[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life":3,"chapter-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-786":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Courtyard House: A Salted Fish's Good Life",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},2109973,3398,"Chapter 786: The Roar of the Thirtieth","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-786",786,"\u003Cp>Nanluoguxiang\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>New Year’s Eve is a unique cultural atmosphere and a traditional celebration. For many, this day is the most important of the year, symbolizing family reunion, bidding farewell to the old, welcoming the new, and praying for peace.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>On New Year’s Eve, Jingcheng is immersed in a joyful and festive atmosphere. In every street and alley, every household has pasted red couplets and the character for \"Fortune\" on their doors, symbolizing good luck and prosperity. In every home, parents and children gather together to share the joy of family.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>As night falls, Jingcheng is ablaze with lights. Fireworks and firecrackers bloom in the sky like flowers, offering the best blessings for the arrival of the New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The reunion dinner is naturally the essential highlight. Every household has prepared a sumptuous feast; fish, meat, chicken, and duck symbolize wealth, happiness, and reunion. The children cheer and jump for joy, and the adults are so happy they cannot stop smiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The entire Red Star Sihe Academy is filled with the aroma of food. Because the New Year benefits from the Red Star Steel Rolling Plant are generous, every worker at the plant received five catties of wild boar meat, three catties of eggs, one catty of mutton, and a quantity of white flour, cooking oil, peanuts, melon seeds, and candies—enough for every family to have a very happy New Year.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Thanks to Yan Yan Jiecheng, the Yan family has managed to put together a table of meat dishes for once, leaving Yan Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekuaung, and Yan Yan Jiedi with mouths glistening with grease, much to the heartache of Yan Yan Fugui.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Fugui shouts urgently: \"Eat slowly, eat slowly! Don't just eat the meat; save some for tomorrow.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiecheng’s wife laughs: \"Dad, let everyone eat their fill. It’s fine; there’s plenty more at home. We don’t need to scrimp this year.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Fugui: \"You don't know the cost of fuel and rice until you run a household. You can't just gorge yourself because you've got a little money. No family can withstand such waste. Only through diligence and thrift can life get better.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiecheng says: \"Enough, Dad. You’ve been diligent and thrifty for half your life, and yet you still have to rely on me to have this fish and meat on the table. If you ask me, instead of obsessing over saving, you should think of ways to change the status quo. Look at me as an example; if I hadn't started working at the Red Star Steel Rolling Plant, I wouldn't be able to afford this table of chicken, duck, and fish, even if I only ate one meal a day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Fugui pulls a long face: \"Hmph, you were only able to get into the Red Star Steel Rolling Plant because of my help. Without my reputation and family connections, would that Cao Cao Weiguo have let you in? What? Now that your wings have hardened, you dare to lecture your father? Tell me, how did I raise such an ungrateful wretch?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiecheng says defiantly: \"Dad! It’s the New Year, don't go looking for trouble. How am I an ungrateful wretch? Splitting the household was in response to the revolutionary call; it was the trend of the times. Besides, even after splitting, I haven't failed to show filial piety to you two. If it weren't for me, would you be able to eat this table of fish and meat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The Third Aunt pulls Yan Yan Fugui: \"Old Yan, what are you doing? This is the reunion dinner. Everyone is happy, don't start a fight.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Fugui slams his chopsticks on the table in frustration, gets up angrily, and walks out: \"I have no appetite. You all eat, but be careful—don't finish it all in one meal. Just because you have a little means, you gorge yourselves; you don't know how to live at all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiecheng says dismissively: \"Everyone eat. This is all stuff I brought back from the plant. It’s all good quality. Look at how fatty this wild boar meat is, and this mutton—isn't it fragrant?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiedi: \"Fragrant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Jiekuaung: \"I want to eat fish!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiefang: \"Brother, I wish I could work at your plant too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yan Yan Jiecheng says: \"Our plant is one of the top key units in Jingcheng. It’s not somewhere you can just walk into. You, just honestly go down to the countryside to join the production teams.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The Jia Family in the Middle Courtyard\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Sha Zhu is at the stove, using the benefits he and Qin Qin Huairu brought back to make a table full of dishes. The aroma is mouth-watering, but the atmosphere is completely at odds with a reunion dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Jia Jia Zhangshi wears a sour face, looking bitter and deep-seated, as if someone owes her a hundred thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Qin Qin Huairu keeps her head down, wiping away tears and sobbing from time to time. It’s clear she is missing Bangeng. Seeing this, Sha Zhu and Yi Yi Zhonghai feel heartbroken, secretly blaming Bangeng for being unpromising and causing trouble even on New Year’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The Deaf Old Lady, He He Yushui, Xiaodang, and Little Huaihua are unaffected, happily eating the delicious food. They are in quite a good mood; without Bangeng there to snatch the meat, they can eat their fill in peace, otherwise, all the good food would end up in Bangeng’s stomach.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>\"Eat, eat, eat, all you know is how to eat! A bunch of heartless things! Bangeng is still suffering outside, and you can still eat? Put down your chopsticks! All this meat must be saved for my grandson.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Jia Jia Zhangshi slaps the chopsticks out of Xiaodang’s hand, glares with her triangular eyes, and shouts sharply, scaring Xiaodang until her face turns pale, while Little Huaihua bursts into loud wails.\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>The Deaf Old Lady says unhappily: \"You dead girl, what kind of fit are you throwing again? We can't even eat the reunion dinner. Are we even going to celebrate the New Year?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Jia Jia Zhangshi screams at the top of her lungs: \"Celebrate what! My grandson isn't home, so this New Year is meaningless! Sha Zhu, didn't you say you would go beg the Great Leader? Didn't you say you had a way? How come my grandson is still locked up in the reformatory! You useless thing, if you don't have the ability, don't make big promises. Now look, Xu Xu Damao is annoyed with you, and you didn't get my grandson out. What do you expect me to do? I’m telling you, if my grandson doesn't come back, I’m not finished with you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Sha Zhu says shamefully: \"Zhang Zhang Dama, I really tried my best, but I didn't expect the Great Leader to be in a difficult position himself. He is currently idle at home, has no power, and can't manage this matter. But don't worry, even if I have to risk my life, I will save Bangeng. If the Great Leader can't do it, I’ll go find Factory Manager Yang tomorrow. No matter what, he used to be the factory manager of the Steel Rolling Plant; he can at least put in a word.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Yi Yi Zhonghai sighs: \"Sha Zhuzi, there isn't much hope in finding Factory Manager Yang. It’s true he was the factory manager, but times have changed. Now he’s just a cleaner. Inside and outside the plant, you’re the only one who still takes him seriously. Instead of finding him, you’d be better off finding a way to beg Cao Cao Weiguo. He is the section chief of the logistics department, and Bangeng was caught in the cafeteria—that place is under his jurisdiction. If he is willing to help, there might still be room for maneuver in Bangeng’s case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Sha Zhu widens his ox-like eyes: \"Find Cao Cao Weiguo? Pfft! I’d rather find a dog than ask him for help! He is a sinister and despicable villain. This time Bangeng was caught and held accountable—I suspect it has everything to do with him. He probably kicked him while he was down to take revenge on Bangeng.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>He He Yushui is unhappy and says angrily: \"Brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Brother Cao Weiguo is not that kind of person. He doesn't like Bangeng, but he wouldn't kick someone when they're down.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\u003Cp>Jia Jia Zhangshi slams the table and yells: \"Shut up, all of you! Sha Zhu! Qin Qin Huairu! I don't care what method you use, I just want my grandson home! As long as he doesn't come home for a day, this family won't have a day of peace. Don't eat this food anymore, get out, all of you! I get annoyed just looking at you. My grandson is suffering outside, and you’re here eating and drinking—do you have any conscience left? Get out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1489,"2026-06-16T08:10:16.781Z","2026-06-17T08:52:03.356Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","c9e473e447d80db27dd62c892c400904e168755b9cfe21c0a416ea462ba5d07b","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-787","siheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-beautiful-life-chapter-785",843,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fsiheyuan-the-salted-fish-s-good-life-cover.jpg"]