Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 148: Little Year Incident
As soon as I entered the backyard, I saw Liu Haizhong at a glance. He had just got off work and was repairing his bicycle, which might have some minor problems.

Yan Jiekuang greeted Liu Haizhong, Liu Haizhong nodded without saying anything. Yan Jiekuang turned around and went to Mr. Ji.

Liu Haizhong has been very quiet recently. He goes to work and comes home every day and is alone at home. His wife Zhao Yue'e has gone to live with her boss in Tianjin, and Liu Guangfu is still drifting at sea and has not returned yet. When he is free, he just drinks a little wine with Yi Zhonghai.

Old Master Ji was fiddling with some history books brought by Yan Jiekuang at home, including Song Dynasty printed editions and Ming and Qing Dynasty printed editions. Old Master Ji was deeply knowledgeable about this kind of books. He never touched such books before because he was afraid. Now that the situation has improved, Old Master Ji can study them with peace of mind.

Sometimes, Grandpa Ji would discuss with Yan Jiekuang and found that Yan Jiekuang was well-versed in books on this subject. Grandpa Ji liked Yan Jiekuang even more. The two had common topics, which made their relationship closer and closer.

At this time, Ji Lian quietly brewed a pot of tea, waited aside, and listened to the discussion between the two.

Today Yan Jiekuang came to ask the old man if he had any special requests, especially for such an important festival as the Spring Festival.

Mr. Ji hesitated for a moment and said, "Boy, I want to place an ancestral tablet at home. Do you think it's okay?"

Yan Jiekuang said: "It was definitely not possible before, but it's different now, but we should keep a low profile."

Mr. Ji nodded and said, "Okay, just help me prepare some fruits, and I will prepare the rest myself."

When Yan Jiekuang heard this, he knew that this old man was very particular. People with the surname Ji have a long history in China since ancient times.

Old Master Ji was also a very particular person. He said, "I'm going to the front yard to play chess with your dad." After that, he left the house. Yan Jiekuang was happy, as this old man was creating an opportunity for him and Lian'er to be alone.

Mr. Ji had his hands behind his back. As soon as he arrived at the middle courtyard, he ran into Qian Siwen. Qian Siwen greeted him politely, and Mr. Ji waved his hand and said, "We are all neighbors. Don't be so polite. What are you doing?"

Qian Siwen smiled bitterly and said, "There used to be a coal stove in this room, but it has not been used for a long time. I don't know why it won't light up. The weather in the north is extremely cold at night, and I am just living here."

Old Master Ji was stunned as he watched Qian Siwen keep adding wood to the coal stove. He quickly stopped Qian Siwen and said, "This is the north. You can burn coal or honeycomb coal in this coal stove, but you can't burn firewood. It will go out soon."

Qian Siwen was stunned, and said with difficulty: "My family forgot to buy honeycomb coal, so we have to stay up all night."

Old Master Ji looked at the embarrassed Qian Siwen and said, "My grandson-in-law bought us some honeycomb coal. Go to the backyard to find Yan Jiekuang and bring some over. Return it to me when you buy some yourself."

Qian Siwen still didn't move, so Old Man Ji asked, "What's the matter? We are all neighbors, just go get it."

Qian Siwen said embarrassedly: "I don't know how to light the stove."

When Master Ji heard this, he slapped his head and said, "You are from the south, and this is your first time using it. Go find Yan Jiekuang and ask him to help you light the fire, and then you can tell him what I said."

When Qian Siwen heard this, he turned around and went to the backyard.

Yan Jiekuang was just trying to make a breakthrough with Lian'er. He was next to Lian'er, saying cheesy love words, just like the old man selling goldfish when he was a child, trying to seduce Lian'er. Lian'er remained unmoved, but her face turned a little red.

At the critical moment, there was a knock on the door, and then a figure walked in. Yan Jiekuang took a look and saw that it was Qian Siwen.

Qian Siwen greeted Yan Jiekuang warmly as he entered the room. The two chatted for a long time, but Qian Siwen didn't mention the matter of lighting the stove. He just chatted with Yan Jiekuang about all sorts of things. Yan Jiekuang finally had the chance to be alone with Lian'er, so how could he waste it on Qian Siwen.

Yan Jiekuang suddenly asked Qian Siwen, "Do you want to talk to me about something?"

Qian Siwen was stunned, and then embarrassedly explained the purpose of his visit, and then emphasized that it was Mr. Ji who asked him to come here to ask Yan Jiekuang for help.

When Yan Jiekuang heard that it was a job assigned by Mr. Ji, he stood up and took Qian Siwen to the middle courtyard. Yan Jiekuang taught Qian Siwen how to make a fire. After a while, Qian Siwen said that he had learned it. Yan Jiekuang then returned to the backyard. In Yan Jiekuang's opinion, making a stove was a simple matter, but he forgot to remind Qian Siwen that after putting out the fire at night, the window should be left a crack to avoid gas poisoning.

Qian Siwen was a quick learner, but he was from the south after all and had no experience at all. When his wife came home, the house was full of smoke and no one could stay there. Xu Yuxiang was so angry that she kept complaining to him. But Qian Siwen was a good-tempered person and he would listen to whatever she said. The more Xu Yuxiang complained, the angrier she got, and finally she cursed Qian Siwen.

Finally, Yi Zhonghai from next door couldn't stand it anymore, so he went next door and repaired his stove and flue.

On the day of the Little New Year, all the members of the Yan family came back, except the second son, Yan Jiefang, who had a mission.

The whole family and the grandfather and grandson of the Ji family gathered together, everyone was talking and laughing, and even Yongchang and Yongxin’s small beds were moved to the middle hall.

Yan Jiecheng is also very busy now. According to Yu Li, the leaders intend to give Yan Jiecheng more responsibilities, which means that there is a possibility that Yan Jiecheng will be reinstated in his original position. After all, Yan Jiecheng is a graduate of a technical secondary school and has technical skills.

Yan Jiecheng still feels a little guilty when he sees the third brother, so the two brothers don't talk much. The people in the Yan family also know the whole story and it is difficult for them to reconcile. However, Yu Li has been very close to Lian'er in recent days.

The second sister-in-law is just a hard worker and rarely talks to anyone, but Yang Ruiping likes Shi Xiaoya and says that Shi Xiaoya is a simple-minded girl.

Yan Jiekuang also bought the food for the New Year's Eve. Yan Jiecheng came back with two bottles of Xifeng wine. Yan Bugui didn't offer anything. Qing waited for the ready-made food, but he took out the best tea to entertain Mr. Ji.

This time, Yongqing didn't hang around his uncle. He just sat around the small bed and made small noises with his younger brother and sister. His younger sister Yongfang did the same.

It was a family dinner and everyone enjoyed it to their heart's content. Yan Jiekuang bought a lot of chicken, duck, fish and meat for the New Year, and with his mother's cooking, the meal was quite sumptuous.

Lian'er sat between Yu Li and Shi Xiaoya. The two sisters-in-law kept picking up food for this future sister-in-law, which made Lian'er feel embarrassed.

After dinner, Yan Bugui and Grandpa Ji went to play chess. Yan Jiekuang looked at Lian'er and knew that he would not have the chance to be alone with her today. Yan Jiekuang still had to go to work tomorrow, so he said hello to Yang Ruiping and went back to Yuer Hutong.

As soon as he reached the door of his house, Yan Jiekuang saw Liu Guangfu at a glance. Liu Guangfu was standing at the door of his house, pacing back and forth anxiously.

Yan Jiekuang walked over and asked quickly, "Brother Guangfu, why are you here? Why didn't you go back to the courtyard?"

Seeing Yan Jiekuang looking relieved, Liu Guangfu said, "Finally you're back. I've been waiting for you for quite some time."

Yan Jiekuang unlocked the door, invited Liu Guangfu in, and said, "Come in and talk. You didn't even tell me in advance."

The two men walked into the house. In the middle hall, Yan Jiekuang asked Liu Guangfu to sit down and wanted to make him a cup of tea. Liu Guangfu quickly stopped him and said, "I have to go out to sea tomorrow. I don't have time. Hurry up and sit down. I want to tell you something."

Yan Jiekuang looked at him in confusion, but still sat down. Liu Guangfu said, "I'm here for my brother. You know, Liu Guangtian is out, but you don't know where he went. I'll tell you the truth, his family went to Hong Kong Island."

Yan Jiekuang had actually guessed it a long time ago, but he didn't show it now. He pretended to be surprised and asked, "You've come so far. What do you want from me?"

Liu Guangfu said, "To make a long story short, my brother offended some policemen in Hong Kong Island, and the police detained him. If he wants to get out, he must have a guarantor. Didn't I bring you a letter from the Lou family last time? I know you have a good relationship with the Lou family. Do you think you can ask the Lou family to help you with this?"

Yan Jiekuang looked at Liu Guangfu and asked, "Will the Lou family's guarantee work?"

Liu Guangfu nodded heavily and said, "It must be possible. The Lou family is not ordinary in Hong Kong Island."

(End of this chapter)