Siheyuan: The Era of Struggle

Chapter 64 Neighbors (Please collect and support!)
Father Yang Dagen felt a little sorry when he saw Yang Ning being ignored. He was about to go up and comfort him, but Yang Liu suddenly thought of something and said to Yang Dagen, "Dad, go to Han the butcher's house and buy some meat. The eldest brother is not a caring person. Look how thin Yinghong has become."

After hearing what Yang Liu said, Hu Yinghong looked down at herself in confusion, then looked up at Yang Ning in confusion, as if to say, "You haven't lost weight yet?"

Speaking of which, she ate with Yang Ning this month. Although she didn't have as good an appetite as Yang Ning, she gained a pound this month under the influence of Yang Ning's eating habits.

Yang Ning couldn't tell where Hu Yinghong had lost weight, so he could only give her a helpless look in response.

Let her be thin. Since her mother said she has lost weight, then she may really have lost weight.

Yang Ning didn't want to be an eyesore to the mother and daughter, so he followed his father to buy meat.

Yang Dagen walked in front with his hands behind his back, looked back at Yang Ning, and asked awkwardly, "How's work going?"

"It's okay!" Yang Ning knew that his father was not very good at expressing his concern. The fact that he asked this question probably showed that he had been struggling for a long time.

Seeing his father already having a few white hairs, Yang Ning suddenly realized that his father was almost forty years old.

I remember when I first came here, Yang Dagen was still in his early thirties. Although he was already the father of a fourteen-year-old child, the man who stood up to protect Yang Ning when he encountered difficulties with his neighbors was actually about to become an elderly person without realizing it.

In this era when the average life expectancy is just over 40, people can call themselves old people once they are over 40.

Just like Yi Zhonghai in the original novel, he disciplined the young people in the institution like an old man before he retired. If we look at the average life expectancy at that time, we can't say that he was wrong.

It’s unlike later generations, where people in their sixties and seventies feel that they are very young and have more energy than when they were young. When they have nothing to do, they go traveling, join walking groups, do square dancing, etc. They can even enjoy the blooming of old trees and the sunset, and live a more comfortable life than young people.

Thinking that this man had been carrying the family on his shoulders all these years, Yang Ning felt mixed emotions. He really had neglected his father over the years.

"What about you? Are you used to working in the factory?" Yang Ning looked up at his father and asked.

"It's good. During this period, the factory has given me a place to participate in the city's technical competition. If I can get good results, I heard that my work grade can be promoted."

Talking about his work in the factory, Yang Dagen was full of pride. Although he knew that the leaders were taking care of him because of Yang Ning's face, if he didn't have enough ability, the leaders would not give him this position.

After all, this era attaches great importance to collective honor. If his skills are not good enough, even if he is the king, he cannot be allowed to go out and embarrass himself.

When Yang Ning heard this, he was happy for his father, but he was now indebted to the First Machinery Factory for a favor.

But it doesn't matter. Yang Ning accepts this favor for his father.

The two men came to a butcher's shop at the entrance of the alley. A man in his thirties with a face full of flesh, wearing greasy clothes and sleeves, stood behind the counter.

After seeing Yang Dagen, he smiled and asked Yang Dagen, "Brother Yang, what do you want today? Pig head meat? Don't worry about the meat here. All of them were killed before dawn today."

Apparently, within less than a year of moving here, my father had already become very familiar with the area.

Yang Ning followed behind his father, craning his neck to look at the half piece of meat hanging on the rack behind him, then glanced at the rest on the chopping board. A strong fishy smell went straight into his nose.

Only then did Yang Ning discover that there was a man who looked 70% like the butcher squatting on the ground behind the counter, burning pig's trotters with a red-hot iron.

"Big brother, are the pig's trotters from today?"

After hearing what Yang Ning said, the man who was scalding the pig's trotter raised his head and looked at him in confusion and asked, "Are you talking to me?"

As soon as the man's voice came out, Yang Ning felt something was wrong. Why did the voice sound like the voice of a teenager who was in the voice change period, but this person didn't look like it!

"Of course it's you. Is there anyone else here?" Although he was a little confused, Yang Ning nodded affirmatively.

The butcher who was about to talk to Yang Ning had a strange expression on his face after hearing what Yang Ning said. The man who was selling the scalded pig's trotters had a red face like a monkey's butt, and looked at Yang Ning with a bit of hostility.

puff~

At this time, Yang Dagen couldn't help laughing out loud, and Yang Ning looked back at him in confusion.

What, did I say something wrong just now?
"I'm only fourteen, and I think you're already twenty, so don't yell."

You call this fourteen?
Yang Ning was stunned after hearing the man's words. He looked at the man's shiny dark face, the muscular muscles that could not be hidden even by the clothes he was wearing, and the same fat as the uncle next to him.

You said you were fourteen, but I don’t think you are!
Just when Yang Ning was wondering, the butcher uncle came to his rescue: "The young man is the eldest son of Brother Yang's family, right?"

Then he pointed at the man who had stood up with a wry smile, oh, no, it should be the boy who introduced him, "This is my boy. He didn't get into junior high school after graduating from elementary school this year. I thought he couldn't study well, so I asked him to learn how to butcher pigs from me, so that he can inherit our shop in the future."

Yang Ning looked at the two men who seemed like brothers, but who would have thought that they were actually father and son, which was a joke.

Well, he really was fourteen years old. After all, just like Yang Ning, he also graduated from elementary school at the age of fourteen.

But you said you wanted him to inherit your shop?
That would be no different from entering the palace as a eunuch in 10 years and joining the Bald Man in 48. After all, the public and private sectors will be merged next year, so I'm afraid your plan will fail.

But for the sake of the neighbors, Yang Ning still said: "If possible, add one or two years to your son's age!"

Since the plan of inheriting the family business is doomed to fail, let this child just get a regular job.

After the public-private partnership next year, child laborers under the age of 16 will not be allowed to work. If the age limit is not changed, this child will probably end up with nothing next year.

Don’t let yourself be unable to inherit the family business and end up becoming a street urchin.

Judging from the child's appearance, if they add one or two years older, the person in charge of registration will probably suspect that they have falsified their age, and people will believe that the child is 30 years old.

Whose fourteen-year-old child looks like this?
"Why? Is there any other explanation for this?" When Butcher Han heard Yang Ning's words, his face suddenly became serious.

He had heard from Yang Liu that the eldest son in their family was a top student who graduated from a prestigious university. He must be a capable person and be able to know some news in advance.

"Hehe~" Yang Ning only mentioned this out of fatherly consideration and was unwilling to say anything more: "If you trust me, just do as I say. I can't say any more."

Then Yang Dagen picked the meat and walked back carrying it.

On the way, Yang Dagen looked at Yang Ning worriedly and asked, "What you told Han the butcher, there won't be any taboos, right?"

"No, I just saw that you seemed to have a good relationship with their family, so I said it casually. I won't admit it later."

Yang Ning said indifferently and gave his father a reassuring look.

"That's good. I won't ask. As for whether Han the Butcher and the others will listen or not, it's up to them."

Then Yang Dagen continued, "Don't be fooled by Han the Butcher's fierce look. He is actually quite honest and generous. Compared to those evil people in the yard before, the neighbors here are quite nice."

Sure enough, whether it is good or bad depends entirely on the comparison with peers.

To be honest, among the people in the yard before, only Jia Zhang could not distinguish between good and evil. She only wanted to take advantage of others and was unwilling to suffer any loss.

As for the others, they’re just so-so.

(End of this chapter)