Chapter 28: Apprenticeship and Contract

Aunt Yi had no objection, but Jia Zhang had a lot of objections.

However, she couldn't say it out loud in front of everyone, so she could only mutter a few words to herself.

The sound was so quiet that no one heard it.

He Yuzhu returned to the main room and first picked up the thermos, only to find that the water in it was almost gone.
So I poured out all the remaining water and drank it.
Then he shoveled out the ashes from the stove, picked up the small pieces of wood beside the stove and put them inside. Then he took the matches on the kang, pulled out one and struck it against the wall. The match immediately ignited.
He lit the fire skillfully, filled the pot with water, and covered it with a lid.

He then picked up a broom and dustpan to sweep up the ashes, and then took them outside the courtyard and dumped them out.

Actually, the sanitary conditions in Beijing at that time were extremely poor.

Due to the inaction of those in power,
Beiping was littered with garbage, including ashes, vegetable roots, leaves, broken bricks and tiles, human and animal feces, etc.

The ash from coal burning accounts for the vast majority of garbage.

For this reason, there is even a saying circulating in the streets and alleys of Peking City, which goes, "When it's sunny, the soil has no feet, but when it rains heavily, it becomes an ink box."

After returning home and putting away the broom and dustpan, he went to the backyard to find He Yushui playing shuttlecock with Xu Zhaodi.

"Yushui, I'm boiling water at home. After playing for a while, I'll come over with Zhaodi to take a bath."

"Okay brother, I'll play for a while and then go back."

After informing his sister, He Yuzhu did not intend to go to the Jia family to help, but went home to continue tinkering with the jeep in the space.
Not long after, He Yushui and Xu Zhaodi ran into the house.
"Brother, I'm back. Is the water ready?"

Hearing his sister's words, He Yuzhu exited the space consciously, then stood up to check the boiling water in the pot.

"Okay, wait a moment, I'll get you some clothes and you'll be taking a shower in the rain right away."

Seeing that the water was ready and their brother had gone to find clothes for himself, the two little girls hurried to Jia's house.

"I'll call Sister Pan Di to come and give us a bath."

"Okay, go ahead!"

While He Yuzhu was looking for clothes, Xu Pandi came over with two little girls.
"Thank you for your help, Sister Pan Di."

Looking at the polite He Yuzhu, Xu Pandi still felt a little strange. She had never seen this boy so polite when she helped He Yushui take a bath before.

But 13 or 4-year-olds change a lot, so she didn't think much about it.
"Hey! What's the big deal?

Hurry up and prepare the basin and soap. I will go back to prepare clothes for Zhaodi and bring some soap nuts with me."

After saying that, the two sisters of the Xu family hurried to the backyard again.

He Yuzhu first placed He Yushui's clothes on the kang, then took out the large wooden basin he usually used for washing clothes and placed it at the door.
Finally, he took out a pile of black pancreas from the cabinet.

Although there are imported soaps these days, the prices are not affordable for ordinary people.
People are still used to making their own pancreas by mixing pig pancreas, animal fat and wood ash.
Although it looks dirty, its cleaning effect is excellent.

When He Yuzhu was adding water to the wooden basin, Xu Pandi came back with her sister's clothes and some soap nuts.
Then he started to undress the two little girls and give them a bath.

After they finish their bath, boil the remaining water in the pot and pour it into the thermos.
He Yuzhu then extinguished the fire, soaked the clothes of the father and his two sons in the bath water, and then began to wash the clothes.

By the time he finished washing the clothes and hung them under the eaves, it was already past 7 o'clock.
He Daqing and his companions then leisurely walked in from the main gate.

Along with them were several respected elders in the alley.
They were invited by Yi Zhonghai to witness Jia Dongxu's apprenticeship. These people were warmly received by the Jia and Yi families. The melon seeds, peanuts and various foods that were not used up at the funeral of Old Jia were soon served on the table.
Until the apprenticeship ceremony began, they were not able to find any reason to complain.

After Yi Zhonghai took Jia Dongxu to worship the gods, Yan Bugui began to help write the deed.
[It is hereby agreed as follows:

Now there is a man named Zhang.
Because of the family's poverty and inability to make ends meet, he was willing to send his son Jia Dongxu to be an apprentice to Yi Zhonghai, a fitter at a steel rolling mill.

Since the day we became mentors,
Whatever the Master says must be followed.

Cleaning the table, sweeping the floor, fetching water and cooking, the master is the only one who is not allowed to do it, the master is not allowed to do it;
Three years of apprenticeship, no money or bonus,
If anyone disobeys the master, is beaten or scolded, or runs away without permission, he will be fined 10 dan of rice.
Jumping into the river or running into the well has nothing to do with the master.

……

Understand the teacher and listen to the teacher's teachings.
After leaving the master's house, he followed his disciples as they pleased, accepting the cold and heat, disasters and disasters as their own, fleeing to the south and north, without any connection with the master;
Words are not enough, so written evidence is needed.

The people who established the word: Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu;

Witnesses: Qi Guangyuan, Lang Xiaoxian... He Daqing, Liu Haizhong, Yan Bugui, Xu Fugui]

After Yan Bugui finished reading the contract, several literate people took it and looked at it carefully.
I see no objection.
Then he pressed his thumbprints one by one.

Then Yi Zhonghai took a chair and sat in front of the altar.

Jia Dongxu kowtowed to him obediently and called out "Master!"

When Yi Zhonghai stood up and helped him up, the apprenticeship ceremony was completed.

After the ceremony, Yi Zhonghai smiled and asked everyone to take their seats and start eating and drinking.
After some toasts,
Uncle Qi and his companions also learned from several people that He Daqing was going to remarry.
While listening to them talking, He Yuzhu was thinking about how to ask He Daqing about his opinion on the White Widow when he got home after the show.

Since I had to go to work the next day, although there was still some wine left after Lao Jia's funeral,

But no one drank much, so the party ended early.

In the main room of the middle courtyard, He Yuzhu was scooping water from the water tank to wash his face and feet, while asking He Daqing,

"Dad, do you really want to meet that White Widow that Uncle Yi and the others introduced to you?
He is a generation younger than you. Do you think you two are suitable for each other?

What will you do if she makes some unreasonable demands?"

Hearing He Yuzhu's question, He Daqing didn't think about anything else. He just felt that he had spoken passionately before, but he was timid when the time came.

So he laughed and joked,
"What! Are you scared?

If you are afraid, forget it. It’s nothing for me. I have been living like this for so many years anyway.”

Looking at He Daqing's playful expression, He Yuzhu shook his head.

"How can that be possible?
I heard from Uncle Yi and the others that she is good-looking and a generation younger than you.
I think she may not like you.
Even if he likes you, what if he asks for marriage or something like that?

I'm afraid you'll agree on it in a rush.

Your reputation will be ruined and the neighbors will laugh at you."

Hearing He Yuzhu's words about marrying into the family, He Daqing couldn't help but roll his eyes and looked at him helplessly.
"How could you have such an idea?"

(End of this chapter)