Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 565 Strange

In the middle of this year, in May, several mothers came over for a party. In order to wait for Hua's mother to bring some groceries, the door was left ajar.

It was almost noon when Hua's mother returned with Wenli in her arms and a basket of vegetables. As they reached the entrance of the alley, they saw a couple standing at their door. The man was about forty years old, not tall, thin, wearing an old Zhongshan suit and a pair of glasses. The woman was about the same height as the man and a bit delicate. The two of them were wandering at the door. The man was holding a bunch of green vegetables in his hand and whispering to the woman.

Mother Hua walked over and said, "Who are you looking for, you two?"

"Ah, no, I'm not looking for anyone." The woman was startled.

The man responded quickly and said with a smile, "Aunt Hua, I'm from the next yard, I live in the front yard, my name is Yan Bugui, and this is my wife Yang Ruihua."

Mother Hua didn't like that yard in the first place, so she asked coldly, "What's the matter?"

Yan Bugui smiled and said, "Aunt Hua, we just moved here. They say that a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor. I would like to visit your hospital."

"Oh, that's not necessary. We don't have any dealings with your yard. Besides, we sisters are having a party today, so it's not convenient for male guests to come in." said Hua's mother.

Just as Hua's mother was about to turn around, Yan Bugui said with a smile, "That's perfect. My wife just got here and doesn't know any friends. You two should be able to chat together. I won't go in."

When Hua's mother heard this, she was so angry that she laughed and said, "We sisters all grew up with nothing, how can she fit in? Don't try to fit in if you can't fit in a circle. Don't you understand?" After saying that, she carried Wen Li into the yard and slammed the door shut.

Yan Bugui pointed at the gate and said angrily: "You, you, you are disrespectful."

Yang Ruihua turned around and walked away angrily, saying as he walked, "I said I couldn't come, but you insisted on coming. Aren't you ashamed?"

Yan Bugui walked behind him in frustration, and said, "What do you know? Her family eats meat every day. You can smell it at the entrance of the alley. If a little bit flows out from between their fingers, it's enough for our family."

The couple, one walked in front angrily, while the other followed behind, shaking his head, back to the yard.

Then another incident happened. A little girl was squatting at the door of Grandma Jinhua's house crying. Mother Feng heard it and looked at the time. It was almost eight o'clock in the evening. Why was there still someone crying outside?

When Mother Feng opened the door, she saw a little girl of only six or seven years old squatting at the door crying. Mother Feng asked, "Are you a refugee?"

The little girl was startled, but shook her head and said, "I'm from the inner yard."

"Then why don't you go home so late? Why are you crying?" asked Feng's mother.

"I, I haven't eaten for a day. I'm hungry." said the little girl timidly.

Mother Feng shook her head, looked at her, and said, "Come in with me."

The little girl followed Mother Feng into the yard timidly. Granny Jinhua was still awake and was sitting in the yard, listening to the radio. She looked up and saw Mother Feng bringing a little girl in. She asked, "Feng girl, what's going on? Whose family is this?"

"I'm not sure either. She said she hadn't eaten anything for a day, so I got her something to eat." Mother Feng took the little girl to the west wing, turned on the light, and heated up two dishes for her, a bowl of porridge and two steamed buns made from two grams of flour.

Granny Jinhua was curious, so she came in with her cane, sat down next to the little girl, touched her head, and said, "Don't be afraid, little girl. Just call me Madam. Eat first and be full."

In fact, the little girl is still very scared when facing Mother Feng, because Mother Feng always has a cold face. But Grandma Jinhua is different. Any woman who sees Grandma Jinhua wants to get close to her. This is her unique charm.

After the little girl finished her meal, Granny Jinhua handed her a towel. The little girl had eaten so much that she looked like a kitten. Granny Jinhua smiled and said, "Can you tell me why you didn't eat for a day? Where are your family members?"

At this time, Hua's mother walked in, stood at the door, and looked at the little girl, wondering why she looked so familiar.

The little girl let down her guard against Granny Jinhua and told her life story and experiences in bits and pieces.

It turned out that the little girl's name was He Yushui, and she lived in the middle courtyard of that yard. She lived in the east wing of the main house in the middle courtyard, while her brother lived in the main house in the middle courtyard. Her mother died not long after she was born, and her father ran away with a widow two years ago. Her brother was an apprentice in the canteen of a steel rolling mill, and she was studying at Red Star Primary School. There was no one at home to cook, and there was no food. Her family relied on her brother's apprentice salary to survive, and sometimes they could bring some leftovers.

Granny Jinhua asked, "Yu Shui, how old were you when you started school?" "Madam, I'm eight years old this year, and I started school a year late." He Yu Shui said.

Granny Jinhua and Mother Hua were both shocked. It was an exaggeration to say that he was six years old. He was so thin. Mother Hua asked, "Yushui, do you not eat every day or only occasionally? With your small body, it's obvious that you are not getting enough nutrition."

Yu Shui lowered her head and said, "Sometimes I can eat the food in the morning, and sometimes I can eat the food my brother brings."

Grandma Jinhua looked at Mama Hua, and Mama Hua looked at Grandma Jinhua. They both knew that the people in that yard didn't care about the child, and let the child suffer from hunger and cold. "Didn't the neighbors give you a few meals?" Mama Hua asked unwillingly.

He Yushui shook her head and whispered, "They all dislike me and avoid me. Only my brother occasionally thinks of me and sometimes gives me some money, but sometimes he has no money at all."

Mother Feng's voice came from outside, saying coldly: "There is no good person in that courtyard, including your brother."

Granny Jinhua said to Mama Hua, "Go take her to take a bath and change her clothes. I should have something as big as her in my closet. Child, come to Madam's when you are hungry. You can only knock three times. But no matter what you see, hear, or eat in this yard, you are not allowed to tell anyone, understand?"

He Yushui nodded blankly. Grandma Jinhua gave Hua Mama a look, meaning that this little girl is in your hands. Hua Mama nodded and took He Yushui to the east wing.

Granny Jinhua said, "What a sin!" From then on, the three of them no longer had a good impression of the people in that courtyard. They also specially greeted Director Wang and told him to come directly to this courtyard if they had any problems. They would no longer go to Courtyard No. 95.

Everything in Yard No. 95 is filled with evil. There's the canteen director who quit his job and ran off with a widow, there's a fool who forgets about his sister for no reason, and there's Yan Bugui who tries to get close to him. No matter how you think about it, there aren't any good people in that yard.

From then on, He Yushui usually stayed in the yard with Grandma Jinhua whenever he had nothing to do. Grandma Jinhua gradually fell in love with this well-behaved and sensible child and let down her guard. However, the child knew that he should never ask for food when he could avoid it, and he would eat whatever was given to him. This made Mother Feng look at him with admiration.

Everyone has been living in peace until today. No one knows what's wrong with Yan Bugui, but he came to Wang Wenyuan to ask some questions, which made Wang Wenyuan retort.

After dinner in the evening, Granny Jinhua and Wang Wenyuan sat around the fireplace in the main room. Wang Wenyuan drank tea and chatted with his sister.

Granny Jinhua suddenly asked, "Are you coming back to work this time, or are you just sitting around like before?"

Wang Wenyuan said, "As for me, I will report to my new unit tomorrow and then come back to rest. I won't go anywhere at home. I will take you and your sister out for a walk when I have nothing to do."

Granny Jinhua smiled brightly and said, "That's good, that's good. Why should we work so hard? We can just stay at home and accompany grandma."

"Guoguo, are you happy that you can see me every day?" Wang Wenli asked, looking up.

What is this child thinking? Wang Wenyuan said, "Happy, are you happy?"

"Well, um, is there any candy?" Wang Wenli asked.

Wang Wenyuan rummaged in his pocket for a long time and took out two pieces of chocolate, which were part of the confiscated rations, and handed them over.

Wang Wenli asked: "Guoguo, what is this?"

"This is called chocolate. Try it. It may be a little bitter at first." Wang Wenyuan opened one and handed the candy to her mouth.

Wang Wenli bit into it immediately, chewed it twice, and said with a bitter face: "Grandma, Guoguo is harming me."

Wang Wenyuan opened the other piece and handed it to Grandma Jinhua. Grandma Jinhua was familiar with this thing, so she started to eat it. When Wang Wenli saw her grandmother eating it, she also chewed it hard. After a while, she pulled Wang Wenyuan's sleeve and said coquettishly, "Guoguo, I want more."

Wang Wenyuan was speechless. She had just shouted that he was hurting her, but her expression changed so quickly. Wang Wenyuan said, "Wait!"

Wang Wenyuan walked towards his yard, and soon he brought his canvas bag over. When he opened it, Wang Wenli, who was standing on tiptoe to look inside the bag, exclaimed "Wow!"

(End of this chapter)