Zhou Chen respectfully burned incense for the deceased old man, cleaned the cabinet, and then started to tidy up the room.
The room is not too big. The two rooms combined are only about 40 square meters. Of course, this does not include a public stall and does not include the 40 square meters of exterior wall area.
He hasn't been back for more than half a year, and a layer of dust has accumulated in the house. Fortunately, when he left, there were plastic sheets on the bed and some cabinets. When the plastic sheets were removed, they were not too dirty, but they just smelled special.
It's so big that it will probably be difficult to spread out within a few days.
But fortunately, it has entered winter now. If it were summer, it would really be impossible to live there.
Not long after he started working here, he saw a woman walking in from the door.
"Oh, Zhou Chen, it's really you. I said this is great. Why did the door open? Did you just come back from the army?"
"Aunt Li."
This woman's surname is Li, and her husband's surname is Zhang. She lives next to his house. There are three rooms in the west wing. Zhou Chen has two rooms. The other one belongs to their family. Their family only has one room and the area is small.
A small shed was built next to the west wing to serve as a kitchen.
There are several families like Aunt Li's in the courtyard, and there are even more countless in the alleys.
These days, even if it is difficult to live in the city, as long as they can have a room and a place to live, they will never be willing to go back to the countryside. No matter how big and good they live in the countryside, the rural people will be worried.
Run to the city.
Why?
Of course, the salary in the city is good and there are many opportunities.
The sisters Qin Huairu and Qin Jingru in the TV series are the best examples. A young girl like Qin Jingru would rather marry Xu Damao, a second marriage, and doesn't mind.
Aunt Li sighed: "Lao Zhou left suddenly, leaving you alone. It's really hard for you."
Zhou Chen smiled casually and said: "Aunt Li, I'm not a child anymore. Besides, it was an accident for my dad. Tomorrow or accident, no one knows which one will come first."
Aunt Li was stunned for a moment. She was married in a rural area and had never even attended elementary school. Although she didn't understand what Zhou Chen said, she thought it made sense.
"Zhou Chen, it's wrong for you to clean like this. Come on, give it to me. Auntie can help you."
Without saying anything, Aunt Li walked over and snatched the rag from Zhou Chen's hand, and then helped Zhou Chen wipe the table and clean up.
"Aunt Li, no need, I can do it myself."
"Why are you so polite to my aunt? Your father helped our family a lot when he was here. This little thing doesn't matter."
Aunt Li is very enthusiastic, because when Father Zhou was alive, he did help their family a lot.
Because Zhou's father is a fifth-level worker in the No. 3 Steel Rolling Plant, the salary is not low, and Zhou Chen is in the army, so he doesn't need to spend much money. He is at home alone and naturally lives a comfortable life. In the past, if Aunt Li's family was in trouble, she would help them.
Relief.
But that's not necessary now, because both of Aunt Li's daughters are married, and now only the old couple live there. The man also works in a factory. Although the salary is not high, the life of the two of them is definitely more than enough.
Unable to shirk, Zhou Chen could only ask Aunt Li to help.
Aunt Li is obviously a good worker. She moves her hands quickly and cleans up quickly, which is much more efficient than him.
Zhou Chen rarely did things like cleaning housework before. When he was at home, his mother would help with it. Later, he obtained the system. After traveling to the film and television world, he either hired someone to clean it or had his own woman do it.
Basically he doesn't need to do anything.
But this era is different. Although he has money, he doesn't dare to hire anyone for help. If someone reports him, he will have no choice but to run away overnight.
An hour later, the room was completely cleaned. Zhou Chen was very grateful to Aunt Li.
"Aunt, thank you so much for today."
"What kind of thing is this? This is what my aunt does at home."
Zhou Chen is the kind of person who always repays kindness. Although this is just a small thing, Aunt Li has done her best, so he definitely can't let her work go in vain.
"Aunt Li, I'm sorry to trouble you today, please take these things."
Zhou Chen took out some industrial coupons for food stamps and meat stamps. Of course, these were not the ones rewarded by the system, but what he himself had.
Nowadays, food, both coarse and fine grains, is rationed. If you want to get extra food, food stamps are indispensable. As for industrial stamps such as meat stamps, they are also in short supply.
Aunt Li saw it and hurriedly refused: "Zhou Chen, what are you doing as a kid? This is just a small job. You are trying to kill your aunt."
Zhou Chen directly stuffed the things into her: "Aunt Li, I'm not very good at talking, but I've been away for more than half a year and the door of my house is clean. I knew you must have helped clean it up. Today you
You have helped me a lot again, and I can’t give you more, but you must have these. If you don’t accept them, I won’t dare to ask you for help if I have something to do in the future.”
"this?"
Aunt Li hesitated for a moment, but finally accepted the things under Zhou Chen's force.
Zhou Chen was also sincerely grateful, because after watching the TV series "Love in the Courtyard", he had an instinctive feeling of rejection towards the people in this courtyard, and felt that the people living in this courtyard were not good people.
But now it seems that at least his neighbors, Uncle Zhang and Aunt Li, are very nice people. Not only they help with cleaning outside, but when he comes back, he immediately comes over to help.
Perhaps because she collected Zhou Chen's things, Aunt Li seemed to be more motivated and started to help Zhou Chen sweep the floor, clean the windows, etc.
While the two were busy, someone else passed by the front yard and saw Zhou Chen's house opened. They came over curiously to have a look, and then said hello to Zhou Chen.
After meeting several families, Zhou Chen's sense is that although these people are not the protagonists or important supporting roles in the courtyard, and he has no impression of them, judging from the recent contact, they do not seem to be the kind of people who are particularly difficult to get along with.
But think about it, there are more than ten or twenty families living in this courtyard. Those families are the only ones with names in the plot, and the rest of the people don't have much sense of participation.
And TV dramas are TV dramas after all, and they are more about creating conflicts and arousing empathy from the audience.
But when he came here, this was reality. What the reality was like, he still needed to observe and come into contact with himself to know.
There may also be no conflicts or conflicts of interest among us, so we are all good neighbors.
Zhou Chen carried the basin and came to the pool, ready to change the basin with clean water. Suddenly, a man pushed a bicycle in from the courtyard gate.
The man pushed his bicycle into the front yard and immediately saw Zhou Chen by the pool, and was obviously stunned for a moment.
"Are you Zhou Chen?"
Zhou Chen also recognized this person and replied: "Xu Damao, I haven't seen you for more than half a year, and you don't recognize me anymore?"
The person pushing the bicycle was none other than Xu Damao. Today, Xu Damao is the only one in the courtyard who owns a bicycle. However, he did not buy the bicycle himself, but brought it with his wife Lou Xiao'e as a dowry.
Xu Damao asked in surprise: "It's really you. You just came back today. Have you been discharged from the army?"
"Yes, I just came back from the army."
Xu Damao rolled his eyes, and then greeted him very enthusiastically: "Zhou Chen, we grew up in the same courtyard. When you come back today, I will definitely help you pick up the wind and wash away the dust. Come to my house for dinner tonight, and I will let your sister-in-law have more time."
Prepare some dishes and let us brothers catch up on old times."
He is a person who has no profit and cannot afford to be early. The reason why he invited Zhou Chen is because he knows who Zhou Chen is. The reason why Zhou Chen was sent to be a soldier in the first place was because Zhou Chen could not be controlled by his father and Zhou Chen did not become a soldier.
Before, I was also a very aggressive and aggressive person.
It's just that Zhou Chen doesn't play tricks in the courtyard, but hangs out with a bunch of young people outside.
And he just took a fancy to Zhou Chen. He was also a figure in this courtyard, but he was always suppressed by the fool, and he would be punished at every turn. He couldn't beat him again and again, so every time
All they can do is suffer from boredom.
The moment he saw Zhou Chen, he had an idea. If he could pull Zhou Chen into his camp and deal with Silly Zhu together in the future, would he be able to take advantage?
That's why he invited Zhou Chen to his home for dinner.
Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes. He was very uncomfortable with the enthusiastic Xu Damao. Although he didn't have much contact with Xu Damao, he also knew that he was a profit-seeking and duplicitous villain.
Xu Damao suddenly invited him to dinner, but it didn't look like he was sincere. I always felt that Xu Damao had something in mind.
He instinctively wanted to refuse, but suddenly he remembered something. He remembered that Lou Xiaoe and Han Chunyan from the Zhengyang Sect in the TV series seemed to be played by the same actor. I wonder if Lou Xiaoe looked similar to his previous wife?
"Isn't that too much trouble?"
Xu Damao said cheerfully: "What's the trouble? We all live in the same hospital and grew up together when we were young. It's just one meal. That's it. I'll go back and let your sister-in-law cook now."
"Thank you very much. I just came back today and I can't turn on the fire at home. I was planning to go out to eat."
Zhou Chen could cover his conscience and say that he was definitely not going there for his sister-in-law, he just wanted to have a good time reminiscing with Xu Damao.
"We're already home, why don't we go out to eat? That's it. I'll go back first, and you can quickly pack up and go."
"Okay, then..."
Suddenly, a whistle came from the door, interrupting the conversation between the two.
Xu Damao's face suddenly darkened when he heard this familiar voice, and Zhou Chen took one look at Xu Damao's expression and knew what he was talking about, so he turned around to look.
I saw a man who looked a little older walking into the yard. This man was walking carelessly, holding a net bag in his hand. In the net bag was a lunch box, swinging it back and forth with his steps.
With just one glance, Zhou Chen recognized him. This person was none other than the leading actor in the Courtyard, He Yuzhu, nicknamed "Silly Zhu".
This guy is the most central figure in the courtyard, and he is also the one who was tricked the most in the show.
"Oh, who is this? Isn't this Zhou Chen? When did you come back?"
He Yuzhu directly ignored Xu Damao and looked at Zhou Chen in surprise.
Zhou Chen greeted: "Zhuzi, long time no see. Did you just get off work?"
Although everyone called him Shazhu, Zhou Chen still gave him face when they met for the first time and didn't call him Shazhu.
He Yuzhu chuckled and said, "Yes, I just got off work. Zhou Chen, just come back. But as a brother, I have to advise you today to have less contact with Xu Damao, your grandson. You won't learn anything good."
Xu Damao exploded on the spot, pointing at He Yuzhu and yelling: "Silly Zhu, what the hell do you mean?"
He Yuzhu's eyes widened: "Oh, what, Xu Damao, you still want to argue with me? Are you really itchy?"
As he said that, he started gearing up, ready to take action at any time.
When Xu Damao saw it, he was immediately frightened.
"Silly Zhu, you are really unreasonable. I am in a good mood today and I am too lazy to talk to you. Zhou Chen, come over later."
"Ok, I know."
Looking at Xu Damao running away, Zhou Chen's lips twitched, "Good guy, you are really a coward. You ran away before He Yuzhu even made a move."
However, he also knew that Xu Damao was bullied by He Yuzhu, so he developed this instinctive reaction. But he also knew that Xu Damao was a coward on the surface, but he was not merciless behind the scenes.
He Yuzhu spat disdainfully: "What a coward."
Then he looked at Zhou Chen and persuaded: "Zhou Chen, listen to my brother and don't hang out with that grandson of Xu Damao. He is not a good person. If your father knew that you were fooling around with that grandson, he would definitely be angry.
Climb out of the ground."
Zhou Chen knew that He Yuzhu was talking openly, but he never expected that he had such a bad mouth. Could he say such things?
In short, his first impression of He Yuzhu was very bad.
"Zhuzi, I'm sorry. I just got back and there are too many things to clean up, so I won't tell you anymore. Let's talk later."
With that said, he walked into the house carrying the basin.
He Yuzhu stared at it for a while and frowned: "Hey, I don't know what to say. It seems that I haven't made much progress after being a soldier for several years."
He felt that he was persuading him with good intentions, but Zhou Chen didn't appreciate it, and his good intentions were wasted.
But Zhou Chen felt that it was not unreasonable for He Yuzhu to be hated by people in the courtyard. If nothing else, it was hard not to offend people just by his mouth.
To be honest, in this day and age, this piece of land is only three-quarters of an acre. If someone had spoiled you in a few decades, they would have been taught how to be a good person long ago.
Zhou Chen's sudden return caused a lot of commotion in the courtyard. Soon, everyone in the courtyard knew that Zhou Chen from the front yard was back.
For this reason, the first man from the middle courtyard and the second man from the backyard came over to chat with Zhou Chen.
Even though the three elders in the courtyard are not young, their words still have some effect in the courtyard. This can be regarded as a characteristic of this era.
In the evening, Zhou Chen did not go directly to Xu Damao's house. Instead, he went to the store to buy some things, then carried a piece of meat and a few eggs to the backyard.
When passing by the middle courtyard, he hid the things in his arms. He had no choice but to let the Qin family live in the middle courtyard.
Anyone who has seen the Qingman Siheyuan will know who the Qin family is. They are really vampires among vampires. He has just returned to the Siheyuan and does not want to be missed by this family.
Maybe he was a bit mean-spirited in doing so, but he was certain that the members of that family were definitely not gentlemen. When facing this family, he had to be prepared to guard against thieves.
