Siheyuan: I have a multi-dimensional chat group!

"Jiefang, you're just not very bright. If I were you, I wouldn't eat at home."

"Xiaoshan spent the New Year alone, busy with all the work, without anyone to help him."

“You’re friends with him, if you don’t help him now, when will you? Besides, Xiaoshan has plenty to eat, he’s the most carefree person in our compound!”

Upon hearing Yan Bugui's words, Yan Jiefang felt that they made sense.

However, looking at Yan Bugui with some concern, he said, "Dad, today is New Year's Eve. Is it inappropriate for me to go over now?" "If not now, when? Just say that Xiaoshan seems lonely spending the New Year alone. Go and keep him company. It's also fulfilling your duty as a friend." Yan Bugui looked at his silly son with a hint of exasperation.

Yan Jiefang quickly took two bites of the steamed bun, ate some meat and vegetables, and went out towards the backyard.

Watching Yan Jiefang leave, Yan Jiecheng immediately gave him a thumbs up: "Dad, it has to be you, you're so eloquent! You even managed to fool Jiefang."

"Don't talk nonsense, what do you mean by 'fooling him until he's crippled'? I'm envious of him right now!" Yan Bugui glared at Yan Jiecheng. "At least Xiaoshan's family has wine and meat for the New Year, and plenty of white flour buns. I'm an elder in the courtyard, I can't bring myself to do that. It's only because Jiefang has a good relationship with Xiaoshan that I can benefit from it."

Hearing what Yan Bugui said, Yan Jiecheng and his two siblings felt a pang of sadness.

Why didn't I cultivate a good relationship with Xiaoshan?

Liu Haizhong's family, they just finished eating.

Aunt Er walked into the house mysteriously and said to Liu Haizhong and the others, "I just saw Jiefang go into Xiaoshan's house. What's he doing at Xiaoshan's house during the New Year?"

“Who is Uncle San? He’d be at a disadvantage if he didn’t take advantage of the situation!” Liu Guangqi reacted the fastest. “Xiao Shan is spending the New Year alone, so he must have asked Jiefang to keep him company.”

“Xiaoshan will definitely have a good New Year’s Eve dinner, and he can’t finish it all by himself. It’s good to have Jiefang help him eat some. Besides, it sounds good to others, since he’s a friend.”

As he spoke, Liu Guangqi looked at his younger brother Liu Guangtian: "Guangtian, what are you doing sitting at home? Go too! You're just idling around at home anyway."

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangtian thought it made sense, so he said to Liu Haizhong, who was standing next to him, "Dad, I'll go and see him too. Xiaoshan is indeed a bit lonely spending the New Year alone."

Liu Haizhong didn't say anything, he just nodded.

Seeing that Liu Haizhong agreed, Liu Guangtian got up and went straight to Xiao Shan's house.

Xiao Shan was eating at home while chatting with members of a chat group.

Group admin Xiao Shan: "Oh dear, it's Chinese New Year today, and I'm eating alone at home. It's really a bit boring!"

Zhang Chulan: "Group owner, why don't you ask the chat group when they'll enable the feature to access group members' worlds? That way, we can come and have dinner with you!"

Group owner Xiao Shan: "This chat group isn't automated, how am I supposed to ask questions!"

Zhang Chulan: "Then there's nothing we can do!"

Yue Buqun: "Group owner, why don't you learn the Spirit Binding and Commanding technique from the group's shared files, and find a ghost to have a drink with you?"

Group owner Xiao Shan: "Then forget it! If others see this, they'll think I've gone crazy!"

Group owner Xiao Shan: "By the way, Sect Leader Yue, how is the Huashan Sect doing these days?"

Yue Buqun: "The development is going quite well! Because of the smooth expansion of the Xinfuwei Escort Agency under Lin Zhennan's management, I now have more money and resources to recruit more disciples!"

Zhang Sanfeng: "Sect Leader Yue, are there any new disciples with good talent?"

Yue Buqun: "You know what, I've actually discovered two quite talented disciples! I'm currently testing their character! If they pass the test, I plan to personally teach them!"

Zhang Sanfeng: "Then congratulations, Sect Leader Yue!"

Ying Zheng: "Master Zhang, how is the matter of you sending Zhang Cuishan down the mountain to compete for the dragon?"

Zhang Sanfeng: "I'm currently helping Cuishan and his fellow disciples improve their strength. In a few more days, we'll be done! Then we can film Cuishan and the others descending the mountain!"

Zhang Sanfeng: "Emperor Qin, how is the situation on your end?"

Ying Zheng: "I have found all the talented people like Xiao He who are capable of serving me and have entrusted them with important responsibilities! As for the rest, they are either hidden away or are too young!"

Just as Xiao Shan was chatting enthusiastically with the chat group members, Yan Jiefang knocked on the door and came in first, followed by Liu Guangtian.

Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang exchanged a glance, both understanding each other's reasons for coming.

Xiao Shan naturally knew why they had come.

However, I don't lack these things, and it's nice to have someone come and chat and have a drink with me.

So Xiao Shan got up to get bowls and chopsticks for the two of them, and said with a smile, "Come, come, sit down! It's rare for you two to come and keep me company today. Drinking alone is really a bit boring!"

After setting out the bowls and chopsticks, Xiao Shan sat down again and poured a glass of Fenjiu for each of them: "Come on, drink up!"

Chapter 76, Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang Speak the Truth While Drunk! (Please Subscribe!)

Seeing the wine Xiao Shan handed him, Liu Guangtian smiled and said, "Xiao Shan, then we won't stand on ceremony."

"Knowing you're spending the New Year alone, we came to keep you company," Yan Jiefang said after taking a sip of his wine.

Xiao Shan poured himself a glass and slurped it down in one gulp: "Eat your food, eat your food, don't be shy with me!"

Middle courtyard, Jia's house.

In the center of the table was a plate of stewed rabbit, with some fatty meat mixed in, which made the rabbit meat not too dry.

A pot of stewed chicken, a stir-fried chicken breast, a pot of stewed cabbage with vermicelli, and two plates of large white steamed buns.

"Our family's life is getting better and better now, Dongxu is really capable!" Jia Zhangshi looked at the table full of dishes, beaming with joy. "Huairu, you've really benefited from marrying our Dongxu."

Qin Huairu smiled and said, "Mom, I know! Dongxu is the pillar of our family. He works outside to earn money, so we two will definitely take good care of the house and the children and not let Dongxu worry about anything."

“What you said makes sense. Dongxu is in charge of external affairs, while the two of us women are in charge of internal affairs. We shouldn’t let the men worry about things at home.” Madam Jia nodded in satisfaction.

Listening to his mother and wife's conversation, Jia Dongxu smiled and said, "Mom, let's eat! Oh, and get me a plate. I'll get some food for my master. He didn't agree to spend the New Year with us before, so I'm bringing them some food so he won't have any complaints."

Madam Jia was not very happy, but she still went along with her son's wishes.

After all, the son is the pillar of the family.

Moreover, his son still needs Yi Zhonghai to teach him the skills at the steel rolling mill!

Qin Huairu went to the kitchen, got a plate, and put some rabbit meat and some chicken on it.

Jia Dongxu carried the plate out the door and arrived at Yi Zhonghai's door. He knocked on the door and said, "Master, it's me, Dongxu. I'm coming in."

Yi Zhonghai, who was eating inside, heard Jia Dongxu's voice and quickly stood up to open the door.

However, since the door wasn't locked, Jia Dongxu simply carried the plate inside.

After placing the plate on the table, Jia Dongxu said to Yi Zhonghai, "Master, since we couldn't celebrate the New Year together, I brought you a bowl of dishes with rabbit and chicken."

Upon hearing Jia Dongxu's words, Yi Zhonghai was immediately overjoyed and felt extremely comforted.

Although his apprentice didn't spend the New Year with him, he still thought of him.

Zhu Zi was always a little short of something; at least in Zhu Zi's mind, his master was now much more powerful than him, an old man.

Seeing Jia Dongxu about to turn back, Yi Zhonghai quickly stopped him: "Dongxu, how can your master eat your food for free? You should take something back with you."

An older woman smiled and said to the deaf old lady, "Grandma, we know you love meat, so Dongxu brought you rabbit and chicken."

The old lady looked at the plate of meat that Jia Dongxu had placed on the table and couldn't stop smiling: "He's a filial child. Xiao Yi, you've taken on a good apprentice."

"Grandma, eat your fill today!" Yi Zhonghai nodded with a smile and said to the old lady, "Old man, go get a bowl and give Dongxu some braised pork and some red-braised pork."

"Master's wife, no need, we have enough food at home." Seeing the middle-aged woman about to go in to get a bowl, Jia Dongxu quickly refused.

But the older woman didn't listen to Jia Dongxu at all. She took out a bowl and scooped out half a bowl of braised pork and half a bowl of red-braised pork.

Then he pushed the bowl full of meat in front of Jia Dongxu: "Dongxu, take this!"

"Master's wife, I..." Jia Dongxu was a little embarrassed.

The plate of meat I brought myself was less than half of what the older woman had in her bowl!

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai patted Jia Dongxu on the shoulder: "Your teacher's wife told you to take it, so take it. Why are you being so polite with me?"

"Thank you, Master!" Jia Dongxu then picked up his bowl and said to Yi Zhonghai, "Master, I'll head back now. After the Lantern Festival, Master, Mistress, and the old lady, please come to our house for dinner, and we'll have a good get-together."

"Okay, Master will definitely be there then." Yi Zhonghai smiled and saw Jia Dongxu out of the house.

Back inside, after sitting down again, Yi Zhonghai happily said to the deaf old lady, "Grandma, taking Dongxu as my apprentice was the best decision I ever made! This child is kind-hearted, filial, and skillful."

"Xiao Jia is good. At least when I leave, I won't have to worry about you two." The deaf old lady nodded.

Upon hearing what the deaf old lady said, the middle-aged woman quickly said, "Grandma, don't talk about these things during the New Year! May you be healthy and live a long life."

At the Jia family home, Jia Zhangshi and Qin Huairu watched as Jia Dongxu went out carrying a plate and returned carrying a bowl.

Jia Dongxu placed the bowl on the table and said to Jia Zhangshi, "Mom, this is braised pork and stewed pork from Master's family."

Looking at the even more meat than had been given away, Jia Zhangshi's earlier resentment vanished instantly.

Braised pork belly tastes much better than chicken or rabbit meat, and it looks so fatty.

“Your master is really good to you. I was short-sighted just now!” Madam Jia said to Jia Dongxu. “As expected, men have foresight. Otherwise, our family would have to collect meat ration coupons for several months before we could have a single meal of braised pork.”

Backyard, Xiao Shan's home.

Xiao Shan raised his glass to Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang and said, "Guangtian, Jiefang, I wish us all a better year ahead! Cheers!"

Liu Guangtian and Yan Jiefang also raised their glasses: "May we all have a better year ahead, cheers!"

The three of them downed their drinks in one gulp.

Xiao Shan put down his wine glass: "Hurry up and eat. After we finish eating, come with me to set off firecrackers. We bought a lot of firecrackers at home."

The two of them got excited at the mention of setting off firecrackers.

The two were a little younger than Xiao Shan, both eighteen years old, a time when they loved to have fun.

They just don't have money normally, and their families would never give them money to buy firecrackers.

The three chatted about all sorts of things for almost two hours, leaving peanut shells and sunflower seed shells scattered all over the floor, and the table piled high with bones.

While chewing on a White Rabbit milk candy, Yan Jiefang said to Xiao Shan, "Xiao Shan, to tell you the truth, I've never eaten so much good food in my life, nor have I ever been this full! At home, we usually eat peanuts and sunflower seeds one by one."

Yan Jiefang was a little tipsy and started complaining about how calculating and stingy his father was.

Xiao Shan laughed and said, "You should be content! You have four children. Look at any other family with four children, can they compare to yours? You share everything equally."

"Who doesn't favor their eldest child? It's a miracle the younger children even survived! Guangtian is a perfect example."

Upon hearing Xiao Shan's words, Liu Guangtian immediately retorted indignantly, "Jiefang, I envy you! My eldest brother gets all the good food and clothes in our family."

"Not only do Guangfu and I have nothing good, but we also get beaten up every now and then."

"Ever since I was old enough to understand, I've envied you and Xiaoshan. No matter how you're doing, at least you don't get beaten up at home all the time!"

"You know what? My dad, if you say something wrong during a meal, he'll slap you across the face."

The two brothers, a little tipsy, started complaining in front of Xiao Shan.

Xiao Shan had no choice but to listen.

If we don't listen to them finish speaking, they'll feel uncomfortable holding it in, and if they go home and tell everyone, they'll probably get a scolding or a beating!

During the Spring Festival, Xiaoshan couldn't let his two buddies suffer like this!

Liu Guangtian got more and more carried away as he spoke: "There will come a day when I grow up, and by then my dad will be old. Once I earn my own money, I'll rent a place outside and let my dad live with my older brother. Don't even think about letting me, his son, take care of him. If he pushes me too far, I'll give him a good beating."

Yan Jiefang patted Liu Guangtian on the shoulder and said with deep agreement, "Buddy, you're doing the right thing! When I grow up, get married, and make money, I'll give my dad pickled vegetables by the piece when I'm feeding him."

It must be said that these two really do what they say.

At least in the future videos seen in Xiaoshan, that's what they did.

Seeing that the two had almost finished speaking, Xiao Shan said, "Gentlemen, it's getting late. Let's hurry outside and set off some firecrackers! Didn't you hear how lively it is outside? After we finish setting them off in the courtyard, we'll go for a stroll in the street."

Hearing that they could finally set off firecrackers, the two stopped complaining and downed their last glass of wine.

Xiao Shan led the two to his bedroom and took out a box from under the bed.

Inside were small firecrackers with a hundred shots for children, and larger ones with a thousand shots.

He didn't buy one of those long firecrackers with ten thousand shots; there are many children in the yard, and it wouldn't be good if one of them got hurt.

Xiao Shan pointed to the thousand-shot firecrackers in the box and said to the two men, "Each of you take a string and hang it on the tree in our yard so everyone in the yard can hear it."

"Xiaoshan, you bought so many!" Liu Guangtian said, looking at the firecrackers in the box. "My dad bought five strings of 100-shot firecrackers. One string a day for the 30th, the 1st, and the 15th of the lunar month, and we still have two strings left over."

Yan Jiefang said enviously, "At least your family sets off firecrackers by the string during the New Year, but our family sets them off one by one."

“My dad would take apart the hundred-firecrackers and then braid several of them together to make a string of firecrackers. A string of hundred-firecrackers could last my family for two years.”

"My dad was worried that the firecrackers would stop making a sound if they were left out for too long. Otherwise, he would only set off one on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month to make a sound."

Hearing the two of them complain about even a string of firecrackers, Xiao Shan felt somewhat helpless.

It seems they have indeed harbored a lot of resentment towards their own family.