Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 978: Life-Changing
When Wang Zhan told his homeroom teacher about his plans before the exam, the teacher was very surprised. She didn't expect that the student who was clearly the most promising and could have gone to university would choose a vocational school.

The homeroom teacher then went to the principal, and the two of them found Wang Zhan and tried to persuade him with all their heart, but Wang Zhan remained steadfast in his choice. In the end, the two of them gave up, feeling it was a pity.

After the middle school entrance exam, Wang Zhan had a short holiday. Wang Li was also on holiday. In two more years, she would be going to junior high school. Wang Li was making plans to go to the Jade Void Space, and Wang Zhan did not refuse. He knew that Wang Li was building her own little garden inside.

Wang Zhan traveled alone between the pigeon market and the suburban villages, collecting everything he could find, including not only grains but also fruits and vegetables, as well as some livestock. Occasionally, he would also go up the mountain to hunt and collect the plants and animals there.

In July, the sweltering heat of Beijing made people listless. Wang Zhan and his sister, who were on holiday, didn't want to go out and stayed at home, studying the Jade Void Space when they had nothing to do. But most of the time, the two siblings stayed in the courtyard.

Wang Zhan froze some ice blocks in his spatial storage, then took them out and placed them in the room, mainly to cool it down, along with some beer and soda.

After the exam, his friends were all sent away by their parents to visit relatives, so they hadn't seen each other since the start of the holiday. Wang Zhan made a nest for Jinbao in the yard. The original nest had fallen apart during the move, so Jinbao had been sleeping in the main room ever since.

It's summer now, and I guess it doesn't want to sleep indoors anymore. It just runs to the covered walkway in the yard and lies there all the time. Wang Zhan thought, "Okay, I'll just make another nest. Anyway, I have wood in my space."

Wang Li was also busy working nearby. Jinbao seemed to know that she was making a nest for it, so it lay down next to it and wagged its tail.

Wang Li suddenly asked, "Brother, when are we going to pick up Doha? I miss it so much."

Doha had been staying with Grandma Aijima, and Wang Zhan had almost forgotten about it. But he looked at Jinbao and said, "Let's wait a while. I'm worried that it and Jinbao might fight if they run into each other."

Wang Li turned to look at Jinbao and said, "No way, Doha is so young."

Just then, Grandma Sun walked in with her two grandchildren. Wang Zhan greeted them with a smile. Grandma Sun found a small stool and sat down next to Wang Zhan. Wang Zhan said, "Lili, go to the kitchen and get a few bottles of soda for your younger brother and sister."

Wang Li stood up and ran towards the kitchen, but Er Ya and Xiao Pang followed her.

"Xiao Zhan, I came here specifically to see you today. I heard from my colleagues at the neighborhood office that starting next month, meat rations will be implemented: six liang (200 grams) per month for adults, four liang (200 grams) for teenagers, and three liang (200 grams) for children. You need to prepare early," said Aunt Sun while the children were in the kitchen.

"Ah, ma'am, does that mean there's a meat shortage in the market now?" Wang Zhan asked in surprise.

“That’s right. I usually can’t buy this at the market. It’s only available for a short time in the morning, and there are always long queues,” said Aunt Sun.

Wang Zhan nodded, thought for a moment and said, "It's alright, Auntie, I'll take care of your meat supply from now on. I have a way to get meat."

"Really?" Aunt Sun asked in surprise.

Wang Zhan nodded. Aunt Sun knew Wang Zhan quite well. He wouldn't easily agree to anything, but once he did, he would definitely do it. He was a reliable boy.

Grandma Sun asked again, "I heard you applied to a vocational school. What? You don't want to go to university anymore?"

Wang Zhan nodded again, then repeated his reasons to Aunt Sun. Aunt Sun thought about it and didn't try to dissuade him further. Wang Zhan was a man of his own mind, and besides, Aunt Sun also felt that going to a vocational school and becoming a cadre after graduation was a good choice. Just then, Wang Li ran over with an opened bottle of soda and handed it to Aunt Sun. Aunt Sun didn't stand on ceremony and took it. "Goodness, this soda is still ice cold! Did you go to Ice Cellar Alley?"

Wang Zhan nodded and said, "It's too hot. Let's get some ice to cool it down."

“You know, you don’t have much income except for subsidies, so you should be careful with your money,” Aunt Sun advised.

Wang Zhan smiled. In fact, he had spent quite a bit of money recently. Starting from Sichuan and Chongqing, he had already spent nearly 50,000 yuan. But even so, he still had more than 100,000 yuan in his storage space.

“Auntie, don’t go back tonight. Eat here. I still have a chicken at home. Let the two little ones have a treat,” Wang Zhan said.

"Alright, thanks for your help. I'll go to the kitchen to clean up. You can continue." Aunt Sun took the soda and got up to go to the kitchen.

As evening fell, the sky was ablaze with sunset colors, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of the air. A round table was placed under the grapevines, and three little ones were already sitting properly on several chairs.

The aroma of stewed chicken and mushrooms wafting from the kitchen was so enticing that even the little ones in the front yard were drawn over, peering through the hanging flower gate. But they knew the rules; without the master's permission, they would never enter through the hanging flower gate.

Wang Zhan and Aunt Sun carried several dishes out of the kitchen and placed them on the round table. When Wang Zhan saw the children gathered in the front yard by the hanging flower gate, he smiled, took an empty bowl, scooped out a bowl of chicken, and then took a pair of chopsticks and went over.

"Line up, everyone. Two yuan each, have a taste." Wang Zhan directed the children, who lined up obediently.

After finishing their meal, the children thanked him and scattered. Wang Zhan returned to the table, and everyone ate together. In addition to the chicken, Wang Zhan also made stir-fried sausage with celery, scrambled eggs with scallions, and cucumber salad for dinner.

These things, which seemed ordinary to Wang Zhan, were considered extravagant by Aunt Sun. Although these vegetables could be bought in the market, it depended on luck.

During the meal, Aunt Sun kept advising Wang Zhan that supplies were tight outside, and that he should keep a low profile and close the door when he ate in the future to avoid the smell of meat coming out.

Wang Zhan verbally agreed, but in his heart he didn't think so. His little sister was so young, how could she not eat well? He could just cook in his space and then take it out to eat.

After dinner, Grandma Sun cleared the table and left with her two children.

The brother and sister closed the hanging flower gate and entered the space together. Jinbao also went in with them. Dayu and Xiaoyu had already settled here.

The little fish and shrimp in the river were their favorite. They would often wander around in the river when they had nothing to do. Wang Zhan stopped building them a nest, so they made their own home in the bamboo forest behind the mountain and actually wove a nest out of dry branches.

As soon as the brother and sister entered, they each went about their own business. Wang Zhan tidied up the study, while Wang Li chased the chicks out of the pen and led them to tour the sea of ​​flowers.

(End of this chapter)