Yi Zhonghai's Siheyuan

When Sha Zhu saw Xu Damao, he couldn't help but make some sarcastic remarks. Xu Damao pointed at the things in the bag on the ground and said, "I don't know who asked me to help carry these things from Uncle Yi's house yesterday."

Sha Zhu immediately changed his expression to a flattering one and said to Xu Damao, "Da Mao, must you be tired from this trip? Brother will personally pour you a cup of tea." As he said that, he picked up the cup on the table and poured a cup of tea for Xu Damao.

Xu Damao sat down with the shelf and pointed at the bag and said, "Shazhu, there are 50 kilograms of corn flour in here. I got it from my father-in-law. The market price is 5 cents per kilogram, which is yuan in total."

Yang Yuhuan went to the inner room and took out 5 yuan and gave it to Xu Damao, saying, "Brother Damao, don't bother with our master. Here are 5 yuan. Keep it."

Xu Damao took the money and said to Sha Zhu, "I won't bother with you for the sake of your sister-in-law. Sha Zhu, logically there is no conflict between our two families! Since your father left, I have secretly brought food from home to you and Yu Shui!"

Sha Zhu nodded to show his acknowledgement, and He Yushui also stepped forward and said, "Yes, once when I was in school, I encountered hooligans who tried to rob me and it was Brother Damao who helped me chase them away."

Sha Zhu looked stunned and said, "Then why didn't you tell your brother?"

He Yushui said disdainfully, "What's the point of telling you? At that time, you only cared about whether the Jia family had enough to eat!"

When Yang Yuhuan heard this, she pinched Shazhu's ear and said, "I'm telling you, if you mess with those two widows next door again, I'll beat you to death!"

Sha Zhu cried out in pain and said no.

Xu Damao said with a smile, "You silly Zhu, you are lucky to have a good wife and live like a decent person! Otherwise, you would have been a scoundrel all your life."

Sha Zhu said unconvincedly, "What's wrong with me? Haven't I turned over a new leaf?"

Yang Yuhuan said, "Brother Damao, please stay here for dinner tonight. I will go to Uncle Yi's house to borrow some meat later."

Sha Zhu said, "Wife, go to Uncle Yi's house to borrow some meat and ask Uncle Yi to come over to eat. Let's have a good gathering of three families."

Yang Yuhuan walked out without any suspicion. When passing by Jia's house, Qin Huairu looked at Yang Yuhuan with envy.

That's right, Qin Huairu envied Yang Yuhuan, not only because she had a city hukou, but more importantly, Sha Zhu treated his wife very well. Thinking about how she was about to give birth and had to take care of the whole family, wash clothes and cook, Qin Huairu thought to herself that it would have been nice to marry Sha Zhu! Hey! Dongxu, why didn't you leave earlier...

Yang Yuhuan came to Yi Zhonghai's house and asked Yi Zhonghai to borrow some meat. Yi Zhonghai took half a pound of fat and lean pork belly from the kitchen and gave it to Yang Yuhuan without saying a word. Yang Yuhuan then invited Yi Zhonghai to come over for a drink later. Yi Zhonghai wanted to refuse, but Yang Yuhuan's invitation was so firm that Yi Zhonghai had to agree.

When Yang Yuhuan was holding the meat, she was seen by Qin Huairu from the Jia family. Qin Huairu was so angry! Yi Zhonghai was Jia Dongxu's master before. Every time she went to Yi Zhonghai's house to borrow something, she was rejected. Bang Geng, who was standing next to her, drooled at the fat meat in Yang Yuhuan's hand.

Bang Geng held Qin Huairu's hand and said, "Mom, I want to eat meat too! Mom, I want to eat meat too!"

Qin Huairu comforted Bang Geng by saying that their family was poor, but Bang Geng didn't buy it and said, "Why do that big idiot and Jue Hu have meat at home? We don't have anything at home? Mom, go to that big idiot's house and get some for me later!"

Qin Huairu was about to correct Bang Geng and tell people to be polite, but Jia Zhangshi beside her also said, "Qin Huairu, wait until Sha Zhu's family is ready and you can take your bowl to Sha Zhu's house to ask for some meat! I don't care how you ask, you have to take the meat back from Sha Zhu's house! My dear grandson is right, why does that big fool eat so much meat!"

Qin Huairu said helplessly, "Mom, how can I take it when they are married?"

Jia Zhang said disdainfully, "Qin Huairu, don't think I don't know how good you are at pretending to be pitiful! Bring Xiaodang and Banggeng with you later. They will definitely give it to us when they see how skinny our Banggeng is."

Qin Huairu originally wanted to say something, but after looking at Banggeng's thin face, she swallowed it back.

With a "sizzle" sound, Sha Zhu put the cut pork belly into the pan and stir-fried it. After the lard was cooked, he added green peppers. A fragrant aroma wafted from Sha Zhu's kitchen.

In the backyard of Liu Haizhong's house, Liu Haizhong was sitting at the table. He smelled the aroma of meat and said to Liu Guixiang, "My dear, who is frying meat here?"

Liu Guixiang curled her lips and said, "Who else could it be? Sha Zhu's family! Sha Zhu's wife can eat so much and still have some meat left over."

Liu Haizhong looked unconvinced and thought to himself that Sha Zhu didn't take him, a senior, seriously.

The same scene happened in every household in the courtyard. At Yan Bugui's home, Yan Bugui was distributing food to his family. Since the family savings had been significantly reduced after they had just bought a bicycle, Yan Bugui had no choice but to lower the food standard.

Yan Jiecheng said, "Dad, Yu Li and I paid to eat here, are you trying to fool us like this?"

Yan Bugui said without getting angry, "What do you know? This is called not being poor if you don't have enough food and clothes. If you don't plan well, you will be poor! There's nothing wrong with being frugal."

Yu Li: "Dad, you can't do this. We know you bought a bicycle, but we paid for your food! If you keep going like this, we'll have to split up."

When Yan Bugui heard that the family was going to divide up, he couldn't accept it, so the family had a fierce argument.

As they were arguing, they smelled the aroma of meat from outside. Yan Bugui sniffed and said, "It must be the aroma coming from Sha Zhu's house or Yi Zhonghai's house."

After all the arguing, they were all hungry, so they just ate whatever was available first.

The second brother Yan Jiefang said, "I'll go outside and eat the steamed corn bread by smelling it. It will taste better this way." After saying that, he walked out, and the Yan brothers next to him also squatted outside the door and ate.

Sha Zhu cooked a few dishes and placed them on the table and said, "Xu Damao, you are lucky today because you can taste my cooking."

Although Xu Damao said that he looked down on Sha Zhu, he still admired Sha Zhu's cooking skills in his heart.

Sha Zhu went to Yi Zhonghai's house and asked Yi Zhonghai and Huang Yulan to come over and sit for a while. In the end, Yi Zhonghai went there with Sha Zhu, carrying a bottle of wine.

When Xu Damao saw Yi Zhonghai coming, he quickly offered his seat and said, "Uncle Yi, please sit here."

Yi Zhonghai said indifferently that it was all right. After sitting down, Yi Zhonghai picked up the Xifeng wine and gave it to Xu Damao. Xu Damao thoughtfully filled the glasses for the three of them, and then they began to chat and eat.

Qin Huairu saw that Sha Zhu's house was in a commotion, and thinking that Sha Zhu had also prepared the food, she went home, got a bowl, took Bang Geng and went to He's house and knocked on the door.

A few people who were having a lively time heard a knock on the door. He Yushui went to open the door and saw Qin Huairu holding Banggeng and Xiaodang in their hands. She said, "Uncle Yi, Damao, you are here too. Zhuzi's family made a meat stick and Geng is clamoring to eat it. You also know that our family has no income after Dongxu passed away, and I haven't taken over yet." As she spoke, tears flowed from her eyes.

He Yushui was in a daze, and Sha Zhu said, "Qin Huairu, I remember that the factory paid compensation when Jia Dongxu died. How come there is no money to buy meat?"

Qin Huairu went into the He family and said, "Zhu Zi, you know I have no choice. Your Aunt Jia holds the money tightly and is not willing to give it to me at all."

Sha Zhu said stubbornly, "Then go ask Jia Zhang for money. Why ask us? The meat today was borrowed from my family. Look at how many guests we have in my house. Besides, whose sister are you? We don't have any relatives with the surname Qin in our He family."

After Sha Zhu finished speaking, he told He Yushui to close the door. Qin Huairu covered her stomach and said, "Uncle Yi, you used to be Dongxu's master. Please give us a few pieces of meat for our past."

Yi Zhonghai: "Qin Huairu, I have helped your family a lot over the years, right? I remember your mother always asked me to borrow money but never paid it back. How can I give it to you?"

Xu Damao took a sip of wine and said, "Qin Huairu, you can go to the Women's Federation and they will help Jia Zhang to take out the money to support the family. If it is inconvenient for you to go, I will go tomorrow."

When Qin Huairu heard this, she hurriedly said no and left with the two children.