The courtyard: the atmosphere of human life

The four monkeys did not leave after hearing this. Instead, they took a stool and sat opposite Darong, helping Darong pick the wool.

"Four generations are not at home."

Darong stopped what she was doing, raised her head and looked at Sihouzi intently, her tone clearly indicating that she wanted to see him off.

"Let me help you pick some wool."

It’s not that the fourth monkey didn’t understand what Darong meant, but he still didn’t give up and wanted to struggle a little longer.

"I don't need your help, just go away."

Seeing that he knew the truth but was pretending to be ignorant, Darong simply opened her mouth and chased him away.

The four monkeys looked at Darong, sitting there hesitantly, hesitating to say something for a long time.

"I'm the only one at home now. If you are sensible and know your place, you shouldn't enter this door."

Darong stood up from the stool, walked to the door and lifted the curtain.

Before the fourth monkey could finish his words and while he was hesitating to stand up from the stool, Xizi beside him had already got ready and let out a warning growl from the depths of his throat.

The four monkeys were also frightened when they saw the usually docile Xizi making an attacking gesture towards them.

"You should go quickly. Don't wait for Xizi to get anxious. I can't suppress him."

With Xizi's support, Darong felt more confident.

Darong knew clearly that it would be better if Si Houzi didn't say anything, but once he said it, there would be no chance to take it back.

The fourth monkey actually knew long ago that he was not worthy of Darong. Now seeing this situation, he realized that there was no chance for him at all. He had no choice but to rush out of the house in frustration and leave Darong's home.

"Good dog."

After the four monkeys left, Darong touched Xizi's head approvingly.

Xizi also returned to his usual docile self and continued to doze off at Darong's feet.

"Da Rong, come out and help."

Not long after the four monkeys left, Darong's father came back pushing a cart. He brought back a big bag of bread from somewhere. As soon as he entered the yard, he called Darong to come out and help.

"Wow, where did Dad get this?" Darong moved a bag of bread into the small kitchen.

"It's given to you by someone else. Don't leave it in the kitchen. It's cold in the kitchen and it will be frozen when you get back. Take it inside and share it when you get back."

While giving Darong instructions, Darong's father turned the bike around and rode back to work.

At that time, bread was not something you could buy whenever you wanted. If a child had a piece of bread to eat, the children in the dormitories in front and behind would be envious.

"Hua Zi, go quickly, there is bread in the sack."

As soon as the third brother entered the room, Darong quickly pointed at the sack in the house and told him to take some bread.

"Wow, sister, these are all from our family?" The third brother exclaimed as he looked at the large sack of bread with bright eyes.

"Well, our father brought it back and let us share it." Darong picked the wool in her hand and looked at the third child lovingly and tenderly.

"Eat, and then go find your brother. The two of you can go to grandma's house to pick up Xiaoying."

As soon as the winter vacation started, Xiaoying was sent to her grandmother's home in Zhouzhuang. It has been four or five days now, and Darong is thinking about taking her home.

"Yeah." The third brother stuffed his mouth with bread and responded sullenly.

The third brother ate two large loaves of bread in one breath, then threw several more into his arms and went out to look for his fourth brother.

It was not until after 1 p.m. that Sibeier Huazi and Xiaoying arrived home.

There was no means of transportation at that time, and Zhouzhuang was not close, so Darong's father usually rode a big iron donkey (note: an old large bicycle) to carry her. Now it still takes a lot of time for her to walk back by herself.

"Why are you back so late? Come in and warm up."

Darong put down the wool in her hand and quickly poured some hot water for several people.

"I looked for my brother for several rounds and left a little late." The third brother took the hot water and sipped two gulps, choked on two large loaves of bread, and hurried on. He was indeed thirsty.

"Where did our father get so many loaves of bread?" Sibei asked Darong with a smile, rummaging through the bag of bread beside him.

"He said someone gave it to him, but he didn't say who it was." Eat it quickly.

Darong took two and handed them to Xiaoying and Sibei. This saved trouble. At noon, everyone could be full by just eating bread, and there was no need to cook.

After eating, Sibei and Lao San went out to find their playmates, while Xiaoying sat aside, talking with her sister and picking wool at random.

These side jobs at home are basically done by Darong's mom and Darong. Although Xiaoying is younger and helps out sometimes, she is never considered the main force.

Those two guys never come home during holidays and can't be relied on at all.

The only exception was Darong. If she didn't pick the hibiscus one day and went out to talk and play with her sisters of the same age, she would be scolded by her mother when she returned home.

Gradually, Darong seldom went out. Her good friends when she was a child all knew Darong's mother's temper. When they occasionally came to chat with Darong, they would move stools and accompany her to pick wool.

As time went by, she came less and less often, and Darong was often alone going to and from get off work.

"Why is Ying'er back?"

When Da Rong's mother came home from get off work, she saw Xiao Ying at home and asked casually.

"Mom, I asked Sibei'er and Huazi to bring her back. She stayed at grandma's for several days, and I missed her and she missed home." Darong was making dumplings and called out "Mom."

"Oh, don't run around at home. When your sister is at work, don't leave the dormitory alley. It's not quiet outside these two days."

While washing her hands and preparing to make dumplings for Darong, Darong's mother gave instructions to Xiaoying. Xiaoying is not too old or too young either, she is just 10 years old and still in primary school.

"Okay, I got it, Mom." Xiaoying responded obediently.

Xiaoying is the most obedient of the four children. Perhaps because she is too young, she does not have the strong and arrogant nature of Darong. She is always obedient and docile by her mother's side.

Darong's mother always felt that Darong was always unwilling to obey, so she liked this obedient little daughter more.

"I've finished kneading it. Don't get your hands dirty. My dad brought back a sack of bread this morning. It's here. Take a look."

Darong stopped her mother's hand. She knew that her mother usually did physical work at work. Although she didn't like to hear her scolding, she tried not to let her worry about the housework.

"Wow, that's quite a lot."

"It even has stuffing. I also gave it to my grandma. My third uncle and I had it as bread in the morning." Xiaoying at the side smiled like a flower, unable to hide her happiness.

"Okay, you can eat it every day from now on." Darong's mother patted her little daughter's face and happily put the sack of bread under the cupboard.

But this kind of bread is really not suitable for our Oriental stomachs. It’s okay to eat it for the sake of novelty, but if you eat it like this every day, all the children in the family will get tired of it in less than a week.

Darong is better off, as she works in the breakfast department and is in charge of breakfast. But it's hard for Sibei and the others, who have to eat bread every morning to the point of wanting to vomit.