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

Yang Dalin felt that there were enough jade stones for him to play with for a lifetime.

Let's leave some for others and future generations.

So Yang Dalin stopped.

While digging for jade here, Yang Dalin suddenly remembered that he also needed to make a trip to the country that was being defrauded.

The jade over there is quite nice too.

We must not forget about this.

That evening, Yang Dalin went directly back to the vicinity of the small military airport in Hotan.

There were no more flights that night, and Yang Dalin saw that it was getting late, so he didn't bother them and went straight into his space to rest.

When it was light, Yang Dalin showed his identification and went inside to find the airport manager from last time.

Yang Dalin had given them a few bottles of wine last time, and this time he also gave them a few yellow sheep and a case of liquor as a token of his appreciation.

They're far from home, and it must be tough for them. This is just a small token of my appreciation.

Yang Dalin was put on a plane that was going the same way.

We flew to Dihua Civil Airport, the capital of western Xinjiang.

Then I transferred to a plane bound for Beijing.

After several hours of flight, we returned to Beijing Capital International Airport in the afternoon.

Gao Xiaohu came to pick him up again.

On the way, Gao Xiaohu asked, "Dalinzi, why are we two days later than planned this time?"

Yang Dalin took out several uncarved jade stones from his backpack and gave them to him, saying, "I've completed the mission. I saw I still had time, so I went to a river in Hotan and picked up some jade stones."

This is for you; it will be very valuable in the future. Tell your sister-in-law to keep it safe and pass it down to their children, and make sure no one else sees it.

Gao Xiaohu picked up a small piece of jade and examined it. It was crystal clear and felt as smooth as mutton fat.

He guessed it immediately: "Is this mutton fat jade?"

"That's right, you have good taste."

"Haha, thank you so much, Dalinzi."

I'll make your sister-in-law hide right away.

It should be passed down as a family heirloom.

Yang Dalin took out a few more coins and handed them to him, saying, "These are for Brother Xiaolong. Tell him to keep them safe and not to spend them recklessly when he doesn't need the money."

Save it for the children.

Gao Xiaohu, seemingly oblivious to the need for politeness, readily accepted the offer, saying, "Alright, then I won't stand on ceremony. I thank you on behalf of my brother."

Gao Xiaohu and Yang Dalin were theoretically comrades-in-arms, and Gao Xiaohu had carried out some missions with Yang Dalin at the beginning.

Although the two brothers were not deeply involved in those missions.

But the camaraderie among comrades-in-arms still exists.

Forget those incredibly dangerous missions; this is the camaraderie forged in the face of life and death.

When accepting gifts from comrades after they've completed a mission, there's not much pretense of politeness.

Yang Dalin and Gao Xiaohu chatted casually along the way, and soon the car entered the small courtyard where Director Hou's office was located.

Director Hou asked him about the mission along the way, and he didn't blame Yang Dalin for going out to play for two days after completing the mission.

After completing their tasks, everyone usually gets a break.

Otherwise, no one can keep performing tasks at such a high intensity.

Besides, Yang Dalin has always been a seconded employee, and a great contributor at that.

However, Yang Dalin also presented Director Hou with a few pieces of jade.

Director Hou, who was blocked, wanted to pretend to reprimand someone, but he couldn't say anything.

We had no choice but to tell him to get lost and go home for the New Year.

Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve.

I need to go home right away.

That evening, Gao Xiaohu escorted him to the gate of the compound.

The next day, the person at home who works went to work for half a day again.

Unfortunately, there's no way around it; the holiday is only three days long, on the first, second, and third days of the Lunar New Year.

However, in less busy workplaces, everyone can basically go home on the afternoon of New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, Yang Dalin and Chu Xiaoning were at home preparing a delicious meal.

Yang Dalin fried meatballs, made crispy pork, fried ribbonfish, and also prepared dumplings in advance.

On Lunar New Year's Eve, every household begins preparing delicious food.

Yang Dalin is not afraid of others envying him.

The courtyard was filled with a pleasant aroma in the afternoon.

Some children went to play with firecrackers, while others showed off the delicious food they had made at home.

Overall, this year's Spring Festival has been much more abundant in terms of supplies than in previous years.

That evening, Yang Dalin and his family enjoyed a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner together.

Yang Dalin even specially called over the gatekeeper, Uncle Qi.

He was all alone, and Yang Dalin received a lot of help from him when he came to Beijing.

It would be nice to invite them over to celebrate the New Year together and have some fun.

For example, the deaf old lady went to Yi Zhonghai's house for the New Year.

People who are close to each other in the courtyard will also send each other some delicious food prepared at home.

In short, the human touch was much better than in later generations.

Yang Dalin also gave away dozens of large meat buns today.

Every household reciprocated with a small gift.

That evening, Yang Dalin, Uncle Qi, and Ma San'er had a few drinks together.

Grandpa Qi was also very happy.

This year's Spring Festival was very lively.

The next morning, before dawn, people in the courtyard got up to exchange New Year's greetings.

Several older residents of the compound prepared lucky money for the children.

I don't care much, more or less.

It's just a token of my appreciation.

Yang Dalin also went with everyone to pay New Year's greetings to the deaf old lady, Grandpa Qi, Grandpa Zhao, Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong, and others.

Nowadays, there is no tradition of not traveling far to visit relatives on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Because the holiday is too short.

If you don't go on the first day of the lunar new year, you won't have enough time on the second or third day.

Some of these comrades are from rural areas in the surrounding suburbs.

If we don't go early and come back early, there simply won't be enough time.

Yang Dalin finished the dumplings that he had deliberately left over from last night.

He took Chu Yanhua with him to visit some leaders and several families whose children he had saved to offer New Year's greetings.

These families have been visiting each other for the past few years.

Yang Dalin didn't come home for the Spring Festival last year, but he's getting married this year and must take his fiancée to visit her.

It's also a way of telling people that he's getting married on the tenth of the month, and that everyone should come to his wedding if they have time.

Yang Dalin has too many friends.

Yang Dalin and Chu Yanhua didn't visit many houses in a day.

When he arrived, every family warmly invited him to stay for a meal and drinks.

Yang Dalin dared not stay for dinner.

Otherwise, he was really afraid that he could stay drunk from the first year of junior high school all the way to the third year.

Everyone knows that Yang Dalin is getting married on the tenth of the month.

They all said they would go that day.

I'll go even if I don't have time to ask for leave.

In the first and second years of junior high, Chu Xiaoning accompanied Yang Dalin on visits to people he had a good relationship with.

Aunt Qi's family doesn't have any close relatives anymore, so there's no need for them to visit each other.

On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Yang Dalin took his aunt to the Dongsi Shitiao compound.

Because many friends came to wish Aunt Qi a Happy New Year today.

Yang Dalin was afraid of frightening the neighbors in courtyard number 95.

Fortunately, we were waiting right here.

Moreover, Yang Dalin plans to provide meals today as well.

After all, the family received so many engagement gifts that they needed to use them up.

Today, Sha Zhu doesn't have any relatives visiting.

They also came to help with the cooking.

Before 10 a.m., people from the compound, the college students, Qi Desheng, Tian Xueyi, the families of the children they had helped, Yang Dalin's colleagues and friends, and others came to pay their respects to his aunt.

There were at least several dozen people.

Yang Dalin gave each of his peers who were unmarried a one-yuan red envelope to his aunt.

Those who are married don't receive anything, but the younger generation does.

Yang Dalin invited everyone to stay for lunch.

I have to eat my fill today.