Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 172 The engagement banquet turned into a fight!
The He family was preparing meat, and the middle courtyard was packed with children. This time, the adults in the front yard didn't stop the children. On He Yuzhu's big day, the He family certainly couldn't show any displeasure.

Of course, they couldn't eat what they wanted. It was very late when the adults dragged and pulled the group of children back, and crying and screaming for their parents was inevitable.

He Yuxin and He Yuyao had a blast. Usually, it's just the two brothers in the courtyard, but with so many kids coming, the two boys went crazy, running all over the place.

It was quite late by the time everything was finished. Xu Damao was assigned to watch the pot, while He Yuzhu was sent to bed; he would be the main character tomorrow.

He Yuzhu slept for a while and then heard noises outside. When he got up and went outside, he found that it was still dark and there were several light bulbs hanging in the middle courtyard.

He was stunned when he saw the person directing others to work in front of the makeshift stove.

"Master, when did you come to Beijing?"

"You little brat, you still remember I'm your master?"

How could I ever forget my mentor who taught me?

“You’ve grown into a fine young man, so much taller than your master now. You’ve really made something of yourself.” Li Baoguo strode over to He Yuzhu, looked him up and down carefully, his eyes a little red, and punched He Yuzhu hard on the shoulder twice.

"Hehe, Master, it's been almost ten years since we last saw each other. I'm 23 now."

"Yes, time flies. You've grown up. You did a good job killing those foreign devils on the peninsula. They deserved to die."

"Are you the chef today?"

"What? You don't like my cooking skills?"

"No, no, I really didn't expect it to be you."

"Hahaha, you've prepared plenty of ingredients. Your master will show you a skill today."

"Alright, I'm just waiting to eat."

"I never imagined that the little girl you picked up would become your wife. You really saved your parents money on a matchmaker."

"How would we have known these things back then?"

"Now you know? Treat Xiaoman well. You've really struck gold with such a beautiful wife."

"Uh-huh!"

"Alright, go do what you need to do, I have a lot to do."

Do you need my help?

"Go away, go away, what kind of newcomer does the work by themselves?"

Soon, the sounds of chopping vegetables began to come from the courtyard. Li Baoguo went to see the braised pig's head and offal that He Yuzhu was cooking. He tasted it and was very satisfied with the flavor, saying that his apprentice hadn't lost his skills.

After daybreak, the He family started to get lively. First came Wang Hongxia and the Zhao family. They weren't just there for a meal; they were there to help out.

Then there were Xu Damao's parents. Xu Fugui probably wanted to improve their relationship, so he brought quite a lot of things, most of which had to be bought with industrial vouchers.

Seeing Xu Fugui's attitude, He Daqing's expression softened. The main reason Xu Fugui moved away was because he was ashamed; otherwise, it wasn't like he couldn't afford the east wing of the backyard.

Then people gradually arrived. Yang Ruihua and Jia Zhangshi from the front yard originally wanted to come and help in the kitchen, since everyone knew that helping in the kitchen would also get them some leftover scraps.

The two almost got into a fight, but when they arrived at the Intermediate People's Court, Li Baoguo kicked them out. He had brought his own kitchen helper, so he didn't need these inexperienced cooks. Besides, he knew very well that the He family and the people in front of them didn't have a good relationship.

He Yuzhu and Xiaoman greeted people at the gate, both wearing red flowers on their chests. Xiaoman was particularly poised and confident today; it's hard to know what had changed about her these past few days.

As they walked towards it, He Yuzhu saw a car come in from the alley and stop right in front of their courtyard.

When the car door opened, the person who got out surprised He Yuzhu: Lou Zhenhua.

"Deputy Director He, today Lou shamelessly came to our door asking for a drink. You don't have any objections, do you?"

"Boss Lou is quite well-informed."

"Not at all, I haven't had a chance to thank Deputy Director He in person for helping us purchase steel and rolling mills. I heard he was back a while ago, but I've been busy with other things, so please forgive me."

"I was just handling official business, so there's no need for thanks."

"Yes, yes, bring the things over here."

The people who had just gotten out of the driver's and passenger's seats went straight to the back of the car, opened the trunk, and took out a bunch of things. There was also another person carrying a large box.

Someone nearby exclaimed, "A radio!"

He Yuzhu's face darkened when he saw the radio box.

"Boss Lou, if you want to drink, I'll make sure you have enough! If you're bringing gifts, please leave!"

"It was my oversight, my oversight!" Lou Zhenhua was a man who immediately grasped the crux of the problem, and waved his hand to have everything put back.

Then he stepped forward and handed over a red envelope.

"This is my gift money, I'm too embarrassed to drink the wine, I'll invite Deputy Director He for tea another day."

He Yuzhu didn't reach out to take it, leaving Lou Zhenhua awkwardly standing there. Then he waved to the back, and the butler pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket, which drew another gasp.

Lou Zhenhua originally intended to take ten yuan, but after thinking about it, he took a five-yuan note and presented it with both hands, which He Yuzhu then accepted.

Seeing that He Yuzhu had accepted the call, Lou Zhenhua smiled again.

"I'll take my leave now. I'd love to invite Deputy Director He to join me for tea another day."

"talk later."

Lou Zhenhua clasped his hands in a fist salute, turned around, got into his car, and drove away.

He Yuzhu didn't completely offend anyone, and he had his own considerations. Just because the Lou family couldn't use their resources domestically didn't mean they couldn't use them abroad. He didn't investigate the Lou family, but he figured their backup plans were definitely not in one place, and they might come in handy later.

Around noon, everyone who was supposed to come arrived, and He Yuzhu and He Xiaoman entered the Intermediate People's Court.

Then, a simple ceremony was held at the Intermediate People's Court, and He Yuzhu and Xiaoman each received an engagement certificate, which was decorated with peonies and mandarin ducks, and included vows with a contemporary feel, combining both modern and classical elements.

All the guests at the middle courtyard offered their sincere blessings, but it's best to say goodbye to the front courtyard. Who knows if they were just saying one thing but meaning another?

The two signed the document on the spot. Xu Damao ran to the gate and set off a long string of firecrackers. He Yuzhu carried a small basket filled with melon seeds and peanuts, and shared a small handful with everyone he met.

Actually, the people who were most upset were Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu. There were quite a few people who got married to them, but they were mostly from Qin Family Village. In the end, it all turned into a farce.

After the dishes were served, the middle courtyard was fine, but the front courtyard was a mess. The dishes were gone as soon as they were served, and then it was all in the bowls.

When the chickens arrived, they almost started fighting. Jia Zhangshi grabbed a chicken leg in each hand and ripped it off hard. Well, half a chicken was gone. Then she and her great-grandson each ate one, their mouths greasy with oil.

Those at the same table naturally objected, berating Jia Zhangshi for being uncouth and even touching her. Jia Zhangshi, unfazed, continued eating while cursing back.

Then Jia Dongxu, Qin Huairu, and Xiao Dang didn't even get a sip of chicken soup.

When the meat dishes were served, all the side dishes were left, but the meat was gone.

Yan Bugui was even more outrageous. Before he could even pour two glasses of wine, the bottles were all gone. Then he encouraged others to go to the Central Court to ask for more wine. Who has such a thick skin? They didn't get to enjoy the wine properly.

Towards the end of the meal, these people couldn't eat together anymore, and each went home with their bowls full of food.

Yan Bugui went home and drank the half-bottle of wine he had taken back, feeling quite pleased with himself.

Liu Haizhong could only drink his wine by himself, thinking to himself, "I can't eat with these guys anymore." Old Jia's family really did take all the soup and liquids off the table, and even took extra steamed buns.

In fact, He Daqing already knew what kind of people were in front of him and had already made arrangements with Li Baoguo beforehand, so no one offered them any more wine or cold dishes. The staple food was also provided in sufficient quantities per person, and whether they ate their fill depended on their own ability.

However, after the person who brought the dishes returned and told Li Baoguo about the situation in the front yard, Li Baoguo quietly told He Daqing about it.

He Daqing made a decision: he would no longer invite those low-class people to his banquets; they were shameful.

If all else fails, we can just not hold it at home. We can always find a venue.

He Yuzhu went around toasting people at each table, and everyone was amazed by his drinking capacity after he finished. He had already drunk two bottles.

He Yuzhu didn't cheat this time. His physical fitness far exceeded that of ordinary people, and he himself had never tried how much he could drink.

Then he was pulled back to the main table, and the bowl in front of him was quickly filled with food. Except for the men, who didn't serve him any food, the old lady, Chen Lanxiang, Wang Cuiping, Wang Hongxia, and even the old lady of the Wang family all served him food.

Everyone laughed heartily at He Yuzhu's embarrassing situation.

After the meal, there was no need for He Yuzhu to see off the guests. Seeing that he was not drunk, everyone sent him and Xiaoman to the east wing so that they could talk.

Xiaoman dropped a bombshell right away: Tan Yong had been expelled from school, and his classmates said that his whole family had gone to the Production and Construction Corps in the far west.

He Yuzhu wasn't surprised at all; there must be something else going on with the Tan family, otherwise they wouldn't have sent it so far away.

"Don't you have any other suitors at your school?" He Yuzhu teased Xiaoman.

"Hmph, who would dare? You're so powerful."

"Hahaha."

The two chatted for a while, and He Yuzhu felt a little tipsy even without drinking. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, so Xiaoman quickly told him to go to bed on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Then she went out of the east wing to help tidy up.

"Xiaoman, why don't you chat a little longer?" Chen Lanxiang asked.

"Brother Zhu got drunk and went to bed on the kang (heated brick bed)."

"This kid, he drank so much."

"aunt."

"Huh? What did you call me?"

"Miss."

"Hey, that's more like it. From now on, we're family."

"Ok!"

"Alright, you can go and rest too. You've been standing all morning, we don't need you here."

"No need, I'm not tired." Xiaoman quickly started helping out.

Chen Lanxiang was increasingly pleased with her daughter-in-law. She felt a little resentful that He Yuzhu had been gone for so long, otherwise she would have married such a good daughter-in-law long ago.

When Li Baoguo left, He Daqing took a lot of the ingredients he had prepared. Li Baoguo declined, but He Daqing showed him what else was left before he took it.

Dinner at the He family's house was simple. They made extra of everything. As for the leftovers on the table, He Daqing let anyone who wanted to take them home. These days, nobody complains about leftovers. If you can't even get enough to eat, why would you complain about leftovers? You might as well starve to death.

Even this matter has been gossiped about by the people in the front yard, who complained that the things weren't left for their own neighbors but were taken away by outsiders.

If He Daqing knew, he would definitely tell them that lunch was all for feeding the dogs, and that the dogs wouldn't want to eat the leftovers for the next meal.

The next day, life returned to normal: going to school and going to work.

Another weekend, He Yuzhu got up early, just as dawn was breaking. He carried a long cloth bag on his back, got on his bicycle, and went out the door.

He asked Chen Lanxiang to make it for him; it was pieced together from old clothes and other fabrics, and it contained a hunting rifle.

He only told He Daqing, because he was afraid his family wouldn't let him go, and a bunch of kids would pester him to take them out to play every weekend.

After leaving the gate, He Yuzhu rode his bicycle straight northeast towards Miyun.

After riding for almost two hours, He Yuzhu finally saw the vast mountains. This was because he was riding fast; most people would be lucky to get there in three or four hours.

When they reached the foot of the mountain, He Yuzhu parked the car and started climbing. He had never been to this place before, and he had to look at the map and ask for directions along the way to find his way.

The mountain was covered with shrubs and wild grass, making it impossible to climb for a while. He Yuzhu then changed into military boots and put on his jacket, carrying a machete as he cleared a path and climbed.

After crossing a hill, he encountered woodcutters. People could tell what he did for a living just by looking at his clothes.

They even asked, "Young man, why don't you take the mountain path? That side is the hardest to climb."

"This is my first time here, I don't know the way," He Yuzhu said, blushing slightly.

"You dare to go up the mountain even if you don't know the way? Aren't you afraid of getting lost?"

“I’ll get to know you after just one trip, sir. Can I ask you how to get down the mountain, and where there are more wild animals?”

The woodcutter pointed out the way and warned, "Young man, you must get down the mountain before dark. Don't go deep into the mountains; it's dangerous there."

"Thank you, sir!"

He Yuzhu knew the way, so he put away his machete and walked along the road into the mountains.

Having hunted with Mihai and his team several times, He Yuzhu had gained some understanding of the characteristics of the animals.
He came here today to see the big guys. After walking a short distance, he heard a "fluttering" sound above his head, and he raised his gun and fired.

With a "bang," two pheasants flapped their wings and fell to the ground. The hunting rifle in his hand was loaded with iron shot; he had no intention of using a hunting rifle to shoot big things.

He was afraid of breaking a small, single-piece toy, especially in situations like the one just described. He was just hitting it by feel, and there's a high chance that the single-piece toy would fly away.

He Yuzhu walked over and picked up two half-dead pheasants, laughing, "A great start!"

Then two pheasants entered the space, and then he shot a rabbit, and then he couldn't see the prey anymore. They were probably scared away by the gunshot.

As He Yuzhu descended a mountain ridge, he was delighted to hear the gurgling sound of flowing water; where there was water, there were bound to be animals coming to drink.

When he reached the stream, he frowned. The water flow was too weak. Judging from the channel the stream had carved out, the flow was less than half of what it used to be. Although it wasn't the rainy season, it wasn't the dry season either.

It seems the impending drought was foreshadowed. He Yuzhu looked at the mountain terrain and headed towards the area where water was likely to accumulate and form pools, where carnivores would be present.

After walking for about ten minutes, they heard a noise in the grass in the distance, and then saw the grass moving. He Yuzhu found a place to hide.

Before long, eight wild boars—five large and three small—emerged from the bushes, grunting and snorting, and headed towards the stream.

The lead male wild boar weighed about 200 jin (100 kg), the sows weighed about 100 jin (50 kg), and the piglets weighed about 20-30 jin (10-15 kg).

The little wild boars were probably very thirsty, so they ran away from the big boar and ignored the male wild boar's angry grunts.

The mother wild boar quickened her pace and followed.

He Yuzhu had already switched to an M1 and fired a shot that hit the wild boar squarely in the neck.

"Go i go i!" the wounded male wild boar howled, but surprisingly, it didn't fall down. Spitting blood, it charged towards He Yuzhu.

(End of this chapter)