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

Qin Huairu is a shrewd woman. Although Jia Dongxu told her not to go, this woman comes from the countryside and is willing to swallow her pride.

Does it matter whether you have a sense of shame or not, all for a bite to eat?

In rural areas, there are many people who help each other out, help widows, and try to find ways to get food.

She believes that only what you eat is real.

In another corner, separated only by two curtains, Jia Zhangshi could still hear the conversation between the couple.

Although my daughter-in-law is hardworking, she's too cunning, but it's all for the sake of the child getting more food.

So she didn't intend to stop them; every extra bite was a bonus.

If all else fails, I can throw a tantrum; nobody will bother with an old widow like me.

……

Qi Jiayang Dalin returned from the toilet and had just opened the door to enter the living room when Aunt Yulan's voice came from the south room: "Dalin's back!"

"You're back, Auntie. Go to bed early."

"Okay, I've prepared the water for you to wash your feet. The thermos is in your room. Wash your feet before you go to sleep."

"Okay, I understand, Auntie. You can go to sleep now."

Yang Dalin had already taken a shower in the afternoon; it would be nice to soak his feet in hot water too.

After washing his feet, he also washed his smelly socks and draped them over the back of a chair next to the stove. It took Yang Dalin a while to fall asleep.

I'm really not used to life without my phone. Luckily, I did some work during the day. I'm a little tired, but I fell asleep after counting more than two hundred sheep.

Yang Dalin woke up just as dawn broke the next day.

I went to bed around 8 p.m. last night and slept really well until 5 a.m., sleeping for more than nine hours.

Compared to my previous life, when I slept after midnight and woke up around 7 a.m., my sleep quality is much better now.

I can't fall back asleep, I should get up. It's not good to stay in bed any longer.

It was still a bit dark inside, but it didn't affect visibility. I guessed my aunt and the others hadn't gotten up yet, so they were moving around quietly.

Yang Dalin picked up the socks that had been dried and put them on, then lifted the door of the honeycomb briquette stove, which was filled with an aluminum kettle of water, up a little further.

He quietly prepared to go out and take a dump.

The bolt on the inner gate was still in place, so Grandpa Qi probably hadn't gotten up yet.

The toilet was already occupied; it seems I wasn't the first one up.

Fortunately, there's no need to queue this time. There are plenty of toilets available. I stand on both sides of the Yellow River, holding secret documents in my hand, with machine guns firing in front and landmines and bombs behind me.

After finishing his business, Yang Dalin was about to go inside when he ran into Yan Laokou, who was about to leave.

Old Man Yan was also holding a wad of newspaper. Without thinking, Yang Dalin said, "Third Uncle, going to have breakfast?"

Yan Bugui, who had probably just woken up, casually replied, "Ah, right."

He only realized what was happening when he was squatting on the toilet bowl: "I'll eat, I'll eat some poop, ptooey, I won't eat."

Yang Dalin had also lost his mind, getting used to the habit of going out for breakfast in later generations.

When they got home, they poured some warm water into a basin. When they went to the courtyard to wash up, they remembered that Yan Bugui had taken a newspaper to the outhouse to eat something.

"Hehe...hehe"

Yang Dalin quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face, but he didn't have any face wash or soap.

Rough guys like me can just wash with plain water, but I added a little warm water myself.

So be it.

Then Yang Dalin took half a basin of cold water back with him.

I went back inside and poured the water into another washbasin.

That basin was a washbasin shared by Aunt Yulan and her daughter.

This one is new.

Yang Dalin looked at the water tank; it was still half full.

Then I picked up the bucket and prepared to fetch water.

From the south room came Aunt Yulan's voice: "Dalin, you're awake?"

"Yes, Auntie, I'll go fill the water tank."

"Don't worry about it, just sleep in. Your sister Yanhua will make breakfast today."

"It's alright, Auntie. I've had enough sleep, and I slept quite well. Why don't you sleep a little longer? I'll heat up the water for you to wash your faces."

"Oh dear, you're a grown man, why do you need to do this?" Aunt Yulan didn't even dress properly, just draped a coat over her shoulders and dragged her shoes as she came out of the south room.

"I'm really fine, Auntie. I slept really well. I did a little exercise this morning and I feel great. By the way, don't let Sister Yan make breakfast for me. I'll eat out."

When Yang Dalin woke up, he felt that although he was a little hungry, he was much better than yesterday and would not eat as much as he had yesterday.

There's simply not enough food in one house, so it's better to go out and eat where there are no ration coupons.

"Auntie, get dressed properly, don't go out and catch a cold. It's a bit chilly this morning. I'll go get some water, it'll be quick."

Yang Dalin carried two buckets and quickly arrived at the water tap in the middle courtyard.

He filled two buckets with water, one in each hand, and carried them to the front yard.

Yang Dalin also tried the Shaolin Temple water-lifting method, holding the two buckets horizontally at shoulder level, which was very easy. He had practiced it in his previous life, but he could only hold it for less than three seconds and couldn't hold it horizontally.

The water tank behind the living room door is actually quite small; after two buckets of water are poured in, the tank is full again.

This water didn't taste very good yesterday either.

In the past, most well water in Beijing was even more difficult to drink.

Although it's tap water, to be honest, it has a slightly strange taste.

I hope my system is powerful enough; if it can't provide spiritual water, a sweet water well would be fine too.

Otherwise, give me some space, and I'll go to Yuquan Mountain to collect some more another day.

I don't know if it's still possible to get in now. It seems to be a military restricted area, and ordinary people can't get in. In later generations, even drones can't fly there.

And we don't know if the water has dried up in this drought.

I'll have to ask Grandpa Qi about it later.

This man was a long-time resident of Beijing, working outside every day and knowing a lot of all sorts of gossip, while Aunt Qi, on the contrary, knew very little.

As soon as Yang Dalin got up, he quickly woke up Aunt Qi and her family.

He also prepared to heat up some steamed buns to make breakfast for Aunt Yulan and the others.

Aunt Yulan said no, except that she ate a steamed bun and drank porridge in the morning.

The two daughters were still lying in bed, not eating breakfast.

Skipping breakfast is not an option. Over time, it will cause stomach problems. If there isn't enough food, I'll bring some back myself.

Finally, at Yang Dalin's insistence, three steamed buns were heated up and a pot of porridge was cooked.

They each ate one, while Yang Dalin drank a bowl of porridge to warm himself up before going out for breakfast later.

Otherwise, there really wouldn't be enough food, and this breakfast was eaten very cautiously.

The door was tightly closed, as if they were afraid others would smell the steamed buns after they had eaten them.

Anyone who didn't know better would think it was like stealing someone else's food.

Fortunately, the buns weren't very big, and the three of them finished them in a few bites. Each of them drank a bowl of porridge, and Aunt Qi was getting ready to go out for the evening party before it was time for her to go to work.

Yang Dalin packed his things, slung his bag over his shoulder, and went to find Grandpa Qi to go out.

Grandpa Qi ate breakfast at home: two cornbread buns and a bowl of corn porridge.

Yang Dalin wasn't very hungry when he woke up. In his previous life, he usually needed to do some exercise before eating, otherwise he wouldn't have an appetite. In this life, he was a little hungry in the morning, but it was still okay.

The only place in the entire city where ordinary people can eat without tickets is near the train station.

So today, Grandpa Qi still took him there.

On the way, Yang Dalin rode a handcart, pulling Grandpa Qi along.

Lifting the wooden plank, Yang Dalin also saw inside the carriage: two rolls of rope, two sturdy wooden sticks, and several planks.

The rope is used for hauling goods, and the stick and plank can also be used for loading goods sometimes.

However, if Grandpa Qi were to encounter someone blocking his way, he could probably use that stick for self-defense.