Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 20 Banquet Follow-up
June 1952, Siheyuan Gatekeeper
Yan Jiecheng was taken away by Old Man Li. Old Man Li was very dissatisfied with Yan Jiecheng's performance today.

Although that was his younger brother, Yan Jiecheng was a little flustered inside, but Old Man Li had higher expectations of him.

Yan Jiecheng was standing in the gatehouse with his head down. Old Man Li asked, "Did you make a mistake today?"

"I was wrong. I didn't take good care of my brother." Yan Jiecheng said obediently.

Old man Li shook his head and said sternly, "That's not what I'm talking about. It's a big taboo to panic and lose your composure when something happens. Did you do the right thing today?"

Yan Jiecheng thought about it and said embarrassedly: "Well, when I couldn't find my little brother, I didn't know what to do and I panicked."

Old Man Li thought for a moment and said, "Come on, tell me everything that happened today without leaving out a single detail."

"Oh, didn't we follow Brother Guangqi to the west wing? Everyone was very tall..." Yan Jiecheng thought for a moment and began to narrate.

Old Man Li interrupted him, "Start from the moment you wake up in the morning, and don't miss a single moment."

Yan Jiecheng was very confused, but he could only listen to his master and told him everything that had happened today, starting from the morning.

After hearing this, Old Man Li took out his pipe, lit up a cigarette and started smoking. Old Man Li muttered, "This little devil."

After that, Yan Jiekuang didn't see his elder brother for a long time. He heard from his father that Old Li was taken to the military camp.

East Wing of the Central Courtyard of Siheyuan
Grandmother Jia held Jia Geng in her arms, coaxing him with a smile on her face. Qin Huairu wanted to hold the child now, but it was a bit difficult, but Grandmother Jia refused to let go.

Qin Huairu looked at Jia Dongxu with resentment in her eyes.

Jia Dongxu saw it. That was his mother, and there was nothing he could do. He only stood up after seeing tears welling up in his wife's eyes.

"Mom, please put the child down first. We haven't settled the bill for the third-day banquet yet," said Jia Dongxu.

"No delay. What account? Who should I settle with? Haven't I given you all the money I collected? The account with the He family won't be affected either." Grandmother Jia looked up at him.

"Oh my god, there are too many things to do here. Put the child down quickly and let's discuss it in the outer room." After saying this, Jia Dongxu went to the main room.

Grandmother Jia reluctantly put the child next to Qin Huairu and followed her out.

In the main room, Jia Dongxu brewed tea, poured a cup for his mother, lit a cigarette, sat down, and took out the account book.

"Mom, look, you paid the 500,000 yuan for giving birth to the child, right? You also paid for He Daqing's 100,000 yuan. The neighbors didn't ask for money for the tables, chairs, bowls and chopsticks. I received a total of 9 million yuan in gifts. I will give you 1 million yuan, and then pay for the food for my master, and then it will be done. You have to give me 8 million yuan, and I will take care of the rest." Jia Dongxu said as a matter of course.

"Bah! I paid for the banquet and this is my grandson's gift money. Are you dreaming?" Grandmother Jia said disdainfully after taking a sip of tea.

Jia Dongxu instantly wilted, and tried to struggle, saying, "Leave me some. Not to mention the neighbor, we will have favors from the steel mill in the future."

Jia Dongxu knew that the money was in the hands of Grandmother Jia, who was in charge of the family. Usually, the family living expenses were given directly to Qin Huairu by Grandmother Jia, and he only had a little money for cigarettes, which was not enough.

Grandmother Jia sat still, drank a sip of tea, and said, "Our family is not the same as before. Food is getting harder and harder to buy. Your wife and I can no longer count on food from our hometown."

"Did you know that I gave 200,000 yuan to my in-laws when I left the Qin family? This was for the sake of my grandson, but they are expecting us to provide them with food, which is too much. We don't even have any food at home." Grandmother Jia continued.

Qin Huairu, who was in the inner room, heard what Grandmother Jia said. She knew about this matter. The countryside was in a period of transition, and Qin's father rarely spoke. In the end, Grandmother Jia silenced him with money and gave him 200,000 yuan.

Qin Huairu, thinking about the figures of Qin's father, Qin's mother and her brother when they left, tears kept falling.

Jia Dongxu knew, but he never dared to say no to Grandmother Jia's decision. He took a puff of cigarette and said, "Okay, I don't want it now. If you really want to repay the favor, you have to give it to me. Besides, my master paid for the dishes. He gave me the bill for more than 2 million yuan in total. My master said 2 million yuan is enough." Grandmother Jia's voice became louder and colder, and she shouted, "The old lady knows that she gave 100,000 yuan and the silver bracelet. He Daqing took 100,000 yuan and turned around to give 100,000 yuan. The Liu family in the backyard was busy running around. His second uncle gave 100,000 yuan, and Liu Guangqi gave me 100,000 yuan alone. As the saying goes, the first courtyard three generations can't be wronged."

Grandmother Jia took a sip of tea and continued, "In addition to the gifts, Widow Wang in the front yard made clothes for four seasons, which are now in my box; Old Li made a wooden gun; Yan Bugui gave a set of four treasures of the study, which is very generous. Even Old Sun packed up Xiaolong's childhood toys and sent them over. Xu Damao in the backyard, who never offended you, made two kilograms of brown sugar and white sugar. In addition to the gifts, his father also gave a jade pendant."

"Your master is busy all the time, but what else did he get except the 200,000 yuan gift? He also asks you for money for food? All the neighbors in the compound have come to help, so who wouldn't be busy all the time? He still asks for money for food with a shameless face. Is he still your master?" Grandmother Jia was a little angry.

Jia Dongxu was stunned when he heard these things, he didn't know these things.

At this time, someone knocked on the door. Jia Dongxu opened the door and saw that it was Pang Shi from the backyard. He quickly let him in.

Pang Shi said with a smile, "Aunt Jia, the child has defecated and urinated frequently. I washed all the unwanted small clothes in my nursery and turned them into urine mustard. I just sent them to you today."

Grandmother Jia poured a cup of tea for Pang Shi and said with a smile, "Thank you so much. I really didn't prepare this. I didn't even think about it. Have some tea."

"No, I have to go to work when I get back. You are busy, don't get tired. Now I'm leaving." Pang Shi didn't even sit down. He put down his things and left.

The door of the Jia family was closed. Grandmother Jia glared at Jia Dongxu and said, "How dare you ask for money for vegetables?" Then she turned around and went back to her room.

Jia Dongxu was a little at a loss, he didn't know anything about the social etiquette, he thought neighbors were just giving gifts and helping out, this was also what his master said, there was no such thing as social etiquette.

Jia Dongxu unconsciously looked towards his master's house.

West Wing of the Central Courtyard of Siheyuan
Li Cuilan was very unhappy. She had spent all her money and effort, but in the end, she was not even allowed to hold the child.

Li Cuilan really likes children and likes all children.

Yi Zhonghai saw that she was angry, so he consoled her, "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

"You said Zhonghai, we've been busy inside and outside, contributing both money and manpower, but what are we trying to gain? Isn't it just to take things a step further and become closer? Can you feel that?" Li Cuilan said indignantly.

Yi Zhonghai then consoled him, "Dongxu is still a good child, mainly because of his mother. This first grandson may be too cautious."

Li Cuilan sighed and said, "I just wanted to hug you, I didn't think about anything else. You're guarding against me like I'm being guarded against something."

"You are just overthinking it. It will be fine in the future. It's just that the deaf old lady is sad again, right?" Yi Zhonghai began to change the subject.

Li Cuilan said, "It's OK. I eat and drink normally. I just stare at the orchids in a daze."

"By the way, Mr. Zhang from the market came to ask for payment for the pork. I have already paid him 600,000 yuan. Why do I feel like the price has gone up?" Li Cuilan continued.

Yi Zhonghai sighed and said, "Just give it to me. If you can't buy meat, you can buy it at a high price."

"Did the Jia family give you the money for the vegetables? They wouldn't refuse to give you any, would they?" Li Cuilan was a little worried. The money for the vegetables was indeed a bit high.

Yi Zhonghai paused for a moment, lit a cigarette, and said, "I told Dongxu, he said the money is with his mother, I guess it will take a day or two, if I don't give it to me, I guess he won't dare to do it."

As night fell, Yi Zhonghai looked towards the Jia family with deep eyes.

　Today I took the initiative to add two chapters. It's the first time someone gave me a reward. I'm a little excited. Thank you all for your reading. I will work hard. Please point out any mistakes. Then it will be considered as everyone's achievement. Thanks again, I also had a spring that I laughed at.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)