Life in siheyuan era

At that time, he knew that Zhao Ping couldn't keep a secret. Now, as expected, it was exposed. Zhou Dehou chatted with Zhao Ping at the small shop and learned about Zhou Zhiyuan's girlfriend from afar.

This was a major event for the Zhou family. Zhou Dehou hurried home to tell Lin Shurong about it. Lin Shurong was immediately furious. Zhou Zhiyuan dared to keep his relationship a secret from his parents, an unforgivable sin.

However, Zhou Zhiyuan wasn't home, so Lin Shurong interrogated Zhou Zhining. Zhou Zhining was also very surprised. He knew Shen Lanyin but didn't expect the two to be dating.

Lin Shurong was very realistic and insisted on the marriage principle of social compatibility and men marrying 'down.' Was Zhou Zhiyuan looking for a high-ranking official's daughter to be a slave?

She was unwilling. When Zhou Zhiyuan entered the house, she resolutely said, "You two break up tomorrow."

Zhou Zhiyuan couldn't express his suffering at this moment. If it were last night, he could have denied it outright. Zhang Shan wanted to introduce his niece to him, and Shen Lanyin was just a shield.

But tonight, he couldn't say that, nor could he tell the truth and worry his parents. He could only say, "Mom, I really like her..."

To justify himself, he needed to trace back to the source. As early as when he was on the plateau, he liked Shen Lanyin when Shen Lanbo showed him her photo.

Moreover, they were destined. The second day he returned home, he met Shen Lanyin at the library. They talked happily and confirmed their relationship. The reason for keeping it from his parents was because he was afraid they would object.

He spoke sincerely. Then, seeing Zhou Dehou nod slightly, he knew he had convinced one person. Seeing Lin Shurong covering her forehead, he felt there was hope.

At this time, an ally was needed. He glanced at Zhou Zhining.

Understanding his intention, Zhou Zhining said in a low voice, "Mom, you don't need to worry about this. The children of high-ranking officials are all arrogant. With Zhiyuan's bad temper, he won't be able to stand it for a few days. They'll break up in a few days."

Zhou Zhiyuan was surprised to hear Zhou Zhining say this. Was this how you advised people?

But these words actually worked. Lin Shurong put down her arm and said lightly, "You're right. They won't last a few days."

After saying this, she thought carefully, climbed onto the kang, took out the small box from the kang cabinet, took out five ten-yuan bills and ten jin of grain coupons from it, handed them to Zhou Zhiyuan, and said lightly, "Take it. Although my family is ordinary, we still have to save face. After you two break up, that girl can say you have a bad temper, but she can't say you're stingy."

Lin Shurong's thinking was different. She judged that they wouldn't last long, but she wanted him to be generous. "You should take the girl out for dinner and movies. If you don't have enough, ask Mom. When it's time to break up, don't drag it out. Act like a man."

She wanted face, and this idea was supported by Zhou Dehou. "Your mother is right. Don't be stingy just because you know it's going to end. My Zhou family may be poor, but we have high aspirations."

Zhou Zhining said, "Zhiyuan has always been generous. Dad and Mom, don't worry about this. With Zhiyuan's temper, he won't drag it out when it's time to break up. At most, he'll wave his hand and definitely turn around and leave."

These words matched Zhou Zhiyuan's personality. Lin Shurong smiled with relief, and Zhou Dehou nodded slightly, as if they would break up tomorrow.

The matter was easily resolved. Just when Zhou Zhiyuan thought he had temporarily stabilized the situation, he heard Zhou Zhining say in a low voice, "You said Shen Lanyin is beautiful and a top student at the Beijing Medical College, a doctor at a military hospital. With her conditions, since you two are dating, you should strive to marry her."

In the blink of an eye, Zhou Zhining's attitude changed. In the brothers' room, he became a different person.

This change surprised Zhou Zhiyuan, and he asked in a low voice, "When did you become two-faced?"

"Reality,"

Zhou Zhining replied solemnly. "Our family's situation is better than some but not as good as others, but that's the case when you and I are not married."

"Taking the house as an example, my family only has these two rooms. Mom and Dad also want to bring Grandpa over. If Grandpa comes, we two can live here if we're not married, but if one of us gets married, we won't have enough space."

What Zhou Zhining said was reality, but Zhou Zhiyuan replied easily, "Grandpa won't come. He knows clearly that if he doesn't come, Mom will have to visit him every year, and we'll have to interact with our uncle; if he comes, with our aunt's character, will she let our uncle come to Beijing every year? If he doesn't come, the siblings will break off."

Zhou Zhiyuan speculated on Grandpa's thoughts, and Zhou Zhining agreed, "Grandpa sacrificed himself for his children's affection."

Then, the topic changed, "This is something we should both learn from. When it's time to sacrifice, we have to sacrifice."

These words were clear: Zhou Zhiyuan should sacrifice.

Zhou Zhiyuan said angrily, "Why don't you sacrifice?"

Zhou Zhining sighed, "Do I have the conditions to sacrifice?"

He got to the root of the matter. Zhou Zhining wanted to sacrifice, but a second-grade fitter didn't have the conditions.

Zhou Zhiyuan had the conditions to sacrifice. Dating a high-ranking official's daughter was proof.

But he didn't want to sacrifice. He said in a low voice, "The house isn't a problem. My master has a house. If you get married, the two west wing rooms are enough for you to live in."

He suddenly thought of Mo Youji's house and immediately suggested it because he didn't want to sacrifice.

But Zhou Zhining said angrily, "I'm the eldest son. Are you telling me to move out?"

Seeing him angry, Zhou Zhiyuan, who understood him, said lightly, "Uncle Tao and Aunt Tao live in the east wing. You don't have to serve my master."

But these words didn't appease Zhou Zhining. He still said angrily, "Who will serve me?"

Zhou Zhiyuan opened his mouth at this question, and a sentence almost blurted out, "Do you have any shame?"

Fortunately, he held back and said in a deep voice, "Are you going to let Mom and Dad serve you for the rest of their lives?"

"Am I that unfilial?"

Zhou Zhiyuan immediately reacted to Zhou Zhining's rhetorical question and said in a low voice, "Absolutely not."

Then he said, "Qin Huairu is indeed very diligent, but she's taking care of a mother-in-law and three children. This economic burden will fall on Mom and Dad. Is that what you call filial piety?"

This was a big mountain, pressing down on Zhou Zhining, who pondered for a long time before saying, "This is a very big problem, so I haven't made up my mind yet. You know my personality, and we brothers have also clarified our division of labor."

"I don't know how to make money. I know how to improve, but I can't do it. In this situation, I can only fulfill my responsibilities as the eldest son. I'll do the filial piety to my parents so that you can concentrate on doing things outside."

"You think I'm lazy because I don't do housework, and Mom and Dad think so too, but the truth is that I have to protect the sensitivity of these hands. That's why I didn't learn lathe work from Dad. I can wear gloves when I do fitting work, but not lathe work."

"So, I have to find a wife who is filial and diligent. This is for Mom and Dad. As for me, she must be beautiful, cheerful, well-mannered, intelligent, and she must be filial and deeply in love with me..."

Speaking of this, Zhou Zhining paused, turned to look at Zhou Zhiyuan, and said lightly, "The conditions are there. You find someone for me according to this standard. I can't find anyone, so you put in some effort."

Zhou Zhining's conditions were indeed very clear, so clear that Zhou Zhiyuan had a headache. He didn't have the ability, so he could only reply, "Give me some time."

Zhou Zhining said generously, "I'll give you time. I'm not in a hurry anyway. You're right. Finding Qin Huairu means putting the economic burden on Mom and Dad."

He said this, making Zhou Zhiyuan angry. "Put it on me?"

But Zhou Zhining didn't answer his question and said in a deep voice, "My wife is hard to find, so I'm counting on you. Marry a wife early so that Mom and Dad can rest assured, and have a son so that Mom and Dad can be happy. If you have a son, Mom and Dad won't force me."

"Considering the future of the next generation, if you can find a high-ranking official's daughter, it can also raise the starting point of my future nephew. If he learns painting from me, there will be no problem for him to become a professor at an art academy in the future. You have to think clearly."

Zhou Zhining made his attitude clear. Zhou Zhiyuan covered his forehead and made a weak voice, "You're forcing me."

"I'm not forcing you..." Zhou Zhining smiled. "My attitude towards marriage is indifferent. Qin Huairu is tied to me and can only rely on me, and it's no problem for her to help Mom with some housework."

Zhou Zhiyuan questioned this issue, "How long can Qin Huairu rely on you?"

"I don't know..." Zhou Zhining replied indifferently. "Sha Zhu is interested in her, but she only has me in her eyes now, but women are fickle, who knows what will happen in the future?"

Zhou Zhiyuan took a long breath and said slowly, "In other words, you won't accept her if she doesn't meet your standards, and the prerequisite for accepting Qin Huairu is to solve the economic burden, otherwise you won't get married in this lifetime?"

"That's right..." Zhou Zhining still replied indifferently. "After Mom and Dad are fifty years old, if I don't get married, I'll give up painting and be a diligent son. You don't have to worry about it, just live your own life well."

Zhou Zhining's attitude made Zhou Zhiyuan say weakly, "You're going to force me to death."

"There's no way..." Zhou Zhining said lightly. "You're unlucky to have such a brother."

Zhou Zhiyuan was indeed quite unlucky. Zhou Zhining understood everything, but he would never give up his principles.

He wouldn't bend over for the sake of his career, nor would he lower his standards for the sake of getting married. He was also full of responsibility. As the eldest son, he had to fulfill his filial duty to his parents. As a brother, he had to take on this responsibility.

And Zhou Zhiyuan wasn't a person without a sense of responsibility. He had to consider two issues: either find Zhou Zhining a woman who was both beautiful and virtuous and loved him to the bone, or take on his economic burden.

Faced with this choice, Zhou Zhiyuan calculated and calculated, and still felt that taking on the economic burden was easier than finding him a wife.

He said Shen Lanyin was pretentious, but Zhou Zhining was ten times more pretentious than Shen Lanyin.