Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 403 Ordinary Life
In the golden autumn of October, Yan Jiekuang was dozing lazily on a lounge chair in his yard. The bunches of purple grapes on the vines were very beautiful. The children had all gone to school, and he was a little reluctant to go out, so he just drank tea and rested in the yard.

Just then, the doorbell rang. Yan Jiekuang stood up and walked to the front yard. He opened the door and saw his mother. As soon as she entered the door, she said, "Why have you become lazier since you came back from your trip? You don't leave the house all day long."

"Mom, I don't have anything to do. How can I go to the teahouse and compete with you two for work?" Yan Jiekuang said with a smile.

Yang Ruiping rolled his eyes at him and said, "I'll pick some grapes for the brothers and sisters to taste. Let's go to the backyard."

Yan Jiekuang took Yang Ruiping to the backyard and helped her pick the grapes, which Yang Ruiping then carefully put into a bamboo basket.

As Yang Ruiping picked the vegetables, he said, "Li Dong came to deliver vegetables a few days ago and said that your company is going to build a villa community in Fangshan?"

"Yes, it's still under discussion. It will probably be next year," said Yan Jiekuang.

Yang Ruiping said, "You don't want to move away, do you?"

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and said, "Why would I go there? I'll stay here to accompany you two old people."

"That's good. Your dad also said that you might want to move to a bigger house, and I said no." Yang Ruiping said.

"By the way, Mom, take two of the big yellow croakers that Xiaobao brought yesterday and let my dad try them too." Yan Jiekuang said.

"Okay, go get it. I'm here." Yang Ruiping replied.

Yan Jiekuang went to his cellar and took out two large yellow croakers and put them in a plastic bag. Then he went back to the backyard to help his mother pick grapes. He picked a whole bamboo basket. Yang Ruiping put the fish on the top and said, "Okay, I'm going to go back now. You can take a rest."

As Yang Ruiping said this, he walked out. Yan Jiekuang thought for a moment and said, "I'll go back with you." Then he followed him.

Yan Jiekuang took the bamboo basket. Yang Ruiping looked at Yan Jiekuang suspiciously and said, "Don't you stay at home?"

"No way, I don't like people asking me questions all the time. It's either I say no or I don't say anything. It's not that I like quietness." Yan Jiekuang explained.

Yang Ruiping said: "No one mentions Kodak in the teahouse now. I guess everyone has forgotten about it. By the way, Yi Zhonghai and his team are back. The teahouse is much more lively now."

The two returned to the teahouse in a short while. Yan Bugui was sitting at the counter wearing glasses and reading a newspaper. It was afternoon and there were not many people in the teahouse.

Jia Zhang was sitting at a table in the teahouse, with two old ladies sitting together, one was knitting a sweater, and the other was talking to Jia Zhang. Yan Jiekuang took a look and saw a bottle of Erguotou, a plate of peanuts and a plate of rice noodles on the table. The three people were drinking, each with a cup and a pair of chopsticks.

When Jia Zhang saw Yang Ruiping and his mother, she shouted to Yan Jiekuang, "Third brother, come here and have a drink with your aunt Jia."

Yan Jiekuang waved his hand and said, "No, no, I have to pick up the kids later. You guys drink."

Yang Ruiping said, "Drink it yourselves. I'll go wash some grapes for you. Look, they're just picked. They're so fresh."

Jia Zhang smiled and said, "This is good, this is good, wash more."

Yan Bugui looked at Yan Jiekuang who was approaching the counter and said, "Why, you're willing to leave? I thought you were practicing in seclusion."

Yan Jiekuang said: "Why should I practice? I don't want to be asked questions all the time."

"Do you think the whole world knows that you are the boss of Kodak? Only our family knows it." Yan Bugui said.

Yan Jiekuang took a teacup, poured a bag of tea leaves into it, and started brewing tea. Then he sat down next to Yan Bugui and said, "I heard that Yi Zhonghai is back. Has he come over?"

Yan Bugui said, "They came over and chatted for a while. They seemed to be doing well. Xu Delin and his wife were also very nice to them."

"Xu Delin is married? Why didn't he tell us?" Yan Jiekuang said dissatisfiedly.

"It's her second marriage and she didn't even have a wedding banquet. She's only been back for two days, so why are you already picking out the gifts?" Yan Bugui said.

Yan Jiekuang thought about it and changed the subject, asking Yan Bugui how his elder and second brothers were doing.

Yan Bugui said that few people came to the eldest family, and they seemed very busy. The second family was the same. Yan Jiefang had not been home for many days. Shi Xiaoya went to find him because she wanted to buy a walkman for the children, but she didn't see him.

Yan Jiekuang knew as soon as he heard it that this was bought for learning English, so he said to Yan Bugui: "Tell the second sister-in-law that there is no need to buy it. I will ask Shi Lei to send it to them the day after tomorrow."

Yan Bugui smiled and said, "He looks like an uncle. Okay, I'll tell him, do you want to buy me one?"

Yan Jiekuang rolled his eyes and said, "You don't need it. We already have a TV and a radio at home. What do you want? The child will use it to learn English."

Yan Jiekuang stood up and walked out of the counter holding the teacup. He couldn't sit down anymore. Maybe his father would ask him for something again.

At this time, Yang Ruiping came over from the west courtyard with a basin and distributed grapes to the tea drinkers. Most of the tea drinkers were neighbors nearby, and they all nodded in thanks. Yang Ruiping saw Yan Jiekuang was about to leave, so he asked, "You're only sitting here for a while, and you're leaving?"

Yan Jiekuang said, "I'm just going to take a stroll and look around the area."

Yan Jiekuang put the teacup on a table in the corner, then walked out and arrived at Nanluoguxiang, strolling north. There were various shops on both sides, and there were many tourists visiting the place, and various dialects could be heard from time to time.

When we walked to Xiaojuer Hutong, at a small shop called Xihu Chunliu, we saw He Yuzhu and his daughter sitting at one of the only two tables in front of the shop, eating.

Yan Jiekuang walked over with a smile and said, "Hey, Brother Zhuzi, you look so leisurely, are you here to have a secret meal with your daughter?"

"I was wondering who it was. It turns out to be the third brother. I'm rewarding my daughter. Come, sit down." He Yuzhu said.

"Xiao Rui didn't go to class? Where did she take the exam?" Yan Jiekuang asked after sitting down.

"She goes to the same school as your second brother's daughter. She doesn't have classes today and said she didn't eat well at school, so she came to me, her father, to satisfy her craving." He Yuzhu said.

He Rui said, "Hello, Third Uncle, I really can't eat the school food anymore. It tastes nothing but filling."

Yan Jiekuang looked at He Rui in confusion and said, "Our Yongxin never said that."

"Sister Yongxin was afraid that her mother would worry, so she didn't let me tell your family." He Rui said.

"That won't work. Well, I'll find a way myself. By the way, give me a bowl of scallion oil noodles. Food that Chef He can eat must be good." Yan Jiekuang said.

He Yuzhu didn't move, just ate there, and said, "Go in and order, and pay first."

When Yan Jiekuang heard this, he stood up and walked into the store. He looked at the menu on the wall and said to a young female clerk, "Give me a bowl of scallion oil noodles. How much?"

The waitress said, "Two dollars and a half. Where do you want to sit?"

Yan Jiekuang took out the money and handed it to the clerk, saying, "The occupied table outside."

Only then did Yan Jiekuang understand why this small shop required payment first. It was probably easy for people who ate out to run away without paying, so they must have learned their lesson.

Yan Jiekuang returned to his seat and started chatting with He Yuzhu. It turned out that He Yuzhu had just returned from Shijiazhuang. The store had already opened, and He Yushui had gone there. The head chef was one of his apprentices, and now the store was also very popular.

After a while, Yan Jiekuang's noodles came up. He took a bite first and found it was really delicious. Then he started to eat it in big mouthfuls. He Yuzhu had finished eating at this time, but did not leave. He sat there with He Rui.

Yan Jiekuang waved his hand, meaning don't worry about me, you guys go about your business. Then He Yuzhu stood up and left with He Rui.

After eating a bowl of noodles, Yan Jiekuang continued to stroll forward. He passed by the Jia family's inn, but did not see any acquaintances. Yan Jiekuang looked at the time and headed towards the Fuxue Primary School. He picked up the children and went to the teahouse.

Xiaohai and Xixi greeted their grandparents. Yang Ruiping brought a plate with two bunches of grapes on it and asked the two children to sit at the door and eat.

After staying in the teahouse for a while and eating their grapes, the two children followed Yan Jiekuang to their home.

When he got home, he went to the kitchen while the children went to the study to do their homework. His three children will go to college next year, so he has to do the logistical work and ensure their food and daily life.

It was almost seven o'clock when Ji Lian came back with the children. Now Ji Lian drove to pick up the three children. Yan Jiekuang started cooking. He was very quick. Half an hour later, Yan Jiekuang called the children and Ji Lian to start eating.

After dinner, the children went to study. Xiaohai and Xixi ran to the back garden to find Dawang and Xiaowang. Yan Jiekuang stipulated that the children should not study too late and should go to bed on time at 10 o'clock in the evening to ensure their sleep.

The next day, Yan Jiekuang went to Wangfujing, bought three Walkmans, and delivered them directly to Shi Lei, asking him to deliver the other two to Yongchang and Yongxin, and to also give the beef sauce he had made in the morning to the two children.

After leaving Tsinghua University, Yan Jiekuang drove to Fangshan. He planned to pick some fish and bring them back to feed the children.

Fangshan Farm has already formed a certain scale, and it is not easy to expand it now unless another location is chosen. Li Dong has some ideas, and Yan Jiekuang does not object, allowing him to make his own decision, so in recent times, he has been on business trips to inspect.

Yan Jiekuang found another person in charge, Li Changqing, who was Li Dong's junior and also a capable college student. Li Changqing knew the purpose of Yan Jiekuang's visit and took him to the fish farm, where there were not only freshwater fish but also marine fish, which was also the result of their experiment.

Yan Jiekuang picked two mandarin fish, a black fish, two sea bass and several knife fish.

Li Changqing asked someone to pack the food, put it in a plastic box, added water, and then put the fish in and moved it to Yan Jiekuang's car.

Yan Jiekuang said goodbye to them and drove straight home.

(End of this chapter)