An extraordinary life journey through old Beijing courtyard houses

Jiang Baobin had intended to scare her and make her laugh.

But upon seeing the tool in her hand, he immediately changed his mind.

If the little sister gets too excited and throws the stuff all over herself, that would be really hilarious!

Jiang Daya saw him as soon as she stepped over the threshold and instinctively wanted to call out to him.

Jiang Baobin quickly made a shushing gesture.

The young girl was quick-witted and immediately nodded to indicate that she understood.

After walking a few steps, Jiang Baobin asked, "What happened yesterday? Why were all the doors to the back room locked?"

Jiang Daya said angrily, "You still dare to talk! Mom already suspected you of stealing money."

"Around noon, she went out to deliver lunch, and somehow heard that you had bought snacks for the deaf old lady. When she came back, she was furious!"

"If I call you 'Buddha,' you're not allowed to go home anymore, or I'll break your legs!"

Jiang Baobin was furious: "Who's so quick to speak? Can't they have a little decency?"

Although he really wanted to leave home and live alone, he was still very unhappy about being schemed against behind his back!

"And your mom, really, why does she always suspect me of stealing money? Can't people trust each other a little more?"

Jiang Daya rolled her eyes at him: "What do you mean, 'your mom'? She's our mom!"

Jiang Baobin could only say, "Yes, yes, it's Mom. I was just confused from anger."

Jiang Daya said worriedly, "But what can we do? This time, not only Mom, but Dad is angry too! He said he's going to teach you a lesson!"

"Third brother, why don't you ask Grandma Lu to put in a good word for you? She has a lot of influence."

Jiang Baobin remained silent—I couldn't be happier with this outcome, why would I need to ask someone to plead for me?

Jiang Daya then suggested, "Brother, you should also plead with our parents again."

"There's definitely still room for Huan'er. If you don't go out and collect the clothes, you'll just be relying on the goods that the pawnshop is dumping."

"Our dad and brother definitely don't earn as much as they used to. I think it won't be long before they calm down."

After Jiang Daya finished speaking, she looked at him with hopeful eyes, like a little deer.

Jiang Baobin shook his head so hard it was practically a rattle drum:

"This is meaningless. I'm truly heartbroken. This is unacceptable."

"I was the one who picked up the fuse, but they wouldn't let me light one."

"Do you think it's worth continuing to live like this?"

"What's the use of me doing so much? All the benefits go to my older brother and his gang."

"I'm only fit to do manual labor; I can forget about ever getting married."

"At worst, you'll be sent to marry into a family that has given up their marriage, and you'll still be destined to be someone's slave."

"What's the point of having a child if I can't even have it bear the Jiang surname?"

These days, people take on the burdens of life very early.

Even someone like Xiaomei, who is only fourteen or fifteen years old and would still be a child in the future, has already had extensive contact with society.

Therefore, Jiang Baobin's words were accepted by her.

Jiang Daya asked with some concern, "Third Brother, what are your plans for the future?"

"Now you don't even have a place to stay, aren't you just going to suffer?"

Jiang Baobin said nonchalantly, "Hey, God won't let a blind sparrow starve."

"I'm a grown man, do you think I'd let myself die from holding my pee?"

"Everyone else can live, and I'm not missing any limbs, so why can't I?"

Jiang Daya suddenly stopped talking and tilted her head to stare at him.

Jiang Baobin felt uncomfortable under her gaze and wiped his face, asking, "What's wrong? Is my face dirty?"

"Brother," Jiang Daya replied, seemingly changing the subject, "I've noticed you've become quite the talker lately."

"In the past, whatever our parents said was law, and you never had your own ideas."

Jiang Baobin grinned and revealed the reason he had racked his brains for the past two days:

"When I got sick this time, I was actually dead. My soul was wandering on its way to the underworld."

"Just then, an immortal passed by and said that I had accumulated good deeds in my past life, and that my life was not meant to end."

"They even said that good deeds are rewarded, and gave me a pill on the spot."

"The deity also instructed me to be a good person and continue to accumulate good deeds."

"They will establish their own households, have many children, and die peacefully."

"So I ate the pill he gave me, and he tricked me into coming back."

"Really?" the younger sister asked in surprise. "You really saw the old immortal? And you even ate the elixir of immortality?"

Jiang Baobin found it amusing, but maintained a serious expression on his face: "Of course I saw him."

"Haven't you noticed that I've changed? Not only have I become more eloquent, but I've also become sharper."

"That's all because I ate the elixir of immortality, otherwise it wouldn't make sense, right?"

Jiang Daya stared at Jiang Baobin for a long time before finally nodding, clearly believing him.

The little girl didn't say it aloud, but she was already planning in her heart how to plead with her parents for her third brother when she got home.

This reason for meeting the immortal is excellent; Third Brother is destined for great fortune.

If my parents just kick my third brother out of the house like this, he won't be able to benefit from my family in the future.

If Jiang Baobin knew his younger sister's plans, he would definitely beg for mercy on his knees.

What are you doing? Others screw over their dads, but you're screwing over your brother!

Having made up her mind, and feeling happy, Jiang Daya started chattering away:

"Third Brother, what does the old immortal look like? Is he a monk or a Taoist priest? What does the elixir taste like...?"

At that time, the vast majority of people at the bottom of society were illiterate and deeply superstitious.

This is also why Jiang Baobin was able to convince Jiang Daya with just a story, even without any concrete evidence.

People are so easily fooled; they often expose their own suffering and misfortune to others.

They easily attribute things to ghosts and gods, using these ethereal and unreal things to numb themselves.

It's hard to say whether this is right or wrong, because reality is too dark, and without some mental anesthesia, life would be too painful!

As I said before: the world is too dark, and one's own strength is too insignificant...

Jiang Baobin used a lot of persuasion to make the younger sister happy and envious. (Actually, it wasn't really persuasion, as the time travel was real.)

After the breakup, he went to a luggage storage point.

Breakfast was still taken out – but forget about douzhi (fermented mung bean juice); it's famous, but most people can't really enjoy it.

Steamed buns, thin porridge, and pickled vegetables are just right; this is what northerners love most.

Then, Jiang Baobin rushed to Dongjiaomin Lane to begin his first official day of work...

Jiang Baobin's task was to take Tom along to observe the local conditions and understand the current situation in China:

In the summer of 1946, at Chiang Kai-shek's command, the thunderous sound of artillery echoed across the land of China.

This man, brimming with confidence, declared that he would "resolve the battle in three months."

Why such unwavering confidence? Behind it all lies a staggering bill:

The weapons provided by the United States were enough to arm 40 mechanized divisions; while the British sold tanks and airplanes at rock-bottom prices.

Meanwhile, the KMT government held $9 million in foreign exchange (the vast majority of which were confiscated assets).

9 million! What does that even mean?

Before the War of Resistance against Japan, at its peak in 1937, the Kuomintang government's annual fiscal revenue was only US$4.17 million...