Siheyuan (courtyard house): My name is Shazhu!

"Brother, where did you go to play?" He Yushui had already finished school. More than a year had passed, and she no longer cared that He Yuzhu was occasionally not around.

"Go buy some books to read. You study at school, and I'll study whenever I have time. We both need to study hard."

"Okay, brother, I also like studying. I'll study with you." He Yushui has always been very serious about her studies.

"Zhu Zi loves learning, but I can't read a single book. I'm just not born to be a scholar." Gui Zi was self-aware.

"So, we'll be the cooks," Fifth Senior Brother answered correctly.

"We're not well-educated, but being a cook is good enough. Even if we don't graduate and take on jobs later, we can still earn more money."

Even now, with three meals a day provided, haven't you seen many people who don't have enough to eat? "Brother Guizi is right."

"I used to be one of them. For us, being a cook is good, but wouldn't it be even better to be a cultured cook?"

Fifth Brother, you're absolutely right. I can't resist drinking this chicken soup; it's so familiar to me.

"Personally, I think as long as we can understand what's written on the recipe, that's enough. Anything more is unnecessary." Guizi had an excuse for not studying.

"That makes some sense. My dad always said that scholars are useful everywhere, and they're better than us roughnecks."

Because they were illiterate, their ancestors could only farm and lived a very hard life. When I have money in the future, I will definitely make sure my son gets a good education, so he can be like rainwater.

"Yushui loves learning. I've seen many children her age who start playing as soon as they get home from school; I don't know if they study at night."

"Shouldn't we learn from He Yushui? Hahaha." Guizi laughed loudly.

"By the end of September, you'll be able to learn to cook from Chef Ma. If you put in the effort, you'll be earning money soon."

"Learning culinary skills is more important than studying. I really care about taking on extra jobs to earn extra money. I have too many younger siblings, and my dad's salary alone isn't enough to make ends meet."

"Having many children is good; there are more people to help if needed. Xiao Gong, who was greeting guests at the front today, told a few of us last night that the Military Control Commission will gradually withdraw from Yanjing City starting in October."

"They came in January 1949, almost four years ago, that's quite a while. It's only right that they withdraw. There's fighting in the north, and the number of soldiers has been decreasing since last year."

"I wonder when the war will end? War brings us no benefit; it's better to live in peace." This was based on Fifth Brother's personal experience.

"We hope for peace and stability. We ordinary people still want to live in a peaceful and stable environment."

That makes sense.

There were more people coming to dinner tonight; a few tables of customers didn't arrive until almost 8 p.m. The restaurant staff don't like people like that and make them leave work too late.

He Yuzhu and Master Ma didn't go home by 8:30, worried that someone might come.

"Brother, we got home late today, are you very tired? At school, the teacher caught a boy stealing a classmate's pencil."

They even called his father to the school and gave him a scolding. His father beat him badly, and we could hear him crying loudly while we were studying at the other end of the teacher's office.

The teacher came over and told us that to be good children, we shouldn't steal other people's things, and we shouldn't fight or swear. "Brother, is that what the teacher said?" He Yushui asked on her way home.

"The teacher is right. Students are there to study. Fighting, swearing, or even stealing for no reason is not good and is not something a student should do."

As a student, you should be polite to others, and it's best not to fight or swear. If someone keeps bullying you, tell your teacher, or gently give them a beating.

"I'm studying at school and I've never hit any classmates. I heard from the boys in my class that older students bullied them and even demanded money from them."

He Yuzhu was stunned. Does school bullying still exist in this era?

"If you encounter something like this, tell your teacher first. If no teacher is present, beat them up. Even if they're young, it's not okay to rob someone."

"I know what to do. My classmates said that there aren't many people like this in school. But after I entered junior high, some street thugs would ask for money and beat people up at the school gate."

"You're still young and don't have any money. You might have some pocket money when you start junior high, and that's when these street thugs will ask for or rob you. Don't be polite to them; break their legs."

"Okay, brother, I got it. We're going to do a craft project this week. We'll make a pencil box out of cowhide. It can be folded or cut up and glued back together."

Let's make it ourselves, following the instructions in the pencil case, without adult help, and hand it in to the teacher next Monday.

"I have kraft paper at home. Do you want to fold it or glue it together? Can you do it yourself?"

"I can do it. I use the folding method. The teacher taught us that last year."

"If you know how to do it, that's fine. I'll give you some brown paper when we get home; you can make your own craft. Your older brother also knows other crafts, like folding paper animals. Do you want to learn sometime?"

"Okay. I'll learn."

.......

The brother and sister returned to the courtyard house. It was past nine o'clock, and before they even reached the middle courtyard, they heard Jia Zhangshi vomiting.

As they passed through the hallway to the central courtyard, both of them covered their noses and quickly went home to close the door. Jia Zhangshi's farts and vomits became increasingly foul, not much different from those caused by chemical weapons.

Jia Zhangshi was vomiting, while Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu waited five or six meters upwind, breathing in the fresh air. Needless to say, the house had also farted, making it impossible to entertain anyone.

Within a month, Jia Zhangshi increased her frequency from once a week to three times every two weeks, and the frequency will continue to increase. In a few years, it will be normal to have four or five times a week.

The people in the courtyard, who were initially curious, have now become indifferent and keep their distance. Few people are discussing what illness Jia Zhangshi has.

Jia Dongxu and Qin Huairu were used to the stench in the house, and also to Jia Zhangshi's vomiting. When she farted, the two of them would go outside to let out some air, and the vomiting would wait to happen; once it was all out, they would be fine.

If you throw up, feel hungry and want to eat, just do it again; humans have a strong ability to adapt.

He Yuzhu hadn't expected it to smell so bad; the stench was unbearable, and after vomiting, he was weak for several hours.

Without food in her stomach and without eating more, Jia Zhangshi's health will collapse within a few years. Living to over ninety like in TV dramas is impossible; her body will slowly be hollowed out.

He Yuzhu glanced at the three members of the Jia family through the window, wanting to see how hard Jia Zhangshi was vomiting.

To everyone's surprise, when Qin Huairu saw him in the house, she actually used her other hand to wave at him a few times behind Jia Dongxu's back, as if to say hello.

What exactly does this woman want? Although her purpose is unclear, the 20-year-old 'Thirteenth Aunt' is still quite capable.

Completely different from Qin Huairu in her thirties, at least she had a slim waist. In her prime, she had a graceful and slender figure.