Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 379 Full Moon Banquet
Yan Bugui and Yang Ruiping have already returned home, and with them came Yan Jiedi and her boyfriend Chen Zhibin.

Yang Ruiping was quite satisfied with Chen Zhibin, who was well-behaved and polite. However, Yan Bugui did not express much, and just said, "Let's talk about it when we get home."

When Yang Ruiping got home, he was about to go out with his vegetable basket. Yan Bugui asked, "Where are you going?"

"Let's go buy some groceries. This is the first time the new son-in-law comes to our house, so we have to treat him well." Yang Ruiping said with a smile.

Yan Bugui glared at Yang Ruiping and said, "Don't talk nonsense. We haven't even started yet. I'll talk to him later."

Yang Ruiping ignored him and left with the basket of vegetables.

Yan Bugui was smoking in his study. At this time, Yan Jiedi came in with a cup of tea. She put the tea in front of Yan Bugui and said, "Dad, why do you look so cold all the way?"

Yan Bugui looked outside and saw that Chen Zhibin didn't follow him, so he said, "My girl, your first marriage was a failure, so you have to be careful the second time. If you really get married, it will be for a lifetime."

Yan Jiedi looked at her father and said, "Dad, I know my own situation. Chen Zhibin is really the person I carefully selected. This person is really suitable for me. This is my most important choice. Do you think I can not seriously consider it?"

After hearing what Yan Jiedi said, Yan Bugui fell silent. After a while, Yan Bugui said, "My daughter, among all your brothers and sisters, you are the one that I care about the most. I have to be careful about your affairs. Don't blame Dad. Dad will have a good talk with him."

Yan Jiedi then felt relieved, and she smiled and told Yan Bugui about Chen Zhibin's situation, explaining it in detail.

During dinner, Yan Bugui and his wife talked to Chen Zhibin about their family situation. Chen Zhibin also responded to their questions one by one. At the end, Yan Bugui said, "Marriage is a matter between two people and a lifelong matter. Just think it over. My daughter had a failed marriage, as you know. I hope you can be happy. I respect your choice."

This was the final word, which made Yan Jie Di and Chen Zhibin very happy. Yan Jie Di had been to Chen Zhibin's home before. He was from a scholarly family and did not interfere much in Chen Zhibin's choice. They mostly expressed their blessings. Now the two had no more worries and began to prepare for their wedding.

At this time, the bored He Yuzhu was very interested in Xu Damao. He had nothing to do, so he began to inquire about Xu Damao's affairs everywhere and ran around the world.

Finally, I found out Xu Wude's address from a colleague at a steel rolling mill. Xu Damao bought a courtyard house with two entrances in Shajing Hutong, and now he, his wife, and Xu Wude and his wife all live there.

He Yuzhu is a little confused now. He finds that, except for his own family, it seems that the neighbors have not moved too far away. They all live in Nanluoguxiang. Even the Jia family is near Nanluoguxiang. Suddenly he remembers his life in the courtyard house. He misses the days in the bungalow.

Not long after, just before the New Year, he also bought a courtyard house with two entrances, in Shajing Hutong. He insisted on moving into the courtyard house despite He Yumei's opposition. When moving, he was surprised to find that Jia Dongxu and his wife had also bought a courtyard house with two entrances in Heizhima Hutong next door. He Yuzhu sighed at the fate, and after a look around, he found that all the old neighbors were living nearby.

On December 2nd, a grand full moon banquet is about to begin. The Yan family has chosen Chunfeng Tower as the venue, one because it is close, and two because the chef is Wei Xiaobao.

Yan Jiekuang also invited his subordinates to participate, but only middle and senior management were invited. It was not that he did not want to invite employees, but because there were too many people and he could not accommodate them all.

Yan Bugui invited everyone he knew, and his uncle's family was specially picked up by Yan Jiekuang on this day. His second brother's colleagues also came, and there were nearly twenty-five tables in total.

Yan Jie Di, as the master of ceremonies, stood on the stage and introduced the Yan family and the younger Yan Leping, the fourth generation. The name of Yan Bugui was very particular. Seeing the guests, the Yan family members were very happy.

This was the first time that the neighbors of the courtyard house gathered together in such a complete manner. Yi Zhonghai and his wife came to the city specially the day before and stayed at Yan Bugui's house.

All the Jia family members came in full force, including Jia Zhang, Jia Dongxu and his wife, Jia Geng and his wife and their children, Jia Dang and his wife, Jia Huaihua and his girlfriend, and Jia Xiaobao and his wife.

Liu Haizhong and his wife and Liu Guangtian also came, but Liu Guangqi did not come because the Yan family did not invite him at all, which Yan Bugui strongly opposed.

He Yuzhu's family, He Yushui's family, Changcun's family, Widow Wang's family, Qin Jingru and her husband, Qin Jingru was still holding her son, Xu Damao and Xu Wude's family, Peng Weiguo's family, both new and old neighbors, all those who could be notified came.

Yan Jiefang's colleagues also sat at one table, and Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li even invited relatives and friends to sit at three tables.

Yan Jiekuang's subordinates and colleagues also sat at nearly three tables. It was really a packed house with guests, singing and laughing.

However, during the meal, He Yuzhu always looked for Xu Damao to chat from time to time, which made Xu Wude feel very strange.

It was this full moon banquet that got the old neighbors, who had rarely visited each other before, to start visiting each other again. Jia Zhang would visit everyone's house from time to time, but no one minded. After being neighbors for decades, they still had some feelings for each other.

Time passed and the new year arrived. This year, at the suggestion of Yan Bugui, everyone celebrated the New Year together in the Siheyuan. It happened that there were guest rooms in the backyard of the Siheyuan, and the restaurant in the front yard was ready. Moreover, there was also the west wing, so the yard was big enough.

Tiantian and Damao refused to go to the Siheyuan. If Tian Guixiang was there, there would be no problem, but Tian Guixiang went to Shenzhen, and their family spent the New Year in Shenzhen this year, so Yan Jiekuang forced Damao and Tiantian to go to the Siheyuan. Yan Jiekuang thought that they were old and he was worried about staying at home alone. Tiantian went to the back garden of the west wing as soon as he arrived at the Siheyuan, while Damao habitually went to the west wing in the front yard of the Siheyuan. Unfortunately, the furnishings now were no longer the same as before, but it didn't mind.

Only Da Wang and Xiao Wang kept walking around the Siheyuan and the west wing, and finally went to the backyard of the Siheyuan.

The children were all very happy and gathered together again. Yan Jiekuang bought them a lot of fireworks and firecrackers. Since they came to the yard, they hadn't heard any firecrackers. It was mainly Dapang, Xiaopang and Xiaohai who were setting off firecrackers everywhere.

During this year's Chinese New Year, Yan Jiekuang specially ordered a batch of goods in Hong Kong Island, one as a benefit for his employees, and the other as preparation for his family's New Year's Eve dinner.

On the 29th day of the lunar year, Yan Jiekuang went to the kitchen to cook broth and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, mainly in preparation for the New Year's Eve dinner. Ever since the children came back, the smiles on the faces of Yan Bugui and his wife have never disappeared.

On New Year's Eve, everyone else in the family was busy, some were pasting window flowers, some were pasting couplets, and some were hanging lanterns to liven up the atmosphere. Yan Jiekuang went into the kitchen in the morning to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner for everyone. Yan Jiedi came over from time to time to make trouble, and when she had nothing to do, she would grab some food and go out.

The New Year's Eve dinner prepared by Yan Jiekuang was very sumptuous, with four cold dishes: braised beef, fish fillet in ginger sauce, spiced pigeon, and sweet and sour lotus root.

There are twelve main courses, including Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, King Prawns, Deep-fried Scallops, Stir-fried Beef Tenderloin with Scallions, Chicken with Oyster Sauce, Chinese Cabbage with Fresh Mushrooms, Steamed Mandarin Fish, Stir-fried Lobster in Typhoon Shelter, Steamed Scallops with Garlic, Stir-fried Squid, Box Tofu, Fresh Abalone in Its Shell, and finally a soup of Braised Fish Lips in a Pot.

In the east wing of the front yard of the quadrangle, two large tables were set up. Yan Yongqing's wife pushed her child out. The child was in the stroller, not crying or making a fuss. He looked around and was occasionally amused by other children and laughed.

Yan Bugui said, "Shi Lei, go set off some fireworks, and then we'll have dinner."

Shi Lei stood up to get the firecrackers, and the children followed him out in a swarm. This time, it was not just a string of firecrackers that were set off, but the entire entrance was covered with the red color of firecrackers.

Yan Bugui was speaking the opening words, mentioning Yan Leping every few sentences, which made everyone laugh. A grand feast officially began.

Everyone chatted and drank, and the New Year's Eve dinner lasted more than three hours.

After everyone finished their New Year's Eve dinner, the women went to make dumplings, the men sat in the main room in the west wing drinking tea and chatting, and the children went to watch TV.

Yan Jiekuang mentioned that he might take the children to Qingdao for a trip this summer, and asked Yan Bugui if he wanted to go. Yan Bugui's eyes lit up and he said, "Yes, I will. How can I not go for such a good opportunity?"

Yan Jiekuang asked his brothers and sisters again. Yan Jiecheng said that he would not go because business was more important. Yan Jiefang asked in return: "Do you think I have time to go? You can take your sister-in-law and your nephews and nieces with you."

Yan Jiedi rolled her eyes and said, "I'll go too. I'll just treat it as a travel and marriage."

Yan Jiekuang laughed and said, "Okay, we'll leave as soon as the holiday starts this year. Please apply for leave in advance."

Yan Jiefang asked Yan Jiekuang, "By the way, why was He Yuzhu so enthusiastic towards Xu Damao during the full moon banquet that day?"

Yan Jiekuang chuckled and said, "It's hard to say, don't ask. I guess He Yuzhu is interested in Xu Damao's business."

"Third brother, you always shake your shoulders when you tell lies, do you know that?" Yan Jiefang said.

Yan Bugui and Yan Jiecheng were secretly amused. Yan Jiekuang saw this and told his family what he saw in the hospital. Finally, he said, "I guess He Yuzhu also knows about it, so he always asks Xu Damao about it at the full moon banquet."

Several people were shocked. Yan Bugui said, "Old Third, don't talk nonsense about this. Something bad is going to happen."

Yan Jiekuang said: "Am I talking nonsense? I saw it with my own eyes. I saw that person. It's obvious that he has a special relationship with Xu Damao's wife."

Yan Jiecheng smoked a cigarette and said, "I've heard that Xu Damao has health problems. This is not groundless. Suddenly, his wife is pregnant. There must be something wrong. I still believe what the third brother said."

Yan Jiefang thought for a moment and said, "I think Xu Damao should know that he has health problems. He acts as if he knows nothing. He probably just wants to have an offspring, but this will cause problems sooner or later."

Yan Bugui nodded and said, "Alas, it's not easy for Xu Damao either."

The Yan family was celebrating the New Year together happily, but at this time, there was something weird in Xu Damao's home.

(End of this chapter)