Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

Li Weidong waved his hand: "How about this, I'll lend you each ten yuan first. Pay me back when you get your wages, and use this time to buy your daily necessities. Hurry up, or the supply and marketing cooperative will close."

Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian were filled with gratitude and repeatedly declined, saying, "No need, no need, Brother Dong, we've saved up some money, it's enough for us."

"Alright, go on your way. I've made a lot of dinner tonight, I'll bring you some when you get back."

Li Weidong said.

The two of them didn't stand on ceremony and left in a hurry.

He Yushui stood to the side and shook her head: "It's already a miracle they managed to get their clothes out of the house. Dong-ge, what are you getting out of helping them like this?"

Li Weidong smiled and glanced at her: "What do you think?"

Without a second thought, He Yushui blurted out, "We'll plant spies for both of them! And stir up Yi Zhonghai's little mess while we're at it. You don't need to be at the forefront of everything."

"Tsk, if Sha Zhu had half your intelligence, he wouldn't have been so easily fooled by a little widow."

Li Weidong couldn't help but sigh, "No, Sha Zhu isn't actually stupid, it's just that he loses his mind the moment he runs into that young widow."

He Yushui sighed, her voice tinged with unspeakable bitterness: "That's right. In his current state, he'll probably never get married. Falling in love with a young widow... just like the tradition in our He family."

Her eyes were a little red as she said this, and there was a hint of resentment in her voice.

Her father abandoned her when she was only seven years old. She and Sha Zhu lived together, but within a few years, Sha Zhu's eyes were only for Qin Huairu. That woman was someone else's wife, though she was now a widow.

Xiao Xi was currently clinging to Lin Yurou, her lips pouting high: "Sister, you promised! If I behave well today, you'll buy me ice cream... I've been good all day!"

Lin Yurou had a headache. She'd casually offered a suggestion when Xiaoxi was making a fuss that morning, but where was she going to get ice cream now?

Li Weidong squatted down and patted Xiaoxi's head: "Xiaoxi, it's almost time to eat, so you can't have ice cream. I'll make you an ice cream after you finish eating, okay?"

Xiao Xi's eyes lit up, and she immediately pounced on him, hugging Li Weidong's neck and rubbing her little face against his: "Mmm! Brother is the best!"

Lin Yurou stroked Xiaoxi's head and couldn't help but sigh, "Dong-ge, you spoil her too much. When you weren't back, she was so well-behaved. She wouldn't complain even when she was eating wild vegetable pancakes, and she would even rush to help me with chores."

"Now look at what it's become."

Li Weidong picked Xiaoxi up and said with a smile, "This is how a little girl should be. Those hard times in the past forced her to be sensible. But things will be different from now on."

"Kids should be lively and mischievous, that's normal."

"By the way, what exactly is she up to?"

Lin Yurou sighed, "She wanted to go play with Xiaodang and Huaihua. They're the only three girls in the whole courtyard. When I told her not to go, she..."

"I'll take her there once the kindergarten opens."

Li Weidong said, "Xiao Xi also needs to have her own friends."

"Uh-huh!"

Xiao Xi nodded like a chick pecking at rice. "Xiao Dang and Huaihua are my best friends. I asked Xiao Dang why she only gave me three peanuts, and she said Bang Geng stole them!"

Li Weidong and Lin Yurou exchanged a glance, both stunned.

He Yushui's face turned red with anger: "That ungrateful wretch even steals his own sister's things. And Sha Zhu still treats him like his own son."

"Okay, you can play with Xiaodang and Huaihua."

Li Weidong squatted down and looked at Xiao Xi, "But remember, you are not allowed to go to the Central Court."

Lin Yurou said, "Looking at it this way, those two little girls are actually quite nice. They haven't come over to cause any trouble. As for eating roast chicken with Banggeng, they're still young, they wouldn't understand that much."

He Yushui shook her head: "These two girls are a waste of their lives being born into the Jia family."

"Let's get ready to eat."

Lin Yurou turned around to tidy up the small table.

These days, every household has two tables. One is a proper eight-immortal table, and the other is a small square table placed in front of the eight-immortal table.

They usually eat together at a small table, only bringing out an eight-immortal table for holidays or when guests come.

"Brother, you're drinking! I'll go get it!"

Xiao Xi ran to the cupboard, rummaged through it and found half a bottle of Wuliangye liquor and a wine glass. It took her a lot of effort to pour a glass for Li Weidong.

Seeing that obsequious little face brought tears to Lin Yurou's eyes.

Just then, Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang returned. Both of them were carrying large and small bags—earthenware pots, towels, reed mats, as well as small coal stoves and aluminum pots for boiling water.

Li Weidong glanced at the bottle and noticed that Liu Guangtian was also carrying a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).

Liu Guangqi stood at his own doorstep, staring in this direction, his teeth almost grinding to powder. In his heart, that house should have been his, but now Liu Guangtian had taken advantage of him.

Yan Jiefang and Liu Guangtian each took a large bowl, filled it with rabbit and chicken from Li Weidong, and then each took a large piece of cornbread.

The two moved the small table to the yard and decided to eat outside. There was no other way; the house was like a sauna.

The aroma of pheasant and rabbit wafted out, making everyone in the courtyard drool.

The Yan family in the front yard were eating around the table. On the table were several cornbread buns, a plate of stir-fried green peppers and shredded potatoes, a dish of salted vegetables with a strange smell, and a bowl of cornmeal porridge in front of each person.

"Smell it, Li Weidong is eating meat again!"

Yan Jiecheng took a big bite of the cornbread, his eyes full of envy.

"Just imagine yourself gnawing on meat, won't that solve the problem?"

Yan Bugui closed his eyes and spoke in a light, airy voice, as if he were really eating some rare delicacy.

"Meat doesn't hurt your throat!"

Yan Jiekuang was indignant. "Dad, why don't you go fishing? At least you can make a pot of fish soup."

Hearing "fishing"

Upon hearing those two words, Yan Bugui shuddered. He put down the half-eaten cornbread and walked towards the central courtyard without looking back.

When Yan Bugui arrived at Yi Zhonghai's house, he saw that they were also eating inside. But the food there was far superior to what he was eating at home.

On the table were steamed buns made from two kinds of dough, a plate of stir-fried green peppers with pork cracklings, stewed tofu, braised eggplant, and a dish of glistening pig's head meat, which made Yan Bugui's eyes almost pop out of their sockets.

The deaf old woman was stuffing a large piece of fatty meat into her mouth, chewing it until her mouth was dripping with oil.

"Old Yan, have you eaten? What's up?"

Yi Zhonghai put down his chopsticks. "How about we have a couple of drinks?"

A freshly opened bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) sat in front of him, and a glass of liquor had already been poured.

"Okay, okay, let's have a couple of drinks. I have something to discuss with you."

Yan Bugui's eyes lit up, darting around like a mouse.

A pig-like scream came from the Jia family's side; it was Banggeng demanding meat. Everyone in the courtyard heard it, but no one paid any attention.

Yi Zhonghai felt uneasy, but he didn't show it on his face.

As soon as Yan Bugui sat down, his hand unconsciously reached for the plate of braised pig's head.

Yi Zhonghai smiled and stopped him, saying, "Old Yan, that's for the old lady. If she can't finish it, we'll keep it chilled with well water, and she can eat it again tomorrow."

"Uh... this..."

Yan Bugui chuckled twice and quickly withdrew his hand, "Then I'll eat the eggplant, I'll eat the eggplant."

It was cooked with lard after all, so the taste wasn't bad. Not to mention the plate of pork cracklings, which smelled wonderful.

The deaf old woman glanced at him sideways, her eyes filled with disdain.

After a few drinks and a few bites of food, Yan Bugui finally looked up at Yi Zhonghai and lowered his voice, saying, "I have something to tell you. You know, an old man suddenly came to your courtyard wall and planted winter melons, and somehow I caught a dead fish right in the mouth? And that Jia family's daughter-in-law, her leg inexplicably..."

"What did you say?"

The deaf old woman's eyes widened suddenly. "You caught a dead fish right in the mouth?"

"Absolutely. I was so scared I almost lost my soul. That legend... I don't even dare to think about it."

Yan Bugui took a swig of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) to calm his lingering fear. He had to admit, this bottled liquor tasted much better than loose liquor.

Many of the sweet potato liquors sold on the market today are brewed from moldy sweet potatoes. They taste bitter, harsh, and pungent, burning the throat and stomach. Compared to Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), they're worlds apart.

"You didn't bring that dead fish back, did you?"

The deaf old woman's voice tightened a bit.

Given Yan Bugui's stingy nature, he might actually do it.

"Impossible, I would never do such a despicable thing."

Yan Bugui quickly waved his hand, "I want to live a few more years. I don't even dare to go near the river now."

"You want Jia Zhangshi to find someone to conduct the ritual?"

Yi Zhonghai asked in a low voice.

"Yes, how much will it cost? I can contribute some. Let her handle it tomorrow..."

Yan Bugui said with a heavy heart.

"It should cost at least ten dollars."

Yi Zhonghai gave a number: "I'll take five yuan, you take three yuan, and Jia Zhangshi can make up the remaining two yuan herself."

Yan Bugui winced with heartache: "Alright, tell her to stop with the summoning of spirits later, it might be her fault."

He took out the money and put it on the table, his expression as if a piece of flesh had been cut off.

"How are things going with Jiefang lately? Don't fall into that kid's trap."

Yi Zhonghai put the money away, saying, "He's deliberately trying to incite infighting among you."

"I know what I'm doing, and I won't bring up the house issue again. But the money Jiefang earned, we need to calculate that carefully."

Yan Bugui said.

"Come on, you're definitely not getting the house back, and don't even think about the salary, or you'll fall into that little bastard's trap."

Yi Zhonghai advised, "You need to change your perspective. Yan Jiefang can support himself, which saves you money, doesn't it?"

"That won't do; he has to provide the retirement funds."

Yan Bugui shook his head vigorously, like a rattle-drum.

Everything else is negotiable, but when it comes to money, Yan Bugui becomes completely confused, just like Sha Zhu when he sees Qin Huairu.

"You... sigh!"

Yi Zhonghai could only sigh.

The Jia family was also eating, but Banggeng was throwing a tantrum on the ground.

"I want to eat wild rabbit! I want to eat pheasant! Get it to me right now!"

The stunker rolled around and howled like a stray dog ​​that had been hit by a stick.

Jia Zhangshi squatted down beside her, coaxing her grandson, while Qin Huairu had a headache that felt like it was going to explode.

Xiao Dang and Huaihua sat quietly at the table eating. In front of them was a steamed bun and a bowl of thin porridge.

The locust flower stretched its neck out as it ate the cornbread.

Xiao Dang brought over the porridge, fed her a couple of sips, and patted her back.

In front of Jia Zhangshi and Banggeng were white steamed buns and two lunch boxes containing fried dried tofu and stewed tofu.

By today's standards, this is considered a pretty good meal. It was all brought back by Sha Zhu; he didn't get a single bite himself, and Qin Huairu took it all home.

There was also a plate of braised pork on the table. It was raw meat that Qin Huairu got from Sha Zhu and stewed herself.