Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 67: The Gatekeeper Changes Ownership
On New Year's Eve, the Yan family had suffered a lot this year, and Mom and Dad had also given a lot. Although they did not run out of food like others, they did not eat very well.

There were only four dishes for the New Year's Eve dinner this year: Yan Jiefang's mixed fish hotpot, his mother's cabbage stewed with potatoes, Yan Jiekuang's candied sweet potato, a dish of mushroom and wild vegetable soup made by his father, and two-grain flour for steamed buns.

Yan Bugui had plenty of wine, and Yan Jiekuang had a lot of loose wine in his cellar. Everyone was having a good time at the table, talking about the eldest brother's wedding banquet, the second brother's ideal, the third brother's No. 5 Middle School, and finally the youngest sister who was going to start elementary school this summer.

Yan Bugui said: "So you and Yan Jiefang are going to take the high school entrance exam next year?"

Yan Jiekuang smiled strangely and said, "As long as I am good in all subjects, I don't need to take the exam and can be promoted directly. Our No. 5 Middle School is a junior high school and a high school."

Yan Jiefang's eyes widened, "Can you test like this?"

"Why do you think I have to go to No. 5 Middle School? It's easier." Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Jiefang went to his father and said, "Dad, you are a teacher. Why didn't you tell me earlier about this?"

Yan Bugui was embarrassed and said, "This school is rare, most people can't remember it."

Yang Ruiping said: "Okay, you are going to join the army, why are you fussing about this?"

Yan Jiekuang also said: "Now it's a two plus two education system, everyone is the same"

Yan Jiefang was instantly happy, but this had its pros and cons. His younger sister suddenly shouted, "I want to go to No. 5 Middle School, too!"

Yang Ruiping said: "My Jie Di is smart, no problem."

Everyone encouraged the girl, and the New Year's Eve dinner went by uneventfully.

After the Chinese New Year, Yan Jiekuang sent all the study materials for the high school entrance exam to the small room. Yan Jiefang looked at the materials covering half a wall and felt like crying but had no tears.

New Years later, Yan Jiekuang had a talk with Lou Xiao'e and told her about Xu Damao's character and asked her to judge for herself. In Yan Jiekuang's opinion, this man was not a good match.

Lou Xiao'e was very confused. Her family was arranging a blind date, but it hadn't started yet. She had unconditional trust in Yan Jiekuang and kept his words in mind.

Only Yan Bugui's family knew that Dr. An was leaving. Dr. An's parents were going abroad on a long business trip, so Dr. An and An Lingling had to go with them.

This was the first time Yan Bugui arranged for the two families to get together. Originally, they wanted to eat at home, but Yan Jiekuang said, "Let's go to Quanjude. It has a meaning."

The two families went to Quanjude together and had a meal. After the meal, Yan Jiekuang learned that An Lingling was the orphan of a martyr and both her parents had died. Yan Jiekuang looked at An Lingling, and An Lingling gave him a big smile.

An Lingling said to Yan Jiekuang: "Little brat, all the good memories of my courtyard are related to you, don't forget me."

Yan Jiekuang cried, Yan Jiefang, An Lingling, and my younger sister all cried, and Dr. An also cried.

Another farewell.

August 1961

Yan Jiefang was in the second year of junior high school. Yan Jiedi also successfully enrolled in school. After Yan Jiecheng got married, he only came back on weekends, but Yu Li often came back to accompany Yang Ruiping.

Yan Jiekuang is also a sophomore in junior high school. He is as outstanding as ever, but recently he has developed a new habit: drinking tea.

Yan Jiekuang has been paying attention. According to his memory, there should be major changes in the Jia family this year, and this is also the beginning of everything that happened later.

But until now, Jia Dongxu has been very normal. He goes to work when he is supposed to, leaves work when he is supposed to, and occasionally goes out to buy some food.

Qin Huairu is indeed pregnant, her belly is already showing, isn't it said that Huaihua is a posthumous child? Yan Jiekuang was a little confused.

Everything was normal, but no, Jia Zhang was not normal. She was with Yang Ruiping every day, doing needlework together and chatting about family matters.

Yes, as soon as Jia Zhang complained that the place was small, Yang Ruiping gave up the gatehouse and allowed her to live there for free.

The small gatehouse was returned to the street office, but the street office couldn't handle it. If you want a military household housing, you have to ask the army for approval, so the street office doesn't want it either.

Jia Zhang was upset when she received the key to the gatehouse. Who would live here? I definitely wouldn't go. If they went, it wouldn't be to be independent. Let's hide it for now.

The Yan family knew about the gatehouse. First, the gatehouse was indeed too small. Second, the Yan family had too many houses in the quadrangle, which could easily cause unnecessary trouble. They were just thinking about how to push it away when Jia Zhang came and said, "Okay, I'll give it to you." Jia Zhang was worried about not having a house, and now she is worried about having a house.

Jia Dongxu was also worried. Jia Geng was going to school, and it was not a good thing for him to always stay in the same room with his grandmother and sister.

He was still frightened by the previous incident of forcibly taking the room, and he didn't dare to mention such a thing to his master again.

Jia Zhang was holding her sewing basket and as soon as she entered the room, she saw her son sitting there in a daze.

Jia Zhang asked casually, "What's wrong? Is work not going well?"

"No, Mom, I'm thinking about Banggeng. You said Banggeng is going to school soon, and it's not a good idea for him to live in the same room with you and Xiaodang," Jia Dongxu said helplessly.

Jia Zhang was in a dilemma, and felt a little distressed when she saw Jia Dongxu, so she said, "I have a house, but it's not suitable for Bang Geng."

Jia Dongxu jumped up from his chair and ran to his mother, "Mom, what did you say?"

Jia Zhang looked at Jia Dongxu and said, "That house is not suitable for Banggeng."

"Which house?" Jia Dongxu asked.

"Isn't this what I've been nagging about to the Yan family? They saw that I was in trouble and said they would lend us the doorman for free." Jia Zhang said hesitantly.

Qin Huairu was also surprised by this surprise, "Really, Mom, that house even has a yard."

Jia Dongxu turned around and said, "You don't leave the courtyard, but you know everything about it. By the way, Mom, how about Huairu and I go over there?"

Jia Zhang was startled. She didn't want her son to go to the front yard. She said, "You two, keep the door open. People come in and out here. Can you make it convenient?"

Qin Huairu's face immediately turned red, "Mom~~"

Jia Dongxu thought about it and turned his gaze to his mother, "Don't look at me. I'm an old lady living in the gatehouse by myself. Are you still staying in the yard?" Jia Zhang said quickly.

Jia Dongxu was a little anxious and asked, "What should we do then?"

Jia Zhang said, "I've been thinking about that too. The gatehouse is about the same size as the ear room. Let's see who to exchange it with."

Jia Dongxu's eyes lit up, and then he began to think about them one by one.

Jia Zhang looked at Jia Dongxu, and Jia Dongxu looked at Jia Zhang. They both said in unison, "Yi Jun"

That night, Jia Dongxu invited Yi Jun to dinner. Yi Jun was surprised, thinking that they were not familiar with each other, but he went anyway.

At the dinner table, Jia Dongxu talked about his family's difficulties and then mentioned the gatekeeper in the front yard.

Yi Jun thought about the house carefully and his eyes lit up. That house was great. It had a small courtyard and most importantly, it was far away from Yi Zhonghai.

Yi Jun is an orphan who fled here, but he has a martyr certificate, which belonged to his father, so the street office allocated him a house and arranged a job. He had a master in the steel rolling mill, but ever since Yi Zhonghai found out about him, he would guide him in the workshop whenever he had time, which made both Yi Jun and his master very embarrassed.

Yi Jun is an introverted person. His experience of fleeing has made him submissive to some things. But Yi Zhonghai is too enthusiastic. He works behind him and asks about his well-being every day. After a long time, Yi Jun is afraid and wants to hide, but he has no chance.

Now that the opportunity had come, Yi Jun agreed immediately.

The two were very efficient and found Yan Bugui. With the help of Director Wang from the Street Office, the three of them quickly completed the formalities. Jia Dongxu also got a big advantage. Due to the ownership of the gatehouse, the army saw that Yi Jun was a family member of a martyr, so they provided the formalities. The gatehouse that Yi Jun got became a private house. It was not equal to exchange a public house for a private house.

Director Wang said, then turn the small ear room into a private room. Yi Jun symbolically paid fifty yuan, and the money was paid by Jia Dongxu. In the end, the original ear room and this gatehouse were both turned into private rooms.

The families felt relieved and all they had left was to move.

　Thanks to everyone for coming to the mountain. I will add another chapter and it will be online tomorrow. Thank you for your support.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)