Chapter 179

"Isn't it? Second Aunt is anxious to have a grandchild. Among you young people in the courtyard, Shazhu has no son, and he doesn't even have a partner."

Mrs. Chen delivered a critical hit, luckily Shazhu was not here.

"It's good for Guang Qi to marry a daughter-in-law. Second Master has such a high salary and is usually frugal. This time he will have to spend some money. When you have time, discuss it with Second Sister Sun and the others and encourage Second Aunt to hold a big banquet."

Li Zhiguo chatted for a few minutes and then really had to go home and rest.

……

"Zhiguo, I just ran into my second aunt outside. She asked me if there was a suitable girl in my hometown that I could introduce to Guangqi."

Qin Huairu came back from get off work. The first thing she did was to look at her man, and then she went to look for her child.

"I asked you to find a rural wife for Guangqi?"

Li Zhiguo was stunned for a moment. What was going on? Were country wives becoming popular?

"That's right. I haven't been back to the countryside for a long time. I don't know the situation anymore, so I didn't respond."

Qin Huairu didn't want to do this, but she couldn't take the lead.

"If you don't accept it, you will not be able to be a matchmaker. Come here and massage my shoulders."

Li Zhiguo twisted his neck and felt uncomfortable after lying down for a while.

"Okay!" Qin Huairu put down her bag and came over to massage his shoulders.

"Oh no, Shazhu asked me out for a drink, and I have to go get Guangqi and Damao.

Huairu, you look after the house. When I come back from dinner, remember to boil water for my bath."

Li Zhiguo got up quickly, as he had missed something important due to his sleep.

"Go quickly, I'm at home." Qin Huairu sent the person out and went to the next room to look for the child.

Li Zhiguo hurriedly called Liu Guangqi, but when the guy heard that he could drink, he immediately collapsed.

"Brother, has Shazhu found his conscience today?"

"That's about right, Guangqi. You should save some money. Then it'll be your turn to treat me."

Li Zhiguo put his arm around Liu Guangqi's shoulder and they went to Lao Xu's house.

"Da Mao, yo, you are busy changing the baby's diaper, then hurry up, Sha Zhu will buy you a drink."

He saw Chunyan, smiled and nodded, looking at the child, who looked pretty good.

"Shazhu is inviting me to drink, so I have to go."

Xu Damao hurriedly quickened his pace, changed his diaper, and followed.

Tang Chunyan suddenly said, "Brother Li, please send Damao back later."

"Okay, I'll definitely send it back."

It's a good thing that Li Zhiguo pretends to know nothing.

He immediately held Liu Guangqi with one hand and Xu Damao with the other, and the three of them went to the central courtyard side by side. They happened to see Jia Dongxu lifting the door curtain and coming out. Others had already seen him several times.

"Brother, here you come."

"Dongxu, let's go to Shazhu's place. I heard that you can drink quite well now."

Li Zhiguo greeted him and followed him to Lao He's house. Unexpectedly, he met Sha Zhu coming out with a bowl.

"No, it's your treat, where are you going?"

"Hi, I'll send a bowl to Sister Qin. This is braised pork, which both Sister Qin and Guan Xiang love.

You guys go into the house first, Yushui, watch over the pot, I'll be back soon."

Sha Zhu ran to the backyard with a bowl of braised pork.

"No, I..."

Li Zhiguo was so confused that he came to Shazhu's place to drink, but Shazhu went to deliver braised pork to his wife and children. Isn't this nonsense?

Jia Dongxu said angrily, "This silly Zhu, I felt there was something wrong at the beginning, and he is still thinking about it."

"Don't pay attention to him. Sha Zhu is just jealous." Xu Damao said sarcastically. He was happy that Sha Zhu couldn't find a partner.

In other words, Liu Guangqi was young and didn’t understand what was going on.

"Forget about it, let's go in first."

Li Zhiguo was too lazy to say more. Sha Zhu was just that kind of person and he couldn't change it.

"Yushui, take a rest. Let Dongxu and Damao watch the pot. They are both good cooks."

As soon as Li Zhiguo entered the room, he went forward and ruffled Yu Shui's hair. As a true sister, he had no intention of changing the girl's life trajectory. He thought it would be good for her to marry a local police officer in the future.

"Hey! Then I'll go to the next room to eat. Brother Li, you guys should drink less."

He Yushui ordered some food, took a bowl of noodles and went to her room.

Jia Dongxu tied on an apron and temporarily acted as the chef. The braised pork in the pot was ready, so he took it out of the pot first.

Xu Damao was busy arranging the peanuts, and Liu Guangqi was getting the wine bottles. Both were capable of working.

As for Li Zhiguo, everyone knows his character, so just take a rest.

"Hey, my sister Qin is so kind that she asked me to bring back a bowl of soybeans, which is just right for drinking."

Shazhu came back with a bowl in his hand.

"Silly Zhu, stop yelling and come over here and drink."

Li Zhiguo was speechless. Those were the soybeans sent to him. He liked to eat soybeans with wine recently.

"okay!"

Sha Zhu also got busy. The dishes were all on the table. They were not shabby. There were braised pork, peanuts, pickled vegetables and minced meat, a dish of dried tofu, and the big pot of vegetable vermicelli brought from the factory. It was only because they were pressed for time, otherwise he could have cooked some more dishes.

After everyone drank a few sips, Li Zhiguo said, "Shazhu is treating us to this meal today because he wants Guangqi to become the fifth brother and officially replace Lao Cai."

"Guangqi has been promoted to a regular employee, which is great. But Lao Cai ran off with a widow, so he should be removed from the list!"

Xu Damao also wants to feel superior, but it would not be good to have a brother who is often beaten and suffers a lot.

"I agree."

Jia Dongxu felt that his status could be raised, he had to be stronger than Guangqi.

Sha Zhu followed up by saying, "I was the one who brought this up. Guangqi, your status in the courtyard will be different from now on. You'll be a high-ranking resident."

"Thank you, thank you brothers, I did it."

Liu Guangqi was rarely generous and drank half a tael of wine in one gulp. Although it tasted spicy, it was of course refreshing. He couldn't drink it at home. Although he had already started working, he had not received his salary yet.

Li Zhiguo ate a piece of braised pork, which was just right. Sha Zhu still had his merits.

"Guangqi, I heard that Second Aunt is looking for a wife for you?"

"Brother, I'm only 18 after the Chinese New Year, so I'm not in a hurry, but my mom is."

Liu Guangqi grinned. It would be wonderful if he was going to get married at such a young age.

"What, you're going to get a wife?"

Sha Zhu felt like he had been hit hard, so why did he treat everyone to drinks?
"It's a bit early!"

"This is inappropriate!"

Jia Dongxu and Xu Damao also expressed their opinions. This is not right. They thought they had found a brother who was struggling, but he suddenly turned out to be going to start a family? This is unacceptable!
Li Zhiguo smiled and said, "What's wrong with that? If Guangqi gets married and has a child, won't our courtyard be more lively?

But then again, Guangqi, can you make your own decisions with the salary you get? Don’t marry a wife and still have to ask your father for money for food.”

Liu Guangqi was stunned for a moment and said, "I haven't dared to discuss the salary issue with my dad yet."

"Guangqi, this matter is non-negotiable. You must hand over your salary. This is how we all got here."

Xu Damao felt very miserable. When he was an apprentice, he wanted to eat meat, but his mother only gave him cabbage and vermicelli.

Sha Zhu also said: "Guangqi, you are done. I have paid wages for many years, and only after my father ran away did I live a good life."

"Ah! What should I do then?" Liu Guangqi panicked and was no longer in the mood to drink, but he still had to drink.

"Hold on! Otherwise try to resist."

Li Zhiguo put a few soybeans into his mouth and chewed them deliciously.

"Hey! Then I'll talk to my dad about it later."

Liu Guangqi couldn't tell for sure. In the end, he didn't drink much and went back early with a heavy heart.

"Hey, I think Guang Qi has to wait for several years, how can he get married so early?"

Shazhu looks unhappy. Someone has to take the blame.

"That's right." Xu Damao and Jia Dongxu didn't want this to succeed.

Li Zhiguo smiled and said, "Can't we just hope for good things from others?" Well, the newly formed five brothers are not united.

After a round of drinking, the party ended in a bad mood.

Sha Zhu looked at the leftovers on the table and was too lazy to clean them up. He went to the yard to wash his face and feet, then went back to the house to rest.

It's summer and it's hot even without a blanket, but he feels cool inside.

The room was empty, and I suddenly remembered that when my father and uncle were still alive, the three of us shared the same bed, since we were all single after all.

As a result, now, his father and uncle have found a widow, and he is left to look after such a big house, wiping tears alone at night!

……

"Zhiguo, do you hear any noise? It seems to be coming from Second Aunt's place."

In the Li family's house, Qin Huairu suddenly leaned forward, wanting to hear what was going on.

"It's okay. I guess Guangqi drank some wine to make him braver. Never mind. Let's continue."

Li Zhiguo pulled the quilt over him and fell asleep. The next day, after being woken up by Xiao Jingru, he went to the tavern first and found Xu Huizhen to understand the situation. Xu Huizhi really didn't want to leave.

"Brother Li, I don't care about Huizhi anymore. When she has a hard time, I will find someone else for Shazhu."

Xu Huizhen felt humiliated and cheated by her cousin. She even had to pay 50 yuan and 20 kilograms of food as compensation last time.

"Take your time to look for it. Shazhu is still young. I have something else to do and I'll leave first."

Li Zhiguo didn't stay for a while and went to the street office. There was nothing to do, so he just showed up.

"Brother Qinian, I have something to trouble you with."

"What's the matter? Tell me." Wang Qinian was still in his old position, nothing had changed.

"Fan Jinyou is there. Doesn't he want to find a wife? It just so happens that Director Ma's wife's cousin is quite good. You can mention it to Director Ma when you meet him one day and he will arrange it for you."

He thought that since he was already here, he might as well do it together.

"You mean that fat girl? Isn't it said that she weighs 200 kilograms? Can Fan Jin handle it?"

Wang Qinian shuddered. This was no longer an era where fat was considered beautiful.

"How can he not bear it? He is a fireman, he has no lack of strength. Go and tell Director Ma as soon as possible. He will remember your kindness. I will wait for your news."

Li Zhiguo mentioned this and left without staying any longer, thinking that walls may have ears.

It was almost time, so I went to Qianmen Middle School and saw Ding Qiunan waiting at the door.

This girl is still young, and it’s impossible for her to develop anything now. Let’s wait until she finishes high school and then talk about it later.

"Brother Li!"

Ding Qiunan shouted hurriedly. She didn't have a watch and didn't know the exact time, so she had been waiting there for a long time.

"You've been waiting for a long time. It's not even eleven o'clock yet. I'm not late."

Li Zhiguo showed his watch and asked, "Have your parents agreed?"

"I agree, but why did you let people send so many things to my house?"

Ding Qiunan thought about it all the way but still couldn't figure it out.

"I'm lending this to you. Your father has lost his job and life at home must be hard. I don't need this. Just put it on the account.

Come on, I'll take you in to fill out the application form. It's early in the morning, otherwise we'll be off work."

He also wanted to solve this problem as soon as possible, and then develop the water pump, so that he could lie back and survive the disaster years. How great that would be.

Otherwise, you will have to pretend to be hungry and won’t be able to buy food even if you have money. How painful it is.

"Thank you, Brother Li!"

Ding Qiunan pinched the corner of his clothes and followed him to school.

Li Zhiguo quickly found someone he had dealt with before, asked Ding Qiunan to wait outside, and he stuffed some money and got the job done.

"Qiu Nan, come in and fill out your application."

"okay!"

Ding Qiunan breathed a sigh of relief, came in and quickly filled out the application form, and applied to Qianmen High School. Students from the same school could get a reduction in points for promotion, and she had a high score so there would be no problem.

It is relatively easier to go to school in the capital, but in Nanhe it is a very demanding place.

When the matter was settled, Li Zhiguo said at the door: "I have something else to do, so I won't accompany you. You can take the bus back by yourself. I will visit you on the way to the pump factory next time. Don't worry about tuition and living expenses."

"Well, Brother Li, I have something to ask you." Ding Qiunan gritted his teeth and said it.

"What's the matter?" Li Zhiguo asked knowingly and guessed it.

Ding Qiunan took out a notebook and handed it over, saying, "This is the infirmary plan I wrote. Brother Li, can my father go to work in the infirmary? He is a very good doctor, but he made some mistakes before."

"Your father wants to be the factory doctor? He's a great doctor, isn't this a waste of his talent?"

Li Zhiguo was talking nonsense. If he had not intervened, Ding Rushan's future would have been miserable. He would have to lie down at home for many years, relying on Ding Qiunan for support, hiding at home every day and not daring to go out.

"My dad can't even find a job. Brother Li, can you help my family?"

Ding Qiunan pinched the corner of her clothes. She had always had a strong sense of self-esteem and had never asked anyone for help, but this time she couldn't avoid it.

"Okay! Your task is to study hard and take the college entrance examination. I will take care of your father's affairs. Let him prepare. In about half a month, he will be able to work as a factory doctor in the water pump factory. That's it. I really have something to do. I'm leaving first."

Li Zhiguo looked at his watch, got on his bicycle, thought for a moment, took Ding Qiunan's hand, and stuffed some money into her hand.

"Qiu Nan, go out more often when you have time, don't stay at home bored, buy something, don't skimp, I'm here for you."

"Thank you, Brother Li!"

Ding Qiunan held the money bill in her hand, tears welling up in her eyes. After watching Brother Li go away, she looked at her hand and saw that there were ten yuan wrapped in ten kilograms of flour bills. This meant she owed even more.

Li Zhiguo went directly to the silk shop and could have stayed there for a while before going to the cafeteria to eat. But as soon as he entered the door, he ran into an acquaintance.

"Pianye, why are you here?"

Li Zhiguo saw Qiu Guangpu performing the shadow puppet show.

"Hey, Manager Li, you are here. I am working in the silk shop now."

Pian Ye bowed. He had to be polite when they met each other before, let alone now that he had become his soldier.

Chen Xueru came over and said, "Zhiguo, you're here. The film master's job of pulling foreign films has been stopped. He has no work to do, so he came to me for help. I will let him work as a temporary worker in the store first. You have to make the decision on this matter."

Although they are all managers, the power of private managers has been suppressed to a very low level.

"Okay, let's do this!"

Li Zhiguo didn't think it was a big deal. He said a few more words and went to the inner hall. He checked the account book and asked Chen Xueru to hold the mid-year meeting herself when the time came, as he didn't have the time for that.

"Xue Ru, after dinner, we'll take Xue Yi out to play."

"Yeah!"

Chen Xueru was happy. She didn't take any vacation normally because she was ready to go out at any time.

In the afternoon, the family of three went to Shichahai. It was nice to enjoy the cool breeze in the summer. Then they went to Jingshan Park. Li Zhiguo went to see the crooked tree. Emperor Chongzhen was hanged on this tree.

Suddenly Xueyi asked, "Uncle Li, are you my father?"

"Ahem, learning chess, who taught you this?"

Li Zhiguo looked at Chen Xueru in confusion. You can eat whatever you want, but you can’t say whatever you want.

"My classmates all have fathers, but where is my father?"

Learning chess is his own idea. He is in kindergarten now.

Chen Xueru said hurriedly: "Xueyi, you can treat Uncle Li as your father, but you can only call him uncle, understand?"

"I see. Then I have a father." Xue Yi hugged Li Zhiguo's neck and refused to let go.

Li Zhiguo kissed his son and thought, the feng shui of this place with a crooked tree is not good, so he will not come here next time.

……

Time passed quickly, and by September, Chunyan had already finished her confinement. As the weather was not too cold, she often held her child in her arms and chatted with him in the yard. Li Zhiguo also held Little Hongxing in his arms.

In the Jia family in the central courtyard, Chen Bihua gave birth to her second child, a girl, which made Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu very disappointed because it was not a boy.

On the contrary, Li Zhiguo is quite rare, as she is the first girl among the younger generation in the courtyard.

"Dongxu, have you thought of a name for your girl?"

Li Zhiguo brought a basket of eggs. He had two sons. The Jia family had given him gifts twice and he had reciprocated twice. It was neither a loss nor a debt. This kind of thing was inevitable.

"I've decided. Let's call him Jia Dang, and his nickname is Xiao Dang."

Jia Dongxu just gave the name casually. It was just a girl, so why would he spend so much time thinking about it? The name Jia Geng was not good enough. He thought about it for several days and nights.

"pretty good!"

Li Zhiguo thought that the wheel of fate has a corrective force, and Xiaodang was born.

Less than two days later, Cai Quanwu suddenly appeared in the yard and found him.

"Brother Li, Huizhen has given birth to another girl. She has named her Xu Jingping, and her nickname is Ping'er."

"Old Cai, you finally have a biological child. This life is not in vain. By the way, is there any movement from your sister-in-law?"

Li Zhiguo thought of He Daqing's previous statement that he wanted to have a child with the White Widow.

"Nothing happened! It seems like my sister-in-law doesn't want to give birth anymore."

Old Cai was only thinking about his own business at the moment and didn't care about so many things.

"Old Cai, I'll go see Huizhen when I'm done with my work."

"okay."

Old Cai thought, you are just lying at home and not busy at all!

Li Zhiguo only stayed in bed for two days. He went to the water pump factory early the next morning and finally finished the design drawings. He then threw them to the engineering team and he had nothing to do.

"Deputy Director Li, you are here."

Ding Rushan came out of the front office and went to work at the factory.

"Uncle Ding, are you used to being in the factory? This place is not as good as the workers' hospital."

Li Zhiguo handed out a cigarette and left after a while.

"I'm used to it. I'm very used to it."

Ding Rushan quickly helped to light the cigarette and said, "Qiu Nan was still talking about you yesterday."

"Well, let her study hard and don't worry about anything else."

After chatting for a few words, he left and went to the Ding family for the first time.

(End of this chapter)