Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 586 Uninvited Guest

When Wang Wenyuan heard Mother Hua talking about the three waves of uninvited guests today, the first person he thought of was the thin man with glasses, Yan Bugui, and the second was Xu Damao and his parents. He really couldn't remember who else would go to his grandmother's room.

Wang Wenyuan really guessed it right. The first to arrive were Xu Damao and his parents. They arrived at around eight or nine in the morning. Why so early? It was because they wanted to go back to the countryside to pay New Year's greetings to their elders. Xu Wude was very well-behaved. He just observed and didn't say much. The most he said was to thank the old lady for her advice to Xu Damao. He didn't say anything else.

The second wave was more interesting. When it was almost time for lunch, Yan Bugui came with his whole family. Hua's mother said, "As for me, I could tell at a glance that except for the one wearing glasses, the others didn't want to come. It's a big taboo to pay New Year's greetings at lunchtime. Everyone knows that Yan Bugui has bad intentions."

Wang Wenyuan chuckled and said, "He is such a stingy old man, scheming until his death. By the way, did you treat him to a meal in the end?"

Mother Hua said, "Madam, just one sentence and the whole family ran away?"

Wang Wenyuan was curious and asked, "What did the old lady say?"

"Hey, are you the white dog who teaches at the front door?" Hua's mother said with a trembling smile.

Wang Wenyuan and Blind Zhang also laughed out loud. Anyone who heard this would have to run away.

But as Wang Wenyuan laughed, his heart ached a little, because there was still a vague sadness in his mind. He didn't know why, it was inexplicable, but the three words "Yan Jiekuang" appeared in his mind again.

Half a day later, Mother Hua had seen the third wave of people. It was in the afternoon. Because there were many guests today, the gate of Courtyard No. 91 was wide open. In order to facilitate entry and exit, a couple came in the afternoon with an old lady. The old lady was a woman with bound feet, only in her fifties or sixties, and was from the courtyard next door. She was very polite.

"Hello, we are from the next courtyard. This is our ancestor from the next courtyard. I heard that there is an old sister in this courtyard. It’s the New Year, so let’s visit her." Yi Zhonghai said with a smile.

When Hua's mother saw this, she realized that this person was taking advantage of his seniority, but she didn't make a fuss and just asked the three main hall masters to meet the guest. After all, the man came to see the old lady.

The old lady in the middle was wearing a silk coat, very dignified, and looked like a young lady from a wealthy family. Yi Zhonghai and his wife supported her on both sides and walked to the central hall. As soon as they lifted the door curtain, the old lady saw Granny Jinhua sitting in the middle and turned around and ran out of the yard. Granny Jinhua shouted, "Third girl, if you want to run, don't be afraid that I will get angry."

The deaf old lady stopped instantly and dared not move. Yi Zhonghai and his wife were stunned.

Yi Zhonghai and his wife were pulled to the east wing by Jinhua Granny's goddaughter to have dinner. The deaf old lady was left at the main table by Jinhua Granny, who scolded her. She felt ashamed. Looking at the guests at the table, she only knew a few of them, and they were people she couldn't afford to offend.

Wang Wenyuan curiously asked Hua Mama how Jinhua Granny knew the deaf old lady. After listening to Hua Mama's story, he learned that this matter could be traced back to the early Republic of China. Jinhua Granny was the earliest student to study abroad in the late Qing Dynasty, thanks to her open-minded father. At that time, Jinhua Granny's father was also a first-rank official and was dissatisfied with the reign of Empress Dowager Cixi.

Although he was dissatisfied, Jinhua Granny's father was very smart. He retired at the right time, sold all his belongings, and went directly to Europe with his wife and children. Later, he sent several children to study in the United States, including Jinhua Granny. During her study abroad, Jinhua Granny was influenced by new ideas and joined the National Salvation Association overseas. After graduation, she returned to Peiping.

At the beginning of the Republic of China, Grandma Jinhua took several young students and established Chengde Girls' Middle School, which mainly enrolled female students. The big businessmen, officials and wealthy families at that time sent their daughters to study. Grandma Jinhua was the director of the first class.

As luck would have it, the deaf old lady was a member of the middle school at that time. Her father was a descendant of the Manchu royal family, but his family had fallen on hard times. The deaf old lady's family wanted to let her go to school for two years and then get married. Unfortunately, the deaf old lady only went to school for one year and then got married, as a concubine. This touched the bottom line of Grandma Jinhua, because what they advocated at that time was equality between men and women and independence.

Granny Jinhua and her people protested at the deaf old lady's house for a long time, and the incident caused a sensation in Peking. Finally, as the deaf old lady disappeared from the public eye and never left her house, Granny Jinhua had no choice but to stop protesting.

But Granny Jinhua was deeply impressed by the first person who betrayed her. She would never forget it in her life. Granny Jinhua recognized the deaf old lady as soon as she showed up. There were also several teachers from the school at that time at the table, and they also recognized the child who had to go to school with bound feet. Wang Wenyuan was also amazed. Could the old lady's eyes have been so sharp for such a long time? Granny Hua said, "You don't know. The deaf old lady waited for Yi Zhonghai and his wife to finish the banquet. The two bound feet were so fast that they disappeared as soon as they turned around. I guess the old lady will never dare to enter this yard in her life. Haha."

Wang Wenyuan was also very happy. The little girl didn't know what Hua Mama was talking about, but seeing them happy, she also laughed, but she just stretched out her little hands and laughed at Wang Wenyuan.

Wang Wenyuan said, "Lili, you've eaten so much candy today. Your teeth will hurt if you eat more. I'll give you some canned fruit."

Wang Wenli narrowed her eyes, nodded, and pointed in the direction of the secret room. Wang Wenyuan slapped his forehead, thinking that this little girl was so cunning.

On the second day of the Lunar New Year, a sign saying "Closed to Visitors" was hung in Grandma Jinhua's yard. Wang Wenyuan also went out with the little girl. Today he had to go to clean his master's yard. He would come to Baiyun Temple on the second and fifth day of the Lunar New Year every year.

He had not originally planned to bring the little girl with him, but when the little girl heard that they were going to the place where her brother lived when he was a child, she insisted on going with him to take a look. Wang Wenyuan thought that since there was no one at his master's place and he would be bored alone, he took her with him.

Wang Wenyuan did not go to the mountain gate because he estimated that there would be a lot of people burning incense today. He went directly around the back along the west moat and entered from a small door at the back. Wang Wenyuan pushed the cart and came to a small courtyard on the east side of Yunji Mountain House. He took out the key, opened the copper lock, pushed open the double wooden door, and pushed the cart in.

This is a small courtyard with only three rooms, leaning against a corner of Yunji Mountain House. The courtyard wall on the left is the east wall of the mountain house. The courtyard is not big, with a total area of ​​more than 50 square meters. There are not many plants in the whole courtyard. It is paved with bluestone slabs, but many places are bumpy, which is caused by the practice of these children. The three rooms are the same size, each about 20 square meters.

As soon as the little girl got off the car, she was full of curiosity about the yard. She kept asking Wang Wenyuan where he lived when he was a child. Wang Wenyuan pointed to the room on the far left. The little girl ran towards that room with her short legs. Wang Wenyuan ignored her, parked the car aside, took off his coat, put it on the car, turned around and started sweeping the yard with a broom.

After a while, the little girl rushed out holding a mini Bagua stick, with a look of excitement on her face. She shouted in a very realistic manner, "Monster, take a hit from me, Sun." Unfortunately, the little girl still didn't have enough strength, and the stick flew out with a swing, making Wang Wenyuan laugh.

The little girl was not angry, she quickly ran over to pick up the stick, Wang Wenyuan smiled and touched her head and said: "You really know how to choose, this is the first weapon my master made for me, it was about the same age as you when I was practicing."

The little girl was so happy that she said excitedly, "Brother, can you teach me how to practice too?"

"Okay, let's go home and I'll teach you. I'll clean up first. It's too cold. You'll go home early after you finish cleaning up." Wang Wenyuan said.

After sweeping the yard, she started to clean the room. There was a well in the yard, so there was no need to go out. The little girl was busy practicing some inexplicable stick techniques, muttering to herself.

In the courtyard of No. 95, at Yi Zhonghai's home, the couple sat opposite each other with worried looks on their faces, because after the banquet last night, the deaf old lady left them and ran back alone. They were also confused and thought of asking what was going on. No matter how they knocked on the door, the deaf old lady would not open it.

The next day, Li Cuilan prepared breakfast early in the morning and brought it to the deaf old lady. She knocked on the door but the lady didn't open it. When she got home and told Yi Zhonghai about it, they both became worried. Why? What had happened to scare the deaf old lady like that?

Yi Zhonghai said: "Why don't we try again? What's the reason for this old lady? The old lady in that courtyard is so scary. She doesn't look like that. She looks quite kind."

Li Cuilan looked at Yi Zhonghai and said, "Is it possible that these two people have a grudge against each other, and the deaf old lady is afraid of revenge from the other old lady and dares not go out?"

"Impossible. If that were the case, how could the old lady stay at the main table to eat? She must have some grudge. Forget it, let's go and take a look. I hope nothing really happens to the old lady." Yi Zhonghai said.

(End of this chapter)