Deep courtyard

Every time Huang Yuan came out from Pujiang's house, he felt a lot of pressure. This time, he hurried home with a lot of worries. Today is Friday, and his sister-in-law will send her niece Lei Lei back to reunite with them.

When he got home, Lei Lei was playing on the computer in his room, while her sister-in-law and mother Huang occupied the two armrests of the only double sofa in the house, watching "Old and New Mother" expressionlessly. When Huang Yuan entered the door, Bai Auntie was saying earnestly: "Since both mother-in-law and daughter-in-law are for the benefit of the same man, they should respect each other as guests..."

This "former" mother-in-law and daughter-in-law also turned the family upside down before, but now they have always respected each other like "ice", and they are much more peaceful.

Huang Yuan knew why his sister-in-law sent Lei Lei here every time.

After the verdict, the Huang family officially collapsed. As soon as the eldest brother entered, the sister-in-law sued for divorce, Leilei returned to her, and the eldest brother agreed to pay 3000 yuan a month in child support. pay the money.In addition, every Friday, my sister-in-law would use Lei Lei as an excuse to ask him to pay various other expenses, ranging from a few hundred to thousands.Huang Yuan knew that she was used to being an official's wife, and now she went back to her mother's house in desperation, and didn't look for a job, because she was very aggrieved because she had no money, but she only thought of her as helping to take care of Lei Lei, and she tried her best to meet her requests, but recently The amount of money he asked for was getting bigger and bigger, which made him feel a lot of pressure.

As soon as he sat down and started to finish the leftovers that had cooled down, his sister-in-law followed him and sat opposite him as usual, without saying a word, she just reached out and asked for money:

"Leilei will be promoted to the third year of junior high soon. I hired a tutor for her. There are three classes a week, 160 per class. You give me half a year first."

"..."

160 per class, which is not too expensive compared to the current market. When he was in high school, his mother found him more tutors than this price.But it was nearly 2000 a month, and 12000 in half a year. He couldn't get it out at once, so he managed to save a little money. In addition to ensuring the life of the family, he also needed to be in case something unexpected happened to his father's illness and needed it urgently.And whether sister-in-law really spends all the money on Lei Lei, he has no confidence in that.

"It doesn't matter if you don't pass the high school entrance examination. If you go to a vocational high school, it's better to come out to work early." The sister-in-law opened her mouth and smiled mockingly.

"...I will transfer it to you for one month tomorrow, and then I will give it to you every month along with child support."

"Tsk!" Seeing that he agreed, the sister-in-law didn't say anything more, and left without saying hello after taking the bag.

Huang Yuan held up his chopsticks and glanced at his mother who had switched to the Anti-Japanese War drama. The once rich and powerful wife of the chairman now doesn't care about anything except cooking and watching TV at home every day.

"Uncle." Lei Lei came out of the room at some point, stood by the dining table, and looked at Huang Yuan timidly.

"Leilei? Uncle hasn't seen you for two weeks. Was it fun to go to summer camp last week?" The cost of the summer camp was 2880. Huang Yuan gave 3000 to his sister-in-law and 500 to Leilei as pocket money.Huang Yuan now understands very well that the head of the family is having trouble making ends meet.

"Uncle...I'm sorry." Leilei wrung her fingers, her cheeks were flushed to the base of her ears, and she apologized to Huang Yuan while sucking her nose.

Huang Yuan saw the tears in the eyes of his niece who grew up with him suddenly, and the uncomfortable and wronged appearance made him very distressed, so he quickly pulled her over, and wanted to hug her on his lap to comfort her like when he was a child, but Now Leilei is a big girl, so she can only support her shoulders and hug her tightly: "Hey, my little princess, what's the matter? Who bullied you? Tell uncle!"

"Mom, mom, she didn't sign me up for summer camp at all... woo woo woo... I'm sorry uncle, mom is a liar..."

Huang Yuan was taken aback when he heard this. He thought that his sister-in-law was at most falsely reporting the amount, but he didn't expect that she fabricated a sum, but when he saw Leilei's face wrinkled together with guilt and her eyes flushed with her face, where was it? Bear the heart to pursue: "It's okay, it's okay, uncle knows, talk to your mother next time, if Lei Lei still wants to participate in the summer camp next time, please call uncle, and uncle will help you sign up."

"No... I don't want to go to the summer camp..." Seeing Huang Yuan, she thought she was sad because she didn't go to the summer camp, but it wasn't at all, and she was even more ashamed: "I'm sorry, my mother hired a tutor. In the last class, mom, she, she..."

"Be good, Lei Lei, stop talking! Don't cry, don't cry!" Huang Yuan looked at Lei Lei's anxious explanation, his heart softened and his eyes turned red. How difficult it is.She is 13 years old, she can already understand many things, and she has her own thoughts and judgments.

The sister-in-law didn't go out to work but didn't stay at home every day, and the situation of making friends was complicated. He knew it all the time, but he felt that Lei Lei could no longer be with his father. At least he could see his mother every day, even if it was a short time. It is good.But recently, my sister-in-law's economic needs have been increasing, and her influence on Lei Lei has become more and more negative. He can no longer let Lei Lei live in panic, and he has a new plan in his heart.

After comforting her for a while, she coaxed Lei Lei back to the room, and then tidied up the house and herself. Mom had finished watching the Anti-Japanese War drama and was about to turn off the TV. Huang Yuan called her to stop:

"Mom, I want to take Leilei back to live."

From the time when his sister-in-law asked him for money to when Lei Lei told him the truth and apologized, his mother didn't respond at all, as if it didn't matter whether the family was dead or alive, reunited or separated. I never went to the hospital to visit my husband, let alone take care of him.Huang Yuan knew that there must be something wrong with his mother's psychology, but he had no time to take care of it. He could only observe carefully after work every day. As long as his mother lived a good life, he didn't dare to make more demands. He only wanted to have more money in the future. , took my mother and Lei Lei out for a trip to relax.

But now Leilei's matter is imminent. If he wants to pick it up, he must discuss it with his mother. He is usually not at home and needs his mother to take care of Leilei in his daily life. He is also worried that his mother will always think of her elder brother in prison when she sees Leilei. And the heartless sister-in-law.

At this time, Huang's mother raised her hand on the remote controller, paused, pressed the off button, and stood up: "This house, isn't it up to you now?" After saying these words without warmth, she turned back to herself. The door to the room was closed.

Huang Yuan opened his mouth, feeling heavy and empty in his heart, not knowing what to say.Mom can't say a few words a day now, and every time she speaks, the tone makes him uncomfortable, always full of dissatisfaction, sarcasm and unwillingness.

How glorious it has been for my mother to marry into the Huang family for decades. Huang Yuan's great-grandfather was a veteran who made meritorious service in the founding of the country, and his grandfather was also an important member of the city's leadership team. , Going to the sea to do business is very successful, making the Huang Yuan brothers become the third generation of officials and the second generation of rich people, and they have no worries about food and clothing since childhood.

The eldest brother is self-motivated. After graduating from university, he passed the civil service examination and entered the government system. In a few years, he skipped several grades and became a young and promising young cadre.And he has been mischievous since he was a child, and when he grows up, he behaves even more mischievously, embarrassing Huang's father and elder brother to wipe his ass, and was sent abroad before finishing high school.

The mother has always loved the two brothers, but the eldest brother has been excellent and promising since he was a child, and he is the spoiled youngest son in the family, a typical playboy. Naturally, my mother expects and relies more on the eldest brother and just indulges him manner.

Two years ago, the Huang family was implicated because they were not cautious enough in the turmoil, and it collapsed overnight. The wealthy wife who had always been sought after by others has since become a haggard old woman who hides at home all day long.

Huang Yuan asked himself countless times, these were not caused by him, why did he need to bear them in the end, he was also unwilling, angry, and wanted to destroy everything, but seeing his hair turn gray in a few days and his face full of sadness The wrinkled parents and the niece who grew up happily like a little princess tasted the feeling of anxiety for the first time, only to realize that I was the only one living a heartless life before.When he heard the news that his eldest brother had been sentenced, Huang's father couldn't accept it for a while, and fainted on the spot. After being admitted to the hospital, he was diagnosed with cancer and other serious senile diseases, and needed to spend the rest of his life in hospitals and nursing homes.Immediately, the sister-in-law took Leilei away from the Huang family, and the originally high-spirited Mrs. Huang also became depressed.

The original pillars of the father and elder brother were unable to support the family, and the remaining mother and niece needed to be taken care of. Only then did Huang Yuan realize that he had no way out, only himself.Fortunately, there was still a small two-bedroom house left by Huang's mother's family, which was hung in Huang Yuan's name after he became an adult, so that everyone had a place to live.

He remembered that someone once said to him: "Why I like reading, because Hemingway told me: life always makes us bruised, but in the end, those injured places will definitely become our strongest places."

At that time, he snorted and laughed at the other party as a nerd who had no money and could only do coolies, of course he was physically strong.Hehe, the current self may really want to work part-time as a coolie. The deficit in the account book has been hurting his heart for several months.

Huang Yuan stayed in the small space of a few square meters in the living room and dining room for a while, guessing that Lei Lei must be asleep, then carefully entered his room and found his laptop and a blanket.Because Huang's mother didn't want to sleep with Lei Lei, every time Lei Lei came over, he gave up his room and slept on the sofa in the living room.

"Uncle, are you really willing to take me back?" A weak voice came from under the quilt.

Huang Yuan hugged the laptop and the blanket with his right hand, then touched Leilei's head through the quilt, and said softly: "Well, you are going to be in the third year of junior high, I don't worry, I have to watch you study in person. OK!"

"But...my mother..." The voice in the quilt immediately choked up.

Both of them knew that sister-in-law would not agree. Without Leilei, she would have no reason to ask the Huang family for money.

"I'll have a good talk with your mother, don't worry, trust my uncle, okay? You can sleep peacefully now and keep your spirits up. You don't need to worry about these things. Your task is to concentrate on your studies. If you don't get into high school, Uncle will not let you go."

"Um……"

The small body under the quilt was trembling, Huang Yuan sighed silently, got up and went out.