Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 680: Li Ma Arrives
Qi Dasheng said, "It's okay, you just bake first, I'll go cook a few dishes." After that, he took off his coat and went into the kitchen. Sister Wang also followed him in to help.

At noon, Qi Dasheng shouted, "It's time for dinner!" Wang Zhan took a basin filled with roasted chicken and went to the dining room in the hall. Sister Wang smelled it and said with appreciation, "It smells really good."

"Aunt Wang, please eat more later. This is my exclusive secret recipe." Wang Zhan said as he disassembled the chicken. He cut the chicken into two halves, just enough for each person.

The four of them sat down and started to eat. Wang Zhan gave half of his chicken leg and chicken wing to Wang Li. Qi Dasheng and the other man saw this and kept smiling and nodding. Wang Zhan still acted like a brother.

The four of them had no time to talk now. They just lowered their heads and ate. Only Qi Dasheng took a sip of wine from time to time.

A gust of wind swept the clouds away, and the dishes on the table were all clean. The four people sat there digesting their food. Wang Zhan stood up to pour a cup of tea for Sister Wang. At this time, Qi Dasheng pondered for a moment and said, "Disciple, something strange happened today. Do you want to hear it?"

"What's the matter, Master?" Wang Zhan asked with pretended curiosity, but in fact he had already guessed what the master wanted to say.

Qi Dasheng stared into Wang Zhan's eyes and said, "The Military Control Commission of District 1 rescued a child from the alley behind. The child was Liu Guangqi from the Liu family in the backyard of Yard 95. They also caught the people who kidnapped him. After the interrogation, they confessed. Guess what happened?"

At this time, Wang Zhan found that not only the master was staring at him, but Sister Wang was also staring at him without blinking. However, Wang Zhan still pretended to be curious and asked, "Master, why are you still keeping me in suspense? What's going on?"

Qi Dasheng smiled strangely and said, "The one I arrested was just a thief, but the ones arrested by the First Military Control Commission were spies. According to them, they arrested the child because the people above said that the child was the descendant of a meritorious official and was their enemy. They said that the child reported several of their hidden groups, including the group in Zhima Hutong."

Wang Zhan asked in surprise, "Wasn't it Yan Jiecheng who reported that group? How come it was the kids in the backyard who reported it?"

Qi Dasheng and Sister Wang looked at each other. They were not sure whether Wang Zhan was playing dumb. Sister Wang looked at Wang Zhan and asked with a smile, "We don't understand it either, but those spies insisted it was that child, but the child denied it. What do you think is going on?"

"Aunt Wang, how should I know? I'm just a kid, how could I know so much?" After saying that, Wang Zhan stood up and cleaned up the dishes.

"People from the First District Military Control Commission said that a boy in his teens brought a younger girl with him to report. Who do you think that was?" Qi Dasheng said slowly while drinking tea.

Wang Zhan was stunned for a moment and said, "Are you talking about the Cuihua Hutong incident? Master, you should have told me earlier. I was the one who reported it. I just heard someone shouting for help, so I went to report it. By the way, does this count as a meritorious service?"

The two looked at each other and frowned. They knew that Wang Zhan would never admit his mistake even if they were beaten to death, and there was nothing they could do.

Qi Dasheng stood up and said angrily: "Okay, you're just going to keep talking stubbornly." After that, he left angrily.

Sister Wang had no choice but to sigh and say, "Okay, don't go out in the mornings. Someone will come over to connect the electricity." After that, she stood up and left. Wang Zhan saw the two people go away and out of the yard, then heaved a sigh of relief, turned around and started to clean up the dishes and took them to the kitchen for washing.

In a blink of an eye, it is already February. Today is the Little New Year. Wang Zhan took Wang Li to the street to buy New Year's items, including woodblock prints, spring couplets, blessing characters, firecrackers, stove candies, melon seeds, peanuts and other New Year items.

At noon, Wang Zhan started making dumplings, one with cabbage and pork, and the other with leek, egg and pork. He made the cabbage and pork dumplings first. Wang Li kept eating candy. Wang Zhan reminded his sister that eating too much would cause toothache, so he asked her to eat less.

When Wang Li heard that her teeth would ache, she stopped eating obediently and ran to the backyard storehouse to get some peanuts, filling her two small bags. Then she ran to the kitchen and sat on the small stool to eat. Wang Zhan laughed and said, "We're going to eat dumplings soon, and you're still eating peanuts. Are you going to eat later?"

Wang Li smiled and said, "It's okay, I'll just eat a little." Wang Zhan ignored him, and Wang Li continued to ask, "Brother, will the master come back today?"

Wang Zhan answered while making dumplings: "How would I know? He is nowhere to be found these days."

In fact, Wang Zhan was also very worried about his master. Qi Dasheng had officially joined the Ministry of Public Security since the last spy kidnapping incident, but he did not tell his brother and sister which department he was in. However, he had been away from home since then.

One time, Wang Zhan happened to hear a few aunties chatting at the entrance of the alley, so he squatted beside and eavesdropped with his sister. Only then did he know that the abducted Liu Guangqi turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The Liu couple loved their lost son even more. He would get the delicious food first and choose new clothes first. The couple kept an eye on their eldest son all the time. Now they really hold him in their mouths for fear that he would melt, and hold him in their hands for fear that he would fall.

But until now they still don't understand why the secret agents kidnapped their eldest son. What was the reason? In the end, no one could explain it clearly.

The uncles and aunts in the alley were also talking about it. Some said that the child had outstanding qualities, some said that the Liu family had offended people, and some said that the child was from a secret organization. There were all kinds of comments. The couple both felt that their eldest son must have outstanding qualities.

Wang Zhan also heard people talking here, but he just listened for fun. He was the only one who knew the truth of what was going on. However, Qi Dasheng might have guessed something, but Wang Zhan refused to admit it, so Qi Dasheng had no choice.

At noon, the brother and sister were eating dumplings in the dining room in the hall. Wang Zhan also served two bowls of dumpling soup, made a balsamic vinegar dipping sauce for his sister, and a spicy dipping sauce for himself.

The two siblings were eating enthusiastically when there was a knock on the door. Wang Zhan wondered who was coming to visit during the New Year. He walked into the yard and asked, "Who is it?"

"Open the door, Wang Zhan, I'm your mother Li." Li Cuilan's voice came from the door.

Wang Zhan was very confused. Why did Madam Li come? He hadn't seen her since he came back from his travels. But he still opened the door quickly. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Li Cuilan holding a bowl with a smaller bowl upside down on it. Wang Zhan smiled and said, "Madam Li, why are you here? Come in and sit down."

(End of this chapter)