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

While Yang Dalin was riding his bicycle around Beijing, having fun.

Yan Bugui, however, was getting impatient.

They waited and waited, but Yang Dalin did not return.

By lunchtime, only Qi Yulan and her two daughters had returned from across the street.

Yan Bugui tried several times to talk to Qi Yulan about this matter, hoping to play the victim and plead for leniency.

However, since he couldn't find Yang Dalin, the person in question, Yan Bugui feared that even if he approached the Qi family mother and daughter, it wouldn't be of much use.

Yan Bugui originally planned to send Yang Ruihua to find Qi Yulan and explain what happened last night.

Or, if you can persuade Qi Yulan, she can plead for Yang Dalin when he returns in the evening.

But Yang Ruihua, that fool, didn't want to go.

He was unwilling to stoop so low as to plead with his neighbor across the street, Qi Yulan.

I thought it was nothing serious in my own home.

It was just a few idle words.

Yan Bugui clutched his chest and plopped down in a chair.

Oh dear, my blood pressure is high.

I'm too lazy to explain to this silly woman.

She doesn't understand what's going on inside; it's better not to go at all.

Let's not escalate the situation any further.

After Qi Yulan finished lunch and went to work, the Yan family still didn't make a move.

Yan Bugui prayed that Yang Dalin would return in the afternoon.

As a result, they were filled with anxiety and waited impatiently until evening.

Yang Dalin then returned to the courtyard.

Yan Bugui saw Yang Dalin return to the courtyard.

He immediately rushed out and grabbed Yang Dalin's bicycle handlebars.

Yang Dalin let go of the bicycle and let him hold it, saying, "What are you doing, Teacher Yan?"

Do you want to see my bicycle?

Here, take a look.

Yan Bugui then noticed that there was another person standing next to the bicycle.

It was Uncle Qi, the gatekeeper.

"Uh, Lao Qi is here too. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm just going to have a couple of drinks with Dalinzi tonight. What are you doing? You suddenly rushed out and startled us."

Yan Bugui then saw other people returning home one after another after get off work.

Yan Bugui always felt that the way they looked at him was strange, and there was a hint of mockery in their eyes.

Yan Bugui was unaware that he had become famous in the area.

A teacher in his forties wet his pants at home and then lied through his teeth, saying he spilled tea on his pants.

Within a day, the news spread to many people in the surrounding area, including the steel rolling mill.

Everyone already knows, and Yan Bugui will find out when he returns to work at the school tomorrow. It turns out that his colleagues and some students at the school already know as well.

Yan Bugui could not possibly plead for leniency in front of others.

It's okay to talk to Yang Dalin by yourself.

He could only plead pitifully, "Dalinzi, I need to talk to you about something. Why don't we go to my place?"

Yang Dalin pretended not to know what he was going to say and said directly, "Teacher Yan, is there anything important you want to say? I don't have time right now. I need to go have a drink with Brother Zhu and Uncle Qi."

You need to prepare the food first. You have something to do, we can talk later.

"Uncle Qi, please come to my house for tea first."

After saying that, Yang Dalin ignored his bicycle, lifted the curtain, and went back home.

Yan Bugui immediately propped up Yang Dalin's bicycle and chased after him to Yang Dalin's doorstep.

As soon as Yang Dalin and Grandpa Qi entered the door, they immediately locked the door from the inside.

"Dalinzi, Dalinzi," Yan Bugui pushed the door open, but couldn't move it, and realized that it had been plugged in.

Yang Dalin remained silent, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Seeing so many people coming and going, Yan Bugui ultimately stopped knocking on the door.

Yan Bugui knew that Yang Dalin was doing it on purpose, not giving him any chance at all.

They could only place their hopes on Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, who were about to return from get off work.

Yan Bugui stood beside the hanging flower gate, waiting for Lao Yi and Lao Liu.

After standing there anxiously for a while, Yan Bugui felt that this place was not safe either.

He walked to the gate again, intending to stop Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong from the outside and talk to them directly.

Let's not talk about it in the yard.

Yang Dalin opened the door after hearing Yan Bugui leave the courtyard.

Otherwise, it would be quite hot inside.

Yang Dalin poured Grandpa Qi a cup of tea.

Let him have a sip of tea first.

When Sha Zhu gets off work, he hands the ingredients to Sha Zhu and tells him to clean up later.

Qi Yulan is already home. Her workplace is very close by; she can walk back in just a few minutes.

She had just seen Yang Dalin lock the door, but now he had opened it again, so she asked, "Dalinzi, what does Old Yan across the street want with you?"

Yang Dalin thought that a big meeting was going to be held sooner or later, and Aunt Qi would find out sooner or later.

I've kept it from her for a whole day already, that's good enough.

I might as well tell them; there's no way I can hide it from them anyway.

Yang Dalin tried to make his aunt sound less angry: "Auntie, didn't we not come back yesterday?"

The Yan family spread rumors that our family had fled in fear to avoid their debts.

I also went to Grandpa Qi's house to see if Ma San had returned the tricycle.

Yan Bugui's wife, Yang Ruihua, and Yan Jiecheng went to Uncle Qi's house to check. When they saw that Ma San hadn't returned, they started spreading rumors. Yan Bugui was sitting at his doorstep when he found out, but he didn't stop them.

This matter will be discussed at the meeting tonight.

"Pah, the Yan family is really scum."

Did you already know this a long time ago?

Why didn't you tell me, Da Linzi?

"Auntie, I was just afraid you'd get angry, so I thought I'd keep it from you and save you a day of trouble."

Otherwise, going to work in a bad mood is really unpleasant.

At this point, Grandpa Qi chimed in, "Yes, Sister Yulan, Dalinzi meant well."

He cares about you; look how good Dalinzi is.

In a little while, Da Linzi will take care of it.

Just watch and see; I think Dalinzi will handle it.

When Qi Yulan heard what Lao Qi said, she understood Yang Dalin's intention.

Qi Yulan still respected this older brother who shared the same surname.

"Okay, I understand, Brother Qi, but I'm sorry to have troubled Da Linzi."

"Dalinzi is all grown up now, let him handle it. If he can't handle it well, then I'll speak up."

Yang Dalin quickly replied, "Don't worry, Auntie. There will be a big meeting tonight. Just listen to what's going on."

If Yang Ruihua dares to cause trouble, just ask Sister Yan and Xiaoning to help pull her away.

Everything else is fine.

His family is in the wrong, so I'll return the money to them tonight to stop them from being disgusting.

"Don't bother with their family anymore."

"Okay, we'll do it your way."

Yang Dalin told Aunt Qi to go ahead and cook, since he was going to eat at Sha Zhu's house that evening and didn't need to cook for him.

At this moment, Yan Bugui finally saw Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and several other steel rolling mill workers returning home from get off work outside the gate.

Yan Bugui quickly stepped forward and pulled Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong to the side of the road.

Judging from Yan Bugui's expression, Sha Zhu and the others clearly had something to say to Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong privately.

Remembering that Yan Bugui had wet his pants, the young men chuckled and didn't stay to hear what Yan Bugui had to say; they went straight back to the courtyard.

Yang Dalin kept an eye on the door. As soon as he heard Sha Zhu's voice, Yang Dalin, carrying a bag, called out to Uncle Qi and followed Sha Zhu to his house.