The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

After Aunt Qi left for work, Yang Dalin took the two sisters out the door.

He was about to go buy honeycomb briquettes when his two sisters chattered beside him, clearly in a good mood.

When they arrived at the coal station, they were told that each household was limited in the purchase of honeycomb briquettes, calculated based on the area of ​​the briquettes. Each household could only buy 100-120 kilograms of finished briquettes per month.

The Qi family had three main rooms and one side room. Although no one lived in the side room, the three main rooms needed to be used for cooking and heating, so the room was definitely not enough.

Even if it's one yuan per kilogram, it's still around one hundred yuan.

But even a single family needs at least three or four dollars a day.

What can this little bit of honeycomb briquettes do? Yang Dalin handed over half a box of cigarettes, but the person told him that he could also buy some loose coal and loess to make his own.

No wonder Yang Dalin saw so many people in the yard making coal briquettes by hand (burned in coal stoves, directly burning coal briquettes, not honeycomb briquettes, with some yellow clay added to save coal) and making their own honeycomb briquettes.

So even honeycomb briquettes are subject to purchase limits? Oh well, I'll buy them then.

However, loose coal is cheap; 40 kilograms costs 24 cents.

But you also need a ticket.

Luckily, Qi Yanhua had her tickets with her.

However, it would cost two cents to have someone deliver it.

Then let's spend the money. If Yang Dalin hadn't changed into clean clothes today, he would have carried the bags back himself.

The ratio of coal to loess in the production of honeycomb briquettes is 7:3, so Yang Dalin was too lazy to dig up dozens of kilograms of loess himself, and simply asked the coal deliveryman to deliver some loess as well.

After delivering the briquettes to the front yard of the courtyard house, Yang Dalin thought he would first accompany his two sisters shopping, and then borrow a coal press to make honeycomb briquettes when he returned.

Qi Xiaoning told him that it was best to finish before going out, otherwise he would pile up the coal and mud at the door of his house and not know if the coal was missing.

Normally, Aunt Qi and Qi Yanhua make the honeycomb briquettes for their family by themselves.

Every time, the two of them are exhausted because they're not full and have no energy.

Since that's the case, let's make sure to dry the clothes properly before going out.

In the front yard of the coal press, Aunt Qi's family didn't have one; only the Yan family did.

It's not easy to borrow things from the Yan family. Xiaoning said that to borrow their coal press once, you have to give them four honeycomb briquettes, which is equivalent to letting them burn coal for a day for free.

The three aunties were sitting at the door, waiting for Yang Dalin to speak.

Xiaoning whispered to him again, "Both the He and Yi families are involved in the Intermediate Court."

Yang Dalin politely called her "Third Aunt" and greeted her, then asked Xiaoning to borrow it from He Yushui.

Sha Zhu is probably at work, so I can only look for He Yushui who is at home.

Before long, Xiaoning borrowed it, and He Yushui even came along to play.

The three aunties rolled their eyes and muttered something under their breath.

I guess she's angry. She didn't get a good deal today, so she's feeling bad for a few minutes. She'll skip a pickled vegetable strip for lunch.

Yang Dalin first used an iron spatula to mix the coal and yellow mud evenly together.

Then add water and mix it again.

Yang Dalin had seen how to make this at home when he was a child in his previous life.

It's not difficult at all.

After mixing the coal, take the coal press and shove it into the coal, making sure it's firmly packed.

Then carry the coal press to a flat area near the door, place it vertically, not too high off the ground, press down on each handle, and the honeycomb briquettes are ready.

Yang Dalin was strong and very fast.

One after another, one after another.

With eighty catties of coal and nearly forty catties of loess, Yang Dalin pressed 63 honeycomb briquettes.

The main problem is that the Qi family's stove is small now, and the honeycomb briquettes they make are also small, not as heavy as those used in later generations.

There's no way around it, I'm used to saving money. Now these honeycomb briquettes have nine holes and are quite short.

Yang Dalin remembered that in his previous life, his family used those that weighed more than two pounds each.

It still has twelve holes, so it burns well and the flame is strong.

But that's just how it is right now, with supplies being scarce, and every household has to be frugal. There's no other way.

I bought a hundred and made sixty-three more, which should be enough for this month.

After finishing making his own honeycomb briquettes, Yang Dalin prepared to wash his hands and take his two sisters out shopping.

As a result, a woman in her fifties came out of the east passageway between the front and middle courtyards.

"Dalinzi, could you make some honeycomb briquettes for our family too?"

Yang Dalin knew this man. His wife's surname was Zhao. Old Master Zhao was in poor health. His son and daughter-in-law worked in the same factory. On their way home, they were attacked by spies who carried out a bombing. The couple died on the way, leaving only their grandson and granddaughter.

The elderly couple lived with their grandson and granddaughter.

Grandpa Zhao was in good health, but after taking over his son's job, his rations were reduced, and the couple often fed their grandchildren more. As a result, he broke his leg in the summer and has been recuperating at home ever since. However, due to poor nutrition, his recovery has been very slow.

Yang Dalin had heard Xiaoning mention this family before.

I'm not the kind of person who likes to take advantage of others.

Besides, they've already prepared everything, so I can finish setting it up in no time and just help out.

"Why not, Aunt Zhao? Put your hand down, I'll do it."

They had prepared coal and loess, which they piled up in the open space by the south wall.

Yang Dalin went to fetch another bucket of water, quickly mixed the coal, and was just about to get to work when Grandpa Zhao came out the door, leaning on a cane.

This was also the first time Yang Dalin had met him. Mainly because Yang Dalin was rarely home during the day, and Old Zhao was particularly thin. Holding half a pack of cigarettes, he said, "Dalin, right? Here, have a smoke before you continue. Thank you for your help."

When he said this, Grandpa Zhao appeared particularly humble.

Yang Dalin shook his head: "Uncle Zhao, I don't smoke. You go ahead and smoke. I'll be done in a bit. Please have a seat."

Grandpa Zhao offered to let Yang Dalin smoke twice more, and only after seeing that Yang Dalin really didn't smoke did he sit down on a chair against the wall.

Grandpa Zhao put the half-pack of cigarettes aside and pulled out a pipe from his back. The pipe was attached to a small cloth bag containing tobacco leaves.

Grandpa Zhao smokes this; it saves him money.

The meal was finished in no time, and the elderly couple thanked her repeatedly. They were very polite, and Aunt Zhao even brought out a bowl of water, which probably had some sugar in it.

The water was slightly sweet, and Yang Dalin drank it all in one gulp.

Yang Dalin also asked Xiaoning to give one piece of candy from his pocket to each of Grandpa Zhao's grandson and granddaughter.

The two little ones are very cute. The boy is six years old and his name is Zhao Xiaoyong, and the girl is four years old and her name is Zhao Xiaohong. Unfortunately, they are both very thin, and their clothes are patched on and on, but they are clean.

After finishing making the honeycomb briquettes, Yang Dalin told the elderly couple, "Uncle Zhao, if you need any help with heavy lifting in the future, just call me. Don't hesitate to ask. I can't help with big tasks, but I can handle some light work."

Amid the elderly couple's repeated thanks, Yang Dalin left with his two sisters and He Yushui.

Qi Yanhua was also carrying a large bag, which was carried by Yang Dalin.

Because there are still quite a few bottles and jars inside.

This is to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy things first.

Many things need to be stored in their own containers.

Even though it wasn't a day off, there were still quite a few people queuing up at the supply and marketing cooperative today.

He Yushui was just there to have fun; she usually just played with people in the yard.

However, she doesn't have many friends in the courtyard; Qi Xiaoning is one of them.

Four people, holding "Residents of Beijing's Non-staple Food Purchase Certificates" and various receipts, queued for a long time and bought six ounces of brown sugar.

That's right, each person only received a ration of two ounces per month, and Yang Dalin didn't receive any.

Therefore, his family could only afford six taels.

Thankfully, it's already a decimal unit of weight; otherwise, it would be less than half a jin or eight liang, or even less than six liang of brown sugar.

Salt is also subject to purchase limits; each household can only buy one pound.

(There are no purchase restrictions in some areas, so these are the only things you can buy in Beijing at this time. I've checked the information.)

We arrived at the grain station again and bought nine ounces of cooking oil. Each person only had a monthly ration of three ounces.

That's why we brought bottles; we have to bring our own containers to hold these.

The key issue is that what I managed to buy was cottonseed oil, as the grain stations here don't really supply soybean oil; I guess they supply it elsewhere.

According to Sister Yan, peanut oil can only be purchased during the Spring Festival, and only two ounces can be provided per person during the festival.

I also went back and bought some thin yellow soybean paste. Each household can only buy half a jin (250 grams) of thin yellow soybean paste, and they have to bring their own containers to store it.

Fortunately, soy sauce and vinegar are limited in quantity but unlimited in quantity; the maximum you can buy at one time is three jin (1.5 kg).

Qi Yanhua also took out half a jin of pastry coupons, two liang of biscuit coupons, and paid four liang of Beijing grain coupons to buy these things.

I heard that you can't buy this with national grain coupons; only grain coupons from Beijing are valid. To put it bluntly, they're trying to prevent outsiders from buying it.

I also bought half a bar of soap and two boxes of matches.

These are all things that can be bought by one family per month.

Yan Jie provided the receipts and purchase vouchers for these items, and Yang Dalin paid for them. In fact, it didn't cost much, less than ten yuan.

The key issue is that without a ticket, you really can't move an inch.

Of course, Yang Dalin also bought them some red hair ties and other small trinkets for girls, which didn't cost much.