Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

If I really buy them, those shoes will definitely be as big as a boat.

"What should we do then?" Yang Jianguo was really at a loss about this.

Yingzi smiled and said, "How about this, I'll go home on my day off and have my mom make me a pair, that'll do."

Yang Jianguo thought, "That's a good idea."

It was custom-made to fit my feet, so it will definitely be a good fit.

Besides, Yingzi's mother guarantees the materials are high-quality and durable, so they'll be comfortable to wear.

As they were talking, someone knocked on the door: "Jianguo, Yingzi, you're not resting yet, are you?"

It's Aunt Liu.

Yang Jianguo stepped forward to open the door: "Aunt Liu, what brings you here? Come in and let's talk."

We welcomed Aunt Liu in, and she walked happily to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Yingzi, let me see."

Looking at her body, Aunt Liu said happily, "She's taken such good care of herself. Jianguo really put his heart into it."

Meimei glanced at him and Yingzi asked, "Aunt Liu, what's up so late at night?"

"It's alright, it's alright," Aunt Liu said, opening the paper package she was holding.

A pair of new cloth shoes with thick soles were placed right in front of me: "I made you a new pair of shoes."

"Didn't you say last time that your feet were swollen and felt suffocated?" Aunt Liu said, holding one in each hand. "These are wider, try them on."

Seeing Aunt Liu bend down to let her try it on, Yingzi quickly stopped her.

Yang Jianguo also stepped forward and said, "Auntie, I'll do it, I'll do it."

Seeing him snatch the shoe away, Aunt Liu didn't insist: "Fine, you do it."

Yang Jianguo put socks on her first, and then put her shoes on.

After getting dressed, Yingzi got off the kang (a heated brick bed) and took a few steps.

"Jianguo, these shoes are so comfortable!" Yingzi looked at him with surprise and joy.

Yang Jianguo was also happy; he had just mentioned it, and the shoes were already there.

Aunt Liu really knows her family's needs; these shoes arrived just in time.

Wearing her new shoes, Yingzi pulled Aunt Liu aside and said, "Auntie, Jianguo was just saying he was going to make me a pair, and you brought them over."

"That's why we say the experience of our predecessors is invaluable."

After hearing her praise him like that, Aunt Liu felt embarrassed.

"What experience do I have? I just heard you say your feet are swollen and uncomfortable, and I was thinking about having a pair of loose shoes so that it would be comfortable to walk in!"

Yingzi praised, "That's experience; who would normally think of making the shoes wider?"

Aunt Liu smiled happily, and Yang Jianguo asked, "Auntie, this must have cost a lot of money, right?"

Just by looking at those three thick soles, you can tell that a lot of effort went into making them.

Yang Jianguo can't just take it for free; he has to at least make up for the cost of the materials.

"What's the point of spending money to make a pair of shoes?"

Aunt Liu, with a stern face, said angrily, "Don't you dare mention money to me, or I won't come next time."

Seeing his troubled expression, Yingzi chimed in, "Auntie, it's not fair to ask you to spend your own money to make shoes for me, is it?"

"What do you mean? If that's the case, then I should also settle accounts with you for the food you and Jianguo used to bring me, right?"

Seeing that neither of them had anything to say, Aunt Liu smiled and walked out, saying, "Alright, I'll go back now."

"Yingzi, just tell your aunt if there's anything you need to say."

"Thank you, Auntie. Please take care." Yingzi watched the person pass through the doorway before closing the door.

He walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) in his new shoes, then walked back around it.

"How is it, comfortable?" Seeing how happy she was, Yang Jianguo knew she was really comfortable.

"Yes, that's right," Yingzi looked up at him, nodded, and said, "Comfortable, especially...comfortable."

"The soles are soft to the touch, and they don't hurt your feet at all."

"As long as you're comfortable," Yang Jianguo said, relieved.

Now her foot will feel a bit lighter, right?

Back on the kang (heated brick bed), I took off her shoes and put them on the floor.

Yingzi looked down at her shoes and said, "By the way, Jianguo, there's something I need to tell you."

"What is it? Tell me," Yang Jianguo replied.

Yingzi looked up at his busy figure and said, "I signed up for a foreign language class because I want to learn and improve myself."

Yang Jianguo stood there and asked, "So from now on, you'll have to... an... hour at night?"

Yingzi looked at him embarrassedly and nodded.

"There's a party, so can I ride my bike to work by myself from now on?"

Yang Jianguo refused without even thinking about it.

"No, that won't do. I'll pick you up from now on. I'll wait for you at the door."

Hearing him say that, Yingzi was in a dilemma.

This made Yang Jianguo wait for him outside, and he had to wait for more than an hour.

Yingzi felt sorry for him and couldn't bear to let him do that...

With a heavy heart, Yingzi said, "Then how about I take a tricycle back by myself?"

Today, she rode in a tricycle.

When Yang Jianguo usually works overtime, she does this...

Recently, I've felt heavy and my feet are swollen.

Without the car, Yingzi really couldn't walk back.

"Okay, that works."

Sure enough, Yang Jianguo was immediately pleased to hear that she had returned by tricycle.

Money should be spent where it should be spent and not wasted, but it should also be used to serve others.

My wife is over six months pregnant, and I'm risking riding my bike again just to save some money?

Yang Jianguo was not happy about this!

Besides, it only costs a little over 10 cents to get from their factory to their home by tricycle.

Sitting there every day for a month only costs a little over three yuan.

It's not a lot of money, but I have to spend it!

The two made a deal, and Yang Jianguo also cleaned up his own mess.

I took a relaxing soak in the side room for a while, then came back to rest.

The next day, I ate breakfast early in the morning.

Yang Jianguo pushed the cart to take his wife away, while Yan Jiecheng also prepared to leave early.

Upon seeing the two of them, he quickly greeted them with a smile, "Brother Jianguo, Sister Yingzi, are you at work?"

"Yeah, you too, you're up pretty early," Yang Jianguo replied with a smile.

Yan Jiecheng nodded and said earnestly, "On the first day of work, I need to go early to leave a good impression on the master."

Yang Jianguo said with satisfaction, "That's how it should be. Okay, go on then!"

After taking Yingzi to the factory, Yang Jianguo stopped trying to make her laugh.

He stopped the car and kissed her forehead.

After watching Yingzi enter the factory, Yang Jianguo turned the cart around and walked away.

Upon arriving at the factory, Yang Jianguo parked the car.

On the way to the workshop, I stopped by Workshop 1.

At the entrance, Yan Jiecheng was waiting for someone.

The director hasn't arrived yet, and there's no one to make arrangements for him; he'll have to wait there.

Seeing that he had arrived, Yang Jianguo felt relieved and walked towards the workshop.

As long as he doesn't delay, someone will definitely arrange the work for him.

There's not much to say about that.

Meanwhile, Yan Jiecheng stood at the entrance of Workshop One, waiting and waiting.

I saw those workers who had entered the workshop, started working, and chatted familiarly with each other.

I felt envious and longing.

But there was also a tinge of regret: 'I didn't get to go to the special... workshop after all.'

Yang Jianguo's workshop had the best treatment, salary, and benefits in the factory.

Moreover, he also received collective honors and a third-class merit award.

That alone sets it apart from ordinary workshops.

This is the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, inside and out.

Anyone who knows about it would want to work in a special workshop.

Yan Jiecheng also wanted to, but unfortunately, he didn't meet his expectations, which left him feeling frustrated.

If I could work under Yang Jianguo, it would be best if I became his apprentice; I'm sure I'd be extraordinary in the future.

Actually, quite a few people in the courtyard are now quite envious of Widow Qin.

He abandoned his pride and changed his future.

Now, he has become Yang Jianguo's apprentice.

Since I started working for him, I became a full-fledged employee in one month and advanced to the next level in three months.

I've only heard about it.

She is currently preparing for the Level 2 exam, aiming to pass it within six months, that is, by the end of this year.

If this is true, many people will probably have their teeth hurt from the sensitivity.

Widow Qin, a level two worker?

Six months ago, who would have believed it!

It's often said that people with poor cultural backgrounds can't be taught or learn.

But look, she became successful when she was under Yang Jianguo's command.

So, it's a question of whether this apprentice will succeed.

He also has to look to his master...

Yan Jiecheng genuinely wanted to stay by his side and was willing to put up with it for once.

Looking back, even his father will have to look at him with new respect.

"Hey, hey, I'm calling you!" Someone patted his arm, bringing Yan Jiecheng back to his senses from his reverie.

"Master, you called me?" Yan Jiecheng said politely upon seeing the person who had come to him.

The other person glanced at him twice and asked, "You're Yan Jiecheng?"

Yan Jiecheng nodded and said, "Yes, that's me."

"Hmm," he replied thoughtfully.

The foreman called out to the workshop, "Master Miao, there's someone here you can mentor for now."