Siheyuan: I am reborn as a good person He Yuzhu

Chapter 308: Finding Opportunities for Communication

"Speaking of Liu Quezi from our courtyard, we have to mention an anecdote from his youth." He Daqing, who was sitting by the stove, told the story while adding coal. Everyone around was attracted.

"That was before liberation. Liu Quezi's legs were still intact at that time. He worked as a doorman for a wealthy family. I heard that the family lived a luxurious life. One night, Liu Quezi saw a surprising scene - Jia Zhang sneaked into the backyard and got entangled with a figure." He Yuzhu poured tea for his father and asked curiously, "Dad, how do you know he is related to Jia Zhang?"

He Daqing was obviously glaring at him: "I only found out about this later. At that time, although Liu Guizi's leg was broken, he could still move. He told me quietly himself."

"That night he saw Jia Zhang's behavior and wanted to catch her in the act, but not only did he fail, he became disabled. From then on, he limped." Everyone listened with great interest. He Yuzhu couldn't help asking, "Dad, is that ghost Yi Zhonghai?"

He Daqing sighed softly: "Who knows? However, since that day, Jia Zhangshi seems to have changed her soul and is mysterious all day long. And Yi Zhonghai suddenly got lucky and turned from an ordinary worker into a housekeeper of a wealthy family."

"As for the connection between these two, hey, you guys can figure it out for yourselves."

He Yuzhu frowned: "Dad, why didn't you tell the others in the courtyard?"

He Daqing sneered: "What's the point of telling them? They will treat it as a joke, and they may even say that an old bachelor like me is jealous of Yi Zhonghai. Besides, who would believe such a thing without evidence?"

"Then why are you telling me this?" He Yuzhu was puzzled.

He Daqing stared at him, with a complex emotion in his eyes: "My child, I am telling you to be more careful. Things in the world are not as simple as they seem. Yi Zhonghai is very cunning, so you should be careful when dealing with him in the future."

He Yuzhu nodded slightly, but he didn't quite agree in his heart. He felt that although Yi Zhonghai seemed a little deep at times, he was generally good.

"Besides, is there any misunderstanding between you and Yi Zhonghai?"

He Daqing shook his head and said, "Misunderstanding? Humph, it's not that simple. There are some things you don't understand now, but you will understand them in the future."

Changing the subject, he continued, "By the way, I heard your wife is pregnant? You must take good care of her. Pregnant women are a big deal and cannot be taken lightly."

He Yuzhu smiled: "Don't worry, Dad. I'm thinking about making something Liu Ping likes to eat."

He Daqing nodded with satisfaction: "That's more like it. Your wife is a good girl, you should cherish her. The New Year is coming soon, you should tidy up the house and make it less messy."

"Also, it's time to put up the couplets. Remember to ask Uncle Yan to write a few new ones."

He Yuzhu responded and turned to leave. He Daqing called him again: "By the way, Zhuzi, go buy some candies and give red envelopes to the children."

He Yuzhu smiled and agreed, and walked out of the courtyard. Looking at his son's back, He Daqing felt mixed emotions. He knew that although his home was simple, it was full of love and warmth. He hoped that his son would be happy forever, and silently prayed that everyone in this courtyard would have a happy and peaceful Spring Festival.

As the night deepened, the alleys of Beijing were filled with the strong flavor of the New Year. Master Qi came over with a bag of specialties, a smile on his face. These were gifts brought from outside the city, specially for his apprentice He Yuzhu. Although the master and apprentice did not have much contact, this relationship was extremely precious.

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"Old Qi, why are you here suddenly?" He Yuzhu couldn't help feeling a little surprised when he saw his master.

"It's the New Year, so I brought you some specialties from outside the city." Master Qi smiled and handed the bag over. "Master, you are so polite." He Yuzhu felt warm in his heart as he took the bag.

After a brief conversation, Master Qi said goodbye and left. Standing at the door, He Yuzhu watched his master's back as he walked away. He knew that with the evolution of the times, the relationship between master and apprentice might gradually become distant.

When I returned to the house, I saw that my family was busy preparing the New Year's Eve dinner. On New Year's Eve, the family sat together and enjoyed a rare leisure time. My sister He Yushui put on a newly bought red dress and smiled as brightly as a child. She was in a very good mood recently because her mother Liu Ping was about to have a baby, and the joy in the family was even greater.

"Brother, look at my clothes, aren't they beautiful?" He Yushui turned around and showed off her new clothes.

"Of course she is beautiful. My sister looks good in anything she wears." He Yuzhu replied with a smile.

As the New Year's Eve dinner unfolded, the eldest brother He Daqing personally cooked a table full of delicacies, including the Tan family's special braised pork, which is a rare dish. Tan family cuisine is widely praised for its unique cooking skills, but because the ingredients are expensive, it is rarely available on weekdays.

"Come on, let's raise our glasses and wish a happy new year." He Daqing raised his glass. "We have experienced many changes this year: our daughter-in-law got pregnant, our son bought a house, and our daughter made progress in her studies. Our big family is really thriving."

If He Yuzhu knew what his brother was thinking at the moment, he might have laughed. He felt that although these changes made life better, they also brought pressure and challenges. However, on this special night, he chose to quietly enjoy this warmth and happiness.

As the night deepened, He Yuzhu lay in bed tossing and turning. He thought about the specialty sent by his master, the good times he had shared with his family, and the memories that had faded. This era seems to make it easier for people to feel happy and satisfied, but the road ahead is still long. Who knows what changes will happen in the future?

"Brother, are you still asleep?" He Yushui's voice broke the tranquility of the night.

"Not yet, what's wrong?"

"I also want to eat braised pork." He Yushui said coquettishly.

"Okay, I'll get some." He Yuzhu stood up and walked towards the kitchen, feeling warm in his heart. In his heart, every day at home was full of love and warmth, and there was endless care waiting for him no matter when and where.

"Zhuzi, Old Man Qian has been in a daze all day and hasn't eaten yet." Third Brother Shen said to He Yuzhu who was sitting at the opposite table while knocking on his rice bowl.

He Yuzhu frowned and asked Third Brother Shen, "Third Brother Shen, where is Mr. Qian's son? It's almost the New Year, why hasn't he come back yet?"

Third Brother Shen sighed and replied, "Who knows? It is said that his son resents him because he participated in the **, which led to his mother's early death."

He Yuzhu shook his head, expressing his dissatisfaction, "It's really unbearable if these words get out."

"Yes, but maybe Old Man Qian himself thinks so too." Third Brother Shen added.

He Yuzhu pondered for a moment, then continued, "I remember this time last year, Uncle Qian invited everyone in the hospital to have a meal because he wanted to see his son."

Third Brother Shen nodded in response, "Yes, he was so happy at that time, but he didn't expect that his son would not come back in the end."

He Yuzhu sighed and said self-reproachfully, "It's all my fault that I didn't stop him from hosting the banquet. Maybe he would be in a better mood now."

Third Brother Shen patted his shoulder to comfort him, "No one could have expected this, don't take it to heart."

He Yuzhu was silent for a moment and then suggested, "Brother Shen, tomorrow is New Year's Eve. I want to send some food to Uncle Qian."

Hearing this, Third Brother Shen smiled approvingly, "Zhu Zi, you are indeed a kind and sensible child."

He Yuzhu responded with a smile and said nothing more.

The next day, He Yuzhu got up early to prepare the ingredients. He stewed a pot of pork ribs soup, fried a few dishes, and packed the food into lunch boxes.

Seeing his son busy working, his father He Daqing also came over to help. He also made dumplings and prepared to send them to Old Man Qian together with his son.

"Zhu Zi, although Old Man Qian is sometimes stubborn, he is also an elder in the community and we should care about him," He Daqing told his son.

He Yuzhu nodded and agreed: "Dad, don't worry, I know what to do."

The two of them carried lunch boxes to Uncle Qian's house. After knocking on the door and no one answered, they tried to open the door and found it was not locked.

"Uncle Qian, we brought some food." He Yuzhu shouted.

When I entered the house, I saw Uncle Qian sitting alone at the table, holding an empty bowl in his hand, staring out the window absentmindedly.

He Yuzhu asked with concern: "Uncle Qian, are you okay?"

Uncle Qian came back to his senses and smiled faintly when he saw He Yuzhu and his son coming to visit him. "It's you two. You came to visit me so early?"

"We are not here to visit you, we are here to deliver something. We have steaming hot meals and freshly made dumplings. Please eat them while they are hot." He Yuzhu explained patiently.

Witnessing the care and sincerity before his eyes, the lonely old man couldn't help but shed tears: "Thank you very much, you are such kind people."

Faced with the old man's recognition and gratitude, the two felt warm in their hearts.

Afterwards, He Yuzhu and He Daqing looked at each other and smiled. Everything was said without words. Silence was the most touching at this moment.

In another corner, Grandpa Gan spoke to the stubborn Old Qian with a helpless look on his face, "Old Qian, please give me some face, otherwise how can I explain myself?" Grandpa Gan's tone revealed helplessness.

Old Qian rolled his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth in disdain, "Don't worry about it. You know my temper. I just want to have some peace and quiet during the New Year."

Uncle Gan's heart tightened upon seeing this. Although he knew that the other party was stubborn and would not change, out of goodwill, he still hoped to touch his hard heart.

He Yuzhu watched quietly from the side, seemingly also looking for an opportunity to communicate.

He Yuzhu scratched his head, grinned, and said, "Uncle Qian, please stop making things difficult for Uncle Gan. Don't you know what kind of person he is? He is always so warm-hearted. Besides, we are neighbors living in the same yard and see each other every day. Why do we have to make things so unpleasant?"