Siheyuan: Security Office of Wude

"Second son, you're exaggerating. Five pounds of meat? I've never eaten that much in my life. Even if the security department has good treatment, it shouldn't be that much, right?"

"That's right, five pounds of meat a day? I wouldn't even dream of such a luxury."

"Coward, I dare you!"

Everyone was talking about it, and they were really curious about how much New Year's goods Bai Wanli would have this year. Moreover, everyone knew that Bai Wanli must have the best living conditions in this courtyard. Observing Bai Wanli's living conditions would also help them have a specific goal to imagine whether they could live such a life in the future.

Not long after, the familiar sound of a motorcycle engine was heard outside the yard.

Everyone came to the gate and stretched their necks to look in the direction of the alley. Soon, Bai Wanli appeared on a motorcycle with his wife. But to their surprise, there was nothing hanging on Bai Wanli's motorcycle. There was nothing in front or behind.

Bai Wanli can't get any New Year's gifts? This is impossible

No one believed that with Bai Wanli's status and position, and the honor of the great shopkeeper's personal gift of calligraphy, he would really have a miserable New Year without any New Year goods! In this regard, they were even more confident than Bai Wanli himself.

Soon, a cart appeared in the box behind Bai Wanli.

Fang Qiang was pulling the cart, while Yu Li was jogging and holding the cart.

The neighbors who had just believed that Director Bai would definitely receive generous New Year gifts, all had their brains shut down when they saw the pile of carts.

Um...could it be Director Bai’s New Year’s gift?

Chapter 281 New Year's Eve Dinner Invitation

Bai Wanli took Zhu Qingan home directly. The neighbors in the yard did not dare to stop his car and automatically made way for him.

Fang Qiang arrived at the gate and stopped the cart: "Xiao Li, take our things down, I'll take the rest to the director."

"Okay, the road is slippery, so be careful."

Yu Li let go of the hand holding the cart and took down the two net bags and a chicken on the top. After Yu Li took the things away, Fang Qiang pushed the cart to Bai's house.

As soon as Fang Qiang left, the neighbors, who had been unable to contain their curiosity, quickly gathered around.

"Mrs. Fang, are the New Year's goods at the Security Department so abundant? This whole rooster must have cost a lot of money, right?"

Yu Li smiled and said:

"This is also my first year receiving New Year's gifts from the Security Department. I don't know the situation in previous years, but Director Bai said that we can't let the brothers in the Security Department patrol with empty stomachs and fight against enemy agents, so we divided all the rewards from the organization this year among the brothers. This chicken in our house was also a reward from our superiors."

The Security Department has made a lot of achievements this year. I don't know how many versions of this have been publicized in Nanluoguxiang. People in the courtyard are also very aware of it. Looking at the heavy New Year's goods in Yu Li's hands, everyone is full of envy, but they all say good things.

"The Security Department has captured an enemy spy. They are great heroes and should be rewarded more."

"That's also because Director Bai has good leadership, otherwise why wasn't the Security Department so powerful before?"

"Mrs. Fang, Director Bai has a lot of New Year's goods this year, right? We just saw that it has filled up a whole truck. Can you tell us exactly how much there is?"

"How would I know how much the director's New Year gifts are? It's not me who distributes them."

"But I heard that the director's elders sent him a lot of New Year's goods these days. The boxes of things haven't been opened yet, so I don't know what's inside."

"Hey, ladies, I can't talk to you anymore. I have to go back to cook. I'll talk to you later."

Yu Li's whole family now lives a good life thanks to Bai Wanli's relationship, so she doesn't dare to talk about Bai Wanli's right and wrong. She just explained that Bai Wanli's elders sent him New Year's gifts to prevent these people from guessing whether Bai Wanli put all the things from the Security Department into his own pocket. She didn't dare to say anything else.

After saying that, he found an excuse to leave, so that these aunties and uncles wouldn't bother him anymore. Too much talk leads to mistakes, and it would be terrible if he said something wrong.

Yu Li is Fang Qiang's wife. Her words carry more weight than those of old guys like Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui. Those aunties didn't dare to stop her. They just said enviously after Yu Li left:

"Did you see it? In the net bag?"

"Of course I saw it. That big piece of pork looked heavier than the chicken, at least 7-8 kilograms. So it seems that the Security Department's distribution of 5 kilograms of meat a day to security guards on duty during the New Year is not nonsense."

"Not only that, there are two cans in the net bag, they look like malted milk."

"Maltese, I really want to try it and see what it tastes like. I've never had it in my life."

"If you want to try it, go ask Fang's wife for some."

"Sister Chen, you want to harm me, don't you? Section Chief Fang is not someone who is easy to get along with. How dare I go to his wife to ask for money?"

"Chief Fang's New Year's goods are so rich, I wonder what Chief Bai's New Year's goods will look like."

"Yes, there is a huge pile of things covered by the oilcloth. I dare not imagine how many good things there are."

Everyone's curiosity about the Bai family's New Year's goods did not disappear. Instead, they became more curious after knowing the abundance of the Fang family's New Year's goods.

At the Bai family, after Bai Wanli settled Zhu Qing'an, he and Fang Qiang moved the New Year's goods from the car into the house.

There were indeed quite a lot of things. Bai Wanli did take more New Year's goods than Fang Qiang, but they didn't fill up a whole car. The rest were things sent by uncles and aunts.

Two slaughtered sheep, each weighing about 30 kilograms, a box of canned beef, a box of Fenjiu, a box of Maotai, 100 kilograms of Fuqiang flour, no cornmeal at all, countless kinds of preserved fruits and vegetables, dried beans, dried mushrooms, vermicelli, etc. from the countryside.

There are also some wild medicinal herbs. I will take Zhu Qingan to Heniantang for a pulse check after the New Year to see if any of these herbs are suitable for Zhu Qingan's health.

Fang Qiang, a deputy section chief with a good living condition, was jealous of such New Year's goods. Most people would not even dare to think about it.

After Fang Qiang finished moving the last box of things, Bai Wanli asked:

"Fang Qiang, where are you going to have your New Year's Eve dinner? In the yard or at your parents' place?" Fang Qiang was not a married man, so it would be inappropriate to have New Year's Eve dinner at his parents-in-law's place, so there was no need to ask.

"Xiao Li, I have discussed with my family and decided to have the New Year's Eve dinner in this courtyard. We will go to pay New Year's greetings to my parents and in-laws on the first day of the new year."

"That's perfect. Let's have the New Year's Eve dinner together this year."

Fang Qiang was surprised and delighted, but he still suppressed the urge to agree immediately and said, "Director, is this too much of a bother?"

"Why are you disturbing me? You've seen so much food. How can Qing An and I finish it all? Even though the weather is cool now, we can't keep it here forever. If it's left for a long time, it will go bad. Isn't that a waste? Just help us use it up."

"Director, you are really insulting me. It is my honor that you invite me. How dare I say 'help'? Xiaoli and I will come to help on the morning of New Year's Eve."

"Okay, let's notify the Wu brothers to come over as well. Let's celebrate the New Year with the two sisters. It's not easy for them to go back during the New Year, and we can't treat them badly on New Year's Eve."

"Okay, Chief, I'll let them know."

Fang Qiang returned to his home in the middle courtyard, and the smile on his face could not be suppressed.

Yu Li, who had just finished packing her things, looked at Fang Qiang and asked in confusion: "Brother Qiangzi, what are you laughing at? Is the director going to promote you?"

"This is even more exciting than being promoted. The director invited us to have dinner with them on New Year's Eve. If the director doesn't trust or look down on someone, how could he be treated this way?"

"That's great, but we can't go empty-handed, right? Should we bring some gifts?"

After hearing what Yu Li said, Fang Qiang's smile disappeared and he suddenly became worried.

"I definitely have to bring this gift, but the director has everything, what should I give him?"

Food and drink? Fang Qiang had seen how rich the New Year's goods were at Bai Wanli's house. There were still three chickens that hadn't been killed, and two boxes of good wine. What could he give as a gift?

Giving money? That's even more inappropriate. The director invited me to have New Year's Eve dinner because he wanted to be close to me. Giving money at this time would make the relationship estranged, wouldn't it?

Giving gifts to leaders is really a science, and Fang Qiang is also troubled by this.

Yu Li also thought about it, and suddenly her eyes lit up and said:

"Brother Qiangzi, I have an idea, would you mind listening to it?"

Chapter 282 New Year’s Eve

"What do you think"

"Recently, I have been looking around for a lot of recipes suitable for children and gave them to my master. Among them, there is a tofu soup that my master said is good. His grandson loves it very much and has been smiling recently. You see, my sister-in-law is going to give birth in a few months, so why don't I teach this dish to my sister-in-law so that she can make it for the child in the future. What do you think?"

Fang Qiang's eyes gradually brightened.

This method is indeed good. Bai Wanli lives a rich life and has everything he wants. Ordinary gifts cannot impress him at all.

But a recipe suitable for children hits the pain point directly, and it is indeed a thoughtful gift for Bai Wanli and Zhu Qingan, who are about to become parents.

Fang Qiang was overjoyed and said, "Xiao Li, your idea is great. I'll follow your advice!"

"Look for some more recipes suitable for children. You can hang out with your sister-in-law more often. When we have children, we can cook for them."

Soon it was New Year's Eve. At dawn, the courtyard was bustling with activity.

"Old man, hurry up, it's almost dawn, we have to line up quickly, otherwise we won't be able to get anything."

"I know, old woman, you're urging me like I'm dying! I'm up now, aren't I?"

"Son! Daughter-in-law! Get up quickly, it's time to go out and buy New Year's goods!"

In the era of material scarcity, people really needed to "snatch" the New Year's goods, because most people had suffered a year of hardship and wanted to live a comfortable life during the New Year, which naturally led to panic buying.

Especially in department stores, if you are a little slow or get up a little late in the morning, the items may be snatched away by others.

Some products even require you to have a good relationship with the salesperson, so that you can get information in advance and know when scarce products, such as bicycles, or nuts and snacks, have arrived. If you don’t have connections with the salesperson, by the time ordinary people know the news, the product will have been sold out.

No wonder the salesperson is one of the eight major members of this era. Since he can get information on the sale of materials, how can his status not be high?

This rush to buy lasts from several days before the Chinese New Year until the morning of New Year's Eve. Even on New Year's Eve, people who didn't get enough New Year's goods before will fight to get enough New Year's goods to celebrate the New Year. Therefore, the rush to buy New Year's goods on this day is more intense than in the previous days.

There were several families in the yard who were short of New Year's goods, so they waited until the morning of New Year's Eve to make their last visit. So a group of people got up before daybreak, and the yard was filled with the clanging of things, as if there was a war going on.

The Bai family had enough New Year's goods, so there was no need to join in the fun. The couple covered themselves with quilts and slept in the warm house until after eight o'clock, which was considered late in this era.

The Bai family had a bathroom, so they didn't need to go to the pool in the yard to wash with cold water in the winter. After brushing his teeth and washing his face, Bai Wanli left enough hot water for Zhu Qingan to wash. Then he went to the kitchen, lit the fire, added water to the pot, put the steamer on, and put two eggs, two corns, and five meat buns.

The steamed buns were prepared by Zhu Qingan and Bread two days ago. The temperature in Beijing has been hovering around -8 degrees Celsius recently. Although it is not as good as the natural refrigerator in the Northeast where the temperature is -20 to 30 degrees Celsius, most food will not go bad if left outside for three or four days.

After breakfast, Bai Wanli went back to the bathroom and helped Zhu Qingan back to the house, then took hot water to make two cups of malted milk.

After a while, Zhu Qingan came back from washing up. Although she used hot water to wash up, she still felt a little chilly when the cold wind blew after she came back. After she sat down, she quickly held the cup of water to warm herself up.

Bai Wanli grabbed her hand and asked, "Are you cold? How about I go get some more coal?"

"Okay, Wanli, be careful not to fall."

"I'm not made of tofu, it's okay if I fall." Bai Wanli put down the cup and walked out. The cold and hot air inside and outside the house collided, and the cold wind blew over all of a sudden. Bai Wanli quickly closed the door and walked towards the stove.

Bai Wanli was originally from the south and had never experienced the northern kang-burning method. Like many southerners, he once mistakenly believed that the northern kang-burning method was to burn fire directly under the kang head for heating. After traveling through time, he realized that the stove that directly burns fire is usually outdoors. After the fire is lit, the hot air circulates in the house through pipes to heat the room.

Now thinking back on it, it's really embarrassing.

Bai Wanli used the fire tongs to open the small door on the stove, took out the burnt coal balls and threw them aside, replaced them with new ones, and fanned the stove with a cattail leaf fan. Soon the fire in the stove became stronger.

There was a knock on the door in the yard. Bai Wanli threw down his fan and shouted to the main room: "Qing'an, please sit in the room. I'll go open the door."

Zhu Qingan, who was about to stand up, could only sit down helplessly. Bai Wanli opened the door, and it was Fang Qiang and Yu Li who came in, followed by the two brothers from the Wu family.