Siheyuan: A warm home with wife and children

If this were in an ordinary household, it would be considered quite impressive.

When visiting one's maternal home, one should be treated as an honored guest, greeted with a smile, and served the best food and wine.

When you're out in public, that's something to brag about, and it's a source of pride for your family.

But it wouldn't be appropriate to leave it at the Li family's house!

The eldest sister was not only a union leader and highly regarded, but she also ran a bookstore where anyone could freely enter and borrow books for free.

The sheer number of books inside is secondary; what's truly remarkable is the discovery of rare books and manuscripts that were thought to have disappeared within the last decade, which has caused quite a stir in literary circles.

Since the opening of 'Shuhai', countless scholars and literati have wept bitterly before these rare and unique books.

Countless others wanted to copy and imitate it, causing considerable trouble and distress to Li Ying and 'the sea of ​​books'.

But it also brought her great fame and glory, and poets and singers who came to admire her regarded her as a source of inspiration.

They wrote poems and songs for her, and they were sung wherever she went.

Let's talk about Li Aimin...

Master Li's reputation is even more renowned than that of his elder sister, Li Ying.

After all, Li Ying's reputation was limited to what literati and scholars spread among themselves.

Master Li's reputation was such that everyone from high-ranking officials to ordinary peddlers could say a few words about him.

Who told him to not only be a troublemaker, but also to shoulder a responsibility!

In the past two years, Li Aimin has brought back quite a few Dong Qian drawings from outside, totaling nearly a hundred.

Other small, intricate parts or gadgets may seem unremarkable, but bringing them back can be a source of inspiration and direction.

He solved countless problems for the entire Ministry of Works, as the research projects he brought back from Dong Qian included thirteen projects.

Don't underestimate this number; it accounts for 12.6% of the Ministry of Industry's progress projects.

This is already terrifying; only Li Aimin didn't pursue a career in politics.

Otherwise, he would have to skip three levels.

Both of them are so capable, and then looking back at Li Aiguo...

There's no harm in comparison; it wouldn't matter if it were someone else's house.

But they are their own siblings. When they go out and meet people, they all praise, "Your sister is so capable, and your brother is so capable."

Once or twice, Aiguo was happy for his siblings.

After three or four times, I started to feel uneasy.

If someone doesn't feel a little emotional connection to the comparison and disparity after ten or eight times, then that would be abnormal.

If someone says something like, "Your older sister and brother are so capable, but they didn't help you out," then...

Some things, once broken, take root in the heart.

It will be difficult to remove it later.

Yingzi was worried that Aiguo might harbor some resentment.

That's why they deliberately avoid their own home and don't want to meet.

"How about we invite him over for dinner tomorrow?"

Yang Jianguo didn't want her to overthink things; it was better to talk things out face to face.

Li Aiguo is also a down-to-earth and honest person, not a petty person with a heart as sharp as a needle point.

If there's anything that's bothering you, just talk it out face-to-face.

If he also wants to go into business, how could Aimin not take him along?

If Liu Guangtian can take care of someone, why can't his own brother?!

If he has other ideas, he can just lay them out in plain language and talk about them!

"Okay, I'll go back to my room and make the call."

Li Ying turned around and went back inside to call the factory, asking Aiguo to bring his wife over for a family dinner.

Yang Jianguo stood at the door for a while longer, watching the literati and scholars coming and going, feeling relieved.

All those casual actions I've taken over the years have turned out to be the right thing to do.

"Come on, come on, this is the sea of ​​books."

Several disheveled, arrogant, and unruly individuals strode into the academy carrying straw mats on their backs.

Yang Jianguo was a little curious, but he didn't stop him.

The rule of the Book Sea is that anyone who is honestly there to read can come and go freely, regardless of their social status.

But then, he frowned.

“Brother Congwen, with your literary talent, you will surely win the heart of the goddess.”

“Indeed, we have come here today for two reasons: first, to thank the goddess for her contributions, and second, to bolster Brother Congwen’s reputation.”

"The poems and lyrics that Brother Congwen has composed will surely touch the heart of the goddess."

Goddess? This goddess refers to...

Yang Jianguo had a guess, but he also felt it was absurd. Even if a scholar is romantic, there should be a limit.

"But I heard that the boss... the goddess has been married for many years. Isn't Brother Wen's move a bit rash?"

"A beautiful and virtuous woman is the object of a gentleman's affections. What's wrong with pursuing love? And what's wrong with getting married?"

If Yang Jianguo still didn't understand after hearing these people's comments, he would be truly stupid.

Ma Kun, who was sitting idly on a stool next to him, looked at him with a strange gaze.

"Ma Kun, send them out." Yang Jianguo was both amused and exasperated; these people were truly arrogant.

Ma Kun strode forward and blocked the group's path: "Excuse me, everyone, the Sea of ​​Books is not open to you."

"Why should we?" The poet, who was being addressed as "Brother Congwen," retorted angrily, "Didn't you say that anyone can come and go from the sea of ​​books? Are you looking down on us?"

“If you’re not welcome, you’re not welcome. Don’t make me resort to violence.” Ma Kun wasn’t going to reason with them.

Besides, he knew he couldn't win an argument with these people.

Since the 'boss' told us to kick them out, then kicking them out is the right thing to do.

Besides, don't you know why you came here?

Chapter 397 The Literary Swindler, A Small Family Banquet

Ma Kun kicked them out before the group of self-proclaimed brilliant wandering poets could even open their mouths.

The gleaming knife in the sunlight silenced them.

They slunk out of the sea of ​​books, with one of them shouting defiantly, "You wait, I'm going to report you to the police."

Hey~

A dart was embedded in the wall, pressed against the top of the forehead; a few tufts of hair fell out when the head was touched.

Now that no one was going to nag anymore, they fled the alley in a panic.

After chasing the people away, Yang Jianguo asked speechlessly, "Has this happened before?"

Ma Kun shook his head and said, "I haven't heard of that... Lately, people's hearts are in turmoil."

Nodding thoughtfully, Yang Jianguo went inside to find Li Lan and inquired about the stories of these wandering literati.

"Don't even mention it, he's not a poet at all, he's just a fraud."

"He would copy a couple of lines of poetry from somewhere and use them to deceive people wherever he went, or he would just fool those silly girls who admired literary style."

"The key is that there are actually fools who fall for it. They are provided with food and drink, their clothes and socks are washed, and they are paid to serve them... Some even give themselves away."

These absurd stories were told to Li Lan by the students at the academy.

Even Peking University and Tsinghua University have allowed many people to take advantage of loopholes.

He wrote a couple of nonsensical "modern poems" and was worshipped by a group of naive students.

He scams people out of food and drinks, and then he scams them too. The worst part is that when you tell someone you're a scammer, the girl scolds you for being nosy.

"Last time I heard someone say that a female student got pregnant, and then the liar said that he was like a crane, only able to stand on one foot for a short time, and that traveling the world was his life's pursuit."

"Then she sent them away and insisted on giving birth to the child."

"And no one is allowed to say a bad word about that swindler. They say that the child's father is a man of great talent who should be playing among the mountains and rivers, but unfortunately he is too stupid to walk with him and become his confidant."

Li Lan looked sullen and said, "She even said that being able to conceive his child was a test from God... How could she get into university like that?"

Looking around, Li Lan leaned forward and whispered, "Brother-in-law, are all college students idiots?"

"..." Yang Jianguo shook his head with a wry smile. What could he say?

Foolish? Perhaps "rebellious" would be a more accurate description!

Why jump into a trap when you know it's a trap?

The yearning for knowledge, suppressed for ten years, erupted as a backlash after being liberated, stemming from sympathy for the "stinking intellectuals."

The indignation and resentment towards those poets and writers who died unjustly, and the unbridled indulgence that followed the loss of restraint...

Perhaps, they all have some degree of it!

Every major change is accompanied by additional growing pains.

The next day, Yingzi had to get up as soon as it was light.

"Sleep a little longer!" Yang Jianguo reached out and put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into his embrace. "There are no kids at home, why get up so early on a Sunday?"

Yingzi turned to face him with a smile and said, "Aiguo and his wife are coming over at noon. Haitang is pregnant, and I don't know if she will have an appetite. I have to prepare in advance."

Yu Haitang is pregnant. It's a bit late for them to have a child, but she's pregnant nonetheless.

"Really? How many months?" Yang Jianguo also got up, he really didn't know.

Yingzi chuckled and said, "It's been over seven months, and all you do is work. What do you know?"

Yang Jianguo smiled apologetically, unable to find any rebuttal.

He has indeed neglected his family a lot in the past two years.

"Don't overthink it. I didn't mean for you to stay home. A real man should act like a real man."

Seeing that he didn't say anything, Yingzi knew what he was thinking.

Yang Jianguo chuckled and said, "How could that be? How could I not know how virtuous my wife is?"

"Go on, you'll just say nice things." Yingzi gave him a playful glare.

He's getting more and more eloquent; I'm completely bewitched by his words.

"By the way, did you hear about what happened at the academy yesterday?"

"What's going on?" Yingzi was unaware of the group of homeless people who came to the academy yesterday.

After a few brief words, Yingzi's expression changed. "Bastard."

She's a bad girl; she got pregnant and ran away, yet she thinks it's a romantic affair. She's definitely not Dong Qian.

But when Yingzi thought about that silly girl again, she was speechless.

One is willing to hit, and the other is willing to be hit.

What to do when you can't reason with a stubborn person?

"We still need to focus on quality education and spiritual education. We are sorely lacking in spiritual nourishment right now."

Yingzi was absolutely right, but then Yang Jianguo thought of the qigong that was gradually becoming popular on the streets.

The seeds had barely sprouted when the higher-ups were already holding a meeting.

What's your take on this trend?

Yang Jianguo was unclear about the specifics of his final assessment.

But he knew the result was encouraging, and even somewhat lauded.