Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 456 Danger Surrounded
As Old Liu got off Yan Jiekuang's back with lingering fear, he kept patting his chest and said, "Finally I escaped a disaster. I told you, when Xiaonian sets up a trap, there will always be something unexpected."

Yan Jiekuang didn't think anything of it, but he said unhappily, "You knew it was wrong, but you still dragged me over here. Did you do it on purpose?"

"No way, how would I know this was a setup? It's New Year's Day, it's just a nuisance. Besides, I just met you by chance." Old Liu said.

Yan Jiekuang thought about it and said, "Why are you just here to watch the fun? Or are you going to disperse?"

Old Liu looked around and said, "Let's go to Old Wang's Fried Tripe Restaurant. I'll treat you. Let's watch some fun today."

The two men walked into a snack bar across the alley. Old Liu generously ordered four plates of fried tripe and four taels of old wine. The two men sat down by the window and stared at the entrance of the alley across the street.

Time passed by minute by minute, and just as night was about to fall, a team of police surrounded the alley opposite. Not long after, the people inside came out one by one in handcuffs. The last one to walk in was a policeman, who seemed to be the leader, and next to him was Old Shitou, who had a calm face.

At this time, Old Shitou was not panicked at all. He nodded and answered the man's questions. Old Liu saw him and turned his head away. He didn't want him to see him now. After the crowd dispersed, Yan Jiekuang said, "Okay, let's go too and escape this disaster."

Old Liu was in a very low mood. He paid the bill and walked out of the store, walking behind Yan Jiekuang. But when they were about to part ways at Qianmen Street, Old Liu asked, "Old Third, how did you know this was a setup?"

Yan Jiekuang smiled coldly and said, "The second item is a collection of the museum. It is the Vermillion Bird Lantern from the Warring States Period, numbered 5606. How do you think I know about it?"

After saying that, Yan Jiekuang turned around and walked towards home. Old Liu stood there stunned. Today, it was all thanks to Yan Jiekuang. If it weren't for him, he would have been in jail.

Yan Jiekuang was walking on the road, thinking that this might be an accidental incident, and the cause should be those tomb robbers. It seems that the bronze jar from the Warring States Period should not be a local object, but should be brought here from other places to be sold.

When they returned to the west wing, it was noisy. The children had all returned. Yan Jiekuang also saw Yongfang, but he did not ask anything. He went straight to the kitchen, took off his coat, and hung it by the door. He said to his mother, "Let me do it. You go and rest."

Yan Jiekuang prepared dinner for two tables. Not everyone was there today and many people did not come back, so Yan Jiekuang did not prepare any big dishes. The biggest dish was boiled fish, which came in two big bowls.

Everyone in the family was very happy with the meal. Yan Bugui even took out his 1986 Maotai and shared it with Yan Jiekuang.

The last dishes served were the dumplings made by Yang Ruiping and Shi Xiaoya. While eating the dumplings, Xiaopang asked Yongfang why her parents didn't come back. Yongfang said that their family's catering company was holding an annual meeting and she didn't go because she missed her grandparents. When Yang Ruiping heard this, his face lit up with joy and he kept picking up food for Yongfang.

After dinner, Yang Ruiping and Shi Xiaoya went to clean up the dishes. Yan Bugui, smiling, took the children to the glass house in the back garden to play. Yan Jiekuang was in the center hall of the front yard, drinking tea and reading the newspaper.

It was already dark, and the misty sky was brewing a heavy snow. Yan Jiekuang heard someone shouting at the gate. He walked out of the main hall and saw Widow Wang and Zhou Nianping standing at the gate. Yan Jiekuang said, "Aunt Wang, why haven't you come home yet? It's New Year's Day."

Aunt Wang smiled and said, "Third brother, you are at home. I went back to see if the fire in the store was out. Take it. This is what the eldest brother brought back. I brought a copy for your family."

"How can I be so embarrassed that you specially delivered this to me?" Yan Jiekuang saw that it was a bag of pineapples. He knew that Zhou Zhiping was transferred to the south, but he didn't know where.

"It's on my way. Okay, I'm leaving now. Everyone at home is waiting." Widow Wang saw Yan Jiekuang take the bag and said as she turned around and walked out of the yard with Zhou Nianping. At this time, Yang Ruiping came out from the backyard and asked, "Who is it? The third brother."

"It's Aunt Wang. Zhiping is back and brought some pineapples for him. They're being delivered to him now." Yan Jiekuang replied.

Yang Ruiping sighed and said, "You said that Widow Wang is always so polite, giving gifts for no reason. Okay, give it to me, I'll cut it up and feed it to the children."

Yan Jiekuang handed the bag to his mother, watched her go into the kitchen, and then turned back to the main room.

The snow finally fell. Yan Jiekuang walked out of the house, looked at the snow floating in the sky, then turned to the backyard and called the children to go home. However, Shi Li said that she would not go back today and would accompany Yongxin and Yongfang. The children who had returned from her eldest brother and second brother's homes would not go home today, and they all called home. Yan Jiekuang did not say anything and took the others home.

February 4th is the beginning of spring. Today is the 28th day of the lunar year, which is the day of the New Year Goods Festival. Yan Jiekuang originally didn't want to go, but Xixi heard from somewhere that this year's New Year Goods Festival at the Lama Temple was held by the local community and it was very grand, so she arranged to go and take a look. Yan Jiekuang thought that he had not taken his children to a temple fair in recent years, so he agreed. He also called his parents and asked them if they wanted to go. When they heard, they said they must go and take a look and buy some New Year goods.

So, early in the morning, Yan Jiekuang did not cook, and took Xiaohai and Xixi out early. The other children also went, but they all had appointments with people, and no one knew who they had appointments with. Yan Jiekuang took the two children to their grandparents' house first, picked up Yan Bugui and his wife, and went straight to Yonghe Palace.

Lama Temple was not too far from home, so a few of them strolled towards Xinjiekou. On the way, Yang Ruiping asked Yan Jiekuang and Ji Lian why they didn't come. Yan Jiekuang said that it was a festival and many people wanted to give gifts, so it was a busy time. Yang Ruiping sighed that it was not easy to run a company.

Before they reached Xinjiekou, they saw many people walking in that direction. Yan Jiekuang asked, "Mom and Dad, let's not rush in. Let's go eat something first and then go inside."

The old couple followed them into a bun shop next door, ordered tofu pudding and buns and started eating. While they were eating, as luck would have it, they saw He Yuzhu and He Rui coming in. The father and daughter were also here to visit the temple fair.

He Yuzhu spotted Yan Jiekuang at a glance, walked up to him, greeted Yan Bugui and his wife, and said, "Hey, Uncle Yan, Aunt Yang, I was thinking of visiting you after the first day of the new year. Isn't it a coincidence that we meet so early in the morning and have breakfast together?"

Yan Bugui smiled and replied, "Yes, Zhuzi, I haven't seen you for a while. Why don't you have breakfast?"

Yang Ruiping pulled He Rui to sit next to her and said, "Let's eat together. We ordered a lot."

He Yuzhu smiled and said, "Okay, let's go together. Lao San, go get me two bowls of tofu pudding."

Yan Jiekuang stood up and walked towards the counter. After a while, he came back with tofu pudding and handed it to He Yuzhu and his daughter.

A few people turned into Lama Temple Street together. The New Year Goods Festival had just begun at this time, and there were not many people. This was mainly because they came early. Yan Jiekuang bought a candied haws for each of the two children and He Rui, and they ate while walking.

In fact, the New Year Goods Festival is no different from an ordinary temple fair. It also provides small vendors with some opportunities to make money. The group blended into the crowd, walking and stopping. Yan Jiekuang didn't have much to buy, and most of his time he bought some food for his three younger generations. He Yuzhu bought more, including a lot of lanterns, couplets and blessing characters. He Rui's hands were all occupied, so Yang Ruiping also helped to carry some.

When it was almost noon when they were shopping, Yan Bugui reminded Yan Jiekuang that it was getting late and time to go home. Yan Jiekuang then told He Yuzhu that his family was going back. He Yuzhu said he would go shopping for a while longer. Yan Jiekuang looked at He Rui who looked unhappy, handed his mother's things to He Yuzhu, and then went back with his family.

(End of this chapter)