Siheyuan: I have a multi-dimensional chat group!

When the old woman saw the carp in the bucket, she exclaimed happily, "Old man, you're in luck today! You caught such a big carp!"

Yan Bugui put down the small bucket in his hand, waved his hand and said, "I didn't catch this. Xiaoshan caught it under my guidance! You can take this fish and stew it. We'll split it in half, one for our family and one for Xiaoshan!"

The aunt's eyes lit up instantly. She quickly scooped the carp out and started cleaning it: "Okay, I'll clean it right away and stew it tonight. Xiaoshan, you chat with your uncle for a while and have some water."

"Third Uncle, I'll go home first and take this fish to my master!" Xiao Shan waved his hand and said to Yan Bugui.

The master Xiao Shan mentioned was Mao Dexing, a level-six welder who worked in the same workshop as him.

Mao Dexing was a good friend of Xiao Shan's father. After Xiao Shan entered the steel rolling mill, Mao Dexing took good care of him.

So now that he's caught a fish, Xiao Shan won't forget his master.

"Alright, Xiaoshan, you go ahead and do your thing!" Yan Bugui nodded.

At noon, the courtyard was relatively quiet, and Qin Huairu was not seen by the pond in the middle courtyard.

The door to He Yuzhu's house was open, so He Yushui was probably at home.

Xiao Shan walked to the door and saw that He Yushui was indeed doing her homework at the table.

Xiao Shan said to He Yushui, who was doing her homework, "Yushui, get a bucket!"

"What's wrong, Brother Xiaoshan?" Hearing Xiaoshan's voice, He Yuzhu put down his pen and stood up.

"I went fishing with Uncle San today and caught a few fish. I'll share one with you and Brother Zhu!"

He Yushui quickly grabbed a bucket and filled it with about half a bucket of water from the yard.

Watching Xiao Shan put a fish into the bucket, He Yushui smiled and said, "Brother Xiao Shan, thank you!"

"Don't mention it!" Xiao Shan waved his hand. "Alright, you can continue with your homework. I'm going back now!"

Back home, Xiao Shan put down the bucket, sat down in a chair to rest, and browsed the group's online store, looking for items he could use.

Finally, I spent 2 points to buy a large bag of flour and a large bag of apples from the store.

The other eight items are either unusable or not cost-effective.

He found a flour sack in the house, filled it with ten large apples, and then put the flour and apples into the hole in the bedroom floor.

This underground cave was dug by my grandparents in Xiaoshan before liberation, to hide grain and valuables.

Because the digging was quite ingenious, the entrance was difficult to find, which allowed them to evade the Japanese invaders' attempts to seize all the grain in the city several times back then.

After resting in bed for about half an hour, Xiao Shan got up, ate lunch, and then carried the fish and apples to his master Mao Dexing's house.

Upon arriving at the central courtyard, they saw Jia Zhangshi sewing shoe soles at the entrance.

Jia Zhangshi stared at the fish Xiao Shan was carrying: "Xiao Shan, where did you buy this fish? If you don't know how to cook it, bring it over and Aunt Jia will cook it for you. We'll eat it at our house tonight."

"Aunt Jia, I went to Shichahai with Uncle San this morning and was lucky enough to catch this fish. I'm sorry, this fish is a gift."

Xiao Shan replied and quickly walked outside.

Jia Zhangshi stared at the fish in Xiaoshan for a long time, muttering that she would let Dongxu try it next time he had a break, since he was just idling around on vacation anyway.

By the time Xiao Shan returned to the courtyard house with a bag of peanuts, it was almost dinnertime.

As soon as Xiao Shan entered the front yard, he smelled a rich aroma of fish wafting from Yan Bugui's house.

Yan Bugui, who was sitting at the door, stood up when he saw Xiao Shan return and said with a smile, "Xiao Shan is back, come in quickly!"

Xiao Shan followed Yan Bugui into the house.

At this time, Yan Jiecheng was not yet married, and Yu Li had not yet married into the family.

Four children were gathered around the table, inhaling the fragrance in the air.

Yan Bugui said with a smile, "Xiaoshan, I didn't lie to you, did I? Your third aunt's cooking skills are unparalleled."

Xiao Shan gave a thumbs up and said, "Third Aunt's skills are superb. I'll definitely go back to Third Aunt when I catch fish in the future."

"Xiaoshan, don't be so polite with us. If you want to eat something but don't know how to cook it, just bring it to my mom, and she'll make sure you're satisfied," Yan Jiecheng chimed in.

Yan Jiefang also chimed in, "Yes, we've been childhood friends, so don't stand on ceremony with our family."

Hearing what the two brothers said, Xiao Shan was speechless, but he could understand.

Yan Bugui's family usually eats pickled vegetables by the piece, and a few kind words can improve their lives; anyone would be willing to do that.

Soon, the aunt came out carrying two plates: "Xiaoshan, take this plate back and eat it. You don't need to wash it after you're done eating. Just bring it back and I'll wash it."

Half a carp is laid flat on the plate, with the rich broth covering half of its body.

Xiao Shan took the plate: "Thank you so much, Auntie. Uncle, I'll head back now and bring you the plate back tomorrow." After Xiao Shan left, the children all gathered around him.

"Sit down, everyone. We'll save the fish for tomorrow; let's eat the offal today. There are fish intestines, fish roe, and fish maw—all good stuff. This offal is enough for our family to have a meal," Yan Bugui said with a smile.

"Dad, it's September now, the weather isn't cool. It would be such a waste if it broke tomorrow!" Yan Jiecheng said, swallowing hard as he stared at the plate of fish.

Yan Jiefang, Yan Jiekuang, and Yan Jiedi all nodded repeatedly.

Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses and said, "No, I'll put cold water in the pot and place the plate of fish on the water. It won't spoil even after a week, let alone a day. If we eat it all today, it'll be gone tomorrow! If we eat it sparingly, it can last for two days. I can make some fish soup with the rest, which will last for another day."

The old man's profound reasoning successfully persuaded the children.

"Dad, you're really good at shrewd calculations. Even if we're not full, fish is more satisfying than pickled vegetables," Yan Jiecheng flattered.

Looking at Yan Jiecheng, Yan Bugui took a bite of pickled vegetables and said, "Xiaoshan told me about Zhuzi finding a partner today. Jiecheng is also at the age where he should be looking for a partner. After I catch some fish next week, I'll take them to Director Wang and ask her for help! Finding a matchmaker costs money, but going through the neighborhood committee will save that money."

"Old man, you always have the best ideas!" the third aunt said approvingly. "But why did Zhuzi go to see Director Wang? Old Yi always treats Zhuzi so well, why didn't he help Zhuzi make arrangements?"

Chapter Fourteen: Jia Dongxu, troubled, drinks with Xu Damao! (Please collect, give flowers, and leave reviews!)

"It was Xiaoshan who helped arrange for Shazhu to go see Director Wang, otherwise how could he have thought of it on his own!" Yan Jiecheng took a bite of fish offal and then a bite of cornbread. "Who can't see through Grandpa's little schemes? Only Shazhu is a reckless fool who was fooled by Grandpa's words and thought Grandpa was a good person."

After a slight pause, Yan Jiecheng continued, "The old man must have thought that Jia Dongxu's mother was hard to handle, so he was cultivating a relationship with the Jia family while keeping an eye on He Yuzhu. He was afraid that once He Yuzhu got married and had a wife and kids, he wouldn't care about him anymore!"

At this moment, Yan Jiefang suddenly realized and said, "I really didn't expect that old man, who usually looks so respectable, would be so scheming behind the scenes."

Yan Bugui quickly tapped the table: "These kinds of things are fine to say within our own home; no one is allowed to go out and tell anyone else."

"Dad, look at what you're saying. We're not stupid. Let the old man scheme against whoever he wants, as long as he doesn't scheme against our family," Yan Jiefang said with a smile.

In the courtyard, everyone started cooking, and the aroma of cooking filled the air.

Xu Damao was killing a chicken in front of his house. He had just plucked the feathers and was cleaning its internal organs.

He noticed the aroma emanating from the plate in Xiao Shan's hand: "Xiao Shan, this fish looks good, where did you get it?"

"Brother Mao is killing a chicken, you're eating well!" Xiao Shan said with a smile. "I caught a fish at Shichahai today and had Auntie San stew it. I'm just about to take it home to try Auntie San's cooking."

Xu Damao's eyes darted around, and he said to Xiao Shan, "Wow, Auntie's cooking is amazing! Why don't we have a meal together today? You go home and keep the fish warm, and I'll stew the chicken. Two hearty dishes, and we can have a drink."

"Alright, I'll wait for Brother Mao at home." Xiao Shan nodded.

Neither the current Xiao Shan nor the original owner of the body had any conflicts with Xu Damao, so their relationship was quite good.

Back home, Xiao Shan scooped out two bowls of flour from the jar and simply rolled them into the shape of flatbreads.

Pour some sesame paste on top, add some salt, and place it on the hot plate.

Then the griddle was placed on the gas stove, and soon two large pancakes were cooked.

Place the iron pot on the stove, turn on low heat, add some water to the pot, and put the fish in to keep it warm.

The flatbread remained on the hot plate, cooling down slowly while the plate retained its warmth.

More than half an hour later, Xu Damao came back with a large bowl of chicken in one hand and a plate with four steamed buns in the other: "Xiaoshan, can you help me out?"

Xiao Shan quickly got up, took the large bowl, and placed it on the table.

After Xu Damao sat down, Xiao Shan said, "Brother Mao, you're too kind. Why did you bring steamed buns? I just made two flatbreads."

Xu Damao picked up the flatbread, took a bite, and gave a thumbs up: "Not bad, crunchy, and it even has sesame paste on it."

Xiao Shan took out the stewed fish, and the two began to eat.

There was fish and chicken; many families don't even have such a feast during the Lunar New Year.

"Brother Mao, being a projectionist is a lucrative job, many people envy it." Xiao Shan chatted casually with Xu Damao.

Xu Damao wiped his mouth: "This meal really satisfied my craving! I'm not bragging, but even though I'm not that old, my projection skills are among the best in Beijing. These days, you need to have something to show for yourself to live a comfortable life!"

"Shazhu brings vegetables from the factory every day because of his cooking skills. Why doesn't anyone care? Because he cooks really well. Even if the leaders find out, they turn a blind eye as long as it's not too outrageous. Once Master Liu retires, Shazhu will be the only one who can keep things running in the steel mill's kitchen."

"But Sha Zhu is nowhere near as good as me. He serves the leaders, while I eat at the same table with them. If the leaders want to watch a movie, they have to call me. If you need anything in the future, just ask me, and I'll definitely get it done for you."

Xu Damao, that bastard, started bragging even before he'd had a drink.

"Thank you in advance, Brother Mao! I happen to have a bottle of Fenjiu here, let's have a couple of drinks!" Xiao Shan got up and took out an unopened bottle of Fenjiu from the bedroom.

This was naturally bought from the group's online store by Xiaoshan; it was a whole box.

However, Xiao Shan doesn't have the habit of drinking alone, so he never brought it out to drink.

I happened to be having dinner with Xu Damao today, so I took it out to try.

"This is really good wine. I'm getting a taste of your goodness today." Xu Damao's eyes lit up as he looked at the Fenjiu in Xiao Shan's hand.

Xiao Shan poured two glasses. Xu Damao picked up one, took a sip, and said, "Not bad, the aroma is rich and mellow, it's good wine!"

Xu Damao felt closer to the liquor than to his own father, and quickly downed more than half a bottle of Fenjiu before lying down under the table.

Helpless, Xiao Shan helped Xu Damao up and walked towards his home.

Xiao Shan threw Xu Damao onto the bed and went home.

There's still a little bit of chicken left, some fish, half a flatbread, and one steamed bun.

I poured all the chicken and fish into my own bowl; breakfast is sorted for tomorrow.

After browsing the group chat for a bit, Xiao Shan went to bed.

The next day was another day of feeling refreshed and invigorated.

Get up and wash the large bowls and plates clean, then deliver them to Xu Damao and Yan Bugui's homes.

Xu Damao was still asleep, covered by the blanket and fast asleep.

Xiao Shan put down the large bowl and went to Yan Bugui's house.

"Xiaoshan, why did you bring it yourself? You're too kind. I was just about to tell Jiecheng to take it," Yan Bugui said with a smile as he took the plate from Xiaoshan.

"It was just a small matter, Uncle, I'll be going now."

Back home, Xiao Shan reheated yesterday's food and ate breakfast.

After resting for a while, Xiao Shan prepared to go to work.

As I passed by the Intermediate People's Court, I happened to see Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu washing up.

Xiao Shan greeted them, but Jia Dongxu seemed preoccupied and only nodded perfunctorily.

After watching Xiao Shan leave, Yi Zhonghai frowned at the absent-minded Jia Dongxu and said, "Dongxu, what happened? You look so worried. Tell your master if you have something to say. If your master can solve it for you, he will. If he can't, he will find someone else to solve it."

Jia Dongxu opened his mouth, but was a little embarrassed to speak.

But in the end, she gritted her teeth and said, "Master, we're out of food again! Only twenty days have passed this month, and we've only managed to survive by eating sparingly."

Yi Zhonghai frowned. These days, no family is well-off, and many people don't have enough to eat.

Given the Jia family's situation, the two women only ate until they were half full, the two children didn't eat much, and Jia Dongxu ate more while he was at work.

If I buy some more expensive grains, I can still save some money at the end of the month.

However, Yi Zhonghai would not say such things.

His goal was to create an atmosphere of filial piety towards elders in the courtyard, so that Jia Zhangshi would eat less, which would be contrary to his plan!

If you don't have money, you should let your elders eat less. Who will they rely on to support them in their old age?

Even if you were to provide for him in his old age, he'd probably just be after his family's wealth.

Chapter Fifteen: The Magic Beans, Yu Daiyan Fully Recovered! (Please add to your favorites, give flowers, and leave reviews!)

Yi Zhonghai walked over, patted Jia Dongxu on the shoulder and said, "Dongxu, you go to work first. I'll think of something tonight. Our compound is a civilized compound, and no one will let your family go hungry!"

Hearing Yi Zhonghai's assurance, Jia Dongxu finally smiled: "Thank you, Master. I will definitely learn the craft well from you and take care of you in your old age!"

Jia Dongxu's words greatly comforted Yi Zhonghai.

All that effort and deception of Jia Dongxu over the years, wasn't it all for this one sentence?