Siheyuan: Fighting against Japanese Aggression in Beijing

Soon it was New Year's Eve. That afternoon, everyone in the yard who was not busy took a day off and went home to prepare.

Last night, Li Kangri had already used the excuse of going to the black market to get the meat and other things, and had put them in the cellar.

After lunch, Sha Zhu and Xu Damao appeared in Li Kangri's office together.

"Master, shall we go buy New Year's gifts now?" Xu Damao said.

"What to buy? I went to the black market last night and bought a lot of wild animals. Why do I need to buy meat?" Li Kangri said.

"Haha, let's buy some more pork. We can't just eat what you bought during the New Year, right? Junior brother and I have to give something too, right?" Xu Damao said, looking at Sha Zhu, "Right? Junior brother?"

"That's right, I'll take care of all the couplets and pork snacks this year," Sha Zhu said generously.

"Then what should I pack? Wine? Isn't that too little?" Xu Damao said.

"If you think it's too little, change it all to Moutai. Nothing else will do." Sha Zhu said slyly.

"I don't have a ticket for this!" Xu Damao said, "How about Ezi and I go to my father-in-law's house. He still has foreign wine there! Master, do you drink foreign stuff?"

"That's fine, then go ahead! Zhuzi and I will go to the supply and marketing cooperative, and we'll each buy a bicycle. After the New Year, Zhuzi will be getting married."

"Hehe, Master, I thought you forgot! I was just about to remind you!" Sha Zhu said with a silly smile.

"Haha, I've already chosen the person for you, just wait to get married!"

"Really? Is she pretty? At least she can't be worse than Qin Jingru, right?" Sha Zhu asked excitedly.

"Of course he is good and he is from the city, don't worry!" Li Kangri said.

"Master, do you have any photos? Can you show them to me?" Sha Zhuhou asked anxiously.

"No, it won't be bad anyway. Let's go buy something now."

……

After a while, the master and his apprentice walked to the supply and marketing cooperative. After buying what they needed, Li Kangri waved his hand, took out two bicycle tickets, and then bought two newly released Forever 28-bar bicycles.

"Hey, Master, is this easy to learn? I don't even know how to do it yet." Sha Zhu asked at the door.

"You'll get it after falling a few times," Li Kangri said casually.

"So push it back now?"

"Hey, I'll be your driver today. You sit in the back and get the things, and I'll take care of the rest."

So, Sha Zhu sat in the back and watched Li Kangri riding one bike after another like he was performing an acrobatic trick.

……

When they arrived at the door, Sha Zhu hung up the things and the two of them pushed their bicycles into the front yard.

"Hey, Xiao Li, you're back! These, these, are these two bicycles new ones you bought?" Yan Fugui asked, looking at the two people's bicycles and things.

"Yes! Uncle Third, I'm getting married after the new year, so I'm going to buy a bicycle first. Aren't you envious? It's permanent, and the quality of this thing is top-notch." Sha Zhu said proudly.

"Haha, it does look tougher than mine!" Yan Fugui echoed, "Why did you buy so many things for the New Year? Why do I see spare ribs? You really don't know how to buy. You want to buy fatty meat."

"Uncle, my master loves to eat spare ribs. We are not short of money." Sha Zhu said.

"Haha, that's right. I'm writing couplets. Um, do you have couplets? I'll write a few for you. I don't want any money. I can just go to your place for a drink in the evening." Yan Fugui looked generous.

"Haha, forget it, Third Uncle! We have already bought the couplets, but why should we drink wine during the New Year? Family reunion is the most important thing. Let's go!" Sha Zhu also said cunningly, because he had seen through Yan Fugui a long time ago.

"Oh! This idiot Zhu..." Yan Fugui shook his head helplessly.

Arriving at the middle courtyard, the two sisters Qin Huairu and Qin Jingru looked over from a distance. When they saw the bicycle, their eyes lit up. When they saw the pork ribs...

"Haha, Zhuzi is back!" Qin Huairu came up and greeted him shamelessly.

But what greeted her was Sha Zhu's indifference. Sha Zhu didn't even look at Qin Huairu and pushed the cart directly to the backyard.

"Look, this pillar is still angry with me! Right, Xiao Li?" Qin Huairu said embarrassedly.

"Haha, don't talk to me. I don't like you either."

After saying this, Qin Huairu, feeling embarrassed, left the central courtyard directly.

"Haha, this master and disciple are both quite weird!" Qin Huairu explained to the people around who were watching her make fun of herself and then ran back home.

After returning home, Li Kangri saw Qinghe had also returned, so he asked, "Qinghe, did you take leave too?"

"Brother, Master said today is New Year's Eve, so I can have the afternoon off, and I don't have to go tomorrow, so I rushed back, and the restaurant even gave me half a pound of meat!"

"Master, we bought a lot of meat. Your half pound is not enough to fill our stomachs." Sha Zhu interrupted.

"It's just my brother. If other people had half a pound, they would be laughed to death." Qinghe said unhappily.

"Haha, stop arguing, you two. I'm leaving tonight's New Year's Eve dinner to you two. Let's see if we can have a good year." Li Kangri said with a smile.

"Hehe, no problem, but Master, I have something to tell you. Today is New Year's Day, and I want to spend it with you guys, but I can't leave my sister home alone. Do you think we can..." Sha Zhu said pitifully during dinner.

Hearing what Sha Zhu said, Li Kangri also felt that what he said made sense, so he said, "You can have dinner, but only tonight, and the time she can come in is during and after dinner."

"Okay, thank you Master. I'll go call her after dinner is ready in the evening." Sha Zhu said happily.

At around five o'clock in the afternoon, Lou Xiao'e and Xu Damao returned with a full load. Because they took so much, Lou Bancheng directly sent a car to deliver it.

"Da Mao, have you emptied out your father-in-law's house?" Li Kangri asked in surprise.

"Hehe, Master, I told my father-in-law how great you are. He said this is a gift to you. Firstly, he wants to thank you for curing my illness, and secondly, he wants to see you after a while." Xu Damao said.

"Oh, let's talk about it later. I will go back the day after tomorrow to pick up your master's wife."

"Okay, I'll talk to you when you come back," Xu Damao said with a smile, "Master, can I put this wine in your room first?"

"Go!"

……

At seven o'clock, the two cooks in the kitchen showed off their special skills as if they were competing. The waves of delicious food made people in the yard feel sick.

At the Jia family, Banggeng started making a fuss when he smelled something, "Mom, it smells so good, I want to eat it. I can smell the aroma of Shazhu's cooking, and there are all kinds of aromas that I have never tasted before. Go get it for me." Banggeng said in a tantrum.

This time Bang Geng put in his best effort, it was so delicious.

"Banggeng, get up quickly. Your grandma bought some meat today. It's half a pound! We'll make dumplings with potato and pork filling in the evening. They'll be delicious." Qin Huairu comforted him.

"No, I want to eat chicken, I want to eat fish, and I also want to eat the braised pork made by Sha Zhu. You make it for me, go and make it quickly." Bang Geng insisted.

"Hey! These little bastards made so many dishes. Aren't they just trying to make us jealous?" Jia Zhang scolded, "Huai Ru, what did Yi Zhonghai say? Have you been to his house this year?"

"Mom, what are you thinking about! Uncle's family didn't buy anything this year, just half a pound of meat. You know he has no job, so he has to plan his life!" Qin Huairu said.

Originally, she also wanted to rely on Yi Zhonghai to have a prosperous year, but when she went to sound out the matter, Yi Zhonghai said insinuatingly that he had lost his job and would have to budget for his life in the future, and that he would not have the energy to help the Jia family in the future. Qin Huairu had no choice but to return in disappointment.