Courtyard House: Purchasing Agents' Comeback from the Great Famine

Chapter 263 New Year's Eve Dinner and Beating the Son, New Year's Eve Dinner for Each Fami

Zhongyuan, Yi Zhonghai's house.

Today, an older woman used the half-pound of meat that Yi Zhonghai brought back to make dumplings, and didn't cook any other dishes. Yi Zhonghai didn't even buy firecrackers today; he and the older woman just ate together.

There's no other way. Yi Zhonghai has run out of savings, and he still has no way to support his elderly parents. If he doesn't save money, what will he do when they get old in a few years?

The two were feeling incredibly lonely and had nothing to say to each other, making the scene quite desolate.

In previous years, they would celebrate the New Year with Sha Zhu, the Jia family, and the deaf old lady. But this year, so many things have happened. Now, their family has become enemies with Sha Zhu, and the deaf old lady has also become an enemy and disappeared. Qin Huairu has been deceiving him for so many years.

After much consideration, Yi Zhonghai felt that this year had been particularly miserable for him. All the secrets he didn't know before were exposed this year, which was something he hadn't expected.

All of this happened after the attack on Wang Feng. Could it be that all of this is related to Wang Feng?

During this time, Yi Zhonghai took on two more apprentices in the third fitter workshop. He also hinted to the two apprentices that they should support him in his old age and that his savings and house could be left to them after he passed away. However, the two apprentices did not respond to him, which made him very irritable.

......

The front yard, the Yan family's house.

Today, the three aunties made dumplings using half a pound of meat that Liu Yuhua brought back. They also made braised fish chunks, made with half a pound of fish that Yan Jiecheng brought back. In addition, they made seven small dried fish, one for each of the seven members of their family.

For the main course, they also made steamed buns with a mixture of wheat and water. Everyone else got two, Yan Jiedi got one, and Liu Yuhua got six.

Just as Yan Fugui was about to distribute the dumplings and vegetables, insisting on fairness and impartiality, Liu Yuhua stopped him.

"Dad, let's stop dividing the food. Dividing it like this makes us look like a family. Let's just eat like this, eat as much as we can."

Seeing this, Yan Fugui sighed and had no choice but to leave it at that. After all, Liu Yuhua had brought back the meat and flour, so it was reasonable for her to eat more.

But then they were dumbfounded. Liu Yuhua ate one dumpling after another, and before she could even swallow one, she stuffed another dumpling into her mouth.

They hadn't finished eating any of them, but Liu Yuhua had already eaten four.

There was only half a pound of meat in total, plus some cabbage filling, which made about fifty dumplings. Liu Yuhua ate almost half of them by herself. This made Yan Fugui and the third aunt want to say a few words to Liu Yuhua, but when they thought of the scene of Liu Yuhua beating Sha Zhu, and her three pig-slaughtering brothers, they swallowed their words.

......

The backyard, the Liu family's house.

My second aunt made steamed buns with a mixture of wheat and water, wrapped dumplings, and fried a few eggs today, that's all.

Now all of Liu Hai's savings have been taken by his boss, Liu Guangqi, and he still owes his apprentice a huge debt. How can he pay off the debt if he doesn't save money?

Liu Haizhong ate a bite of egg, a bite of dumpling, and then a sip of wine, enjoying his meal quite heartily.

The Liu brothers could only eat steamed buns made from two kinds of flour. Watching Liu Haizhong eat eggs and dumplings with gusto, the brothers' mouths watered.

"Dad, tonight is New Year's Eve dinner, so please let us have just two dumplings, only two," Liu Guangfu said cautiously.

Liu Guangtian ate his steamed bun made from two kinds of flour without saying a word, his eyes somewhat cold.

But deep down, he still had a lingering hope that his father would let him and his brother have some dumplings, since it was New Year's Eve dinner.

Liu Haizhong swallowed the dumpling, took another sip of wine, and looked at the Liu brothers with a cold smile, asking:

"You two both want to eat dumplings?"

"Yes," Liu Guangfu answered without hesitation.

Liu Haizhong then looked at Liu Guangtian and asked, "And you?"

"We'll eat if you give us some," Liu Guangtian said calmly, forcibly suppressing his craving for dumplings.

"Alright, alright, today I'll not only let you eat dumplings, I'll also give you bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork."

Liu Haizhong sneered and reached for his belt.

"Brother, run!"

Liu Guangfu shouted and he and Liu Guangtian tried to open the door and run outside, but Aunt Er had anticipated this and was already standing in front of the door, blocking their escape route.

"Bang bang bang".

"Ahhh."

Liu Haizhong mercilessly lashed out at Liu Guangtian and his brother with the Seven Wolves sword, causing them to scream in agony.

......

The Intermediate People's Court, the Wang family.

Wang Feng and Qin Jingru had a very enjoyable meal tonight. With so many dishes, plus Qin Jingru's culinary skills, and their already large appetites, they ate quite a lot, their mouths greasy from the food.

Since there was only half a bowl of premium rice, and the rice was small, the vegetables naturally needed to be eaten more to feel full.

Just as the two were enjoying their meal, they heard screams coming from the backyard.

Now that everyone in the courtyard has finished setting off firecrackers, the screams of Liu Guangtian and his brother were so loud that almost everyone in the courtyard could hear them. However, since this was a family matter for the Liu family, no one bothered to interfere.

Qin Jingru took a sip of chicken soup and said speechlessly, "Brother Wang Feng, is Liu Haizhong crazy? Beating his son on New Year's Eve?"

"Hehe, Jingru, what's so strange about that? Liu Haizhong gets itchy if he doesn't beat his son for three days. You've been in the yard for so long, haven't you gotten used to it yet?" Wang Feng laughed.

"And another thing, Jingru, let me tell you, I heard that Liu Haizhong was also beaten like this by his father when he was a child. Their family has a tradition called 'Spare the rod and spoil the child.'"

"When Liu Guangqi was home before, Liu Haizhong never hit him, but Liu Guangqi ran away. In recent months, has Liu Haizhong been beating Liu Guangtian and his brother even more severely?"

Qin Jingru shook her head speechlessly: "Spare the rod and spoil the child? I'm sure if Liu Haizhong continues to be beaten like this, it would be strange if Liu Guangtian and his brother took care of him when he gets old."

Wang Feng smiled and nodded: "Jingru, you're right. Liu Haizhong has gotten into a habit of beating his son. He doesn't dare to hit others because it's illegal, but it's not illegal to hit his son. Liu Guangtian and his brother don't have jobs and have to be supported by Liu Haizhong, otherwise they'll starve to death. Just you wait and see, once Liu Guangtian and his brother find jobs, they'll definitely never come back."

"Brother Wang Feng, tell me, why didn't Auntie stop Liu Guangtian and his brother from beating them like that? Didn't she feel sorry for them?" Qin Jingru asked, puzzled.

"Hehe, not only will Second Aunt not stop them, she'll even clap and cheer them on. I've seen it before. Maybe if Liu Guangtian and his brother try to run away, Second Aunt will stop them."

"Let me tell you, this second aunt is just like Liu Haizhong. She also believes in the saying 'spare the rod and spoil the child.' Especially after the Liu Guangqi incident, she and her husband believed in this even more. I bet after Liu Guangqi ran away, they both regretted not hitting him before," Wang Feng explained with a smile.

"Brother Wang Feng, this courtyard is really strange; there are all sorts of people here."