The Red Era: Living in Seclusion in a Siheyuan as a Boss

Chapter 438 Liu Sandai

On the way home, Liu Zhiye, with a satisfied smile on his face, said to his eldest daughter Liu Shuxian beside him: "You did well and entered the gate of the No. 2 Middle School Branch with the 15th place in the grade. But remember, pride leads to defeat. We need to continue to work hard. Our goal is to be admitted to a top university in the future."

Liu Shuxian was as proud as a peacock spreading its tail, "Hey, Dad, I didn't work that hard, but I only ranked 15th in the whole grade. If I work harder, wouldn't I be the first place?"

This girl obviously inherited the smart genes in their family, but she is a little casual in her studies and prefers to have fun rather than study hard.

This time, she unexpectedly brought such great joy to her family. You know, the number of students taking the high school entrance examination in Liujiazhuang this year is huge, with more than a thousand students gathered in the three campuses. You can imagine how fierce the competition is.

In fact, Xiaguo has not yet resumed school entrance examinations.

However, in schools of all levels in Liujiazhuang, the tradition of enrollment by examination is still firmly implemented.

Top students were able to enter high school and then follow the path of workers, peasants and soldiers and were recommended to study in university.

As for the rest of the outstanding students, they also have a wide range of choices and can apply for many local technical secondary schools in Liujiazhuang, such as the "College of Traditional Chinese Medicine", "College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry", "Liujiazhuang Technical School" and "Civil Engineering College", etc. These colleges and universities have laid a solid foundation for their future.

For those students who fail to enter high school or technical secondary school, they also have broad development paths and can choose to work in various local factories and enterprises.

Among the many enterprises in Liujiazhuang, there are many examples of attaching great importance to talent cultivation. These enterprises not only provide employment opportunities, but also establish a complete talent cultivation mechanism, laying a solid foundation for the growth and development of employees.

It is particularly worth mentioning that some large enterprises have also set up exclusive training schools, adopting a part-time work and study model, so that employees can constantly enrich themselves and improve their skills while working.

Such an arrangement not only guarantees the employees' source of income, but also promotes the overall improvement of their personal abilities, truly achieving a win-win situation for work and study.

Therefore, the fact that enterprises in Liujiazhuang area can now flourish and prosper is inseparable from the guidance of excellent leadership and is closely related to a large and outstanding team of employees.

It is the close collaboration between the two that has created the glory of Liujiazhuang's industrialization today.

When summer comes, the most famous thing is the local specialty of the old capital, "Sauna Day".

In the humid and hot weather, everyone was sticky and the sweat on their backs showed that they had lost all hope in life.

After the parent-teacher meeting, the midday sun was already high in the sky. Liu Zhiye and his daughter set out on their journey home, choosing to walk to enjoy this rare parent-child time.

The scorching sun was mercilessly burning the earth. Soon after the father and daughter stepped out of the school gate, beads of sweat began to seep out of their foreheads. Soon they gathered into a stream, sliding down their cheeks and soaking their clothes.

In such a hot day, the willow trees on the street looked sick, with leaves covered with dust and curled up on the branches; the branches were too lazy to move and drooped listlessly.

There was not a drop of water on the road, which shone dryly and whitely. The dust on the sidewalk flew so high that it merged with the gray air in the sky, forming a poisonous gray sand array that burned the faces of passers-by.

It was dry, hot and stuffy everywhere. The entire old city was like a burning brick kiln, making it hard to breathe.

Dogs lay on the ground with their red tongues hanging out, mules and horses had their nostrils flared, vendors did not dare to shout, the asphalt road was melting, even the copper plaques in front of the shops seemed to be melting. The streets were very quiet, with only the monotonous ding-dong sounds coming from the copper and iron shops, which made people anxious.

The hot weather makes it hard to breathe. Pedestrians, animals and plants can't have an easy life in such weather.

"If you want to drink, I'll serve you some ice cream to cool you down!"

"Bing'er Town's Lingle Snow Flake Yogurt, drink it if you want, boiled water, white sugar, and lots of osmanthus!"

After walking for a while, the father and daughter found a vendor selling iced snow cheese under the shade of a tree in front of them.

A middle-aged man in his forties was carrying two wooden barrels about two feet in diameter, covered with white cloth. The barrels were filled with neatly stacked small white porcelain bowls with orchid patterns. There was a small wooden board between the bowls, just like stacking honeycomb coal. The bowls were filled with white cheese, which was refreshing and sweet.

Liu Shuxian was immediately excited and said to Liu Zhiye with hope: "Dad, I want to eat snow yogurt!"

Liu Zhiye took out a handful of banknotes from his pocket. He didn't know how much money they were worth, so he handed them to her. "Okay, go ahead and buy them. The rest is yours as your own pocket money."

Liu Shuxian was delighted to hear this. Although their Liu family was wealthy, they had a strict family tradition. Both their ancestors and Liu Zhiye and his wife strictly disciplined their children for spending money like water.

On weekdays, the three children were very short of money and had almost no pocket money.

During every Chinese New Year and other festivals, the lucky money and other valuables given by the elders would all be pocketed by her mother Gan Ning in the name of safekeeping.

Growing up in such an environment, Liu Shuxian and her two siblings showed extraordinary understanding and frugality since childhood.

Fortunately, they were well-educated and did not have any dandy spirit, becoming the best among their peers.

Liu Shuxian is now a young girl of marriageable age, and naturally she has the idea of ​​accumulating some private money. She is eager to use the money to exchange for those small items she has longed for and to fulfill her little wishes from her girlhood.

Liu Zhiye, as a father who is well versed in the ways of the world, always gives his daughter some pocket money inadvertently. This is neither over-indulging her, nor a subtle way of guiding her in cultivating her concept of money.

The father and daughter came to the stall of a snow cheese vendor under a big tree.

Liu Shuxian went to buy snow yogurt from the vendor first, while Liu Zhiye sat down on the roadbed under a big tree to enjoy the cool air.

"Uncle! Buy two bowls of snow yogurt!"

"Okay! Very good value! Three cents for a bowl!"

Liu Shuxian gave him sixty cents and immediately put the rest of the money into her pocket.

When the snow cheese was served, there was still cold steam coming out of the bowl, and a piece of bright red hawthorn cake or a few golden candied osmanthus flowers was placed on the cheese.

Liu Zhiye hadn't eaten this thing for years, but the children at home said they were very satisfied.

When he ate it, it was chilly to his tongue and throat, sweet and soothing to his heart. It seemed that no other milk-based ice cream, such as the foreign 'cherry sundae' or purple ice cream, could compare to it. "

But this thing is expensive, and not many people can afford to eat it these days. The price of a bowl of cheese is equivalent to that of a pound of cornmeal. Children of ordinary people rarely buy it. Only in Liujiazhuang can the business of this vendor be better.

In the past, this was a delicacy that only the "upper middle class" could afford.

Because there was no ice cream or other cold drinks like "Arctic Ocean" at that time.

So in the summer at noon, people would often ask the cheese shop to deliver a bucket of cheese - not to be eaten every day, but only when guests came or on birthdays.

There are many famous cheese shops in the old capital, such as Erheyi in Ganshiqiao, the cheese shops in Dongsi Pailou and Xidan Pailou, but the most famous one is "Cheese Wei" in Menkuang Hutong outside Qianmen. The cheese here is made from pure and fresh milk, so the taste is unique. The big bowl with fruit is especially good. There are melon seeds in the cheese, which gives you something to chew besides drinking, and it has a unique flavor. Whenever I pass by this place or come out of a show, I will definitely drink two bowls of his cheese.

The production process of selling snow cheese on a shoulder pole is relatively simple. A large wooden barrel is prepared in advance, and a thin small barrel made of lead iron is placed inside the barrel. There is an axle in the middle of the small iron barrel, and the bottom is connected to the groove of the large wooden barrel. A rubber belt or a rope as thick as a thumb is wrapped around the axle.

When making it, put water, sugar, rose water and other spices in a small iron bucket, fill the area around the bucket with crushed ice, then close the lid, pull the rope back and forth, and let the bucket rotate continuously among the ice cubes, so that the sugar and rose water in the bucket are evenly mixed and quickly cooled into ice chips like snowflakes.

The people who make it also use bamboo boards to scrape the icicles on the wall of the barrel. When selling it, they use an iron colander to scoop out the ice chips and icicles from the barrel and put them into small bowls, so that the customers can eat them with a small spoon. It is not only refreshing, but also sweet and delicious. When settling the bill, the price is calculated by the bowl.

After eating the snow yogurt, the father and daughter did not delay any longer. It was getting late and the whole family was still waiting for them to go back for lunch!

Liu Zhiye walked into the house sweating profusely, his clothes already soaked with sweat and sticking to his body.

He walked straight to the front yard and saw the old man standing leisurely by the well, using a wooden bucket to draw clear water from the well to cool the plump watermelons.

Although my home is connected to tap water, the natural coolness of well water in the hot summer is still incomparable to tap water at home.

Nowadays, the simplest way for ordinary people to cool down in the summer is to use "well-pulled cool water".

The water in the old capital is shallow. You can find water after digging about ten feet, and it is a deep well after digging two or three feet.

The water newly drawn from the well is clear and cold. The old Beijingers call it "well-drawn cool water". It is a natural cooling treasure for the old Beijingers.

If you are a person who does manual labor, drinking water from the well is a real pleasure. When you drink the refreshingly cool water, all the pores on your body, from head to toe, will suddenly shrink.

Summer is hot and stuffy. It is hot and dry on sunny days and hot and stuffy on cloudy days. Watermelon is the best way to relieve the heat. The watermelons at this time are mainly "black spring tendons", "big three whites", "green three whites", "flower skin melons"... After buying the melons, put them in a basin with cold water and soak them for three or four hours. Change the water in the middle to soak the melons thoroughly. "Grandpa, is this a freshly picked melon?" Liu Zhiye squatted down, patted a melon gently, and glanced at the melon stem.

The old man was nearly 90 years old, and his weathered face was full of traces of time. After recovering from a serious illness, his body and hearing were not as good as before. He frowned slightly, as if trying to catch his grandson's voice: "Hmm? What did you say?"

Liu Zhiye raised his voice and repeated, "Grandpa, I want to ask if this melon was just picked?"

When the old man heard this, his eyes lit up, as if something had triggered his memory, and he slowly said, "Oh, watermelons... Yes, your uncle just came and said that our village has a very good watermelon harvest this year, and every household is very happy."

"Don't look at it anymore. This watermelon just arrived in town. Your mother has prepared dinner and is waiting for you and your daughter to come back!"

"Okay! Let's eat it after dinner!" Liu Zhiye washed his hands with the well water used to soak the watermelon. The cool feeling was very comfortable.

So he took off his clothes, took a shower with well water naked.

The old man got angry and immediately tried to dissuade him, "Hey, stop fooling around! Don't make yourself sick from all this hot and cold!"

Deng Ru came out from the room upon hearing the noise. She saw Mu and immediately started to criticize Liu Zhiye, "Look at you, you are already forty years old, and you are still so careless..."

No matter how old this son is, he is probably still a child in his mother's mind.

Liu Zhiye responded with a silly smile, "Mom! What delicious food are you going to make for lunch today? Your eldest granddaughter has been admitted to high school, shouldn't we celebrate?"

When talking about Liu Shuxian, Deng Ru couldn't stop smiling. This child was her only grandchild whom she had seen grow up, and the two of them were the closest.

When Liu Wen and Liu Wu were born, their grandparents came to live in seclusion in Liujiazhuang.

The two elders, who had nothing to do, helped take care of the two children.

The second son of the Liu family, Liu Zhitai, has a child named Liu Shucheng, who is still young and just started elementary school this year.

How could she not be happy that her eldest granddaughter, who had been naughty and wild since she was a child and didn't look like a girl, was admitted to high school? "Haha, I've already prepared it. I made a few more dishes. Your dad went to invite the children's grandparents..."

The residence that Liu Zhiye carefully selected for his father-in-law and mother-in-law is located not far away, in a corner at the foot of the mountain, building an elegant small courtyard.

The years are quiet and good, and the two old people are content here, with no noise of stringed instruments to disturb their ears, only flowers and birds to keep them company, and their days are exceptionally comfortable and pleasant.

Not long after, the children's grandparents, Professor Cui and Engineer Gan, returned with Liu Jingzhai, surrounded by five little ones: Liu Wen, Liu Wu, Liu Shucheng, as well as Li Guang and Liming. They were all cousins, and they were all having a great time.

After a while, Liu Zhiye's uncle and aunt also came with their grandchildren and nephews.

Wow, including Liu Shuxian, more than ten children were running around the yard happily, it was very lively.

Children are born to love to join in the fun, not to mention this big family, who are inseparable on weekdays, playing and having fun together, and enjoying the family happiness.

Liu Zhiye was overwhelmed by their troubles, and only the old man was smiling at his descendants with a satisfied look on his face.

It was a rare occasion for the whole family to get together, and Liu Zhiye, who was usually busy, had a rare moment of free time. He decided to have a drink with his uncle Liu Yuansheng and brother-in-law Liu Fusheng.

"Uncle, I won't go back to the military area tonight. How about we have a few drinks together?" Liu Zhiye suggested.

Liu Yuansheng smiled cheerfully: "Okay! Then let's not go home until we are drunk!"

Liu Fusheng, the director of the subdistrict office, seemed quite modest: "You guys enjoy yourself, I'll just drink some beer casually, I have to go to work in the afternoon."

Hearing this, Liu Zhiye said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Brother-in-law, you are a very busy man now, but today is a rare day for me to come back, how can you not have a few drinks with me?"

Liu Fusheng responded jokingly: "If you want me to drink with you, it's okay, but you have to ask your wife for leave for me first."

He now works with Gan Ning and is in charge of the work of the Liujiazhuang Subdistrict Office. Uncle Liu Yuanhai retired two years ago, and the burden on their shoulders is not light.

Liu Zhiye smiled and said, "Okay, this is easy. She listens to me at home."

"Wife, wife?"

Gan Ning, the powerful secretary outside, became a gentle and virtuous daughter-in-law as soon as she entered the Liu family. At this moment, she was helping her mother-in-law Deng Ru busy in the kitchen, her hands stained with the smell of fireworks.

She heard Liu Zhiye calling from outside the yard, and she answered, "Hey, here I come!" Then she wiped her hands with her apron and walked out of the kitchen lightly.

"Zhiye, what's the matter?"

Liu Zhiye smiled and said to her, "Wife, my brother-in-law asked me to ask for leave from you, saying that drinking requires the approval of you, the great secretary."

Gan Ning was slightly startled when he heard this, but quickly came back to his senses, seeing through their joke, and said with a smile: "Okay, then I agree, brother-in-law, if you are really drunk, I will give you a special vacation, so you can rest at home!"

"Hahahaha...our Secretary Gan has approved it, what other reasons do you have, brother-in-law?"

"Hey! What else can I say? I have to risk my life for you!" Liu Fusheng pretended to be helpless.

His elder sister Liu Cuiling ruthlessly exposed his true colors, saying, "Tsk! As soon as you heard about drinking, you acted like you were seeing your real father. You really want to see him!"

Liu Fusheng pretended to be honest and said, "Hey, after all, I am a senior director at the department level. Can you please give me some face?"

Liu Cuiling pursed her lips and said, "Come on! You are the youngest official in our family..."

…………

After the whole family had finished lunch, everyone gathered together to eat watermelon, enjoying the cool air and chatting. This was the ultimate enjoyment on a hot day.

After eating the melon, Liu Zhiye felt that the room was too stuffy and hot, and even the electric fan was not enough. So he took a cool mat and spread it under the corridor in the yard and took a nap.

The weather in the capital city of dog days can change suddenly. Just now the sun was shining brightly with almost no wind, but suddenly it started to become cloudy.

The clouds had not yet covered the entire sky, but the ground was already very dark, and the extremely hot and sunny afternoon had suddenly turned into a pitch-black night.

The wind brought raindrops, and it rushed back and forth as if it was searching for something on the ground.

In the distance to the north, a red flash appeared, like a piece of black cloud was lifted up, revealing a large piece of blood. The wind was weak, but it was sharp and made people shiver.

When a gust of wind like this passed, everything seemed to be in a state of disarray; even the willow trees seemed to be waiting for something in a state of uncertainty.

By the time everyone in the family was asleep, the dark sky and the clouds made it hard to tell who was who.

With a crack of thunder, heavy rain fell from the sky. With the arrival of rain, the cool breeze also made people sleep better.

Another flash of lightning, right overhead, was followed by bright white raindrops that fell hard, stirring up a lot of dust that was slightly scented with rain. The rain stopped, and dark clouds covered the sky.

Another gust of wind came, stronger than the previous ones. Willow branches flew sideways, dust spread everywhere, and rain fell down. Wind, dust, and rain mixed together into one piece. It was gray and chilly horizontally and vertically. Everything was wrapped in it. It was impossible to tell which was a tree, which was the ground, which was a cloud. Everything was chaotic, loud, and confusing on all sides.

He slept for the whole afternoon, and when Liu Zhiye woke up, he found that the rain had stopped and the sun had set.

No one in the family was at home. I guess they didn't come to disturb him after waking up, wanting him to sleep a little longer.

Liu Zhiye strolled leisurely to the clear ditch in front of the courtyard gate, where a pond of lotus flowers stood gracefully and bloomed.

This scene touched his heart, and his thoughts drifted back to nine years ago, when he studied at the Advanced Military Command College. It was still vivid in his mind, as if it were yesterday.

Time flies and nine years have passed. Next year will be a turning point. Many major events have happened in Xia Kingdom during this year, and one of them makes him uneasy.

(End of this chapter)