Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

Chapter 410 Return to Hejia Village

The Red Star Steel Rolling Mill attached great importance to the Spring Festival race around the city of Sijiu and decided that Secretary Feng would lead the race personally.

More than 10,000 people from the steel rolling mill also signed up enthusiastically, with a total of 500 people. After screening, 50 workers were selected to participate in the race. He Lai and Xu Damao were of course successfully selected.

All the participants in the competition have specially customized team uniforms of the Red Star Steel Rolling Mill, and the meals have been much better in the past few days. Of course, He Lai doesn't care about these, after all, he basically eats the food prepared by Sha Zhu.

In this way, Xu Damao started his long-distance running training, and occasionally he would pull He Lai to run together and help with guidance.

He felt that this race around the city was an opportunity for him to show his talents. As long as he could get a good ranking, he could make up for his shortcomings in academic qualifications.

Time soon arrived at the New Year's Day. Because it was a revolutionary Spring Festival, everything was kept simple. People just put up some revolutionary couplets, and even the word "happiness" was seldom posted. Things like incense and candles were only lit secretly at home.

In addition to the shortage of supplies, each household received very little during the Spring Festival, only a few ounces of oil, two kilograms of flour, a little soybeans and mung beans, and not even any meat.

People who wanted to buy meat would line up overnight. The meat coupons were collected over several months, and they had no choice but to scrape together the pieces because they couldn't buy meat. The meat they bought was canned meat. People in the courtyard also bought some from He Lai.

He Lai and Yu Shui also separated. He Lai went to Wu Juan, and Yu Shui returned to Sha Zhu's house.

Everyone simply ate a meal of dumplings on the Spring Festival. Even He Lai's family simply made four or five dishes, and did not prepare a large table like usual New Year's Day.

After eating the New Year’s Eve dinner, all those who were close to He Lai ran to He Lai’s house. Even the children liked to run here, to wish He Lai a happy new year. After all, He Lai was generous and had a lot of candies in his pocket.

After saying Happy New Year to Uncle Lai and Brother Lai, He Lai also gave out a lot of red envelopes and candies.

"Hehe, Xiao Laizi is at a loss!" Sha Zhu said with a smile.

After all, there are more than 30 children in the two courtyards, and Sha Zhu’s family alone has four!

"Hey, Brother Zhuzi, believe it or not, I will bring my brother and sister over to take you down!"

He Lai was speechless.

"I don't believe it. You can take the child from your aunt first."

Sha Zhu looked like he wasn't afraid at all.

"Yushui, hurry up and ask your brother for the New Year's money. If you don't say anything, Brother Zhuzi will think you don't want it!"

He Lai turned around and headed straight for the storm drain.

"My brother gave it to me when we were having dinner just now. Come on, brother, you haven't given me yours yet?"

However, Yu Shui did not do as He Lai wanted, and instead asked He Lai for a red envelope.

"Uh... there's no red envelope. You can look around the house and take whatever you like."

He Lai stuffed the red envelope into his trouser pocket and said casually.

Yu Shui immediately covered her mouth and laughed.

"Xiao Laizi, are you really going to the countryside tomorrow?" Xu Damao asked.

"Well, my brother Xiaohu is getting married on the second day of the Chinese New Year. I must go."

He Lai nodded.

"Then remember to come back early. The run will start at nine in the morning on the third day of the junior high school. You will need to get a number plate and stand in position. Don't be late."

Xu Damao reminded.

"Uh...don't worry, my dad and I will probably be back together on the second night of the New Year."

He Lai replied.

"Okay, as long as you know the answer, I wouldn't be sure without you!"

"Hey, Brother Damao, don't you know those people from the Sijiu City Mining College? Aren't they all good at running? Why don't you just follow them?"

He Lai said with a smile.

"I know them, but they don't know me. I'm afraid they just run casually at ordinary times, and then exert their strength in the competition. I calculated that they usually run for more than 50 minutes, but the fastest time in the competition is more than 40 minutes. They must not have tried their best.

Besides, I don’t think they will let me follow them. Those college students have high standards and look down on us small workers.”

Xu Damao analyzed.

"Xu Damao, are the people in that academy you're talking about so powerful?"

Sha Zhu asked curiously.

"Of course they are amazing. There is a guy named Dong Yaolu who is really amazing. He has participated in the race since the first one around the city. He has participated in it four times in total, and he came in first twice and second twice. His school often takes the top places. Tell me, isn't that amazing?"

Xu Damao introduced.

"That's because our little Laizi didn't go. If he had gone, he would have definitely been number one every year."

Sha Zhu continued.

"Yeah, we were almost dead from running that day, but Brother Lai was running around and nothing happened. If it was me, Brother Lai, who was running, then what would they be!"

Liu Guangtian also interrupted.

"Yes, Brother Lai is really awesome." Hu Zi also agreed.

Others also looked at He Lai with admiration.

"No, no, I'm just a bystander, just participating." He Lai said quickly.

"No, Brother Lai, you must come in first!" Yu Shui said beside him.

"Hey, Yu Shui, you seem to be a little strange lately?" He Lai looked at Yu Shui strangely and said.

"No way, anyway, you have to take first place, otherwise I will ignore you."

The same thing goes for Yushui, get first place!

"Yushui, are you going to bet with your brother? What are the odds? Should I bet too?"

Kaku looked at the rain in surprise, then said jokingly.

"Well, I made a bet. Someone in our broadcasting room said that his brother was from the Mining College and that he would definitely win first place in this race! I said, come on, brother, you should also participate this year, and first place will definitely be yours.

Then we made a bet that the loser would treat the other person to a week’s meal.”

The rain explained the matter.

"Hey, Yushui, you always ate with me at the steel mill, why did you go and bet with her on a meal? What if she treats you to steamed bread if you win?"

He Lai gave Yu Shui a cold look.

"I don't care anyway, come on brother you have to win!"

"I will try my best."

"must!"

"It has to be your head!"

……

Morning of the first day of the new year

When He Lai's family appeared at the gate of Hejia Village, Da Hu and others were already waiting there.

Wu Juan was holding Wen'er, He Lai was holding Wu'er, and He Zhan was holding a pile of packages.

"Uncle San, let us take it." Da Hu, Dawa and others took He Zhan's things directly.

"Okay, I'll give it to you." He Zhan didn't bother to be polite with Da Hu and the others and let them take it away.

On the road

"Brother Dahu, is Brother Xiaohu's wife pretty?" He Lai asked.

"Uh... I think he's okay. He's quite hardworking. He's the one chosen by grandpa."

Da Hu touched his head and said.

After all, Da Hu had only met Xiao Hu's wife once during the Chinese New Year. The wives of these people were all picked by Grandpa He, and they had only met a few times before getting married. But Grandpa He was still very reliable, and the people he picked were all of excellent character!

"Brother Da Wa, have you found a wife?" Seeing that he couldn't get any information out of him, He Lai asked Da Wa.

"Uh... that's too early for me. I want to learn the technique first."

Big Brother just smiled and said something perfunctorily.

"Brother Da Wa, you are twenty years old too, so hurry up and chase after the girl you like. Don't be afraid. If it doesn't work, we can just hit her with our flesh. We guarantee that we can knock her down!"

He Lai joked with a smile.

"What are you talking about! Can't you just talk properly? What do you mean by hitting with meat?"

Wu Juan spoke immediately, and He Lai immediately shut his mouth.