Courtyard House: Passing through the Silly Pillar, Activating the Blessed Cave Heaven

87

With such a large appetite, someone will eventually notice something amiss. He needs to learn from the others in the courtyard and go to the market every few days so that he can legitimately take things out of the blessed land.

He checked around and found that the lard was almost gone; he would have to get some rapeseed oil from the blessed land later.

These days, everyone lives a rather frugal life, and people generally lack oil and fat, especially those who do manual labor, who have to eat from large bowls.

He carried a jar of rapeseed oil out of the blessed land, filled the empty cornmeal bag, and also took a few jars of salted duck eggs—these foods have a mild smell and are not easily detected by the neighbors.

After getting ready, He Yuzhu quickly washed up and went to bed.

Looking at his sleeping sister beside him, he gently tugged at the blanket and quickly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, He Yuzhu was awakened by the crowing of a rooster in the yard.

He pulled the light cord, and a dim, yellow light came on inside the room.

After confirming that his younger sister, He Yushui, was still fast asleep, he quietly got up and dressed.

The old grandfather clock in the main room shows that it is now 4:15.

He Yuzhu thought to himself that he needed to buy an alarm clock; he couldn't keep relying on the rooster's crow to wake him up.

After washing up, he lifted the lid of the basin to check the dough he had prepared the night before.

Seeing that the dough had fermented perfectly, he skillfully prepared the alkaline water and kneaded it into the dough little by little.

After the sour smell in the dough dissipated, he poured the dough onto the cutting board and kneaded it repeatedly. Then he shaped it into small buns and put them into a steamer for a second proofing.

While the water was boiling, He Yuzhu practiced horse stance in the small courtyard outside the kitchen.

After the water boiled, he placed the steamer on the pot and added a few more pieces of firewood to the stove.

At that moment, the clock in the main room pointed to 4:48.

As dawn broke, He Yuzhu slipped into the blessed land.

He first went to the chicken coop to collect the eggs, then picked up the long pole left by his master Shang Zhirong and practiced shaking the pole in front of the Wuji Hall.

He returned to the kitchen only after estimating that the steamed buns were almost ready.

Lifting the lid of the steamer reveals plump, round steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat and water, emitting an enticing aroma.

He put the steamed buns into the bread basket, and then practiced Xingyi Quan in the yard.

He practiced until six o'clock before starting to cook porridge and boil eggs—he boiled two eggs, one for his younger sister to have for breakfast, and the other for her to take to school as a snack.

He Yuzhu woke up He Yushui, and the two siblings sat around the table to eat breakfast.

He was thinking about having a set of tables and chairs made by carpenter Song so that he could eat in the kitchen and avoid being disturbed by others.

After finishing breakfast, He Yuzhu arrived at Yi Zhonghai's door and said, "Uncle, after I take Yushui to school, I'll go straight to the steel mill gate and wait for you." After explaining the situation, he went home, took his younger sister who already had her schoolbag on, and said, "Let's go, brother will take you to school."

He Yushui, carrying her schoolbag, skipped and hopped out of the house. He Yuzhu locked the door and followed behind her.

After dropping his younger sister off at Hongxing Elementary School, He Yuzhu turned and walked toward the steel rolling mill outside Dongzhimen.

Several other children in the courtyard also attend Hongxing Primary School, including Liu Haizhong's son Liu Guangtian in the backyard, and Yan Bugui's two sons Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang in the front yard.

However, He Yuping doesn't usually play with them. In the past, He Daqing would personally take her to school.

Soldiers holding guns stood at the entrance of the steel rolling mill.