The life of Lao Liu since 1944

At the dinner table, the dishes are sumptuous and the aroma is everywhere. The family sits around together, and laughter and joy convey warmth and harmony.

He turned to look at his father and said, "Father, our grain store is on annual leave today. This afternoon I went to count the profits of my own store. This year, I earned 600 yuan. After all, there are only a few months, and it is already very good to have such profits. How about it, your son is amazing!"

His words revealed his pride and satisfaction in his own achievements, but also his desire to gain his father's recognition.

Hou Jie's father was very pleased to hear his son's proud words. After all, this was the result of his son's own hard work.

However, he knew very well that he should not let his son become proud and complacent because of this, so he nodded slightly and gave his son a calm and affirmative response: "Well, yes, you are indeed much better than your father. But don't forget, doing business is only a part of life, we also need to focus on the cultivation of moral character and the accumulation of knowledge." His words were full of expectations and teachings for his son.

The mother next to him was not happy after hearing her husband's story. She could not help but interrupt Hou Jie's father's teaching. She turned to Hou Jie with a smile on her face, her face full of joy, and praised excitedly: "My Chunsheng is really amazing! He is worthy of being my good son. He is better at business than your father. Your father! He can do nothing except teaching."

The mother's words were full of pride and honor for her son, but also revealed a subtle mockery of Hou Jie's father.

The father was helpless when he heard this. His daughter-in-law had the final say and he dared not have any opinion.

Hou Jie was naturally happy to hear this and made faces at his father.

The father saw this and laughed and scolded, "You little brat, what are you so proud of! Are you happy to see your father being scolded by your mother? You have no respect for your parents."

The father felt a little embarrassed when his mother said this. He glared at his son fiercely, then looked at his mother lovingly, and shook his head helplessly.

He lowered his head and ate a few mouthfuls of food, then said to Hou Jie, "Don't run around tomorrow, come with me to the old house at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang. I was busy before and didn't have time to take you there. Tomorrow I will take you to see the old house and recognize the door."

Hou Jie was immediately excited when he heard his father say this. He was filled with anticipation and curiosity, and his face showed an excited expression. He thought to himself: "Good father! I can finally go and see that old house! If you don't take me there, I really have no excuse. After all, they don't know me, there must be a lot of interesting things in it, right?"

In the past, I was so busy with various trivial matters that I forgot about all the interesting things and those unique and eccentric people in this yard and stopped paying attention to them.

In this courtyard, there live all kinds of people, each with their own unique personality and story. They are like vivid paintings, and it would be a pity if you don't personally appreciate their elegance.

In the early morning of the next day, the sun shone through the clouds and shone on the earth. Although the weather was freezing cold, the sun made people feel warm.

My father had spread out rice paper in the study early in the morning. The ground ink gave off a faint fragrance. He waved his brush and wrote a couplet with a few strokes.

My father's handwriting is profound and powerful, full of the aura of a scholar, worthy of being a teacher. At this time, teachers must have some unique skills to succeed.

After breakfast, the father and son packed their luggage and walked towards the gate of No. 95 courtyard together.

As soon as I arrived at the courtyard, I saw a man standing at the door from afar. He was none other than Yan Bugui, the abacus expert Yan Laokou.

He was wearing a black cotton jacket and cotton pants, which looked a bit old but very clean and tidy. He wore a pair of black-framed glasses on his face, revealing a gentle air.

Yan Laokou always likes to stroll around the gate, not only because his house is right next to the gate, but he has also taken on the responsibility of guarding the gate.

It's not safe these days. There are always one or two people strolling around the gates of many courtyards, so that if they find something bad, they can quickly notify the residents to take precautions and ensure safety. There is no other way around it.

Of course, Yan Laokou's efforts were not in vain. Neighbors in the yard always gave him some onions, garlic and other vegetables as a thank you. Although these small gifts were insignificant, they contained the love and respect between neighbors.

When my father saw Yan Bugui at the door, he quickly stepped forward and raised his hand to greet him. After all, they were both teachers, so they naturally had something to talk about.

"Teacher Yan, good morning! Have you had breakfast?"

Teacher Yan Bugui looked at my father with a friendly and surprised smile on his face, and responded:

"Hey, Mr. Hou, good morning! Why did you come here in person today? It's almost Chinese New Year, are you here to clean the house?"

After saying this, Teacher Yan Bugui's eyes fell on Hou Jie who was standing behind his father. He looked at Hou Jie carefully, and suddenly his eyes lit up, as if he had thought of something, and said:

"Hey! Isn't this the guy who went fishing with me a while ago?"

Hou Jie saw Yan Bugui greeting him, and he smiled and nodded.

Teacher Yan Bugui looked at Hou Jie, and his gaze stayed on him for a long time.

Teacher Yan Bugui looked at the two people in front of him carefully again.

He found that the two looked very similar, especially their eyes and mouths. He couldn't help but ask tentatively, "Are you father and son?" The father nodded and said politely:

"Yes, Teacher Yan. He is my son Hou Jie. I brought him here today to introduce him to the family. Please take good care of him in the future, Teacher Yan."

Yan Bugui laughed out loud after hearing this: "So you two are father and son! I thought you looked so alike. This child is good and has a promising future. Don't worry! I will take good care of him here."

The two exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then his father took Hou Jie through the middle courtyard to the back yard.

Hou Jie followed quietly behind, observing the layout of the courtyard.

It is said that this place was originally a Beizi's house, with a long history and rich cultural heritage. Hou Jie stood in the yard and looked at the surrounding buildings and scenery. This yard is about 70 meters long and 50 meters wide, with a total area of ​​about 3500 square meters. It is indeed a large yard. No wonder it can accommodate more than 100 people. There is not only a spacious space, but also a beautiful garden and a clear pond, as well as exquisite buildings that make people feel peaceful and comfortable.

Even if one is not a noble as prominent as the Beiziye, not an ordinary wealthy family can afford to live here.

There is no back door in the backyard. It should be where the women lived in the past. There are still some traces of it. Apart from his own family, only He Daqing and his family have the property certificate. The others are tenants, most of whom are employees of the steel mill.

I guess the original owner of the house must have been forced to sell this beautiful house.

If it were me, I would definitely not be willing to sell such a house that is full of historical heritage and emotional attachment.

However, the reality is cruel, and sometimes we have to make such choices for a living.

Today, most of the property rights of this house are in the hands of Lou Bancheng. He cleverly transformed it into a dormitory for workers in the steel mill. Although these rooms are spacious and comfortable, the living conditions of the residents are completely different.

The personnel composition of the backyard is relatively simple. Liu Haizhong, Xu Fugui and the deaf old lady have all moved in.

As my father arrived at his house, although no one had lived there for a long time, the house still maintained its dignity and beauty. The moment he opened the door, a stale smell hit him.

The room was covered in dust and the tiles were broken, and it was obvious that no one had lived there for a long time.

The room was cluttered with miscellaneous items, mostly from the old shop. The walls were mottled, and there were many rat holes on the floor. The glass on the doors and windows was a little broken.

Looking around and considering moving in, it seems that this place needs some renovation to be revitalized.

The houses next to my house are still empty. I have to find a way to buy them while there are not many people. I can build a wall and open a door. This will become an independent yard. No one can disturb me when I close the door.

These properties will be worth a lot of money in the future.

Hou Jie carefully looked at the three houses. The two rooms near the north university were 75 square meters each, and the one on the west was slightly smaller, but also 30 square meters. This space layout was spacious enough for an average family. With a little tidying up and adding some necessary furniture and facilities, this place could become a comfortable and pleasant home.

Standing here, Hou Jie couldn't help thinking about his future life. Perhaps in a few years, with the entry of the Communist Party into the city, the population here will surge, and the demand for housing will increase accordingly. By then, it will be difficult to find a house, and the houses and utility rooms that no one wants now will become popular. Owning a property will become the dream of many people.

Just as his father was about to pick up the broom to start sweeping, Hou Jie quickly put down the tool in his hand and walked over quickly to stop his father.

"Father, don't clean the house yet. I took a look and the house is in a bad condition. The roof is leaking and the walls are peeling. If it's not repaired in time, it will soon collapse.

"Father, why don't we renovate the house next year!"

After hearing what Hou Jie said, his father also looked at the old house carefully. A house that has not been lived in for a long time is prone to problems. He put down the broom and sighed: "It is really not very good. I want to save some money and wait a few more years! Since you have this idea, let's do it according to your idea!"

Hou Jie felt warm inside when he saw that his father understood and supported his decision.

His father handed over the power of housekeeper to him without hesitation, allowing him to play freely. Hou Jie secretly felt lucky to have such a good son, and he could enjoy life easily.

Afterwards, Hou Jie hurriedly ran to the deaf old lady, hoping to borrow her rice cooker. The deaf old lady agreed to this request without hesitation, which made Hou Jie feel very grateful.

After returning home, Hou Jie started to make some glue to paste the couplets. The glue looks simple, but it is the result of Hou Jie's careful work.