Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 582: Little New Year's Eve
On the eve of the Little New Year, the Xu family had finished dinner. Xu Damao was teasing his sister on the bed, while Xu's mother accompanied Xu Wude to drink. While drinking, they talked about the family's gains in the past year.

Xu Wude was not a show-off in the courtyard, but he was very popular outside and had a say with all kinds of people, especially his former master, the Lou family, who were very good to him. After liberation, when the Lou family dismissed the servants and others, they only kept Xu's mother. To accompany Lou's mother, they also specially trained Xu Wude to transform from a driver to a film projectionist.

The Xu family is not short of money, but they just don't want to get involved in the affairs of the courtyard. This is so smart, making a fortune in silence. But the old people in the courtyard all know that Xu Wude is not someone to be trifled with, so the He family of the Central Court, who know him well, look down on his family. But what they didn't expect was that He Daqing ran away, and what was even more unexpected was that he was caught again in less than a year.

When the couple was talking about He Daqing, there was a knock on the door. Xu Wude frowned, wondering who would come to their house in the middle of the night during the Chinese New Year. He asked, "Who is it?"

"I'm the third uncle, Yan Bugui. Lao Xu is at home." Yan Bugui's voice came from the door.

Xu Wude was even more confused. This third uncle had no connection with his family. He had moved here for almost two years, but this was his first visit. Xu Wude had a lot of questions in his mind, but he still gestured to Xu's mother.

Mother Xu walked to the front door, opened it, and said with a smile, "Hey, Third Uncle, it's New Year's Day, have you eaten?"

Yan Bugui, who was good at calculating, was about to say no, but when he saw a plate of peanuts and a plate of shredded tripe with garlic on the table, he knew that they had finished their meal, so he said, "I'm done. I brought a bottle of wine with me. It's boring to drink it at home, so I thought I'd have a drink with Brother Xu."

With an extremely reluctant expression, Xu's mother turned sideways and said, "Then please come in, Third Uncle." The voice was very loud, almost a roar, and it was estimated that everyone in the backyard heard it. Although Yan Bugui was thick-skinned, he couldn't help blushing.

Yan Bugui came in anyway, put the wine on the table, and said with a smile: "Brother Xu, you're drinking. I just want to have a drink with you."

There was no trace of sincerity in Yan Bugui's smile, but although Xu Wude had doubts in his heart, he was also present at the scene, so he smiled and said, "Uncle, please sit down. Today is the Little New Year. Although we don't have the habit of visiting neighbors, since you are here, let's have a drink. Mother, please fry the meat and add another dish." Xu's mother went to the kitchen reluctantly.

Xu Damao was originally teasing his sister. When he saw Yan Bugui coming, he sneered, pulled his sister off the bed, and said, "Dad, Third Uncle, you guys drink, I'm taking my sister out to play."

After that, Xu Damao helped his sister put on clothes and a scarf. Yan Bugui saw that he came here today just to test the boy's words. If he left, wouldn't his trip be in vain? He immediately said, "Hey, Damao, you are a big kid now. Don't go out. Come and have a drink with Uncle San."

Xu Wude was stunned for a moment. He had just beaten his drunk son. What did you mean? Why did you persuade the child to drink? Xu Damao was also stunned. Looking at his father's eyes, he knew something was wrong and quickly said, "Uncle San, don't talk nonsense. I just drink rice wine. I drank too much once and never drank again. Today is Xiaonian, and I didn't even drink a sip with my dad."

Yan Bugui thought that this was still a child, not much older than his eldest son, so he really couldn't persuade him to drink. He quickly changed his words and said, "No, Third Uncle doesn't mean anything else. I'm not trying to persuade you to drink. So, don't leave. Third Uncle will ask you something later."

Xu Damao looked at his father. Xu Wude thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's stay at home. It's cold outside."

Xu Damao had no choice but to take Xu Xiaoling back to the inner room, wondering in his heart what Yan Bugui was up to.

Xu Damao hadn't even taken off his second shoe when there was a knock on the door. Xu's mother was cooking when she called out, "Da Mao, go open the door."

Xu Damao walked to the door and opened it. It was the second uncle next door. He quickly said, "Second uncle, what's wrong with you? Why are you here with wine?"

Liu Haizhong said with a smile: "Da Mao, isn't it the Little New Year? It's boring to drink alone at home, why don't you go and have a drink with Lao Xu."

Xu Wood had heard it in the room, so he stood up and said, "Old Liu, come on, come on, let's drink together."

After a while, Xu's mother's twice-cooked pork was ready and served. Liu Haizhong took a look and said, "This won't do. Why is it an odd number? You guys wait." After saying that, he turned around and left the house.

After a while, he came in with a plate of scrambled eggs and said, "Actually, the most important thing is scrambled eggs. You see, the dish is inconspicuous, but it is nutritious and has salt. It is a great dish to replenish your energy."

Yan Bugui gave Liu Haizhong a thumbs up and said, "Old Liu is really wise."

Liu Haizhong said, "No, I'm not taking credit for this. This is what my master taught me. Especially for me, blacksmithing is very laborious." The three of them started drinking. Xu Damao and Xu Xiaoling got bored while playing. Xu Xiaoling was also a little sleepy. Xu Damao shouted, "Mom, my sister is sleepy. I'll take her to the north room to sleep."

"Go ahead and cover yourself with the quilt to avoid catching a cold." Mother Xu agreed while she was cleaning up in the kitchen.

Yan Bugui was a starving ghost who had not drunk any wine since the meal started. He just started eating the twice-cooked pork and scrambled eggs. Liu Haizhong and Xu Wude despised him but didn't say anything. At this time, when he heard that Xu Damao was leaving, Yan Bugui immediately raised his head and said, "Damo, wait a minute, Uncle San wants to ask you something."

Xu Damao was stunned while holding Xu Xiaoling, and asked, "Uncle, please ask quickly, my sister is very heavy."

Yan Bugui asked, "Da Mao, tell me the truth, who are the people in Courtyard No. 91? I went there several times, but they wouldn't let me in. I know you've been there several times."

As soon as this question came up, even Liu Haizhong and Xu Wude became interested. They also knew the two courtyards at the entrance of the alley. They were two of the best small courtyards, square and well-preserved. They were courtyards that were hard to find in the city. The two of them turned to look at Xu Damao at the same time.

Xu Damao was startled and almost threw Xu Xiaoling out of his arms. He quickly said, "How about this, I'll send my sister back and we'll talk about it when I get back?"

The three of them looked at each other and nodded. Xu Damao carried Xu Xiaoling out, thinking about what to say as he walked.

At this time, Wang Wenyuan didn't know that the people in the next yard were thinking about them. He handed the five million to Feng's mother, saying it was living expenses. If it was not enough, she could tell him. Feng's mother didn't hesitate to take it and put it away.

Wang Wenli snuggled in her brother's arms, holding an iron can in her hands, which was full of peach flesh. It was a can of fruit and also a trophy from the battlefield. The little girl was eating it one spoonful at a time.

Wang Wenyuan was talking to the old lady and Mother Hua, and soon they heard some movement at the door. Wang Wenyuan turned around and saw Mother Feng happily leading He Yushui in. Mother Hua also smiled and said, "Look, let me tell you, this girl is still close to us."

He Yushui ran to Granny Jinhua, took the old lady's hand, and said, "Grandma, I miss you so much."

Granny Jinhua was happy and said, "Good boy, you are grateful."

The little girl was unhappy and shouted, "Sister, if you don't miss me, I won't tell you that I still have canned fruit."

He Yushui came over and hugged her. When the adults heard this, they burst into laughter. Hua's mother said, "This little girl confessed herself."

Wang Wenyuan touched He Yushui's head and said, "How is your father? How was the talk with your brother?"

When He Yushui heard this, she felt a little sad and said aggrievedly: "I said it, but he still wants to leave. I just can't bear to let him go."

Mother Feng said, "Alas, there is nothing we can do about it, even though your father's new wife is pregnant."

Wang Wenyuan said, "That's all. Just write letters frequently. You still have us. By the way, what did your father say about your brother?"

"My dad told him not to care about me anymore. He can't do anything about it anyway, so he should just live his own life. By the way, I brought the house deed with me. Mother Feng, please keep it for me." As he spoke, He Yushui took out the house deed of his east wing from his small bag and handed it to Mother Feng. Mother Feng took it and went out to her own room.

Wang Wenyuan teased the two cute girls and fed them canned fruit. On the other side, Xu Damao, under the coercion of the three men, also told the situation in the yard, but he did not tell Wang Wenyuan because he was afraid of being beaten.

After listening to Xu Damao's story, the three people sent Xu Damao away. The three of them drank and each of them was thinking about something.

(End of this chapter)