Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

Less than half an hour later, Xu Damao returned the ladder and broom.

"Damn it, I just finished cleaning my roof, and the snow has lessened again. It'll probably clear up soon, so all that snow-shoveling was for nothing."

"It wasn't a waste of time to clear the snow. Even after the snow stops, the snow will still accumulate on the roof. For safety reasons, it's still necessary to clear the snow away."

"Da Mao, there's some 'donkey roll' on the table. Try it. I bought it with Yu Shui at the Changdian Temple Fair yesterday."

"Okay. Donkey roll is a famous local snack. I'll try a piece. I bought it for Yushui. You're a really good older brother."

The roof of the front yard hasn't collapsed, so why are the east and west wing rooms collapsing? I don't understand.

"Perhaps it's because the room is large, and only pillars are used for support, resulting in a large load-bearing area. I don't really know."

"Your room and the deaf old lady's room are bigger, and nothing happened to them. They're the ones who are unlucky."

"The main house and the rear building are the most important parts of a courtyard house, so perhaps they are better able to bear the weight."

"We don't understand, that's fine. As long as the roof hasn't collapsed, it's alright. Tonight, we still don't know where the Jia Zhang family of three will sleep."

Donkey rolls are quite delicious, but too sweet isn't good; a little sweetness is just right.

"Eating too much sweet food is bad, but the taste of donkey rolls is alright. As for where Jia Zhangshi and the others sleep? What does that have to do with us?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"Be careful, I might need to borrow your room for one night. Your house has the most spacious room."

"Qin Huairu can stay for one night, but Jia Zhangshi and her son are not an option; I find them annoying. There are still empty rooms in the courtyard; why would you want to stay at my house?"

"Qin Huairu can come and stay, or she can squeeze into my house. No one's taking care of Jia Zhangshi and her son."

"Brother, Qin Huairu is Jia Dongxu's wife. It's not appropriate for her to stay at our house." Although He Yushui was young, she knew quite a lot.

"My brother only wants to give Qin Huairu a warm home, he has no other intentions." He Yuzhu said without blushing or skipping a beat.

"Damn, Zhu Zi, you're awesome. Your mindset is so high. I want to give her a warm home too. If they go to the Military Control Commission, it'll be a hassle to get them to come and live here."

"What's the trouble? If they don't want us to stay, they don't want us to stay. Jia Dongxu's gender is inappropriate, and Jia Zhangshi would feel like vomiting just looking at him. She's disgusting. There are empty rooms in the courtyard, why do they insist on staying at my house? My house is their private property."

"Gender mismatch, what a convenient excuse. Private houses are indeed different from public houses in the front yard."

When I returned the ladder, Jia Dongxu was no longer at her doorstep; perhaps he had gone to find the military control commission?

"With such heavy snow, do you think only the roofs of our courtyard houses collapsed? Other alleys must have too. Tonight is just a minor snow disaster. The Military Control Commission has less than forty people; they'll be busy enough for them."

"The quickest way is to open up the empty houses and let them sleep there. There are only three families in our compound, not many. Jia Zhangshi is still cursing God; she really knows how to curse."

"It's been almost an hour. What good is it to swear? She can't speak without swearing. Sooner or later she'll offend someone and get slapped, and she'll still think she's so capable."

"That's true, Jia Zhangshi deserves to be taught a lesson. When are you planning to give her a good thrashing next time?"

"If she messes with me, I'll beat her up."

"Yes, yes. Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu had a very difficult time at the steel rolling mill. My dad told me that they didn't even dare to speak in the workshop or the factory."

Both the master and apprentice were lame and too short. Now when they go to the canteen to eat, it's usually when there are few people. When there are many workers, people often ask them how tall they are.

"I heard that after Yi Zhonghai's divorce, he arranged for him to marry Jia Zhangshi, making their relationship even closer," Xu Damao said in a very lewd tone.

"That's a good idea. Our workers are very talented. Yi Zhonghai will be very satisfied to hear that, and Jia Dongxu will be overjoyed. Excellent, excellent!"

"You're wicked too. When Yi Zhonghai and Jia Dongxu heard this at the factory, their faces turned ashen, and they were both dissatisfied."

"The main problem lies with Jia Zhangshi. If she agrees, that's fine. There's a saying, 'What's done is done.' How can Jia Dongxu, as a son, interfere in his mother's affairs?"

"That makes sense. Jia Zhangshi is a good match for Yi Zhonghai."

"Brother Da Mao, Jia Zhangshi isn't good-looking." He Yushui was also listening to the gossip.

"Looks don't matter. As long as two people truly love each other, we should wish them a happy ending."

"Da Mao, you're right."

........

Jia Dongxu went to see the comrades from the Military Control Commission. The roof of their house had collapsed over a large area, and it would be very cold to sleep in the room at night. They were asking for help.

The military control commission staff are very busy. There are quite a few families in Nanluoguxiang whose roofs have collapsed, and the soldiers have been dispatched to help the residents whose roofs have collapsed.

There was no one to make arrangements for the Jia family. He was told to go back and wait for news, and that they would come to his house immediately to arrange his accommodation for the night.

Before 9:30, Company Commander Yue led his men to the courtyard. Without much talk, he directly instructed a soldier with the key to open the door of the empty house and check the situation inside.

The door to the habitable room was left unlocked. Instead, they asked, "How many rooms are there in your courtyard house? The roof has collapsed; it's uninhabitable."

"I heard it's three rooms in the middle and back courtyard."

Company Commander Yue entered the courtyard and saw Jia, Zhang, and the other two standing at his door. "Your roof has collapsed; no one can live here tonight."

"Yes, a large section of our roof collapsed, making it uninhabitable at night," Jia Dongxu replied.

"Go to the front yard, through the hall to the room on the left. Light the fire there, and you'll sleep there tonight. Anyone else?"

"Company Commander Yue is here, and there are two other people in the backyard. Send someone to let them know." He Yuzhu went out to see what was going on.

"Comrade He Yuzhu, your house is the main house, it seems fine, you've cleaned the roof yourself." Company Commander Yue shone his flashlight over several houses in the central courtyard.

"It's my own house, if I don't take care of it, who will?" He Yuzhu said with a smile.

"With such heavy snow, you should take care of your houses. Xiao Li, go to the backyard and ask the people whose roofs collapsed to stay in the empty houses in the front yard tonight. Don't force them."

"yes."

"Company Commander Yue, that house isn't lit, and there's only one room. It's not enough for the three of us," Jia Zhangshi complained again.

"This is the best arrangement. You don't have to stay here. We've already found you good housing. What more can we do for you?" Soldiers don't waste words when they get things done.

"Hahaha, Company Commander Yue, she means you need to solve the coal problem. They are a wealthy family and lack coal. One room means there aren't enough rooms; how can they have enough for them if they don't have at least ten or eight rooms?"

"Dream on." Company Commander Yue understood what He Yuzhu meant.

"He Yuzhu, you..." Jia Zhangshi was pulled back by Qin Huairu and shut her mouth.

He Yuzhu felt it was a pity, there was no reason to draw Jia Zhangshi's hand anymore.

"Comrade, is there somewhere for my family to stay?" Liu Haizhong asked as he arrived at the Intermediate People's Court.

"Report: The roof of the comrade's house in the backyard has collapsed. There are five people in the family: three sons and his wife. The other family has a place to stay, so we don't need to arrange anything."

"Xiao Li, take this comrade to the front yard and arrange two rooms with a stove, rooms where you can cook," Company Commander Yue instructed.

"yes."

"Comrade He Yuzhu, is there anyone else in your courtyard whose roof has collapsed?"

"There are only those three companies."

"Not much, let's go to the next house. We're very busy tonight, see you next time." After saying this, Company Commander Yue hurriedly went to the next courtyard house.

"See you later."