Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 14 Change and Unchanging
March 1952, the west wing of the front yard of the Siheyuan (I appear again, I am the dividing line)
Yan Bugui had already returned home. Yang Ruiping was a little tired after washing clothes all day, so she was lying on the kang in the inner room, chatting with her youngest son.

Yan Jiekuang knew that his mother was tired, so he answered whatever his mother asked. Later, he climbed down from the kang and went to the desk.

Yang Ruiping's eyes sank and slowly closed.

Yan Bugui took a look and thought, "Okay, just go and do your own thing." He poured a teacup of water and went out again.

When I went out, I saw the second brother, Sun Xiaolong, and Zhou Nianping, who were happily playing hopscotch with sandbags.

The two brothers from the Liu family and Yan Jiecheng, as well as the brother and sister from the Pang family in the backyard, were also watching because they had not yet learned how to do it.

The game was taught to Yan Jiefang by Yan Jiekuang, the sandbags were made by the three aunts, and the soybeans inside were donated by Uncle Li.

By the way, Yan Jiekuang also taught them a game of hitting sandbags.

Yan Bugui was amazed at what he saw and even drank some tea in his spare time.

After a while, all the children joined in, divided into two teams, and started the sandbag game.

There was shouting, cursing, exclamations, and laughter in this uproar. All the children were in motion.

The adults also came to watch the fun, praising Guangfu for his accurate throwing and Jiefang for his quick dodging, and had a heated discussion.

Only Uncle Li was tidying up the wheels of his tricycle, looking thoughtful.

Yan Bugui came closer and asked curiously, "What's the problem?"

Uncle Li looked at him and said, "I knew it was your youngest's idea when we were making the sandbags."

He paused, glanced in the direction of the children and lowered his voice and said, "It can be promoted throughout the country, in schools, and in the military. It can be used."

Yan Bugui almost dropped his teacup, feeling a bit overwhelmed. "What should I do?"

"What can we do? Just wait and see. If not, give your second son over to the old man. Otherwise, he will always ask the youngest son questions." Grandpa Li said jokingly.

Yan Bugui had no choice. He believed in Mr. Li's vision, especially in the military.

Now Yan Bugui's eyes have changed when he looks at his second son. He feels something is wrong and uncomfortable everywhere he looks at him.

Yan Jiefang was sweating profusely and having fun when he suddenly sneezed.

Guangfu didn't get too lenient with him and hit him at that moment, sending Yan Jiefang out of the game.

West Wing of the Central Courtyard of Siheyuan
The aunt had been home for a long time. She kept thinking about the conversation with the old lady, but she still couldn't figure it out.

Yi Zhonghai did not come back from the meeting, but went to his apprentice's home to comfort him.

At around nine o'clock, Yi Zhonghai, who was drunk, pushed the door open and saw Li Cuilan, a middle-aged woman leaning against the bed.

"You haven't slept yet? No need to wait for me. Did you have one more drink with your apprentice?" Yi Zhonghai said.

Li Cuilan got off the bed, poured a cup of tea for Yi Zhonghai, and handed him a towel.

Yi Zhonghai took it, looked at Li Cuilan's expression, and asked casually, "What's the matter?"

Li Cuilan did not hide anything and told the deaf old lady everything that happened after the meeting, without missing a word, especially the old lady's last words.

Yi Zhonghai was confused and his mind was in a mess.

Sitting at the table, lighting a cigarette, he began to ponder.

"Guangqi and the second aunt went to see the old lady? And then the old lady said that Guangqi had changed?" Yi Zhonghai suddenly grasped the key point.

He believed the old lady's words. He knew that the old lady was talking about the people in the courtyard changing. No one knew what they would eventually become. But one thing was certain: if he didn't change, he would drift away from these people.

Yi Zhonghai couldn't sleep, so he sat at the table in the main room and thought. Li Cuilan was also in a bad mood and fell asleep in the late night.

Day 2 Siheyuan
There was a knock on the courtyard door before dawn. When Old Li opened the door, he saw Lady Jia with an angry face.

"I knocked for quite a while before you opened the door." Grandmother Jia refused to give in.

Old Li ignored her and said, "Are you coming in or not? Don't you know what time it is? If you don't come in, I'll close the door. You've spoiled me." Grandmother Jia came in and calmed down instantly when she saw Uncle Li. "I am frozen. Sorry to bother you. My husband's cousin is still outside."

Seeing that Lady Jia's attitude had changed, Old Li let them pass without saying anything. Then he closed the door and said, "It's only two o'clock, go back and have some sleep."

Without saying much, Grandmother Jia took her cousin into the central courtyard and knocked on her door.

This time, after knocking twice, Qin Huairu opened the door. "Mom, why did you come back at this time? We were worried about you and haven't slept all night."

Grandmother Jia looked haggard, and she brought her cousin into the room, "You have to call this guy uncle, where is Dongxu?"

"Dongxu just closed his eyes." Qin Huairu lied. In fact, Jia Dongxu was already drunk. How could he drink as much as Yi Zhonghai?

Grandmother Jia laughed sarcastically, "How can you sleep in a room full of alcohol?"

"Let my cousin stay in the same room with Dongxu tonight, and you stay in the same room with me. You go and lead it over." After saying this, Grandmother Jia went back to her little room. She was tired and sleepy.

Qin Huairu listened obediently to Lady Jia's arrangements and made sure everything was in place.

Siheyuan Middle Courtyard

early morning
The courtyard slowly woke up and regained its lively atmosphere.

Today is the first day of work, and families who need to go to work, adults and children are busy. In the sky, a group of pigeons fly across the yard, and the breath of people talking and the steam of kettles fill the front, middle and back yards with a fairy atmosphere.

There was no movement at Yi Zhonghai's house, nor at Jia Dongxu's house. The people coming in and out looked a little strange, but most of them were busy with their own things, just passing by.

He Daqing got up early because he had to make breakfast for Yu Shui and bring some for Damao as well.

After sending the two children off to school, he packed up and prepared to go to work. When he went out and glanced to the left, there was no movement at Yi Zhonghai's house.

At this time, He Daqing still cared about Yi Zhonghai. After all, he was a buddy. He went up and knocked on the door. After a while, Li Cuilan opened the door. She was wearing clothes and didn't open one eye. "What's the matter?"

He Daqing chuckled, "You two should take it easy. What time is it? Isn't Brother Yi going to work?"

He Daqing obviously misunderstood. Li Cuilan blushed and said "Pah". She turned around, closed the door and went back to her room. Not long after, Yi Zhonghai came out without washing up and dragged He Daqing to work.

He Daqing stood there for a long time, and seeing that there was no movement in the east wing, he pointed to Yi Zhonghai and said, "I'll go first."

Yi Zhonghai took a look and ran to call his apprentice. The Jia family was in chaos again. When the master and apprentice arrived at the factory, they were late.

West Wing of the Front Courtyard of Siheyuan
Yan Jiekuang was painting a small courtyard in front of the door.

Ever since returning from his grandmother's house, Yan Jiekuang has been obsessed with her yard. And the fruit trees behind the house, which the three brothers have destroyed a lot.

After I came back, I wanted to make my own home like my grandma's house.

In the front yard of the quadrangle, there are three rooms in the west wing and two side rooms on the left and right.

On the left side of the entrance is Uncle Li’s gatehouse, but the door does not open to the front yard. Instead, it opens on the side of the doorway.

Next is Old Yan's ear room and a wing room, and in the middle is Grandpa Sun's house. There is no one in the other wing room and the ear room.

After liberation, the Military Control Commission removed the screen wall and a door to facilitate the arrangement of residents. So there is an open space in front of the Yan family's door, which was the original flower bed.

The back house is now just a storage room, so Yan Jiekuang plans to build a fire wall on the side wall of the ear room and a greenhouse between the ear room and the back house.

I plan to plant two trees on both sides of the gate. I have never been to the middle or back yard, but I heard that there is a locust tree in the middle yard.

I also drew a swing on one side.

Yan Jiekuang's painting was very beautiful, and then he threw it on Yan Bugui's desk.

I just draw, it's up to you to choose whether to do it or not.

When he saw the painting after get off work in the evening, Yan Bugui once thought it was the base map of the original courtyard house because it was too realistic. Later, he ran to the courtyard to compare it and found out that it was wrong. He didn't think about who painted it at all. He found that he had a goal to strive for because this painting was so touching.

So, Engineer Yan came online.

(End of this chapter)