Siheyuan: Domineering life

winter solstice.

After lunch, Yang Jun went to the ancestral temple in the suburbs to visit his old mother.

When he arrived there, he found his mother and Wang Yuping were making dumplings and they insisted on inviting Yang Jun to stay for dinner.

Yang Jun discovered that his mother and Wang Yuping got along very well, and the two were like real sisters.

Wang Yuping had changed her previous sloppy image and was wearing clean clothes. She looked in very good spirits and her face was a little more flushed. It seemed that she was being fed very well by Wang Yuying.

The old man's face was full of smiles, and he was very satisfied with his current life. He raised his three children with great difficulty for decades, but did not enjoy any of their blessings. He worked like a slave all his life, and in the end, he enjoyed the blessings of strangers.

This happiness came too suddenly, making her feel it was unreal until now. She was worried every day, afraid that this happiness would suddenly disappear. After living in the ancestral hall for half a month, she gradually relaxed. Wang Yuying treated her very well, just like her own sister. No, it was her own sister. No matter what delicious food or nice clothes she had, they were all given to her. There were also twenty or thirty guards and nannies serving her in the ancestral hall. Yang Jun sent people to deliver daily necessities every now and then. Even the gods would envy such a life. She had nothing to be dissatisfied with.

"Yang...Mr. Yang."

Seeing Yang Jun coming, old lady Wang Yuping felt a little uneasy.

During this period, through communication with Wang Yuying, she has learned the identity of Yang Jun. This is the celebrity who appears on TV and in newspapers every day. She knows that she can live such a good life today thanks to this person. When she saw Yang Jun today, she became inexplicably nervous.

The old man was making dumplings, his hands still stained with flour, and he stood there awkwardly.

Seeing that she had difficulty walking, Yang Jun quickly stepped forward to help her steady herself.

"Auntie Wang, you can just call me Jun'er like my mom does. You don't have to be so polite."

Wang Yuying: "Yes, Pingzi, Jun'er is not an outsider, there is no need to be so embarrassed."

Wang Yuping: "But, she is... a big leader..."

"What's wrong with the big leader? The big leader is also your junior." Wang Yuying rolled her eyes.

"Aunt Wang, my mom is right. Even though I am a big leader, I am still your junior. You call my mom a sister, so you are my elder. You can just call me Jun'er from now on." Yang Jun.

"Is...is this good?"

The old man looked at Wang Yuying uncomfortably.

"Just call him Jun'er, there's nothing wrong with that." Wang Yuying said, touching her: "Hurry up and sit down to make dumplings. Let Jun'er spend the winter solstice with us tonight."

"Jun'er, lend a hand too."

"Okay, Mom, I'll go wash my hands first."

Afterwards, Yang Jun went to the inner bathroom to wash his hands.

When he came out, he saw his aunt Bao Suna was there too.

"Jun'er is here."

Bao Suna took the initiative to greet Yang Jun with a smile on her face.

"Aunt."

Yang Jun shouted, then moved a stool and sat beside to make dumplings.

"I saw your car coming just now, so I came over to say hello to you and burn some incense for your father. After all, it is the winter solstice."

Although my uncle is no longer with us, my aunt still comes to burn incense for Yang Jun's father Yang Gui during the holidays. The Wang family's ancestral hall is right next to the Yang family's ancestral hall. The two families live very close to each other, and my aunt and her family often come here to visit.

The Wang family was able to build an ancestral hall and live a good life now, all thanks to Yang Jun. Therefore, my aunt and others often come to worship Yang Gui. Although these things are done for the purpose of currying favor with Yang Jun, Yang Jun does not reveal it.

"Yes, if your aunt hadn't told me, I would have almost forgotten."

Just as Yang Jun was about to start making dumplings, Wang Yuying stopped him.

"Today is the winter solstice. Go burn some incense for your father and the ancestors of the Yang family."

Upon hearing this, Yang Jun quickly stood up.

"Okay, Auntie, Auntie Wang, you guys continue chatting. I'll go burn some incense for my dad first."

The winter solstice is a festival for worshiping ancestors. Every household will go to worship at this time, burn paper money, offer tributes, and pray for the ancestors' blessings.

Although it is a bit superstitious, this culture has existed since ancient times and Yang Jun is also devout in it.

Arriving at the gatehouse, Yang Jun took a shovel from the warehouse and went to the ancestral grave behind the ancestral hall.

There are twenty guards and twenty nannies here to take care of the ancestral hall all year round, so there is no need to take care of it deliberately, but Yang Jun still symbolically added a few handfuls of fresh soil to his father's grave, meaning to tell the ancestors and descendants to come to worship them.

Yang Jun dug a few shovels of soil and then began to sweat.

So he unbuttoned his shirt, rolled up his sleeves, and stood there with his hands on his hips.

"Dad, I'm here to see you."

Looking at the huge cemetery with only his father's grave, Yang Jun felt that his father seemed a little lonely.

The cold wind blew from the north, and the empty cemetery made a humming sound, as if responding to Yang Jun's words.

Yang Jun slammed the shovel in his hand into the ground, then knelt down and kowtowed three times respectfully.

After bowing, Yang Jun stood up, brushed the dirt off his knees, and sat on the steps next to his father's grave.

He lit a cigarette and also lit one for his father.

"dad……"

Yang Jun was just about to chat with his father for a few more words when he looked up and saw his aunt Bao Suna walking towards him, so he quickly shut up.

"Jun'er, I'm coming over to burn some incense for your father."

Bao Suna greeted Yang Jun with a smile from a distance.

Yang Jun felt sad when he heard this.

My aunt's performance was so poor. She didn't come to pay homage early or late, but waited until I arrived to pay homage. It was obviously just for herself.

He knew very well that his aunt was trying to curry favor with him, but he didn't expose it.

"Aunt, you are thoughtful."

Yang Jun stood up and gave his seat to her.

My aunt put down the bamboo basket in her hand, took out candles and paper money from it, lit the candles first, and then burned the paper money. After that, she stood up and bowed, which was considered a worship.

"Brother-in-law, I'm here to see you on behalf of Yu Xian. Please don't think I'm not polite enough."

While talking, Bao Suna secretly glanced at Yang Jun and saw that Yang Jun was smoking there as if nothing had happened, so she continued: "Yuxian went over there to look for you, you two should have met up. If possible, please take care of Yuxian a little more. He is unfamiliar with the place and I am afraid he will be bullied."

After saying that, he glanced at Yang Jun again.

"With you taking care of Yuxian over there, I have nothing to worry about. Yuxian is free. He will close his eyes, kick his feet and leave. What will happen to us, an orphan and a widow,?"

"The family has lost its backbone... Hey, where's Jun'er?"

Bao Suna wanted to say something about how life is not easy for an orphan and a widow, but when she glanced over, she found that Yang Jun had left without her noticing.

Watching Yang Jun's back disappearing around the corner of the ancestral hall, Bao Suna couldn't help but sigh.

Turning back, he looked at Yang Gui's tombstone and murmured, "How are we, an orphan and a widow, going to live our lives?"

"Brother-in-law, if you are still alive, please send a message to Jun'er in his dream and ask them to help us."

It was said that Yang Jun went back to the front and helped his mother make dumplings, not mentioning anything about his aunt.

If they had flattered them earlier, Yang Jun would have helped them because they are relatives.

Unlike before, they always felt that it was natural for Yang Jun to help them. They were like creditors and Yang Jun was the debtor. He would always have an unpayable debt to the Yang family, which also led to Yang Jun's dissatisfaction with their family.

"Did you meet your aunt?"

Wang Yuying asked suddenly while making dumplings.

"Yeah." Yang Jun responded lightly.

"Didn't your aunt say anything to you?"

How could Wang Yuying not understand Bao Suna's intentions? It was unreasonable for a brother-in-law's wife to pay tribute to her brother-in-law.

She also knew very well the purpose of Bao Suna's doing this.

If her brother Wang Yuxian was still alive, she might have persuaded Yang Jun to help them, but now that her brother is gone, her only wish in this world is gone, and naturally she would never force her son to do anything.

Fortunately, she still has Wang Yuping with her. Although this sister has no blood relationship with her, she brings her a lot of comfort.

"said."

Yang Jun still looked calm and composed, and then said quietly, "I'm chatting with my dad right now, so I don't have time to talk to me."

"Pfft!"

When Wang Yuying heard this, she laughed.

"Your aunt must be complaining to your father, right?"

"Haha!" Yang Jun smiled and indicated that this was the case.

"Ah...if your aunt had been as smart as she is now, she wouldn't have lived like this."

Hearing this, Yang Jun still had his usual smile on his face.

"Without your help, their family would have been unable to survive long ago."

"I didn't, don't talk nonsense."

After saying that, he felt that this explanation was a bit far-fetched, so he continued: "Even if there is help, it is my private money."

"Yes, yes, yes, your private money, the money you used to make matchboxes has not been spent yet." Yang Jun teased.

"You little brat, you dare to use your mother's cymbals to play with me, you deserve a beating, don't you?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuying pretended to be angry and raised her hand to hit Yang Jun.

Yang Jun didn't dodge, just smiled with a cigarette in his mouth.

He guessed that his mother was just threatening him and would not really do anything to him.

He guessed correctly. Wang Yuying was reluctant to hit him, but she reached out and snatched the cigarette from his mouth and threw it on the ground.

"You're smoking while making dumplings, aren't you afraid that the ashes will fall into the flour?"

"It doesn't matter if it falls in there, I can eat it myself." Yang Jun.

"Have you finished eating?"

"I'll save it for the next meal."

Looking at the warm scene of Wang Yuying and Yang Jun, mother and son, getting along well, Wang Yuping's face was full of envy.

She also gave birth to three children, but none of them could compare to Yang Jun. Her children were too unfilial, and she had never enjoyed a single day of happiness. So many days had passed since she was brought here, but those unfilial children had never asked about her at all. They wished they could get rid of this burden as soon as possible.

Wang Yuping felt sad when she thought of her unfilial children.

"Sister, you have a good son."

When Wang Yuying heard this, a smile spread across her face.

"Yes, Jun'er is quite filial, but... when he gets angry, he can make people very angry."

Although Wang Yuying expressed dissatisfaction with Yang Jun, the expression on her face showed that she was very satisfied with her son.

Her son is not only successful but also filial, and she has no complaints about it.

"Oh, it's inevitable that a mother won't worry about her child." Wang Yuping.

"Jun'er has never given me any worries. He joined the army after graduating from high school at the age of 17. I have never worried about him since then. He can get to where he is today because of his own hard work. As his mother, I have not been able to help at all. It's really..." Wang Yuying.

"Suna, why don't you go back and make dumplings? You're not going to eat dinner?"

Wang Yuying suddenly changed the subject and saw Bao Suna walking towards them.

"Hey, I...I'll just say a few words to Jun'er and then go back to make dumplings."

My aunt Bao Suna walked towards us with a bamboo basket in her hand.

"What are you talking about? The children are all back today and are waiting to eat dumplings. You should go back and make dumplings." Wang Yuying.

Yang Jun heard the voice but didn't look up and continued to busy himself with making dumplings.

My mother's attitude has changed so much that she no longer speaks for my aunt's family.

Ever since her uncle passed away, she no longer cared so much about his family. Instead, she now puts all her attention on her younger sister Wang Yuping.

After hearing what Wang Yuying said, Bao Suna, who originally wanted to come and curry favor with Yang Jun, had to give up.

She is also a person with self-esteem. Moreover, the elder is her elder, so she cannot lower herself to curry favor with the younger generation.

"Okay, big sister, I'll go back and make dumplings for the children."

Bao Suna stood at the door and glanced at Yang Jun, her mouth opening and closing, and finally left sadly.

"Hey!"

After she left, Wang Yuying couldn't help but sigh.

"After your uncle passed away, your aunt became smarter than before. Now she knows how to curry favor with him, but it's too late."

Yang Jun laughed and said, "It's not that she has become smarter, but that she has become smarter because of life."

"You are the only one who talks too much. Stop making fun of your elders." Wang Yuying glared at him.

After that, he glanced at Wang Yuping and said lovingly, "Jun'er, you must respect your aunt in the future. Do you hear me?"

"I got it, Mom."

Yang Jun heard this and smiled bitterly.

Although he has no blood relationship with this aunt, he feels that Wang Yuping is very kind, at least better than his uncle's family.

Yang Jun thought, as long as she could bring happiness and warmth to his mother, it would not be impossible for him to accept this aunt.

In the evening, Yang Jun stayed to eat dumplings.

After dinner, he returned to the city.

Just as the car was about to enter the house, a figure suddenly jumped out from the side and stopped his car.

Fortunately, Sun Zhaocai’s skills are very strong, otherwise he would have to send this person away.

"You are looking for death...Mr. Li."

The irritable Sun Zhaocai stuck his head out of the window and was about to curse when he found that the person was Yang Jun’s old comrade-in-arms Li Tiezhu, and immediately changed his tone.

Li Tiezhu didn't care at all about Sun Zhaocai's bad words to him, but leaned over to Yang Jun's car window and knocked on it desperately.

"Lao Yang, Lao Yang, please save me."

"Old Yang, you must help me. You are the only one who can help me now."

Yang Jun, who was sitting in the car, was very upset when he heard this.

Looking at Li Tiezhu who was banging on his car window and shouting outside the window, he could only roll down the window helplessly.

"Don't you know today is the winter solstice? Why are you rushing to mourn for me?" (End of this chapter)