1952: Walking through Nantongluo Alley

After leaving Yi Zhonghai's house, Sha Zhu went to the Old Drum Tower Street and bought a pound of pork with three fingers of fat.

As soon as he arrived at the gate of the courtyard, he was stopped by Yan Bugui, who put his arm around Sha Zhu's shoulder.

"Hey, Shazhu, the pork you bought is really good. I can tell at a glance that the fat is at least three fingers thick."

"Third uncle happens to have a bottle of good wine at home, how about we drink some later?"

Sha Zhu pushed Yan Bugui away and said embarrassedly.

"Uncle Third, let's do it another day. It's getting late today, and Yu Shui is waiting for me to cook for her."

Without waiting for Yan Bugui to speak, Sha Zhu ran into the courtyard.

"This bastard."

Yan Bugui looked disappointed, as the fat meat that was about to reach his mouth flew away.

I was originally planning to go to Sha Zhu's house to get some meat, but I didn't expect Sha Zhu to run faster than a rabbit.

After returning home, Sha Zhu cut the pork with three fingers of fat into pieces and stewed it with cabbage. Soon, a pot of fragrant stewed pork and cabbage was ready.

Looking at the big pot of pork stewed with cabbage, Sha Zhu gritted his teeth and took out two bowls.

He wanted to send these two bowls to the deaf old lady and Chen Xiao respectively.

One is the deaf old lady who greeted them many times, and the other is Chen Xiao who helped him many times.

In addition, if Chen Xiao had not reminded him this time, Sha Zhu would not know when he would be able to receive the living expenses sent by his father.

Sha Zhu is a grateful person. He will repay double for anyone who treats him well.

After arranging his sister He Yushui to wait at home, Sha Zhu went out with two bowls of pork stewed with cabbage.

Arriving at Chen Xiao's house, Sha Zhu reached out and knocked on the door.

"Come in, the door is unlocked."

Chen Xiao had smelled the aroma of pork stewed with cabbage a long time ago, but he didn't expect that Sha Zhu would actually bring him a bowl.

"Brother Chen Xiao, I'm so grateful to you today. If you hadn't told me that my father gives my brother and me living expenses every month, I don't know how long Yu Shui and I would have to endure this hardship."

"This is the pork and cabbage stew I just made. Brother Chen Xiao, please try it and see how it tastes."

As he spoke, Sha Zhu placed the pork stewed with cabbage in front of Chen Xiao.

Smelling the aroma of pork stewed with cabbage, Chen Xiao felt his appetite increase greatly.

Being often called upon by his boss to cook, Sha Zhu’s cooking skills are no exaggeration and he is indeed quite good at it.

Picking up the chopsticks, Chen Xiao picked up a piece of cabbage and put it in his mouth to taste.

The crisp texture of the cabbage mixed with the aroma of pork is much more delicious than what is cooked in most modern restaurants.

Putting down his chopsticks, Chen Xiao looked at Sha Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, did your father really give the living expenses to the uncle? And he gave it to you and your sister?"

"Yes, and it's 20 yuan a month. From now on, Yu Shui and I won't have to live a hard life anymore." Sha Zhu smiled and nodded.

"Brother Chen Xiao, you eat first. I'll go to the backyard and give the old lady a bowl."

After saying goodbye to Chen Xiao, Sha Zhu came to the backyard with pork stewed with cabbage.

At this time, the door of the deaf old lady's house was closed.

In the room, a deaf old lady was eating roast chicken alone, which she had secretly bought from the Old Drum Tower Street.

"Are you home, old lady?" Sha Zhu knocked on the door.

Sha Zhu's voice came from outside the door. The deaf old lady's throat was directly pinched by the chicken bone.

Suddenly the deaf old lady's face turned red, and she kept slapping her back to try to spit out the chicken bones.

"Ma'am, are you home?"

Outside the door, Sha Zhu continued to knock on the door.

The deaf old lady didn't want Sha Zhu and other residents of the courtyard to know that she was secretly eating roast chicken, so she always played the role of a poor old lady in the courtyard.

She is childless and wants to receive some people's sympathy and help in her old age.

The deaf old lady was anxious, so she reached out to dig out the chicken bones. Even if she couldn't dig out the chicken bones, it could touch her throat so that she could vomit out the nausea.

Just as the finger was about to touch her throat, the deaf old woman began to dry heave.

With tears mixed with his red face, he vomited out the chicken bones. In addition to the chicken bones, there was also a large pile of other unknown things.

Then the deaf old lady hurriedly took the broom to clean up and hid the roast chicken. After doing all this, she went to open the door for Sha Zhu.

"Silly Zhu, what are you doing here so late?"

"I thought you were asleep, old lady."

Sha Zhu chuckled and brought out a bowl of pork stewed with cabbage.

"I made some pork stewed with cabbage today. Since you haven't eaten yet, I brought you a bowl to try."

"Silly Zhu is thoughtful. I didn't expect you were still thinking about me, an old woman."

The two of them came to the living room. Sha Zhu helped the deaf old lady sit on a bench, then went to the kitchen to bring her a set of bowls and chopsticks and two steamed buns.

Coming to the living room again, Sha Zhu smelled the faint aroma of roast chicken in the room and sniffed it gently a few times.

The deaf old lady was afraid that the matter would be exposed, so she spoke first.

"I don't know who bought the roast chicken, but the aroma of the meat has reached my house."

"Forget it, don't think about it. As long as I can eat a bowl of pork stewed with cabbage, I will be content."

The old lady picked up the chopsticks and pretended to take two bites.

It wasn't that she had no appetite, but she was already full from eating the roast chicken.

When Sha Zhu heard this, he felt uncomfortable.

Ever since his father He Daqing ran away with the White Widow, the deaf old lady has been taking good care of him and Yu Shui.

Although every time I took cornmeal steamed bread or cornmeal porridge, these were worthless things.

But, it is already much better than other people in the courtyard.

Now that I have some money, I should repay the deaf old lady well.

Sha Zhu said through gritting his teeth.

"Old lady, if you want to eat roast chicken, I will buy you one tomorrow."

The deaf old lady put down her chopsticks and looked up at Sha Zhu thoughtfully.

"What nonsense are you talking about? You're relying on your apprentice's salary? You still want to buy roast chicken? Your sister can't go to school? You and your sister don't want to eat?"

"Isn't it just a roast chicken? I'm old, so it doesn't matter whether I eat it or not."

"Old lady, I am rich now..." Sha Zhu said gritting his teeth.

The deaf old lady's eyes widened and she almost stood up from her chair.

"What did you say?"

Then Sha Zhu told them that his father He Daqing gave him and his sister living expenses.

After hearing this, the deaf old lady slapped her thigh angrily.

"This Yi Zhonghai is really something. I think he just wants to keep your living expenses and not give them to you."

"Old lady, the uncle is not that kind of person. The aunt has told you everything that happened."

"It's not that the uncle doesn't want to give it to me, he's just afraid that I'll spend it recklessly."

Sha Zhu explained on the side.

The deaf old lady sighed.

Only a fool could believe such a lie.

Anyone else would have known it was a lie.

However, Sha Zhu kicked Yi Zhonghai, which was considered as recovering some interest.

After Shazhu left, the deaf old lady lay on the bed thinking.

Now that Sha Zhu is rich, isn't it time to introduce him to a partner?

Thinking of this, the deaf old lady shook her head.

"No, no, what if the person I introduce to you is a strong woman? What if Sha Zhu doesn't support me in my old age?"

"We finally found a suitable candidate for the elderly care, so we can't make any mistakes."