An extraordinary life journey through old Beijing courtyard houses

Chapter 255 Damn them

"Third brother, when is your wife going to give birth?"

"Didn't you say it would be soon? Why is there still no news?"

Jiang Daya, who had just left the steamed bun shop, asked naively.

Jiang Baobin didn't even lift his head from the newspaper; he simply pointed a finger at the ceiling.

Jiang Daya looked up, bewildered, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Duh! It means only God knows."

Jiang Daya rolled her eyes, then leaned over and pressed the newspaper down.

"Third Brother, where are you planning to send me to work?"

"Supply and Marketing Cooperative"

"Supply and marketing cooperative? What kind of organization is that?"

"It's basically a department store and a grocery store combined together, then scaled down by one size, and that'll be about right."

"To be a sales clerk?"

"What? You don't want to do it?"

"Third Brother, I want to join your arts troupe."

"The art troupe had a good life, but they endured hardships and slept outdoors."

"It's so much fun! We sing and dance all day long, and we get to travel and see all sorts of different people."

Jiang Baobin shook his head: "You're dreaming."

"Go ask those two sisters from the Gao family, and you'll understand how hard it is."

"I've asked them all, and they all say everything's fine."

Jiang Baobin looked at her and said, "Okay, sing a song then."

A flicker of panic crossed Jiang Daya's eyes: "Why are you singing?"

"Hey! That's a strange question. If you want to join the arts troupe, you should at least sing a song to test your abilities."

Jiang Daya rubbed her toes together, asking, "Can't I not sing?"

This guy is tone-deaf; when he sings, it's like a car crash, and the audience feels that the one who got hit is happier than themselves.

"It's fine if you don't sing," Jiang Daya was immediately delighted.

Let's dance.

Jiang Daya's face fell. She had started learning housework at six or seven years old, and by eight or nine, she was always busy around the stove. How could she possibly know how to dance?

Jiang Baobin burst into laughter.

Jiang Daya pouted her little mouth high.

Even though she's an adult, she only acts cute in front of her third brother.

Jiang Baobin really dotes on her.

As the saying goes, he will repay those who treat him well tenfold.

He hadn't forgotten who took care of him when he was sickly after he first transmigrated.

They even stole eggs.

Jiang Daya herself couldn't get any, so she deliberately stole some for him.

This affection is invaluable.

Having teased her enough, Jiang Baobin said, "How about this, you take care of your sister-in-law for me first."

"Once the baby is a month old, I'll let you join the arts troupe for some fun, is that alright?"

Jiang Daya immediately beamed with joy.

Jiang Baobin then said earnestly, "But don't even think about joining me."

"Those guys in the Gao family have no choice; if they don't do this, they'll have to paste cardboard boxes and sweep the streets."

"But you are a young girl with a bright future, and you will have your own happy little family in the future."

"When an arts troupe goes out for five or six days at a time, do you think any man could stand that?"

"Aren't you two just waiting to fight, abandoning your family and business?"

Jiang Daya nodded in realization: "I understand, Third Brother, I'll listen to you."

That's one good thing about Jiang Daya; she listens to advice.

"Okay, go wake your sister-in-law up, or she won't get any sleep tonight."

Okay.

After seeing Jiang Daya off, Jiang Baobin picked up the newspaper again.

He then frowned: "A lot of big things have happened recently."

First, starting in the middle of last month, the Zhili Army launched a summer-autumn defensive campaign.

defense!

Then, at the end of the month, Miffy signed the Joint Defense Treaty. In September, the San Francisco Agreement was signed, which was Miffy's peace treaty with Japan.

They unilaterally defined the post-war state of the Pacific, and we were excluded from it.

All the benefits that were not yet in hand were betrayed.

Then, a few hours later, the Miri Security Plan was released.

On the same day, Japan announced that it was relinquishing its claim to a large island in the north!

Fuck your mother! None of you are human!

At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into Jiang Baobin's mind—to go to South Korea again.

I'm all alone, and I haven't told anyone.

Then we'll go straight to Busan and Hanseong and give them a good thrashing!

I'm so angry! This is outrageous and disgusting!

"Binzi, what's wrong?"

Qin Huairu, who had just finished her afternoon nap, keenly noticed that Jiang Baobin's expression was quite strange.

Jiang Baobin's expression softened: "It's nothing, I just got angry from reading the newspaper."

Qin Huairu breathed a sigh of relief: "You scared me! I thought something had happened."

Jiang Baobin asked with concern, "How are you feeling now?"

"It's alright, it's just that the baby has been moving around a lot lately."

"Your due date is just around the corner, and I was thinking of taking you to the hospital today."

"Otherwise, I'll be leaving again tomorrow, and I won't even be able to slack off for two days."

"Ever since it was in the newspaper—ugh, it's so annoying!"

Qin Huairu placed her small hand on Jiang Baobin's shoulder and gently rubbed it to comfort him.

"Don't worry, didn't you say they'd just be enthusiastic for a while and then it would be over?"

Of course, I shouldn't tell her about my troubles, otherwise it will only make her more anxious and upset.

He then said, "That's true. Let's go, we'll eat first, and then I'll take you to the hospital."

"Oh! You're really going?"

"Of course it's fake."

"But what if we move in and then don't give birth right away? Wouldn't that be a waste of money?"

Jiang Baobin shook his head vigorously: "It's better to be safe than sorry. Besides, do we really need a pittance?"

"Take the newspaper article fee for example. It was clearly written by reporter Hu, and I was just listed as the author, but he didn't ask for any money."

"That's 65! Isn't that enough for you to have a baby?"

"Besides, while I'm performing knife throwing on stage, I'm worried about whether you're safe at home."

"How do you think Gao Danyan would feel?"

Qin Huairu chuckled: "Fine, fine, I can't argue with you, so let's go."

"Let me tidy up first, then we'll eat."

"Didn't you finish packing? Besides, we have Daya. She can come back and get anything she needs anytime."

"Let me check again. Da Ya doesn't know where things are, and she's so clumsy, she's made a mess of everything."

"Okay, you handle it."

Once things calmed down, Jiang Baobin turned his attention back to the newspaper.

Fingertips tapped incessantly on the table —

Five days later, at sunset in Yushuzhuang.

This is a village that is not particularly remote, but it is not very close to the city either.

The performance will end tomorrow morning. If we leave quickly, we can enter the city in the evening.

According to tradition, this final performance should have been held in the suburbs.

That way I'll be home by the afternoon and have more time to rest.

Unfortunately, it was precisely because of Xiao He that he both made and broke them.

The newspaper made the art troupe famous, and they received a constant stream of invitations, with their treatment improving significantly.

But this also brought trouble.

The main reason they've been targeted is the song "Who Doesn't Say My Hometown Is Good".

Jiang Baobin has rejected countless groups of people.

But some people keep trying to take advantage of me, it's so annoying!

That's why he chose to hold his performances in remote locations to avoid them.

But can we really escape it?

"Comrade Jiang Baobin, this is Liu Hongsheng from XXX TV station."

"Hello, hello, Comrade Liu." Jiang Baobin greeted the visitor with exceptionally polite manner.

How could it not be good? It comes from a big port! Compared to them, I'm just a tiny ant.

"Comrade Liu, did you come all the way from the city? It must be so tiring for you."

"Not at all, not at all. I only come here when I need something; I'm eager to find talented people!"

Jiang Baobin twitched the corner of his mouth. Damn it! It's that same old excuse again.

"With National Day approaching, our station urgently needs a popular song like 'Me and My Motherland' from last year."

"But none of the submissions were ideal. I never expected that such a beautiful melody was right here among the people."

"And it's from the hand of a great writer like yourself, what a timely help!"

Jiang Baobin listened patiently as Liu Hongsheng rambled on and on.

Finally, only one request was made: the song could be used, but Gao Yueyuan had to sing it.

As expected, after Liu Hongsheng met the person and inquired about the situation,

He came back to Jiang Baobin to talk to him again, saying that Gao Yueyuan was really no good and they needed to replace her.

But we can increase his royalties.

Jiang Baobin insisted: "I don't care if I don't get paid, but Gao Yueyuan must sing it, otherwise there's no point in talking."

Liu Hongsheng was rebuffed and could only leave dejectedly.