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

If it weren't for Yang Dalin and Qi Baogen's affair, Wang Hongxia wouldn't have come to this courtyard.

After a long day, isn't it nice to go home and breastfeed the baby?

As for Yan Bugui's matter, simply arranging for the neighborhood committee director to come would be giving him face.

But later I learned that there were two other heroes in the courtyard who had acted bravely, and that Yang Dalin had tackled a human trafficker leader who was holding a loaded pistol.

Of course, Wang Hongxia didn't mention the gun earlier, otherwise she would have worried Comrade Qi Yulan.

If she doesn't come, it would seem like she doesn't value it.

When Wang Hongxia received the call and wanted to talk to Qi Yulan, Qi Yulan had already left work.

Therefore, Wang Hongxia had no choice but to come directly to the hospital to announce it.

Wang Hongxia is the director of the subdistrict office. With her high position, she naturally has a lot of responsibilities.

She really doesn't get off work as early as Qi Yulan, who is just a logistics staff member responsible for cleaning the streets.

Wang Hongxia gestured for everyone to be quiet: "Everyone, please be quiet. It's late, so don't disturb the other people in the courtyard. But what you said earlier was right; we should learn from these two comrades."

Before I came, I had a meeting with several deputy directors of the subdistrict office to discuss it.

The neighborhood committee decided to award Comrade Yang Dalin a reward of three jin of meat coupons and twenty jin of flour coupons.

Comrade Qi Baogen was awarded one jin of meat coupons and ten jin of flour coupons.

Grain coupons were divided into fine grains and coarse grains. Yang Dalin's twenty jin of flour coupons were not cheap. It was not impossible to exchange them for seventy or eighty yuan or even a hundred yuan on the black market.

Three catties of meat coupons is quite a lot; it's equivalent to almost a year's worth of meat for one person.

Currently, each person has a monthly meat ration of four ounces, which is distributed in two installments, one for the first half of the month and one for the second half.

Moreover, even if you get a meat coupon, you might not be able to buy meat. You might get canned meat or pork as a substitute for chicken, duck, or fish.

Even the Hui people in Beijing didn't have access to beef or mutton, so they started supplying camel meat.

The supply is so tight.

Three catties of meat coupons is quite a lot. This is just the reward from the neighborhood committee. Old Wu said that they also get a reward.

However, their rewards may be delayed.

After all, the cases can only be closed if the children abducted by human traffickers are found.

Upon hearing about the street's awards, some people became envious, while others sincerely congratulated them.

Actually, Wang Hongxia had something else she didn't mention: she wanted to recommend Yang Dalin for a formal job to resolve the issues of household registration and quota allocation.

Of course, Wang Hongxia saw more than just Yang Dalin's act of bravery.

There's also the matter of Qi Yulan's husband's reputation, which can't be mentioned.

After Wang Hongxia had the rewards distributed to the two women, she went to Qi Yulan's house and sat for a while.

They praised Qi Yulan for her ability to educate children.

Yang Dalin noticed that this "King of the Lids" didn't seem to be covering up the matter much, or rather, today's events didn't warrant her doing so.

People have two sides, and what was done today was alright.

Come to think of it, how could a division-level cadre have the time to serve a deaf old lady at number 95 and Yi Zhonghai, who hasn't even become an eighth-grade worker yet, every day?

It's hard to say about one factory, but it's impossible for Yi Zhonghai to be the only eighth-grade worker in an entire neighborhood, right?

Moreover, a neighborhood office has a multitude of trivial matters to deal with.

The more grassroots the organization, the more things it has to do.

You expect a county-level official to be responsible for everything in just one courtyard every day?

That's just nonsense.

Wang Hongxia has that kind of free time.

Moreover, Yang Dalin noticed that Wang Hongxia and Qi Yulan were chatting, and while they seemed friendly, they also appeared somewhat distant.

I don't know what happened.

Something's a bit strange.

After Wang Hongxia left, Qi Yulan picked up a feather duster, intending to teach Yang Dalin a lesson.

Yang Dalin didn't try to hide; she knew that Qi Yulan truly considered her family.

Otherwise, I wouldn't be worried about his safety and would pick up a feather duster to hit him.

The first blow landed on Yang Dalin.

Qi Yulan cried instead: "Silly child, why didn't you hide?"

"Auntie, I know you treat me like family. You hit me because you love me, and you scold me because you care. You're not happy if you don't hit or scold me."

I know you're worried about my safety.

Qi Yulan then hugged Yang Dalin and cried out, "Silly child, you must be careful in the future."

Your aunt almost fainted when she heard you fighting with the human traffickers.

You didn't even tell your aunt when you got home from get off work. You can't keep it from her anymore, you know?

Yang Dalin patted his aunt on the back: "Auntie, I know. It's not as scary as you think. I just followed from a distance and gave the police officers directions."

When they were arresting people, I hid in a courtyard house. After they finished, Grandpa Qi and I came out. Just then, I saw a human trafficker trying to escape and running right past me, so I tackled him to the ground.

"real?"

"More real than pearls."

Aunt Qi was finally appeased; it wasn't easy for her.

Why do women shed so many tears?

Yang Dalin wiped away the non-existent beads of sweat from his forehead.

Instead, Qi Xiaoning looked on with envy and asked Yang Dalin for details.

Sister Yan is alright; she just shed tears like Aunt Qi.

She looked at Yang Dalin with heartache.

That night, Qi Yulan lay in the south bedroom, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

Qi Yanhua wasn't asleep either: "Mom, are you still worried about Dalin?"

"Yes, that's true. This child is really good. He's sensible and family-oriented. He makes me both happy and worried!"

In just a few days, he's encountered both thugs and human traffickers.

It's a pity Mom doesn't have the means. I really want to find him a factory job as soon as possible so he can work honestly.

"Mom, how about we find Dad's former comrades-in-arms..."

"Sigh, we'll see. Go to sleep."

Qi Yanhua lay straight on the bed, her eyes wide open in the darkness, staring at the ceiling.

She remembered her father, whom she had only met briefly ten years ago.

I never saw that person in military uniform who was smiling so happily again after that.

His beard was so prickly it hurt his face.

But I was very happy and joyful at the time.

Unfortunately, time was very limited; after only three days, Dad went back to the northern battlefield.

He never came back.

Qi Yulan also thought about her husband, the one who was conscripted into the army when Yan Hua was only five years old and she was pregnant with Xiao Ning.

She only saw her husband once in the second year after the liberation of Beijing, and after staying at home for three days, she never saw him again.

And some of his comrades-in-arms, some of whom she had only met a few of.

But after the incident, several of Qi Yulan's comrades-in-arms were too embarrassed to see them again.

After that incident, even fewer people were willing to help their family.

Who can I turn to?

Let's take it one step at a time. Luckily, Dalin is a capable kid.

He might be able to solve his job problem on his own. Let's take it slow; he's still young.

Meanwhile, at the Yan family home, Yan Bugui was so upset he wanted to cry.

Hearing Yang Ruihua say that people around him were gossiping about him.

I don't even know if I'll be able to get up and go to school tomorrow.

I heard that the school is going to start resuming half-day classes soon. Maybe I should ask a teacher or colleague about it tomorrow.

If classes really start, I can't skip them.

Taking leave will result in a deduction from my salary.

On this point, I, Yan Bugui, will go even if it means losing all my shame.

I just hope that my teachers and colleagues haven't heard about my situation.

However, the teachers of the primary school affiliated with Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill all live nearby. How could they not hear the rumors?

That's unlikely. I need to think of a reason to come up with tomorrow to explain myself.

Yan Bugui, caught between anxiety and uncertainty, drifted off to sleep.