Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

The Intermediate People's Court, the Jia family.

Qin Huairu cut about a pound of meat to make dumplings, cooked rabbit offal into a dish, and steamed white flour buns. Tonight, their family's New Year's Eve dinner was quite sumptuous.

Banggeng and Jia Zhangshi ate dumplings one after another, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Luckily, Qin Huairu had divided the dumplings for them beforehand, otherwise she and Xiaodang would have only eaten a few before they were gone.

Now, Jia Zhangshi no longer dared to eat more than her share. Of course, she still got the largest portion, followed by Bang Geng, Xiao Dang, and Qin Huairu got the smallest.

Qin Huairu had no choice. Not only did her mother-in-law have a huge appetite, but she was also always causing trouble. If she gave Jia Zhangshi too little, no one could have a peaceful New Year's Eve.

The He family's New Year's Eve dinner was much more lavish than the Jia family's. Today, He Daqing killed a rooster, used half of it to make Kung Pao Chicken, and used the other half to make soup. He also made dumplings, stir-fried pork kidneys, and braised pork intestines, making a total of five meat dishes.

He Daqing opened a bottle of white wine, poured a glass for Sha Zhu, and then put a chicken leg on He Yushui's plate, saying:

"Rain, you'll be graduating from junior high next semester. How's it going? Are you confident you can get into a vocational school?"

He Yushui, munching on a chicken leg, shook her head: "Dad, I'm confident about getting into high school, but I'm not so confident about getting into vocational school."

Upon hearing this, He Daqing, unwilling to give up, asked, "Rain, please be more specific. Just how confident are you? What percentage?"

He Yushui didn't speak; she simply held up three fingers.

"Thirty percent?"

He Daqing sighed: "Yushui, if you work harder next semester, as long as you get into a vocational school, Dad will buy you a bicycle."

"Really?" He Yushui asked excitedly.

He Daqing smiled and nodded: "Silly girl, when has Dad ever lied to you? Dad keeps his word. As long as you get into vocational school, I will definitely buy you a bicycle. I will personally take you to the department store to buy it."

"Yes, Dad, don't worry, I will definitely try my best."

He Yushui was very excited. She had just held up three fingers, intending to tell her father that she was 30% sure she wouldn't pass the exam, but her father gave her such a big surprise.

If she works hard next semester, her chances of getting into a vocational high school will increase to at least 90%, and then she'll have a bicycle.

Sha Zhu overheard Yu Shui's conversation with his father and said with a bitter face, "Dad, could you lend me some money first? I want to buy a bicycle too."

He Daqing glared at Sha Zhu: "What do you need a bicycle for, you street sweeper?"

Sha Zhu gave a wry smile: "Dad, as you know, I'm sweeping the streets near the supply and marketing cooperative now. It takes me an hour to walk there and back every day. Having a bicycle would be much more convenient."

He Daqing snorted coldly: "Shazhu, let me tell you, don't even think about buying a bicycle. If you make money, go buy one yourself. It only takes an hour to walk there and back. How dare you complain in front of me? Get some exercise; it'll help you stay fit."

Hearing that He Daqing's attitude towards him and Yu Shui was completely different, Sha Zhu smiled bitterly to himself and stopped talking.

......

Zhongyuan, Yi Zhonghai's house.

Today, the old lady used the half-pound of pork that Yi Zhonghai brought back to make dumplings, but didn't do anything else. Now, the old lady doesn't have much to say to Yi Zhonghai, and the house feels cold and quiet.

The old lady has seen through Yi Zhonghai. He doesn't want to contribute anything all day, but just wants others to take care of him in his old age. How is that possible?

If Yi Zhonghai hadn't lost all his savings, she really wanted to divorce him and adopt a child so that she would at least have someone to take care of her when she got old.

Unfortunately, Yi Zhonghai has lost all his savings and is barely surviving on his meager salary each month. If she divorces Yi Zhonghai, she simply won't be able to support herself.

The woman sighed inwardly, feeling uneasy as she ate her dumplings, her heart filled with loneliness.

the other side.

The front yard, the Yan family's house.

The third aunt made a few dried small fish today, which is their New Year's Eve dinner. However, they still splurgeed today and steamed more than a dozen white flour buns.

Yan Fugui distributed one dried fish to each person, and three steamed buns to each person, emphasizing fairness and impartiality.

Looking at the small, dried fish weighing less than two ounces in the bowl, Yan Jiefang said with a bitter face:

"Dad, today is New Year's Eve dinner, and everyone in the neighborhood is eating dumplings. Is this all we're having?"

"Yes, Dad, I saw a lot of people killing chickens and fish in the yard today. Isn't our New Year's Eve dinner a bit too much?" Yan Jiekuang said with dissatisfaction.

Yan Fugui snorted coldly: "If you're not going to eat it, give it all to me, and I'll eat it for you."

"Don't……"

When the two brothers heard that they were going to have their dried fish and steamed buns taken, they quickly covered their bowls with their hands, as if they were afraid of being robbed.

Seeing this, Yan Fugui sighed helplessly: "Jiefang, you're not a child anymore. Don't you know what our family's situation is? Every household in the courtyard is eating dumplings because it's the year-end bonus the steel mill gave them."

After a pause, Yan Fugui continued, "No one in our family works at the steel mill right now. Where are we going to get meat? Do you know how much meat costs per pound these days? I'm sure it'll be at least twenty yuan a pound during the Spring Festival. Tell me, can our family afford meat that costs twenty yuan a pound?"

"Who said there isn't? Isn't your sister-in-law from the steel rolling mill?" Yan Jiekuang muttered under his breath.

Although Yan Jiekuang spoke softly, Yan Fugui and the Third Aunt still heard him. Yan Fugui glared at Yan Jiekuang and said in a deep voice:

"Jie Kuang, your sister-in-law doesn't treat us like family at all. Yesterday, as soon as she got a day off, she didn't even go home. She went straight back to her parents' house. You guys shouldn't even think about taking advantage of your sister-in-law."

"Eat up. Tonight's meal is a luxury for our family. Right now, I'm the only one earning money to support the family. It's good enough if I don't let you go hungry."

The three aunties also advised, "Jiefang, Jiekuang, you two shouldn't compare our family to others. It's not easy for your father to earn money to support the family now."

"Um."

After listening to their parents, the two brothers responded and stopped complaining, and began to eat heartily.

......

The backyard, the Xu family's residence.

Mr. and Mrs. Xu are here today. Xu Fugui is not short of money. Tonight, their family's New Year's Eve dinner is particularly lavish. Apart from Wang Feng's family and He's family, their New Year's Eve dinner is the most lavish.

I made four main dishes: chicken stew with mushrooms, stir-fried green peppers with cured pork, braised fish, and dumplings.

Xu Fugui opened a bottle of Moutai and ate meat with Xu Damao, drinking Moutai heartily. If the other people in the courtyard saw this, they would be green with envy.