Siheyuan, a comfortable life under Zhengyang Gate

"Natalia, are you going to drink with Jingping and the others, or with us?"

Xu Jingping, Meng Xiaoxing, Meng Xiaozao and others were going to drive soon, so they didn't drink and took their children to sit at the same table with Old Lady Su, Aunt Han, Teacher Liu, Yao Yulan and others.

Yang Yukun and his friends wanted to have a few drinks, so they sat at another table.

"I'll sit at the same table with you guys."

Natalia wanted to drink something. She was a native of China and grew up in a wine jar. She could drink six kilograms of vodka.

When it comes to drinking, she has never met an opponent except Yang Yukun.

"Come, let me pour you some wine." Yang Yukun, the youngest student at the same table, was the one to pour wine for the elders and brothers and sisters.

He first filled the glasses for Master, Grandpa Guan, Grandpa Niu, and Teacher Su, then poured for Han Chunming, Yang Huajian, Mao Ditu, and Natalia, and finally poured himself a full bowl.

Uncle Guan picked up the wine bowl and said, "Come on, let's toast together."

"cheers!"

"One bite."

"Teacher Su, what's wrong with you?"

"I can't drink as much as you do. I can't finish it in one gulp."

"Master, we won't force you to drink. You can drink as much as you want. But you have to drink less. After this bowl, you can't drink anymore. Your health is important."

Han Chunming stared at his master, making sure he couldn't let the old man drink too much again.

"Okay, I won't drink after this bowl. I'll just eat more vegetables, okay?"

“You should just eat more vegetables.”

"Ah, I am the admiral of wine. I have been drinking for most of my life, but I can't drink to my heart's content when I am about to die."

Marquis Paola said, "Old man Guan, the children are doing this for your health. When you didn't control your intake a few years ago, you couldn't walk steadily and were dazed all day, like you had dementia.

Look at yourself now. Don’t you look much better than in previous years? Do you have more energy when walking?

If you want to see the King of Hell sooner, then drink as much as you can."

Uncle Niu smiled and said, "Uncle Guan is indeed in much better spirits than in previous years. He needs to continue to control his drinking."

Uncle Guan took another sip from the wine bowl and said with a smile, "Okay, I will continue to control it. I will never die in front of you, the broken Hou."

"Then your wish will definitely not come true. I am only 70 years old this year, and you are 84. Even if we live to the same age, you will die before me."

"What if you live shorter than me? It's not impossible that you die before me."

"Nothing could possibly happen. I'm 70 now and I can still run 3 kilometers without getting out of breath. When you were 70, you were already gray-haired and hunchbacked, but look at my hair, it's still black. You must die before me, and I will definitely live longer than you."

He will definitely live longer than Old Man Guan, and Hou Polan is very confident about this.

He still insists on running three kilometers and practicing two sets of health-preserving Tai Chi every day.

At the same age, Old Man Guan has white hair and a hunched back, while his master still has black hair and looks energetic.

When people found out he was already a 70-year-old man, no one believed him and thought he was less than 60.

If Old Man Guan wanted to compete with him to see who could live longer, it would definitely be him.

After Old Man Guan died, he would send him a few jars of good wine during the holidays so that he would not lack wine to drink in the other world.

Yang Yukun said with a smile: "Master, Master Guan, could you two stop bickering about who will die first?"

Yang Huajian laughed and said, "It's scary to hear you two old men bickering about who will die first."

The Broken Marquis smiled and said, "In fact, at our age, we have already let go of life and death. We have experienced so much in this life, and life is already exciting enough. It doesn't matter when the King of Hell is willing to cross our names out of the Book of Life and Death. Don't you think so, Master Niu?"

"My Lord, I don't agree with what you said. I haven't lived long enough. Benben hasn't even graduated from college yet. I still want to see him bring me a granddaughter-in-law and a great-grandson."

Uncle Niu was listening silently to the two old friends bickering, when Hou Polan suddenly brought the topic to him.

He also agreed with what Hou Polan said. He had experienced a lot in the decades from the Republic of China to the present, and he had long since become indifferent to life and death.

But Uncle Niu still has one wish, which is to hold his great-grandson in his arms before he dies.

My grandson Niu Ben was admitted to university in 1990 and now has a girlfriend at school.

He hopes to see his grandson get married and start a family, and that he can have a great-grandson as soon as possible.

Marquis Paola said, "Me too, I also want to hold my great-grandchildren in my arms, and I want to see Little Zongzi, Pingping, and Little Yumi grow up, get married, and have children."

Little Zongzi smiled and said, "Master, you will definitely live to be 120 years old."

"Haha..., you said Master loves to hear it."

"Master, I'll toast you." Little Zongzi ran over from the next table with a coconut drink and clinked glasses with the master.

"Master, I'll toast to you, too."

"And I."

Pingping and Xiaoyumi also ran over with coconut drinks and clinked glasses with the master.

"Okay, okay, they are all good kids."

Hou Paolan patted the little guys' heads and drank a full bowl of wine in one gulp.

Yang Yukun reminded him, "Master, please drink less." "Okay, I won't drink anymore. I still want to live a few more years to see Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, and Xiao Yumi get married. I'll eat more vegetables. This fish is good."

"Master Niu, can you drink some more?"

"I'm almost there too."

"Where's Teacher Su?"

"I'm also here, you guys continue drinking, I'll serve the food."

"Then please eat more food, Brother Xiaowu, Brother Jian, Brother Tu, Natalia, I'll fill your plates."

The old men had drunk enough, and Yang Yukun, Han Chunming, Yang Huajian, Mao Ditu, and Natalia continued to drink.

We drank and chatted about all sorts of things, and didn't leave the table until dark.

"Xiao Kun, take Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, and Xiao Yumi back home later. I'll take Yulan and Natalia to the hotel."

After helping to pack up, Xu Jingping was responsible for sending Yao Yulan and Natalia back to the hotel.

They were both staying at the February Flower Hotel, so it was just right to send them there at once without having to go to other places.

"Okay, slow down, wife, and be careful."

"Goodbye Aunt Yulan, goodbye Aunt Natalia."

"Goodbye, Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi, I'll come see you tomorrow."

"Okay."

Yao Yulan asked Yang Yukun: "By the way, classmate Yang Yukun, do you know how many of our classmates are still in the capital?"

"There are not many left. They are Peng Tao, Xu Haoran, Hao Aiguo, Zheng Jianguo, Cheng Zhongguo, and Zhou Xiafang."

"I remember that person... Isn't Wang Liangang also in the imperial capital?"

"He has been gone for a long time. He was transferred back to his hometown in Qiangui five years ago. His wife worked in Qiangui and could not be transferred to the capital, so he took the initiative to apply to be transferred back to Qiangui to accompany his wife."

"Are there any other classmates in the imperial capital?"

"I don't know about that. There were only a few of us who stayed in the capital after graduating from university. We have lost contact over the years. These are the only ones I can still contact."

"Then you can contact them. The day after tomorrow, the weekend, we'll get together. I'll treat you. Let's book it at the Hunan Cuisine Hall of your Wangfujing restaurant."

"Okay, I'll tell them tomorrow."

Since Yao Yulan wants to invite all the classmates in the capital to get together, Yang Yukun will notify all the old classmates he knows who are still in the capital tomorrow.

He knew all the classmates who stayed in the capital after graduating from university.

As far as he knows, he can still be contacted so far.

As for whether anyone returned to the capital later, he had no idea.

After so many years, the number of old classmates I can still contact can be counted on two hands.

Meng Xiaoxing said: "Map, it's getting late, let's go back."

Mao Tutu replied, "Okay, Second Auntie..., you guys take a rest, we will go back first."

Han's mother said, "Go back, slowly."

Meng Xiaozao said, "Aunt, we'll come visit you when we're free."

"it is good."

"Goodbye, Auntie..."

"Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi, Feifei, Mengmeng, Xiaoli, we will come to play with you on the weekend."

"Okay, then we'll go to the amusement park together."

"Master Niu, let's retreat too."

"Walk."

"Master, let me take you back."

"No, I'm not drunk, and I have a flashlight, so you don't need to take me there."

"Master, Master Niu, please slow down."

"Row."

"Master, Grandpa Niu, please walk slowly and be careful."

"okay."

After Yang Huajian's family of three and Mao Ditu's family of four left, Yang Yukun also left Han Chunming's house with Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi, Hou Li, and his master and Niu Ye, and Black Panther followed behind them.

After watching his master and Master Niu leave, Yang Yukun first sent Hou Li back to Cheng Xueru's home.

Fan Xiaojun and Zhao Lili took the children out for a walk and had not returned yet. Yang Yukun handed Hou Li to Cheng Xueru, and then took Xiao Zongzi, Pingping, Xiao Yumi, and Black Panther home.

Not long after arriving home, Xu Jingping sent Yao Yulan and Natalia to the February Flower Hotel and then returned.

I only learned about Natalia's resignation when I heard Xu Jingping say that she joined the Imperial Capital Foreign Languages ​​College and became a Russian teacher. (End of this chapter)