Siheyuan: No One Can Be Left Behind

As it was almost time to get off work, Li Dongfang went out on his bicycle. When he came back, he asked Sha Zhu, who had just got off work, to borrow a cart to go with him to transport the goods, including half a pig, 10 chickens, two hams, sausages, various vegetables, and finally a few bags of flour.

The last year of the three-year natural disaster was of course also the most serious year. In the previous two years, the country still had some reserves to support it, but this year it really couldn't hold on, so these things simply blinded the eyes of everyone who saw them, especially the white fat pork.

Back in the yard, Li Dongfang and Sha Zhu were busy moving things, while the Jia family was setting the table.

Well, there were seven people at the table, five adults and two children, including the three members of the Jia family, Banggeng and Xiaodang, and Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong. The families of the two uncles were not there.

A table was placed in the front yard. You could tell what the Jia family was thinking without even looking. It was for the people in the yard to see that there was meat on their table. There was a dish of stir-fried pork with cabbage and a dish of braised pork with radish. Well, these were two very good dishes, but the lean meat was not very popular at this time, not to mention two dishes for seven people.

As for wine, the Jia family said they couldn't buy it...

Jia Dongxu and his mother, who had been looking smug, suddenly turned darker than the bottom of a pot when they saw what Li Dongfang and Sha Zhu carried in.

Li Dongfang stopped moving after carrying a bag of vegetables. He sat at the door of Sha Zhu and said, "Zhu Zi, go see if there are any people in the yard who have finished their meals and ask them to help. It's really tiring to carry all these things."

Sha Zhu didn't care at all and said, "You are just lazy and like to eat. Just call out for these things, and whoever can carry them away will own them. Believe it or not, someone can carry the cart away with you."

"Tsk, if you say so, then so be it. Anyway, I won't carry it anymore. You can find someone to help. Clean up in advance and steam the buns. Don't wait until the next day. Let's have fun tomorrow night."

After saying that, Li Dongfang was ready to lie down. He couldn't waste his strength on carrying the sack.

He pulled out a rattan rocking chair from the house, lay down on it with a purple clay teapot, took a sip of the tea, and watched Sha Zhu and others busy themselves.

You Fengxia took a stool and placed it next to him, brought a plate of melon seeds and placed it on it, then sat on a stool next to her and talked to Li Dongfang while eating. "I don't know where you got this information from, but it seems like you can't finish it."

"It was sent by my old man. I never went to claim it, but now I have got it all back." Li Dongfang had thought about this problem a long time ago. If he asked, it was sent. As for where it was sent, it could be the Academy of Sciences where his father works, the Red Star Hospital where his mother works, or the steel mill, machine repair factory, or Union Hospital. It mainly depends on who asks.

Anyway, I have always been relatively low-key. If I occasionally get some supplies or something, the relevant departments will not deliberately investigate it. What's more, I have some connections in the police station and the street.

The Jia family's banquet, which had no wine or food and did not care about how full they were, ended very quickly. Yi Zhonghai glanced at the open door of Sha Zhu's house, snorted, and went back to his own home. Liu Haizhong stood in the middle courtyard and watched for a while, his eyes rolling around for a long time, then walked towards Li Dongfang. However, Li Dongfang was not going to pay any attention to him this time. He just closed his eyes and rocked in the rocking chair.

Seeing Li Dongfang's expression, Liu Haizhong didn't feel comfortable speaking and would only embarrass himself. He took a deep breath and went back to the backyard.

After moving the things, Sha Zhu and Yu Shui had another meal at Li Dongfang's house, and then he asked the people in the yard to help prepare vegetables and steam buns, and he was busy until almost nine o'clock.

It was a new day again, and Li Dongfang still did not go to work. He had been on sick leave for such a long time. Director Yang was quite good. He only removed Li Dongfang's position as deputy section chief despite the pressure from above. He was very considerate to Li Dongfang, but it also made Li Dongfang very dissatisfied with Minister Duan.

I get angry whenever I think about this. I have to find time to talk to Duan Jingya about it, humph!

Li Dongfang had nothing to do during the day, so he rode his bike out and planned to ask Lou Xiaoe to go and see how his yard was doing.

Lou Xiao'e was very happy that Li Dongfang came to see her. She sat in the back seat of Li Dongfang and hugged his waist. She was not shy at all and did not care about the comments of passers-by.

"Take a look. What do you think? I put a lot of thought into it. I had people tidy up the grass and evergreens in the garden. I didn't plant any flowers you like. The house was renovated from inside to outside, from doors and windows to furniture. The materials used were all according to your wishes. They were dismantled from old furniture." Lou Xiao'e said as she walked around the yard with Li Dongfang, with her hands behind her back, as if she had made a great contribution and asked him to praise her.

However, these really made Li Dongfang very satisfied. He certainly did not hesitate to praise her. He put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Great, that's great. Our Xiao'e's aesthetic taste is absolutely first-rate!"

Lou Xiao'e was a little shy when Li Dongfang put his arm around her shoulders, but there was no one in the yard, and her family approved of Li Dongfang, so it seemed nothing wrong with him doing so. She rolled her eyes at him and acquiesced to his hugging her.

"As long as you are satisfied, but there are some furniture missing. I have asked someone to keep an eye out for them and will buy them if I find good ones."

"Well, thank you. This must have cost a lot of money. Let me know when you get back and I'll send it to you another day."

Li Dongfang is now looking at the newly renovated yard and is very satisfied.

"Forget it, these don't cost much, but the sewer pipe you want for the bathroom is a bit troublesome, otherwise it would have been done a long time ago."

Lou Xiao'e obviously has no concept of money, or rather, she doesn't care about it.

"That won't do. Brothers should settle accounts clearly." Li Dongfang said seriously.

"What do you mean? Do you look down on me? You are not going to be with me anymore?!" Lou Xiao'e glared at Li Dongfang unhappily when she heard that.

"Uh, how do you say that? I mean..."

"I don't care what you mean. Anyway, my dad has already said that we should clean up the yard next door as well. This is just a side job. If you give me money... I will... I will..."

Seeing Lou Xiao'e's face flushed with excitement, Li Dongfang hurriedly coaxed her, "Okay, I won't give it to you, I won't give it to you, just consider it as your advance dowry, okay?"

"Hate it, what...what dowry, who wants to marry...marry you!" Lou Xiao'e's face turned even redder.

Li Dongfang smiled and turned her around, letting her face him. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, "You said it, don't regret it later."

"I...I..." Lou Xiao'e raised her head suddenly, and seeing Li Dongfang's playful eyes, she lowered her head shyly and murmured, "My dad said...my dad said that the yard next door would be given to me...to both of us, and when the time comes, we can call...um..."