Siheyuan's Silly Pillar has been replaced by someone else

In the blink of an eye, it is New Year’s Eve.

On this day, He Yuzhu took his family to the courtyard to celebrate the New Year.

He Yuzhu's family is better off; they have heating, but the place is small.

For a division-level cadre, a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment is sufficient. It's already cramped for their family, let alone with He Daqing and his wife, and Liu Tao and his family of three.

After settling down in Beijing, Liu Tao brought his child over from Tianjin.

The last time I spent Chinese New Year with He Daqing was more than ten years ago.

Despite the distance, He Yuzhu felt nothing. He and He Daqing didn't have that deep a relationship.

The sisters He Yushui and He Yuqing were different; they brought their families to the courtyard to have New Year's Eve dinner with He Daqing.

Overall, the He family's side was quite lively.

The atmosphere in courtyard number 95 was just so-so.

Without Sha Zhu, who was a sucker, Yi Zhonghai's life became increasingly miserable.

He followed Qin Huairu to the Jia family for the New Year, and always felt like he was living under someone else's roof.

This feeling made him very uncomfortable.

During the same period, while Sha Zhu listened to him, Yi Zhonghai was living a very comfortable life.

The Jia family needs Sha Zhu's help, so they outwardly want to curry favor with him. However, to curry favor with Sha Zhu, they don't need to put effort into working on him personally.

As long as Yi Zhonghai is appeased, Sha Zhu will naturally obey.

To the outside world, Sha Zhu is the head of the family, but in reality, Yi Zhonghai is the one who calls the shots.

The Jia family knew very well that offending Sha Zhu was no big deal, but they couldn't afford to offend Yi Zhonghai.

In order to continue to make Sha Zhu serve the Jia family like a slave, the Jia family really treated Yi Zhonghai like an ancestor.

Even Jia Zhangshi, in the end, didn't dare to easily give Yi Zhonghai the cold shoulder.

Yi Zhonghai finally achieved his dream and inherited the position of the deaf old lady's ancestor.

At the time, his only regret was that Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui hadn't joined.

Without the two of them, he never felt safe, always afraid that Sha Zhu would run away with Lou Xiao'e one day.

Now that Sha Zhu's support is gone, he's just a helpless old man.

The disdain on Jia Zhangshi's face was not concealed.

The Jia family children weren't particularly respectful to him, and Banggeng especially ignored him.

Qin Huairu wasn't particularly respectful to him; she only maintained a superficial level of respect.

People with a strong desire for control are very perceptive.

Yi Zhonghai naturally sensed this, but he dared not vent it.

He no longer has the confidence to turn against the Jia family.

Yi Zhonghai ate a bowl of dumplings at Jia's house, then left and walked out alone.

Yan Bugui's situation is only slightly better than Yi Zhonghai's. In any case, he's eating at home and doesn't have to worry about what others think.

The couple made two bowls of dumplings and stir-fried two dishes, one vegetarian and one meat.

There was no need for Yan Bugui to divide it; each person held a bowl and watched from there.

The three women sighed countless times, tears welling up in their eyes.

"I told you not to mention money, not to mention money, why won't you listen?"

When Jiefang and Jie Kuang heard that you wanted money, they simply stopped coming back.

Jie Cheng, even though we live in the same courtyard, never comes over. Look at the Li family across the street, it's so lively there.”

Yan Bugui said with a dark face, "I just said it casually, who knew they would take it seriously."

He could only use this excuse as a cover-up.

The Yan family members know the Yan family members best.

Yan Jiecheng's children were educated by Yan Bugui from a young age and knew him very well.

Since Yan Bugui has said he wants money, he will inevitably find a reason to ask for it.

They dare to trust Yan Bugui, and Yan Bugui dares to cheat them.

The three aunts naturally understood Yan Bugui and completely ignored his explanation.

Yan Bugui sighed again, ate a couple of bites, and then didn't want to eat anymore.

Of the three old men, Liu Haizhong is the one who lives the most comfortable life.

Liu Haizhong had money, and Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu were both incredibly filial. To please Liu Haizhong, the two went to great lengths, one buying mutton and the other buying beef.

The only thing that Liu Haizhong was unhappy about was that Liu Guangqi didn't come back.

"Dad, my eldest brother said that his father-in-law is not in good health and he needs to take care of him. He will come over when he has time."

That excuse won't work for Liu Haizhong anymore.

Over the years, Liu Guangqi has said this every holiday.

Liu Guangfu said, "Dad, even if my eldest brother isn't coming back, there's still my second brother and me."

We will all take good care of you.

Today is Chinese New Year, let's not talk about anything unpleasant.

My second brother and I will toast you.

Liu Haizhong picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp: "Don't mention him."

Liu Guangtian immediately said, "Okay, let's not talk about it. Dad, try this mutton. I specially asked a friend to get it from Inner Mongolia."

They said it was exceptionally fresh and tender.

Liu Guangfu added, "Please try the beef I got."

Apart from the three old men, the other households were all very lively.

Now that reform and opening up have begun, everyone's lives have improved, and every household has bought a lot of food.

Those who worked for He Yuzhu, in particular, fared much better.

The Miao family was the only one who seemed a bit deserted. Miao Jianye was at the construction site looking after the house, so Bi Xiufeng had to spend the New Year with the children.

Aside from the regret that Miao Jianye wasn't home, the food at the Miao family's house was excellent.

He Yuzhu specifically asked Ma Hua to send a lot of food to the Miao people.

After Ma Hua finished preparing the dishes, Meng Na even brought two dishes to the Miao family.

Yan Bugui watched Meng Na bring over the dishes and asked enviously, "Why are you sending dishes to the Miao family? Also, why didn't Miao Jianye come back on New Year's Eve?"

Meng Na knew that if she didn't answer Yan Bugui, he would keep pestering her.

She simply told Yan Bugui, "Miao Jianye has to work during the Spring Festival and won't be able to come back."

Our master asked us to look after the Miao people.

Yan Bugui was not satisfied with this answer.

Meng Na ignored him and carried the dishes into the Miao family's house.

Yan Bugui was too embarrassed to follow, so he could only wander around the courtyard aimlessly.

To say he was just wandering around aimlessly wouldn't be quite right. He had nowhere else to go but to Yi Zhonghai's house.

"Old Yi, Happy New Year."

Yi Zhonghai sat there without replying. He didn't feel any joy in celebrating the New Year at all; how could he possibly answer?

"Old Yan, what brings you here? Why aren't you at home drinking with Yan Jiecheng?"

Yan Bugui looked a little embarrassed: "Don't mention him. He didn't spend the New Year with me."

I've come to talk to you.

Yi Zhonghai became interested and stared at Yan Bugui: "What do you want to talk to me about?"

Yan Bugui didn't know what to talk about, so he could only pour out his grievances to Yi Zhonghai.

After listening for a while, Yi Zhonghai said directly, "Old Yan, haven't you figured it out yet?"

The reason your child isn't coming home isn't because you're stingy. The real reason is that your child is unfilial.

There are no bad elders in the world. You raised them, so what's wrong with asking them to contribute some money during the New Year?
They've grown up, so it's only natural that they give you money for the New Year.

They refused for only one reason: they were considered unfilial.

Yan Bugui, however, was unwilling to admit that his child was unfilial. Admitting that his child was unfilial would do him no good at all.

He insisted, "It's not that serious. They just think I'm asking for too much money."

I didn't plan to want that much.

I just want to ask for an exorbitant price, and they'll try to negotiate it down.

My children, raised by me, will never be unfilial.

Upon hearing this explanation, Yi Zhonghai was filled with disdain. (End of Chapter)