Life in siheyuan era

Both Shen Jue and Chen Shuying were high-ranking officials, but the dinner was quite ordinary. Seven people shared eight dishes, with only three considered good: Sweet and Sour Carp, Fried Pork Slices, and Garlic Sprouts with Pork. The other five dishes were simple cabbage, radish, and potatoes.

There were two cabbage dishes alone: Sweet and Sour Cabbage slices, and cabbage stewed with tofu, topped with a few slices of fatty meat.

These were dishes that ordinary people often ate, and also what the Shen family regularly consumed. At the dinner table, there wasn't much difference between high-ranking officials and commoners.

The only difference was that they were drinking Moutai liquor tonight. This was a perk for high-ranking officials, who could buy a few bottles of high-end liquor and several packs of high-end cigarettes with coupons.

Shen Jue didn't smoke, and neither did Shen Lanbo. They couldn't use the high-end cigarette coupons, so they gave them to Fang Muxian, the chain smoker.

But Shen Jue drank alcohol, and Chen Shuying could also have a couple of ounces. Fang Nan had to keep Chen Shuying company, so only Shen Lanbo and Shen Lanyin didn't drink at the dinner table tonight.

Shen Lanbo couldn't drink alcohol; he was responsible for pouring it.

Shen Lanyin, on the other hand, simply didn't drink. Seeing Shen Lanbo fill Zhou Zhiyuan's glass, she frowned and said, "Are you a drunkard?"

Before Zhou Zhiyuan could reply, Shen Lanbo cheerfully said, "Zhiyuan doesn't particularly enjoy drinking, but he can handle a bit."

"I rely on my physical strength," Zhou Zhiyuan added.

Shen Jue smiled and said, "Young people are all like this. As long as you don't become addicted."

After saying this, Shen Jue raised his glass and said, "Zhiyuan is a guest tonight. Once you enter the family tomorrow, you won't be a guest anymore. Have a drink with Uncle Shen."

Zhou Zhiyuan drank a bit with Shen Jue and Chen Shuying. Then, he noticed Shen Jue putting food on Chen Shuying's plate, and Shen Lanbo putting food on Fang Nan's plate. Chen Shuying then said to Shen Lanyin, "Let Zhiyuan put food on your plate."

Chen Shuying stopped putting food on Shen Lanyin's plate, so Shen Lanyin could only look at Zhou Zhiyuan. However, Zhou Zhiyuan looked at Aunt Liu and said softly, "Aunt Liu, could you please get me another pair of chopsticks?"

Aunt Liu smiled and agreed, getting up and going into the kitchen. After a while, she brought back a pair of chopsticks. Zhou Zhiyuan took them and used them to put two pieces of Fried Pork Slices and two helpings of Garlic Sprouts on Shen Lanyin's plate. Then, he put down those chopsticks, picked up another pair with his right hand, held his bowl with his left hand, and started picking up cabbage slices.

This action made the Shen family members look at each other. Zhou Zhiyuan used his right hand to pick up food without any difficulty, but his use of two pairs of chopsticks was quite unusual.

He put the cabbage slices in his bowl, then placed the bowl on the table. Looking up, he saw everyone looking at him and explained, "I like to eat cabbage."

Shen Jue smiled and said, "I like it too." After saying that, he picked up a piece of cabbage with his chopsticks and started eating. Soon, everyone started eating and drinking. After a while, they understood what Zhou Zhiyuan was using the two pairs of chopsticks for: one pair was specifically for putting food on Shen Lanyin's plate.

He had no objection to this. Gender equality didn't extend to the dinner table. Men could get up and pick up food, but women couldn't get up and pick up food in front of guests. This wasn't a rule, but rather a woman's restraint.

Zhou Zhiyuan's behavior, however, showed no sense of restraint. He got up and reached for food with his chopsticks without any hesitation, but his main target was cabbage, while he put meat on Shen Lanyin's plate.

This attitude greatly displeased Shen Lanyin. "Am I very greedy?" she thought, because of the food Zhou Zhiyuan put on her plate. Looking at the piece of fish, she kicked Zhou Zhiyuan's calf with her foot.

Zhou Zhiyuan looked at her, then suddenly got up and walked towards the kitchen. Under the puzzled gazes of everyone, he came out with a bowl and a pair of chopsticks. Using the clean chopsticks, he put a bowl of cabbage in front of Shen Lanyin.

So, in front of Shen Lanyin were now two bowls, and there were two pairs of chopsticks specifically for putting food on her plate.

This arrangement attracted everyone's attention, but Shen Lanyin looked at Zhou Zhiyuan and asked in a low voice, "Am I very greedy?"

"It's not a matter of greed..." Zhou Zhiyuan replied seriously, "You're very pretentious."

Their voices weren't loud, but at this moment, when everyone was paying attention, the voices weren't considered soft.

"Ha..." Shen Lanbo laughed loudly.

But when she came to her senses, she had no more chances. Dinner ended, and after chatting for a while, Zhou Zhiyuan got up to leave.

Shen Lanbo walked alongside him and said in a low voice, "In the process of getting along with Lanyin, don't have the idea of acting to complete a task. I hope you can become my brother-in-law."

Zhou Zhiyuan replied in a low voice, "Your hope is useless. Your sister's attitude is the key. She doesn't think highly of me."

"That's because she doesn't understand you yet..." Shen Lanbo encouraged him, then said, "Lanyin also suffered when she was young. She's not a delicate young lady. You have to learn to coax her. She will be a good wife."

"Gentle and virtuous?" Saying this, Zhou Zhiyuan chuckled and said in a low voice, "Do you know that she kicked me five times during this meal?"

He revealed a fact, but Shen Lanbo still had something to say: "This shows that she doesn't treat you like an outsider. It's a good sign."

Hearing him say this, Zhou Zhiyuan sighed and said, "How cheap do I have to be?"

Shen Lanbo also sighed and said, "You have to learn to coax her. Don't argue with her head-on. You must visit Lanyin tomorrow when you go to see the workers, otherwise people will become suspicious."

"Got it," Zhou Zhiyuan replied helplessly.

The two of them were talking as they walked out of the military compound. Turning a corner, they saw the green jeep parked by the roadside.

The two got into the car and heard Zhang Limin say in a low voice, "I have made preparations. As soon as the museum sends news, we will immediately implement the exploration operation in Fangshan."

"You two don't need to participate in this operation for the time being. We'll move according to the specific situation. I don't want to expose you two yet."

"Next week, Lanbo will complete the relevant procedures and start working in the Public Security Bureau. Zhiyuan will focus on that building. Black Cat may have left, or may not have left, but we need to find out why it appeared in that building."

Zhang Limin arranged the task, and Zhou Zhiyuan leaned over and said in a low voice, "Two suggestions: first, weapons, a pistol and a dagger; second, can you arrange a house? I can't go to Zhang Yong's house every day."

Zhang Limin rejected the first suggestion, "Your murderous intent is too heavy. This killing aura has not yet been eliminated. Pistols and daggers cannot be given to you for the time being."

He adopted the first suggestion, "I'll find a way to find you a room in that building. You have to think about how to tell your family."

"Lie..." Zhou Zhiyuan replied lightly, "I'll just say that Political Commissar Zhang is terminally ill, and I'm going to serve him for a few days. When he kicks the bucket, I can go home."

This suggestion was adopted by Zhang Limin, "Okay, but there is a problem you have to think about. When I go to your house, you have to think about how to explain how I, who kicked the bucket, came back to life?"

"It's simple..." Zhou Zhiyuan still replied lightly, "Just say that I conducted a deep review when you kicked the bucket. I shouldn't have tricked me and shouldn't have been ruthless. So I forgave you, and you came back to life."

"Heh..." Shen Lanbo chuckled.

Zhang Limin replied seriously, "As long as your parents believe it, you can say that."

At this time, Shen Lanbo decided to say something private, "Zhiyuan and Lanyin are dating."

Zhang Limin looked at Shen Lanbo in surprise, then turned to look at Zhou Zhiyuan in the back, and turned back to ponder for a moment and said, "Since it's clear, you have to get along well and strive to marry her."

Shen Lanbo immediately said, "Political Commissar is wise."

Zhou Zhiyuan said at the same time, "Impossible, we are not on the same path."

Shen Lanbo turned his head and said, "Wouldn't it be okay to become people on the same path?"

Zhang Limin asked in a deep voice, "What happened?"

Shen Lanbo didn't hide it from him, and frankly said what happened, also to let Zhang Limin have a clear understanding.

Zhang Limin pondered for a moment and said, "This matter ends here, don't spread it, deal with it calmly. That big leader will not hold on to this matter, that Madam dare not do too much, and as far as I know, that young master is striving to make progress and will not delay his future because of this matter."

"We will keep in touch at any time. If that Madam makes things difficult, I will pass the news to that young master and make some noise to let him come forward to stop it. That Madam can only stop."

Zhang Limin's words were exactly what Shen Lanbo hoped for. He immediately gave a thumbs up and said happily, "Political Commissar is wise, Political Commissar is chivalrous, Political Commissar protects his own."

"Flattery is useless..." Zhang Limin replied lightly, "Your father can't come forward for this matter, only I can do it."

Zhang Limin agreed, and Shen Lanbo felt confident. At this time, the second problem had to be solved, "Political Commissar, Zhiyuan's female section chief also lives in that building. I'm worried that Zhiyuan will commit a lifestyle problem."

Shen Lanbo took precautions, and Zhou Zhiyuan angrily said, "We are innocent, Section Chief Han has a partner, you can't slander people, let alone doubt my integrity."

He defended Han Xue and himself, but Shen Lanbo seized the handle and immediately said, "Political Commissar, did you see it? Saying a word of concern made me anxious, this is a guilty conscience."

Zhang Limin turned his head to look at Zhou Zhiyuan again, turned his head back and said in a deep voice, "Principle issues are not allowed to make mistakes, and lifestyle problems will be shot on the spot."

Zhou Zhiyuan smiled bitterly and changed the subject: "You came all the way here, not to shoot me, right?"

"No..." Zhang Limin remembered the business, "I'm here to send you two certificates. From now on, you two are official military investigators of ZYTK. Lifestyle problems will be judged by the military court and shot on the spot."

Zhang Limin's tone was very serious, and he reached out and took out two certificates from his bag and handed them to them.

Zhou Zhiyuan opened it and looked at it, and saw his photo in military uniform by the car lights, with his identity noted next to it, "ZYTK Military Investigator Zhou Zhiyuan, Lieutenant."

Looking at this line of words, he was satisfied. He was still the lieutenant officer. Taking another look, he gently closed the certificate and carefully put it in his jacket pocket, and replied casually, "Political Commissar, I just said that I kicked the bucket, do you have to shoot me twice? You are too narrow-minded to be a leader."

Zhou Zhiyuan had to remind him that Zhang Limin's mind was not big.