Chapter 433: Situation in the Courtyard

The noisy quarrel from Er Da Ye's house directly carried to the back courtyard; Liu Guangtian and Liu Guang Fu listened silently, nobody speaking.

People from Liang Jin Bao's courtyard came over to use the toilet; hearing the commotion, they ran to Liu Guangtian's place.

(After August 1966, the back gate was opened; not sharing the toilet became a major problem.)

"Old Two, your father and your brother have started quarreling."

Liu Guangtian glanced at him, saying nothing.

The visitor had no sense of propriety, and instead continued speaking.

"I heard your father made a mistake; is he going to be punished by sweeping the toilet?"

Liu Guangtian felt disgusted and retorted.

"If sweeping, it's sweeping the courtyard; I won't help you sweep the toilet. When you first used the toilet, we agreed you'd be responsible for cleaning it, which is why you're allowed to use it."

"What are you thinking now? Don't want to sweep? How come you want to hog all the good things?"

"I'm telling you, this toilet should be cleaned by you, and it must be cleaned thoroughly; otherwise, we can open and close this back gate as we please."

"If you don't keep the toilet clean, we have the right to forbid you from using it; this reasoning holds anywhere."

Seeing that his foul mouth had angered the person, the visitor hurriedly apologized.

"Sweep, we'll sweep; we never said we wouldn't sweep."

This flush toilet is so convenient; they also want to build one, but they have no space.

Being able to use this clean, sanitary toilet, what more could they ask for?

Moreover, Liang Jin Bao is not easy to deal with; if the toilet isn't cleaned properly, he gets fierce.

Furthermore, with the back gate open, they come to find Liu Guangtian, and they occasionally get to eat the fruit in this courtyard.

In summer heat, the back courtyard is also a good place to cool off; the big osmanthus tree shades the yard thoroughly, making it pleasant.

Liu Guangtian gave him a white-eyed look; such a person who takes advantage can't be given a pleasant expression.

Li Da Xiong also came over holding a child at that time.

Seeing the people from the back street, he didn't greet them, but simply handed over the bag in his hand to Liu Guangtian.

"People from Qinjiacun have sent over some cured meat; you two can have a meaty meal."

Liu Guangtian caught it, without any ceremony.

This is all a favor from his elder brother Qing.

"What about Jia Zhangshi?"

Li Da Xiong didn't care.

"Their share has been given to them."

"Jia Zhangshi is shameless, taking Bang Geng to Qinjiacun to beg for food; even Qin's father couldn't bear to see his own grandchild go hungry, so he could only scrape together something for them."

"Fortunately, Qinjiacun is developing well now; if it were anyone else, they'd suffer greatly."

Liu Guangtian also has no pleasant expression toward Bang Geng now.

He used to bring him along for a while, but after Qin Huairu left, he let himself go.

"Brother Xiong, Qinjiacun sends supplies every month; we can't keep taking them for free."

"Do you think paying would work?"

Li Da Xiong laughed and shook his head.

"You don't need to worry about this."

"The affection left by Brother Qing is far more than you imagine."

"The elders from the Agricultural Machinery Factory have been providing technical service to Qinjiacun all along."

"This kindness, Qinjiacun cannot repay with money, so they repay it with these things."

"This share originally belonged to Brother Qing; since he's gone, you just keep it."

"Don't worry about owing a favor."

Hearing this, Liu Guangtian said nothing more.

The back-street boy beside them, hearing these words, was envious beyond measure.

So far, nobody has dared to use Yang Qing as material, for it involves too many connections; on the other hand, many former agents on this side now serve under Yang Qing.

Yang Qing has a firm grip on this matter.

Moreover, Yang Qing's influence in Gangdao is growing day by day.

Offending such a person is truly not worth the loss.

Had I known Yang Qing was so awesome, back then I would have clung to his thigh no matter what was said.

Alas, there's no regret medicine in the world.

The Jia Family—Jia Zhangshi was proudly clutching coarse grain.

"See? It's still your grandma me; we get twenty catties of coarse grain each month, think how much money we save."

Bang Geng was sullen and unhappy; after seeing Qinjiacun's prosperity, he couldn't forget it.

But his grandmother, for a mere twenty catties of coarse grain, managed to offend his maternal grandfather to death.

He did see the looks of disdain from his maternal grandparents, uncles, and aunts.

Disgust, contempt, fury—nothing but lack of familial affection.

At first there was some, but his grandmother ruined it.

Twenty catties of coarse grain each month, all the way until age eighteen.

How many years left? How much money is it worth in total?

His grandmother is still there, complacent.

Picking up sesame seeds while losing a watermelon—what a disgrace.

Qinjiacun's orchard, Qinjiacun's artificial lake, Qinjiacun's factory, Qinjiacun's vegetable garden, Qinjiacun's breeding farm—each one is an enviable place.

Those water chestnuts, those trap nuts, those lotus roots, those……

There are also fish, also sheep, also pigs, rabbits……

He received twenty jin of coarse grain, yet he lost the whole world.

He wanted to cry but had no tears; he decided he must steal all his grandmother's money.

"Grandma, this judgment of yours won't do; money is better kept in your own hands."

Other places where money is hidden, slowly search; sooner or later he'll steal them all.

Jia Zhangshi still doesn't know that her eldest grandson is actually thinking about such a thing.

If she knew, because of her own cleverness causing a big scene in Qinjiacun, she would have no idea what her grandson would think of it.

The deaf old lady's spirit is getting worse and worse; the noise from Liu Hai Zhong's household makes her irritable beyond endurance, yet she is powerless to change it.

When He Yuzhu came over, she muttered a complaint.

"Zhuzi, what's Liu Hai Zhong's family making a fuss about? It's making my head hurt."

He Yuzhu laughed.

"Liu Guang Qi also wants to split the household."

The old lady sighed.

"Parents unkind, children unfilial—we've said this how many times, yet they as a couple haven't listened at all."

He Yuzhu is happy today, urging the old lady to eat.

"Old lady, hurry up and eat—the egg drop soup, the lean meat congee, it won't hurt your teeth."

"Everyone has their own life; we can't interfere, just live well yourselves."

Xu Damao is unlucky, yet he's happiest, because he'll soon be back at the canteen.

He, the chef, still has quite some face.

The old lady also saw that he was happy.

"What's up, did something good happen?"

He Yuzhu could no longer hold back; he immediately happily shared.

"I'll be back at the canteen soon, Grandma; I'll bring you something tasty from now on."

The deaf old lady first felt happy, then her expression dimmed considerably.

She doesn't have many days left, afraid she won't be able to enjoy much.

She has reached the age of knowing her destiny, vaguely aware of herself……

But she didn't say it; speaking it would only invite envy.

What comes will come, what goes will go; she recalled her older sister's carefree nature.

"Good good good……"

She kept him company in his happiness for a while; when the meal was finished and He Yuzhu was about to leave, she still couldn't help but speak.

"Zhuzi, after I'm gone, this house is left to you."

"The little bits I've saved, I leave to you, Yi Da Ma."

"What do you think?"

He Yuzhu had no objection; he didn't care much about these, and thought it was just the old lady's offhand nagging, so he paid no attention.

"Fine, I'll listen to you; what's wrong with that? You're old and will live a hundred years—don't keep saying these depressing things."

The deaf old lady, hearing his words, set her mind at ease.

She feared Zhuzi might have objections.

He Yuzhu left, and the room was hers alone again; next door came the noisy merrymaking of Liang Ladi's family.

She couldn't help but say.

"This is what a home really is—without children, what kind of home is it?!"