Chapter 11: Taking the East Courtyard

"Sigh, don't even mention it. Housing in the city is too crowded. A whole family is squeezed into two rooms; you can hear the neighbors farting next door, and if you try to stretch, you can barely open your arms. It's not as spacious as in the village."

"Hahaha, Li Laotou, you have blessings but don't know how to enjoy them."

"Hehe, we country folk can't handle city life. You have to buy everything. It's not as convenient as at home, where you can just go to the field and pluck whatever you're missing."

"Hahaha, that's true."

"Dad."

"Oh right, it's getting late. Li Laotou, let's chat again when you have time."

"Alright."

Li Laotou was puzzled in his heart. Wasn't it said that Zhang Laohan's son was almost gone? How does he look so tall and strong now?

"Big Sister, Big Brother-in-law, eldest nephew."

"Grandpa and Grandma are here, Uncle, you're better!" The eldest nephew Li Ze is five years older than him, the younger nephew Li Chen is two years older than him, and the niece Li Qing is actually one year younger than him.

"Mm, I'm fine now. Li Ze, here is something good to eat, share it with your younger brother and sister." This was dried sweet potato that Zhang Ping'an made himself; it was very sweet.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle."

"Dad, Mom, Ping'an." Big Brother-in-law Li Huaijin, the second son in his family, had already separated and lived on his own.

"Dad, Mom, Ping'an, come over quickly, let Big Sister take a look."

"Big Sister, I'm already fine."

"Good, good, good, as long as you're fine."

"Dad, Mom, Ping'an, come inside and have a drink of water first."

"No, let's unload the things first. We'll go to your second sister's place first."

"Dad, Mom, I'll have Li Ze call the second sister and the others to come straight over, and we'll eat at home at noon."

"That works too."

"Li Ze, go call your second aunt's family over. Just say Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle are all here."

"Okay, Mom."

Li Ze ran out while gnawing on dried sweet potato.

"Second Aunt, Second Uncle, Grandpa, Grandma, and Uncle have come to my house. My mom wants you all to come over for a meal."

"Okay, Li Ze, your Second Uncle and I will come over right now."

Second Sister Zhang Meihua, Lao Er-in-law Li Huaijin, and their three children: Li Cheng (1932), Li Jing (1935), and Li Mei (1938).

"Brother." Li Mei stared straight at the dried sweet potato in Li Ze's hand.

"Li Mei, Li Cheng, Li Jing, this is for you. Go on, go over with Brother first, Uncle brought a lot of dried sweet potato." Li Ze took three pieces of dried sweet potato out of his pocket.

"Okay."

"Grandpa, Grandma, Second Aunt, Uncle, we're here!"

"Hahaha, good, good."

"Everyone come eat some dried sweet potato. There's also fabric; take it home and have your mother make you new clothes."

"Thank you, Uncle."

"Go play, but don't eat too much dried sweet potato. Save some room; there's fish and meat for lunch today."

"Oh, we're having meat for lunch!" Children are easily satisfied; having food and drink is enough to keep them happy all day.

"Dad, Mom, Big Sister, Little Sister, Ping'an." X2

"Mm, take these things with you when you go home later."

"Dad, Mom, you bring so many things every time. We have everything at home."

"What you have is yours; this is what Dad and Mom are giving you. Just take it."

"Meihua, just listen to your father."

"Alright, alright, alright, I'll go help Big Sister."

"Mm, go ahead."

The three men—the father-in-law and sons-in-law—along with Zhang Ping'an, chatted from time to time, the topic mostly revolving around Zhang Ping'an's injuries.

"Ping'an, are you completely recovered now?"

"Yes, the blood stasis in my head should all be gone. It doesn't hurt or itch now, it's just that my appetite has grown a lot."

"Being able to eat is a good thing. You've shot up seven or eight fen in these two months, haven't you?"

"Mm, just about."

"You're only thirteen; in another two or three years, I'm afraid you'll catch up to me."

"Lao Er-in-law, I can't grow past you." Zhang Ping'an only reached Li Huaijin's shoulder; Li Huaijin was at least 1.9 meters tall.

"Hahaha, then eat hard so you'll grow fast."

"You think everyone can eat like you? Seven or eight Steamed Buns and a basin of porridge in one sitting. You're going to eat us out of house and home, you and your boys," said Second Sister Zhang Meihua.

"Cough, cough, isn't it because I do a lot of work?" Li Huaijin said awkwardly.

This was true; Li Huaijin could work harder than an old ox, and the ten mu of land at home was basically all tended to by him alone.

Li Huaijin was also the second son in his family and was not well-regarded; it was because he could eat too much, and his older and younger brothers felt they were losing out, so they separated the family.

"Time to eat!"

The women and children ate at the kitchen table, while at the main room table, there were only three adults and five half-grown boys.

"The five of you, uncle and nephews, standing together, Ping'an, you actually look like the oldest." And it was true; at nearly 1.7 meters tall, he was also sturdy.

"Hehe, I've been eating well at San Jie's place these past few months. Li Ze, if you all eat well, you can grow as tall as your uncle too."

"Mm."

"Ping'an, do you drink alcohol?"

"Brother-in-law, I'm only thirteen years old."

"Oh, oh, oh, right, I was fooled by your build, haha."

"Hahaha."

"Eat your vegetables, eat your vegetables."

After finishing the meal, Zhang Ping'an took his three nephews to the Back Mountain to set traps.

"I've already made marks for you all; you need to remember them yourselves. Come over with your eldest brother-in-law and second brother-in-law late this evening to check; there should be a harvest."

"Alright, Uncle."

The three of them naturally knew their uncle's skills; during the summer vacation, he had caught quite a few pheasants and wild rabbits by setting traps.

"Let's go, let's head back."

At one o'clock in the afternoon, the family of four pushed the Bicycle and headed home.

"Ping'an, your age has already been changed. Since you are going to school, bring all the necessary documents tomorrow."

"Alright. Si Jie, wait until I'm settled in the city, and I'll bring you to the city to study too. I've also brought back Dongxu's primary school textbooks; just look through them when you have time."

"Mm." Zhang Lanhua had learned to read from her mother, and she could understand some basics.

In the evening, the four nephews took their fathers and followed the marks all the way to find the traps set in the afternoon.

"There's movement, it's a pheasant flapping around."

"Hahaha, Ping'an really has a knack for hunting."

"Mm, I'll tie up the pheasant, you guys keep leading the way."

"Good heavens, there's quite a lot here, four wild rabbits and two pheasants."

"Let's go, it's dark now, let's hurry down the mountain. We'll come back to check the empty traps tomorrow morning."

"Alright, let's go."

The next morning, the family of four brought deer legs and twenty jin of flour to Sijiucheng.

"Dad, Mom, Little Sister, you're here."

"Mm, Xiaohua, these are deer legs. Uncle Yuan gave them to Ping'an. Since you've finally conceived, just keep them to nourish yourself, and there's this white flour too."

"Mom~" Zhang Xiaohua looked moved.

"Alright, is Youcai coming back at noon?"

"Yes, Lao Jia said there is meat to eat at their factory at noon, and he wants to bring some back for me to taste."

"Mm, that's good. It's getting late, Da Ni, you take Lanhua and go cook."

"Dad, Mom, I'll go cook."

"You rest."

Half an hour later.

"Ding-a-ling."

"Lao Jia, where did you get the Bicycle?"

"I borrowed it from the factory. Dad, Mom, you're here."

"Mm, we happened to have some business this time, regarding Ping'an."

"What is it? Please tell me."

"It's like this, I want Ping'an to settle down in the city. It just so happens you have a piece of land here, and I intend to buy it to build a house for Ping'an to live in."

"Ah? You mean the East Courtyard?"

"Yes."

"Dad, we still have quite a few empty rooms in this courtyard..."

"Those don't have a yard, so it's not comfortable to live in. I've taken a liking to that piece of land; I'll be able to grow some crops, melons, fruits, and vegetables there."

"......"

"Fine, while there's still time, let's go to the Back Courtyard and ask the Deaf Old Lady."

"Done."

"Knock, knock, knock."

"Creak."

"Lao Jia, Zhang Shu, what are you doing here?" Tan Cuicui said.

"Sister-in-law, I have some business with the old lady."

"Done, old lady, I'll come back later."

"Alright, Youcai, what are you all doing?"

"Old sister-in-law, my Ping'an wants to study in the city, so we're looking to buy a place to live."

"Oh? Which one have you taken a liking to?"

Zhang Ping'an, Lao Jia's brother-in-law; she had heard about him from Tan Cuicui.

"That piece of land in the East Courtyard, I want to build a house for Ping'an."

"Mm?" The Deaf Old Lady looked at Zhang Laohan as if looking at a fool.

"Cough, cough, old lady, my dad thinks the others don't have yards, and it's not convenient to grow anything."