Chapter 53: Another Half Year Passes

"Huairu, how long have I been asleep?"

"Almost two hours."

"Where are Dad and Mom?"

"They all went to work in the fields. Big Brother went to notify them; they should be back in a little while."

"That's fine. Let's say goodbye and head back too."

"Mm."

"Whew~" Having slept for two hours, the effects of the alcohol had worn off, and Jia Dongxu washed his face to fully sober up.

"How are you, Dongxu? You've recovered, right?"

"Dad, Mom, we're fine. A nap helped a lot."

"That's good. You're much better than your big brother." Qin Dahu patted Jia Dongxu on the shoulder.

",,,,,," It was fortunate that Qin Weiguo hadn't followed them over, otherwise he would have been hurt once again.

"Dad, Mom, it's getting late. Dongxu and I are getting ready to head back."

"Alright, be careful on the road. Come back and visit often when you have time."

At this moment, Qin Mu, Zhang Lan, brought over two tied-up old hens and handed them over.

"Take these two egg-laying hens back with you. You can have eggs every day, and it'll save you from buying them."

"Mom, no need. We don't lack anything at home."

"Dongxu, take them."

"This... alright, then let's take one."

He couldn't easily refuse his father-in-law's kind gesture, but taking both didn't feel right, so he simply took one.

It wasn't even four o'clock when the two of them reached Sijiucheng, and the old hen was fine inside the burlap sack.

"Huairu, it's still early. Let's walk around for a bit."

"Mm, okay."

Jia Dongxu took Qin Huairu to a clothing store and bought two coats.

"Dongxu, this is too expensive. It would be better to buy some cloth and make them ourselves."

Women in this era generally knew a bit of needlework, and clothes were mostly made by buying fabric and processing it themselves.

"Listen to me this time and buy ready-made clothes. Also, buy some soft, breathable fabric; you can make two outfits for your sister-in-law and brother-in-law."

"Mm, okay."

The two strolled around the city for about an hour. Qin Huairu was worried about the hen suffocating, so they headed home.

"Dongxu, Huairu, you're back."

"Yes, Auntie Yang, are you busy?"

"Auntie Yang."

"Yes, it's almost time for dinner." Yang Ruihua was preparing dinner for the whole family.

"You go ahead and be busy, we're heading back."

"Alright."

Yang Ruihua looked at this golden boy and jade girl, unable to hide the nostalgia in her eyes. Back then, hadn't she and Lao Yan been just as well-matched...

"Mom, we're back."

"Eh."

"Mom, we bought some soft fabric. Later, I'll have Huairu make some clothes for the younger brother and sister."

"Wasting money again. Children grow so fast, they won't be able to wear them for many days." Although she said that, the crow's feet at the corners of her eyes betrayed her heart.

"It's fine, Mom. We can just alter them to be bigger when they get too small."

"You two..."

Soon it was time to get off work, and the people of the Siheyuan returned one after another. Zhang Ping'an also finished his day of medical studies. Si Jie still got out of elementary school early and had already finished making dinner.

"Ping'an, wash your hands and eat."

"Okay."

Plain days always pass quickly. Before one knew it, it was the end of the year again, and Zhang Ping'an's final exam scores were still perfect.

Under Zhang Ping'an's tutoring, Wang Xiaoling and Mu Yingnan's grades were also at the top of their grade.

After drinking the Medicinal Wine for two months, Xu Damao had indeed become much stronger. Coupled with the fact that he supplemented his diet with meat every day, his strength grew day by day.

Later, he bought another bottle from Zhang Ping'an. After the final exams, he was already a bully in the fifth grade. The students who used to beat him up had been beaten into submission by him, and now they were all his lackeys.

When Shazhu returned from his break and discovered that Xu Damao's strength had greatly increased—almost catching up to his own, as he had been wielding a large ladle for a long time—he got to the bottom of it and then happily went to find Zhang Ping'an to buy a bottle.

And let it be said, after drinking the Medicinal Wine, he could carry a bag of potatoes up to the third floor in one breath without feeling tired or even panting.

Over the past six months, Yi Zhonghai had been truly devoted to the Deaf Old Lady. Of course, most of the work was done by his wife; he only took responsibility for putting on a show in the courtyard to deepen his image as a filial son.

Every day off, he would add a meal for the Deaf Old Lady, either Braised Fish or Braised Pork. Yi Zhonghai would carry it from the Middle Courtyard to the Deaf Old Lady's home in the Back Courtyard, and everyone's impression of Yi Zhonghai became even better.

If one were to say Yi Zhonghai was a low-key, warm-hearted person before, now he was a total show-off. Of course, there was nothing to complain about regarding how he treated the Deaf Old Lady.

But from Tan Cuicui's perspective, over these past six months, Yi Zhonghai was no longer as obsessed with "plowing the fields" every night as he used to be. It was as if he had let go of it, only paying his "public grain" symbolically once or twice a month.

On the contrary, she wanted to try more often in order to conceive a child, but Yi Zhonghai always brushed her off by saying he was too tired. This made her even more frustrated, and she would either go to the Deaf Old Lady to confide in her or go to the Jia Family to see the two children.

The Deaf Old Lady knew it was Yi Zhonghai's problem, but she couldn't say anything. It wasn't just that Yi Zhonghai wouldn't let her; more importantly, for the past six months, it felt like she had returned to the days of over forty years ago, where she was fed and clothed by others.

The Deaf Old Lady missed those days so much. Now that she could live like that again, especially since she was old and had difficulty walking, she needed someone like Tan Cuicui, who had no children to worry about, to take care of her.

Although she felt a little guilty in her heart, compared to a comfortable life in her twilight years, she still chose to hide it.

Two months ago, a few people went to the Deaf Old Lady's house. No one knew exactly what happened, but she donated all the remaining houses in the Siheyuan, which in exchange earned her a spot as a Five-Guarantee Household.

"Zhonghai, the person who came to my house today was a captain from the Military Control Commission. My son once saved her. At the beginning of next year, classes will be divided, including different class statuses such as Capitalist, Landlord, Rich Peasant, Middle Peasant, and Poor Peasant."

"Furthermore, in these two years, there might be a Liaison Officer set up in every Siheyuan. The Liaison Officer will be elected within the courtyard and will be mainly responsible for coordinating with them, which means he will be responsible for all the big and small matters of the Siheyuan."

Yi Zhonghai was startled upon hearing this; this old lady's connections were truly extensive. If classes were really to be divided, then the Deaf Old Lady would be at least a Landlord.

Now, this captain had directly notified her two or three months in advance to donate her family property to protect herself, and she had even gotten a Five-Guarantee Household status for free.

Thinking further that being responsible for a Siheyuan would count as being some sort of official, and that it would also be helpful for his future retirement plan, he was tempted by this Liaison Officer position.

"What does Godmother mean?"

"I hope you will be the Liaison Officer."

Yi Zhonghai was her godson, and it was better for him to control the Siheyuan than for an outsider to be in charge.

"This... I also have this thought, but the people in the courtyard..."

Yi Zhonghai also had self-awareness; there were at least three people in the courtyard more suitable than him: Jia Youcai, He Daqing, and Yan Bugui. As for Liu Haizhong, he really didn't think much of him; although he had enough official airs, the man had no ink in his belly.

"Jia Youcai is not a person who can manage things. Yan Bugui's family used to be in business, so it is estimated that it will be very difficult for him to be elected. As for He Daqing..."

The Deaf Old Lady was also a bit hesitant. In the past, He Daqing was just a cook, but now He Daqing had very extensive connections, and the man was also quite reckless.

"Did He Daqing ever cook for the Japanese before? We can make an issue out of this aspect; if we operate it well, we might even be able to get him away from Sijiucheng."

"Zhonghai, Shazhu is a good child. If others are good to him, he will repay them a thousand times over, and he is also someone you watched grow up."

The Deaf Old Lady stopped at the right point, and Yi Zhonghai naturally understood the Deaf Old Lady's meaning; he was very moved in his heart.

To tell the truth, ever since Yi Zhonghai found out he was infertile, he had been scouting for someone to provide for his old age in the courtyard, but the children in the courtyard all had fathers and mothers; who would agree to provide for his old age?

The Deaf Old Lady's words made his heart stir. If He Daqing was no longer in Sijiucheng, wouldn't Shazhu be the best candidate to provide for his old age? He was foolish and easy to control, it was just a pity there was an extra younger sister.