Chapter 83

Yi Zhonghai's attempt to reconcile with Jia Dongxu at the banquet was politely refused, giving the siheyuan residents a new view of the Jia family; in their eyes Jia Zhangshi was like Yan Butgui—never up early without profit, always taking advantage—but when Yi Zhonghai tried to mend ties, Jia Dongxu refused politely while Jia Zhangshi did not stop him, and her recent changes let the neighbors see the Jia family had truly changed.

Everyone was also happy to see Jia Zhangshi's changes; since Qin Huiru went to work at Yagangchang, Jia Zhangshi stopped being lazy and gluttonous, not only taking initiative on household chores but also ceasing to cause trouble in the siheyuan, so the neighbors could finally enjoy peaceful days, the only downside possibly being fewer lively spectacles.

"Qiang Ge, I need a favor," Li Qiang was stopped by Xu Damao just as he got off work and reached his doorstep; it seemed Xu Damao had been waiting for him a while.

"What is it?" Li Qiang said with a smile.

"I'm going tomorrow to my father-in-law's house to discuss the wedding, and I wanted to ask you to buy me some gifts," Xu Damao said embarrassedly.

"Sure, you kid keep your mouth shut; we're about to get married and we haven't heard a thing," Li Qiang said with a smile, but in his heart he wondered: in the original story, Xu Damao's first wife was Lou Xiaoe, daughter of Lou Banche, the former factory chief of Yagangchang; they later divorced, and Lou Xiaoe, through the matchmaking of the deaf old granny, ended up with He Yuzhu, giving rise to He Xiao and preventing He Yuzhu from dying out; but it's unknown whether Xu Damao's current wife is still Lou Xiaoe.

"Qiang Ge, you know what the people in the siheyuan are like; based on my impression in their minds, if I had spoken up earlier they would surely go sabotage me," Xu Damao said embarrassedly.

Actually Xu Damao's statement is a bit exaggerated; in the original story the deaf old granny constantly called him a bad seed but never specified what bad deeds he did; as for Yi Zhonghai stirring up a fight between He Yuzhu and Xu Damao, it was because he saw Xu Damao see through his thoughts, and since Xu Damao is about the same age as He Yuzhu, he feared that if their relationship improved Xu Damao would reveal his schemes to He Yuzhu, causing his collusion with Qin Huiru against He Yuzhu to be exposed; thus he deliberately sowed discord to make them antagonistic. Moreover, Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old granny deliberately tarnished Xu Damao's reputation so that He Yuzhu would not get too close to him, since people in the 1950s-60s cared greatly about reputation. Especially the claim by the deaf old granny that Xu Damao showed movies in the countryside and sneaked into widows' beds is likely baseless gossip; given the strict scrutiny of moral conduct at the time, a little-footed old woman who never left her home could not possibly know such things; their aim was still to ruin Xu Damao's reputation.

But now He Yuzhu's relationship with Yi Zhonghai is not good, He Yuzhu is already married and has a child, and has become sworn brothers with Li Qiang, while Jia Dongxu is still alive, so Yi Zhonghai's thoughts remain on Jia Dongxu and he hardly thinks of Xu Damao; thus Xu Damao's worries are somewhat unnecessary, yet his cautious attitude is still commendable.

"You kid have a lot of tricks, but all I can get are some meat and local specialties; as for gifts I really can't help you," Li Qiang said, since his space only contains food and meat, nothing else.

"Having meat is fine; help me buy a goat, my father-in-law is also a big eater," Xu Damao said with a smile.

"Okay, when do you need it?"

"This afternoon tomorrow will do; the day after tomorrow is Sunday when I go to my father-in-law's house."

"Okay."

The next afternoon after work Li Qiang really brought back a slaughtered wild goat to the siheyuan.

"Qiang Zi, impressive, this goat must weigh thirty or forty catties?" Yan Butgui asked, looking at the goat on the back of Li Qiang's car.

"Hmm, over thirty catties," Li Qiang answered with a smile.

"Teacher Yan, your family can't finish all this meat; why not give me some?" Yan Butgui never missed a chance to take advantage.

"Teacher Yan, that really won't do; this goat isn't mine, I'm buying it for someone else," Li Qiang wouldn't bother with Yan Butgui.

"Oh, what a pity, this goat is so fat."

"You go ahead, I'm heading back," Li Qiang said, then pushed the cart and walked toward the backyard.

"Qiang Ge, thanks," Xu Damao said happily, looking at the goat meat on Li Qiang's car seat.

"No problem, I can only help with this small favor," Li Qiang said politely.

"I'll give you the money later," Xu Damao said, pulling out a pack of Da Qianmen cigarettes and stuffing it into Li Qiang's pocket with a smile. To say Xu Damao's emotional intelligence is indeed high—although it's just a pack of cigarettes, it shows he knows how to handle things; it's just that he was born in the wrong era, otherwise he would surely thrive in modern times.

"Okay."

The next afternoon Xu Damao arrived at the siheyuan beaming, bringing a girl dressed in a Lenin suit with baby fat; if Li Qiang saw her he would instantly recognize her as Lou Banche's daughter Lou Xiaoe.

"Damao, who is this young lady?" the gatekeeper Yan Butgui asked curiously upon seeing Xu Damao bring a girl into the siheyuan.

"Teacher Yan, this is my wife Lou Xiaoe; Xiaoe, this is Teacher Yan, who teaches at the Red Star Primary School under our Yagangchang factory," Xu Damao introduced the two.

"Hello, Teacher Yan," Lou Xiaoe greeted Yan Butgui openly.

"Hello, hello," Yan Butgui replied with a smile, able to tell that Lou Xiaoe's upbringing and personal cultivation were not something an ordinary family could produce.

"Teacher Yan, you go ahead first; we'll head back now," Xu Damao said with a smile.

"Damao, you already have a wife, why don't you give me some wedding candy?" Yan Butgui said, pulling at Xu Damao's sleeve as he was about to leave.

"Sorry, Teacher Yan, I got so happy I forgot this," Xu Damao said, pulling out a handful of candy from his satchel and handing it over.

"Damao, you kid are impressive, quietly bringing back a wife," Yan Butgui said quietly.

"Teacher Yan, this was arranged by my family; we just got our certificate this afternoon, and He Yuzhu is only two years older than me. Look, He Xiao can now run around everywhere, and my parents are also eager to hold a grandchild," Xu Damao said with a smile.

"That's right, now your parents can relax. Hey, you kid, aren't you going to set up a few tables in the siheyuan?" Yan Butgui got pushy.

"We just got our certificate today; the wedding will be held next Sunday, and we'll definitely set up a banquet then—you'll have to drink a couple more cups." According to former custom, merely obtaining the marriage certificate without holding a wedding still doesn't count as being married.

"Okay, then let me congratulate you first," Yan Butgui said, grinning widely.

"Thank you," Xu Damao and Lou Xiaoe said in unison.