Restarting life in Siheyuan

Zhu Xuefeng left the airport carrying two large suitcases and a large backpack. Fortunately, he was with a large group and had a car to pick him up, otherwise it would have been troublesome to find a car as the two suitcases took up too much space.

"Comrade Xiao Zhu, you bought a lot."

"Leader Shang, these were registered before boarding. You checked and told us to take them home. If you don't bring enough, I'll give you some. I'm worried that they're too heavy to carry."

The boxes are filled with local specialties, such as dates known as "desert bread", Arabic flatbread, Sabah rolls, camel jerky, Imaar, Ubud Sami, wild honey, etc., which are all specialty foods, and there are also some special edible spices from the Middle East. Of course, the rich don't care about these gifts. Every member of the expedition team has an exquisite and beautiful small travel box.

Leader Shang blushed. This kid's gift was not just one size bigger than others, but two. It was just an eyesore and he spoke too quickly. The most outrageous thing was that there were two sets of Arab robes and a set of Arab scimitars in his box, which no one else had. However, they were all given by the prince himself, and Zhu Xuefeng also declared it according to foreign affairs discipline, which was impeccable.

Originally, the prince saw that Zhu Xuefeng liked the majestic Arabian horses very much and wanted to give him a few horses. Zhu Xuefeng really liked them, but this was too much, so he had to reluctantly refuse. When the autonomous region settles down, he can set up a horse farm. Lin Na and Xia Yuhong will definitely like them. If nothing unexpected happens, Yan Zi should like this thing too. For now, forget it. No one is eyeing any of the local specialties of the peninsula.

"How could that be? I just saw that you were feeling awkward, so I was teasing you. Come, I'll give you a hand. Our car has already arrived, don't keep everyone waiting."

Zhu Xuefeng politely refused again, "Really, no need, it's not that heavy. Even though the box is big, I can carry it by myself."

As he said that, he picked up the box again and followed Director Jiang. Seeing that Leader Shang was a little embarrassed, Professor Jiang turned around to help him out.

"The young man is very energetic. Leader Shang, you need to help Professor Guan. He is old and it is really difficult for him."

Director Jiang pointed at Professor Guan in front of him. Professor Guan was in his sixties and seemed to be carrying a lot of things. He did look a little unmanageable. Leader Shang took advantage of the situation and took a few quick steps to help Professor Guan.

"I told you, 'A tree that stands out in the forest will be destroyed by the wind.' Now you see it, don't be too special in this society. Come on, let's catch up."

Zhu Xuefeng is very distressed. He doesn't want to be special, but he has become special unknowingly. He is the only one in the class who graduated early, so he is definitely special. He didn't participate in military training twice, which makes him absolutely special. This time he came with the group and didn't participate in any group activities for a single day, which makes him even more special. Now he is fine in the dormitory. He is already a special person in the class. After he goes back, he will not participate in various student activities on campus, which makes him still special.

"Teacher, actually I am a person who likes to keep a low profile."

Director Jiang smiled as he said this for no apparent reason. "I believe it, but you still can't keep a low profile. Gold will always shine. Never mind. I'm just reminding you. Just follow your heart."

"Well, I will."

He didn't want to show off by carrying two large boxes, but these were sent by the prince, and many people had seen them. It was impossible for him to throw them in the space and bring them back. Zhu Xuefeng realized that he had revealed too much of his edge. The fact that the Ministry of Petrochemical Industry came to his door this time was very telling. Even his previous interactions with the prince were noticed. Although he had not deliberately concealed them, of course no one should know about their private communications.

The driver was considerate enough to drop him off at the entrance of the alley. Zhu Xuefeng thanked him and got off the car. It was broad daylight and the alley ended in sight. Zhu Xuefeng had no chance to get up and had to carry his two suitcases home.

Greeting the children playing in the alley warmly, it feels so good to be home. The compound is still as quiet as before. Zhu Xuefeng has finally felt like he is home since landing in the distant peninsula. He has developed feelings for this compound unconsciously. Human feelings are so strange. There are obviously not many people in this compound that Zhu Xuefeng cares about, but he really has this feeling.

In the outer courtyard, several young wives were chatting with their children as usual. Zhu Xuefeng said hello and went into the front yard. The scene in the yard was completely different. The third aunt was with Yu Li, tidying up the quilts. Several quilts were hung on ropes and they were beating them.

"Third Auntie, we are cleaning up again."

"Hey, Xuefeng is back. He was out for a long time this time. He got tanned. Tsk tsk."

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to take so long."

"Hurry back and have some rest. Auntie is looking for the sun to dry out the old quilts. She should also dry out these boxes to avoid attracting insects."

It's time to dry the quilts again. I have the impression that the three aunts dry them every year, including in autumn and even in early winter. It may be because there are too many people and the place is too small, so it would be inappropriate not to dry them.

Yu Li, who was helping on the side, is now much more familiar with Zhu Xuefeng's family and added with a smile.

"I thought I'd take some time to play the piano again, so I can have a warm winter. Last winter was really cold, and I'm not sure about this year."

"Yes, last winter was strange. It was even colder than the year before."

Zhu Xuefeng responded that he was actually away from home last year and it was the ninth day of the New Year when he returned. The heating was on at home, so he didn't feel anything at all.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law get along pretty well. Every time they are seen, they are working together. In fact, Zhu Xuefeng thinks that the third aunt is a pretty good person. She is not a nagging person and is quite considerate.

I know less about Li, but now she doesn't seem to have any major problems. At least she is diligent and has a keen eye, which is good. Compared with the young wives in later generations, she is not too good. Last time, she learned how to peel lettuce. Now she has nothing to do, so she asked Sha Zhu to help her get lettuce peels from the cafeteria. It's fun.

It's just that his man is a little embarrassed. The steel rolling mill is naturally not short of lettuce peels. Sha Zhu is also a bad guy. People just want a little. There are only a few people in the family, just enough to eat. But he, on the other hand, always put more than ten pounds of lettuce in his pocket for people and let Yan Jiecheng ride the old bicycle transferred by the third uncle to carry it back. He also smiled and introduced it to people, saying that this is for cooking. You should know that pigs don't like to eat this stuff even if you feed it to them. Yan Jiecheng was embarrassed. After two or three times, he would never go to the canteen to get it even if he was beaten to death.

"Brother, do you want a hand? I think these two boxes are quite heavy."

Seeing Zhu Xuefeng carrying two large boxes that looked quite heavy, Yu Li greeted them warmly. The three siblings of the Zhu family left a good impression on her, especially when they helped take care of the yard last summer vacation. They even shared half of the eggs they harvested with them, and they could pick vegetables from the vegetable garden at will. They were very generous.

As she spoke, she came up to help. The box was too heavy, and Zhu Xuefeng couldn't dodge in time. Yu Li grabbed one of the handles, so he had to let her do what she wanted.

"Thank you, sister-in-law. Alas, it's really not necessary. It's just a few steps away. You make me feel embarrassed."

They carried them to the door together and Yu Li brushed off the dust on her body.

"What are you talking about? We're neighbors, and you're being polite. I've picked a lot of vegetables from your house. If you really make such a distinction, I won't dare go there again, haha."

After saying this, he was about to turn around, but was stopped by Zhu Xuefeng again.

"Sister-in-law, wait a minute. I brought back some rare things from my trip. You can take them back and try them later."

Yu Li, who had just made fun of Zhu Xuefeng, felt a little embarrassed when she heard that she really had to bring things back.

"You're just lending a hand and taking things back, brother. This is not appropriate. Otherwise, I won't dare to lend a hand next time."

Zhu Xuefeng felt that Yu Li was a pretty good person. They didn't have much interaction, but she was kind, had good eyesight, and knew her limits. She was very dedicated in helping to take care of the vegetable garden, and was very sensible every time she picked vegetables. She would never pick too many, but would just pick the right amount. This was the kind of person you could associate with.

"Look at what you said. Who said they were all from our neighbors? Haha, I told you, these are dates. Don't you really want to try them?"

Before the Spring Festival, grocery stores will supply some dates, all of which are brought from Yilan. Families with better conditions will also buy some, as a way to try some foreign food.

Dates are extremely sweet and are a delicious delicacy that is enjoyed by people of all ages. Although some people think that their sweetness is too cloying decades later, in the 1960s, there were not so many requirements and dates were still a rare delicacy.

Yu Li must have eaten dates before, because she stopped when she heard the name. She really couldn't bear to give up the sweet taste. She was lucky enough to taste it at her neighbor's house during the Chinese New Year, and the sweet taste had flowed into her bones.

Zhu Xuefeng was not stingy either. He went into the house, put down the box, and filled a bowl. Yu Li was too embarrassed to go in or leave, so Zhu Xuefeng handed her the bowl with a smile.

"It's not much, but it's something interesting. Let's try it."

Yu Li took the bowl anyway. Since she had already taken it, she just said it openly.

"Thank you, brother. Come back to me if you have any problems in the future."

After saying that, he realized that he seemed to have said the wrong thing, and quickly added, "I will help even if there is no gift."

He added a superfluous sentence which made him feel that his words did not express his meaning clearly. This time he really blushed and turned around and ran away.

"This young wife is really interesting. She acts like a grown-up girl and her face turns red after she says a few words."

Zhu Xuefeng talked to himself, ignoring the two mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law outside. It was about the same time now, so it was a good time to cook. He wanted to go to his godmother's house first, but she must not have gotten off work yet. Dinner was not complicated. He planned to go to the vegetable garden to prepare some beans and eggplants, and then peel two small potatoes to make a stew. There was no other way. The potatoes grown in the vegetable garden just didn't grow big. It was probably because of the soil. There was no shortage of these things now, and Zhu Xuefeng was too lazy to think about it.

Then prepare something unique: cut the camel meat into shreds, dry-fry it, and add some chili peppers and celery. It also counts as one. Heat a circle of Arabic flatbread by the stove, add some pickled vegetables and a seaweed egg drop soup, and you're done.

Not to mention Zhu Xuefeng who was busy preparing the dishes by himself, the third aunt next door put down her old quilt and started to prepare, but saw her eldest daughter-in-law coming back with bowls.

"What is this? Did the neighbor next door give it to you?"

"Yes, it's dates, a foreign thing. It's sweet. Try it."

The third aunt's family had never eaten this thing, but they had seen it in the grocery store. She wiped her hands, picked up one with two fingers, carefully put it into her mouth and took a small bite. The sweetness that entered her mind was so delicious that she couldn't help but blurt it out.

"It's so sweet."

Then he asked in confusion, "This isn't a holiday, where did he get this thing? I remember it's only sold during the Spring Festival."

Yu Li also took one and savored the sweet happiness. Sweet things can easily make people feel satisfied and happy, while she answered absentmindedly.

"That's right. I can't guess it either, but he is very capable. There are two big boxes. If they are all filled with this, how much would it cost?"

The third aunt looked at the figure who went into the vegetable garden and took another bite.

"That's right. The guy next door is very capable. Your father became a grade leader thanks to the electric bike he made. Your husband got a permanent job thanks to him. It's true that the more capable a person is, the more he likes to help others. Why don't you take some time to ask him about the housing allocation for the steel mill? Maybe he can help."

Yu Li was a little unhappy. She had just taken someone else's foreign stuff and then went to the door to beg for it, but still came back empty-handed. Even though the neighbor next door didn't want it, it was still a bit inappropriate.

"Mom, Jie Cheng only gave him one year of experience to become a regular employee. It's not his turn. I think we should not think about it. It's good for us to live together as a family."

The third aunt looked angry and said, "What can I say about you? Professor Xu has a share this time. I heard they will move in next month. How long have they moved in? The wedding banquet for the housewarming is still in sight, and they've already moved out."

Yu Li quietly defended herself, "He is a skilled worker at the steel mill. He was specially approved to work nearby. How can our family compare to him?"

The third aunt took a look at the dates on the table, put the rest into her mouth reluctantly, and said vaguely.

"They are from the same factory. Your man came here earlier than him, so why can't he? Besides, Professor Xu said that many houses are still empty. No one wants to go there because they think it's outside the city."

Yu Li was a little impatient. "Mom, that's just talk. There are more than 14,000 people in the steel mill, and many of them don't have houses. It's impossible for someone who has only been employed for a year to get a house. There are only about 800 houses, which are not enough. I have found out that they are empty because they are reserved for people who live far away. Those people are also outside the city, so they must have houses. After they are settled, there will be no houses left."

The third aunt was speechless for a moment. She took a bite of the date in her mouth and wanted to say something when there was a noise at the door. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law guessed that it was the third uncle who came back on his bike. Sure enough, the third uncle asked as soon as he entered the door.

"I haven't started getting ready yet. People will be leaving school and get off work soon. Hurry up."

"I'm cleaning up right now. Just a few vegetarian dishes. They'll be ready in a moment. You've worked hard all day. Go take a rest first."

The third aunt took the bag from her husband and hung it up casually.

"Xiaofeng next door is back. I asked Xiaoli to go and get the information about the room allocation, but she couldn't say goodbye. Head of the family, why don't you go and try?"

"This is a big deal, but they are already married, so it seems a bit unreasonable for me to intervene. Why don't we wait for the eldest brother to come back and ask for the matter himself?"

The third aunt brought a chair to her husband and continued, "As for him, I really don't believe he can open his mouth. If you ask me, old man, you are the only one who has some face in front of Xiao Zhu, so just make a trip reluctantly, all for the sake of the child."

The third uncle glanced at Yu Li and sighed, as if he had accepted the task. He sat down with the teacup, took a sip, and then he saw the dates on the table.

"Xiao Zhu gave it to you?"

The third aunt and Yu Li were busy picking vegetables. They didn't even look up and responded.

"Yes, he said he brought it back from a business trip. I tried one and it was very sweet. Try it yourself. When Lao Si comes back, I will definitely finish it all for you in no time."

The third uncle put down his teacup casually, walked to the table, and looked at the dates in the bowl without raising his head.

"She dared to do that. She is really rebellious. Leave a few for them to enjoy as a foreign delicacy. Keep the others. We are short of sugar now. This one can be used as candy. Don't waste it."

As he said this, he found a small canning jar, collected the dates, and only kept three of them, and put the rest in the small canning jar.

The compound suddenly became lively. Groups of students came into the yard, chattering. The door was suddenly pushed open. Zhu Xuefeng quickly stood up, and the little sister excitedly threw herself into Zhu Xuefeng's arms.

"Brother, you are finally back. This time it's been a long time. My brother and I missed you."

With both hands occupied, Zhu Xuefeng lowered his head and rubbed his younger sister's forehead.

"You want a gift? My military training lasted for more than a month or two, and you never said you missed me. Hurry up and wash your hands. There are delicious treats."

The younger sister smiled slyly, not caring about being exposed by her elder brother. She happily went to wash her hands and asked, "What's delicious? I can smell the stew."

The second child smiled innocently, threw down his schoolbag and went to wash his hands.

"These are dates, very sweet. Each person can have just one. If you eat too much, you won't enjoy your meal later. I see Niu Xiaoben is back too. Little sister, you can go and bring some over. They're on the counter in a few small bags. Give one to each of Dad's co-workers."

"Well, we'll eat when we get back." The younger sister picked up the colander on the cupboard, which indeed contained a few small brown paper bags. She took the second child and ran out, happily heading to the backyard.

The most common things in the box were dates. In fact, I also bought some in the space. I ate two and they were indeed sweet. They were so sweet that Zhu Xuefeng even felt a little choking. So he didn't eat more and saved some to give to others.

After a while, the younger sister came back skipping, followed by the second brother without saying a word. The younger sister shouted as soon as she entered the house, "Brother, give me another small bag. That silly guy Niu Xiaoben shared all the bags with the kids in the backyard and didn't leave any for his parents."

Zhu Xuefeng smiled and took out a few more small packages. "Why don't you make another trip? I see Auntie has been in poor health and she has been taking good care of you. Send some over to let her try."

"Okay, I'll go right away."

"Let's wait. Niu Xiaoben's father hasn't come back yet, so no one can take care of him. If you want to send him over, I guess his mother won't be able to watch him. Let's wait until his father gets off work, and then make another trip."

"That's fine. My brother and I haven't tasted it yet. You said you would buy it for me two years ago, but you and my second brother didn't buy it. You were not at home during the Chinese New Year last year..."

Zhu Xuefeng secretly sighed, this little girl has such a deep memory of food, I have forgotten it long ago, but she still remembers it clearly.

"Brother, is it fun over there? What's the difference between it and the south?"

The little sister held a date in her mouth, reluctant to chew it, her cheeks puffed up and her words mumbled.

"Over there, it's completely different from here. Let me tell you, when I got off the plane..." I was chatting with my younger brother and sister about what I saw in the Persian Gulf, when I saw a little kid slip out of the middle yard and ran out quickly.

Isn't this a good joke? Why is he so weird and in such a hurry? (End of this chapter)