I, Yan Jiefang, will live to 2025 in this courtyard house.

That evening, Sha Zhu walked back exhausted.

After delivering the lunchbox to Sister Qin after get off work today, although he didn't even touch her hand, he still went out excitedly, encouraged by her.

Then I kept asking around the neighborhood if there were any banquets available.

As a result, they searched almost the entire Nanluoguxiang area but found nothing.

Without the opportunity to help others prepare meals, he couldn't help Sister Qin earn more love and support.

Sister Qin is pregnant again and is severely malnourished.

But after being persuaded by an old man, he had already given all his savings and this month's salary to Sister Qin.

I am truly penniless now.

Under Sister Qin's disappointed gaze, he felt extremely frustrated, realizing how incompetent he was, and his confidence was starting to crumble.

He was now thinking about whether he should take the only gold-inlaid jade bracelet his mother had left him to the black market that night and sell it to get money for Sister Qin.

But the bracelet was kept by his younger sister, He Yushui, and no matter how much he tried to persuade her, she refused to take it out.

Because of this, Shazhu hasn't spoken to his sister for almost half a month.

He decided to try again later, and this time he had to be firm in his attitude!

...

That evening, many people living in the front yard heard what sounded like an argument taking place in the middle yard.

When they wanted to go over and see what was going on, they were stopped by an old man named Yi Zhonghai.

However, they could still vaguely see that the incident seemed to have occurred in He Yushui's side room.

Some people also heard Sha Zhu's angry shouts and He Yushui's suppressed sobs faintly coming from the background.

The argument ended quickly, and everyone could only return home after being persuaded by an old man, wondering what had happened.

Yan Jiefang was completely unaware of this matter; at that time, he had gone to train near Shichahai and was not at home at all.

However, even at home, he wouldn't participate.

After all, it's none of his business as an outsider that the siblings are arguing.

After I tell He Yushui about He Daqing sending money tomorrow, the favor I owed He Yushui for that half a sweet potato will be repaid to him.

In the middle of the night, he vaguely heard someone climbing over the wall near the central courtyard, along with suppressed sobbing sounds.

This situation is not uncommon. When families run out of food, they will try to secretly buy high-priced grain on the black market.

Everyone is tacit.

I just don't know who's crying.

The next morning, Yan Jiefang returned from his workout and immediately saw He Yushui, who looked as thin as a stick.

She was huddled under the covered walkway in the front yard.

He was still wearing the same old clothes from yesterday, though they had several obvious patches.

It's obviously a newly added piece.

Yan Jiefang looked at her face and saw that she looked more energetic than yesterday. It must be the nutrition from that meat bun that had worked.

But his left cheek swelled up, and a handprint appeared on it.

Yan Jiefang knew in his heart that it must have been Sha Zhu who hit him.

He didn't ask any further questions, just nodded to her, then went home to wash his face before coming out and saying to her:

"Let's go outside and talk about this."

The fact that He Daqing sent monthly child support is something all later readers of the Siheyuan (courtyard house) know.

Many transmigrators who become Sha Zhu use this incident to threaten Yi Zhonghai.

Many of these crises were resolved by a letter of understanding from Yi Zhonghai or by connections made by a deaf elderly woman.

Those authors simply did not consult the existing laws and facts at the time.

After walking a few steps, Yan Jiefang stopped and said to He Yushui, who was standing behind him with her head down and her hands empty:

"Oh, by the way, when you go back, bring a bag and your household registration booklet with you."

"Um."

He Yushui didn't know where Yan Jiefang was taking her, but she was almost heartbroken. She numbly responded and then turned to return to the Central Court.

Yan Jiefang watched her retreating figure and followed her.

By this time, most of the workers in the yard had already gone to work.

Only Sha Zhu is still lying at home sleeping soundly.

Many of the women in the courtyard looked at the two walking together with strange expressions.

Yang Ruihua, standing in the crowd, looked at her son, hesitant to speak.

The son has his own ideas and ignores even Lao Yan's words, let alone her.

She was somewhat worried that her son might fall for He Yushui.

The second child is now a vocational school graduate. Upon graduation, he will be a cadre with a starting salary of over thirty yuan. His future looks very bright.

If I get involved with He Yushui, wouldn't that be a burden to everyone?

Why not find someone from the same class or school? Two cadres in one family, it's a source of pride!

Although it wasn't the first in the entire department, it was the second!

I must talk to Lao Yan about this tonight and ask him to persuade Jiefang. We can't let the child go astray.

Not long after, He Yushui came out carrying a shoulder bag, and the two of them left the courtyard together, walking west along the main road of Mao'er Hutong.

He Yushui didn't know where Yan Jiefang was taking her, and she didn't want to think about it.

Last night, her brother, Shazhu, not only beat her, but also stole her last keepsake of their mother—a gold-inlaid jade bracelet.

She couldn't sleep at all that night.

In the middle of the night, she watched helplessly as her brother, wearing the bracelet, climbed over the wall and left, and she couldn't stop him.

It's obvious what he went there to do.

This devastated her, and she contemplated suicide several times.

But thinking of her promise to Yan Jiefang, she temporarily abandoned the idea.

Looking at He Yushui's appearance, Yan Jiefang was considering whether to take out another steamed bun so that she could eat her fill first.

After thinking about it, I decided against it.

Perhaps this approach will evoke more sympathy in others and lead to a better outcome.

On the way, Yan Jiefang deliberately asked a question to avoid making a blunder:

"By the way, have you and Sha Zhu received any remittances from He Daqing over the years?"

He Yushui silently shook her head.

If she had received remittances, how could she be so destitute?

Hearing this, Yan Jiefang felt relieved.

To accommodate He Yushui, the two walked very slowly, and He Yushui even rested by the roadside twice.

After walking for more than half an hour, they finally arrived at their destination, the Di'anmen Post and Telecommunications Branch, located at No. 100 Di'anmenwai Street.

Several long wooden benches were placed against the wall for people to queue up.

This is an old brick and wood structure building, located on Di'anmenwai Street near Wanning Bridge.

Upon entering, you'll find a cement floor, old-fashioned wooden-framed glass windows, fluorescent light tubes hanging high overhead, and mottled gray and white walls.

A long, dark green lacquered solid wood counter, divided into four fixed windows by wooden railings.

These include regular mail, registered mail, postal money orders, and parcels plus telegrams. (The author has included a picture in the comments.)

It was still early, but the post office was already very busy.

Yan Jiefang glanced at the swaying He Yushui, helped her to sit down on a bench, and then took her household registration book to the post office to queue up.

Fortunately, this team had the fewest members compared to other teams, and it wouldn't be long before it was his turn.

He turned around and beckoned to He Yushui, signaling her to come over.

Soon it was their turn, and Yan Jiefang handed over the household registration booklet:

"Comrade, this is the household registration booklet. Please help us check He Yushui's remittance details."