Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 1103 Undercurrent
November 8th, the Beginning of Winter, is auspicious for: weddings, travel, moving, marriage counseling, engagements, receiving money, and meeting with relatives and friends.
The front yard of No. 95 was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and huge double happiness characters were pasted on both sides of the gate. The Yan family had put a lot of thought into this wedding. Eighteen big red lanterns were hung, symbolizing the bride's eighteenth birthday. Double happiness characters were pasted on both the windows and the door of the west wing.

There are seven households in the front yard. Grandpa Yang, the gatekeeper, had to go to work, so he couldn't come to help. The Liu brothers from the back house also didn't come. They couldn't even get enough to eat, so how could they have time to attend a wedding? Besides, the two brothers didn't have much money.

At Liu Laoshi's house, Liu Laoshi and his wife cared a lot about their neighborly relations. Fearing the displeasure of the other neighbors in the front and back yards, they stayed out. Meanwhile, Liu Yuanyuan and her brother Liu Jiacheng were carefree, playing with Yan Jiedi in the front yard. Yang Ruihua had asked the siblings to look after her, as she simply didn't have time to care for the little one today, and the Liu siblings had agreed without hesitation.

The Liu family, who worked at the supply and marketing cooperative, left early in the morning. They cared a lot about the reputation of the courtyard, since there was a cadre in their family. They were also very dissatisfied with the Yan family's past actions. So, they said they were going back to their hometown to see their parents, but in reality, they were avoiding the Yan family.

Only the old lady of the Wang family took the initiative to help Yang Ruihua with her chores, and even asked her grandson, Wang Jun, to help Yan Jiecheng. The Wang family were legitimate martyrs' families, with very upright values ​​and a clear understanding of things. In the old lady's eyes, black was black and white was white. She always felt that the Yan family had done nothing wrong. Although she didn't like Yan Bugui, she was very close to Yang Ruihua. Whenever she had free time, Yang Ruihua would take the initiative to help the old lady with washing and cleaning.

Not a single person from the middle and back courtyards came out. The neighbors were roughly divided into three categories. One category was those who didn't want to offend either side or watch the show. If the Yan family's banquet was a disaster, it would ultimately be the people of No. 95 courtyard who would lose face. So they found an excuse to leave, such as the Xu Damao family and the Xu Desheng family in the back courtyard. Another category was those who were prepared to watch the show, and there were many of them, such as Uncle Yi, Uncle Er, and Sha Zhu. The last category was those who were prepared to cause trouble. Needless to say, Jia Zhangshi and Liu Gen's mother were already poised to make their move.

Yan Bugui had considered the possibility of troublemakers, but after thinking it over, he concluded that it was unlikely. After all, causing trouble at someone else's wedding was a taboo, and people in Beijing wouldn't do such a thing. At that moment, Yan Bugui completely forgot about the even more taboo things he had done.

Today, Yan Bugui went all out: three fish, three chickens, five catties of meat, and three catties of eggs. In Yan Jiefang's words, he had never eaten more meat in his entire life, not even half of what he ate today. Yan Bugui had no choice; recently, no one in the entire compound, adults or children alike, spoke to him or even looked at him. It was as if he was superfluous in the compound. Today, Yan Bugui planned to swallow his pride and invite the neighbors from the back courtyard before the banquet. Of course, all the expenses for the banquet were put on Yan Jiecheng's account.

Yan Jiecheng and Yu Li were very clever. They knew that the Yan family was not well-liked in the compound and that it was impossible to rely on the people in the compound for help. So they had previously asked their colleagues from the factory and their classmates to come and help. Yu Li had already planned that if Yan Bugui successfully invited the people from the compound, the couple would bring their colleagues and classmates to Yu Li's house for dinner. Yu Li's father also prepared some ingredients. Although it was not as lavish as what they had prepared, at his daughter's request, he prepared two tables of dishes at his own home just in case.

Early in the morning, the wedding procession gathered in the front yard. Yan Jiecheng's colleagues in the mechanics department were very kind and lent him three bicycles. Yu Li's classmate also brought two bicycles, plus Yan Bugui's bicycle, making a total of six bicycles. The wedding procession set off in a grand manner. Three of the people who went to pick up the bride were Yan Jiecheng's colleagues, and two were Yan Jiecheng's classmates.

The people in the compound were all waiting for the Yan family to arrive, but that didn't stop them from watching the excitement. The neighbors in the compound were also very surprised to see the Yan family's wedding procession. They all wondered if Yan Jiecheng was really an apprentice. The Yan family had always said that he was an apprentice in the textile factory, but he didn't seem like it.

At this moment, two old women, one in black and one in white, were quietly sneaking towards the kitchen that the Yan family had set up in the courtyard. Inside the kitchen, they saw a man who looked like a chef, along with an assistant, Old Mrs. Wang, and Yang Ruihua, all busy at work. The two old women weren't interested in the man; their eyes were fixed on the ingredients the Yan family had prepared. After looking at them, they were both astonished, but neither of them said a word and they quietly left.

Back in the courtyard, Liu Gen's mother and Jia Zhangshi sat down in front of the Jia family's gate. Liu Gen's mother said, "Sister Zhang, do you think this old man Yan has lost his mind? How can he be so generous, feeding us fish, chicken, and meat all the time?"

"He's trying to curry favor with us. Anyway, it's not his money. Old Man Yan would never spend his own money on those things. You see, he'll probably have to pay for them all on his son," Jia Zhangshi said disdainfully. "This table must cost at least ten yuan? Goodness, so much good stuff, what a waste," Liu Gen's mother said with some hesitation.

Jia Zhangshi knew what Liu Genniang was thinking at a glance. "What a pity? Come here, let me tell you, we'll do it like this." Jia Zhangshi whispered in Liu Genniang's ear. Liu Genniang nodded from time to time, and finally smiled happily and said, "Yes, let's do it this way. This is what he owes us."

While the two of them were whispering to each other, Qin Huairu was at her doorstep. Seeing these two people who seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold, she knew immediately that they were up to no good. A little worried that something bad was going to happen, she turned around and went out to the main house to find Sha Zhu.

Around ten o'clock, the wedding procession returned, and firecrackers went off at the gate. Some people scattered confetti, others set off firecrackers, and still others cheered and made a fuss. For a moment, the gate was bustling with activity.

Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong stood outside the courtyard, mingling with the crowd of onlookers. They frowned as they stared at the gate. Liu Haizhong finally couldn't hold back and said, "Old Yi, I didn't expect that without the help of the compound, the Yan family would be so...so..."

“Decent,” Yi Zhonghai added, then said, “Let’s see what the banquet is like. They originally wanted to embarrass the Yan family, but it seems they’ve already come up with a plan. Let’s go, Lao Liu, let’s go home and make ourselves look good. I don’t think any of the neighbors from the compound will be there. In front of our in-laws and guests, what face will the Yan family have?”

Liu Haizhong smiled and nodded, then followed Yi Zhonghai into the courtyard to go home, calling his family members away as well.

Colleagues and classmates who didn't go to pick up the bride helped set up the round tables that Yan Jiecheng borrowed from the cafeteria. Two tables were set up in the front yard and one in the main room. The bowls and chopsticks were already on the table, and now several female classmates were helping to put peanuts, melon seeds and candy on the table.

Just as everyone was drawn to the wedding procession in the front yard, two old women, one in black and one in white, walked into the front yard and sat down at two tables with an air of authority. It was Jia Zhangshi and Liugen's mother. The two of them each sat at a table, and without anyone having to arrange anything, they took the plates of candy, poured all the candy into their pockets, put the plates on the tables, and started eating peanuts and melon seeds.

When the wedding procession entered the house, everyone was stunned. Yan Bugui and his wife were not in the courtyard, but sitting in the house, waiting for the young couple to serve tea. Yan Jiecheng was furious and shouted, "Jia Zhangshi, Wu Laopozi, you've gone too far!"

The shout startled Yan Bugui and his wife, along with the Yan brothers, who all came out. Upon seeing the two people sitting at the two tables, they were also very angry.

(End of this chapter)