Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 395 Missing Grandma
After the New Year’s Eve dinner, the family gathered in the main hall. The men were drinking tea and chatting, while the women began to make dumplings at the big round table. The children went out to play, and the sound of firecrackers could be heard from time to time at the front and back yards.

Yan Jiefang asked Yan Jiekuang, "Old Third, are you still going to that class?"

Yan Jiekuang took a puff of his cigarette and said, "They are in a difficult situation right now. They say that they are short of funds, so they can't pay me a salary as a non-staff member. I am here to help out voluntarily, so when I have nothing to do, I'll go and see you, just as if I were an old friend."

Yan Jiecheng said: "Thanks to my application for unpaid leave, the textile factory is now responsible for its own profits and losses. Now the textile industry in the south has hit them so hard that they can't even pay their employees."

Yan Jiefang said: "Yes, now that reform and opening up have been going on for so many years, self-employed and foreign-funded enterprises have had a huge impact on state-owned enterprises. Enterprises have also been reforming and managing very strictly, and all of a sudden many people can't stand it."

Yan Bugui also sighed and said, "Yes, even this year's prices have gone up a bit. Although most of them don't require tickets, they are still a lot more expensive."

Yan Jiekuang said: "It is better to find a way out for yourself as early as possible. When more and more people find a way out for themselves, it will become more and more difficult to make money."

Everyone agreed with Yan Jiekuang's point of view, and everyone was chatting and drinking tea in a happy atmosphere.

This year, Xu Delin bought a lot of New Year goods. Yi Zhonghai even complained to him that he bought too much and wondered how long it would take for the three of them to finish eating.

Xu Delin said, "Uncle Yi, I plan to invite our old neighbors to our house for a meal on the third or fourth day of the Chinese New Year. I usually don't have much money and I've never invited them before, so let's make some arrangements this time."

Yi Zhonghai understood Xu Delin's plan. Seeing the mature Xu Delin nodding his head, he said to Li Cuilan, "Have you noticed that Xu Delin is no longer the submissive person. He seems to have become very independent."

Li Cuilan said, "Yes, his experience in foreign trade has given him confidence. He's become a different person. By the way, have you told him that we'll leave after the 15th?"

Yi Zhonghai shook his head and said, "Today is New Year's Eve, let's talk about it tomorrow."

Li Cuilan cooked a large table of delicious dishes. Yi Zhonghai looked at the table full of dishes and asked in surprise: "My dear, why didn't I know you had this skill?"

"In the past, there weren't so many ingredients, and I wanted to cook, but I couldn't do anything without the ingredients. Now, Delin bought a lot of vegetables, and I tried to cook too. I also learned a lot from the third brother." Li Cuilan said with a smile.

Xu Delin filled up Yi Zhonghai and his wife's glasses as well as his own, and said, "Uncle Yi, Aunt Yi, I'm here, so you can enjoy the good life in the future. Come on, Happy New Year!"

Yi Zhonghai and Li Cuilan were both very happy. After going around in circles, they initially thought that Xu Delin had abandoned them. They had no choice but to go find Li Cuilan's nephew, but they didn't expect that Xu Delin's departure was only due to Xu Damao's squeeze. Xu Delin had never forgotten his promise to the couple.

After this reunion, Yi Zhonghai and Li Cuilan were very sure that Xu Delin was now wholeheartedly trying to take care of them until the end, so the old couple were now content and there was nothing to worry about.

After dinner, Li Cuilan went to clean up the dishes. Yi Zhonghai and Xu Delin drank tea and chatted. Xu Delin smiled and said, "Uncle Yi, do you know who I met today?"

Yi Zhonghai drank his tea and asked, "Who is it?"

"Xu Damao, when I saw him, he was circling around my car. I got angry with him and just left," said Xu Delin.

Yi Zhonghai frowned and said, "You said Xu Damao, this person is a complete villain. From the way he plotted against you, you can see that he is a person who harms others and does not benefit himself. He just has a strong desire for revenge."

Xu Delin said: "Yes, you said he didn't get any benefit and even lost a sum of money just to make me penniless. He is really the most vengeful person I have ever seen."

"What, do you want to retaliate too?" Yi Zhonghai asked.

Xu Delin smiled and said, "Don't worry. He and I are not on the same level now. I am not him, so I don't have such a strong desire for revenge. We can talk about it when we have the chance."

Yi Zhonghai looked at Xu Delin with satisfaction and said, "Not bad, you have matured a lot. In fact, you should be glad that you left Qin Jingru, otherwise you would be even more miserable now."

"Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking at that time. I cared about her so much even though we were divorced. I was asking for trouble." Xu Delin said.

Xu Delin lit a cigarette and then asked, "By the way, when are we going back to Xiamen?"

Yi Zhonghai thought for a moment and said, "After the 15th, let's take the train instead of driving."

Xu Delin said, "Why take a train? Let's go by plane. Before we leave, I have to find a house repairman. I want to build a garage in the front yard. Otherwise, it will be too inconvenient to park."

Yi Zhonghai smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

At this time, Li Cuilan came in with a basin and said, "What? You don't want to make dumplings anymore."

Xu Delin quickly put out his cigarette and said, "How can that be? I'll go wash my hands." During the Spring Festival of 1992, Nanluoguxiang was very lively and full of the festive atmosphere. This was because there were many shops here. Many people from other places who opened shops here celebrated the New Year here. On the second day of the New Year, both sides of the road in Nanluoguxiang were filled with stalls selling all kinds of things. The alleys on both sides were filled with the laughter of children.

Yan Jiekuang and the children were walking on the street. There were many snack vendors on the roadside. The children were happily buying their favorite food, and they would also come to watch when they saw something interesting. After a while, Yan Jiekuang saw a vendor selling Sazi Mahua, who was an old acquaintance.

Yan Jiekuang walked over and asked, "How much are the fried dough twists?"

The old lady didn't even raise her head and said, "If you don't want to sell it, don't ask. I can recognize your voice from ten miles away."

Yan Jiekuang laughed and said, "Aunt Jia, you are not short of money, why are you running around selling fried dough twists? Who bought the goods for you?"

Jia Zhang raised her head and stared at Yan Jiekuang without saying anything. Yan Jiekuang was stunned for a moment, then reacted and said, "Aunt Jia, Happy New Year! The third brother wishes you a happy new year."

Jia Zhang smiled and said, "That's right. Come and get some. Jia Geng got them for me. He was afraid that I would be idle and look for something to do with him, so he took the initiative to get them for me."

Yan Jiekuang said, "Aunt Jia, you should take it easy. You are so old, running around all the time, please be careful."

"I got it. Here, give it to the child. Don't ask me for money, or I will be angry with you." Jia Zhang said.

Yan Jiekuang took it awkwardly and said, "Okay, thank you Aunt Jia, you are busy, I'm leaving now."

Yan Jiekuang went straight to chase after Shi Lei's children. When he saw familiar neighbors on the roadside, he also wished a happy new year and greeted them.

After strolling for a whole morning, Yan Jiekuang took the children back home. When they returned to the west wing of the quadrangle, Yang Ruiping asked, "What are you having for lunch? Dumplings or stir-fried dishes? If it's dumplings, I'll go down right away. If it's stir-fried dishes, you can handle it yourself."

Yan Jiekuang handed the bag of fried dough twist to Yang Ruiping and said, "This is the fried dough twist that Aunt Jia gave me. I'll go get some side dishes. Since no one is around, Ji Lian, you and I can have a couple of drinks. I'll make dumplings for the children. They've almost finished their meals."

Yang Ruiping was delighted and said, "That's great. I'll go with you."

The whole family went out early in the morning. Yan Bugui went to visit an old neighbor to wish him a happy new year, and he probably wouldn't be back before noon. The same went for the others, who all went out to wish him a happy new year.

Only Yan Jiekuang's children were left at home. Yang Ruiping cooked a big pot of dumplings, and went to get Liubiju's Laba garlic, vinegar and soy sauce, and let the children make their own dipping sauce.

Yan Jiekuang quickly prepared a few side dishes and placed them in the glass house in the back garden. It was as warm as spring here now. There was a square table, three stools, and a pot of Kong family wine. Yan Jiekuang and his wife sat opposite Yang Ruiping. Yan Jiekuang poured the wine and slowly drank it with his mother.

Shi Lei was very envious. He secretly moved a chair and placed it on the only empty side, and poured himself a glass. Yan Jiekuang did not stop him. He thought that once he went to university, he would be a big kid. There was no need to forbid some things, such as drinking with grandma and parents.

The four of them started chatting, talking mostly about their children, followed by gossip about neighbors. From time to time, they teased Shi Lei and asked him if he had a crush on someone in college, which made Shi Lei so angry that he almost left the table.

Soon, other children came over. They were envious of the scene and wanted to join in, but unfortunately they were too young.

Little Fatty rolled his eyes and whispered a few words to Big Fatty. Then a group of kids ran away in a swarm. After a while, a plastic sheet for camping was spread under the apple tree not far away. The kids put a bunch of snacks on it. Big Fatty brought some soda and opened it for his younger brothers and sisters. They also had a small party.

This made Yang Ruiping and Yan Jiekuang burst into laughter. In this way, three adults, a young man and a group of children sang and laughed in the glass house. From time to time, the children performed a show for them. After Shi Li sang a song, she held her grandmother's hand and would not let go, insisting that her grandmother perform a show.

Yang Ruiping thought for a moment and said, "Don't shake it anymore. Grandma's arm will break if you continue to shake it. Let me sing a little song for you. This is also what my mother sang to me."

Yan Jiekuang and Ji Lian immediately thought of their grandma, and before Yang Ruiping could open his mouth, tears were already welling up in their eyes.

"The wind is gentle, the moon is bright, leaves cover the window frames, and the crickets chirp like the sound of strings.

The strings are so soft, the tunes are so beautiful, the cradle is rocking gently, my dear baby, close your eyes, fall asleep, sleep in your dreams.

Yang Ruiping's voice was exactly the same as grandma's. Yan Jiekuang turned his face away. Now his face was in tears. He thought of the kind old man under the thatched hut, under the moonlight.

Shi Lei also burst into tears and said, "I really miss my great-grandmother."

Yang Ruiping finished singing the song with tears in his eyes, and then said, "Third brother, go see my father and mother tomorrow."

Yan Jiekuang nodded heavily, and Ji Lian leaned on Yan Jiekuang's shoulder and cried.

(End of this chapter)