The pit dug by the children of Zhang Dayuan

Zhao Dongchuan was utterly bewildered. 'What the hell, I didn't do anything!'

No matter how much he searched his memories, he couldn't find a single trace of the original owner being involved in this matter.

This was truly inexplicable!

"Who is that Li Zhou? Why are you helping him so much?"

"Li Zhou is from the military compound. His father is a high-ranking military official. I have a distant relative connection with him, so I met them at a gathering once.

When Li Zhou found me a year ago, I was quite surprised. I didn't expect an ordinary civilian to provoke him.

It was just a small favor, so I helped him with this matter. I don't know anything else; that's all I know!" Director Li explained, his eyes vacant and his voice numb.

Zhao Dongchuan felt a bit lost. He had no impression of this person at all.

Logically, the original owner was quite timid and shouldn't have provoked such a person. Even if something had happened, he should have been able to find some traces.

The questioning was pretty much done at this point. He needed to figure out how to deal with Director Li.

Although the neighborhood committee was a grassroots department, it was closely related to the lives of ordinary people and played a significant role. He was a bit conflicted about whether to let him turn himself in or to make use of him.

After some deliberation, Zhao Dongchuan decided to keep Director Li and let him serve his purpose well. When Zhao Dongchuan was not around, he could instruct him to secretly look after his parents.

As for his money-making and womanizing, he wouldn't interfere. If Director Li were gone, there would be Director Wang, Director Ma... anyone in that position would inevitably do the same.

Zhao Dongchuan then issued instructions to Director Li, telling him to work hard, stop doing those ridiculous things, and ideally, to sever ties with some of his past activities. He should take what he was entitled to, remember to be generous with bribes, and not be greedy, so that his position as director could last a long time.

After getting information about Li Zhou from Director Li, Zhao Dongchuan silently left, as if he had never been there.

Since things were starting to make sense, he wasn't in a hurry. He would arrange things for Li Zhou in a couple of days.

...

After a leisurely stroll and spending a lot of time there, several hours had passed. He needed to hurry back, otherwise, if he returned late, his parents at home would worry and ask endless questions.

Leaving the neighborhood committee, Zhao Dongchuan took several turns through some low-lying alleys, found an opportunity, retrieved his system glasses into his space, and then leisurely walked back home.

The distance wasn't very far, so Zhao Dongchuan walked back directly. When he returned to Nanluoguxiang with his hands in his pockets, swaggering, it was already 3 PM, and the factory was almost closing.

Entering the courtyard, Zhao Dongchuan cheerfully greeted the aunties. Regardless of their inner thoughts, the aunties also responded with cheerful greetings.

Zhao Dongchuan went straight back to his room without much small talk. He didn't have much to talk about with the aunties anyway. Chat about gossip and spread rumors?

...

In the following days, Zhao Dongchuan idled at home and didn't go anywhere. In those years, relatives couldn't pay New Year's greetings; those were feudal dregs and had been abolished.

Moreover, each family's food supply was not abundant. If you went and ate their food, others might have to drink thin porridge for several days, so at this time, people rarely visited each other.

Although it was Spring Festival, it was no different from ordinary days. Fortunately, it wasn't as turbulent as in previous years; otherwise, he would still have to carry the Red Book and hold family meetings to 'fight selfishness and criticize revisionism' even during meals.

Of course, families without children or with relatives in the countryside would have a more abundant food supply.

As for the rich and powerful, they were not included in this scope; they would never lack food.

So, for these two days, Zhao Dongchuan basically stayed at home, reading books, helping Guo Ping with housework, and cooking. Or he would take his grain ration book and non-staple food book to the corresponding grain store to collect food coupons and other tickets to buy grain and oil.

One day, just as he was about to continue idling and reading, Guo Ping walked over with a bag of things.

"Dongchuan, today we have a task: we need to visit Grandpa and Grandma at Uncle's house!"

"Oh, okay. How do we get there?"

"By bus!"

"Oh, okay!" Zhao Dongchuan awkwardly rubbed the back of his head. He had grown accustomed to riding his bicycle when going out, and suddenly being without it felt a bit strange.

No, I need to find a reason to get my bicycle out and use it. Otherwise, walking and taking the bus all the time is too much trouble.

Zhao Zhengguo was the second eldest in his family, with an older brother and a younger sister. The relationship between the three siblings was neither very good nor bad; it was within the normal range, and there wasn't much of that melodramatic scheming in their daily lives.

Currently, Grandpa and Grandma lived with the eldest brother, and their food rations were also with them. Uncle worked at a printing factory, and during good times, with a large family, they were allocated two rooms in Xicheng District.

Normally, everyone lived their own lives, only visiting each other during holidays. The main reason was that conditions were not good for anyone, so they tried to minimize expenses.

This year, since Zhao Dongchuan had returned, he certainly had to pay a visit. Moreover, he had brought back many things, which he could use to show filial respect to the elders.

Zhao Dongchuan carried a bag filled with gifts like malted milk extract and canned fruit. He followed his mother out the door, walked a short distance to the bus stop. Soon, the bus arrived, and he carefully helped Guo Ping board the bus with the crowd.

Along Di'anmen Street, past Beihai Park, they soon arrived in Xicheng District. They got off at Ping'anli, walked all the way to Xinkai Hutong, where Uncle's allocated house was located.

Zhao Dongchuan followed his mother, Guo Ping, turning left and right, until they arrived at a courtyard. This courtyard was also a typical Beijing siheyuan, appearing more spacious than the courtyards in Nanluoguxiang.

By the time he came to his senses, Guo Ping had already knocked on the door of a room in the east wing of the middle courtyard.

"Who is it?" an old voice came from inside, followed by the sound of footsteps.

"Creak!" As the door opened, an old man with gray hair and reading glasses appeared before them.

"Dad! Happy New Year!"

"Grandpa! Happy New Year!"

Guo Ping and Zhao Dongchuan quickly greeted the old man.

"Oh, Xiao Ping is here! And Dongchuan, tsk tsk tsk, you've returned!" The old man, seeing the two, immediately laughed happily and said.

He quickly ushered the two into the house.

This old man was Zhao Dongchuan's grandfather, Zhao Dali.

"Before the New Year, Zhengguo mentioned you were coming back. I didn't expect you actually would! That's great!" Zhao Dali said kindly, looking at Zhao Dongchuan.

"Grandpa, I haven't seen you in a year, and I've missed you terribly. So I applied for family leave from my unit, and my leader specially approved it for me to come back and see you, old man!" Zhao Dongchuan said with a cheerful laugh.