Siheyuan: I have a multi-dimensional chat group!

News of Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao's collaboration quickly spread throughout the entire courtyard.

Upon hearing this, He Yuzhu said to Li Caijuan, "Wife, I'll ask for leave tomorrow morning and then go buy a train ticket to Baocheng."

"Okay, don't worry, I'll take good care of the child at home," Li Caijuan nodded.

Xiaoshan had made preparations to return to Hong Kong, but his father-in-law fell ill, so he had to postpone the trip.

During this period, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao made a lot of money doing business together.

This made Liu Haizhong tremble again in the yard.

That day, Liu Haizhong, heavily pregnant, was taking a walk in the courtyard. Liu Guangtian, with his wife and children, and Liu Guangfu, with his wife and children, also returned to the courtyard together.

"Dad, Guangfu and I have come to see you." Liu Guangtian said to Liu Haizhong with a smile.

If you know I've made a fortune, you'd be a fool not to go home and fawn over me.

Liu Haizhong looked at his two sons and daughters-in-law, and although he didn't give them a friendly look, he was still quite happy inside.

Unfortunately, his beloved eldest son did not come.

The family entered the house, and Auntie Er prepared a table full of dishes.

Now that the family is better off, they don't care about these few measly things.

At the dinner table, Liu Guangtian said to Liu Haizhong, "Dad, how come you've started cooperating with Xu Damao? We have a source for rebar, so we can start this business ourselves."

Liu Haizhong glared at Liu Guangtian and said, "You? Do you have the ability to run a business like Xu Damao? You can't even walk properly, yet you're thinking of running. Aren't you afraid of falling to your death?"

Liu Guangtian felt quite embarrassed by what was said and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Dad, I heard that Xiaoshan is doing very well in Hong Kong now. What do you think about me going to Hong Kong with him and trying my luck?"

"If you're willing to go, that would be great!" Liu Haizhong said after thinking for a moment. "Given your relationship with Xiaoshan, he certainly won't treat you unfairly!"

After a slight pause, Liu Haizhong continued, "But can you really leave your wife and children behind to go to Hong Kong?"

“This…” Liu Guangtian hesitated.

Although I've heard that Hong Kong is a wonderful place, full of gold.

But when it came to actually venturing into it, Liu Guangtian was still a little apprehensive.

When Xiao Shan returned home that evening, he saw the Liu brothers, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, packing up in the earthquake shelter in front of Liu Haizhong's house. It seemed they had moved back.

"Guangtian, are you planning to come back and live here?" Xiao Shan asked with some curiosity.

Liu Guangtian nodded: "Yes!"

"It's good that you're back!" Xiao Shan said with a smile. "Second Uncle has been doing a good job lately. If you follow him and take good care of him, he can easily earn more than you do. You should think about that."

These words resonated with Liu Guangtian; that was exactly what he had planned.

So he quickly came over and said, "Xiaoshan, tell me, if I work with my dad and get rid of Xu Damao, can we really get this done? The rebar was sourced by my dad!"

"I should have listened to you back then. I never imagined my dad had such strong connections. It wasn't obvious before, but now that things have changed, I realize that many of the apprentices my dad took on back then are doing quite well."

“Guangtian, given our relationship, I still have to give you some advice. It’s not good to try and do this all by yourself. You don’t know what tricks Xu Damao is up to. Even if you want to break away from Xu Damao, now is not the time. At the very least, you need to figure out the ins and outs. If you suddenly cut ties, you won’t find enough buyers.” Xiao Shan said slowly, “Although the factory manager of the third branch is your father’s apprentice, relationships are something you lose as you go. Once you’re used to having plenty, nobody wants to starve. Think about this yourself.”

Liu Guangtian thought for a moment and said, "What you said makes sense. Let Xu Damao gloat for a few days!"

Chapter 694, Qin Huairu, the Pancake Seller! (Please Subscribe!)

Xiao Shan was speechless upon hearing Liu Guangtian's words.

But there's not much I can say.

"By the way, Xiaoshan, what do you think about me going to Hong Kong with you?" Liu Guangtian asked, looking at Xiaoshan.

Xiao Shan smiled and said, "As long as you're willing to come with me, I won't make you rich, but you'll at least be richer than you are now! Anyway, before I go back to Hong Kong this time, if you've made up your mind, you can come and tell me!"

"Okay!" Liu Guangtian nodded, indicating that he would consider it carefully.

For Liu Guangtian, the fact that Xiao Shan agreed to the matter so readily showed that he was still a person who valued old friendships.

If I really go to Hong Kong with him, I don't need to worry too much about not making money.

Xiao Shan cautioned, "By the way, don't go around telling anyone about this! If everyone comes asking me to take him to Hong Kong, I'll be driven crazy!"

"Xiaoshan, don't worry, I understand!" Liu Guangtian assured Xiaoshan, patting his chest.

After parting ways with Liu Guangtian, Xiao Shan was about to enter his home when he saw Xu Damao walking over from outside.

Seeing Xiao Shan standing at the door, Xu Damao greeted him, "Xiao Shan, are you free? Let's have a drink together."

"Okay, I'll go home first, then I'll come find you later." Xiao Shan nodded.

After returning home and telling Ding Qiunan, Xiao Shan went to Xu Damao's house.

After entering the house, Xiao Shan looked at Xu Damao and asked, "Brother Mao, is something the matter?"

"Let's drink and chat!" Xu Damao invited Xiao Shan to sit down. "I happened to see some seafood at the market today. Try these big crabs and prawns. Let's eat and chat."

Xiao Shan nodded: "Okay."

After a few drinks, Xu Damao loosened up and lowered his voice, saying, "Xiaoshan, I have a lucrative business opportunity. I wonder if you'd be interested?"

Xiao Shan laughed immediately. This was utter nonsense; Xu Damao had no way of making money whatsoever.

In other words, those who work in the lowest social strata don't earn much money and are taking certain risks; they can't see any legitimate ways to make money.

Xiao Shan smiled and said, "Brother Mao, tell me what you think, I'll take a look too."

"Of course, I can't compare to you now, Xiaoshan. It's just about making a quick buck!" Xu Damao said slowly to Xiaoshan. "I have connections in Japan and can get a batch of TVs. These TVs sell for a little over a thousand in shopping malls. I can get them for six hundred and resell them for eight or nine hundred, making a pure profit of two or three hundred."

Xiao Shan shook his head and said, "Brother Mao, you can handle this yourself. I won't get involved. I'll be going back to Hong Kong in a few days!"

Xu Damao sighed and said, "Drinking, everything is in the wine."

The meal ended with Xu Damao feeling depressed.

When Xiao Shan returned home, Ding Qiunan told him, "Yi Zhonghai tripped and twisted his leg today. I heard that no one cared about him. In the end, He Daqing couldn't stand it anymore and took him to the hospital."

After He Yuzhu and his wife went to Baoding to find He Daqing, He Daqing said he was willing to come back and live with them after hearing about their situation.

So He Daqing returned to courtyard number 95.

"He got what he deserved. Our family has no connection with him, so we don't need to worry about him," Xiao Shan said, waving his hand.

The next day at noon, Xiao Shan was strolling around the yard with his child in his arms when he saw Yi Zhonghai washing vegetables by the pool with crutches in the middle courtyard.

At this time, Yi Zhonghai had a full head of white hair and had completely lost the energy and spirit he had when he was an old man.

My spouse died, and I'm now lame; I have no one to take care of me.

They could have relied on Qin Huairu, but she remarried.

He hasn't come back for the past few years, and even when he's looking after the children, he doesn't come to the courtyard house.

Yi Zhonghai glanced at Xiao Shan briefly before quickly lowering his head to continue washing the vegetables.

Seeing Yi Zhonghai's attitude, Xiao Shan naturally wouldn't take the initiative to greet him.

So he took the child and went for a stroll outside the yard.

After wandering around outside for a while, a familiar figure by the roadside caught Xiao Shan's attention.

It was a pancake stall.

Xiao Shan walked over and tentatively asked, "Sister-in-law Jia?"

The other person looked up, a smile appearing on their weathered face, their slightly aged features still bearing the marks of their former glory: "It's Xiaoshan!"

"Sister Qin, what are you doing selling pancakes here?" Xiao Shan asked, somewhat puzzled.

Judging from her appearance, Qin Huairu was clearly not doing well.

But Xiao Shan remembered that Qin Huairu's remarried husband was a leader, so his family's financial situation shouldn't be too bad.

"Xiaoshan, have you eaten? How about trying Sister Qin's pancakes? I won't charge you." Qin Huairu looked at Xiaoshan and said with a smile, "How many children are you now? They're so cute!"

"Alright, sister-in-law, give me one!" Xiao Shan said with a smile. "This is the third child, twins! This is the little sister, Jinglan, and the big brother, Jingsi, is at home!"

Qin Huairu looked enviously at Xiao Jinglan in Xiao Shan's arms while making pancakes for Xiao Shan.

The pancakes were ready in no time!

Looking at the pancake in his hand, Xiao Shan took a bite. It tasted good; the sauce was clearly something he had carefully prepared himself.

Chapter 695, Jia Zhangshi Frozen to Death! (Please Subscribe!)

Watching Xiao Shan take a bite of the pancake, Qin Huairu smiled and said, "How is it? Xiao Shan!"

"It's delicious, you made it well! Sister-in-law, what are you doing at this pancake stall?" Xiao Shan looked at Qin Huairu with some confusion. "I remember you married well back then."

At this point, Qin Huairu showed a bitter expression and said, "I've been destined to be a hard worker all my life, and I've accepted it! Not long after I remarried, I secretly removed my IUD and had a son. But before the child was weaned, there was an accident at the factory, and he passed away. Fortunately, things have changed now, and I can still sell pancakes, which earns me more than I did at the steel mill. My mother-in-law stays home to take care of the child, and we manage to get by."

Xiao Shan asked in surprise, "Has Jia Zhangshi gone mad? How can she still look after children?"

“Jia Zhangshi died last year; she was my current mother-in-law! You know, I couldn’t control Jia Zhangshi at all. After she remarried, she went even crazier, often disappearing for days at a time. She froze to death outside last winter!” Qin Huairu sighed. “I didn’t even inform Xiaodang and Huaihua; her ashes are still at my house!”

This was something Xiaoshan hadn't expected.

Jia Dongxu died, and her remarried husband also died. Could it be that Qin Huairu really has a jinx to her husbands?

Or is it just that He Yuzhu is lucky?

Looking up at Xiao Shan, Qin Huairu asked curiously, "By the way, Xiao Shan, didn't you go to Hong Kong?"

"Yes, we went to Hong Kong!" Xiao Shan nodded. "My master and mistress, along with my parents-in-law, wanted to see the children after my third child was born recently, so we brought them back with us!"

Qin Huairu looked enlightened: "Oh, I see!"

Then Qin Huairu looked at Xiao Shan and asked, "By the way, I haven't contacted Xiao Dang and Huaihua recently. How is the courtyard house? Is everyone alright?"

"Everything is fine, except that Yi Zhonghai seems to be sick!" Xiao Shan said after thinking for a moment.

Qin Huairu's face turned pale: "I'm sorry to Uncle Yi. I always said I would take care of him in his old age, but I broke my promise."

Xiao Shan shook his head and said, "He brought this on himself. For so many years, he's been trying to use moral blackmail! Forget it, let's not talk about him anymore. My sister-in-law's cooking is pretty good. I bet a lot of people eat her pancakes every day."

“It’s all thanks to the support of our neighbors!” Qin Huairu said with a smile. “Xiaoshan, you’re so capable. Unlike us, we can only do some work from dawn till dusk to earn a living.”

Xiao Shan shook his head and said, "Being self-reliant gives you more confidence to spend the money you earn yourself."

Qin Huairu smiled and said, "That's true. I used to work at the steel rolling mill, and because my job was with Dongxu, I always felt indebted to the Jia family. Now that I'm selling pancakes, I feel much better."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shan began to think more highly of Qin Huairu.

The two chatted briefly for a while, then Xiao Shan turned and left with the child in his arms.

I had originally thought of secretly giving Qin Huairu a few dozen yuan, but then I decided against it.

It's rare that Qin Huairu knows how to be self-reliant and work hard.

Xiao Shan sighed with emotion. Indeed, you don't know what you're capable of until you push yourself.

Two days later, when Xiao Shan returned from his father-in-law's house, he saw a familiar figure on the street.

"Director Li?" Xiao Shan called out tentatively.

Li Huaide turned around almost reflexively and immediately saw Xiao Shan.

Li Huaide looked at it carefully again, then smiled and said, "Xiaoshan, I didn't expect to see you here!"

Xiao Shan walked over and shook hands with Li Huaide: "Director Li, you still look as dashing as ever, so energetic."

"No, I'm too old for you young people," Li Huaide waved his hand and said, "Xiaoshan, have you eaten yet? Want to go grab something to eat together?"

"I just came out of my father-in-law's house after dinner. This guy looks like Director Li, so I thought I'd come over and say hello. I didn't expect it to be him," Xiao Shan said with a smile.

"Haha, what a coincidence!" Li Huaide said to Xiao Shan, "Since we've met today, let's chat. It's been a long time since we last met."

Xiao Shan nodded: "Okay, I don't have anything to do this afternoon, so I'll have a drink with Director Li."

Upon arriving at the nearest hotel, Li Huaide generously ordered six dishes for the two of them, all of which were signature dishes.

"Thank you for the expense, Director!" Xiao Shan said to Li Huaide, looking at the dishes on the table.

Li Huaide said nonchalantly, "What's the big deal? It's just a few dollars."

The two ate and chatted, and Li Huaide recounted what happened back then.

Seeing that Xiao Shan had resigned, Li Huaide also decided to retire while he was still at the peak of his career.

In addition, his father-in-law pulled strings, and before the higher-ups could investigate him, he was removed from his post.