[{"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-7":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},2314057,4526,"Chapter 7","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-7",7,"\u003Cp>Li Xuewu looked at the “porcelain doll” before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought to himself, then replied, “Sister-in-law, hello.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, go on in, I’m heading out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll see you later.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, he glanced at Lou Xiaoe’s swaying back, bouncing and skipping like a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu entered the gate, glanced at the screen door and the opposite row of rooms—all four were dark, windows still covered in paper, worn and patched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opposite rooms faced no sun, so no one wanted them; they were unfit for living, and prolonged stays would cause illness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu circled around the screen door and inspected it—the foundation was still solid; this courtyard had once belonged to a wealthy family, at least four courtyards deep, but the rear courtyard clearly had been altered, not originally built as rear rooms.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The opposite rooms here were built unusually tall, like a warehouse—and now they served as one, where everyone dumped their trash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu glanced at them, paid no mind, and turned back, entering the second gate and greeting the woman standing by the east wing’s entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third Auntie, washing vegetables?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie froze, startled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, you’re Xuewu, right? Your mom said you came back—you’ve grown taller, truly accomplished!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu didn’t take it seriously, replied as he walked toward the house: “You’re too kind, Third Auntie—it’s cold, I’m heading inside.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie watched the big young man mutter a few words and disappear inside; she saw her eldest daughter-in-law sewing shoe soles and chattered on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The second boy from across the way came back—he was always a wild one. Keep your distance, don’t go near him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li, in a floral cotton-padded jacket, smiled sweetly: “How wild could he be compared to Fool Zhu?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie chopped vegetables as she spoke: “Fool Zhu is just stupid. This Li boy is truly wild—he never studied, led gangs of half-grown boys into brawls, stirred up trouble. Every girl and young wife on the street knew that troublemaker. He used to be good-looking, flirting everywhere, until he finally provoked someone—his father beat him senseless and shipped him south to join the army. Didn’t expect him back in just two or three years.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li knew her mother-in-law was speaking to her, felt a pang of irritation, but nodded vaguely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How good-looking could he be? Looks won’t feed you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie didn’t stop chopping, “Duang Duang Duang,” head down, slicing vegetables.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t know—he used to be stunning, always bringing girls home to play. Then he got worse, family couldn’t control him, ran off to roam, never came home. You tell me—could looks feed you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li snorted: “So he’s a pretty boy, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie chuckled at her daughter-in-law’s teasing remark.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Being a pretty boy would be better—like Houyuan’s Xu Damao, married a capitalist’s daughter, lives in luxury. But this rascal’s got wild ambitions and a cruel streak. Back then, Cheng and Liu Guangtian from Houyuan were terrified of him. Your dad went to the Li household several times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li heard her mother-in-law mention her husband and snorted again. Yan Jie’s character? Weak as noodles. Fear of outsiders was normal—but she couldn’t say that to her mother-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After two or three years in the great furnace, he’s still the same?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie had already tossed the chopped vegetables into the pot, kept working while gossiping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just saw him come back—who knows? But his face is scarred—big ugly mark on his right cheek, looks frightening. When he greeted me just now, his smile looked like a centipede crawling across his face.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Third Auntie said all this to warn her daughter-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s no good. Stay away from him.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yu Li replied: “Got it, Mom.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the old woman and her daughter-in-law’s midday chatter was fact or exaggeration didn’t matter—Li Xuewu couldn’t hear it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu returned home to find his mother Liu Yin had already prepared lunch: frozen tofu stewed with cabbage. Only Liu Yin, Da Lao, and Grandma were home; they’d made just one small pot, enough for four.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yin filled a basin with cold water and added hot water from the thermos, asking: “How’s the job going?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu washed his hands and face as he answered: “Settled. I’m joining the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill outside Dongzhimen—Security Department clerk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing her son had a job, Liu Yin felt a weight lift off her heart and hurriedly called the two elders to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a job, finding a wife wouldn’t be hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the table, Liu Yin looked at her son, delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Big Uncle, Second Uncle, He Yuzhu, Xu Damao, Liu Guangtian from Second Uncle’s—all work at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill. Get along well, look out for each other.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu noticed his mother named everyone—except Qin Huaiju. She feared he’d “get along well” and “look out for” that little widow!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face showed nothing, but inside he thought: a vampire wrapped in a perfect fox’s guise—beautiful, but only someone with real cultivation could tame her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regardless of his mother’s intent, Li Xuewu replied: “Understood.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his mother fall silent, he asked: “Who’s got the four opposite rooms in our outer courtyard?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yin looked up: “Why ask? No one’s claimed them. Who’d want them? Can’t live there—no sun, you’ll get sick. Even our whole family won’t go near them.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing the four rooms were unclaimed, Li Xuewu relaxed. No sun? Fine—he’d make them face the sun. He knew this couldn’t be rushed; he’d wait to see if the mill assigned them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Museum of Demonic Treasures\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After lunch, seeing the sun was strong, having ridden the train for days and risen early, he now felt drowsy. He didn’t bother unfolding the quilt—just pulled on his military overcoat, rested his head on the quilt, and began snoring.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li’s grandmother saw her grandson asleep, feared the kang would grow cold, gathered a bundle of firewood, shoved it into the stove’s entrance. Soon the kang warmed up; Li Xuewu’s snoring grew louder, unceasing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He slept until sunset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In winter, dusk came early—barely six o’clock, the sky was nearly black, snow on the ground reflected faint light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu rose to find everyone busy with their own tasks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewen read in the north room; Li Xuecai helped Li Shun prepare herbs, Grandma assisting; Liu Yin sewed shoes; Da Lao pushed a plane, repairing a piece of wood; his sister-in-law tutored Li Shu at the center table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Yin saw Li Xuewu awake, dropped her work, hurried to the stove, lifted the lid, and pulled out a bowl of porridge, three steamed buns, then a dish of pickled vegetables from the shelf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wake up, wash your face, eat while it’s hot. I didn’t call you—you were sleeping so soundly. Everything’s still warm, hurry up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Xuewu rubbed his face, pulled up his military overcoat, walked to the washbasin, splashed water on his face, then sat at the table to eat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Shu watched her second brother wolf down steamed buns with porridge and pickles—three buns in three bites, eating fast—and gasped in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yafang tapped her little sister’s hand with her pencil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you staring at? Get back to your math.”\u003C\u002Fp>",1193,"2026-06-20T13:46:54.288Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","c7188de21615b8d6b5986a5607ec1bc9be59abdfe4e3d8f651ca22de992f2a04","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-8","the-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-chapter-6",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-siheyuan-food-love-and-family-in-1960s-beiji-cover.jpg"]