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

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the two remaining roasted wolf hearts were shared among them.

Yang Dalin was reluctant and didn't eat, but no one seemed to care.

They seemed to enjoy the food quite a bit.

After finishing his meal, Yang Dalin checked the time. It was still early, not even five o'clock.

It was still pitch black.

Yang Dalin walked up the hillside to discuss the matter with the two team leaders.

Captain Xiao, who had been to the grasslands before, said with experience, "In winter, it doesn't get light until after seven o'clock here."

My suggestion is that those who stay on duty should go and rest for a while.

I get up at 7:00 AM sharp, then get ready, and set off at 7:30 AM sharp.

The person on duty adds some water to the broth at seven o'clock, heats it up, and boils more water for later use. Everyone gets up, eats a little dry food, and drinks a bowl of broth.

How's this arrangement, Lao Wang?

Old Wang nodded: "Okay, no problem. We can't go in the dark. We'll wait until it's light."

"Dalinzi, you go down and rest."

Yang Dalin said, "Captains, I'll stay and continue the guard duty."

I have good hearing and good eyesight, so I'll stay and everyone can sleep soundly.

Two people will stay on night duty to assist me; I can catch up on sleep during the day.

Yang Dalin's initiative reassured the two team leaders.

Captain Xiao said, "Okay, with you here, we feel much more at ease."

You should rest more during the day.

After discussing it, the two team leaders went down the slope, informed everyone, and soon everyone went to rest.

Only Yang Dalin and two others remained to continue the night shift on guard.

It was really cold in the early morning, and Yang Dalin kept stamping his feet.

The two colleagues below would also call on Yang Dalin to go down to the fire from time to time to warm himself, taking turns.

Yang Dalin readily accepted the good advice.

Fortunately, for the next two hours or so, no wild animals dared to approach.

As dawn broke, Yang Dalin remained on guard, while his two colleagues began heating up wolf meat soup and boiling water to prepare for starting the vehicle later.

After waiting for a while, everyone got up one after another.

The scene below became even more lively.

Everyone got up, roasted some dry rations over a fire, and drank some meat broth.

Then I started packing my things.

Before eight o'clock, the car started driving on the grassland again.

Yang Dalin drove for a while, and when it was almost ten o'clock, he switched seats with a guy in the back of the car.

He went to the driver's seat, while Yang Dalin and another person slept soundly in the back of the truck.

The vehicle was covered with thick straw and several mattresses, so even if it was a bit bumpy, it wouldn't be a big problem.

Even without the cold wind blowing, and with a blanket covering me, I can still fall asleep as the vehicle sways.

Fortunately, Yang Dalin doesn't suffer from motion sickness, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to fall asleep.

Yang Dalin didn't wake up until noon when the car stopped.

Actually, he wasn't very sleepy and didn't want to catch up on sleep, but Tian Xueyi told him that there were still more than ten days to go.

There will likely be many opportunities to use him later tonight, so how can he not get enough rest?

So Yang Dalin slept for more than two hours without any guilt.

At noon, the vehicle stopped near a small river.

Everyone got off the bus to rest and collected cow dung to start a fire for cooking.

Yang Dalin went to the river and caught a few more fish.

This made everyone even more grateful to Yang Dalin.

In the past, people would just boil some hot water to drink. Who would have thought that this time, not only would they have fish soup and grilled fish, but also stewed wolf meat and wolf meat soup?

They eat even better here than at home.

Already very satisfied.

Of course, everyone knows that the person we should thank the most is Yang Dalin.

In addition, Yang Dalin is the youngest, so everyone likes Yang Dalin even more.

After having their meal, everyone continued their journey.

A convoy is traveling across the grassland.

Meanwhile, in courtyard number 95 in Beijing, a grand wedding was being held in the backyard.

Xu Damao didn't know if he had lost his mind or what.

There were a total of eight tables set up.

This was even with only one person from each household in the courtyard participating.

Otherwise, if the whole courtyard comes, we'll have to set up several more tables.

Sha Zhu didn't cook for Xu Damao, nor did he show up. Xu Damao had his father hire a chef at a high price.

This chef is quite skilled, and his food is delicious.

Xu Damao and the others were a little depressed after the banquet began.

He had even managed to persuade the head of the factory's publicity department to come.

I don't know why, but when the section chief arrived at the door, he handed over the gift money, said he remembered something urgent, and then left.

Only a deputy section chief, along with his several superiors and colleagues, remained.

Including the woman's relatives and neighbors in the courtyard, there were eight people sitting at one table, so eight tables were set up.

The section chief is a smart man. He originally thought Xu Damao would just set up one or two tables as a token gesture, but he didn't expect him to set up so many.

It's lively, but you have to watch the timing.

He also heard that the woman's family was a small capitalist family.

Many people from the woman's family also came.

Those who could become section chiefs, lacking even a bit of Zheng Zhi's wit, immediately came up with an excuse, left a gift, and said goodbye.

It just so happens that a foolish deputy section chief who had always wanted to replace him was left to eat at the banquet.

How great! He avoided the risk himself and also put the deputy section chief, who posed a threat to his position, in a difficult position.

Xu Damao never expected this, and he felt it was a bit of a pity.

The section chief came, but he left before he even had a chance to have a meal with his father-in-law and get to know him.

I'm quite frustrated.

What's even more frustrating is that the food at the wedding banquet was quite good, but as soon as the food was served, my neighbors would devour it as soon as it was served.

Before the woman's relatives could even pick up their chopsticks, the plate was gone.

The same thing happened with the next dish.

That's incredibly embarrassing.

Especially Yan Bugui and the Jia family's sticks.

That way of eating was absolutely awful, so incredibly embarrassing.

(Bang Geng was brought by Jia Dongxu to the banquet. Families with children can bring one child as long as the child is young, as long as the gift is given.)

According to the custom in Lao Wu's hometown, he can bring a small child, but the child cannot be too old, over ten years old is not allowed. The child cannot take up a seat and usually eats in the adult's arms.

People usually take their children with them because there's no one else to look after them at home. Once they get older, you can only stay at home and eat the meals your parents cook, and you can't go out.

Of course, there are also some who are less particular and will bring two children along.

Yes, but very rarely. No one says it to your face, and you're afraid people will talk about it behind your back.

Rural customs have always been more preserved than those in cities.

In the hometown of Lao Wu in Shandong Province, people have to be polite and defer to each other for a long time before the banquet starts.

There are specific rules about where we sit. There's a hierarchy: which seat is the head of the table, which seat is for toasting and drinking with others, and which seat is for being entertained and drinking well.

Once you're seated in a position that requires drinking a lot, you have no choice but to drink.

Then the woman's relatives' expressions grew increasingly grim.

Fortunately, they were well-mannered and didn't get angry.

But it's true that they all look pale.

When Xu Damao and his beautiful wife went to offer toasts, several tables were empty.

Xu Damao's face twitched with anger.

That's so incredibly embarrassing!

The only slightly better table was the one occupied by the deputy section chief; that table was a bit better.

Seated were Xu Damao's parents, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, his father-in-law and his wife, and the deputy section chief.

These people are also particular; they don't have such unsightly table manners.

The other tables were a mess, completely smeared and clean.