Siheyuan: Reborn Silly Pillar, Taking Control of the Entire Courtyard

It's quiet at the entrance today.

The sharp curses of Jia Zhangshi were gone, and Jia Dongxu's dejected figure was nowhere to be seen.

In the east room of the courtyard, the earthen kang (heated brick bed) was quite warm.

But the mother and daughter on the kang (heated brick bed) felt no warmth at all.

Jia Zhangshi was wrapped in a thin cotton quilt with several patches, her face was long and drawn, and her triangular eyes were staring straight at the wall at the end of the kang, her eyes not moving for a long time.

Jia Dongxu, standing next to him, was in no better shape, hunching his shoulders and wrapping himself tightly in the blanket.

He and his mother stared at each other blankly, like two soulless clay statues, filling the room with a heavy silence.

This unusual quiet gave the two young men next door a windfall.

He Yuzhu carried a faded cloth bag, held Xu Damao's hand in one hand, and walked very quietly, like a little mouse stealing oil, and slipped out of the central courtyard gate.

Stepping out of the courtyard house.

Xu Damao immediately breathed a sigh of relief, but couldn't resist his curiosity. He tilted his little face up and tugged at He Yuzhu's sleeve, lowering his voice to ask, "Brother Zhu, where are we going today? If Mom can't find us, won't she cry?"

He Yuzhu didn't stop walking; he continued heading south.

She merely glanced at him sideways, a mysterious smile playing on her lips.

"I'll take you to a great place, I guarantee it'll open your eyes to new possibilities. Talk less, observe more, got it?"

"oh."

Xu Damao immediately shut his mouth, nodded vigorously, and clenched his little hands even tighter.

From tugging at the hem of her clothes, she began to grip He Yuzhu's fingers tightly, as if afraid that if she let go, she would be left behind on this unfamiliar street.

At this time, in Beiping, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the breakfast stalls on the street had just been set up, with steam rising from the steamers and shouts drifting intermittently over.

The two brothers strolled along the alley, and the further south they went, the more people there were on the street, and the more lively the scene became.

Xu Damao's eyes couldn't keep up for long.

In all his life, apart from going to the vegetable market near the courtyard with his father, he had never actually traveled far from home.

Now I see a gentleman in a long gown waving a folding fan, and a foreigner in a sharp suit and top hat.

The girl with braided hair and wearing a school uniform, and the aunt in a tight cheongsam and high heels, were so surprised that their mouths were slightly open, their heads turned back and forth like rattles, and they almost drooled.

Several times he almost asked a question, but when he saw He Yuzhu's serious profile, he swallowed the words back down.

They could only obediently follow, their short legs moving incredibly fast, afraid of getting lost.

After walking for a short while, several children of similar age to them appeared on the street.

Wearing tattered clothes, with sticky hair plastered to his forehead, he held a chipped bowl and weakly shouted to passersby.

"Master and Madam, please grant us a meal..."

Xu Damao subconsciously looked down at himself—although his clothes were patched and faded from washing, at least they were clean and tidy.

Compared to those begging children, he seemed like a "young master".

He tugged at He Yuzhu's hand, his voice barely a whisper: "Brother Zhu,...we're missing a bowl, aren't we?"

"Go on, you'd better leave!"

He Yuzhu pulled him aside in an annoyed manner and quickened his pace.

"You really want to squat here begging? We're here on business, not to pretend to be beggars."

Xu Damao stuck out his tongue and quickly followed, but he thought to himself: Begging for food is better than listening to Jia Zhangshi's nagging at home.

After walking for about half an hour, the buildings along the street became more and more magnificent, and the shop signs became more and more exquisite.

Xu Damao suddenly stopped, his eyes wide, and pointed at the archway in front of him, shouting, "Brother Zhu! I think I've been here before! We've been here before, isn't that Panjiayuan?"

He Yuzhu raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. This kid looks listless, but he still remembers the way.

"yes!"

He Yuzhu raised his hand and patted his head, his tone carrying a hint of promise.

"When I'm rich, I'll bring you here to eat too. We won't just eat half a duck, we'll eat the whole one, and I'll even make soup from the duck carcass for you."

"real?"

Xu Damao's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen some treasure. He grabbed He Yuzhu's arm and shook it vigorously, "Brother Zhu, you can't be lying to me!"

"When have I ever lied to you, your brother?"

He Yuzhu smiled, but a hint of calculation flashed in his eyes before he changed the subject.

"But let's get this straight: if you want to live a life of luxury with me, you have to obey. If I tell you to go east, you don't go west; if I tell you to beat a dog, you don't chase a chicken. Can you do that?"

"Yes! Definitely!" Xu Damao immediately straightened his back and patted his chest loudly.

"Don't worry, Brother Zhu. I, Xu Damao, may not be good at much else, but I'm absolutely a master at obeying orders! If you tell me to stand, I'll never sit; if you tell me to shut up, I'll never utter a sound!"

"Alright, alright, stop being so cheeky." He Yuzhu was amused by him and pinched his cheek.

"You learned all this from your unreliable father, didn't you?"

Xu Damao chuckled, scratched his head, and didn't argue, but just gripped He Yuzhu's hand even tighter.

"Alright, stop joking around."

He Yuzhu suppressed his smile and pointed to the bustling street ahead.

"We're almost at Panjiayuan Street. It'll be crowded and noisy, so don't say anything. We can't go into those big shops right now, and we shouldn't get involved in the crowds. If you want to try some of the street food, just quietly tug my hand, don't shout, understand?"

"Got it!"

Xu Damao nodded vigorously, his face full of excitement, his small eyes almost sparkling.

The two brothers were stunned by the sight before them as soon as they stepped into Panjiayuan Street.

Although Xu Damao had been here once before, he was only four or five years old at the time and couldn't remember much. Now, seeing it again, he felt dazzled.

The shops lining the street were one after another, all of them well-known old brands—Ruifuxiang's silk shop, Neiliansheng's cloth shoe shop, Daoxiangcun's pastry shop, and foreign firms with signs in English, their windows displaying a dazzling array of foreign goods that were hard to look away from.

He Yuzhu was also a little dazzled.

He usually goes to the Dong'an Market area, which is mostly filled with small vendors, their shouts deafening, and it's a chaotic mess; but this place is different.

Although it was still lively, it had a more grand and orderly feel.

Scholars in long gowns and top hats, businessmen in suits and ties, young people in school uniforms, women in cheongsams, and foreigners walking their dogs—all sorts of people mingled together, shoulder to shoulder.

The rickshaw puller, wearing a faded short jacket, ran with his back bent, the rickshaw bell ringing incessantly; the sound of horses' hooves clattered as policemen on tall horses patrolled the streets.

The shouts of hawkers, the cries of shopkeepers, the laughter of pedestrians, and the music from gramophones emanating from foreign firms all intertwined to create a unique Beijing morning melody.

Xu Damao was completely absorbed in what he saw. He would stare at the foreign dolls in the shop window for a while, and then stare blankly at the passing carriages. His little head kept turning, and he could hardly see the road under his feet.

He Yuzhu had no interest in watching the commotion. He composed himself, his gaze passing over the crowd and landing directly on the "Mitsui & Co." building not far from the street corner.

He noticed the foreign firm as soon as he entered the street. It had a beige exterior, a black sign with foreign characters, and two security guards in black uniforms standing at the entrance, their serious expressions giving off an aura of "keep away."

Perhaps because it was still early, the doors of the trading company were half open, and there were not many people going in or out.

He Yuzhu's gaze lingered on the entrance of the foreign firm for a few more seconds before quickly sweeping across to the opposite side—a teahouse with a sign that read "Qingfeng Teahouse," ornately decorated with carved beams and painted rafters, and red lanterns hanging at the entrance, which looked quite elegant.

He was thinking to himself: after he finished walking down this street, he would go into a teahouse on his way back and find a seat by the window so he could observe the activities of the Mitsui & Co.

If you can't get in, you can stay at the small stalls at the entrance of the teahouse and still get a good view of what's going on there.

Having made up his mind, he pulled Xu Damao along and continued walking. They had only taken a few steps when his hand suddenly tightened—Xu Damao stopped.

He Yuzhu turned around and saw that the boy was staring intently at a candied hawthorn vendor by the roadside. His eyes were fixed on the boy, and drool was almost dripping down his chin. He seemed rooted to the spot and could not be pulled away no matter what he did.

The vendor's shelf was filled with bright red candied hawthorns. Each hawthorn was plump and coated with a crystal-clear sugar coating, glistening in the sunlight. They looked so sweet.

"Want some?" He Yuzhu asked in a low voice, leaning close to his ear.

Xu Damao nodded vigorously, his eyes glued to the candied hawthorn, unable to utter a word.

"Come on, I'll take you to buy some." He Yuzhu smiled and pulled him to the vendor.

The vendor was a middle-aged man with a smile on his face, but when he saw the patched clothes on Xu Damao, his brows immediately furrowed and his tone became much colder.

"You two little kids, do you have any money? I'm not giving away these candied hawthorns for free, so don't cause trouble here."

"How much is a skewer?" He Yuzhu ignored his attitude and asked with a sullen face.

"Three coins a string, no bargaining."

The vendor crossed his arms and glanced at them sideways, looking like he had no interest in doing business.

"Two skewers, the biggest ones, please." He Yuzhu said, pretending to fumble around in his pocket for a while before finally pulling out a silver coin from his pocket and handing it over. "Is that enough? I'll find you more if you need more."

"Enough! Enough!"

Upon seeing the silver coins, the vendor's expression immediately changed, instantly transforming into a fawning smile.

"Please wait a moment, young master, I'll pick out the biggest one for you right away!"

Actually, there's no such thing as the "biggest" one; the number of hawthorns on each skewer of candied hawthorns is about the same.

The vendor simply picked out two bunches of hawthorns that were larger and had a thicker sugar coating, handed them over quickly, and then took out four copper coins from his purse, carefully giving He Yuzhu the change.

"Young master, here you go, here's four coins in change."

Xu Damao took the candied hawthorn and eagerly licked the sugar coating, the sweet taste instantly melting in his mouth.

He immediately flashed a big smile at He Yuzhu, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons: "Brother Zhu, so sweet! So sweet!"

"Sweet is just right."

He Yuzhu also took a bite. The sourness of the hawthorn mixed with the sweetness of the maltose, and the soft and chewy texture was indeed quite good.

These days, candied hawthorn skewers are mostly made with maltose or brown sugar, which isn't as sweet as white sugar. The hawthorn berries are also fresh, making them very satisfying to eat.

The two boys continued strolling along, munching on candied hawthorns.

Xu Damao behaved himself this time. Although his eyes were still fixed on the street snacks, he didn't stop walking or hold He Yuzhu's hand anymore. He just nibbled on the candied hawthorn, looking very satisfied.

He Yuzhu walked along, observing his surroundings discreetly.

He not only looked at the shops, but also paid attention to the pedestrians on the street, especially the Japanese people wearing kimonos and the police officers in black uniforms.

To his surprise, there were no Japanese soldiers patrolling Panjiayuan Street during the day, but there were quite a few police officers, mostly in pairs, carrying batons and walking back and forth on the street, watching the passersby with vigilance.

Occasionally, you can see a few Japanese people, all dressed casually, entering trading companies or restaurants in twos and threes, looking quite low-key.

The two boys finished the two strings of candied hawthorns before they had gone far. Xu Damao licked the sugar crumbs from the corner of his mouth and smacked his lips with a lingering sense of satisfaction.

He tugged at He Yuzhu's hand and muttered softly, "Brother Zhu, can we have another skewer? This candied hawthorn is so delicious."

He Yuzhu shook his head and pointed to another stall on the street.

"Let's eat something else. We can't just eat the same thing all the time. Look over there, there's fried liver, braised pork, and pea flour cake. Let's try something different."

Xu Damao looked in the direction he was pointing, his eyes immediately lit up, and he pulled He Yuzhu back, saying, "Brother Zhu, I want to eat fried liver! I saw it just now, it's not far ahead!"

"You little rascal, you've got a sharp eye." He Yuzhu smiled and let him pull him back.

The stall selling fried liver was a roadside stand set up under a large locust tree. A large iron pot sat on a clay stove, and the fried liver inside was bubbling away, releasing a rich aroma that made people's stomachs rumble.

Two low, square wooden tables were set up next to the pot, and several diners were slurping their food with gusto.

"Boss, one order of fried liver, please!" He Yuzhu walked up to the stall and called out to the busy boss.

"Alright! Cheng Hui, one silver coin!"

The owner, a man in his forties, didn't even look up, his spoon constantly stirring the fried liver in the pan, making a loud noise.

He Yuzhu took out a silver coin and handed it over. The shopkeeper only looked up when he took the money.

Seeing that they were two teenagers, he paused for a moment, then smiled and thoughtfully handed them an extra spoon: "You two are eating together, older brother taking care of younger brother? How thoughtful! Here's some extra liver for you!"

"Thank you, boss." He Yuzhu took the spoon and pulled Xu Damao to sit down at the square table.

Xu Damao knew the rules, so he didn't touch the spoon first. Instead, he watched He Yuzhu eagerly until He Yuzhu scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth.

He picked up the spoon, carefully scooped up a spoonful, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.

He Yuzhu took a bite and frowned slightly.

The stir-fried liver was just so-so. The pork liver had a strong fishy smell, and there wasn't enough seasoning. The aroma of sesame oil and minced garlic wasn't strong enough, and it wasn't nearly as good as the one he made himself.

Xu Damao, however, ate with great relish, spooning after spoonful until his mouth was bulging, not even letting a drop of soup go to waste.

For him, this stir-fried liver, with its meat and broth, was far superior to the cornbread and pickled vegetables at home; it was simply a delicacy.

In no time, Xu Damao devoured the entire large bowl of fried liver.

He put down his bowl, let out a loud burp, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and his little face was full of satisfaction: "Brother Zhu, it's so delicious! Even better than the noodles my mom makes!"

"As long as it tastes good." He Yuzhu smiled, looking at his round little belly.

"Let's go now that we've finished eating; we still need to check things out ahead."

"Okay!"

Xu Damao immediately stood up, patted his full belly, and was full of energy.

The two brothers got up to leave, but they didn't notice that behind a large tree not far away, several men in short jackets were staring at them with hostile eyes.

From the moment He Yuzhu took out his silver coins to buy candied hawthorns, these men had their eyes on them.

On Panjiayuan Street, two teenagers, dressed plainly, were spending lavishly, switching between silver coins and copper coins. They didn't seem like children from ordinary families at all.

Especially when I bought fried liver just now, it cost another penny, and I didn't even blink. Isn't that a "fat sheep"?

"Brother, these two kids look like they've got some connections, they definitely have money on them."

A tall, thin man whispered to the bearded man beside him, "Should we find a secluded spot and intercept them?"

The bearded man squinted at He Yuzhu and Xu Damao's retreating figures, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

"What's the rush? These two kids are definitely going somewhere else. Follow them and see where they go next. We can make our move when they get to a secluded spot. Then, we'll not only rob them of their money, but we'll also find out who they are. Maybe we can even extort some money from them."

"Big brother is so thoughtful!" The tall, thin man immediately nodded and bowed in agreement.

The group exchanged glances, their faces contorted with greedy smiles. They followed He Yuzhu and Xu Damao at a distance, like a few wolves poised to pounce.

He Yuzhu and Xu Damao were completely unaware and continued walking slowly forward.

When passing by Quanjude, Xu Damao stopped, took a deep sniff, and stared longingly at the golden signboard of Quanjude.

"Brother Zhu, this is it! My dad took me here for roast duck last time!"

He Yuzhu looked up at the gate of Quanjude. Two waiters in long robes were standing at the entrance, warmly greeting the customers coming and going.

He figured that with his current status and attire, if he brought Xu Damao in, the waiter would definitely stop him. Even if they got in, it would be too conspicuous.

If you pack up a roast duck, it's like openly telling others "I have money," and you might get robbed halfway there.

"Let's go, we'll come again later."

He Yuzhu patted Xu Damao on the shoulder and pulled him to continue walking forward.

"We need to be careful with our money now."

Although Xu Damao was somewhat disappointed, he knew that He Yuzhu was telling the truth, so he reluctantly glanced at Quanjude one last time and followed him away.

This scene was witnessed by the bearded man following behind. He curled his lip disdainfully and said to the person next to him, "See that? He won't even go into Quanjude, just putting on an act. He probably doesn't have much money on him. But it doesn't matter, every little bit helps. Let's grab it first!"

The group immediately nodded and followed even closer.

He Yuzhu appeared to be shopping, but in reality, he was constantly keeping an eye on what was happening behind him.

When he bought the fried liver earlier, he felt that someone was watching them, but he wasn't sure if it was targeting him.

As he approached the entrance of Quanjude, he deliberately slowed his pace and glanced behind him out of the corner of his eye. He saw several men hiding behind a tree, staring intently at them, and immediately understood what was going on.

It seems that Panjiayuan Street is not only bustling, but also hides a lot of dangers.