Chapter 913: Qin Laoer Son of the Yan Family

"Ba~ ba~ ba~ ba~"

At 6:30 in late autumn, every household in the courtyard had already lit their lamps.

They had no choice but to light them. The sun slanted west after four o'clock, and it was dark by five-thirty. It was already completely dark at this moment.

This year's winter management fee was collected early and collected comfortably, so the lights in the courtyard were lit early.

Just like the chimney of the gatehouse, anyway, it was money collected by everyone, so why not use it if you don't have to!

Those who got off work early went home to tidy up and prepare dinner, while those who got off work late were sure to walk home together.

It was dark, the road wasn't safe, so those who were familiar with each other would walk home from work together.

Of course, at this time, the road was full of workers getting off work. Even if there were petty thieves, it was like lighting a lantern in a latrine—looking for death.

The time of getting off work basically depended on whether you had a means of transport.

Like Qin Huairu and the Second Master who had bicycles, they got off work and came back early.

And like Wang Laoqi and the others who were reluctant to buy, and couldn't afford a bicycle, they relied entirely on two legs to stomp, and it was boring to walk alone.

So, darkness was an excuse, and walking together also created opportunities for young people who wanted to find a partner.

Young men and women who just started dating were shy. Sometimes male youths were even more shy than female youths.

With the excuse of walking together, you look at me, I glance at you, and walking and walking, they walked together.

Love at this time was conservative and open. Conservative was truly conservative, and open was truly open.

Conservative to the point of blushing when holding hands, open to the point of rolling on the floor in a place with no one in the middle of winter without feeling the cold butt.

Men, women, old and young gathered together, as lively as the big miscellaneous courtyard of the Sihe Academy.

Of course, the way each family lived in this courtyard was not the same. There were those who were a bit richer, who lit the lights when it was dark, and didn't care about the inside or outside of the house. If there were people, they would light them, and their hearts would be open.

For example, in the First Master's house, the First Mistress would always turn on the lights in the house before the First Master came back from work, so that the old man would have a look when entering the courtyard, and feel warm in his heart.

In the words of young people, the happiest thing in life is that no matter how late you get off work, there is always a lamp lit for you.

Hey, there are those who live carefully!

Look, the Third Master's house in the front courtyard is like this. It's dark, only the kitchen light is on. It has to be enough for the Third Mistress to cook, so she can't stir-fry in the dark.

When the food is cooked, the kitchen light goes out, and the living room light goes on. Everyone gathers together to eat, don't waste the electricity.

There are quite a few residents who care about electricity bills like this. You listen, every time at this time, there are always adults in the courtyard urging children to eat quickly and finish their homework quickly.

Someone asked, why didn't they hear them care so much before? Children would keep the lights on when playing.

The reason is that the charging method for electric lights and appliances has changed, and it's no longer checking light bulbs.

I don't know which wicked person invented this bad thing called a prepaid electricity meter, making every household pay a lot more electricity bills every month.

The high-wattage light bulbs that were lit before were all changed to low-wattage ones, and some even didn't light them at all to save money, lighting kerosene lamps instead.

The Third Master's house even adjusted the radio to the lowest volume to save electricity bills, saying that this saves electricity!

A whole family was like thieves, sticking their ears to the front of the radio speaker, not even daring to breathe loudly, fearing it would affect the listening effect of others.

Don't underestimate the frugal thinking of the Chinese people. Sometimes they don't even hesitate to pay the price of health and life.

Take lighting kerosene lamps as an example. Power outages are frequent at this time. Some are to limit electricity, some are broken wires, or where a fire started—there are all kinds of reasons.

The power is off, but people can't stop. They have to continue living.

So every family has power outage artifacts, either candle lamps or kerosene lamps.

The price of kerosene is cheaper than candles, and good candles are as expensive as eggs.

There is only one thing that is not good: lighting kerosene hurts the throat and is not very friendly to the respiratory tract.

Those who were earlier were very clear. At that time, electricity was even more inconvenient, and every family lit kerosene lamps.

Students who studied at night, when they went out the next morning, their faces were covered in gray, and their noses were pitch black.

Those who knew knew they studied hard last night; those who didn't know thought they went down the well to dig coal.

But is kerosene really cheaper than using electricity?

Calculate it, it's really not necessarily able to save much. After all, kerosene also has storage costs.

Usage conditions, brightness, adapting to the environment, etc. —if you really take this as frugality, it's really shabby.

The Li family also lives frugally, but they absolutely don't save money that should be spent, and absolutely don't spend money that should be saved.

The old lady sat on the kang, looking at Li Shu while making small clothes and small quilts for the child who was about to be born in the eldest family.

Don't say the old lady is biased, making for the eldest family and not for the second family.

Li Shu's small clothes and small quilts have to be put in a separate cabinet to be packed. When Gu Ning gives birth, nothing needs to be prepared.

Even if it's for an infant, there's no need for the old lady to worry. Qin Jingru had already prepared it.

Liu Yin is also making it here at home, but she has to prepare for Li Shu, so it's not that complete.

Zhao Yafang is looking at data in the south room, Liu Yin is burning fire to cook in the hall, each busy with their own things, no one speaks, only Li Shu in the north room is standing by the window calling ba-ba-ba.

Every day at this time, her father will appear at the courtyard gate on time to pick her up home.

This little girl has gradually become familiar with this rhythm of life, sitting in a Didi to grandma's house with Ba-ba in the morning, and sitting in a Didi back to her own home in the evening.

She sees many people and says many words in a day, which is so fun.

Ba-ba came late today, but she had been waiting by the window early.

Perhaps she was anxious, or the old lady was busy and no one paid attention to her, so her little mouth kept talking non-stop.

It was too bright in the house and too dark outside, and the hood light on the courtyard gate was a bit far from here.

So if Li Shu wanted to see clearly outside, she had to learn from the old lady, covering her eyes with both hands and sticking to the glass to look out.

Little she didn't know why the glass was very clear before, but now it was getting more and more blurry.

Blurry wasn't frequent, but only when she leaned close to the glass and wanted to cover her eyes to look out.

Later she found out that it was the ha-ha exhaled by her little mouth that blurred the glass.

So little she learned a trick from the old lady again: when the glass was too blurry to see Ba-ba outside, just wipe it with her little hand, and she could see clearly.

"Ba-ba! Ba-ba!"

When Li Shu's little hand wiped the ha-ha on the glass clear again, she saw that familiar figure walk into the courtyard.

"Ba-ba! Ba-ba!"

Li Shu's eyes followed her father's figure, from the courtyard gate to the house door, and then from the house door all the way to the inner room. She stepped on her little feet and kept shouting, extremely happy.

If someone talked to Ba-ba at this time and delayed him from coming into the house to pick her up, Li Shu would raise her voice to remind Ba-ba that she was calling him.

"Aiyou~"

Li Xuewu opened his arms and caught the daughter who ran over from the kang, sighing in his mouth: "Did the old lady give us something delicious again? Why are you heavy again~"

"Ya-ya~"

Li Shu understood Ba-ba's question, pointed her little hand at the cupboard in the hall, and started telling Ba-ba what she had eaten in a babbling way.

This "Ya-ya" wasn't Li Shu eating a little girl, but her name for eggs.

The child has reached the time to recognize the world. No matter how adults teach, she will give her own naming to the things she sees and feels.

"Oh~ ate Ya-ya~ how many did you eat?"

Li Xuewu coaxed her, holding her and talking to the old lady and mother, and also greeted the sister-in-law in the south room.

Zhao Yafang was checking the accounts, just responded to him, told a few of Li Shu's naughty complaints, and was still busy with her hands.

"How come you say that, are Dad and Third Brother coming back?"

"Guodong said?"

Li Xuewu looked at his mother who asked, and said: "If he said so, then it's arranged."

While they were talking, the eldest brother and Ji Yuxiu also entered from the Chuihua gate.

Liu Yin looked outside and helped them push open the house door.

"Is this all together?"

"Met at the entrance of the hutong,"

Ji Yuxiu explained with a smile, and reached out to pinch Li Shu's big fat face.

Li Shu was a bit afraid of her, her little hands kept pushing away and not letting her pinch, as if she had a shadow from being pinched too much.

Ji Yuxiu didn't care about this. She liked children, and liked this little demon king Li Shu even more. Regardless of Li Shu's opposition, she snatched her from Li Xuewu's arms.

Li Shu opposed with babbling, but she was too small, and her opposing opinions seemed so powerless in the adults' talking voices.

Perhaps it was because she got the exact news from the second son, Liu Yin's face hung with a smile.

She also told them the news that Li Shun and the third one were coming back.

Li Xuewu was still carrying a bag in his hand. While listening to his mother, he took out a few pieces of clothes and cloth.

Liu Yin saw it, patted him and scolded: "Didn't I tell you, don't bring these things home again, it will affect you."

"I want to stop bringing them, but it's not up to me~"

Li Xuewu's speaking was as simple as ever but not simple. While speaking, he pointed his hand at Li Xuewu and said: "You still have to let Xuewu say it, otherwise these won't stop in the future."

"What is it?"

Li Xuewu was about to go see, Ji Yuxiu stood aside and explained: "Clothes brought back by Big Brother from the unit."

"They are new clothes,"

Liu Yin took the conversation and said: "They are all produced in the supervision office. How can we take this for nothing? Isn't it letting the eldest make a mistake."

"Who gave them?"

Li Xuewu looked at his eldest brother. The two brothers sat at the Eight Immortals table, and he even poured a cup of warm water for his eldest brother.

Li Xuewu was also somewhat helpless. Holding the teacup, he looked at his second brother and said: "I don't know either. Probably arranged by Warden Huang. I went to ask, and everyone said they didn't know, sigh~"

"Hehe, just take it if they give it to you."

Li Xuewu looked at his mother tidying up. They were shirts and pants and so on.

It wasn't anything fashionable, trendy, or special. It was just those clothing products produced in the supervision office, and some scraps and the like.

But even if they were scraps, they were very valuable at this time. Which ordinary family could have the ability to get these.

Scraps can be re-cut to make clothes, shoe uppers, quilt linings, etc.

Many people's clothes have patches, and Li Xuewu could bring finished clothes home. How scary is that?

Anyway, it gave Liu Yin, who had lived an honest life for a lifetime, a fright.

Last time Li Xuewu brought them back, she had already scolded him once, and this time he brought them back again.

Hearing what the second son said, Liu Yin was dissatisfied: "How can you take advantage of the public~"

"Maybe it's wages, or it's salary."

Li Xuewu smiled and said indifferently: "Big Brother didn't receive a salary there..."

"That's not it~!"

Liu Yin reminded: "Xuewu received a salary, right Xuewu?"

"It's called a subsidy."

Li Xuewu put down the water cup, looked at his second brother and said: "Given by the finance of the first supervision office, saying it's the remuneration for my teaching, I can't refuse."

While talking, he signaled the clothes his mother was tidying up and said: "I don't even know when they were put in my room. When I came out, I deliberately didn't take them, and someone chased me out to stuff them to me."

"Then take it."

Li Xuewu saw that the sister-in-law had also come out, waved his hand and said: "The more you care, the more nervous you are, the more problems there are."

"You talk to Warden Huang yourself."

Zhao Yafang glanced at Li Xuewu and said: "It's not like you don't have a mouth. If you really let Xuewu go, the good intentions of others will become bad things."

"Hehe, not necessarily."

Li Xuewu smiled and understood the sister-in-law's meaning. It was nothing more than feeling that these small favors were the relationship between the eldest brother and the supervision office.

Of course, there was also the intention of Huang Gan deliberately taking care of it, but if it were brought to the table, everyone's face wouldn't look good.

These things are hard to get if you say they are valuable, and the Li family doesn't lack this if you say they are really needed. This is a friendship.

"Ask him if you need it, and tell him directly if you really don't need it."

Li Xuewu stood up, said to his eldest brother: "Usually get along with them generously, take care of each other, so Mom doesn't worry."

"Exactly, such a big person, how can you be like a child."

Zhao Yafang glared at Li Xuewu, and scolded him a few words in the name of the mother-in-law.

Li Xuewu didn't dare to talk back, and he didn't care about this. Say it if you want.

It doesn't matter if the mother and daughter-in-law say a few words, and it doesn't matter if the younger brother says a few words.

Before, the second brother didn't talk about himself, but he really did it.

Liu Yin felt relieved after hearing the eldest being scolded. At this moment, she helped Li Xuewu put clothes on Li Shu, fully armed for warmth.

Li Shu didn't like wearing so much, which made her unable to stretch her fists and feet, especially in the car, feeling even more troublesome.

At home, she liked to lie by the window and look out. In the car, she liked to stand on the seat, letting Ba-ba help her look out the car window.

Seeing that she didn't want to wear a coat, Liu Yin scared her: "You will catch a cold, be careful of becoming a snot official~"

While talking, she also used her fingers to scrape Li Shu's little nose, letting her obediently wear clothes.

There is a kind of cold in this world called Grandma thinks you are cold.

"If you ask me, if it weren't for Xiao Ning at home, I would have eaten before leaving."

Liu Yin held the wrapped Li Shu, who only showed a small round face, and handed it to the second son, still muttering: "This choking wind and cold air, you must drink hot water when you get home before eating."

"Got it, don't worry."

Li Xuewu smiled and responded to his mother's exhortation. In fact, he also knew that his mother's nagging was just a longing for him not being by her side.

He was already twenty years old. These common sense things his mother had exhorted since childhood, and he was a person who cherished his life, so how could he not know.

But even if he knew, his mother's parting words were the love he had to enjoy every day.

"Say goodbye to the old lady."

Li Xuewu held Li Shu, let her little face face back, and taught her to say hello.

Li Shu was obedient. At this time, she was going to sit in a Didi. Whatever Ba-ba said was what it was.

But if she really learned to say such a long paragraph from Ba-ba, she felt tired again, so she said it briefly and shouted loudly: "Tai!"

"Hey~"

The old lady had questions and answers, and was used to grinding teeth with Li Shu. As long as she left quickly and didn't grind people here, it would be fine.

After saying hello, Li Shu patted Ba-ba's shoulder with her little hand, signaling that it was okay, set off!

But unexpectedly, Ba-ba taught her again: "Say goodbye to Grandma."

"?"

Li Shu twisted her head hard because of too many clothes, looked at Ba-ba, saw the seriousness in his eyes, and had to shout again: "Na!"

"Hey~"

Liu Yin knew that her son was deliberately teasing her granddaughter, so seeing Li Shu's surprised expression at this moment, she couldn't help but laugh.

Before Li Shu could remind her again, Li Xuewu taught her to say goodbye to the eldest uncle, the eldest aunt, and the third aunt.

"Hmm~~~"

Li Shu knew that if she didn't greet them one by one, Ba-ba wouldn't leave, so she let Ba-ba teach her, and she also greeted in her own way.

In the end, maybe she was really tired from shouting, or tired in her heart, and even learned to sigh like an adult.

This little look made the house laugh. Everyone was laughing at her.

She was like a little adult, knowing she was being laughed at, kicked her little legs hard, and made a humming sound, urging Ba-ba to leave quickly, I'm dying of embarrassment~

Liu Yin also smiled and patted her son's back, telling him to hurry up, Xiao Ning at home was waiting anxiously.

Li Xuewu heard his daughter was unhappy, and was urged by his mother, so he smiled and went out.

The weather was cool, and there were fewer people walking in the courtyard, only those who went to the toilet or went out to handle things passed by the door.

Seeing Li Xuewu holding the child out, everyone in the courtyard greeted with a smile.

"Yo~ Little meatball is going home?"

"Hahaha, not allowed to call us little meatball!"

Wang Laoqi was used to giving nicknames to children in the courtyard, calling the two children of the Liu family in the back courtyard, one "smoke away," one "grass flying," all leg skills.

Calling Banggeng in the middle courtyard "can't fall," because Banggeng used to like climbing walls, and he couldn't fall on the ground.

Seeing Li Shu fat like a meatball at this moment, he gave her a little meatball.

Li Shu's eyes swept over his smile, her little mouth pouted, and she was already unwilling in her heart.

This person is really annoying!

Wang Laoqi didn't see the child's eyes, only cared about laughing and joking with Li Xuewu.

But even if he saw it, what could he do? There were many people who hated him!

Giving nicknames to whose child, can the parents be willing? They just didn't say it for the sake of face.

After coming out of the Chuihua gate, Sha Zhu was standing at the door with a big horse spoon, listening to the boys bragging.

Seeing Li Xuewu come out, he hurriedly waved for him to wait a moment.

Signaling here, he turned around and shouted into the kitchen.

Li Xuewu didn't pay attention to what he shouted, but saw Yushui walking over with a net bag.

"Old Shang at Beixinqiao got some pigeons, don't know whose hands he collected them from."

Sha Zhu stood at the door and explained: "I don't know how they were braised, but they are quite delicious, clear fragrance."

"All for me?"

Li Xuewu saw that there were three lunch boxes stacked in the net bag, and asked with a smile.

Yushui didn't wait for her brother to answer, and grabbed the lead: "There are many, gave him a basin."

She explained in her mouth, reached out to tease Li Shu, and walked out the door first, looking like she was going to send it to the car.

Sha Zhu glanced at his sister, the corners of his mouth twitched, only feeling his back teeth ache.

What kind of basin is a basin, a washbasin is a basin, and a basin the size of a lunch box is also called a basin!

Master Shang gave a lunch basin, good, his sister took away more than half of it in one go.

Originally, he exhorted to pack a lunch box for Li Xuewu to taste, and besides distributing it to the people in the inverted room, he also wanted to eat a few himself.

But look, everyone didn't have enough to eat, and he couldn't eat a fart!

What is called a girl who doesn't stay, the elbow always wants to turn out!

Seeing Sha Zhu baring his teeth and grinning, Li Xuewu thought he had something inconvenient to say.

"Forget it, I know about Master Shang."

Li Xuewu shook Li Shu, didn't let her make trouble, and said to Sha Zhu: "You tell him to just wait with peace of mind, it's a matter of one or two months, it will be arranged."

"Good~ I have an explanation~"

Sha Zhu was actually still feeling sorry for his pigeons, but he could only say beautiful words in his mouth, and couldn't explain this to Li Xuewu.

Seeing that the father and daughter were leaving, he waved his hand and said: "Won't send you off, let's drink together tomorrow night."

"I'll bring the wine."

Li Xuewu said without looking back, held Li Shu and went out the gate.

Standing by the car was He Yu Shui, who was handing the net bag in her hand to Han Jiankun who got off the car.

Tonight, Peng Xiaoli was sent home first, and only Han Jiankun was in the car.

Anyway, Han Jiankun was also going to eat at his home, otherwise, how could he let others wait while he talked about idle things in the room.

"There is still some soup inside, better hang it up."

He Yu Shui signaled the part of the trunk and signaled Han Jiankun to find a hook or something.

Han Jiankun signaled her to hand the net bag to him, and after taking it, hung it directly on the door frame of the passenger seat.

"Will it work?"

He Yu Shui said somewhat worriedly: "It will definitely spill."

"No way not to spill,"

Han Jiankun didn't say much, whatever he had to say: "I'll try to drive slowly, pay attention to the turning range, it's harder to deal with if it spills in the car."

He only said one sentence to He Yu Shui, and helped Li Xuewu open the car door.

Li Xuewu also put Li Shu away, said to Yushui: "It's okay, it's just something to eat, it's cold at night, go back to the room quickly."

"Good, go quickly, go home and heat the pigeons before eating."

Her eyes swept over Li Xuewu, didn't look much, said two sentences, and seeing Li Xuewu get in the car, she returned to the courtyard.

The sound of the car coming from outside the courtyard, the person had already left.

The footsteps of Yushui entering the courtyard also slowed down, no longer in a hurry.

The light in the gatehouse was on, illuminating the gatehouse brightly. Looking from the window, it was the second and third of the Yan family burning the kang in the room.

Seeing Yushui come back, the Yan brothers didn't make a sound, didn't even greet her, just like Li Xuewu who passed by just now.

It wasn't that the two were stubborn, but they had prejudices against Li Xuewu and those who stood with Li Xuewu.

The weather was cool, and although the kang in the gatehouse was small, it had to be burned early.

If you wait until you eat at home and come over, you will be frozen.

Besides, if you burn it at that time, the smoke will be choking, and everyone won't have fun playing cards.

Continuing the habit of playing cards in the gatehouse in the summer, it has always existed.

A batch of people left, and a new batch of people came up. The First Master had no choice. The boys in the courtyard were like wheat, cut one batch, grow one batch.

Liu Guangfu of the back courtyard went to glorious labor, Liu Guangtian supported the Steel City, the two fierce generals who played cards the most were gone, and the second and fourth of the Sun family in the next courtyard filled in.

Sometimes Wang Laoqi and the others who were married also came to watch the game before going to bed.

It's lively, and they don't play big. They were scared by the First Master and Ji Yuxiu once last time, and they all had a standard in their hearts.

The Yan family is special. Yan Jiefang of the Yan family doesn't play cards, and the third Yan Jiekuang is the one who plays arrogant.

He is not big, but he is a ghost. He ran around with people for the past few months, and he really saved a few bloody money in his hands.

Old saying, goods that are entered by rebellion will also go out by rebellion. This money of his didn't come from a good way, and it's impossible to go out by a good way.

He is young, doesn't dare to spend money indiscriminately, only likes to pretend to be an adult. Adults smoke, he smokes; adults play cards, he plays cards, mainly self-encouraging.

Yan Jiefang doesn't care about his brother, their family has their own calculations.

There are fewer boys in the courtyard, and the people on duty at night rotate quickly, especially the boys in the inverted room are fewer.

As long as he is on duty, he will move the tools for pasting matchboxes over. Even if the people on the small fire kang are shouting and playing cards, it won't affect him making money.

Yan Jiefang is holding fire, winter is here, legs hurt.

Some days ago, the eldest brother was gone, and the father arranged for him to take over the class. He was twisted in his heart and didn't want to take advantage of the sister-in-law.

As a result, it really went according to his thoughts, and the sister-in-law really took over the class.

This class was taken over quite tortuously. The father had a serious illness, the mother hated the sister-in-law, and the food was also terrible.

What to do?

He blew the cowhide, wanting to enter the factory with his own ability.

Result?

Academic qualifications were there, but the legs leaked during the interview, and they really didn't accept him.

Who could have thought that there were so many indicators for recruiting into the factory, and there was even an interview.

Later, he also heard that there was not only an interview, but also training and assessment.

Those who failed the assessment were still brushed down.

Every time this leg hurts, he remembers the expression when his father broke his leg.

So even if he pastes matchboxes, he has to earn this money.

What money?

Money to support himself, money to support children.

He eats at home and lives at home, how much money can he use in a month.

But how much money can he earn by pasting matchboxes in a month.

Yan Jiefang pinched the matchbox in his hand, turned it over, and looked at the text on it.

After the big study activity started, there were no trademarks or patterns on the outer paper box, only quotations.

This paper outer box is simple to paste. He pinched a stack of ten or so, twisted them open, brushed glue together, and then folded them one by one along the traces of the pressure line and stuck them firmly.

He practiced his hands very quickly, and the folded paper box was clamped with an iron clip for a while, and it became ready when the glue dried.

The most cumbersome is actually pasting the inner box. You have to arrange several stacks of paper strips, and families with many people are divided and cooperated.

One person brushes paste, puts the narrow wooden strips one by one to the appropriate position, and then takes off the wooden strips with paper.

One person picks up the wooden strip with paper strips, and uses the thumb of the right hand to smooth the narrow edge of the paper strip protruding from the wooden strip.

Then align the wooden strip to circle into a box shape, and by the adhesive force of the paper strip with paste, stick the inner box into shape.

Another person takes the inner box that has been circled into shape, puts it on the wax mold, takes a very thin wooden bottom piece, and places it in the middle of the wax mold.

Then use the index fingers of both hands to tuck the left and right paper edges of the box circle with paste inward, and stick the wooden bottom firmly.

Then press down the front and back paper edges, and finally use the palm of the right hand to press firmly, and this can be taken off.

Yan Jiefang can't do it. Sometimes his mother helps him for a while, but most of the time he does it alone.

But he is young, smart, flexible with his fingers, and skilled in kung fu. His fingers fly, and the paper boxes are pasted well and fast.

How much money can pasting matchboxes earn?

Especially worthless!

Five cents for a thousand, how much do you think he can earn?

Jia Zhangshi in the middle courtyard also does this, but she earns five or six yuan at most in a month.

After all, she has to take care of the family, and do housework, burning fire and cooking, etc.

But Jia's children are many, and Qin Huairu sometimes helps, barely enough for her own medicine and pocket money for the children.

There are powerful ones, a whole family goes into battle, there are eight or nine yuan, and there are fifteen or sixteen yuan.

Yan Jiefang has heart, and at the end of last month, the street gave him twelve yuan and three cents, which really scared many people.

He is just one person, and he can do so much.

People all use "disabled but strong" to praise him, but he is not very happy. 【913-273

This term was a compliment, but to his ears, it made his legs ache, and his heart ache too.

This money was all in his own hands; sometimes it turned into malted milk powder, and sometimes it turned into eggs.

Naturally, these things would never enter his own stomach; Yan Fugui knew that these items were all sent to the eldest son's room.

People in the courtyard gradually began to praise Yan Jiefang, and the comparison was inevitably against the Third Aunt's sourness, bitterness, and abuse of her daughter-in-law.

Describing Yan Jiefang as "physically disabled but mentally strong" was indeed a bit mean, but someone said this: "The Yan family has finally seen a real person."

What others say is what they say; Yan Fugui knew the situation in his own home. What outsiders saw was not what he understood.

Yan Fugui had already spoken to his son, telling Yan Jiefang to give up this idea; as long as he was still alive, he would not agree to this matter.

Yan Jiefang didn't speak, nor did he argue; he just went on as he had been, as if he wanted to live just like this.

Didn't you hear me?

Perhaps he was pretending not to understand.

"Yan Jiefang, do you still want eggs or not?"

The two brothers were sitting in silence in the gatehouse when they were suddenly interrupted by this shout, and Yan Jiekuang was so scared he almost fell to the floor.

"You damn..."

Before his cursing was finished, he heard his second brother tap the small table with a paper-cutting knife, and his words instantly died in his throat.

Yan Jiekuang was actually afraid of his second brother, especially since his second brother had started talking less at some point, to the extent that he wouldn't even say a word all day.

Yan Jiefang was a man of few words; he gestured with his head toward Banggeng outside the window, signaling him to come in and talk.

Banggeng was actually quite bold; last time he did business with Yan Jiefang, he almost blew up the Tuanjie Lake at the rolling mill, and now he still dared to provoke the other party.

"How many are there?"

"Seven."

Banggeng glanced at Yan Jiekuang, who was looking at him with gloomy eyes, puffed out his fat belly, and raised his head with great confidence.

This was in the courtyard, a courtyard under the rule of law; no matter how tough a "master" was, he had to act like a grandson in this courtyard.

Was Liu Guangfu in the back courtyard not tough? He almost became the little bully of the neighborhood.

And now?

He isn't even a "little king" anymore!

Therefore, Yan Jiekuang's eye-attacks were ineffective; Banggeng relied on his strong backing and didn't care about him at all.

"The weather is cold, and the chickens don't like to lay eggs. It was hard-earned..."

"I'll take them all."

Without waiting for Banggeng to finish, Yan Jiefang took money out of his pocket, a stack of small bills and coins, proving that his money was truly hard-earned.

Banggeng watched him count it out, took it and counted it again, and after stuffing it into his pocket and patting it, he nodded and asked: "Still sending it to the Aunt's room?"

Yan Jiefang didn't speak, just nodded, and continued with the work in his hands.

Banggeng was also an old hand; seeing that the other party didn't want to say much, he braved Yan Jiekuang's covetous gaze, jumped out the door, and trotted home.

Taking money and doing the job, fair to young and old; Manager Jia's eggs no longer needed to be sent to the supply and marketing cooperative, they were all sent to Comrade Ge Shuqin's room.

Yan Jiefang truly trusted him; he didn't look at the number or size of the eggs. Whatever Banggeng said, he accepted, and he just gave the money.

There was only one requirement: the goods had to be delivered to the door.

Now that Comrade Ge Shuqin was in her postpartum confinement, he really couldn't enter that room, and even the hot water had to be sent in by Jiedi.

Banggeng was small, so even if he entered that room, no one would say anything; he really became a little courier.

Over this month or so, half of the eggs produced by the two hens in the back courtyard went into Zhao Yafang's mouth, and half went into Comrade Ge Shuqin's mouth.

Did Qin Huairu not know that her son was selling eggs?

How could she not know? But she just pretended not to know, and told her mother-in-law not to interfere.

Jia Zhangshi also understood; at this time, the only channel for the Yan family's second son to get eggs might be their family.

With Comrade Ge Shuqin's physical condition, and the child's situation, if there really was no nutrition, wouldn't it be two lives at stake?

Seeing a bastard mother-in-law like Jia Zhangshi treat the Third Aunt like a vicious dog shows exactly what happened in the Yan family.

These weren't eggs; this was life-saving medicine.

The First Aunt had a kind heart and couldn't bear to see this, so she often went to that small room to help; Qin Huairu sometimes also asked the First Aunt to help bring things over.

In this courtyard, openly or secretly, there were people sending things over; even Liu Yin, who didn't like the Yan family, had sent things quietly.

Everyone had a tacit understanding; no one went to discuss Comrade Ge Shuqin's past anymore, and no one went to talk about the Yan family's affairs.

Truly keeping their family's affairs on everyone's lips would be the greatest indulgence of such behavior.

Family scandals should not be spread, but unfortunately, Yan Jiekuang knew that their family's little affairs already stank throughout the streets.

Do you think that at his young age, why did he learn such bad habits? Wasn't it just wanting to grow up quickly and leave this home sooner?

Looking at his second brother's indifferent appearance, he kicked the firewood in front of the stove door with his foot and said hesitantly: "Is it worth it~"

Yan Jiefang's work didn't stop, and he continued as if he hadn't heard.

Yan Jiekuang blinked his eyes, glanced outside the window, sat on the small heated brick bed, and pondered: "Mom and Dad won't allow it."

"What do you want to say?"

Yan Jiefang's voice had no emotion; if Yan Jiekuang hadn't mentioned their parents, he might have pretended not to hear.

Yan Jiekuang raised his head to look at his second brother and said stubbornly: "I don't think it's worth it for you. Eldest brother's money is all with Dad, but I only see him blabbering, I haven't seen him take out any money..."

"Go do what you need to do~"

Yan Jiefang couldn't be bothered to pay attention to him; he turned his body and continued the movements in his hands, not wanting to delay even a minute.

"I know, you look down on me."

Yan Jiekuang curled his lips, wanting to say something harsher, but the two brothers just felt it was meaningless.

"I just want to grow up quickly and leave this courtyard sooner."

He said this, lay down on the bed, looked at the gray ceiling, and said: "I'm tired of it."

Hearing no answer from his second brother, only the sound of folding paper, he muttered again: "It's different for me. You're an adult. After this winter, take your sister-in-law and go, far away, the farther the better."

Click~

The matchbox in Yan Jiefang's hand made a mistake for the first time; his hands were too strong, and it folded into fragments.

His younger brother's words were like a sharp sword, stabbing into his heart, hurting terribly.

Perhaps discovering his second brother's stiff body and knowing that he had reacted to his words, Yan Jiekuang continued: "I have three hundred here, I'll give you half. I have to save the rest for myself, I can only support you this much."

"Keep it for yourself, I'm not going anywhere."

Yan Jiefang recovered his spirit, replied with a sentence, and picked up the paper box to fold it again.

"You are just stubbornly dead-set."

Yan Jiekuang sat up, looked at his second brother and said: "If you really want what's best for your sister-in-law, move out early. In front of Mom, she won't get anything good."

Replying to him was his second brother's silence, and the folding movements that were not as fast and smooth as before.

He could no longer endure his second brother's foul temper, stood up, and slammed the door as he left.

Listening to someone outside the window greeting his younger brother to play cards, and his younger brother's reply of "play my ass" drifting into the room, Yan Jiefang's movements also slowed down.

Leave? Where to go?

His sister-in-law could take over the job at the factory; only by staying in the courtyard would she have a way to live.

Besides, he was in this state; whether his sister-in-law would go with him was another matter. The things his younger brother said really made his heart feel like it was being twisted by a knife.

"Ask the world, what is love, that it teaches people to pledge their lives?"

This emotion came too suddenly and was too deformed. The pressure at home made him unable to breathe; the more praise he received outside, the further the distance between him and his sister-in-law became.

His younger brother's words made him see the fact that he was unpromising even more clearly, and also exposed his embarrassing situation without a doubt.

It tore off the mask he had worn for many days, revealing the true inner self he hated and suffered from.

"A bit fishy~ what kind of craftsmanship is this~"

Qin Jingru curled her lips and commented on the braised pigeon in her hand, then finished off a pigeon wing in one bite.

Han Jiankun raised his head and glanced at her; seeing her mouth full of oil as she ate, he couldn't help but have his eyelids twitch.

If it was this bad, she could still eat a pigeon in three bites; if it were delicious, what would happen?

"There's plenty, Jiankun, you eat too."

Li Xuewu dismantled the pigeon in his hand, picked off all the meat, and placed it in Gu Ning's bowl.

"It nourishes the liver, strengthens the kidneys, benefits the Qi, nourishes the blood, clears heat and detoxifies, and promotes fluid production to quench thirst."

He recited the book in his mouth and smiled as he urged Gu Ning: "I specifically asked, you can eat it."

Gu Ning frowned, looked at the meat in the bowl, raised her head and asked: "From the wild?"

"What are you thinking? Where would there be wild pigeons in this city?"

Li Xuewu smiled and explained: "Perhaps some little brat ran out of money in their pocket, and a pigeon coop somewhere in the city suffered a disaster."

This kind of thing is not too uncommon; they can even steal your house, let alone a pigeon coop.

In this era, pigeons cannot represent peace!