Siheyuan: Struggle Begins in the 1950s

As soon as Yi Zhonghai left the backyard, Xu Damao, who was eavesdropping at the window, rolled off the bed and returned to the living room and said to Xu's father:

"Dad, that old fellow Yi Zhonghai really paid the money to Wang Jianjun."

Father Xu was checking the projection equipment in the living room. He said sarcastically without even looking up:

"If Yi Zhonghai doesn't pay the money today, do you think Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu will listen to him in the future?"

Xu Damao came up to Xu Fugui and said with a sly smile:

"Dad, I think Yi Zhonghai and his gang are no match for Wang Jianjun. If I can establish a good relationship with Wang Jianjun, I won't even take him seriously in the future."

Xu Fugui looked up and rolled his eyes at his son, saying with dismay:

"Can you be more ambitious? You just go against Shazhu all day. Shazhu is just a fool. If you have that time, you might as well learn the technology of projecting movies from me.

And you'd better stay away from Wang Jianjun in the future. I can't quite figure this guy out since he just came back. I always think he's a little weird."

"What's so strange about that? I just went to the army and learned a few tricks. I wanted to join the army back then, but you wouldn't let me."

Xu Fugui slapped Xu Damao on the head and said:

"If you don't have any ambition, why would you be a soldier? Do you know how many people died in the chaos of the war a few years ago?

You are the only child in my Xu family. If you die, will your sister have to support me and your mother in the future?"

Xu Damao was completely depressed after being scolded by Xu Fugui. In this era, there is no good attitude for a father to teach his son.

Even He Daqing had beaten Shazhu many times before.

After Xu Fugui finished his lecture, he looked at Xu Damao and said seriously:

"Also, I warn you, it's okay to show movies in the countryside and collect some benefits, but don't get involved with those village women."

Xu Damao said with some guilt:

"Dad, don't talk nonsense. What else can I do in the countryside besides showing movies?"

No one knows a son better than his father. How could Xu Fugui not know the virtues of his son? It's not like Xu Fugui hasn't done those things before, but there are some things that he can do but Xu Damao can't.

He glanced at Xu Damao and sneered:

"You went to Hongqi Commune to show movies for three days. Normally you would have been back in two days. It's not winter and it's snowing so you can't ride a bike. So where did you go for the extra day and night?"

Xu Damao, who was exposed by Xu Fugui, felt a little guilty and said with a wry smile:

"It's not that the village leader invited me to drink too much..."

Xu Fugui sighed and said:

"Okay, Damao, it's okay for a man to be a little romantic. But your mother has been saying good things about you in front of Lou's mother for you all these years, just hoping that you can marry the daughter of the Lou family.

In the past, our family would never have dared to even think about such a marriage as that of the Lou family. It's a blessing that you were born in a good era.

As long as your marriage with the Lou family can be successful, our Xu family can also be regarded as glorious. At that time, as long as the Lou family gives us a little, it will be enough for our family to live for several lifetimes.

You should break up with your lovers in the countryside as soon as possible. Don’t be afraid to spend money when you should.”

Hearing what Xu's father said, Xu Damao stopped arguing and nodded to show that he had listened.

On the other side, Yi Zhonghai returned to the central courtyard and first looked in the direction of the Jia family.

Hearing Jia Zhang's familiar shouting and summoning voice, Yi Zhonghai did not choose to go in this time. Instead, he went back to the house, got a bottle of wine, and went to He Yuzhu's house.

When Yi Zhonghai came in, He Yuzhu was sitting at the table drinking alone. More than half of the bottle of Lianhuabai on the table had been drunk, and there was a small plate of peanuts, but only the peanut shells were left.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai coming in, He Yuzhu didn't get up, but just sat there and poured himself a glass of wine, drank it all, and asked:

"Why are you here so late at night?"

Yi Zhonghai adjusted his expression and tried to make himself look more amiable.

"You haven't slept here and drank either."

Then he took out the prepared Fenjiu from his back and handed it to Sha Zhu, saying:

"What's the point of drinking alone? Come on! Drink with an old man tonight."

When Sha Zhu saw that it was Fenjiu, his originally sullen expression softened a lot.

"Oh, the sun is rising from the west today. How dare you treat me with such good wine?"

Yi Zhonghai laughed and scolded:

"You silly Zhu, can't you say something nice? This is a gift from my apprentice to me, but I have never been willing to drink it. Today, I made you suffer so much, so I'll give you a bottle of good wine to make it up to you."

Sha Zhu originally had some opinions about Yi Zhonghai because of what happened just now, but when he saw the good wine, he no longer had any opinions.

But he still said in a sarcastic tone:

"Brother Jia wouldn't buy fake wine to fool you. Aunt Jia, for example, it would be a miracle for Brother Jia to give her a bottle of Sanbai. "

"You can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth. This is a gift from my other apprentices after they were promoted to higher ranks. I have never been willing to drink it."

"Oh, I almost forgot that your uncle also has a lot of disciples."

As he said that, Sha Zhu went to the back room to get a wine glass and a handful of peanuts. He opened the Fenjiu and poured a glass for Yi Zhonghai and himself respectively. He took a sip of the wine and said:

"This good wine is different. It tastes much better than this Lotus White."

Yi Zhonghai thought to himself that it must be the same. This bottle of Fenjiu costs six yuan without counting the wine ticket.

Taking out this wine made Yi Zhonghai, who was used to being frugal, feel a little distressed.

After drinking two cups with Sha Zhu, Yi Zhonghai pretended to be indifferent and said:

"Zhu Zi, you have been wronged today."

He Yuzhu waved his hand and said indifferently:

"Forget it, sir. I can't say anything if I'm not as skilled as others. I'll get back at them after some practice."

Yi Zhonghai followed Sha Zhu's words and said:

"Zhu Zi, you are right to think so. Wang Jianjun is a scoundrel. He is just showing off in our hospital with the two tricks he learned in the army. People like him will suffer a great loss sooner or later."

Sha Zhu was very happy about Yi Zhonghai's twisted ideas and drank a glass of wine directly.

He had no idea that Yi Zhonghai's words were actually referring to his former self from another perspective.

The two chatted for a few words, and Yi Zhonghai changed the subject and asked:

"Come to think of it, Zhuzi, you are already in your twenties, right?"

"I'm 22, so what?"

"You're 22 now. You were only 17 when your father passed away. In the blink of an eye, you're already old enough to get married."

When He Yuzhu heard Yi Zhonghai mention He Daqing, his face immediately frowned.

"Uncle, let's have a good drink. Why do you have to mention him?"

He Daqing is a thorn in He Yuzhu's heart, although He Yuzhu has never mentioned He Daqing for all these years.

But he will never forget the scene when he took his sister to find He Daqing.

That day, Widow Bai cursed them at the door, saying they were orphans that no one wanted, but He Daqing hid inside and didn't even show his face.

In the end, He Yushui caught a cold and I still carried her to the clinic overnight.

In He Yuzhu's heart, he considered He Daqing to be dead.

Hearing He Yuzhu's words, Yi Zhonghai was happy in his heart but said with a serious face:

"Zhu Zi, don't blame your father. As the saying goes, there are no bad parents in the world..."

"Okay, sir, let's stop talking about those spoilers. It's a waste of your bottle of good wine."

"Okay, okay, I won't mention it."

Yi Zhonghai said:

"Okay, Zhuzi, this is not what I want to talk to you about. Yesterday the old lady mentioned your marriage to me. You don't have an adult here to help you arrange your marriage, so I came to find you today."