Chapter 735 Planning a House 1
The renovated courtyard is like a beautiful lady who has dressed up carefully, welcoming the first traditional festival in this brand new look - the Spring Festival. When the first ray of dawn gently sprinkles on the green tiles of the courtyard, the whole courtyard gradually wakes up and is immersed in a festive atmosphere.
Look, those red lanterns are like bright rubies, hung high. They are scattered under the eaves and along the corridors, swaying gently in the breeze, as if a group of fairies in red are dancing. Each lantern emits a soft and warm light, which not only illuminates the road under your feet, but also seems to tell people the joy of the New Year. They seem to be whispering to everyone that the new year is about to begin, and happiness and beauty are quietly coming.
Look at the bright red couplets, which are like two bright red ribbons, covering every door. The calligraphy on these couplets is vigorous and powerful, like a dragon soaring into the sky and a tiger descending from the mountain. Every stroke contains the writer's profound skills and sincere emotions. Those words full of auspicious meanings carry the residents' beautiful expectations for the new year. Some couplets read "May everything go smoothly and may the lucky star arrive, and may everything go well and may good fortune come to the door", expressing people's desire for a smooth life and a full house of blessings; others read "May wealth roll in with the arrival of spring, and may happiness come with happiness", expressing people's expectations for wealth and joy. Standing in front of the couplets, the residents savored the deep meaning of the couplets, with happy smiles on their faces, as if they had seen the beautiful picture of life in the new year unfolding slowly before their eyes.
The yard was as lively as boiling water, and the children became the protagonists in this ocean of joy. They wore brand new cotton-padded clothes, which were colorful, red like fire, pink like clouds, and blue like the sky. They looked particularly bright and dazzling in the white snow. They were like a group of happy little birds, laughing and playing in the snow.
Several children were busy making a snowman. Their hands were red from the cold, but it did not affect their enthusiasm at all. They first rolled out two big snowballs, one for the snowman's body and the other for the snowman's head. Then, they found two black stones and carefully embedded them on the snowman's face as the snowman's eyes. They took out a carrot and inserted it in the position of the snowman's nose, and a playful snowman's nose was born. Finally, they wrapped a scarf around the snowman with red wool and added two arms to the snowman with branches. Looking at the snowman they made with their own hands, the children jumped and danced happily, and cheers echoed in the yard.
There was also a group of children playing snowballs. They were divided into two teams, each hiding behind a pile of snow, waiting for an opportunity to strike. One child quickly grabbed a handful of snow, squeezed it into a snowball, and then aimed at the other side and threw it hard. With a "pop", the snowball accurately hit one of the other children. The child who was hit was not to be outdone and immediately fought back. For a while, the snowballs flew in the air, and the children's laughter and shouts intertwined, forming a cheerful winter music. Their little faces were frozen red, like ripe apples, but they didn't care at all, enjoying this happy time to the fullest, as if the whole world was only them and the snowflakes.
The old people sat around the warm stove, the charcoal fire in the stove was burning, making a "crackling" sound, as if to add to the excitement of the lively Spring Festival. The old people were roasting the fire comfortably, feeling the warmth of the flames licking their hands, while leisurely eating melon seeds. They were very skilled in eating melon seeds, with a light bite, the shell of the melon seeds cracked, and then they gently peeled it with their hands, and the melon seeds went into their mouths.
They chatted about family matters, ranging from family matters to national affairs. They recalled the scenes of celebrating the New Year in the courtyard in the past. An old man with gray hair and wrinkles on his face smiled and said, "The New Year in the past was not as lively as it is now. At that time, the courtyard was deserted. Everyone had little money and there were not so many things to do. Now it's good. Once the street lights are installed, it will be bright at night. After the renovation, the courtyard has become clean and beautiful. Our courtyard is more festive than those high-rise buildings in the city!" The other old people listened and nodded in agreement. They were impressed by the huge changes today, from dilapidated houses to brand new residences, from monotonous life to colorful festival activities, all of which made them feel extremely happy and satisfied. They talked to each other, as if they had returned to those unforgettable years in the past, and were full of gratitude and cherishment for their current lives.
In this bustling courtyard, the atmosphere of the Spring Festival is becoming more and more intense. Everyone is immersed in this joyful and peaceful festival, looking forward to a better life in the new year.
Yi Zhonghai, Liu Haizhong and Xu Damao are all well-known figures in the Siheyuan. As the Spring Festival is approaching, they are naturally not idle and are wholeheartedly devoted to the important event of organizing Spring Festival activities.
Yi Zhonghai, the elder known for his steadiness and reliability in the courtyard, took the initiative to take on the task of purchasing the items needed for the event. Before daybreak, he had already dressed neatly and went out in high spirits. The nearby market was bustling with people coming and going, and all kinds of stalls were dazzling. Yi Zhonghai shuttled among the crowd, his eyes focused and sharp, not missing any corner where he might find the right items.
He first came to the food area. The stalls here were lined up with fresh vegetables, meat and seafood. Yi Zhonghai carefully selected each ingredient. He picked up a cabbage and squeezed it gently to feel its firmness. He then sniffed the pork to make sure there was no peculiar smell. As for the seafood, he checked it carefully to see how fresh it was. He knew that these ingredients were the key to the reunion dinner and could not be sloppy. In order to buy the freshest fish, he even talked to the fishmongers so that he could pick out a few lively and delicious fish.
After buying the ingredients, Yi Zhonghai rushed to the place where decorations were sold. There were red lanterns, auspicious spring couplets, colorful lace, and so on. Yi Zhonghai carefully selected them. He picked up a pair of spring couplets and repeatedly looked at the brush calligraphy on them, muttering to himself, as if he was savoring the charm of them. He was even more dazzled by the lanterns, and finally chose those with exquisite shapes and bright colors, imagining how festive they would be when hung in the courtyard. From early morning to dusk, Yi Zhonghai ran around the nearby markets of all sizes, and was so tired that his back and waist ached, but when he thought about being able to contribute to the Spring Festival activities in the courtyard, his face was filled with a satisfied smile.
Liu Haizhong made full use of his organizational skills. After returning to the courtyard, he immediately gathered several enthusiastic residents and sat together to discuss the process of the event. With a paper and a pen in his hand, he listened carefully to everyone's opinions and quickly took notes. From the opening time of the event, the order of the programs, to the game sessions and lucky draws in the middle, he arranged everything in an orderly manner.
After arranging the process, Liu Haizhong began to go door to door to inform residents to participate in the event. He took big steps and knocked on the doors of each house, always with a warm smile on his face. At each house, he would introduce the content and time of the event in detail and encourage everyone to actively participate. When he met some elderly people who were reluctant to go out, he would patiently persuade them and tell them that the Spring Festival should be lively and everyone would be happy when they get together. Thanks to his efforts, almost all residents said they would participate in this Spring Festival event.
Xu Damao used his eloquence to liven up the atmosphere at the event. Before the event started, he was already walking around the yard, mingling with the residents. He told jokes and made everyone laugh; he also imitated some celebrities' movements and expressions so vividly that people couldn't help but laugh.
After the event officially started, Xu Damao became the atmosphere maker. He stood beside the stage, keeping his eyes on the performance and the audience. Whenever there was a wonderful moment in the performance, he would cheer loudly and lead everyone to applaud. If there was a small mistake in the performance, he would cleverly use humorous words to resolve the embarrassment and keep the atmosphere warm. He would also go on stage from time to time to interact with the performers or give an impromptu performance to make everyone laugh. Under his leadership, the entire courtyard was immersed in a sea of joy.
Finally, New Year's Eve arrived, and a grand and warm reunion dinner was held in the courtyard. As night fell and the lights came on, the courtyard was decorated with lights and colors, and there was a festive atmosphere. Everyone sat around several large round tables, which were filled with rich and mouth-watering dishes.
The dumplings, symbolizing reunion, are white and plump, like small ingots, neatly arranged on the plate. The dumplings have thin skin and large fillings. When you take a bite, the delicious soup will overflow in your mouth, leaving you with an endless aftertaste. The fragrant braised pork is bright red in color, fat but not greasy, and melts in your mouth. Each piece of meat is stewed to perfection, exuding an attractive luster, making people unable to resist eating more. And the fish, which symbolizes abundance every year, is carefully placed in the center of the plate, with a rich sauce on the fish and emerald green onions and red peppers dotted on the side, which is delicious.
Yi Zhonghai looked at the lively scene with a lot of emotion in his heart. He stood up slowly, held up the wine glass steadily with both hands, and said loudly: "Dear residents, the fact that our courtyard is so lively today is inseparable from everyone's joint efforts. In the past few months, we have experienced the transformation of the courtyard together, and have worked hard for this big family. In the new year, I hope that our courtyard can always be so united and friendly, and the days will be more and more prosperous! Come on, let's toast together!"
Residents stood up one after another, some holding wine glasses in both hands, some holding beverage cups, with happy smiles on their faces. Everyone raised their wine glasses and clinked them together, and the crisp clinking sound echoed in the yard. The laughter and clinking sounds intertwined together, forming a warm and beautiful picture, as if time had stopped at this moment.
Everyone enjoyed the delicious food while watching the wonderful performances.
After the meal, everyone was still immersed in the joyful atmosphere. The children continued to play in the yard, and the adults gathered in groups of three or four to chat. Uncle Yan Bugui and his family sat in a slightly cramped house to eat. The lively laughter outside came in through the cracks in the window. The chopsticks in Yan Bugui's hand suddenly stopped in mid-air, his eyes became a little deep, and he fell into deep thought.
The third aunt was eating with gusto. She noticed Yan Bugui's strange behavior, put down her chopsticks, and asked curiously, "Old Yan, what are you thinking about? It's so lively outside, why are you still in a daze?"
Yan Bugui did not hide it. He put down his chopsticks, tapped the table with his fingers, and said slowly: "I'm thinking about it. This courtyard house is getting better and better after the renovation, but our house is still so small. Look at the current situation. There may be some new policies in the future. I have to think of a way to see if I can get another house in the courtyard house."
When the third aunt heard this, her eyes widened and she said in surprise, "What? Get another house? That's easier said than done! We don't have that kind of ability. There are quite a few people living in this courtyard, and everyone is watching us."
Yan Bugui looked confident, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised, and said: "You don't understand this. Opportunities are found by people. Now that Siheyuan has developed so well, there will definitely be many new opportunities in the future. Take the issue of cultural heritage, for example. The government attaches great importance to it, and there may be related projects and policies. If we can participate in it, we may be able to take advantage of this opportunity to seek some benefits for ourselves."
The third aunt was still a little worried and frowned as she said, "Even if there is a project, you need connections. We are just an ordinary family, what connections can we have? And even if we participate in the project, we may not be able to get a house."
Yan Bugui picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip of tea, and said slowly: "People make their own connections. I plan to talk to Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong tomorrow. They are now well-known figures in Siheyuan and have a lot of dealings with the government. Maybe they can give me some information. Besides, participating in the project is not just for the house. If you can contribute to it, your words will carry more weight in Siheyuan in the future, right?"
The next morning, Yan Bugui dressed neatly and went out in high spirits. He first came to Yi Zhonghai's house, where Yi Zhonghai was sitting in the yard basking in the sun. Seeing Yan Bugui coming, he greeted him warmly, "Old Yan, come in and sit down. How come you have time to come to my place during the New Year?"
Yan Bugui smiled and sat opposite Yi Zhonghai. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he got to the point: "Old Yi, I want to ask you if there are any new plans for this courtyard house in the future? You see, it has been renovated so well now, will there be any big moves in the future?"