[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji":3,"chapter-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-16":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Siheyuan: Food, Love, and Family in 1960s Beijing",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2314066,4526,"Chapter 16: Chapter Sixteen: Father, Can You Slaughter a Pig?","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-16",16,"\u003Cp>The crowd still buzzed with enthusiasm, watching Li Shun and his sons squeeze through without embarrassment, all eyes fixed as the Li family hauled the remaining firewood from the cart back into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when the Li men began lifting the pig did the onlookers finally turn their gazes away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu tied the pig’s four hooves with rope, threaded two wooden poles through them, and with his father and three brothers each taking a side, they carried the pig into the courtyard—the onlookers followed right in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they needed to scald off the hair, the four didn’t pause, carrying the pig straight into the house.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd remained eager to follow inside, but Liu Yin quickly blocked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, folks, that’s enough—the house is too small, no more room. Everyone go home now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd paid no mind to Liu Yin’s words; the elders shuffled home with frequent glances back, leaving only a group of young people lingering by the gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu stepped out and saw the young crowd staring at him with looks of reverence—he shivered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why are their eyes glowing green?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Outside the gate, he saw Da Lao removing the cart’s load while Nai Nai gathered scattered firewood from the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu hurried forward to take the horse’s reins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nai Nai, go inside—the snow’s slippery. I’ll clean up the rest of the firewood in a bit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Lao secured the cart, shook off the felt blanket, and followed Li Xuewu and Li Lao Tai into the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu tied the horse in the stable and began mixing fodder—Da Qing had been utterly exhausted today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Da Lao took the feed bucket and said, “I’ll do it. You go clean up the firewood by the gate.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu agreed, glanced at the crowd still gathered at the gate, then stepped out of the courtyard to gather the firewood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he finished and returned to the front courtyard, Li Xuecai had already lit the stove and boiled water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the crowd still loitering by the gate, Li Xuewu’s face turned cold as he shooed them away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, enough—go home, are you not going to live? You wanna stand guard here? Get out!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Li Xuewu’s icy expression, the youths scattered, each taking three steps backward before turning away—as if the pig were their girlfriend.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu entered the house and saw Nai Nai on the kang, Li Shun seated before the table staring at the pig, Liu Yin and Zhao Yafang slicing sour cabbage, Li Xuecai squatting by the stove tending the fire, and only Li Xuewen crouching behind the pig, poking the spear with his fingers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Li Xuewu enter, Li Xuewen awkwardly stood and shuffled to the table, sitting beside his father. As he walked those few steps, he felt an odd sensation at his back and hurriedly sat down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu looked at his father, Li Shun.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Father, can you slaughter a pig?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shun coughed, said nothing, lifted his teacup, and pretended to drink to hide his darkening face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yin smiled and answered, “Your father knows how to eat pork.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shun coughed again, glaring at Liu Yin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu scanned the room—Father couldn’t, Brother One was useless, Brother Three could boil water, Li Xue was feeling the pig’s ears like a fortune-teller, Da Lao was too old for a three-hundred-pound beast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, need to find someone to help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He washed his face, dried his hands, and walked out toward the middle courtyard—wasn’t there a capable person living there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he stepped onto the porch, he saw Yu Li hiding behind her window, watching him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That little vixen!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu gave Yu Li a slight smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li, seeing him smile at her, immediately ducked back inside and pulled the curtain shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn it, why don’t you just throw me the bamboo pole holding the window open?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu didn’t care—he climbed the steps toward the middle courtyard and saw Qin Huaiju still washing clothes by the water pump. How many clothes did this widow have? Every time he saw her, she was washing clothes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Huaiju spotted Li Xuewu entering the courtyard, shook her hands dry, and called out, “What’s up, Xuewu? Heard you brought back a pig—need help?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu dared not answer—Liu Yin had already issued a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thanks, Sister Qin, my mother, sister-in-law, and brothers are all home—we’ve got enough hands. If I need help, I’ll call you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t stop, hurried up the steps to He Yuzhu’s house, and knocked. He Yuzhu opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s up, brother? Come in and rest—I just got home, lay down, haven’t boiled water yet, sorry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu followed He Yuzhu inside. No matter how urgent, you sat down to talk—you never begged standing up, and besides, the pig wasn’t going anywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brother Zhu, you’re doing well—I just got back, haven’t seen you yet.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yuzhu sat beside Li Xuewu at the round table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bah, it’s nothing. We’ve been brothers for years, no need for formalities. I’m glad you’re back. Even if we’re not from the same group, we’re from the same courtyard—anything you need, just say it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yuzhu was delighted by the title “Brother Zhu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in the courtyard except kids called him “Silly Zhu,” but Li Xuewu—the most respected one, the scholar’s son—called him “Brother Zhu.” That was class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll rely on Brother Zhu’s care from now on—I start at the factory security office tomorrow, so I’ll probably be troubling you often.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though he’d already been assigned to the cadre position as security officer, he couldn’t say so until he reported to personnel—so he flattered He Yuzhu a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bah! No problem! Yesterday I heard Qin Huaiju mention you got assigned to the steel mill—we’re fate, brother. You saying that sounds too distant.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu knew exactly what this lonely, happy man was like.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lusted after widows, craved face, wanted a proper city girl but lacked emotional intelligence, caught between the selfish Uncle Yi and Qin Huaiju, tricked into doing things he thought others praised—yet his reputation was ruined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I won’t be distant with you, Brother Zhu—I went to Changping to chop firewood today and ran into a wild boar right into my hands. Need you to handle it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yuzhu shot to his feet in shock.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Really? Man, you’re something else! Soldier’s training, huh? Even the king of the forest falls to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu didn’t bother with modesty—his family was waiting to slaughter the pig.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just luck. Come on—nobody at home knows how. Only a real expert can do it, haha!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hahaha! Brother, you flatter me—I’ll take it! Let’s go see!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yuzhu followed Li Xuewu out the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Huaiju was watching He Yuzhu’s house from the middle courtyard, hoping that since he’d been invited, he’d bring her a share—after all, her family’s hardships were famous in the courtyard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sister Qin, washing clothes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Yuzhu called out and headed toward the front courtyard, not noticing Qin Huaiju opening her mouth to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu saw it, but pretended not to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Huaiju was officially on Li’s radar—Li Shun was only in his early forties, eldest son Li Xuewen was barely twenty, second son was almost twenty, third son was about to come of age—this woman was too dangerous to provoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yin stayed home nearly every day, Nai Nai never left the house, and now with Da Lao living with the Lis, Qin Huaiju dared not even approach them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ultimate Chaos Technique\u003C\u002Fp>",1253,"2026-06-20T13:46:54.288Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","81388f9d4af988813d64e3754cccd3e6dde57e480df7d76e3b441f081fdb9bae","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-17","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-15",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-cover.jpg"]