Life in siheyuan era

Xu Damao left, and the First Aunt, standing in front of her door, asked loudly, "Old Zhou, Zhiyuan, what are you doing?"

Zhou Dehou replied, "He's helping his mother start the fire and cook."

Responding to the First Aunt's question, Zhou Dehou took Zhou Zhiyuan's vegetable basin to help him wash the cabbage.

Then he heard the First Aunt laugh and say, "Zhiyuan is a good kid."

"Yes," Zhou Dehou responded again, but he would never say another word. Good kids and bad kids were all his, and had nothing to do with others.

At this moment, Zhou Zhiyuan was chatting with Lin Shurong about family matters.

Lin Shurong was good at stewing fish. She cleaned a carp and put it in the pot to stew, then turned to the cutting board and cut the cured meat into sections.

These two pieces of cured meat were sent by Zhou Dehou's half-brother from CQ. Lin Shurong wasn't good at making cured meat, so she cut it and waited for Zhou Dehou to come back and handle it.

Zhou Zhiyuan squatted in front of the stove, tending to the fire, occasionally using the stove hook to poke at the firewood to make it burn hotter.

He was looking for something to do. Lin Shurong didn't need him, but she let him do it since he insisted.

Zhou Zhiyuan's purpose in doing this was to make Lin Shurong happy. While tending to the fire, he talked about his plan to visit his maternal grandfather in SY.

He missed his maternal grandfather. Saying it now was to please Lin Shurong. Lin Shurong was concerned about her elderly father. She had a mean and lazy sister-in-law, and her brother was a henpecked man.

She worried that her elderly father wasn't eating well, that the cotton in his quilt was clumped together, that his clothes hadn't been washed for a long time, and that the paper on the ceiling of his room had several large holes.

Her elderly father had a gentle personality and wouldn't tell outsiders whether he was doing well or not.

Lin Shurong was filial and applied for statutory family leave every year to go to SY.

When she arrived at her elderly father's house, she would thoroughly clean the room, paste new paper on the ceiling, take apart and wash her elderly father's bedding, and fluff the cotton in the bedding until it was flat and smooth.

Before leaving, she would wash her elderly father's last set of dirty clothes and buy a few packages of pastries to put on the kang cabinet in the room.

She was concerned about her elderly father. Hearing that Zhou Zhiyuan wanted to visit his maternal grandfather in SY, she was happy and said, "Last year when your eldest brother got married, your maternal grandfather was still talking about you. You should go back and see your maternal grandfather."

Lin Shurong still wanted to bring some food for her elderly father, but Zhou Zhiyuan had his own ideas and said softly, "Grandpa is old and can't eat much. If we take it, my aunt will confiscate it. It's better to bring Grandpa some money."

Lin Shurong replied, "We definitely have to bring something. Bring some pastries that your grandpa likes to keep, and also bring something for your aunt. Mom will give you some money to give to your grandpa privately."

She mailed 20 yuan a month to her elderly father for living expenses, and gave him some money when she visited him.

Zhou Zhiyuan didn't comment on Lin Shurong's arrangement. He had his own ideas and suggested, "Why not bring Grandpa here?"

Lin Shurong replied, "Mom and Dad also think so. They mentioned it when they went back last year, but your uncle and aunt both disagreed. Your grandpa also doesn't want to come. He can't bear to leave his old friends. You can talk to him again when you go back. If your grandpa agrees, come back together."

Hearing her words, Zhou Zhiyuan was surprised. It was understandable that his maternal uncle disagreed. If his elderly father went to his sister's house to retire, he would lose face among his neighbors and coworkers.

But his maternal aunt actually disagreed too, which was suspicious.

"This suspicion..." Zhou Zhiyuan suddenly thought of a possibility and whispered, "Grandpa has something good in his hands, right?"

Lin Shurong frowned and thought for a while, then replied uncertainly, "Your grandpa never mentioned it to Mom, and your maternal grandmother didn't say anything before she died..."

Saying this, she reacted, glared at Zhou Zhiyuan, and said angrily, "Whether your grandpa has something good or not has nothing to do with you. If he does, he'll leave it to your uncle. Just bring your grandpa back. If you dare take anything, I'll break your leg!"

Lin Shurong suddenly became angry, and Zhou Zhiyuan was startled. Then he heard Zhou Dehou's voice coming from outside: "Your mother is right. Your surname is Zhou. The Lin family's good things are for your eldest maternal uncle. It would be a great achievement if you went to SY to pick up your maternal grandfather."

Zhou Dehou brought Zhou Zhinning into the kitchen after washing the vegetables. He expressed his position in a timely manner after hearing the conversation between the mother and son, only wanting to fulfill his filial duties and not wanting anything good. He was grateful that his old father-in-law treated him well and married his daughter to him.

So Zhou Zhiyuan was once again being educated. Zhou Dehou and Lin Shurong taught their two sons not to be greedy or resentful. Whether their maternal grandfather had anything good or not, they shouldn't covet it. They should have the ability to earn it outside, and it was useless to covet their own family's things.

Just as Zhou Zhiyuan and Zhou Zhinning were obediently accepting the teachings, Shen Lanbo put down his rice bowl and said softly, "Mom, Aunt Liu, you eat slowly. I'm going to rest for a while."

After eating a small bowl of rice, Shen Lanbo felt weak. He said a word and got up to walk out.

Fang Nan quickly stood up and supported his arm, walking towards the living room.

Chen Shuying couldn't rest assured. She put down her rice bowl and walked out of the dining room. Seeing Shen Lanbo lying on his side on the sofa, she walked over and sat down on one side, saying softly, "Your Great-Grandpa Xie will be back in a few days. Just stay at home and rest these few days. Don't go out."

Shen Lanbo gasped a few times, sighed softly, and replied, "You also know that I can't stay idle. The more I stay, the worse my body gets."

At this moment, Shen Lanyin's voice came: "You have to stay idle even if you can't. This disease requires rest at home."

As she spoke, Shen Lanyin walked over to look at Shen Lanbo, then turned around and moved a chair to sit in front of the coffee table.

She took care of her own seat. Fang Xiang, who came out behind her, didn't have a place, so he moved a chair and put it next to Shen Lanyin.

Facing Shen Lanbo, everyone sat in a semicircle. Shen Lanbo lay on his side on the long sofa, Chen Shuying sat on the single sofa at his feet, Fang Nan sat opposite Chen Shuying, and Shen Lanyin and Fang Xiang sat side by side in front of the coffee table.

Shen Lanbo raised his eyes to look at the two of them, then withdrew his gaze and said softly, "Zhiyuan gave me an idea to be a substitute teacher at the elementary school."

Fang Nan immediately said, "I agree with this idea. Lanbo doesn't have to teach all day. He can go when there's a class and rest when there isn't. He won't be tired and he'll have something to do."

They had discussed it beforehand and reached a consensus.

Chen Shuying pondered for a moment and said worriedly, "Substitute teachers are also very tired. Teachers have to be responsible for the children. What if..."

Chen Shuying was worried, but didn't want to say anything unpleasant.

Shen Lanbo chuckled softly and replied, "Don't worry, if I can't hold on, Zhiyuan will take my class for me. I'm thinking of arranging it so that after Zhiyuan is assigned a job, I'll be a substitute teacher at a school near his workplace. You can rest assured with him taking care of you."

Hearing his arrangement, Chen Shuying frowned.

She knew Zhou Zhiyuan and knew that the two were like brothers, but that was in the army. It would be different when they transferred to local work. Zhou Zhiyuan also had a job.

Chen Shuying was worried and subtly reminded Shen Lanbo: "It can't affect Zhou Zhiyuan's work."

Chen Shuying had concerns, and Shen Lanbo naturally heard it. He coughed twice and said earnestly, "Mom, I know what you mean. We don't need to consider these things. Zhiyuan will find a way."

His words made Chen Shuying stop talking. Fang Nan and Shen Lanyin also didn't speak, while Fang Xiang smiled and said, "Aunt Chen, don't worry. It's his honor to be associated with the Shen family. Naturally, he won't dare to be negligent in serving us."

Fang Xiang said this because that's what he thought. As a child of high-ranking officials, he had a strong sense of superiority.

But another child of high-ranking officials didn't have this sense of superiority. Shen Lanbo looked at him, then withdrew his gaze and said slowly, "My dad can't compare to Uncle Fang. The Fang family's position is much higher than the Shen family's..."

Hearing Shen Lanbo say this, Fang Nan hurriedly called out, "Lanbo..."

Shen Lanbo waved his hand to stop Fang Nan from speaking, looked at Fang Xiang, and said slowly, "With the Fang family's position, it's impossible for you, Fang Xiang, to become friends with Zhiyuan, let alone brothers. He respects our parents' generation, but he doesn't feel anything for us. Deep down, he's more arrogant than you."

These words were very heavy, and Fang Xiang was speechless for a moment.

Shen Lanyin pursed her lips. She didn't think Zhou Zhiyuan was arrogant. Didn't he serve her wontons and fried cakes?

But she didn't know how to speak, and Fang Nan understood Shen Lanbo's meaning and wouldn't speak. Chen Shuying said solemnly, "Ask your dad for his opinion when he calls."

Her saying this meant that she agreed with Shen Lanbo's idea.

Shen Lanbo smiled slightly, glanced at Fang Xiang again, and said slowly, "Fang Xiang, my dad and Uncle Fang are as close as brothers. Based on this friendship between our parents, you are Lanyin's brother. Just fulfill your responsibility to protect Lanyin when you should, and don't disturb her at other times."

Fang Xiang was pursuing Shen Lanyin. Shen Lanbo's words made it clear, "I don't agree."

His attitude made Chen Shuying nod slightly. Shen Lanyin still pursed her lips, feeling that Shen Lanbo should have spoken more directly, for example, "If you harass Lanyin again, I'll beat you up."

Fang Nan looked at Shen Lanbo and then looked at Fang Xiang.

Fang Xiang looked at Shen Lanyin, then turned his head and said, "You don't know, there's a gigolo at the hospital who's pestering Lanyin all day long. Aren't I protecting Lanyin?"

Fang Xiang's words made Chen Shuying and Shen Lanbo look at Shen Lanyin at the same time, but Shen Lanyin turned her face and glared at Fang Xiang fiercely.

Seeing this scene, Fang Nan withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly. Fang Xiang spoke without thinking, losing points in Shen Lanyin's heart.

Shen Lanbo glanced at Shen Lanyin, then withdrew his gaze and looked at Fang Xiang, saying indifferently, "If there really is a gigolo pestering Lanyin, I will arrange for Zhiyuan to solve this matter, so I won't trouble you. You should put all your心思 on economic construction."

Shen Lanbo's words to Fang Xiang were impolite. They were the same age and childhood playmates, but Shen Lanbo just couldn't stand Fang Xiang.