Chapter 424 Summer of
As the traditional Chinese medicine industry has rapidly emerged in Liujiazhuang and become a new and powerful force, the region has devoted unprecedented attention and investment to the training of talents in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.

After several years of hard work, the Traditional Chinese Medicine College in Liujiazhuang has now become popular, with the number of experts and professors equaling that of students, together weaving a glorious chapter of academic and inheritance.

The school is not only equipped with top-notch exclusive laboratories, but also gathers many elite talents in the field of medical research. They work silently here, and their research results emerge rapidly and intensively like bamboo shoots in spring. They have won numerous awards and demonstrated the vitality of scientific research.

The traditional Chinese medicine industry in Liujiazhuang has achieved a deep integration of production, education and research. Many scientific research results have been quickly transformed into hot-selling products on the market, which has promoted the rapid development of Liujiazhuang Pharmaceutical Factory and made it one of the leading companies in Xiaguo's pharmaceutical industry, writing a glorious chapter for Liujiazhuang.

…………

The wheel of time continues to roll forward, and another year has passed in the blink of an eye.

As soon as June came, it became hotter day by day.

There was no air conditioning in those days, and most people didn’t even have electric fans, so a large cattail leaf fan was a great way to cool off.

Therefore, many families wrap the outside of the palm-leaf fan with cloth strips. One reason is that people wear less in summer and it can prevent scratches. Secondly, it makes the fan durable.

In the Nanluoguxiang courtyard, Liujiazhuang's construction company would send people to build awnings for free in early summer. This was a benefit Liu Zhiye gave to his old neighbors.

With the pergola, the adults can enjoy the cool air, chat and drink tea under it, while the children in the yard play games.

Although this pergola is elegantly built, it also reveals the family's wealth and may easily attract uninvited guests.

After all, in this era, those who can add such a pergola to their own courtyards are mostly people with well-off families. Ordinary people would not easily afford such a luxury.

Besides, this shed can provide cover.

Therefore, the most commonly used item in the Siheyuan is the bamboo lounge chair, which is available in almost every household.

As soon as it got dark in the evening, the adults in the family put the bamboo lounge chairs in the yard.

Yan Bugui first sprinkled some water in the yard to cool down the temperature. After dinner, the neighbors gathered together to drink tea and chat.

Ever since Liu Zhiye's family, Qin Huairu, Liu Guangtian, Banggeng, Xiaodang, Yan Jiekuang, Yan Zhaodi, Yi Yuanchao, Ge Xiaohu and others left the yard one after another, this place has been shrouded in an indescribable desolation.

The hustle and bustle of the past seemed to have been blown away by the cold wind overnight, leaving only silence.

As time went by, the courtyard gradually returned to peace. Without the disturbances of the past, life seemed to be more orderly.

Sha Zhu is definitely a winner in this life. Not only did he marry a lovely wife, he also had a filial son. He was also promoted to deputy director of the canteen in the Red Star Factory. He had a successful family and career, and his life was prosperous, making others the envy of him.

As for Xu Damao, since Lou Xiao'e gave birth to her son, the sense of responsibility of being a father for the first time quietly grew, which gradually calmed his once restless heart.

I learned to be calm and to contribute to the family, and life at home became more harmonious.

Apart from occasionally bickering with Sha Zhu, sometimes the two of them would team up to bully Second Uncle Liu Haizhong, just for fun.

As for Liu Haizhong, the arrogant man who used to jump up and down in the yard, was removed from his position as team leader because of making mistakes.

This blow was undoubtedly a heavy blow to him. Perhaps he finally realized that he had offended many people while in office. Now he has become extremely low-key and acts much more cautiously.

From then on, there were fewer disputes and more peace in the compound.

Over the years, the elderly deaf lady in the backyard has been taking her toll. Last year, she suffered a serious illness. Although she escaped danger by luck, her health is no longer as good as before and she is getting weaker day by day.

On most days, she was hidden in the backyard and rarely appeared in public.

While the deaf old lady was bedridden, Yi Zhonghai and his wife and Sha Zhu and his wife took turns to take care of her.

During that period, the old lady's condition was once critical and it seemed that she might pass away at any time, but she was very strong and miraculously survived the ordeal.

According to Liu Zhiye's optimistic estimate, "This old lady will probably live another ten years without any problem!"

Speaking of Yi Zhonghai and his wife, since their relationship with Liu Zhiye warmed up, their fate seems to have also cleared up.

Not only did the couple have a son, Yi Yuanchao, which solved their worries about having to rely on others in their old age, but what was even more gratifying was that Yi Yuanchao had shown extraordinary filial piety and talent since he was a child.

From childhood to adulthood, he became more and more outstanding. During his military career, he relied on his unremitting efforts to successfully enter the military academy, becoming the first outstanding person among his group of educated youth who realized his dream of attending military academy through personal efforts.

The happy Yi Yuanchao and his wife smiled happily every day, but Liu Haizhong secretly complained in his heart, dissatisfied that Yi Zhonghai always suppressed him in everything.

Of course, the one who was most resentful was not him, but Jia Zhangshi. She often cursed angrily: "Why? Their children can join the army with honor, while my son Banggeng can only eat the loess in that remote and poor countryside?"

"Isn't this obviously bullying?" Her words were filled with resentment and indignation.

Indeed, in this courtyard, among the children who responded to the call of "going to the countryside and mountains", except Banggeng, the other boys joined the army, while Yan Zhaodi, the best among the girls, was assigned to the National Cotton Mill and transformed into a worker.

Only Banggeng is still working hard in the barren valley in the north of S, day after day, facing the loess and back to the sky.

Last year, Xiaodang followed in his brother's footsteps and also set out to join the team in S North.

Jia Zhang looked at other people's children, all of whom were successful, while her own grandchildren were the only ones still suffering in the countryside. It would be strange if she could feel balanced!

This imbalance makes Jia Zhang's daily speech more sarcastic, weird and unpredictable.

However, the other families in the courtyard were all harmonious. They were busy with their own happiness and had no time to care about the troubles of the Jia Zhang family, and naturally did not want to pay much attention to them.

Speaking of Qin Jingru, she has recently been in love with a factory cadre and has been fully devoted to the preparations for her own marriage. She has no time to care about Jia Zhang's troubles and simply chooses to stay out of it.

This girl is already quite old, twenty-three or twenty-four. If she doesn’t get married, she will become an old maid!

In the past, Qin Jingru was narrow-minded and thought that she could find a good family just by relying on her beauty.

It's hard to find someone like Liu Zhiye, but at least he should be better than Sha Zhu and Xu Damao.

Later, after being beaten by society, she realized that even people like Sha Zhu and Xu Damao were not comparable to ordinary people.

Qin Jingru finally woke up and gave up her unrealistic fantasies.

While she was still young and had a stable and good job, she quickly found a partner who was a cadre with a secondary technical school education. The other party's family had a Dongcheng household registration, and everything seemed so natural.

…………

After dinner, the neighbors spontaneously gathered in the front yard with all kinds of chairs and benches, just for a little coolness under the only pergola.

Just at this moment, a clear and pleasant bicycle bell broke the silence, "Ding-ling-ling..." melodious and loud.

Everyone in the courtyard couldn't help but look in the direction of the sound, and saw Qin Jingru, sweating profusely, pushing a gleaming Phoenix brand women's bicycle at the hanging flower gate. The new bicycle was dazzling and eye-catching.

"Hey, Jingru, you're back! Did you just buy this new car?" Ran Qiuye came out from the back room at the right time, with a smile on his face, and there was a bit of curiosity and kindness in his words.

It is quite strange to say that Qin Jingru seems to have a bad relationship with many young women in the hospital, but with Ran Qiuye, the two are as close as sisters.

Qin Jingru smiled and nodded slightly, inadvertently revealing a hint of showing off.

She patted the brand new bicycle beside her, her eyes sparkling with pride: "This bicycle, isn't it beautiful? This is what my boyfriend bought for me. He made great contributions to the research and development project a while ago, and the factory rewarded him with a bicycle ticket. Seeing that I was still riding that old second-hand bicycle, he insisted on buying me a new one..."

Sure enough, Ran Qiuye responded quickly: "Jingru, your partner treats you very well, you must hold on to such a good man. You are already a technical backbone at a young age, and your future is limitless. You will definitely enjoy endless blessings in the future..."

However, Qin Jingru said with a hint of pride: "Sister-in-law, I'm not bad either. After all, I am also a member of the Xx member of the factory! It is his blessing that he can find me, hehe..." After she finished speaking, she couldn't help but chuckle with her hands covering her mouth, and a blush appeared on her face.

Here, the two of them stood at the door, laughing and talking happily, and the other people in the yard looked over unconsciously, expressing their feelings.

"Look, Qin Jingru has finally gotten her wish after all the hardships she's endured. Who would have thought that the humble country girl would have ended up like this today..."

"Indeed! I remember when she first arrived, her clothes were ragged and not at all glamorous. Now, she is dressed neatly. She is completely different. It really makes me feel deeply moved."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Everyone echoed.

Lou Xiao'e gently touched Wang Qiuju, who turned around and looked at her with a puzzled look. Lou Xiao'e leaned close to her ear and laughed softly, "Look at how she's showing off. It's just a bicycle, as if no one has a means of transportation..."

Wang Qiuju raised her lips slightly, revealing a hint of sneer. Like her good sister Lou Xiao'e, she expressed her disgust for Qin Jingru. This emotion stemmed from some of Qin Jingru's past actions, which deeply touched their sensitive nerves and made this dislike more and more deep-rooted.

"See how she can show off! Just don't mess with us...!"

After Qin Jingru had a brief conversation with Ran Qiuye, she pushed her bicycle into the front yard and greeted them in a crisp voice, "Hey, everyone is up early!"

"Xiao Qin, you're back!" Yan Bugui smiled and nodded to her.

"Uncle, have you eaten?" Qin Jingru asked with concern.

"I've eaten, how about you?" Yan Bugui responded.

"Haha, I just had a nice meal outside with my boyfriend..." Qin Jingru's face was filled with a happy smile.

"Wow, your partner is so generous. He takes you out to eat again?" someone nearby joked.

"Uncle Yi, isn't Aunt Yi here? Is she taking care of the old lady in the backyard?" Qin Jingru asked, looking around.

"Yes, the old lady's dinner has not been arranged yet, and your aunt is bringing her food." Yi Zhonghai explained.

He continued, "Look at you, you're sweating all over. Why don't you sit with me for a while and cool down?"

"No, no, I need to go home first and put my things down. You guys can talk slowly!"

Afterwards, Qin Jingru nodded to everyone with a gentle smile, then turned gracefully and walked into Lao Jia's residence in the middle courtyard. Her figure slowly faded behind the threshold until it was completely invisible.

As she walked away, the crowd began to whisper again.

"Hey, look at that girl from the Qin family. She has really made the leap from a carp to a dragon! She is about to fly high and become a golden phoenix!"

"Who says it's not true? Who could have expected that a rural girl who came from the countryside and didn't even graduate from junior high school would encounter such great fortune in life..."

"Oh, if I remember correctly, wasn't she quite interested in your second son?" An aunt asked the third aunt curiously.

The third aunt's face changed slightly when she heard this, and she waved her hands to deny it quickly: "Don't talk nonsense, that has nothing to do with it. My second son and Yu Li have a very good relationship, don't let your words mess it up and cause misunderstandings for no reason..."

Seeing this, the aunt realized that she had said something wrong and smiled awkwardly: "Hey, my mouth is really..."

The second aunt said sarcastically, "What's so attractive about this wild girl from the countryside? I don't know which young master is so stupid to fall in love with her, humph!"

In fact, the real situation was that Qin Jingru was chosen by the Liu family, who wanted to marry her to Liu Guangfu.

However, Qin Jingru herself looked down on the Liu family, so this matter naturally did not go as planned.

Liu Guangfu and Qin Jingru are in the same department, and he has long admired Qin Jingru.

However, Qin Jingru was firm in her attitude and said bluntly that the two of them were not a good match. This made Liu Guangfu feel humiliated and he was secretly resentful.

Afterwards, Liu Guangfu made things difficult for Qin Jingru at work, often setting up small obstacles in an attempt to force her to surrender.

However, Qin Jingru was no pushover either, and she quickly found a strong backer.

Although her partner is currently an ordinary technical cadre, his family background is very impressive. Seeing that Qin Jingru has found such a strong backer, Liu Guangfu finally gave up the idea.

Since then, the rift between the two families has quietly widened and the relationship has completely broken down.

……

This little episode ended quietly, and everyone in the yard quickly returned to their previous peaceful atmosphere.

Yan Bugui leisurely took out the chess pieces and started another game with Liu Haizhong where the difference in strength was huge. The situation became one-sided.

As for Yi Zhonghai and others, their chess skills were obviously beyond their reach, so they simply lay on the bamboo chairs, looked up at the night sky, and leisurely admired the stars.

You know what, the stars and the moon in the sky are really beautiful at this time.

When some children point to the moon and say this, their parents will tell them that they cannot do that or their ears will be cut off.

In Courtyard No. 95, the young and beautiful children of the past have gradually become rare. Some have entered the marriage hall and shouldered the burden of the family; others have responded to the call of the times and "went to the countryside" to pursue another world.

Now, this place has become the paradise of a new generation of children. Huaihua, He Qiu, Xu Xiaonian (born on the eve of the Chinese New Year), Yan Chenglin and others are like the rising sun, illuminating this courtyard.

These children are at a carefree age. Although there are no mobile phones or computers these days, they still have a lot of fun.

If someone happened to bring sand to build something, the children would find branches and waste newspapers.

At this point you should ask, what is this for?

First, pat the sand down and then dig holes that are connected to each other. Then put up wooden sticks, cover with newspapers, and sprinkle a layer of sand. Then see who accidentally falls in. The children will have fun.

In addition to this, the children would also play with water guns in the yard around the water pipe. Why? The water guns were so small, and they had to change the water frequently. There were really countless things to play with at this time.

In summer, soda is indispensable.

For the children in this compound, it is too expensive to buy, but the iced soda pressed with big ice cubes in the vegetable market is really cool.

The one you’ve probably heard of the most is Arctic Ocean, and maybe you’ve tried it too.

But in addition to this, there is also a pink one, which is sour and sweet, icy and crispy. After gulping down a few mouthfuls, you can relieve a day's fatigue.

There are also those who are particular about eating almond tofu in summer. They use the best almond powder, boil it into a paste, and when it cools down, it looks like tofu, and then add rock sugar water, raisins, and osmanthus.

Because there were no refrigerators yet, people had to put rock sugar in well water to cool it down.

In summer, no matter how hot it is, having a bowl of almond tofu as soon as you come home is so comfortable.

Although the weather is hot in the summer in the old capital, people are still comfortable, especially the children, who still have plenty of eating, drinking and having fun.

In the backyard, the deaf old lady had difficulty swallowing steamed corn bread and steamed buns due to her old age and weak teeth.

Seeing this, the second aunt had to carefully prepare a bowl of soft noodles for her at every meal to meet her dietary needs.

People in Beijing are particular about food and they eat this kind of noodles in the summer.

As the saying goes, eat dumplings at the Winter Solstice and noodles at the Summer Solstice, dumplings at the First Dog Days, noodles at the Second Dog Days, and pancakes with eggs at the Third Dog Days.

Sesame noodles, fried noodles with soybean paste, and knife-cut noodles are all commonly eaten.

It’s not enough to just eat, you also have to drink, such as mung bean soup, sour plum soup, and sour jujube soup.

Especially the sour jujube soup, it is very refreshing. There is a patch of sour jujube trees on the West Hill of the capital, and people start picking sour jujubes in the summer.

Liu Zhiye's family also has a special liking for noodles, and they especially prefer the noodles rolled by Deng Ru herself, which are even more delicious when paired with the carefully prepared marinade.

In the hot summer, the newly-launched fresh and tender leeks have become the highlight on the dining table. Paired with two small stupid chicken eggs and a handful of clam meat freshly caught from the Yongding River, the taste is extremely delicious and unforgettable!

If you eat noodles without garlic, the taste will be half as good.

I saw Liu Zhiye and his four sons, each holding a large bowl, taking a bite of garlic and a mouthful of noodles. The sound of "slurping" came one after another, and in the blink of an eye, the bowl of noodles was empty.

Liu Zhiye wiped his mouth with satisfaction and shouted to the kitchen: "Mom, give me another bowl, it's not enough!"

Hearing this, Deng Ru glanced at him in a feigned anger, "Still eating so late? Be careful of indigestion, take it easy!"

Over there, Liu Wen and Liu Wu followed closely behind, eating as happily as little piglets. Finally, they begged in unison: "Grandma, we want more too..."

Deng Ru said, "That's all. You three should eat a little less. Especially you, Liu Wu. Look at your body shape. If you continue to indulge yourself like this, you will probably turn into a piglet..."

(End of this chapter)