Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

"Yingzi, you'd better take care of yourself now."

"Yingzi, I congratulate you and Jianguo."

In no time, the courtyard was filled with congratulations and well wishes for her.

Chapter 172 Street Slave, Hammer in One Hand, Money in the Other

The news of Yingzi's pregnancy spread like wildfire throughout the courtyard.

It happened to be a long Sunday, and everyone was there.

Before long, the whole courtyard knew.

Whenever I see her again, I have to ask her a few questions and say "Congratulations!"

Yingzi was also beaming with joy, laughing happily.

After breakfast, the two went out.

We agreed to have some fun this week.

Yesterday, Yang Jianguo and his older brother...

cough~

My father-in-law drank too much.

We can't afford to waste any more time today, no matter what we say.

Avoiding crowded places, Yang Jianguo rode his bicycle towards Andingmen, following the direction he remembered.

Upon reaching Andingmen, we went around to the south side of the arrow tower and entered the barbican.

What came into view was a scene of mud houses and gravel roads.

The wheels rolled over it, making a 'clunking' sound.

Directly opposite the arrow tower is a railway track, with two zebra-striped manual safety bars tied tightly with ropes and raised high.

Closely adjacent to the arrow tower is the dilapidated and desolate Zhenwu Temple.

In earlier years, this place was also a popular place of worship.

Now, apart from elderly people living nearby, no one comes to the temple to burn incense anymore.

Not to mention maintenance and repair.

Stepping through the dilapidated temple gate, the wooden doors hanging diagonally on both sides creaked.

Seeing the temple with its rustic charm, Yang Jianguo was filled with emotion.

Only he knew what would happen in a few years.

Not to mention this earthen temple, even the city wall and arrow tower behind it will be demolished.

He lit incense on the offering table, which was propped up by bricks in front of the temple, and spoke with the temple keeper, who was as dilapidated as the Zhenwu Temple.

I left five cents as incense money and departed amidst the temple keeper's words of thanks.

I rode my bike with my wife on the back, aimlessly moving forward.

Yang Jianguo wanted to take a good look at the old capital. Yingzi sat happily in the back, occasionally pointing to the old wooden pavilions by the roadside.

“Jianguo, look over there, this house is really beautiful, it must have been a wealthy family’s house before.”

"Well, he should at least be a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations)."

"Really? That's amazing!"

She stuck out her tongue cutely... and the two of them didn't linger.

Walking slowly forward, we arrived at Guangqumen, where factories lined both sides of the street.

The area is bustling with pedestrians, some on foot, some on bicycles, and others in pedicabs carrying passengers.

These are all fresh off the train station, carrying buyers from all over the country.

They come to the factory area to handle business, discuss matters, and make purchases.

After going around in circles, winding through the alleys, I somehow ended up in Huayuan Village.

Seeing the brand-new, white-walled buildings not far away, Yingzi exclaimed in delight, "Jianguo, look! New buildings!"

Hua...Yuancun Overseas Chinese Apartment, the first commercial residential building in China.

Built specifically for overseas Chinese returning to China, it was completed in stages over 62 years and is now full of people.

The building has four floors above ground and a sunken basement.

Each room has a long corridor terrace of about four or five square meters, enclosed by a transparent glass railing more than one meter high.

From afar, it looked completely out of place in Beijing.

Yang Jianguo stopped the car, propped himself up on his legs, and laughed, "Is it good-looking?"

Yingzi nodded and said, "It looks good, but it's too eye-catching."

Yang Jianguo just smiled, and after a moment he suddenly said, "In the future, we'll be able to live in even better buildings than this, do you believe it?"

"I believe it." Without a moment's hesitation, Yingzi said brightly, "I believe that in the future, we will definitely live in a better building than this."

Holding his waist, Yingzi whispered, "Actually, it doesn't matter where we live, as long as you're here."

"Home is where you are."

Yingzi looked up at him and said softly, "Even if you live in the capital, it's just a cold, impersonal house when you're not here."

I couldn't help but cover my head with my hands and move them back and forth.

Yingzi pouted angrily, putting on a childish act of being angry.

"Haha~ Yes, my wife is right." They got back into the car and continued driving around.

By noon, I was getting a little hungry.

There happened to be a fried cake vendor in the alley, so Yang Jianguo set up his cart.

I bought two fried cakes, wrapped them in oil paper, and stood by the roadside with Yingzi, taking turns eating them.

"Hey, there's actually someone selling fried cakes here!"

"Let's go, let's go up and take a look."

Not far away, a few shady-looking street thugs came over, shouting and yelling.

The old man selling fried cakes hurriedly packed up his things to leave.

The street thug took a few steps, but someone suddenly stepped in front of the car and stopped him: "Hey, where are you going?"

"Everyone, everyone, this is just a small business I run to make a living. Please, please, have mercy on me."

The old man clasped his hands together, his face full of flattery as he begged the men for mercy.

"Small business? You still know you're running a business!"

The street thug, all smiles and smirks, suddenly barked, "What you're doing is speculation, you know? Believe me or not, I'll lock you up in a cave!"

"Oh dear, oh dear, sir, I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! My whole family depends on me to support them!"

The old man was so frightened that he knelt down on the spot, begging the men to let him go.

If someone really reports it, the neighborhood committee and the police station can't just turn a blind eye.

They've decided to arrest him for speculation and confiscate his property, and sentence him to several years in prison.

Several years!

By the time they came out, the whole family had already starved to death.

"Don't want to go into the cave?" The street urchin shook his head smugly and winked at his companion.

"Fine, hand over the money. Give me all your ill-gotten gains, and I'll let you off if I'm in a good mood."

The old man suddenly prostrated himself and kowtowed to the group: "Sir, please give our family a way to survive!"

There's no food at home, people are going to die, people are going to die...

The old man kept kowtowing, while the street urchins laughed and cursed, "So what if someone dies? What business is it of mine if someone in your family dies?"

A street thug nearby kicked the old man, knocking him to the ground.

"You son of a bitch, hand over the money, you hear me? Or you're not leaving today."

Cloudy tears streamed down the old man's face as he murmured, "Grandpa, spare me! Someone in my family is going to die, someone is going to die..."

On the street, Yingzi clenched her hands, her eyes reddening as she watched.

In broad daylight, you can't force someone to their death like this.

They... they...

A hand landed on the street urchin's shoulder, and a steady voice reached his ears: "Friend, I need to discuss something with you."

Seeing that it was her own man who went up, Yingzi's heart tightened again.

He was about to take a few steps forward when Yang Jianguo turned around and stopped him with a look in his eyes.

He seemed to have eyes in the back of his head, seeing perfectly what Yingzi was planning to do.

I know my wife too well.

He always comes first, and I always put myself second.

Seeing him come up, one has to rush forward nervously.

So, Yang Jianguo stopped her with just one look.

She's pregnant now, so she should stay as far away from that kind of thing as possible.

Yang Jianguo had no intention of getting involved in this matter; there are plenty of pitiful people in the world.

He's not a saint, how can he possibly manage everything?

Can……

Judging from the old man's appearance, there must be some difficulties at home.

They'd rather be beaten and risk going to jail than hand over that two coins.

Yang Jianguo couldn't stand it anymore; they were pushing people to the brink of death.

"Hey, you motherfucker, where the hell did you come from? Mind your own business and get out of here."

The street hustler shrugged and was about to shake him off.

Yang Jianguo's hand seemed glued to it, his five fingers gripping inwards with force.

"Holy crap, I'm going to let go... let go..." The street thug, whose collarbone was being pinched, immediately knelt down.

Hearing the commotion, the guys who were kicking the old man saw what was happening.

He turned his head and found himself kneeling.

"Holy shit!" he yelled, and was about to rush forward.

"Brothers, don't rush." ​​Yang Jianguo let go and took a few steps back.

"All you guys want is money. I have two dollars here. Can you be lenient and let this old man go?"

Yang Jianguo took out two yuan and placed it in front of the street thugs.

Several people's eyes flickered, clearly showing their interest.

Two yuan is enough to buy a pack of cigarettes and then have a nice meal.

This is a good deal!

But the street thug who had just been forced to kneel by him jumped up, pointed at him, and started cursing: "Two dollars, are you trying to fob me off with beggar money?"

"If you don't come up with twenty or thirty yuan today, I'm telling you, this isn't over."

"Look, my arm is all crushed, I can't move it at all now, guys, beat it up."

With a wave of his hand, the other party seemed to be about to start a chaotic battle.

Yang Jianguo reached behind him with his right hand, and a hammer suddenly appeared...