Siheyuan: Big City, Small Love

Chapter 348 National Day Banquet

Everyone in the courtyard was chatting excitedly, talking about what they saw and heard in Tiananmen Square.

"Xiao Laizi, when will Uncle He come back?" Xu Damao asked.

"I don't think I can come back today. With so many people gathered in our Forty-Nine City, my father will probably have to patrol all day."

He Lai knew yesterday that He Zhan would be on duty, but there was nothing he could do as the Security Department was under the Ministry of Public Security, and everyone except the security personnel who stayed behind at the steel rolling mill had to participate in the task of guarding the city.

Soon, a woman came over and shouted that the dinner was about to begin.

When the residents in the courtyard heard that dinner was about to start, they all went to the central courtyard. After all, this was a rare feast.

This time every household contributed something, although the amount was different, after all, each household had different financial conditions. But with He Lai, the rich bachelor, taking the lead and contributing five kilograms of pork and two kilograms of soybean oil, others also contributed a lot of things.

Several wealthy families in the courtyard, including Sha Zhu's family, Li Dawa's family, Xu Damao's family, Liu Haizhong's family, and Yi Zhonghai's family all contributed a lot. Even the stingy Jia Zhang contributed more than half a pound of pickled meat.

After everyone in each household was seated, they did not pick up their chopsticks, waiting for the old men in the yard to speak.

At this time, Liu Haizhong stood up and began to speak: "Well, my neighbors, I, Liu Haizhong, would like to wish you all a happy National Day."

"Oh……"

As soon as he finished speaking, some people started to cheer and applaud, showing respect for Liu Haizhong, the workshop director and the second uncle.

"Okay, okay, this time, we are holding a banquet in our compound to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the founding of our motherland. This is a very great moment.

Let us fill a glass together and wish our motherland prosperity! Come on! "

After Liu Haizhong finished speaking, he raised the glass in his hand to toast the people in the courtyard.

After hearing this, everyone stood up and raised their cups, even the children raised their soda bowls.

After everyone finished drinking, Liu Haizhong continued, "Next, let's invite the most outstanding young man in our hospital, Comrade He Lai, to say a few words to us. What do you think?"

"Okay! Xiao Laizi, say a few words." Sha Zhu immediately clapped and cheered.

"Yes, yes, Xiao Laizi, say a few words." Xu Damao immediately agreed.

Soon everyone in the yard looked at He Lai and applauded, asking him to say a few words.

He Lai had no choice but to stand up again and give a speech: "Okay, then I'll say a few words. I won't say any more nonsense. Today I'll also say something cultural, so that you won't think that I, a technical secondary school student, am out of tune every day."

“Hahaha…” He Lai’s words immediately caused everyone to laugh.

"Listen carefully!

I am so lucky to be born in China and witness the past ten years. I hope the country will be safe and prosperous.

I wish to send my heart to China and spend my years to the mountains and rivers.

I wish to use our youth to defend the prosperity of China.

Looking back at the past, we have gone through many hardships and the years are like a song. Looking at today, we are celebrating our tenth anniversary and are in our prime.

The mountains and rivers are vast, the country is peaceful and the people are safe. Happy birthday to our motherland!

Let us raise our glasses again and drink together!"

He Lai finished reading aloud and raised his glass again.

"it is good!"

"Xiao Laizi is really cultured!"

"Come on, drink!"

……

He Lai once again ignited the patriotism of the people in the courtyard, and they raised their glasses and cheered.

Even Yan Fugui was secretly amazed. He didn't expect that He Lai was really capable and had a good skill in nitpicking.

The banquet finally started. This time no one made any trouble. After discussion, each family sat together, with ten people at each table, excluding children under ten years old. This way, the phenomenon of some people eating and taking more than they deserved was avoided.

After all, if you eat a little more, your family will have to eat less, and you will also be looked down upon by other families.

So people like Jia Zhang became much more restrained, knowing that she couldn't do anything new now, after all, Yi Zhonghai would not support her.

It was even worse for the Yan family. They didn't produce much to begin with, and a family of six took up half of the table, so they were less likely to do anything naughty.

After the National Day banquet, everyone had a greasy face and felt very comfortable.

After the banquet, Sha Zhu and his friends surrounded He Lai's house and refused to leave.

After all, He Lai prepared a lot of fruits for the cake in the morning, and everyone enjoyed fruits after dinner at He Lai's house.

"Xiao Laizi, there are four days for the National Day holiday. What are you going to do with the remaining three days?"

Xu Damao asked after finishing the banana in his hand.

The National Day holiday usually lasts three days, but because the three-day National Day holiday in 1959 fell on a Sunday, it became four days.

"As for me, I am going to go to the countryside tomorrow to visit my grandparents and see how they are doing; then I will come back to lie down and rest, be a salted fish, bask in the sun and enjoy the sunshine."

He Lai told his plan. His plan was to go to Hejia Village to deliver some supplies, such as oil and chlorella powder; then go to Liang Ladi to deliver more, and finally come back to make salted fish.

"Hey, you are the one who is comfortable. Unlike me, I have to go back to the factory to show movies at night! I have to go there soon."

Xu Damao sighed.

"It's a different division of labor, Brother Damao. If you make contributions to the people, the Party and the people will thank you, haha."

He Lai said with a smile.

"That's right, Xu Damao, just watch it. What movie is there tonight? Your Master Zhu will do you the honor of going to watch it!"

Sha Zhu said with a smile on his face.

"Tsk, look at your behavior, who wants your support? Want to know what movie it is? Hey, I won't tell you!"

Xu Damao said with a proud look on his face.

"Hey, Xu Damao, you look so arrogant, believe it or not, I will have someone flip the spoon for you."

Sha Zhu glared at Xu Damao.

"It's okay, I'll go to Uncle He's to eat. I'm not afraid of you!" Xu Damao said nonchalantly.

"Brother Damao, what movie is it?" Yu Shui asked curiously.

"Sister Yushui, for your sake, I will tell you that there are many. This is the tenth anniversary of the National Day. Our film studio has produced many movies, including "Song of Youth", "Five Golden Flowers", "Spring and Autumn on the Water", "Young People in Our Village", "Hui Muslim Detachment", "Battle of Shanghai", "Lin Zexu", "Storm" and so on. There are so many, I can't even count them all.

Yushui, there is a movie called "Five Golden Flowers" tonight, it's a love story."

Xu Damao was counting on his fingers while talking and also revealed a romance movie to Yu Shui.

"Come on, brother. I want to see it."

When Yu Shui heard that there was a love movie, his eyes lit up and he immediately wanted to go see it. After all, in that era, most of the movies were war movies, so there were no love movies.

"Hey, Yushui, let Chun'er go with you. Brother Lai has to go to the countryside to visit Grandpa and the others tomorrow!"

He Lai really didn't want to watch it. He felt that movies of that era were too boring and really not suitable for modern people like him, so he could only make excuses to get away with it.

"Ok."

Seeing that He Lai was unwilling to go, Yu Shui had to give up, but he was still a little disappointed.

She originally thought that she could enjoy watching a movie with He Lai, but now it seems that this wish has not been fulfilled.

But she also knew that He Lai had his own things to do and couldn't always accompany her, so she could only turn her eyes to Chun Er, hoping to go to the movies with her.

Chun'er just smiled and nodded.

"By the way, when you watch the movie tonight, be careful of the sky. I think there will be fireworks set off over Tiananmen Square around 8 o'clock. Don't get scared then."

He Lai suddenly remembered an important thing. He was worried that Yu Shui and Chun Er would be frightened by fireworks while watching a movie. After all, fireworks are very loud, and if they are not mentally prepared, they may be frightened.

"Yes, yes, there were a lot of fireworks during last year's National Day. This year is the tenth anniversary, so there will probably be even more."

Sha Zhu immediately remembered watching the fireworks together last year.

Soon everyone started talking about fireworks, and everyone recalled the wonderful moments of last year. They all expressed their anticipation for this year's fireworks display, believing that it would be even more exciting than last year.

"Okay, those of you who need to watch movies should watch movies, and those who need to watch fireworks should watch fireworks. Let's get moving."

He saw that the time was almost up and spoke again.