Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 51: Back to School Depression

August 1, 1956, the front yard of the Siheyuan
Yan Jiekuang was very excited as he was going to school again.

As a human being in his second life, he still likes the carefree study life, the simple friendship of classmates, and the relationship between teachers and students. This is what he longs for.

He got up early, washed, put on a white shirt, packed his books, and went to the west wing carrying his schoolbag.

Yan Bugui was already sitting at the octagonal table eating.

Yan Jiefang looked at the third brother curiously for a long time and asked, "Is today your first day of school?" Yan Jiekuang was puzzled and didn't know why his second brother asked this.

Yan Bugui raised his head, saw the third brother, and spat out a mouthful of porridge.

Yan Jiefang laughed out loud, and Yan Jiekuang didn't know what was wrong and looked at his father with a questioning look.

Yan Bugui suppressed his laughter and said, "It's my fault. I didn't tell you that today is your first day of work. Bring a broom and a shovel. Change your clothes. You don't need new clothes to work."

At this time, Yan Jiekuang realized that the first day of school was to work. He quickly went back to his room to change his clothes, put down his schoolbag, and then returned to the west wing to eat his breakfast.

When they were leaving the house, there was another problem. He didn't want to sit in the front seat, and Yan Jiefang didn't want to either. In the end, he sat in the front seat according to the order of seniority.

Yan Jiekuang thought to himself, "Oh, it's the first day, and everything seems to be going wrong."

They arrived at the school very quickly. Yan Jiekuang only had a broom, and Yan Bugui led him. All along the way, all they heard was, "Good morning, Teacher Yan." The old man was okay, and had quite the authority of a teacher.

Yan Bugui took him to Class 2, Grade 2 and handed him over to his homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhang, without even introducing him and just turned around and left.

Teacher Zhang was a female teacher and probably not very old. Yan Jiekuang couldn’t tell and didn’t dare to ask.

Teacher Zhang knew Yan Jiekuang, and Principal Duan said he was a genius in learning. Teacher Zhang took Yan Jiekuang downstairs, and Yan Jiekuang saw a group of primary school students tidying up the flowerbed.

Teacher Zhang said, "Our class's task is to clean up the flower beds, Li Wenjiao."

Teacher Zhang called over a little girl and introduced her, "This is our class monitor, Li Wenjiao, and this is our new student, Yan Jiekuang. Take him to the garden to work, and introduce him to the students."

Li Wenjiao said, "Okay, Teacher Zhang."

In this way, Yan Jiekuang began his learning career.

During the whole morning's work, only Team Leader Li came to assign tasks to him. No one disturbed him and he pulled out his own weeds leisurely.

Li Wenjiao suddenly clapped her hands a few times and said, "Everyone stop for a moment. This is the end of the morning's work. Let's go to lunch. When you hear the afternoon bell, gather here."

Seeing the students putting the tools in their hands together by the flower bed and going in twos and threes in one direction, Yan Jiekuang followed the group.

When we got there, we saw that it was the boiler room, where meals were heated up for everyone. Everyone was looking for their own lunch boxes, and Yan Jiekuang stood there awkwardly.

Li Wenjiao saw him and asked him, "Student Yan, what's wrong with you?"

Yan Jiekuang scratched his head and said awkwardly: "Well, my brother brought the food. He is in the fourth grade. I will go find him."

Yan Jiekuang walked back, thinking as he walked, his second brother never brought a lunch box, then thought about his father, his father never brought a lunch box either, so what would they eat for lunch?

Yan Jiekuang did not go to find his second brother, but went directly to find his father. After asking around, when he saw Yan Bugui, the father and son were eating in the staff canteen.

Yan Bugui and his son also saw him. Yan Bugui went up to the second brother and slapped him, saying, "Didn't I tell you to go find the third brother?"

"I was hungry and forgot about it," Yan Jiefang said embarrassedly. Yan Bugui seemed to have forgotten that he was not there, and he was eating with relish.

Yan Bugui was not embarrassed at all and said, "Come and eat. Go and get one for your brother."

Yan Jiekuang looked at the second brother and shook his head. Yan Jiefang said, "What's the matter, third brother?"

"If I have any good ideas in the future, I will forget about you." Yan Jiekuang's resentful voice came.

Yan Bugui pretended not to hear. Yan Jiefang was about to cry and said quickly, "Don't, third brother. I was wrong, just this once."

"Forget it. But, Dad, is it okay to eat like this in the school cafeteria?" Yan Jiekuang asked in confusion.

Yan Bugui said nonchalantly, "Why not? This is a benefit for faculty and staff, and of course we pay for it."

"Where is the ticket?" Yan Jiekuang asked again.

"Well, have you finished eating? Clean up and get back to work." Yan Bugui quickly ended the conversation, turned around and left.

Yan Jiefang said while eating, "Why are you asking him these questions? It's none of our business." Yan Jiekuang did not explain. He felt that this canteen purchasing method was acceptable for compensating employees, but there were not so many things that did not require tickets.

"I'll bring my own lunch tomorrow." Yan Jiekuang got angry and left.

There was still collective labor in the afternoon, but he met a second classmate, Zhang Wenchang, whose family background was unknown, but he was a very enthusiastic person, and the two of them worked in shifts.

The school is dismissed and the day's collective labor is over.

Teacher Zhang summarized the class's work and announced the end of school.

Yan Jiekuang walked to the gate with a broom in his hand. He watched the students leave school in waves until the teachers finally came out. Yan Jiekuang knew that the unreliable father and son had forgotten about him again.

Yan Jiekuang found a deserted place, threw the broom into the air, and walked in the direction of the crowd. He roughly knew the direction, but he had never been here before.

Nanluoguxiang
On the way, I watched the children coming home from school in groups of three or four, playing and fighting, and before I knew it, I had arrived at Nanluoguxiang.

After entering Nanluoguxiang, he saw from afar the crowd of people getting off work at the steel rolling mill. Yan Jiekuang slowed down his pace. He really didn't want to bump into the crowd. There were too many people, and it would be troublesome whether he called out to anyone or not. Also, he didn't want the people across from him to notice him.

From a distance, we can see that the ones leading the group are Jia Dongxu and his apprentice, with Zhang Erzhu on the right, and Liu Haizhong and Chang Lin behind them.

Following them are He Daqing, He Yuzhu and Xu Delin.

Several waves of people filed in. Yan Jiekuang walked slowly and met people from the steel mill in the next yard, but he didn't recognize them. After more than ten minutes, Yan Jiekuang finally wandered to the gate of the yard.

Seeing his father watering the flowers, he shouted "Dad!" Yan Bugui turned around and saw that it was the third child. He was stunned, and then he roared, "Second brother Yan, where is your brother?"

Yan Bugui went straight to the west wing. When Yan Jiefang's father called him, he realized that he had forgotten Yan Laosan.

The father and son were in a mess, but Yan Jiekuang didn't care. He went straight to the west wing and greeted Yang Ruiping, "Mom, I'm back."

Then, he met his little sister who had already gotten off the ground and was running out of the inner room, picked her up and asked, "Do you miss me?"

"I cried when I thought about it." Yan Jiedi looked aggrieved.

"She missed your cake and started asking for it at noon." Yang Ruiping said angrily.

"Be good at home, you'll be of great help. Come on, go back to the house with me." Yan Jiekuang carried his sister back to the back room.

Yan Jiefang ran to his mother, and Yan Bugui was panting with a stick in his hand.

"What's wrong? What's happening?" Yang Ruiping asked.

"I left the third child behind in school." Yan Jiefang said with his head down.

Yang Ruiping didn't take it seriously at first, and said, "Didn't the third brother come back? He, he came back on his own. You kid, there are so many beggars outside."

Instantly, the mother's voice was heard from far away. Yang Ruiping hit the second child. Yan Bugui looked very disappointed and said, "I warned you many times."

Yan Jiefang muttered back, "No way, you were in a hurry to fish, so you just said it casually."

"Apologize to the third brother tonight, kid." Yang Ruiping had no choice but to go to the stove to busy himself.

In the evening, everyone was having dinner. Yan Jiecheng was a little absent-minded and didn't eat properly.

"Good things take time. Why are you always worried?" Yan Bugui asked.

Yan Jiecheng waved his hand and said, "I'll go out and take a look. I heard the door open."

Everyone looked at each other, meaning that no one heard the sound of the door.

Yang Ruiping asked in a low voice: "Is the boss really crazy?"

Yan Bugui was about to speak when Yan Jiecheng rushed back and shouted, "Dad, my admission letter has arrived."

Everyone saw the boss holding up a letter. Yan Bugui quickly took it and opened it.

Yan Jiecheng was admitted to the Sijiucheng Mechanical Technical School.

　The first volume has been finished. There are many flaws, which were found by my fellow readers. I want to say thank you. Thank you for your reading. Being able to read is your greatest support. I have written a lot of the second volume. It is really difficult to find information, especially for the era it covers. Please give me more suggestions. You are really treasures sometimes.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)