On the way back, the family chatted and laughed, but soon Lin Wenjun realized something was wrong; this road did not lead to the courtyard house.
"Jung-guk, where are we going? This isn't the right road."
“Uncle, you have a really sharp eye. Look, Grandpa and the others didn’t even notice. It’s just that there’s not enough room in the yard! I found a yard outside. Let’s go there first, and Mom and Dad will come over after get off work.”
"Oh! Look at the mess we've made, so many of us have come, we've caused you so much trouble."
Lin Wenjun said with self-reproach.
"Don't worry about the trouble, it's fine. This courtyard belongs to a friend of mine. It's just sitting there unoccupied, so you can stay as long as you like."
Sun Zhengguo explained from the side.
Lin Wenjun felt a little relieved after hearing this.
The group walked and talked for about ten minutes before arriving at the gate of a small courtyard house in Juhua Hutong.
Sun Zhengguo took out his key, opened the gate, and gave the group a tour.
"This house is really nice, a detached house with a courtyard and lots of rooms. Look at all this furniture, it's all new, and the wood is all ash, so sturdy. It must have cost a fortune! Tsk tsk!"
Grandpa was a carpenter after all, and he could tell at a glance what materials were used in the furniture.
"Grandpa, if you like this place, you can stay a little longer."
Grandpa smiled and then said.
“You guys! Your filial piety is enough. Grandpa is a countryman, a farmer. If I don’t work for a day, I feel uncomfortable all over. As for me, I’d rather stay in the countryside!”
“Zhengguo, don’t mind him. Your grandfather is just destined to work hard, but he makes it sound so nice.”
"Hahaha……."
Grandma's words amused everyone, and so everyone started chatting, one after another.
The courtyard was immediately filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.
Around 4 p.m., Sun Zhengguo saw that it was almost time, so he called his younger siblings to the kitchen to start making dinner. When his grandmother, aunt, and aunt saw this, they all came to the kitchen and got busy together.
By the time the workers finished their shift, a delicious aroma filled the courtyard.
...
At the gate of the steel rolling mill, Sun Dajiang, who had just finished get off work, rode his bicycle with Sun Zhengdong on the back, while Lin Jiguo rode his bicycle with Lin Wencui on the back. The two bicycles headed towards Ju'er Hutong.
Because Ju'er Hutong was not far from the steel rolling mill, and because they had a car, the group arrived at Ju'er Hutong in no time.
As soon as they arrived at the entrance of the alley, they encountered Sun Zhenghong, who was waiting there.
"Mom and Dad, you're here. I'll take you there."
After Sun Zhenghong finished speaking, he turned around and walked into the alley, and the others quickly followed.
With Sun Zhenghong leading the way, Sun Dajiang and the others soon arrived at the small courtyard house.
Once inside the courtyard, things became lively. Everyone greeted each other. When the grandmother saw her grandson, and the aunt saw her son, she held his hand tightly and asked him all sorts of questions until the two said they were doing well. Only then did things quiet down.
At dinner time, because there were too many people and not enough chairs, all the children ate standing up. But the children didn't complain at all. They finished eating quickly and ran to play in the yard, leaving only some adults eating inside.
After dinner, the group played for a while. Sun Dajiang made arrangements for everyone, agreed to have breakfast at the courtyard house the next morning, and then took his wife and children back to the courtyard house.
The next morning, Lin Wencui got up early, steamed buns, cooked porridge, and prepared some pickled vegetables. When she was almost finished, a large group of people came to the courtyard.
"Good morning, Mom and Dad! Please wait in the main room for a moment, I'll be done soon."
"Good morning, Wencui, thank you for your help, let me assist you!"
After Grandma finished speaking, she prepared to go inside.
"Mom and Dad, you go to the main room first. I'll help my sister-in-law."
My sister-in-law volunteered to help, and no one else argued with her. Everyone knew that the kitchen in this courtyard house was too small to accommodate so many people.
With the help of her sister-in-law, breakfast was quickly prepared. When they ate breakfast, there were still not enough chairs, but no one cared. Everyone hurriedly finished their breakfast, and Sun Dajiang then arranged for people to go out and borrow tables, chairs, and plates.
In this compound, everyone borrows money in this way, no matter who needs it, and the Sun family is no exception.
In less than half an hour, all the tables, chairs, and plates were in place: four tables in the front yard and six tables in the middle yard, with the middle yard being the main location.
Just as they finished their work here, Liu Dachuan arrived with two helpers. Sun Dajiang quickly went to greet them.
"Good morning, Director Liu! Thank you so much for your help today!"
"Zaozao, Section Chief Sun, you're too kind. It's nothing, it's nothing."
After exchanging pleasantries, Liu Dachuan went to get busy. He needed to build the stove, set up the platform, and prepare some ingredients in advance; otherwise, he wouldn't have arrived so early.
Liu Dachuan arrived at the Intermediate Court and took a look. He thought the plot of land in front of Shazhu's house was good, so he decided to build a stove and a platform there.
With many hands making light work, Sha Zhu and his apprentices, along with their helpers, quickly built the stove and set up the platform.
Once the table was set up, Sun Dajiang arranged for several people to bring the ingredients. Liu Dachuan and the others then began to prepare the ingredients.
Everyone was busy in an orderly manner. As time passed, the aroma gradually filled the courtyard, making the children in the courtyard drool.
But there was no way around it; only one person from each household could go, and children were not allowed to come. This was the rule of the compound, and no one could break it. So, these children had to be kept indoors and not allowed to go out.
At 11 a.m., all the main dishes at Liu Dachuan's place were ready, and the rest were being stir-fried on the spot, just waiting for the guests.
The entire Sun family arrived at the entrance of the compound, ready to welcome guests, with even several elderly men helping to maintain order.
Twenty minutes later, the first group of guests arrived. Almost all of them were colleagues and friends from the steel rolling mill. After exchanging pleasantries, they were welcomed into the courtyard and seated by several elderly men.
The arrival of the first wave of guests was like a signal, and people began to arrive one after another. Teachers and students arrived one after another, and soon after, the two directors from the street office and Officer Liu also arrived.
"Section Chief Sun, congratulations on your son's success in the imperial examination."
"Thank you, Director Wang, Deputy Director Chen, and Staff Member Liu. Thank you all for joining us. Please come inside."
After exchanging pleasantries, Sun Dajiang welcomed the group into the courtyard, made arrangements, and then returned to the gate to await the arrival of the last group of guests.
As midnight approached, the last group of guests finally arrived, all of them cadres from the steel rolling mill.
Representatives included Secretary Chen (representing Secretary Zhou), Deputy Factory Director Yang, Office Director Nie, Union Chairman Wu, Logistics Director Li, Women's Federation Director Zhang, and Personnel Section Deputy Section Chief Wang.
Upon seeing that the guests had arrived, Sun Dajiang and his wife quickly went to greet them.
"Section Chief Sun, congratulations! Your son has won first place, and our steel rolling mill is also benefiting! After all, he is the son of one of our factory's workers! Ah! Everyone agrees, right?"
"Yes, yes, Deputy Factory Director Yang is right."
A group of people nearby echoed this.
"Thank you, Deputy Director Yang. You're too kind. I'm really unworthy of such praise. Today, I also want to thank all the leaders for taking time out of their busy schedules to attend my son's graduation banquet. Please come in, everyone, and let's have a few drinks later."
After exchanging pleasantries, Sun Dajiang welcomed the group into the courtyard and seated them at a table with Director Wang and his colleagues from the neighborhood committee. Since they were all old acquaintances, they had plenty to talk about.
Sun Dajiang breathed a sigh of relief after everyone had arrived.
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