The strong fisherman in the courtyard

Afternoon, front yard, old house.

Li Ming was holding a rough design drawing he had made and strolling around the house with Wu Xuanxuan.

Now he has taken orders from his mother and is taking his future wife to study the decoration layout of the old house.

If we really have to discuss the location, the old house is definitely better. After all, the one they live in now is just an ear room at best.

And how to say it? Tsk, although the layout of their old house only has three small rooms, Li Ming got some back from a deputy factory director.

On the east side of the corridor connecting the front yard and the outer yard, there is a small house. It was previously used as a storage room, but now it belongs to Li Ming, so they have an extra room on the outer yard side.

In addition, there was a small courtyard to the east of the screen wall behind the entrance to the mansion, which was occupied by Yan Fugui and used to grow some flowers and plants.

But now it also belongs to him, Li Ming. As for the flowers and plants inside, Li Ming was kind enough to pull them out and throw them to Yan Fugui. He didn't lack these little things, but he needed that separate little yard.

It would be great to plant some garlic, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc. in the future. Isn't it a waste to let Yan Fugui, an old man who is pretentious about art, plant flowers?

Of course, because of this incident, Li Ming earned a chance to draw a lottery, and Yan Fugui's hatred value also increased a little, but they were all small matters and he didn't care.

And that's not all. A back house in the outer courtyard was also carelessly allocated to Li Ming by Comrade Li Huaide. Although the area is not very large, it is just on the east side of the mansion gate and will be the residence of the gatekeeper in the courtyard when he gets older. But wouldn't it be nice to tidy it up and put some things in it?

Isn't it better than letting someone else take it?

After Li Ming and Wu Xuanxuan finished their tour, they found that they had a large front room, a veranda, a back room, and a small courtyard as an extra addition. These would be the house where they would live in the future.

Chapter 549 The Young Couple’s Future Home

"By the way, isn't our house a little too big in the future?" Wu Xuanxuan looked at the room where they would live after Li Ming took her to tour it, and was stunned for a moment before she spoke.

It’s okay to have many houses, but there’s also a courtyard within a courtyard, which is unique!

Li Ming took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, waving his hand, looking nonchalant, "It's better than giving it to the Yan family, right?"

"Besides, I've lived for so many years, and I've never seen anyone complain about having too many rooms."

"Hehe, it's not that I complain about having too many rooms. It must cost a lot to decorate these several houses. I have saved some and will give it to you later." Wu Xuanxuan smiled and shook her head. Only a fool would complain about having too many houses.

Li Ming's heart warmed. Look at these girls these days! They know how to supplement the family income before they get married. Apart from other things, at least they should think about finding a girl like this in the future. Hey!

Even if you search the whole damn city, you may not be able to find even a single one! Isn't the betrothal gift something that you are asking for?

I guess now that the bride price is almost paid, we still have to persuade men to open their eyes and see the world!

Let me go to your uncle’s house!

"No, no, I have plenty of money here. If you are really short of money, I will ask you for it." Li Ming rejected the girl's kindness straightforwardly. It was not easy for a girl to save money. The money he, Li Ming, earned on the black market every month was not just one or two hundred yuan. There was no need to keep an eye on his future wife to take advantage of her, right?

"Okay, let's forget about it." Wu Xuanxuan didn't care. She shook her head and looked at the blueprint in Li Ming's hand with a smile. She stretched out her slender index finger like a scallion and said, "Can you tell me how you plan to clean up our house?"

Li Ming was happy, and felt from his soul how to write the word "soothing". Listen, "our home"! This is a thank you era, thank you Siheyuan!

Otherwise, he really wouldn't know where to find a wife with a lantern!

"Elbow, let's go to our house. I'll talk to you in the living room." Li Ming grabbed the girl's hand and walked towards his house without caring at all.

"They are chatting in the small living room. Let's go to the big living room at the back and I'll talk to you in detail. Haha!" Li Ming said happily with his teeth bared.

Wu Xuanxuan's face turned slightly red, but she did not pull her hand away from Li Ming's.

Front yard, Li's house, living room.

Li Ming spread out his sketch on the table and pointed to the room near the cellar, "This side will be our master bedroom. The living room doesn't need to be moved, but we can build a partition and set aside a kitchen.

I'm planning to make this room next to the porch into a second bedroom, so that I can have kids in the future, right? At least there will be a place for them to live.

As for the room on the other side of the corridor, I plan to turn it into a bathing place. Of course, a toilet will need to be built inside. You don’t have to worry about this. The toilet and bathroom where we live now were all built by me. They are very simple!

As for the back house, I don’t have any good ideas at the moment, I can use it as a storage room to store some things, if you have any ideas, Xuanxuan, you can tell me.”

Li Ming smiled and introduced his ideas to Wu Xuanxuan. Although the little girl blushed due to shyness, her expression was still full of anticipation. After all, that was where they were going to live for the rest of their lives, right?

What girl would refuse to take part in designing the home she will live in for most of her life!

"I really like the closet over there in your house. It can store a lot of things." Wu Xuanxuan thought for less than two seconds and then said it straightforwardly.

Nowadays, who doesn’t want to have more things for their home? No matter whether they are useful or not, they can be saved first!

"Okay, continue!" Li Ming waved his hand and drew black lines on the walls of the living room and master bedroom as marks.

"Can we open a door on the wall between the second bedroom and the bathroom? It's okay in the summer, but in the winter, I'm afraid I'll be freezing to death if I walk home from the porch!" Wu Xuanxuan squinted her eyes and looked at Li Ming and said in a soft voice.

"Okay, break down the door!" Li Ming picked up a pen and made a cross on the wall between the two rooms.

No matter whether the wall is useful or not, my wife has asked, so I'll tear it down first! I can just replace it with a good quality door later.

"Well, can we build a shelter from the rain and wind over there in the courtyard? When the weather is good, we can go over there and bask in the sun. I remember that you like basking in the sun the most, right?

Besides, if it rains, there are people in the yard and we can take shelter from the rain."

Obviously, Wu Xuanxuan knew Li Ming's "hobby" and took his sunbathing and fishing into consideration. Besides, it was just a place to shelter from the wind and rain, not a pavilion or something, so it was very simple.

Even if you have the money to build a pavilion, you can’t do it these days! Don’t ask why, the answer is that it doesn’t conform to the mainstream!

"No problem, it's settled!" Li Ming drew a rectangle as a mark in the area representing the courtyard.

Wu Xuanxuan looked down at the slightly messy draft paper and said, "Well, Xiao Ming, if you draw like this, can the masters recognize it?"

"Well, it's okay, I will tell the construction masters, they are all my acquaintances!" Li Ming twitched his mouth. He admitted that his painting skills were not good. Although he had the ability to paint, no one said that he had to paint well!

Why not be lazy if you can? Why not be lazy if you can?

Okay, he was influenced by the bad habits, but it’s not a big problem.

"Well, I'll go with you after the New Year?"

"Then let's go together!"

......

A courtyard house.

Today was obviously the Little New Year, but Qian Lili found an excuse and asked Yi Zhonghai to accompany her out to "go shopping".

At first Yi Zhonghai was a little worried, but in the end no one in the room cared, so he just accompanied Qian Lili out to "go shopping."

The two of them were now lying on the kang in the bedroom, feeling warm. This was all thanks to Yi Zhonghai having lit the kang in advance before "selling things". Otherwise, after the "buying and selling" process was over, the two of them would probably have been frozen!

"Lili, you are too impatient. You can't always be like this. Otherwise, it will not be good for both of us if we are discovered." Yi Zhonghai said earnestly while smoking a cigarette with a comfortable smile on his face.

Qian Lili rolled her eyes and said, "I would like to bring someone else out with me. Who else is willing to come out with me?"

"Even that idiot Zhu feels it's cold!" Qian Lili looked unhappy. Besides, if He Yuzhu could satisfy her, would she come out in such a cold day to "cheer up"?

Chapter 550: Siheyuan Spring Festival Couplets Competition

Yi Zhonghai was frustrated. What Qian Lili said was right, so he had to accompany her out.

"But you said you wanted to buy something. What should we buy?"

Qian Lili pointed to the corner nonchalantly, "There's two pounds of meat in there that I bought a few days ago. I threw it here in advance. It won't go bad in the winter. Isn't this just right?"

"Besides, if we carry the meat back, all the lazy guys in the room will focus on the meat. Who will pay attention to the two of us?" Qian Lili was quite proud. She thought it was a good idea to prepare for a rainy day.

Yi Zhonghai then nodded with satisfaction. Not bad, not bad, this woman is very steady!

"Then let's go back quickly. It's too late." Yi Zhonghai muttered as he looked at the bedroom which was extremely simply decorated but still had a clock.

Fortunately, there is a device that can tell the time, otherwise it would be difficult to know the exact time in this cold winter.

Qian Lili nodded indifferently and got dressed on the bed. Yi Zhonghai got dressed early and went out to the yard carrying the pork.

He was still cautious and let the cool air blow for a while to get rid of the unwanted smell on his body to be safe.

"Uncle Yi, there are not many people talking about me and Zhuzi outside now. What about the steel mill? I asked Zhuzi, but this idiot was hesitating." Qian Lili walked beside Yi Zhonghai with a cigarette in her hand.

"Not many people are discussing the steel rolling mill. Now everyone is discussing the Jia family's affairs! Zhuzi was hesitating. I guess he felt uncomfortable after seeing Qin Huairu found a man like Wang Dagen." Yi Zhonghai smiled and walked in front with his hands behind his back, carrying the meat.

Qian Lili curled her lips. All men are bad! He Yuzhu, that idiot, is still thinking about Qin Huairu, that vixen, even though he has her!

As the New Year is coming soon, let's let him go this time.

......

New Year's Eve. The courtyard of the steel mill.

Li Ming placed a table in the front yard, on which were placed red paper, writing brushes and ink, and a few finished couplets in the upper left corner.

Now Li Ming is the intellectual in the courtyard. Every Chinese New Year, those who have basically no grudges against the Li family will happily bring red paper and some snacks to the Li family to ask Li Ming to write Spring Festival couplets, which has taken away most of Yan Fugui's work!

After all, Li Ming's calligraphy is still very good. At least there is no problem at all for him to write Spring Festival couplets during festivals!

【Host】: Li Ming

[Skills Possessing]: Pistol mastery (top level), Bajiquan (top level), Fishing (top level), Weakness attack (language-oriented), Art of language, Street parkour (great accomplishment), Locust stone throwing technique (top level), Sichuan cuisine (top level), Shandong cuisine (top level), Antique identification skills (top level), Lock picking (top level), Painting (minor accomplishment), Calligraphy (great accomplishment).

【Number of draws】:6.

[Physique Template]: Li Yuanba [Development Progress 100%]

[System Items]: Colt m1860 revolver*1, a box of 0.44-inch black powder bullets, a gun license, a set of locust stone production line, a set of disguise masks, a box of voice-changing buttons, 2 boxes of Maotai liquor, 1 kitchen knife, 1 iron rod, 2 Jerry's firecrackers, 2 watch tickets, 2 sewing ticket tickets, 1 radio ticket, 2 bicycle tickets, a set of house deeds for the second courtyard {Paoju Hutong), a set of house deeds for the third courtyard, and a set of house deeds for the first courtyard (Qianer Hutong).

As for those who have a bad relationship with the Li family, haha, go find Yan Fugui across the street.

There was also a table in front of the Yan family's door, and the only families gathered in front of it were the Jia family, Yi Zhonghai family, He Yuzhu family, and a few others.

If you don’t know, you would think that there is a fighting arena set up in their courtyard!

"Mingzi, your handwriting is getting better and better!"

"That's right, if I had known Mingzi had this ability, I should have come here a few years ago!"

"That makes sense. Not only that, but the red paper that Old Yan used is also extremely brittle!"

Li Ming was smiling as he listened to the compliments from the people around him. It didn't cost any money, so he could listen to more of them! But he had found it a few years ago, but he didn't know how to do it at that time!

Li Ming was busy until after nine o'clock, and only then did he finish his task of sending away all the people who came to the courtyard to ask for calligraphy. As for the table, there was no red paper anymore, only handfuls of snacks thrown on the table.

My sister has randomly picked out her favorite food and started eating it!

"Okay, we're done. It's time to put up the Spring Festival couplets!" Li Ming shook his right wrist to exercise it.

The Yan brothers, who had been waiting for a long time, happily ran over to help Li Ming. As for the Spring Festival couplets in the old house, Li Ming and Wu Xuanxuan put them up together this year.

"Hey, these two kids seem to be more and more suitable for each other!" Old Li stood next to Wu Qiangguo with a smile and poked Wu Qiangguo with his elbow.

Comrade Lao Wu nodded with a smile. He didn’t know what others thought of his son-in-law, but the more he looked at him, the more he liked him!

"After the New Year, our two families can start preparing, and we should also carefully plan the wedding date in the fall."

"That's right, I guess there will be quite a few people coming on the wedding day, haha!"

"What's the matter, Old Li? Are you still worried that your family can't afford it?" Wu Qiangguo glanced at Li Weiguo, the rich man, and teased.

"Well, that's nothing! Haha!"

Getting married was a big deal these days, and the marriage process and customs were very different from those of modern times.

The first step is to submit a marriage application to your workplace or street office and obtain a certificate from your workplace and a signature from your boss. This is a crucial step, of course, generally no one will stop you, and it was no problem for Li Ming and Wu Xuanxuan.

The second step is wedding preparation, but the wedding preparation at this time is usually simpler. Families with better conditions may set up a banquet and invite relatives and neighbors to dine together.

For most families, the cost of getting married is not high. A set of bedding, a washbasin, a spittoon and a thermos cost less than 15 yuan.

Look, this level of advancement is far ahead of the future! If it were to be sold in the future, not to mention 15 yuan, it might even cost 15 yuan!

The third step is the wedding items, which are usually prepared by the man. Of course, if the woman is well-off, she will also help.

The essential items for a wedding in the 60s were called the "three big items", including a large wooden bed, a large wooden table and a large wardrobe.

These pieces of furniture are not only practical, but also a symbol of the family's economic strength.

In addition, there are three turns and one ring. Families with better conditions will also prepare watches, bicycles, sewing machines, foreign radios and other items. For example, the Li family.

The fourth step is the wedding ceremony, which is simpler. Wedding ceremonies are usually simple, but they also have some traditional elements. For example, the newlyweds need to bow to the geming leader first, then to the geming crowd, and finally to each other. In some places, there is also a traditional "three bows and nine kowtows" ceremony.

Compared with the complicated, trivial and extremely expensive wedding ceremonies in later generations, it is much better!

Chapter 551 New Year's Gift to the Yan Family

New Year's Eve, night.

When the vigil ended, Li Ming habitually returned to the second bedroom and prepared to go to bed. Before going to bed, he planned to admire his gorgeous panel.