Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 606 Chapter 605 How can this be compared?

Wu Aijun and Cheng Shaojun came together, each with a bulging pocket.

According to the simple map drawn by Tang Zhitong, the two of them asked around at the entrance of the alley and found the place pointed out by Lao Zhu.

As soon as they entered the yard, they were puzzled. The yard looked quite large, but there were not many houses built. It seemed that only two families lived there.

Since I didn't know where Tang Zhitong and Wang Jingwen lived, I could only shout, "Is anyone here? Does Comrade Tang Zhitong live here?"

When Jingmin heard the voice, he opened the door first and poked his head out from under the door curtain: "Brother Aijun? Why are you here?"

"I'm calling your brothers to come over and play. Please let me out." Tang Zhitong also heard the noise. He pushed his brother-in-law's head away and went out to greet them: "Happy New Year! Happy New Year! It's a great honor for us to have you two here!"

"Happy New Year. Your yard is nice. Just two families living there, right? It's quiet." Cheng Shaojun looked around and saw that there were not only a stone mill and a roller in the yard, but also a chicken coop and two small jujube trees.

"The yard is nice, but the two trees are a little small. How many years will it take for them to grow up?" Wu Aijun was also looking at them, and always felt that the two trees did not quite match the yard.

"Hey, don't plant mulberry trees in front, don't plant willows in the back, don't plant apricot trees on the left, don't plant peach trees on the right, and don't plant ghost trees in the middle. There are only a limited number of trees that can be planted. As for the jujube trees, they bear fruit in the same year and provide snacks for my younger brothers and sisters." In this yard, apart from the wing rooms, these two jujube trees are his favorite. After all, Mr. Zhou also has two jujube trees, which is very suitable for the occasion.

"You people in the old city are always very particular. It doesn't matter what you plant." Wu Aijun came to the city later and had always lived in a compound. He didn't understand these idle fussings of ordinary people and didn't think highly of them.

"Hey, let's go to the wing room. It's quiet there." Tang Zhitong did not refute. The old city did have a lot of rules. Trees must be planted in everyone's yard. If there were no trees and people lived there, it would form the Chinese character "prisoner", which was unlucky.

There are many considerations when it comes to what trees to plant. Mulberry trees are very good, as they not only provide food for silkworms, but also provide snacks for children. However, planting mulberry trees can easily make people feel that the family is poor. After all, rich families only wear silk and satin but do not raise silkworms.

As for willow trees, there are more rules to pay attention to. Farewell is called "picking willows", but there is also a word called "seeking flowers and asking about willows".

Before pig-bristle toothbrushes were invented, willow branches were a necessity for brushing teeth. Those prostitutes would pick one every morning for their patrons to brush their teeth with. If they picked willow branches every day, there would never be enough if they didn't pick enough.

Because of this, ordinary people rarely plant willow trees in their homes, otherwise it is easy for people to associate them with improper behavior.

Wu Aijun and Cheng Shaojun were obviously not from the old city of Sijiu, so they didn't understand these things. After seeing Tang Zhitong's polite gesture, they realized that this was the courtyard where the Tang family lived alone, so they widened their eyes and asked, "Is this your own courtyard?"

"Hey, thanks to the support of our elders, we have a more spacious living space." Tang Zhitong walked in front, lifted the door curtain, pushed open the door, and waited for the two brothers to go in.

According to old etiquette, when you arrive at a friend's house, you have to greet the elders in the family first. Tang Zhitong did so, but for friends who come to visit, you cannot deliberately do so unless they ask you to do so.

"Wow, this set of furniture is well made!" As Cheng Shaojun walked in, he smelled the sandalwood scent and looked at the waxed furniture. He couldn't help but smack his lips. The visual impact was quite strong.

In order to entertain Xiao Wang's childhood friends today, Tang Zhitong moved the screen between the study and the living room outwards in the morning and placed the octagonal table in the middle, which would be more convenient for eating later.

"It looks good on the outside, but it's actually worth very little, not even as much as your bicycles. Come and sit." Tang Zhitong said modestly, took the teapot and started to make tea.

"A real man doesn't show his true colors. You have quite a few bicycles in front of your gate." Cheng Shaojun originally thought that these were two families, and it was great that each family had two bicycles. He didn't expect that only Tang Zhitong's family lived here, and they had four bicycles!

"Well, Wenwen brought one as a dowry, and the other one is Jingying's. The other two were bought with the extra money I earned after work." Tang Zhitong put down the tea bowls, ready to make tea later.

Cheng Shaojun did not continue to ask how he could make so much money from the extra income, nor did he sit down. Instead, he looked up at the photo frame on the wall. In addition to a few photos, there was also a certificate with words on it.

When Wu Aijun introduced Tang Zhitong's personal situation before, everyone had some doubts, but seeing is believing. After seeing the award certificate on the wall, Cheng Shaojun was convinced.

The second-class merit and anti-corruption commendations are prominently listed. Compared with these, advanced individuals and outstanding students at the school level seem a bit underwhelming.

My lady, my gentleman is good.

Considering Xiao Wang's appearance, many people have some thoughts in their hearts, but they think that his sister is not old enough and they have to wait. But after waiting for a while, well, she's already married!

He had achievements, a yard, and the couple even had their own independent house. Looking at the furniture, bicycle, and sewing machine, Cheng Shaojun felt that he was not as good as Tang Zhitong.

Wu Aijun had known about Tang's "great achievements" for a long time, and was the first to give up on him, because he could not compare with him in terms of achievements.

But when I came here, I felt that it was right to give up the idea. I couldn't compare with him in terms of achievements, and I couldn't compare with him in terms of living area either.

Although I live upstairs and have heating, the room here is not bad either. The stove is burning well and the house is quite warm.

If I still can't forget Sister Xiao Wang, I will feel uncomfortable. There is no comparison at all.

"What are you standing there for? Sit down and have some tea and some snacks." Classmate Xiao Wang brought over some melon seeds, pine nuts and other things prepared by Zhang Guifang from the main room.

"We're waiting for you. If you don't sit down, who else would dare to sit down?" Cheng Shaojun turned around and joked with Wang Jingwen.

"Is there anything you don't dare to do? Don't I want to say something to you two, but you just come in and take a look? At least go to the main house to wish my mother-in-law a happy new year. She has been busy preparing food for you all morning." Classmate Xiao Wang doesn't indulge his childhood friends. He keeps talking nonsense.

"Don't blame them, I brought them here." Tang Zhitong took the blame on himself and pulled Xiao Wang, saying, "They are guests, so how can you talk about them like this?"
"Why are you pulling me in? The same logic applies everywhere. I won't blame them for missing this mistake here, but if they make such a mistake at work in the future, will people go easy on them? I'm just reminding them." Xiao Wang spoke quickly, but his tone was not harsh.

"It's too late. Come on, Shaojun, let's go and wish our aunt a happy new year first." Wu Aijun knew Wang Jingwen's temper. She was nicknamed "Little Pepper" back then. She took out two bottles of wine from her bag, then pulled Cheng Shaojun and planned to go to the main house.

"Don't listen to her. We are not the kind of people who like to argue. Just sit there and relax." Tang Zhitong tried to smooth things over.

"Wenwen is right. As soon as I entered your house, I was struck by the yard. We really remembered this and prepared snacks for you, aunt." Cheng Shaojun took out two cans of food from his bag, then patted the still bulging bag.

The two of them did not listen to Tang Zhitong, nor did they get angry. They went to the main house one after another.

Tang Zhitong had no choice but to follow behind.

People who come from this kind of family are definitely more polite and can speak more eloquently than ordinary people. It just depends on whether they want to talk to you or not.

When the two chatted with Zhang Guifang, they did not give people the feeling of being superior. They just treated themselves as juniors. They praised Wang Jingwen a lot and then told some embarrassing stories about her childhood, which made Zhang Guifang laugh.

After Huo Xiaoping arrived, the three of them retreated from the main room to the side room. Tang Zhitong took two decks of playing cards from the bookshelf, intending to let the brothers play first while he went to cook.

Playing cards have existed since the Republic of China. Due to their low cost and easy-to-understand rules, they became all the rage for a time and were produced all over the country.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, brothels and casinos were banned, but for gamblers, it is psychologically difficult to get rid of the feeling of being high in dopamine.

Although there are no casinos, there are other places to gamble, and a lot of this gambling is done using poker as the medium.

"You guys play for a while, I'll go cook a meal." Tang Zhitong put down the poker cards and filled the tea cups for everyone.

"Brother, you've suffered a lot by marrying such a wife." Cheng Shaojun sent Tang Zhitong to the door and teased with a sly smile.

"Alas, you know best how it feels." Tang Zhitong sighed in response.

In fact, he is very, very satisfied with Xiao Wang, but as for matters of affection, it is enough for family members to know about it, and it is best not to show affection in front of other people.

As the saying goes: Those who show off their affection will die quickly.

Tang Zhitong always felt that this death was not death in the physical sense, but social death.

Once someone becomes jealous of you, gossip, slander, and hearsay will most likely follow. People’s psychology is sometimes so dark that they can’t stand seeing others living a more comfortable life than themselves.

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

What we prepared today are all home-cooked dishes, not to mention there is a pre-prepared dish and a cold dish, so Tang Zhitong cooks very quickly.

Whether it's stir-fried sauerkraut, stewed hairtail, or making dumpling soup, Tang Zhitong always fills the pot full.

All the dishes were served in duplicate, one portion was sent to the side room, and one portion was left in the main room for the mother and younger brothers and sisters.

After the dishes were ready, Tang Zhitong brought the dumpling soup and gave his younger brothers and sisters a dish each to the side room, where classmate Xiao Wang opened the door.

"This dish is really good!" Several people in the room started smoking, and while they were cooking, the room was already filled with smoke.

"Thanks to being from Beijing, the supply this Spring Festival is more sufficient than in other places. We can also grow some vegetables in the yard. I pickled the sauerkraut myself. Let's try it later." Tang Zhitong smelled the cigarette. Although it contained nicotine, it was secondhand smoke after all, and he felt a little nauseous.

"Come on, have a cigarette." Cheng Shaojun took out a cigarette from the cigarette box he brought and gave it to Tang Zhitong.

"I won't smoke anymore. I'm quitting." Tang Zhitong pushed it back and rejected his kindness.

"Didn't you still smoke when you went to Tsinghua University? It's only been a few days?" Cheng Shaojun was surprised, and then turned his attention to Xiao Wang: "Wenwen, did you ask him to quit smoking? How many men don't smoke? Didn't Uncle Wang smoke back then?"

"Have you forgotten why my father died?" Xiao Wang was very firm in her stance. She did not deny that she asked her husband to quit smoking, but she certainly could not say that she asked her husband to quit smoking because she wanted a child.

"Well, I feel uncomfortable when I smoke and I cough all the time. I'm timid and I value my life. Compared with good health, not smoking is nothing." Tang Zhitong would definitely not let Xiao Wang bear the pressure alone, so he found some wine while speaking.

The wine was sent by Yan Xiongfei, two bottles of Xifeng. It's not as good as Maozi and Fenzi, but it's still among the famous wines, so it's not embarrassing to drink it.

"Okay, it's my fault. Come on, I'll pour some wine for sister Wenwen to make amends." Cheng Shaojun gave up immediately when he heard this. Father Wang died because of lung disease, and the little sister cried a lot because of this. To bring it up again would be like hurting someone's heart.

"I don't want to drink it, you guys drink it." Student Xiao Wang took back the tea bowl and stopped Cheng Shaojun from pouring the wine. She could eat chili peppers but couldn't swallow white wine.

"Let's use tea bowls today. Using wine cups is a bit too stingy." Tang Zhitong opened two bottles in a row. Regardless of the bottle in Cheng Shaojun's hand, he picked up the newly opened one and started distributing wine to everyone.

As the host, this is the proper courtesy.

"Come on, brothers, check the dishes first and fill your stomach before you start drinking." The wine had to be poured first, but it didn't have to be drunk right away. Tang Zhitong couldn't wait to see the way Huo Xiaoping was staring at the dishes.

This year, the supply of noodles and rice was increased by two kilograms for the New Year, and some vegetables, vermicelli, and spices were also given, but the supply of meat was not increased much. Many families saved up their meat coupons on a normal basis, and with the increased supply, they could have a delicious meal of dumplings during the New Year.

If you want to eat more meat, you have to pay a high price or buy canned meat.

Whether it is high-priced meat or canned meat, they are not supplied freely, and only a few can eat them.

After tasting each one, Tang Zhitong picked up the wine glass, said a few auspicious words such as "Happy New Year", and the drinking party began.

After taking a sip of the wine, a rich pea aroma spreads in the mouth, which is particularly amazing.

Xifeng was later classified as "Feng fragrance type", which is a fragrance type listed separately for Xifeng in the classification of liquor fragrance types.

Tang Zhitong has drunk Xifeng, and he only buys the green-neck ones. The price is not expensive, but whether it is due to poor marketing or some other reason, this wine has low recognition after leaving the Sanqin area.

There is a reason why the word "culture" can be added after drinking. After a few drinks, under the stimulation of alcohol, it is very easy to bring people closer.

If classmate Xiao Wang hadn't been blocking in the middle, Cheng Shaojun would have been able to pull Tang Zhitong to become sworn brothers and be close to him.

Cheng Shaojun's family has a military background. After returning from Tsinghua University, he told his father about Tang Zhitong's analysis.

“If a war really breaks out, we must win, but we will definitely not reach New Delhi. Wouldn’t that be an invasion? We won’t be able to stand in the international community.” When Father Cheng heard the bold words of reaching New Delhi, he immediately denied this possibility.

Although it may be a denial, this statement is very encouraging!
As for why they must win, Cheng's father did not tell Cheng Shaojun, but he knew in his heart that the rift with the north could no longer be repaired, and the north of our country is flat. Some people are worried about what to do if the north sends troops south. Of course, someone has already sorted out the corresponding resistance measures.

In any case, although Tang Zhitong's analysis was a little immature, it was already particularly rare for a young man of this age, so Cheng's father did not hesitate to praise him.

As young people, from childhood to adulthood, who doesn’t want to get recognition and praise from their parents?

Because of his father's approval, Cheng Shaojun wanted to get to know Tang Zhitong more and more, and he was almost about to say "Brother, please take me under your wing."

(End of this chapter)