Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

half a month later.

It was a Sunday, and just as dawn was breaking, bangs started to stick up.

He pushed open the door, stood in the open space in front of it, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Guangqi! Are you up yet? Do you even know what day it is today?"

Liu Guangqi's muffled voice came from inside the house: "Dad, what time is it...?"

"What time? You're getting married! When your old man got married, I was waiting at his mother-in-law's door before dawn! And you, still sleeping in!" Liu Haizhong cursed, then shouted towards the Xu family and the front yard, "Da Mao! Jie Cheng! Get up! You're going with Guang Qi to pick up the bride later, don't be late!"

Xu Damao's door opened first. He poked half his head out, his hair disheveled, his eyes not fully open, and mumbled, "Uncle Liu, I know." There was also movement from Yan Bugui's house. Yan Jiecheng came out wearing a coat, yawned, and nodded to Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong walked around the central courtyard once, but felt it wasn't enough, so he stepped through the hanging flower gate and walked to the door of the east wing of the front courtyard. He raised his hand and knocked twice on the door: "Old Liu! Erhe! Are you up yet?"

The door opened from the inside, and Liu Shuanzhu stood in the doorway, wearing a coat. The wrinkles on his face hadn't fully smoothed out, indicating he had just gotten up. Seeing Liu Haizhong standing in the doorway, he asked, "Old Liu, so early?"

"It's getting late! Guangqi is getting married today, there's a lot to do." Liu Haizhong stood at the door rubbing his hands together, his face showing the excitement and nervousness of a head of the household organizing something important. "Old Liu, later have Erhe push that bicycle to the central courtyard, I'll have Da Mao and the others decorate it, tie some red ribbons or something."

Liu Shuanzhu immediately nodded: "Okay, I'll have Erhe push it over later."

Having received confirmation, Liu Haizhong clapped his hands in satisfaction, turned around, and went back through the hanging flower gate to the central courtyard, muttering things like "how many tables to set up" and "are there enough bowls and chopsticks?"

Liu Shuanzhu closed the door and went back inside. Inside, Wang Xiuhe had already gotten up and was squatting in front of the stove, poking at the burner. The water in the pot was bubbling and steaming.

Liu Erhe was still snuggled in bed when he heard the door open. He rolled over and muttered towards the door, "Who is it so early in the morning..."

"Your Uncle Liu. I'd like you to push your bicycle to the central courtyard later; Guangqi needs it for his wedding." Liu Shuanzhu sat down at the table, picked up his teacup, and took a sip of overnight water.

Liu Erhe sat up in bed, rubbed his eyes, and muttered, "This early morning, the whole courtyard is busy. I heard that Second Uncle has emptied his savings for Guangqi's wedding?"

Liang Fangfang had also woken up and was sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) wearing a coat, braiding Liu Qingyan's hair. Hearing this, she nodded and said, "That's right. Yesterday afternoon, I was playing with Qingyan at the door when we ran into Qin Huairu and chatted with her for a bit."

"She said that the ingredients that Second Uncle asked Sha Zhu to buy, just the pork, chicken, and fish that didn't require ration coupons, added up to almost a hundred yuan. There were also dried goods, drinks, snacks, and all sorts of odds and ends. This banquet really cost the equivalent of a bicycle."

After listening, Liu Erhe clicked his tongue twice, got off the kang (a heated brick bed), and put on his shoes: "Uncle Er's family is really struggling financially. They still have two sons, Guangtian and Guangfu, who are getting on in years and will need money in the future. This banquet has used up all their money; what are they going to do next?"

Liang Fangfang rolled her eyes, finished tying Liu Qingyan's braids, patted her little shoulder and told her to go wash her face. She turned to look at Liu Erhe and said, "Don't you know what Second Uncle is like? He only cares about his eldest son. Guangqi has been his precious treasure since he was little. He gives Guangqi all the good things first."

"In his eyes, Guangtian and Guangfu were like children who weren't his own. He would beat and scold them all the time. Who in the neighborhood didn't know that? Didn't you hear Guangtian say that his father said Guangqi was a good student and would have a bright future, while the other two were just a waste of money?"

Liu Erhe clicked his tongue twice, put on his coat, and shook his head as he buttoned it: "Luckily, our dad isn't like Second Uncle."

Hearing this, Liang Fangfang rolled her eyes at him, her tone a mixture of exasperation and amusement: "Alright, alright, how can you talk like that? Comparing our dad to Liu Haizhong? They're not the same!" As she spoke, she took Liu Er's cloth shoes from the cabinet and threw them at his feet. "Hurry up and put your shoes on, then go push the bicycle over. You already promised, don't dawdle."

Liu Erhe bent down to put on his shoes, grinned at Liang Fangfang, and turned to leave the house. Liang Fangfang also stood up, took Liu Qingyan's hand, and walked towards the main room. Liu Yixuan had already dressed himself and was sitting at the table waiting for breakfast.

Liu Erhe pushed out the Phoenix brand bicycle, from the entrance of the east wing to the front yard, and through the hanging flower gate into the middle yard.

The Intermediate Court was already bustling with activity. In a corner, He Yuzhu and several middle-aged women were preparing food. A large cutting board was set up under an old locust tree, piled with chopped cabbage, tofu, and vermicelli. Several enamel basins next to it were soaking wood ear fungus and dried mushrooms.

Xu Damao stood at the other end of the courtyard, tidying himself up in front of the palm-sized mirror on the window of the west wing. Today he was wearing a brand-new dark blue Zhongshan suit, the fabric was crisp, the buttons were fastened tightly, and his hair was combed into a slicked-back style with hair oil, shiny and slick, and you could smell the hair oil from a distance.

Yan Jiecheng stood next to Xu Damao, dressed in faded but clean clothes. Although not as new as Xu Damao's, they were still neatly tidied. He leaned against the wall, watching Xu Damao look in the mirror, a slight smirk on his lips, but said nothing.

Liu Erhe pushed his bicycle over, and Xu Damao was the first to see him. He immediately turned around, took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, pulled one out and handed it to Liu Erhe with a smile on his face: "Brother Erhe, you're here? Here's a cigarette."

Liu Erhe took the cigarette and tucked it behind his ear, then looked Xu Damao up and down, nodding with a smile: "Damao, you look good, quite energetic. Guangqi's already married, how's yours going?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Damao's smile widened. He took a half-step forward, lowered his voice, and said with barely suppressed smugness and a hint of mystery, "It'll be soon. Brother Erhe, I have something to tell you, but don't tell anyone."

Liu Erhe raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

Xu Damao leaned closer and lowered his voice even further: "My dad said that after Guangqi's wedding is over, he'll come back in a few days to host a dinner party and talk about my wedding. We'll invite all the old neighbors in the courtyard for a meal to set the date."

Liu Erhe glanced at Xu Damao with surprise, then nodded, his tone carrying a sincere congratulation: "Congratulations! Which family's daughter did you choose?"

Xu Damao chuckled twice, waved his hand, and said mysteriously, "You'll find out when I treat you to a meal in a few days. Erhe, you and Uncle Liu have to come then."

"Okay, I'll definitely come then," Liu Erhe readily agreed.

Xu Damao's smile deepened, and he took another half step closer to Liu Erhe, his tone lower than before, with a cautious probing: "Brother Erhe, there's something else... You see, when my family invites guests, I wonder if Brother Liu could do me the honor of coming? I know he's busy, but if he could come and sit for a while, even just for a short time, it would be a great honor for me."