Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 117: Liberation and Return Home
On the eve of the Spring Festival in 1969, Yan Jiekuang went to work as usual, stayed in class for half a day, and slipped out in the afternoon.

Walking slowly along the moat, the walls of the Forbidden City are peeling off and are gray. The willow trees on both sides have long dead branches hanging down, looking at a desolate scene.

Yan Jiekuang was walking aimlessly with a lunch box in his hand. When he reached Jingshan, he thought of his childhood misbehavior and also of Lao Gui. Lao Gui should be almost seventy years old now, and no one knew where he was.

Yan Jiekuang walked towards the courtyard. The New Year was approaching, and Yan Bugui still wanted to celebrate it in Courtyard No. 95 for some fun. Yan Jiekuang knew that his father still cared about the eldest brother.

As soon as I arrived at the front yard, I saw a soldier almost as tall as me standing at the door.

Yan Jiekuang walked over puzzledly and was about to speak, "Third brother, do you miss your second brother?" The soldier hugged Yan Jiekuang, and Yan Jiekuang then realized that it was his second brother who returned.

Yan Jiekuang really missed his second brother. Tears came down his eyes. He hugged his second brother and cried. The second brother who had always taken the blame for him since he was a child was back.

Yi Jun in the front yard also heard the noise and came out to take a look, then turned back to the front yard and called Yan Bugui, "Teacher Yan, your second child is back, come out quickly."

As soon as Yan Bugui walked out of the door, he saw Yan Jiefang walking in front of him, followed by the third brother carrying a bag. Yang Ruiping also rushed out of the house crying and hugged Yan Jiefang, followed by the fourth brother who also came out crying.

It has been six years since Yan Jiefang left and had not returned home. The Yan family was very excited. The eldest brother Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li also came out with Yan Yongfang, and Qingqing stood beside them calling him "Second Uncle".

The family returned to the west wing together. Yang Ruiping held his second brother tightly and refused to let go. Yan Jiekuang saw the situation at home and said, "Okay, I'll go cook."

Yan Jiekuang walked towards the kitchen, and Yan Jiedi followed him to help him. Looking at the kitchen, there was a piece of meat, about two pounds, a few eggs, cabbage, potatoes, some fungus and hazel mushrooms.

Yan Jiekuang asked Yan Jiedi to go out and play mahjong and buy a piece of tofu.

Yan Jiekuang knew that his second brother loved to eat braised pork, so he made braised pork first, and then made Mushu pork, Qianlong cabbage, home-cooked tofu, stir-fried shredded vegetables, stir-fried meat with hazel mushrooms, and made an egg soup.

When the dishes were served, Yang Ruiping remembered that the third brother kept nodding his head, which meant that the food was well cooked.

The whole family sat together for the first reunion dinner in six years. Of course, there were not enough dishes, so Yan Bugui contributed his treasured peanuts and lotus seeds.

After chatting with him, I found out that my second brother was only at home for a week, and if you include the time for going back and forth, it was equivalent to three and a half days at home.

Yang Ruiping burst into tears again, and Yan Bugui tried to persuade him. Yan Jiefang said that he also wanted to come back, but the regiment commander really wouldn't let him go this time, and promised to send him to military school next year.

Hearing that his son had made good progress, Yang Ruiping smiled again. Yan Jiekuang just listened quietly, and Yan Bugui suddenly said, "Shi Xiaoya is still waiting for you there."

Yan Jiekuang was shocked, he didn't know about this. Yan Jiefang calmly said that he knew and would marry her when she entered the military academy.

This was the first time Yang Ruiping heard about this, and she blamed Yan Bugui for not telling her.

Yan Bugui said, "I told you, can Shi Xiaoya still enter the house early? If you go to Shijia Village, how can we explain to Yan Jiefang if there are any changes? Let's wait until Yan Jiefang comes back."

Yan Jiedi said nitpickingly: "My second brother didn't even write to me, he only knew about Shijia Village."

Yan Jiefang quickly begged for mercy and said that he would write to him often in the future.

Yan Jiekuang suddenly asked, "In those first few years, what level of merit did you achieve, second brother?"

Yan Jiefang was stunned and asked, "How do you know? That's everyone's contribution, a first-class collective merit. Isn't that awesome?"

When Yan Bugui heard this, he widened his eyes and asked, "What did you do? Where is your medal?"

"I have two second-class merits in my bag, they are personal." Yan Jiefang said calmly.

Yan Bugui stopped drinking and went down the table to look through his bag. When he opened the bag, he exclaimed, "You went to that place. My second son is amazing."

"When the explosion occurred, we were not far away, but we were also on alert and actually arrested quite a few people," said Yan Jiefang.

"I must toast to my second brother." Yan Jiekuang said excitedly.

"Everyone, toast!" Yan Bugui was still excited. Yan Jiecheng also raised his glass and said, "This must be toasted. Everyone, raise your glasses together."

There was a burst of excitement in Yan Bugui's family. When the neighbors outside heard it, they were also puzzled. What was going on in the Yan family?
Yan Bugui got drunk at last, and before he lay down he said, "Buy more firecrackers tomorrow."

Yang Ruiping held on to Yan Jiefang and refused to let go. Yan Jiefang had no choice but to persuade him, "Okay, second brother, you can sleep in this room with your parents. The kang is big enough anyway."

That night, Yan Jiefang slept in the same room with his parents.

On New Year's Eve, early in the morning, Yan Jiekuang was picked up by Yan Bugui, and the father and son went to the market to buy things. Yan Bugui bought whatever he wanted. It was then that Yan Jiekuang realized that Yan Bugui was not short of money.

When it was almost noon, Yan Jiekuang could no longer carry the meat, so the father and son returned. The father bought five catties of meat, breaking the record for the highest weight of meat purchased by the Yan family.

The firecrackers we bought were all in batches of 1,000 bangs, and we estimated that there would be more specifications. Yan Bugui would also buy some. Then there were chickens and eggs. We bought a hen and three pounds of eggs.

Following Yan Jiekuang's suggestion, I bought some dried goods, such as dried beans, dried mushrooms, and dried chrysanthemums.

After arriving home, before Yan Jiekuang sat down, Yan Bugui said, "Third brother, go get a fish for your second brother."

Yan Jiekuang also accepted it and went out for a walk, bringing back a big carp that weighed more than three pounds. Yan Bugui said, "The New Year's Eve dinner is complete."

Sun Xiaolong and Zhou Nianping, who were the best friends of Yan Jiefang in the hospital, took Yan Jiefang out early in the morning and took Yan Jiedi with them.

Jia Geng ran over to see his second brother, but found him empty-handed. Yan Jiekuang told him to come in the afternoon, and they were probably out for dinner and would be back in the afternoon.

Ever since the second brother came back, Yan Bugui and his wife have been excited. Yan Jiekuang did not persuade them and just helped with the housework. But for the New Year's Eve dinner, Yang Ruiping refused to let the third brother cook and insisted on cooking herself. This motherly love came too suddenly.

He Yuzhu's arrival surprised Yan Jiekuang. He also came to see Yan Jiefang, but when he found out that Yan Jiefang was not there, he put down two bottles of wine and left.

Looking at He Yuzhu, I remembered that he was also a soldier, so I naturally feel friendly towards soldiers.

In the afternoon, Yan Jiefang came back. Apparently he had been drinking. He reported the people who were looking for him to his second brother one by one.

Yan Jiefang said it was okay and he would go to He Yuzhu's house for dinner on the afternoon of the first day of the new year, so he would go and say hello first.

Why did Yan Jiekuang feel that the two of them seemed to be very familiar with each other? This shouldn't be right, and he was full of doubts.

Yan Jiefang came back after a while. Seeing the third brother looking at him, he said, "My commander is his commander. Same person, different soldiers. The commander also asked me to bring him some things. They are in the communication room of the steel mill. Go and help He Yuzhu move them when you have time."

Yan Jiekuang suddenly understood and agreed without hesitation.

New Year's Eve 1969

The Yan family gathered together. Yan Bugui looked at the people at the table, feeling deeply moved. He raised his glass, recalled the toast he had made, and said in a heroic manner, "I wish the motherland prosperity!"

Yan Jiecheng cried because of drinking at the banquet. He thought of Uncle Li. If he had been able to hold on a little longer at that time, Yan Jiecheng might not have been in this situation.

Yan Jiedi also cried because of drinking, and said that she was the happiest person because she had three brothers who spoiled her.

Yan Bugui also cried and said that he was a teacher and now had no one to teach, but he was very proud to have raised four good children.

Yang Ruiping didn't cry, but just looking at everyone, she felt very happy.

Yu Li also cried, which made Yan Jiekuang cry. Yan Jiekuang said, "Sister-in-law, our family lacks everything except money. If you don't believe me, ask dad."

Yu Li was stunned. She looked at Yan Jiecheng and then at Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui thought for a moment and said, "He really is not short of money."

(End of this chapter)