The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

A little while later, Grandpa Wang came with some change and stuffed the money into Yang Dalin's hand. Yang Dalin casually gave it to Ma San, and Grandpa Wang even asked if he needed any help.

Yang Dalin spoke up for Ma San: "No need, sir. Don't get yourself all covered in this. Go home and have dinner. I'll help you clean up in a bit, and Ma San will also deal with the pile outside as soon as possible tomorrow."

It won't affect anyone's walking.

Upon hearing this, Grandpa Wang quickly waved his hand and said, "It's alright. Xiao San is a sensible child. As long as he doesn't take up space for everyone to walk, no one will say anything."

Seeing that Ma Qiang really didn't need his help, Grandpa Wang went home.

Ma San briefly told Yang Dalin about the neighbors in the backyard, and Yang Dalin also gave his analysis.

Overall, it's a bit better than No. 95 Courtyard, but it's still only of limited help to Ma San, not much at all.

Because Ma San was also close to some frivolous kids who didn't go to school, everyone was careful to keep their own children in check and didn't dare let their children get close to him.

However, since he's in the hospital, Yang Dalin heard that not many of his friends have come to visit him.

Ma San, having been taught a lesson by Yang Dalin, saw through them and would no longer associate with them.

Ma San wanted Yang Dalin to help him find a job, but if the kid was really the kind of petty thief, Yang Dalin wouldn't help him.

Judging from the garbage in this room, this kid basically has to find a way to support himself.

Instead of engaging in petty theft with others.

If he had really committed illicit acts, he wouldn't have needed to cut open his own stomach to prove it.

So he's still a good kid.

This is also the main reason why Yang Dalin was willing to help him.

Yang Dalin couldn't be bothered to educate children who were truly used to stealing.

There's nothing I can do; my abilities are limited.

A pile of junk. Yang Dalin wanted to throw this away, but Ma San couldn't bear to. He wanted to throw that away, but Ma San couldn't bear to either.

This kid has this vibe of a modern-day junk king.

He had no choice but to swallow his pride and make him obey. Later, Yang Dalin found another table leg, just like the previous one, which was heavy.

Yang Dalin put the two table legs together.

Ma San asked him, "Brother, what's wrong with these two table legs? Are we going to keep them for firewood?"

Yang Dalin told him, "No, I feel that these two table legs are quite heavy, so they must be made of good wood. I'll take them back and study them later."

Ma San didn't find it strange: "Oh, then take whatever you want. Just take whatever you like."

I found them all; they're worthless.

Yang Dalin knew that this kid didn't know anything about good wood, so he didn't bother to explain.

Besides, even if it were Phoebe zhennan wood, just two pieces a little over a meter long and two thin ones as thick as a child's arm, it probably wouldn't be worth much money now.

If you put it in the future to make beads, it would probably be okay.

What a load of crap now!

After cleaning up the trash on the floor and by the kang (heated brick bed), Yang Dalin told Ma San to light the kang again, and to burn any trash that could be burned.

Yang Dalin told him to start heating the kang (a traditional heated bed) while he went back out.

After saying that, Yang Dalin took two tables and left courtyard number 94.

Once on the street, I found a dark corner and put the two table legs into the space.

Then he took out the small aluminum pot he had prepared for long-distance travel from his storage space.

There were also several small jars in the pot, containing oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.

Another small bag contained ten pounds of cornmeal, along with ten salted duck eggs.

With one hand holding the small aluminum pot and the other carrying the small bag, they returned to Masanjia.

When Ma San saw Yang Dalin offering him something again, he instinctively refused, but Yang Dalin forcefully put it down.

Let him accept it; who knows how much tree bark and grass roots are mixed into that murky stuff in that kid's house?

He only had an 18-jin ration per month, so he must have replaced his fine grains with this dark porridge, otherwise it wouldn't be enough for him.

A fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy, with only six ounces of grain a day and no other nutrition, would probably have been starving and unable to walk long ago if it weren't for the black gruel.

Ma San took the things from Yang Dalin's hands, put them away, and was about to kowtow to Yang Dalin when Yang Dalin stopped him and said, "Alright, let's not worry about that between us brothers."

"Let's go. Is the kang (heated brick bed) ready? You can tidy up slowly afterwards. Come home with me for dinner first. Put these things away carefully and lock the door so no one can steal them."

Ma San locked the door and was about to leave with Yang Dalin when a middle-aged man walked out of the main door of the east wing next door.

Ma San called out "Uncle Hou" and introduced him to Yang Dalin.

Yang Dalin also greeted him, "Hello, Uncle Hou."

Uncle Hou asked Ma San who this was, and Ma San told him that this was Brother Da Lin from courtyard number 15, who had helped him a lot.

Uncle Hou was very polite and even offered Yang Dalin a cigarette, but Yang Dalin offered one to him first. Knowing that Yang Dalin had a job, Uncle Hou added, "Dalinzi, Xiao San is a good kid. You should take care of him. He's a pitiful child. I can't help him much because I'm not capable enough."

Yang Dalin nodded in agreement: "Don't worry, Uncle Hou, I treat Ma San like my own brother and I will take care of him."

"Uncle Hou, you go ahead with your work. I'm taking Ma San to my house for dinner."

Seeing this, Uncle Hou said, "Alright, then you can go."

On the way, Ma San told Yang Dalin that this Uncle Hou was the one who swapped houses with his two older brothers. Uncle Hou was good to him and would occasionally help him, but his wife would sometimes say sarcastic things.

Therefore, he was sometimes unwilling to accept Uncle Hou's help.

Yang Dalin told him, "This is normal. Women are more meticulous and petty than men, but you have to understand. They are not related to you. Helping you is a favor, not helping you is their right. You should understand if they say something unpleasant."

Everyone's life is tough these days; we need to be understanding.

Ma San nodded: "I understand, brother. I know about Aunt Hou's side, so I'm not angry. I'll just try my best not to accept any help from their family."

Yang Dalin patted him on the shoulder: "Alright, you have backbone. Watch your attitude in the future. They don't owe you anything. Try not to make things too awkward in the future. Come on, let's go to my house to wash up first."

Yang Dalin knew that teenagers like this were very concerned about saving face.

Aunt Hou may have said some sarcastic things about Uncle Hou helping Ma San.

It's inevitable; as the saying goes, poverty breeds cunning, while wealth breeds conscience.

If the other party isn't wealthy either, what woman wouldn't complain a bit when her husband gives things to a stranger?

We must also understand.

Yang Dalin quickly took Ma San back to courtyard number 95.

Both of their hands were quite dirty, so Yang Dalin asked Xiaoning to prepare a basin of warm water. Yang Dalin and Ma San washed their hands at the door first.

I poured out the water and washed the room again.

I'm fine; I didn't get much dust on me.

By this time, Grandpa Qi was already at home, and there were two bottles of wine that he had brought with him on the table.

Yang Dalin slapped his forehead, then went into his bedroom and took out two bottles of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).

Actually, it was obtained through checking in on the social media platform.

I've also checked in quite a bit about food and drinks these past few days.

He even signed for dozens of kilograms of cornmeal for Ma San.

Otherwise, if Yang Dalin didn't have some power, he wouldn't be able to be so generous even if he wanted to.