Courtyard Houses: Starting with Li Yunlong's Comrades-in-Arms

Wang Xiuhe poured Qin Huairu a cup of hot water. Qin Huairu took it, thanked her, took a sip, and then exchanged a few more pleasantries with Yao Qingwan and Liang Fangfang.

Yao Qingwan asked her a few questions about the child, and she answered them one by one, her tone calm and polite.

After sitting for a while, the baby started wriggling in her arms, so Qin Huairu stood up to say goodbye, carrying the child out of the east wing. She stood on the steps at the door, took a deep breath in the cold wind, and walked quickly towards her home.

Not long after Qin Huairu left, the sound of a bicycle bell came from the courtyard gate. Liu Erhe rode his bicycle into the courtyard with Liu Tingting on the back. A small cloth bag was hanging on the handlebars. He stopped the bicycle, neatly set up the frame, and patted the dust off his cotton-padded coat.

"Dad, Mom, we're back! The wind outside is really strong; our faces are frozen after riding all the way."

Liu Shuanzhu glanced at him, then at Liu Tingting who followed him in, and said in a commanding tone, "Erhe, it's good that you're back. Take Yixuan to pay New Year's respects to the elders in the courtyard. Yixuan is our Liu family's grandson, and he shouldn't be short of proper etiquette when he's with his elders." He then glanced at Liu Tingting, "Tingting's too old for that, she shouldn't go."

Liu Tingting was squatting at the door helping Liu Yixuan untie his scarf. Hearing this, she replied crisply, "Okay," and patted Liu Yixuan's little head: "Go and wish your dad a Happy New Year. Auntie will give you candy when you come back."

Liu Erhe picked up Liu Yixuan from the house, straightened the little guy's collar, bent down to tie his scarf, and took his little hand as they went out the door. Liu Yixuan followed his father with his short legs. The father and son, one tall and one short, crossed the yard and arrived at Yi Zhonghai's house first.

Yi Zhonghai was talking to someone at the door when he saw Liu Erhe bringing Liu Yixuan over, and a smile immediately appeared on his face.

Liu Erhe squatted down and whispered to Liu Yixuan, "Yixuan, wish Grandpa Yi a Happy New Year."

Liu Yixuan looked up and called out in a childish voice, "Happy New Year, Grandpa Yi!"

With a smile, Yi Zhonghai pulled a one-yuan bill from his pocket and was about to stuff it into Liu Yixuan's hand.

Liu Erhe quickly stopped him: "Uncle Yi, one cent is enough. Everyone else is giving one cent, but you're giving a dollar. I won't be able to explain it to others later."

Yi Zhonghai hesitated for a moment, but seeing Liu Erhe's resolute attitude, he exchanged the money for smaller denominations and handed one cent to Liu Yixuan. Liu Yixuan clutched the money, looked at it, then looked up at his father. Liu Erhe nodded to him, and he carefully put the money into his pocket.

Next up was Liu Haizhong's house. Liu Haizhong was chatting with He Yuzhu at their door when they saw Liu Erhe and his son coming over. Liu Haizhong took out a dollar and tried to put it in Liu Yixuan's hand, but Liu Erhe said the same thing, so Liu Haizhong exchanged it for a dime.

Then it was Xu Fugui's turn. Xu Fugui went through the same process, taking out a dollar but being stopped and having it exchanged for a dime. He watched with a smile as Liu Yixuan put the money away, and praised him a couple more times, saying, "This kid is really energetic."

Then came Yan Bugui's house. Yan Bugui was standing at his door greeting people who came to pay New Year's visits. When he saw Liu Erhe arrive with Liu Yixuan, his smile deepened. He took out a dime and handed it to Liu Yixuan, saying, "Oh, this child is so good, coming to wish Grandpa Yan a Happy New Year." He then reached out and patted Liu Yixuan's head.

Liu Yixuan felt a little embarrassed by being touched and moved away from Liu Erhe's legs, but he still took the money and put it in his pocket as usual.

Upon arriving at the Central Courtyard, He Yuzhu was standing in the courtyard eating sunflower seeds. Liu Erhe nodded to He Yuzhu and then walked towards the Jia family's direction. Upon seeing this, He Yuzhu was taken aback for a moment, then took out a dime from his pocket, walked up to the two men, and handed it to Liu Yixuan.

Liu Erhe quickly waved his hand: "Brother Zhu, you don't need to give any. None of us younger generation give out New Year's money."

He Yuzhu waved his hand, his tone serious: "No, no, Yixuan is different. He's already wished all the elders in the courtyard a Happy New Year, I can't let him miss out. Besides, I represent the He family. Yushui even went to wish Uncle Liu a Happy New Year, how can I, as his older brother, pretend I didn't see that?"

Liu Erhe was about to decline when He Yuzhu stuffed a dime into Liu Yixuan's hand and smiled at the little guy: "Yixuan, Happy New Year."

Liu Yixuan glanced at him while clutching the money, then looked at his father, grinned, and called out to He Yuzhu, "Happy New Year, Uncle He."

Finally, the two arrived at the Jia family's door. The door was ajar, and after hesitating for a moment, Liu Erhe raised his hand and knocked. The door opened from the inside, and Jia Zhangshi stood in the doorway, her head wrapped in a gray headscarf. When she saw that it was Liu Erhe and his son, her expression froze for a moment, but she quickly forced an unnatural smile.

Liu Erhe had Liu Yixuan say "Happy New Year, Grandma Jia," and Jia Zhangshi responded with an "Ah," then fumbled in her apron pocket for a while before finally pulling out a crumpled one-cent note and handing it to Liu Yixuan.

Liu Erhe was somewhat stunned. He never expected that Jia Zhangshi would actually take out money one day. He had lived in the courtyard for so many years and knew this old lady all too well. She was a notorious person who "only takes in but never takes out." Getting her to take out a single penny was more rare than the sun rising in the west.

Liu Yixuan took the money, put it in his pocket as usual, and grinned at Jia Zhangshi.

Looking at that small face, Jia Zhangshi's lips moved, as if she wanted to say something but didn't. She just hummed in agreement and closed the door again.

Liu Erhe carried Liu Yixuan back, glanced down at the thick stack of loose bills in his son's pocket, and couldn't help but reach out and pinch his little face.

When I returned to the entrance of the east wing, a number of people had already gathered in the courtyard.

Seeing Liu Erhe return with Liu Yixuan after paying New Year's visits, Jia Dongxu was the first to ask, "Erhe, is your brother still so busy on the first day of the Lunar New Year? I saw him drop off his wife this morning, put down his things, and leave without even sitting down."

Liu Erhe put Liu Yixuan down and let him run into the house to find Liu Tingting. He patted the dust off his hands and said with a hint of helpless familiarity, "Sigh, who says it isn't true? My brother didn't get back until dinner time yesterday. He said there were activities at the lake, and he even had a New Year's gathering with several ministries. He was busy until the afternoon. He went back to the ministry this morning, saying he still had things to take care of. This New Year is more tiring than usual."

After listening, Jia Dongxu clicked his tongue, his eyes filled with a complex envy: "Those high-ranking officials are just different from us ordinary workers."

Xu Fugui took a drag of his cigarette and slowly added, "They're working hard for the country, so it's worth it. For ordinary people like us, being able to rest during the New Year is a blessing."