Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 64 Children's Feast
June 1960
After Yan Jiekuang finished the exam, he returned to the courtyard.

That day was Yan Jiecheng’s engagement party, and his engagement partner was Yu Li.

Yan Jiekuang looked at the Yu family with great interest. He thought Yu Li was very nice, so he called her sister-in-law all the time, which made Yu Li blush.

The Yu family knew that this was the Yan family's recognition of Yu Li, and they called her sister-in-law to show that they were one family.

Yan Bugui’s arrangements for the banquet were also well organized, with eight dishes and a soup.

The dish was prepared by Yan Jiekuang and Yang Ruiping together.

There can't be too much meat or vegetables at this time, so I made a dish of four-happiness meatballs and a steamed carp.

Yan Jiekuang showed off his cooking skills, stir-frying green beans with dried radish, pumpkin with soy sauce, stir-fried mushrooms, mapo tofu, cabbage in soup, and ants climbing a tree. The soup was West Lake egg custard.

The two families sat around a big table. Yan Bugui said his blessings and the banquet began.

Both parties were very satisfied with the meal, especially Yu Li's sister, who had a special liking for the ants climbing a tree dish and went into her stomach most of it.

After the meal, Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li sat nearby while the parents of both sides discussed the marriage.

Yan Bugui took a sip of tea and his first words startled everyone, "The date will be after the Spring Festival next year. The in-laws will pick a date. My husband and I have prepared a small courtyard in Ganjing Hutong, Qianmen. It's all ready. We'll let them live there when the time comes."

Yan Jiecheng didn’t know that there was another house at home, and he was planning to use the gatehouse. Yu Li didn’t know either.

Yan Bugui said: "Don't be surprised. There are too many people in this compound. The young couple should have their own space after getting married. The house has been prepared a long time ago, but we just didn't tell the eldest brother. This is also a little thought from our parents."

Yan Jiecheng shed tears, and the people in the Yu family were also very moved.

"In addition, the betrothal gift is thirty yuan. Our family has prepared a car for Jie Cheng. After all, that place is some distance away from his workplace. You don't have to worry about it. Part of it belongs to Jie Cheng himself." Yan Bugui explained the matter clearly so that his relatives would not think too much.

"Wedding banquet? It depends on what my in-laws think." Yan Bugui looked at the courtyard and said. He didn't want to hold it in the courtyard, as he was still upset about the third brother's incident.

Yu Li's father said, "Why don't we hold the wedding banquet in a restaurant? It's a hassle to hold it anywhere these days. Let's just have a meal with our two families and relatives."

Yan Bugui had exactly this idea, and after the two sides reached an agreement, the couple was very satisfied.

Yan Jiekuang did not go back to Yu'er Hutong, but took his sister to the courtyard. Looking at his sister's appearance, it was obvious that she was not full.

The two of them cleaned up briefly and lit the stove. Yan Jiekuang got a clay pot and went down to the cellar. When he came back, he started putting things into the pot, all of which were braised sparrows, pork bones, and offal. He added broth and some tofu, and the two of them started eating around the stove. Halfway through, Yan Jiefang also came. When he saw them, he didn't say anything. He moved a stool, took out his chopsticks, and started eating.

The three brothers and sisters enjoyed the meal very much.

Yan Jiefang suddenly said, "I'm here because our principal asked me to tell you that you are the fifth in the city and I want you to come to our school."

Yan Jiekuang was also very happy and said casually, "I'm going to No. 5 Middle School. That's also where I applied."

Yan Jiefang didn't care. He said "I know" and left.

"Brother, you are so awesome." The younger sister looked at the third brother with admiring eyes.

Yan Jiekuang encouraged his sister: "If you work hard, you will be like me."

The next day, Yan Bugui said while having breakfast that he wanted to donate the gatehouse to the street.

Everyone in the Yan family agreed, and they agreed to clean up after dinner.

At this time, Yu Haitang ran in. Yan Jiecheng saw her and asked quickly, "What's wrong? What's going on?"

"My sister was blocked at the entrance of the alley by two people and was not allowed to come in." Yu Haitang said anxiously.

Yan Bugui took the lead and rushed out with the Yan family.

The people in the front yard saw the Yan family running out, thinking that something had happened to the Yan family, and they ran out too.

When he ran over, he saw Xu Damao and Xu Delin surrounding Yu Li. Yan Jiecheng rushed over and pushed Xu Damao away.

When the two of them looked back, they saw that the people in the front yard had arrived.

Yan Bugui was already very angry and said, "You blocked my daughter-in-law, and I will call the police."

"No, Teacher Yan, no, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. I didn't know she was your daughter-in-law." Xu Damao explained quickly.

"Does this count as hooliganism? You're guilty of hooliganism, but you'll be sentenced." Yan Jiekuang's voice came. Yan Jiekuang didn't understand the current criminal law, he just wanted to scare them. Xu Damao and Xu Delin knew that the matter was serious, and any explanation now would be wrong.

Yi Zhonghai said in the back, "We are from the same compound, it's just a misunderstanding, just explain it and apologize."

Yan Jiekuang replied: "What Master Yi meant was, if an apology is useful, what is the use of laws?"

Yi Zhonghai didn't dare to answer and stared at Yan Jiekuang. Yan Jiekuang smiled and said, "I was reported when I was ten years old. Why didn't you say that we were from the same compound, Uncle Yi?"

The police had arrived and were listening to Yu Li's statement. Xu Damao gave a look to the crowd, and Yan Jiekuang saw it.

The police didn't waste any time and took the person away directly. Everything could be explained clearly inside.

Yan Jiekuang whispered to his father, "They have gone to find someone. We can give them face and keep the compensation they deserve. It just so happens that my brother hasn't found the money to hold the banquet yet."

Yan Bugui said nothing and took the Yan family home.

The middle courtyard of the Siheyuan
He Yuzhu went to cook for his own little friend today, so he came back late. When he reached the gate, he heard that Xu Damao and Xu Delin had been taken away.

After returning to the central courtyard, I went to Yi Zhonghai's house and saw Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu were there.

He walked over and poured himself a glass of water, "Uncle Yi, what happened to Damao?"

"What's the matter? I went to intercept Yan Jiecheng, but I didn't expect to be caught red-handed." Jia Dongxu said from the side.

He Yuzhu spat out a mouthful of water. Why did this sound so familiar?

Yi Zhonghai looked at him and thought about Xu Damao. They really looked alike.

He Yuzhu said: "Then how did he get caught in the end?"

Jia Dongxu said, "What time is it now? What good will it do to commit a crime now?"

He Yuzhu asked Yi Zhonghai directly upon hearing this, "Da Mao should be fine, right?"

Yi Zhonghai then said: "It should be fine, I have already found Li Huaide."

He Yuzhu said indignantly: "Why are you looking for Li Huaide? You should look for our Director Yang."

Yi Zhonghai also laughed out loud and said, "Go find Director Yang. I guess it's time to go to the crematorium."

He Yuzhu looked at Jia Dongxu, Jia Dongxu looked at He Yuzhu, and they both laughed.

He Yuzhu said: "After Xu Damao came back, everything else was fine, except that he was a little bit distracted and always wanted to say something."

Yi Zhonghai took a sip of water and said, "It's likely that someone instructed him to do this."

Jia Dongxu said: "Master, the food at the steel mill is getting worse day by day. You need to talk to the higher-ups about this."

He Yuzhu glanced at him and said, "Eat whatever you can. Dinner will be cancelled in a few days."

Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu were shocked: "Ah, really?" They asked He Yuzhu in unison.

He Yuzhu sighed and said, "The steel mills can't get any extra grain either. There's nothing we can do about it. I heard some places have stopped production."

Yi Zhonghai was also nervous and looked at He Yuzhu. He Yuzhu said, "If all else fails, go to the ghost market. The higher-ups will turn a blind eye to the night market."

The two of them didn't have any better ideas, so they agreed to go to the night market in the evening. He Yuzhu said, "I'll go too."

In the second half of the night, the three of them just walked out of the middle courtyard as agreed, and they met Wu Gang and Yi Jun. Wu Gang cautiously said, "Ghost Market".

They nodded to each other and went to the ghost market together.
When it was just getting light, several people came back one after another. Jia Dongxu and Yi Zhonghai bought thirty eggs. There was no food left in the ghost market. Wu Gang bought some sweet potatoes. Yi Jun and He Yuzhu returned empty-handed.

Several people were discussing on the way back, and later it was Yi Jun who suggested that they go to the countryside to have a look. Jia Dongxu felt a little guilty because Qinjia Village really had no food.

Just when everyone was at a loss, the street office came to notify each household to go to the grain store to exchange grain.

　I've been revising, and for some reason I can't change the chapter title. This is chapter 14. Sorry everyone.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)