Chapter 304

1960.

Three years passed in the blink of an eye.

Nanluoguxiang, Courtyard.

Zhang Cheng pushed his bicycle slowly over.

Looking at Zhang Cheng, Yan Bugui didn't run away like before, because he had absolutely no strength to do so.

Although the supplies Zhang Cheng had brought back were enough to pay off the Soviet loans, faced with natural disasters, there were still many areas that were insufficient.

For example, in the city of Sijiucheng, rations had long since been reduced.

Looking at Zhang Cheng's ruddy complexion, Yan Bugui asked suspiciously, "Xiao Zhang, you look so energetic every day, is there some place where you're digging for wild vegetables? Tell me, I won't let you suffer a loss!"

"Yan Bugui, I'll teach you a method: talk less, do less, and pay less attention to me!"

Looking at Yan Bugui, Zhang Cheng rolled his eyes in annoyance.

Because where would he get so much food every day? His own rations had also been reduced.

And Zhang Cheng had also shared his grain with many elderly people in the courtyard. If it weren't for his incredibly strong constitution, he would probably have collapsed long ago.

Do you know why the Deaf Old Lady is the only "ancestor" in the courtyard?

It's because many elderly people, during these three years of disaster, chose to leave their rations for the children and starved to death themselves!

Although Zhang Cheng was sometimes ruthless in his actions, he would absolutely never watch those around him starve to death.

Even if he didn't eat himself, he would try his best to help the elderly nearby; this was the only thing he could do in recent years!

As for why he didn't send Krieg soldiers out to plunder, it was because the two neighboring families were even more miserable than here!

In the war back then, Krieg had almost burned the entire island nation to ashes; if it weren't for their father stepping in, they would only be eating dried salted fish now!

And it was precisely under such difficulties that we were still preparing a dowry for "Miss Qiu."

Millions of hearts beating as one, casting a city of unity.

This is not an empty phrase; this is everything our ancestors once experienced.

One generation ate the bitterness of three, which allowed us to overcome all hardships within a century and catch up with the world!

Bidding farewell to his chat with Yan Bugui, Zhang Cheng walked toward the courtyard.

Just then, He Yushui ran up to Zhang Cheng, looking at him with longing.

Looking down at He Yushui, Zhang Cheng said, "The fool didn't cook for you again?"

"That's not a fool, that's my brother!"

Hearing Zhang Cheng's words, He Yushui couldn't help but pout.

"Yes, yes, yes, your brother, your brother!"

Looking at He Yushui with pity, Zhang Cheng said, "Let's go, go to my room, I'll get you something to eat!"

Watching Zhang Cheng say this, light immediately appeared in He Yushui's eyes.

Arriving at the back courtyard, He Yushui looked at the room beside them and said, "Brother Zhang Cheng, hasn't your neighbor arrived yet?"

"Yeah, who knows where they went!"

Shrugging his shoulders, Zhang Cheng couldn't help but smile.

Because when he went to ask back then, this house had already been allocated, but now, no one had come to live in it yet!

If Zhang Cheng wasn't mistaken, the other party should have gone to the Great Northwest.

Thinking of this, Zhang Cheng smiled knowingly, because over the years, quite a few people had tried to scheme for this house, but in Zhang Cheng's eyes, these were all jokes. After all, as long as he was still here, no one dared to move in. He said it—whoever didn't believe him could come over and get slapped!

Opening the door, Zhang Cheng took two steamed buns and a dish from the cupboard where he kept bowls and chopsticks, and steamed them in the pot.

Before long, as the fragrance wafted out, He Yushui swallowed her saliva and said, "Brother Zhang Cheng, why are you so good to me?"

"I'm also quite good to the elderly in the courtyard!"

Hearing He Yushui's words, Zhang Cheng laughed.

"That's true, after all, if it weren't for you, Grandma Erniu would have starved to death!"

Thinking of when Erniu's father knelt before everyone begging for grain, but no one reached out a hand, and only after Zhang Cheng helped did people see clearly that Zhang Cheng wasn't the "villain" everyone claimed!

And it wasn't that Nan Yi didn't want to help, but he truly had the heart but not the strength.

Two years ago, Nan Yi ultimately didn't escape Liang Ladi's clutches and got married!

Regarding this matter, Zhang Cheng also felt quite emotional; after all, the two of them still ended up together. And after Shazhu and Xu Damao became enemies, both sides started trying to sabotage each other's marriages.

No matter whose partner it was, both of them tried their best to destroy it, resulting in neither Xu Damao nor Shazhu getting married.

However, after the disaster years arrived, He Yuzhu got closer and closer to the Jia family.

Zhang Cheng had thought about why this was, but in short, it should be that Jia Zhang Shi tacitly allowed Qin Huairu to stir up trouble!

Otherwise, relying on Jia Dongxu and Yi Zhonghai, it would be impossible to support the entire Jia family!

Nowadays, grain on the black market has reached one yuan per jin! And that's just cornmeal, can you imagine?

So, without Shazhu's help, the Jia family would be completely finished!

But Zhang Cheng was very disgusted by this, because Shazhu couldn't just take He Yushui's grain because of Qin Huairu!

Two years ago, Qin Huairu was still very restrained, but as her appetite grew, He Yushui had become somewhat emaciated from hunger. If Zhang Cheng hadn't noticed this, there would have been big trouble.

Watching He Yushui finish eating, Zhang Cheng said, "Since you're full, play in my room for a while. I'm going out to chat with your brother?"

"Chat about what?"

Looking at Zhang Cheng, He Yushui raised her head, but after noticing Zhang Cheng's gaze, she quickly turned her head, afraid of showing her vulnerability.

"I'm going to exchange some culinary skills with him!"

Smiling, Zhang Cheng patted He Yushui's head and said, "If you get bullied in the future, come find me. Although I'm not a good person, I'm not a bad person either!"

"That's so hard to understand!"

Lowering her head, He Yushui muttered, but Zhang Cheng could feel the sadness in her heart.

!. Read

Because when she needed help the most, it wasn't her brother He Yuzhu who stood up, but Zhang Cheng, who was like a stranger.

Middle Courtyard.

When He Yuzhu came in carrying a food box, Qin Huairu immediately stepped forward and said, "Zhuzi, you're back!"

"Sister Qin, there's no treat today, just some leftovers..."

Looking at Qin Huairu, He Yuzhu smiled.

"It's okay, Zhuzi, in this day and age, having leftovers is good enough!"

Looking at He Yuzhu with gratitude, Qin Huairu took everything, not leaving him a single bit.

But just then, a large hand grabbed the food box and said, "Aren't you going to leave some for Yushui?"

"Yushui is such a big kid, why is she still..."

Just as Qin Huairu looked at He Yuzhu, Shazhu blurted out.

But before He Yuzhu could finish his words, Zhang Cheng backhanded a slap across Shazhu's face.

"Crack!"

A crisp slapping sound rang out, He Yuzhu was stunned and immediately fell to the ground.

But before he could react, Zhang Cheng looked at Qin Huairu and also slapped her across the face, saying, "Your son is a human, but He Yushui isn't? A jin or two would be fine, but now that rations are gone, you're still taking the food box? Do you think I'm going to indulge you?"

"Crack!"

As the slap landed, a palm print immediately appeared on Qin Huairu's cheek.

Covering her face, Qin Huairu couldn't help but shed tears and said, "What right do you have to hit me!"

"I hit you because I hit you, do I need to pick a day for it!"

Pointing at Qin Huairu and scolding, Zhang Cheng roared, "He has no brain, and I have no brain? Who are you and that old hag Jia Zhang Shi scheming against? Do you really think there's no one breathing in this courtyard!"

(End of chapter)