Siheyuan: starting from signing in to get roasted pig's trotters

Chapter 1361: Heartbeat

"Ancestors, my grandson Zhao Lan hereby swears to you that I will never embarrass the old Zhao family!" Although Zhao Lan's voice was low, every word was filled with firmness and determination.

There was a mysterious atmosphere in the room, as if the spirits of his ancestors were watching him at this moment. Zhao Lan closed her eyes and felt the atmosphere around her, as if she could hear the voices of her ancestors ringing in her ears.

"I will inherit the family's mission and always protect the dignity and glory of the old Zhao family! No matter how big the difficulties are, I will face them bravely and never shrink back!" Zhao Lan's voice gradually resounded throughout the room, and his oath was like A ray of light shines with firm power.

At this moment, a sudden cold wind blew by, making Zhao Lan's body tremble. He felt the call and expectation of his ancestors, as if telling him that he was not alone, and the power of the family was with him.

"I will use actions to prove my oath, and use my life's efforts to maintain the dignity of the old Zhao family!" Zhao Lan lowered his head deeply, his heart full of faith and determination.

On this night, Zhao Lan's oath became an important record in the family's history. He will continue to inherit the blood and spirit of the family and forever protect the dignity and glory of the old Zhao family.

Zhao Aimin is an old Beijinger who grew up in this alley. He is a carpenter and has been tinkering in this courtyard all his life, witnessing the rise and fall of the courtyard. He is a man of few words, with a deep and perseverance in his eyes, but at the same time, he is full of love for his children, but he is not good at expressing it.

Children are often puzzled by their father's silent attitude. Especially the eldest daughter Xiaohong, she is a lively and cheerful girl who likes to joke with her father. But whenever she talked happily to her father, Zhao Aimin always looked impatient, which made her feel very hurt.

The eldest son, Xiao Ming, is a child who likes to think. He always tries to share his thoughts with his father, but Zhao Aimin always feels that he exaggerates, so he just deals with it lightly.

There is a younger sister Xiaofang between Xiaohong and Xiaoming. Although she is young, she is very sensible. She often watched the exchanges between her father and her siblings and felt troubled, but she preferred to remain silent and not interfere in the quarrels and conflicts in the family.

As the days passed, the atmosphere in the courtyard became more and more depressing. The father's silence makes the children feel at a loss. They try to use different methods to close the distance with their father, but they always fail.

Until one day, Xiao Ming accidentally discovered an old photo album of his father. The photo album records every detail of my father's youth, including his love story with his mother, his smile and dreams when he was young. Xiao Ming felt an inexplicable move and understanding in his heart, and he began to study these photos quietly, trying to find his father's secrets.

At the same time, Xiaohong is also trying to understand her father. She began to take the initiative to help her father with things she could do, such as cleaning the yard and cooking. Although Zhao Aimin did not directly express his gratitude, Xiaohong could feel that her father's attitude towards her gradually changed.

Xiaofang looked at her brother and sister's efforts and decided to do something for the family. She helps her mother clean up after school every day and does simple housework. She believes that as long as everyone gives a little bit, family unity can be slowly built up.

As time goes by, the misunderstanding between father and children is slowly resolved. They began to understand and respect each other more. Zhao Aimin gradually let go of the burdens in his heart and began to actively share his stories and feelings with his children.

In the hutongs of old Beijing, in that courtyard house that has gone through vicissitudes of life, the misunderstandings between family members seem to have improved slightly, but have not been completely eliminated. Zhao Aimin still carries some unspeakable secrets, and his children are also secretly wondering how to better understand their father. However, in this family, an unexpected event is about to happen, which will completely change the relationship between Zhao Aimin and his children.

One sunny afternoon, Xiaohong was sweeping the floor in the yard. The sun shone on her through the treetops. She was humming a little tune while sweeping, and she was in a particularly happy mood. Suddenly, she heard a burst of footsteps in the yard. When she looked up, she saw her eldest brother Xiao Ming, her younger sister Xiao Fang, and a strange young man.

"Brother, sister, who did you bring back?" Xiaohong asked curiously.

Xiao Ming smiled and introduced: "This is a friend I met in school. His name is Liu Lan. He is a guy who is not good at academics."

When Liu Lan heard this, she immediately blushed: "Xiao Ming, don't say such unpleasant things."

Xiaohong smiled, thinking that this Liu Lan was quite interesting, not as serious as most young men. She looked at Liu Lan curiously, and Liu Lan looked at her not to be outdone.

At this moment, Zhao Aimin walked out of the house and frowned slightly when he saw Liu Lan: "Who are you?"

Xiao Ming quickly introduced: "Dad, this is my classmate in school, Liu Lan. He is very interested in carpentry. I would like to invite him to our house. Can you teach him some skills?"

Zhao Aimin frowned after hearing this: "No, you don't want to be his master."

Xiao Ming was surprised. He didn't expect his father to refuse like this: "Why? Dad, haven't you always encouraged us to learn a craft?"

Zhao Aimin was silent for a while and said slowly: "This person... is not suitable."

Liu Lan stood aside awkwardly, at a loss. Seeing this, Xiao Ming hurriedly pulled Liu Lan aside and whispered: "Liu Lan, don't worry, my dad is quite weird sometimes."

Liu Lan nodded, trying to keep smiling even though she felt a little uncomfortable.

At this moment, Xiaofang walked over from the side. She looked at Liu Lan and asked curiously: "Are you Xiaoming's classmate?"

Liu Lan nodded: "Yes, my name is Liu Lan."

Xiaofang blinked and said with a smile: "My name is Zhao Xiaofang, welcome to our home."

Zhao Aimin frowned when he saw Xiaofang taking the initiative to greet Liu Lan. He said to Xiao Ming, "I told you, don't let him be your master."

Xiao Ming looked at his father, a little helpless: "Okay, Dad, I understand."

Zhao Aimin turned around and walked into the house, feeling an inexplicable uneasiness in his heart. He didn't know why, but he always felt that Liu Lan was not a good person. He subconsciously wanted to protect his children from contact with this person.

Liu Lan was a little confused. He didn't understand why Zhao Aimin was so disgusted with him. A trace of dissatisfaction arose in his heart, but he couldn't express it clearly.

In this way, a seemingly peaceful afternoon caused a storm in the family. Zhao Aimin's vigilance made him take the initiative to stay away from Liu Lan, while Xiao Ming began to wonder if there was any secret hidden behind his father's rejection. As for Liu Lan, he was also secretly thinking about how to make Zhao Aimin change his view of him.

The next morning, the atmosphere in the courtyard was still peaceful. Zhao Aimin got up early and started busy with chores in the yard. He looked at the flowers and trees in the yard, feeling a little heavy. Yesterday's scene still echoed in his mind, and he still felt hesitant about his decision not to let Xiao Ming become Liu Lan's master.

Xiao Ming and Xiao Hong also woke up early. They were also a little confused about yesterday's scene and didn't understand why their father refused. But they also knew that their father had his own reasons for this matter. They decided not to pursue it, but they were just worried secretly in their hearts.

At this moment, there was a knock on the door of the yard. Zhao Aimin raised his head and saw Xu Damao standing at the door. His heart moved, wondering what his purpose was.

"Zhao Aimin, good morning." Xu Damao said with a smile.

Zhao Aimin nodded and motioned for him to come in. He was a little worried, wondering what Xu Damao had come to see him for.

Xu Damao walked into the courtyard and saw Zhao Aimin. He smiled and said, "I thought about it for a long time last night and felt that it is not suitable for me to accept Zhao Bugui as my disciple."

Zhao Aimin felt happy after hearing this, but was embarrassed to show it: "Why?"

Xu Damao sighed and said slowly: "I found that Zhao Bugui is not that serious about learning skills, and his attitude is not sincere enough. I don't want to waste any more time on an apprentice who is unwilling to study hard."

Zhao Aimin felt moved after hearing this. He knew in his heart that there might be other reasons hidden in Xu Damao's words, but it was not easy for him to find out. He just nodded slightly to express his understanding.

"I will tell Zhao Bugui the news." After Xu Damao finished speaking, he turned and left the yard.