Go back to the prosperous days and become a layman

Chapter 897 896 Only Dogs Know How to Lick

"It's lunchtime, everyone disperse, disperse. If you keep crowding around, the police will come." Old Wu sighed and dispersed the crowd. With so many people around, any talk would become pointless.

With the police station's presence there to keep the crowd at bay, the crowd finally loosened up. Compared to the hustle and bustle, the three ounces of oil coupons from the "Five Good Courtyards" were more practical.

After everyone had mostly left, Old Wu started advising them one by one: "Old Lü, you're almost at retirement age. You've worked most of your life, so it's not a bad thing to take a break a couple of years early. You'll have a pension when you retire, you can stay home and grow flowers, raise crickets, and have someone to take care of you in your old age. Isn't that great?"

After saying that, without waiting for Lü Dexian's response, Old Wu turned to the young man and advised him: "It's good that young people are ambitious, but don't be too impetuous. You're still young. Even if he insists on not doing it for you, and you make a scene at his workplace, he can just retire. What will you get? He still has two big brick houses! Think it over carefully."

After saying that, Old Wu stopped getting involved in the feud between the two and warned, "Whether it's okay or not, you two should negotiate it yourselves. Don't make trouble here. If there's a next time, I'll have the police station come and handle it. Go back and think about it carefully."

Selling jobs falls into a gray area. Old Wu's words calmed both parties down. They sized each other up and weighed the pros and cons of this approach...

Tang Zhitong didn't get involved and went home when the crowd dispersed. However, he did hope that the two sides would become godfather and godson, after all, Lü Bu had said several famous things back then:

Having drifted through half my life, I only regret not having met a wise ruler. If you do not abandon me, I am willing to become your godfather.

You old scoundrel, you've gone too far! I will never let you get away with this!

Even biological children can be unfilial, let alone godson who have been laid to death.
Xiao Wang came back a little late and missed the most exciting part. Tang Zhitong vividly recounted the story to her, which made Xiao Wang very happy. Old Wu was clearly just trying to smooth things over.

"Hey, that's a brilliant idea. The job problem is solved, and someone will take care of us in our old age." Tang Zhitong had no liking for Lao Lü whatsoever. He sided with the neighbors on this matter. If the adoption of Lao Lü as a godfather went through, there would be plenty of entertainment to watch later.

"Stop worrying about other people's business. I'll fetch some water and water the fields in a bit; it's unbearably hot today." Zhang Guifang came in from outside, carrying two freshly picked loofahs, intending to use them in cooking.

"Yes, ma'am!" Tang Zhitong happily took the loofah from his mother's hand and suggested, "Mom, let's make loofah soup tonight. A sip of soup and a bite of cornbread will go perfectly with it."

In Tang Zhitong's opinion, stir-fried loofah with eggs is the most delicious dish, but his mother obviously wouldn't agree because it uses a lot of eggs. So he had to settle for second best, since one egg is enough for soup, and he could secretly add another one.

“Okay.” Zhang Guifang nodded in agreement.

Loofah is a food that some people like and some people don't, but it is indeed a good thing.

Autumn is dry and prone to causing coughs, which can be difficult to cure for both adults and children. This is when loofah comes in handy.

Cut the stem of the loofah vine, insert the end near the root into a mineral water bottle or thermos, and you can harvest a full bottle of loofah water the next day.

It can be boiled and drunk, or it can be drunk cold. After drinking two or three bottles, the stubborn cough will disappear without a trace.

After dinner, before it was completely dark, Tang Zhitong picked up two tin buckets and went to the water station to fetch water.

While they were getting water, Old Zhu came up to them mysteriously: "Hey, Old Wan's been arrested."

"Who? Old Wan? The one over there?" Tang Zhitong asked, pointing in the direction of the Wan family compound.

"Yes!" Old Zhu nodded, very certain.

"Did he get into trouble?" Tang Zhitong turned the tap down a little, so that the sound of the water could cover up their conversation and also buy some time to fill the tap.

“His fourth son was a gambler, and he lent money out of the family. They never had enough money, and now both of them are in jail,” Old Zhu said with a hint of regret.

"When did this happen? So, the Liu family doesn't have to pay their gambling debts?" Tang Zhitong ignored the regret in Old Zhu's words; he only cared whether Old Wan went in after he and Zhang Xinping had spoken to him.

"It's because of the Liu family's matter that Xiao Chu went to the police station to report the case. The police came to investigate and even questioned me. I heard they arrested the person the next day. As for the gambling debts, I guess they won't have to pay them back." Old Zhu explained the matter in a few words.

"Hey, karma really works out. Those two are probably kicking themselves for it in there." Tang Zhitong was overjoyed when he heard this, but he didn't know how long Lao Wan would be sentenced to.

"Who says otherwise? He knew to restrain himself a few years ago, but these past few years, I don't know what kind of spell he's been cast on, he doesn't know how to restrain himself at all." Old Zhu once again took on the role of Old Wan, his words full of anger at his lack of self-control.

"Hey, the water's full, Uncle Zhu. You go ahead with your work, I'll fetch some water to water the vegetables in the yard." Tang Zhitong felt no sympathy for the Wan family whatsoever, wishing the father and son were trapped inside and unable to get out. She couldn't empathize with Old Zhu at all.

Tang Zhitong carried the load on his shoulder pole, his steps swaying with each step. The pole creaked and groaned, providing a kind of musical accompaniment. Having avenged his great grudge, he hummed "Good Days" as he walked.

If "Good Days" weren't so out of place with the current material supply, Tang Zhitong would have wanted to use this song to satisfy Yang Lin.

However, this song shouldn't be wasted. Let's submit it when Miss Qiu gets married. The rhythm will be perfect for Big Mushroom. Those familiar with Xiaobenzi can attest to this.

Compared to them, Tang Zhitong felt that the temperature in Beijing had become cooler recently, and the 30s was not so unbearable. After all, the temperature was several thousand degrees, and even his acquaintances had endured it without uttering a sound.

Back home, Fengzhi came running over and scooped a ladle of water for Beibei from the bucket. Her reasoning was quite sound: "It's hot, and Beibei is hot too. The water I just scooped is cold!"

Alright, Tang Zhitong isn't the type to abuse cats. He waited until his sister finished scooping water for Beibei before starting to water the vegetables.

After pouring the water, Fengzhi scolded Beibei, "Beibei, you're so stupid! You even got water all over your face when you drank it, it's filthy!"

“You’re wrong about Beibei. Cats do that when they drink water.” Tang Zhitong said, picking up another bucket of water as she refuted Fengzhi’s statement.

"Why? I never get water all over my face when I drink it." Fengzhi asked, puzzled.

"Cats drink water by licking it with their tongues, and their tongues curl outwards, while dogs curl their tongues inwards. That's why a dog's face is clean when it drinks water, but its neck is wet." It's good that the child can observe things, Tang Zhitong patiently explained to her younger sister.

"Really?" Fengzhi was skeptical of her brother's statement.

"Of course it's true." Tang Zhitong turned to give his sister a friendly smile.

“Fengzhi said she wouldn’t get water all over her face. You say a dog’s face is clean when it drinks water, but that sounds so awkward to me,” said Xiao Wang, sitting under the eaves, fanning herself with a palm leaf fan and smiling at her husband.

"Emm... Please don't make irrelevant connections, Teacher Wang." Tang Zhitong paused for a moment, realizing he was genuinely giving his sister a serious lesson! "Mom! My brother called me a dog! Hit him!" Feng Zhi realized what was happening, but instead of arguing with Tang Zhitong, she went inside to ask for help.

Hearing her sister's commotion, Tang Zhitong poured the last bit of water from the bucket into the vegetable garden, straightened up, and teased Xiao Wang, saying, "What you said reminds me of another difference between cats and dogs. Cats have barbs on their tongues, which makes people uncomfortable when they lick them, while dogs have smooth tongues, which make people feel very comfortable when they are licked."

"Look, the one that doesn't lick is the cat, the one that does is the dog." After saying that, Tang Zhitong winked triumphantly at Xiao Wang, picked up the bucket, and ran off.

"Pah!" Hearing her husband's teasing, Xiao Wang's face turned red again. She knew she shouldn't have provoked him...

Xiao Wang did not give up. When her husband finished his work and returned to the room, she beckoned to him with her finger and playfully uttered a single word: "Dog."

"Huh?" Tang Zhitong was taken aback again, then laughed: "You've become bad!"

"Hmph, you become like those you associate with. Who told you to be so improper all the time?" Little Wang retorted confidently.

"How naughty! Looks like the grain size is misaligned." Tang Zhitong shook his head helplessly. He had to stamp it to let her know who was in charge.

"印" is both a name and a verb. The oracle bone script for "印" depicts a person pressing their hand down on the head of another person kneeling down, causing them to submit.

However, considering that Xiao Wang was pregnant, Tang Zhitong let her off this time.

June 29, Wednesday, the weather was still sunny.

The Class of '59 in the Wired Department still has two exams to take, after which they will be on holiday.

Tang Zhitong hadn't forgotten Lu Jian's 40 jin of corn. Relying on her strength, she effortlessly carried the bag upstairs right under the dormitory supervisor's nose. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought she was carrying a bag of clothes.

Lu Jian had already opened his suitcase and was waiting. Upon seeing the corn, he stuffed it all into the wooden suitcase and thoughtfully stuffed a few clothes around it before closing it.

"Dormitory head, go back and weigh it. If it's not enough, let me know and I'll get the rest from the supplier." Tang Zhitong stood guard at the dormitory door, watching Lu Jian pack the whole time.

"I trust Teacher Tang, there won't be any shortage." With the food in place, a huge weight was lifted from Lu Jian's heart, and a genuine smile appeared on his face, making everyone feel at ease.

“Hey, even close brothers should keep clear accounts. We still need to say the unpleasant things.” Tang Zhitong paused after speaking, then added with a smile, “Dormitory head, you and I both know this. The situation is special right now, and my abilities are limited. I can’t help you.”

“I understand, I won’t tell anyone. Even if the station finds out, I’ll insist that I bought it from a rural market.” Not concerned about poverty but about inequality, Lu Jian not only said he wouldn’t talk about it in the dormitory, but also stated that he wouldn’t betray Tang Zhitong even if something unexpected happened.

"It's not that serious. As long as you can get on the bus, no one will check you when you get off. Dormitory leader, be careful on the road." Tang Zhitong waved his hand repeatedly after hearing this. Lu Jian was just getting some food for his family, which didn't rise to the level of espionage.

"Okay, I'll keep an eye out. Come on, let's go to the classroom, or the exam will start." Lu Jian glanced at his watch, stuffed his suitcase into the closet, grabbed his pen, and prepared to leave.

Tang Zhitong nodded. Lu Jian was old enough to be mature and knew what he was doing. Besides, the journey from Beijing to Shanxi Province wasn't far. Even if he didn't blink the whole way, he could probably manage, though his eyes might get a little sore...

Tang Zhitong had one exam in the morning and the last exam in the first and second periods of the afternoon. After finishing the exams in the afternoon, he planned out his schedule: tomorrow he would go to Tsinghua University to receive an award and give a speech, and the day after tomorrow he would go to his workplace for his probationary period completion ceremony and review the payroll. He had enough time.

Since there was still time, there was no need to rush over today, so Tang Zhitong packed his things, said goodbye to his roommates, and went straight to the National Library of China.

Jiang Ye was on maternity leave, and only Xiao Wang was in the office. Tang Zhitong felt right at home. After entering the room, she first filled a basin with cold water and then took a shower.

After washing up, Tang Zhitong dried her face with Xiao Wang's towel while discussing the schedule for the next two days with her: "Are Du Yanqing and the others coming to our house this weekend?"

"Hmm. Shall we go catch cicada nymphs again tonight? Let's save them up these next couple of days, and they can be used as a dish when they come." Little Wang was quite excited; he had been planning this for several days, just waiting for Liu Chengzhi's seven-day memorial service to end.

"That's fine too. I was thinking of finding a chance to hunt a couple of rabbits in the suburbs. I have to keep my promise to Jingmin about the rabbits." Tang Zhitong was so focused on making sure his brother-in-law didn't upset Xiao Wang anymore that he forgot he had plans for Sunday. Although he didn't have to participate in the gathering of a bunch of women, as a half-baked cook, he still had to show off his skills, right?
"Ignore him, he can't cause any trouble," Xiao Wang said nonchalantly.

"We'll see when the time comes," Tang Zhitong gave an ambiguous answer, but did not give up on "Bang" Rabbit.

After dinner, Xiao Wang kept giving her husband meaningful glances. Tang Zhitong knew she was thinking about the cicada nymphs in Baiqiao, so she said to Zhang Guifang, "Mom, Wenwen and I are going out for a walk to see if we can catch a few cicada nymphs to serve to guests in a couple of days."

"It's so dark, don't go. Xiao Liu just passed his seventh day memorial, and I'm not at ease. I feel like there's a chill in the house these past few days." Zhang Guifang said reluctantly, touching her arm as she spoke.

Seeing his mother's state, Tang Zhitong chuckled. Of course, it was him who did it. The summer heat was unbearable, and he secretly tried to cool things down in the house, hoping for a moment of comfort. But he also had to fulfill his little Wang's wish:

"Oh dear, don't scare yourself like that. Even if he did, he wouldn't dare come. Do you really think the New Year's pictures we invited are just for decoration?"

"Then... come back soon." Zhang Guifang glanced at the New Year picture on the wall and felt inexplicably at ease.

"Okay! I'll be back early." Tang Zhitong was afraid that her younger sister would pester her to go with her, so she quickly pulled Xiao Wang out the door.

Tang Zhitong saw the look in her mother's eyes just now. As long as she saw that look, she was sure to be safe when she went out today.

The New Year paintings from the Tang family were brought back before the Spring Festival. They were the saviors of the people and the nemesis of evil spirits and monsters. Not to mention now, even decades later, some people still hang them in their homes, saying that they feel at ease when they have the paintings in their homes.

Although many people do not have a channel to widely publicize this information, they are well aware of it.

It wasn't completely dark yet, and with a crescent moon hanging in the sky, the young couple walked towards the White Bridge by the remaining light of the sun and moon in order to save the power of their flashlights.

As Tang Zhitong walked, he used surgical sutures to create artificial density regulators for the male cats around him.

The reason I don't make it for my own baby is not only because I feel sorry for her, but also because orange cats have a trait: if they lose the desire to reproduce, their bodies will swell up like balloons.

Other people's homes don't have extra food, so the orange cat can't get fat even if it wants to. But our home is relatively well-fed. If Beibei sneaks food from time to time and grows fat and strong, not only will it have a bad influence on the neighbors, but Beibei may also be targeted and become someone's meal.

(End of this chapter)