Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 60: Steelmaking
New Year's Day of 1958

Qinjia Village is decorated with lights and lanterns today. Qin Yuru is getting married, but the banquet is held in Qinjia Village.

When Zhang Erzhu and Qin Yuru respectfully handed the invitation to Yan Bugui, Yan Jiekuang was stunned. This was the sequelae of the conference. Zhang Erzhu was still dissatisfied with the result, but he remembered Yan Bugui's clear position.

Zhang Erzhu bought a bicycle and a sewing machine, which surprised everyone in Qinjia Village. Yan Jiekuang had nothing to do with this, but Yan Bugui felt a little proud after receiving the invitation, so he asked Yan Jiekuang to help solve the problem of meat for Zhang Erzhu's wedding banquet, charging him according to the market price. Zhang Erzhu was very grateful and invited Yan's family to go together.

When they arrived at Qinjia Village, Yan Jiekuang realized that Zhang Erzhu had not even invited Jia Dongxu. The only people living in the courtyard were Yan Bugui's family, accompanied by his sister Zhang Sanmei.

Zhang Sanmei also enthusiastically introduced Qin Jingru to the Yan family. Qin Jingru was a little girl of about eleven or twelve years old and was Zhang Sanmei's sister.

Yan Bugui was invited to sit at the main table with great honor.

Yan Jiekuang stayed with his sister and mother, and next to him was Qin Jingru. Qin Jingru kept asking about things in the city. Seeing that she was curious, Yan Jiekuang told her some interesting things, but when it came to food, Yan Jiekuang felt that it was not as comfortable as eating in the countryside.

The wedding banquet started with great enthusiasm and ended successfully. The Yan family returned to the courtyard, and Yan Bugui was still a little drunk.

Widow Wang saw the Yan family members coming back, so she asked, "Isn't Zhang Erzhu back yet?"

"No, probably tomorrow. What's the matter?" Yang Ruiping replied.

"The Central Courtyard was in an uproar. First, Jia Zhang scolded Qin Huairu, saying that she was just a matchmaker and was not allowed to attend the wedding banquet. Later, I don't know how Sha Zhu got involved, saying that Zhang Erzhu was disrespectful to the neighbors in the main courtyard by not holding the wedding in the quadrangle. The old men also fanned the flames, surrounding Secretary Han and letting him make the decision." Widow Wang said all in one breath.

Yan Bugui sobered up a little and asked hurriedly, "What about Secretary Han?"

Widow Wang said, "They ran away in anger. In the end, Director Wang came over with a gun, and everyone dispersed."

"This matter should not be over yet. The purpose is to make Director Han give up." Yan Bugui said.

After listening to this, Yan Jiekuang said, "The practice of not biting people but annoying them may be dirty, but it is effective."

After listening to this, Yan Bugui thought for a while and said, "I have to go out for a while."

Yan Jiekuang staggered back to the courtyard. There were no fish in the fish pond and it was frozen.

The two trees have become dry branches. This land has been idle for a while. Should I plant something? Plant flowers, roses.

The younger sister was looking out the door, and Yan Jiekuang said, "It's been a whole day, aren't you tired? Why didn't you take a rest?"

The little sister said coquettishly: "I couldn't sleep, I missed you, and I ran over here."

Yan Jiekuang was amused and asked, "Why do you suddenly miss me?"

The younger sister said, "When Brother Zhang gets married, they all say that they won't need their younger sister anymore. Can you please not get married in the future?"

I don't know who was gossiping, and my little sister heard it. I picked up my little sister and said, "I will always be with you. Let's make a pinky promise."

Siheyuan Backyard

The deaf old lady sat in her rocking chair, next to her was Li Cuilan, and Yi Zhonghai sat at the square table drinking tea.

"It's a bit too much. Secretary Han is from the army. It's impossible for him to be scared by you." said the deaf old lady.

Yi Zhonghai took a sip of tea and said, "I feel a little anxious too. I can't control Jia Dongxu anymore."

The deaf old lady was not optimistic about Jia Dongxu. She didn't think Jia Zhang would willingly give up her son.

Sha Zhu doesn't listen to anyone now. He now has a job as the canteen director and his cooking skills have reached the level of an eighth-level cook. Apart from always staring at Qin Huairu, he has no other problems. The deaf old lady has a good impression of Sha Zhu. Now that Sha Zhu is in the compound, he just listens to what the deaf old lady says.

Yi Zhonghai has been busy for a long time and has nothing in his hands. How can he not be anxious? Yi Zhonghai just wants the deaf old lady to give him some advice.

The deaf old lady saw Yi Zhonghai's situation and said to him, "When you have a say in the factory, maybe things will be different for you in Siheyuan."

Yi Zhonghai took the deaf old lady's words to heart.

At the end of January 1958, the steel mill conducted another comprehensive assessment, and all the people in the compound participated. Yi Zhonghai was a seventh-level fitter, Liu Haizhong was a sixth-level forger, Chang Lin was a sixth-level lathe operator, and Zhang Erzhu was a seventh-level cook.

Jia Dongxu, He Yuzhu, and He Daqing did not take the exam. Jia Dongxu knew he would not pass the exam, so he did not apply. He Yuzhu was busy with his junior high school diploma.

He Daqing didn't take the exam because he wanted to get a job at a state-owned restaurant. Also, He Daqing had other plans. He Yushui was already thirteen years old and was going to junior high school this year.

Spring Festival of 1958

The Yan family gathered together, and Yan Jiecheng had changed a lot. In his father's words, he had become more stable.

Yan Jiekuang sent gifts to the Lou family, Huizhen's family, and three classmates, Zhang Wenchang, Li Chenggang, and Liu Xiangyang. The families of his classmates were all in good condition, so of course, his family also received gifts.

This year, Yang Ruiping was the chef for the New Year's Eve dinner, with Yan Jiekuang helping him. They prepared six dishes: chicken stewed with mushrooms, scrambled eggs with cucumber, mapo tofu, hot and sour shredded potatoes, braised pork with potatoes, stir-fried beans, and an egg custard.

Yan Bugui was free from official responsibilities and was getting younger and younger. He bought Fenjiu for himself. Yang Ruiping rolled his eyes at him.

The younger sister looked at Yan Jiekuang with resentful eyes because she hadn't had delicious fish for a long time.

There are no fish this year, and they are strictly forbidden to go fishing on a large scale. They say there are only so many fish in Shichahai, so it is better to leave more for others.

Yan Jiefang's eyes never left the braised pork since he sat there, just waiting for Yan Bugui's order.

Yan Bugui raised his glass and wished everyone good health and success! Let’s eat!
After eating the New Year’s Eve dinner, Yan Jiefang went to find Sun Xiaolong. This year, the two bought firecrackers and placed them in Yan Jiefang’s house.

Before the younger sister could cheer up, Yan Jiekuang gave her a look and the two of them went back to the courtyard.

Yan Jiekuang took out a lunch box of "big shrimps". Xiaomei's eyes lit up. He poured her a glass of water and ignored him.

When the clock struck twelve, my little sister was awakened by the sound of firecrackers. It seemed that there were more firecrackers this year.

The brother and sister put on their clothes and walked out of the yard. There were fireworks in the sky outside, which was really rare. The fireworks lit up half the sky, and many neighbors came out to watch.

Wen Jun also came out holding his son. Li Juan complained beside him, saying what could a three-month-old child see.

Zhou Zhijun also set off a string of firecrackers, but Zhou Nianping insisted on holding them himself.

Stationmaster Du said he was going back to the Northeast, and that he would bring his mother back when he came back. Doctor An and An Lingling went back to her parents' house. Everyone in the front yard came out.

Yan Bugui arrived late, took out a big firework, placed it in the center of the front yard, and asked Yan Jiefang to light it.

"The night is full of fireworks and the brothers and sisters are dancing!"

In February, Yan Jiekuang felt the heat coming, the whole country was getting excited. "Surpass Britain in three years, catch up with the United States in five years!" "The bolder the people, the more productive the land!" Slogans were all over the walls.

People in the compound are even busier, especially the workers in the steel rolling mill. They are really hard-working and you can hardly see them in the compound.

The school was also busy, building a blast furnace and collecting scrap metal. Students also had to hand in scrap metal. Yan Jiekuang was carrying his own three pounds of scrap metal. As soon as he entered the classroom, Liu Xiangyang came over and asked if it was enough. Yan Jiekuang said it was no problem.

His father got even more at school, ten kilograms, and this was not even counting the target set by the street office. The street office originally wanted each family to get ten kilograms, but the neighbors in the backyard actively responded to the call and changed the ten kilograms to twenty kilograms.

The Yan family only had one pot left, and Yan Jiekuang had made some preparations in advance because he knew that this was just the beginning.

When he learned that Sister Huizhen and Cai Quanwu had obtained a thousand kilograms, his thoughts changed and he began to actively hand over his goods, preparing fifty kilograms for his father.

I gave the teacher another five kilograms, but Yan Jiefang didn't bring any home and I didn't know where he got it.

The entire Yan family actively participated and contributed their own strength.

The steel production campaign lasted for two months, and every household ran out of iron. But the steel mills continued to produce steel, as they were the main force.

During this period, Liu Haizhong was awarded the title of advanced worker because he worked so hard and refused to leave the front line even with minor injuries.

(End of this chapter)