Siheyuan, a comfortable life under Zhengyang Gate

"Master Pian'er!"

"Xiao Kun, come and see your master."

"When did you come back?"

Yang Yukun put the wine and fruit he brought for the master on the table, then picked up a chair and sat next to the stove.

"Just arrived. I only got here half an hour earlier than you."

Pianerye took the train yesterday and returned to the capital with Tianci this morning.

His yard was rented out, so he brought Tianci directly to Yanzhi Hutong to find Paolahou.

no way.

Because of adopting Tianci, he had a falling out with his sister's family and had no choice but to stay with his old friend Polan Hou and celebrate the New Year with them.

"I haven't seen you for a few months. Tianci has grown taller and is a lot fatter than before."

“Tianci, do you still remember Brother Xiaokun? This is Brother Xiaokun.”

"Brother Xiaokun."

"Oh, you can talk now."

Yang Yukun patted Tianci's head. The little guy was only seven or eight months old, and his speech was not very clear, just babbling.

"I brought you some things from the Northeast. These are Northeast red pine nuts and hazelnuts, black fungus, wild mushrooms, and Hericium erinaceus. This is rice grown on my own farm. I brought it back for you to try."

"So many, sir, are these all for me?"

"This one is for you, this one is for your father-in-law and mother-in-law, this one is for Uncle Guan, Uncle Niu, Xiaowu, Xueru, Taozi..."

This time when he came back from Northeast China, Pianerye brought back a lot of Northeast specialties and rice grown on his own farm.

When he brought Tianci back to the capital for treatment, Yang Yukun and others took turns going to the hospital to help take care of Tianci. This kindness cannot be forgotten.

"Thank you, Mr. Pianer."

"Let's have dinner together tonight. I'll treat you to a meal."

"We are having a dinner at Brother Xiaowu's house today. You should save this big meal for tomorrow. Brother Xiaowu didn't know you were coming back so he didn't notify you. You and Tianci can go to Brother Xiaowu's house for dinner later."

"Okay, then I'll treat you guys tomorrow. Let's go to your and Jingping's restaurant for dinner."

"Our restaurant is closed for the holidays. If you want to eat at our restaurant, you have to wait until next year."

Starting from the 20th day of the 12th lunar month, all branches of Zhiweilou Restaurant will no longer be open for business and will not resume work until the 3rd day of the 1st lunar month next year.

Pianerye wanted to treat us to a meal at Zhiweilou Restaurant, but he couldn't because it is closed during this period.

"It's a holiday, so let's go to the Imperial Hotel for dinner."

"Pian'er, it seems that you have really made a fortune. Your farm is not making any money this year, right?"

"It's okay." Pianerye said with a smile.

His farm has performed well this year. After deducting various expenses, he has made a small profit. It is not a problem for him to treat Yang Yukun and others to a meal at the Imperial Capital Hotel.

Hou Paolan said with a smile: "Pian'erye is now a legitimate landlord. He is in his sixties or seventies and has leased land to start a business. He is the only one in our Qianmenlouzi area."

"Compared to your Lord Hou and Lord Guan, Lord Niu, I was too muddle-headed in the past few decades. Unfortunately, I am old now and I don't know how many years I have left to live."

"Pianerye, as the saying goes, a man of ambition is not old, and ignorance is useless. Jiang Ziya met King Wen of Zhou when he was eighty years old. You are still young."

"What do you mean by death? I don't like to hear that, my Lord. Tianci is still so young. You have to live a few more years even for Tianci."

"My master is right, Pian'erye, in the future you will have to watch Tianci grow up, get married and have children, and you will have to take care of your grandchildren."

"My Lord, Xiao Kun, what you said makes a lot of sense. I have to live well and wait to hold my grandson."

Pianerye looked at Tianci. He was almost seventy years old. If he had not met Tianci, he would probably still be living his life with the same muddle-headed mentality and die at some unknown time.

But God took pity on him and let him meet the little guy Tianci in his lifetime.

So he has to live well and try his best to live until the day when the child grows up, gets married and has children.

"Pian'er, it's good that you think so." Yang Yukun said, "By the way, Master, is Xiaohua back?"

"I'm back. I'm in the team. They said we'll have a holiday tomorrow. Are your father-in-law and mother-in-law still in Simatai?"

"Yes, the Chinese New Year is just a few days away, and I don't know when they will come back."

"He should be back soon."

"Master, tell Sister Hou and Brother-in-law not to buy chicken, duck, goose, fish, etc. I will send you chicken, duck, goose, fish, and mutton in two days."

"Okay, I heard from Xueru that Hou Kui and Jingli are coming back for the New Year. Are they back?"

"No, they will be back tomorrow."

My eldest brother-in-law and eldest sister are busy with work and will not be back until the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month.

Today is the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, and tomorrow is the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month. Yang Yukun will have to go to the airport to pick them up then.

"Ding ding ding..."

"Hey, Brother Xiaowu, I'm here with my master. OK, I'll be right over."

Yang Yukun put down his mobile phone. It was Han Chunming who called and asked him to come over to help with the cooking. "Master, Lord Hou, let's go to Brother Xiaowu's house."

"it is good."

"Xiaokun, did you drive here?"

"I didn't drive. I walked here. I called Brother Xiaowu and asked him to ride a tricycle to pick me up."

It takes only about ten minutes from Yang Yukun's home to his master's place, and he walked there.

Pianerye came back from Northeast China this time and prepared gifts for everyone.

There were a lot of things, so Yang Yukun picked up his mobile phone and called Han Chunming, asking him to bring his tricycle over to transport the things.

Ten minutes later, Han Chunming arrived at Yanzhi Hutong riding a human-powered tricycle.

"Master Pian'er!"

"Little five."

"When did you come back?"

"I arrived early this morning."

"Why didn't you call me when you got back? I'll pick you up at the train station."

"No need to answer, I took a taxi here, Tianci, call me Brother Xiaowu."

"Brother Xiaowu."

"Tianci has grown so tall, and he's a lot fatter than before, so chubby." Han Chunming pinched Tianci's chubby face and said, "Xiao Kun, didn't you say you wanted to poop? Where's the poop?"

"Here, Pianye brought us red pine nuts, hazelnuts, black fungus, wild mushrooms, hericium erinaceus, and rice he grew himself from the Northeast."

Yang Yukun and Han Chunming loaded the things into the car, and let Han Chunming go first, while he walked with his master and Pianerye and his son.

Twenty minutes later, Yang Yukun, his master, and Pianerye and his son arrived at Han Chunming's house.

"My Lord, you are back."

"Pianerye, I haven't seen you for a long time. How is your health?"

"Lord Hou, Lord Pianer, Xiao Kun."

"This is a gift from heaven, little Tianci, come here, let your aunt hold you."

"Lord Hou, Lord Pian'er, my master and Lord Niu are here too, warming themselves by the fire in the house."

"Pian'er Ye, let's go find Old Man Guan and Uncle Niu."

"it is good."

Yang Yukun asked Han Chunming: "Brother Xiaowu, has Pian'erye sent all the things that he gave to me and my father-in-law and mother-in-law to my home?"

"Don't worry, I can't embezzle your things. I've sent them all to your home. You can cook today and I'll help you."

Han Chunming is a good cook. When he opened the Chabalou Restaurant, he specially went to learn cooking.

But compared with Yang Yukun, his cooking skills are still far behind.

Yang Yukun was the chef for today's dinner, and he was responsible for helping Yang Yukun.

"Brother Jian, Brother Tu, Brother Taozi... please clean the tables, chairs, benches, pots, pans, and bowls. Hurry up and don't dawdle or be lazy."

Yang Yukun tied on an apron and asked Yang Huajian and others who were cleaning chairs, benches, pots and pans to hurry up.

"The tables, chairs, benches, pots, pans, and bowls are mine and the map. Taozi ran several times to get them from your house. You just know how to be lazy."

"That's right. I asked you to move tables, chairs, benches, pots, pans, and utensils, but you ran away. Xiaokun, you are so unkind."

"Why are you talking to the chef? Do you still want to have dinner? How about I wash the dishes and you guys cook?"

"I don't have that ability."

"That's right, buddy, if I had cooking skills as good as yours, would it be your turn to be the chef?"

"That's it. These pots and pans haven't been used for a long time. Wash them clean."

Yang Yukun came to the kitchen, picked up a kitchen knife and started to prepare the ingredients.

According to the proposed menu, dishes that need to be steamed, fried or stewed should be processed first, and dishes that don’t take long to prepare can be left for later.

Han Chunming was responsible for cutting and other tasks. The two of them divided the work and worked together, and it took them four or five hours to prepare dinner.

Sixteen dishes, for a total of six tables.

"Brother Xiaowu, it's time to set the table. Let Brother Jian and the others set the table."

"Lao Yang, map, Taozi..., stop fighting, set the table and eat."

"Got it."

The tables, chairs, dishes and chopsticks were set out, and the food started to be served in the kitchen.

"Xiao Kun, here, the seat is reserved for you, and the wine is filled for you."

Yang Huajian waved to Yang Yukun. They had reserved a seat for Yang Yukun to drink and had already poured him a glass of wine. (End of this chapter)