the Imperial Capital and the other was in his hometown in Chang'an. Hao Aiguo didn't want to live apart from his wife for a long time after getting married, so he thought of transferring his daughter-in-law from her hometown and working in the Imperial Capital with him, even if she came to the Imperial Capital to be a primary school teacher. OK.

Cheng Zhongguo said that he saw Hao Aiguo and his wife in the department store yesterday. It seemed that his wife's job transfer process was completed and the working relationship was successfully transferred from her hometown in Chang'an.

"Lao Cheng, let me tell you, how is your relationship with Master Xiao Zhao?"

Putting down the tea cup, Yang Yukun asked about how Cheng Zhongguo and Zhao Huijun were getting along.

These two people were his red thread. He hadn't seen Cheng Zhongguo and Zhao Huijun for so long, and he didn't know what stage these two people had reached.

"We are both doing well. Both parents have met. My parents are very satisfied with Huijun as their daughter-in-law, and her parents are very satisfied with me as their son-in-law. Huijun and I visited her parents again the afternoon before yesterday."

Cheng Zhongguo met Zhao Huijun through Yang Yukun in August this year. In just over two months, he went to Zhao Huijun's house no less than ten times. His father-in-law and mother-in-law had long recognized him as her son-in-law.

During this period, Zhao Huijun often went home with him to visit his parents, and the couple also recognized her as their daughter-in-law.

Even his parents met Zhao Huijun's parents more than once.

The parents of both parties have already started discussing their marriage, and plan to pick a good day before or after this year for them to hold the wedding.

"Okay, Lao Cheng, let me know when the wedding date is set, and my buddy will give you a big red envelope then."

"Just prepare the red envelope. When the date is set, I will tell you as soon as possible." "What has Lao Wang been busy with recently?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen him for a while. He is probably getting married this year."

"How do you know that he told you that he was getting married this year?"

"He said before that the family is deciding on a date. If nothing else happens, it will definitely be held this year. Maybe I will receive his wedding invitation in a while."

"What does his partner do?"

"I'm not very sure. The person introduced by my family seems to be from the village next door to them. I seem to have heard Lao Wang mention it before that he seems to be a doctor."

"Lao Wang has been with you for a year, right?"

"Yes, we are both 55 or 5 years old. He is one month older than me. He is about seven months old and I am eight months old."

"I'm already thirty-one, so I really should seize the time to resolve my personal issues."

"It's still your advantage. You are so much younger than us, and your children are already so big. Don't mention how much I envy you."

“I’m envious of my brother who got married when he was a child, but when he reached the legal marriage age, he got a certificate, held a wedding and had a baby?”

"Yes, why didn't my parents arrange a baby marriage for me when I was a child?"

"Brother, I can't answer this question. Why don't you go back and ask your parents."

"I'm afraid my parents will whip me." Cheng Zhongguo looked at the time and said, "I won't bullshit you anymore, buddy, I have to go back to work."

"Didn't you say you're not busy? It's time to have lunch soon. I'll go back after lunch."

"I have to go back and show my face even if I'm not busy, otherwise I'll really get rid of my buddy. I'll come and talk to you next time when I have time."

Cheng Zhongguo said that he would go back to do something in two hours at most.

It's almost time now, it's just enough to go back for two hours.

Although I am not busy at work now, I cannot leave a bad impression on my boss.

I was told to come out for two hours, and the leader agreed. However, I had to wait all morning before going back, and I was careful that the leader would scratch my head.

"Would you like to bring some dates back to eat?"

The dates on the two jujube trees in the yard were ready to be picked again. Yang Yukun asked Cheng Zhongguo if he wanted to pick some and take them back.

"Then I won't be polite to you, brother. I'll pick some and give them to my colleagues at work to try. I'll give some to my father-in-law and mother-in-law after get off work in the afternoon."

The fruits on the two jujube trees in Yang Yukun's courtyard are indeed delicious. They are big, crisp and sweet. They are much more delicious than those sold outside.

Cheng Zhongguo picked two large baskets, one basket was intended to be taken back to his colleagues for tasting, and the other basket was sent to Tong County after get off work in the afternoon to honor his father-in-law and mother-in-law.

"Let's go."

"Slow down."

"Got it."

Hanging two large baskets of winter dates on the bicycle faucet, Cheng Zhongguo pedaled his bicycle leisurely and hurried back to the unit.

After Cheng Zhongguo left, Yang Yukun lay in the yard and continued to read, drink tea and bask in the sun. After a while, the father-in-law and mother-in-law returned home with the little rice dumplings and the black panther.

After lunch, the father-in-law and mother-in-law went to the Sanqiuye Hotel Company.

The two of them didn't bring any small rice dumplings this time. The little girl was taking a nap, and she slept soundly. (End of chapter)