roccoschili Chapter 111 Meeting Notice
Chapter 111 Meeting Notice
"Brother, didn't you say you'd know what was going on when you got home from get off work? Actually, I already know."
After returning home, Yu Shui couldn't wait to tell Sha Zhu.
Sha Zhu looked at his quirky younger sister and asked curiously, "Oh? How did you know?"
Rain smiled mysteriously: "If it hadn't been a bit windy on the way back, I would have told you already, since I was sitting on the back of the bicycle."
Xu Xiaoqin told me. I ran into her at school, and she quietly told me that Aunt Jia, Uncle Yi, and Liu Guangtian's father, who used to live there, had all been tied to trees.
"Xu Xiaoqin also told me that when Aunt Jia was rescued, she was only wearing a pair of underwear, which was hilarious."
After finishing her sentence, Yu Shui added, "She also told me to come find her to play after school."
Sha Zhu found it both amusing and somewhat worrying. He tried to scare Yu Shui,
"Then you absolutely mustn't go. Last time in the courtyard, those people stopped me and wouldn't let me leave, and you were so scared you cried. Aren't you scared now?"
Rainwater, however, widened its eyes and bravely declared, "Brother, I'm really tough now. If they try to stop me again, I'll beat them to a pulp!"
As she spoke, she pulled a piece of wood, about the thickness of a finger, from the pile of firewood and started playing with it in the yard, "Hehe hahe!"
Sha Zhu looked at Yu Shui's appearance, his lips twitched twice, and he said helplessly, "There are so many bad people in that courtyard, and they're all tall and strong. If you're not afraid, then go ahead."
Just as the brother and sister were chatting in the yard, there was a knock on the gate.
Sha Zhu scanned the area with his mind and found an old man in his fifties knocking on his door.
He had seen the old man in the neighborhood occasionally, but he didn't know him well and didn't know what he was doing there.
Sha Zhu walked over, opened the door, and asked the old man, "Grandpa, is there anything I can help you with?"
The old man looked at Sha Zhu and said, "I live in the courtyard next door, number 136."
Director Wang from the subdistrict office informed me that they would need to call me in for meetings and to convey instructions from the subdistrict office in the future.
I'm the person in charge of the compound; you can just call me Uncle Guo. After you finish eating at home, come to the backyard next door at six o'clock for a meeting.
Sha Zhu suddenly realized and said with a smile, "Oh, it's Grandpa Guo."
I mentioned I'd run into you several times near the alley; turns out you live in the courtyard next door. Sir, do you smoke?
As he spoke, he took out a Daqianmen cigarette from his pocket and handed it to Grandpa Guo.
Grandpa Guo accepted the cigarette with embarrassment, but instead of smoking it, he simply tucked it behind his ear.
He said happily, "Young man, you are very polite. I heard from the neighbors that you moved here with your sister, and I was worried that you would be difficult to get along with."
I usually don't dare to talk to you when I run into you on the street, for fear that you might send me to the road construction team.
Now it seems you're definitely not the kind of person who makes trouble unnecessarily. Old Liu and his nephew were never good people to begin with; I think even letting them do the road repairs is too good for them.”
Sha Zhu thought that this old man Guo must be a person who could distinguish right from wrong, so he smiled and said, "Grandpa, do you also know the uncle and nephew surnamed Liu?"
Grandpa Guo nodded and said, "How could I not recognize them? Those two are from the same courtyard as me, living in the back house in the front yard."
After the uncle and nephew went to repair the road, the courtyard was finally peaceful for a while.
I should thank you, young man. I live in the backyard; it's a bigger yard. Remember to come to the meeting later. I'll head back now.
With that, Grandpa Guo waved to Sha Zhu and turned to leave.
As Grandpa Guo disappeared from sight, Sha Zhu was about to close the door and go back inside to prepare dinner.
Just then, Xu Damao called out from the alley entrance: "Brother Zhu, wait, don't close the door yet!"
Before he could finish speaking, Xu Damao came running over, panting heavily, and pushed open the heavy door, almost causing his schoolbag to fall to the ground.
Seeing this, Sha Zhu helplessly stepped aside and asked, "Da Mao, why are you here instead of going home after school?"
"I came to visit you, and I have some good news to tell you. Have you cooked yet?"
As Da Mao spoke, he slung his schoolbag over his shoulder and walked into the yard, thinking to himself, "The silly Zhu siblings live in this little courtyard, where they can freely eat whatever they want."
Thinking about how my mom is afraid to buy meat because she's worried about the neighbors smelling it, I feel like everyone in the neighborhood is a robber.
Sha Zhu closed the gate and followed Da Mao into the yard, jokingly asking, "Da Mao, did you come to tell me some good news, or to freeload a meal?"
"Both, both! What good food do you have here? Do you have meat? I'm so hungry, I'm tired of the cornbread at home. Hurry up and cook!" Da Mao said impatiently.
"You're just here to freeload," Sha Zhu laughed.
"Aren't we good brothers? Brother Zhu, wait until I tell you some good news, you'll definitely be even happier."
Xu Damao was thinking to himself that he would be overjoyed when Sha Zhu found out about Jia Zhangshi's shameful behavior.
"Alright, go do your homework in the living room. I'll have dinner ready soon," Sha Zhu said, and went into the kitchen.
In the kitchen, Sha Zhu pondered the dinner menu. Since he and his sister ate at home, they could conjure up anything they wanted, thanks to the lunchboxes as a cover.
But Xu Damao's arrival might disrupt his plans.
However, considering that Da Mao wasn't having an easy time either, Sha Zhu decided to prepare some good food for him.
After all, Da Mao's parents have already paid a lot for his meals, even though his family doesn't know it. Just tell him not to say anything about what he's eating here.
If Da Mao causes any more trouble in the future, we'll deal with him then.
After thinking it over, Sha Zhu took out two lunch boxes of braised pork, seven or eight steamed buns, stir-fried a large cabbage, and a dish of his own pickled vegetables from his spatial storage.
The meal was ready in less than ten minutes.
Sha Zhu carried the food back into the house, only to find that Da Mao was not in the living room.
With a thought, I found him sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) in the rain-soaked house, watching the rain as he did his homework.
Sha Zhu put the food on his table and then called the two of them over to eat.
When Da Mao saw the braised pork and steamed buns on the table, his eyes lit up: "Brother Zhu, your family's food is amazing!"
You treated me to twice-cooked pork a few days ago, and now it's braised pork again? Did you bring this braised pork back from the factory?
Looking at the food on the table, Yu Shui immediately lost her appetite and muttered under her breath, "Why is it braised pork again?"
Hearing Yu Shui's words, Da Mao turned to look at her in surprise: "Little Yu Shui, why did you say 'again' braised pork? Are you tired of eating braised pork?"
Rain stuck out her tongue, remembering her brother's instructions not to let anyone know what she ate at home, so she quickly said, "No... that..."
Sha Zhu interrupted Yu Shui: "Alright, everyone sit down and eat."
Rain said she wanted to eat duck, but I couldn't find any at the market today, so I bought two boxes of braised pork from a fancy restaurant instead. Damao, hurry up and try it, the taste is absolutely authentic!
"Oh? Really? Then I'll have to give it a good try." Da Mao said, and then stopped asking questions.
The braised pork had a very rich aroma, and Da Mao couldn't help but swallow hard when he smelled it.
The three sat around the table. Da Mao unceremoniously held a steamed bun in his left hand and used chopsticks in his right hand to pick up braised pork and put it in his mouth.
After taking just one bite, he exclaimed indistinctly, "This is so delicious! Brother Zhu, compared to your twice-cooked pork, this braised pork is simply an unparalleled delicacy!"
The twice-cooked pork you made is worlds apart from this braised pork. You still need to practice your cooking skills with your master.
By the way, where did you buy this braised pork? I'll ask my dad to buy some some another day." As he spoke, there was a hint of disdain in his eyes.
Sha Zhu was furious. He thought to himself, "You eat my food, drink my water, and still look down on me? I'll put up with it!" So he replied curtly.
"I bought this from Fengzeyuan. I'm going to see my master this afternoon, you should go ask your dad to buy some too."
Upon hearing this, Xu Damao showed a hint of envy and said, "Then forget it. You have a good master. If you want to eat something good, you can go to your master's place to mooch off him."
Next time you go to your master's place, remember to let me know in advance.
After saying that, he continued to wolf down his food, as if he wanted to turn all his dissatisfaction into appetite and swallow it all down in one go.
Rainwater almost let it slip earlier, and although somewhat reluctant, she picked up the steamed bun and began to eat it slowly with the dishes on the table.
Seeing this, Da Mao assumed that he had upset her by taking the braised pork from Yushui, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
I wonder if I behaved too inconsiderately, without considering the feelings of the rain.
So he quickly picked up two pieces of braised pork and put them into the bowl of rainwater, saying,
"Rain, hurry up and eat. There are two lunchboxes of braised pork here. We'll share this one, and the other one is yours. I won't fight you for it."
Yu Shui almost burst out laughing when she heard Da Mao's words, but she still pretended to be unhappy and said, "Brother Da Mao, you eat, don't worry about me."
Sha Zhu watched this scene from the side and found it somewhat amusing.
He stood up, went to the cabinet in the room, took out three bottles of Beibingyang soda, and handed one to each of them.
He said, "Hurry up and eat, I need to take the rainwater to the next courtyard for a general meeting later."
Damao, you should eat quickly too, it'll be dark and it won't be safe on the road later.
Oh, right, Da Mao, we're best buddies, so you'd better keep your mouth shut. Don't tell anyone what you ate here today, and don't tell your parents either.
If any of our neighbors come over to freeload, I won't let you come over to play anymore.
Xu Damao patted his chest and assured Sha Zhu, "Don't worry, I promise I won't tell anyone. By the way, Brother Zhu, don't you want to know what happened in our yard this morning?"
Sha Zhu glanced at the mysterious Xu Damao and said dismissively,
"Your sister and my sister go to the same school. She's already told Yushui about it."
"Wasn't it just that Aunt Jia was hung up wearing only her underwear? Oh, right, and Uncle Yi and Uncle Liu too, right?"
Hearing that his sister had already spoken, Da Mao seemed somewhat dejected.
He had originally planned to tell Sha Zhu himself to make him happy, but he didn't expect that his sister had already told Sha Zhu's sister in advance, so Sha Zhu naturally already knew.
But then Da Mao's mind raced, and he remembered that his sister might not know some things, so he said to Sha Zhu...
"Brother Zhu, do you know what those three other people hanging in the tree are doing?"
Sha Zhu nodded and said, "I heard from my colleagues and neighbors that they are spies. By the way, Da Mao, what happened to the six people who were hung up this morning?"
Xu Damao said smugly, "Finally, there's something you don't know, isn't there?"
His small eyes looked at Sha Zhu as if to say, "Please beg me, and I'll tell you."