The Cycle of Reincarnation in the Four-Courtyard House: A Journey Through the Heavens

Looking at the righteous expression on Yi Zhonghai's face, Li Xiao suppressed the urge to punch him and said, "Master Yi, we really can't do this favor. You'd better find someone else!"

As he spoke, he gestured for his front door to let him in.

Looking at Li Xiao's indifferent face, Yi Zhonghai felt that his pride had been completely stripped away by a child.

Just then, a voice came from outside.

"Xiao Xiao, I got a chicken through someone today, let's stew it for dinner tonight!"

He Daqing, the head chef of Zhengyangchun Restaurant, has two days off every month. Today, he took advantage of his day off to go out and buy chicken.

"Hey, Lao Yi, what brings you here?"

The speaker was He Daqing, who was carrying a cloth bag in his hand.

Yi Zhonghai turned his head, smiled and nodded to He Daqing, saying, "Old He, I came here today to ask Xiao Li to buy some meat. The old lady wants to eat some dumplings for the New Year."

He Daqing immediately understood what the other party meant, and he handed the cloth bag in his hand to Wang Xia.

Wang Xia took this opportunity to go straight to the kitchen; she really didn't want to see Yi Zhonghai for even a second longer.

He Daqing immediately said, "Old Yi, it's very difficult for our restaurant to get any meat these days. Many of our big customers who want meat dishes bring their own ingredients."

"Recently, more and more people have been fleeing famine from the south, and the city is even starting to run out of food. Where would we find any extra meat to sell?"

"I heard from Director Zhou of the Public Security Bureau that the Japanese ordered a strict ban on refugees entering the city five days ago. Go to the south gate and see; there are at least a thousand people blocking the way!"

He Daqing's words completely silenced Yi Zhonghai. He coughed twice and said, "In that case, I'll go and think of another way!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around and left the east courtyard, his face looking very unpleasant.

"Pah! What is that?!"

He Daqing spat at Yi Zhonghai's retreating figure, his face full of disdain.

......

On New Year's Eve, He Daqing prepared a sumptuous dinner in the east courtyard, and the Li family and the He family gathered together to spend their first New Year in Beijing.

Li Xiao originally wanted to invite his aunt and uncle to celebrate the New Year together, but they declined.

Wang Min didn't not want to spend the New Year with her sister, but rather that she and her husband had special identities, and if their identities were exposed, it would bring utter disaster to her sister's family.

Therefore, the couple would never take the initiative to visit unless absolutely necessary.

The couple's son and daughter were still living in northern Shaanxi at that time.

On the dining table in the living room of the main house in the east courtyard, there is a steaming casserole in the center, filled with stewed radish and mutton.

Surrounding the casserole dish were a ring of main dishes—braised pork belly, braised prawns, braised beef, chicken stew with mushrooms, four-happiness meatballs, braised carp, stuffed tofu with eight treasures, fried eggplant fritters, crispy pork, plus two vegetarian dishes, making it an incredibly lavish feast.

All of these ingredients were taken out of the Space Supermarket by Li Xiao, which stunned He Daqing.

He never imagined that his wife's nephew would have such means to obtain so many rare ingredients.

He Daqing and his son also put all their skills to use, turning these ingredients into a table full of delicious dishes.

Several children gathered around the table, their mouths watering as they looked at the delicious food.

However, they absolutely dare not start eating before their elders, as this is a rule passed down from their ancestors.

The Li family rules are still very strict. He Yuzhu lived with the Li family for more than a month and was influenced by them. He no longer has the carefree personality he had in the original drama!

He Daqing raised his glass and said to Wang Xia, "Sister-in-law, this is the first time our two families have celebrated the New Year together. This first glass is a toast from our whole family to you!"

Wang Xia quickly raised her glass as well: "Thank you, I'd like to toast you too!"

The two families were extremely happy during the meal. On this cold winter night, in this chaotic era, being able to eat so much good food made everyone feel like they were living in paradise.

Meanwhile, at Yi Zhonghai's home.

Looking at the potatoes, cabbage, and a plate of steaming sauerkraut and pork crackling dumplings on the table, the deaf old woman's face showed no trace of a smile.

After being turned away from Li Xiao's house, Yi Zhonghai tried his best to buy some meat to take home for the New Year, but unfortunately, there was no meat left to sell in the market at that time, and even if there was, it had been bought up by the Japanese.

He finally managed to buy two pounds of pork fat through a coworker's connection at the factory, so that this New Year's Eve dinner could finally have some meat.

Like Jia Zhangshi, the deaf old lady had a sweet tooth. In previous years, she could always have a good meal on New Year's Eve, but this year she could only eat dumplings with pickled cabbage and pork crackling filling.

For some reason, the deaf old woman's son did not come to visit her this year.

The deaf old woman still has a lot of money, but now she can't buy meat even if she has the money!

In the Jia family compound, Jia Zhangshi's fat hand was practically blurring into a shadow, and the plate of vegetarian dumplings on the table was visibly diminishing.

"Not a single trace of meat in the world, what kind of New Year is this!"

While eating, Jia Zhangshi muttered complaints under her breath, but she ate very quickly.

Sitting to the side, Jia Dongxu saw the plate of dumplings being devoured so quickly that he panicked, threw down his chopsticks, and reached out to grab some.

"Snap!"

Old Jia couldn't stand it any longer and tapped his son's hand with his chopsticks.

"Don't you know how to use chopsticks? You have no manners at all!"

"Dad, Mom... Mom eats too fast, I can't outeat her with chopsticks!"

Ten-year-old Jia Dongxu looked aggrieved.

"Zhang Cuihua, can't you eat slower and leave some for your son!"

Seeing his wife looking like a starving ghost, Jia Daniu could no longer contain his anger and roared out.

Startled, Jia Zhangshi's hand trembled, and the dumpling fell to the ground.

She glared with her triangular eyes, about to berate her husband, when Jia Daniu suddenly slammed his hand on the table.

"Bang!"

"Zhang Cuihua, normally it's one thing, but you know there's a food shortage in Beijing right now. People are starving to death outside every day. Do you think that as long as you're full, your whole family won't go hungry?!"

Jia Daniu pointed at Jia Zhangshi with his thick fingers, his face flushed, and roared, "Look at you, you look like a reincarnated starving ghost! Besides Liu Haizhong, who in this courtyard is fatter than you?"

Jia Zhangshi was also stunned by her husband's words. She had been married to Jia Daniu for more than ten years, and this was the first time she had been scolded by her husband like this.

Although Jia Daniu was usually rather timid, he was, after all, a fitter by trade. If he were to actually hit her, Jia Zhangshi knew she would be absolutely unable to fight back.

These days, it's common for husbands to beat their wives. If I really anger Old Jia, I'm sure I'll be in big trouble.