Siheyuan: A Beautiful Life

At around ten o'clock in the morning, in a village on the outskirts of Kyoto, a middle-aged woman opened the lid of a rice vat and saw the bottom of the rice vat. She looked at the middle-aged man sitting in front of the kang edge and smoking a cigarette with a sad face. The man said, "Daddy! Our family is almost out of food. When will the village distribute our family's food rations this year?"

The middle-aged man sitting in front of the kang smoking a cigarette, when he heard his wife's inquiry and thought of what he had learned at the village chief's house in the morning, he habitually tapped the cigarette rod in his hand against the sole of his shoe before speaking. Said: "Xiuying! I went to the village chief's house in the morning. The village chief told me that the grain harvest in the fields was poor this year. After paying the public grain, there was not much left. Now the village is counting."

When the middle-aged woman heard her husband's answer, she thought of her three children at home and said with a sad face: "His father is this child! Chen Kai, Chen Kun, and Chen Li came back from the countryside today to ask for food rations for the next week. We are hungry." It doesn’t matter if your stomach is empty, you can’t let the children go hungry, right?”

When the middle-aged man heard his wife's words, he thought of his three children studying in the countryside and said to his wife: "Xiuying! I'm going to the boss's house to see if I can borrow some more food from him."

When the middle-aged woman heard what her husband said, she thought about the fact that her family had borrowed food from her uncle's family three times this year. She grabbed Zhao Guoqi's arm and said to Zhao Guoqi: "The child's father is not rich, and our uncle's family is not rich this year." I have borrowed grain from my uncle three times, and I don’t think there is much food left at home.”

After the middle-aged woman Ying said this, she thought of an idea in her mind, and finally gritted her teeth and said to her husband: "The child's father! When the children come back later, I will take the three children to the city for a visit. trip."

When the middle-aged man heard his wife's words, he immediately guessed the purpose of his wife's coming to the city. Thinking of what happened back then, the middle-aged man said to Wu Xiuying with a guilty look on his face: "Xiuying! I'm sorry! It's all my fault that I'm useless and can't let you and Wu Xiuying." Live a good life, kids."

When the middle-aged woman heard her husband's apology, she thought of the efforts he had made for the family over the years, and said with no regrets: "The child's father! Marry a chicken, follow the chicken, marry a dog, follow the dog! Since I chose it back then, You will not regret the decision you made."

This middle-aged couple, the man's name is Zhao Guoqi and the woman's name is Wu Xiuying, they have two sons and one daughter, named Zhao Qiang, Zhao Li and Zhao Zhong respectively.

Zhao Guoqi was a mason. When he went to the city to help people repair their houses, he met Wu Xiuying. The two looked at each other and secretly made a lifelong commitment.

Wu Xiuying's eldest brother is Wu Pingshan, Wu Aiguo's father. When Wu Xiuying proposed the decision to marry Zhao Guoqi, Wu Pingshan, the eldest brother, did not agree to anything, because at this time, Wu Pingshan and Wu Xiuying were still brothers and sisters. There was a big quarrel.

Wu Pingshan saw that his sister was determined to give up the superior life in the city and marry to the countryside to suffer hardship, so he uttered cruel words. Then Wu Xiuying wanted to marry Zhao Guoqi, so he severed the brother-sister relationship with Wu Xiuying, hoping to prevent Wu Xiuying from marrying in the countryside.

However, what Wu Pingshan did not expect was that between love and brother-sister relationship, Wu Xiuying finally chose love and left Kyoto city with Zhao Guoqi without hesitation.

Wu Xiuying's decision moved Zhao Guoqi very much. Before leaving, Zhao Guoqi made a promise to Wu Pingshan that Wu Xiuying would live a good life.

In order to fulfill this promise, after receiving the certificate, Zhao Guoqi and Wu Xiuying, in addition to farming in the village, would go to the city to find some mason work during non-busy farming periods to supplement their family income.

However, the ideal is very full, and the reality is very skinny! Since the three children of the Zhao family have all gone to school in the countryside, the expenses for the three children's education, plus the half-grown children, will kill me. Zhao Guoqi, the head of the family, has to pay for it. , feeling stressed.

Due to drought this year, the grain harvest in the fields failed, and this family, which was already overwhelmed, quickly fell into trouble.

Thinking of the promise he made to Wu Pingshan, Zhao Guoqi reminded Wu Xiuying with a troubled face: "Xiuying! You had a big fight with your uncle to marry me. Now you go to your uncle, Will uncle help us?"

Wu Xiuying heard Zhao Guoqi's reminder and thought of what had happened, which made her embarrassed to face her eldest brother. However, thinking of the future of her three children, Wu Xiuying could only bite the bullet and go to the city to beg Wu Pingshan.

Thinking of Wu Pingshan's character, Wu Xiuying said to Zhao Guoqi with a look of remorse: "The child's father! I know my brother's character. Besides, even if he disowns me as his sister, he won't disown his nephews, right? For the sake of the three For the future of this child, even if I don’t want my own face, I still want...!”

"Dad! Mom! We are back!" As soon as Wu Xiuying finished speaking, her daughter Zhao Li's happy shouts came from outside the courtyard gate.

When Wu Xiuying heard her daughter's cry, she stretched out her hand to wipe the tears from the corner of her eyes. She looked at the three sweaty children and said kindly: "You three go and wash up quickly, and I will cook for you. After lunch, I will take you into the city."

When Zhao Qiang heard what Wu Xiuying said, he asked Wu Xiuying with a puzzled face: "Mom! Why do you suddenly want to take us into the city? What are we going to do in the city?"

"Yes, Mom! Why are you taking us into the city?" Zhao Li was very surprised when she heard the news announced by Wu Xiuying, and immediately asked Wu Xiuying.

When Wu Xiuying heard Zhao Qiang and Zhao Li's inquiry, she thought of her purpose of bringing the children into the city, and said with a smile: "Mom plans to take you into the city and check in with your uncle's house."

"Mom! What are you talking about? We still have an uncle? And he still lives in the city? How come we have never heard you mention it to my dad?" Zhao Qiang heard what Wu Xiuying said and confirmed this to Wu Xiuying with a face full of shock. information.

When Wu Xiuying heard Zhao Qiang's inquiry, she thought of her eldest brother and younger brother, whom she had not seen for almost twenty years, and introduced to the children in a friendly manner: "You have two uncles in total. Your eldest uncle works in the steel rolling mill. You My brother-in-law works at the Shanghai Shipyard."

When Zhao Li heard the situation introduced by Wu Xiuying, an expression of disbelief appeared on her face, and she asked in surprise: "Mom! What did you say? We also have two uncles, and they are both workers in the city. Why have we never listened? Have you mentioned it to my dad?"

Wu Xiuying heard her daughter's words and saw the surprised expression on her face, and said angrily to Zhao Li: "You children, please stay away from adult matters. Go and wash up quickly. I will take the three of you into the city later. "