Courtyard houses: Those who are capable are rewarded, and many children bring many blessings.

After dinner, Niu Dazhuang returned to the small courtyard. Bai Hongyan, no longer hiding behind Yu Li and Su Wan, entered Niu Dazhuang's west wing room openly, as if declaring her ownership.

Yu Li pretended not to see it, and when she looked at Su Wan again, her eyes were no longer filled with the same awe and admiration as before. It seemed that even a leader like Vice President Su could have affairs, just like the women in the tenement.

But there was still a degree of superficial respect.

"Vice President Su, look, these are the items on yesterday's list, I've bought them all."

"I don't need to look at it. You've already been keeping the accounts, so just tell everyone at the end of the month." After saying that, he glanced at the west wing and went into his own room.

Yu Li looked around and wondered why she was all alone. There was no point in staying in the main room by herself, so she took a few sweet potatoes and went back to her own room.

She took the large copper kettle off the stove, opened the damper, and placed the sweet potatoes beside the stove. Yu Li moved a stool, sat down beside the stove, and began to do needlework, embroidering a pair of insoles and a peony flower on a bib…

Around 8 o'clock, Bai Hongyan came in, supporting herself on the door frame.

"Dazhuang will come over in a bit and make us some late-night snacks. Did you buy everything on yesterday's list?" Bai Hongyan said before getting into bed.

At this moment, Yu Li's feelings were complex and conflicted. Initially, she was closest to Niu Dazhuang, and only later to Bai Hongyan.

Both were unmarried young women, and although they both had feelings for Niu Dazhuang, neither could bring themselves to take that step due to societal norms and customs.

In the end, Yu Li took the initiative to bring it up, but Niu Dazhuang completely ignored her and stopped bothering her.

It hasn't even been a few months, and he's already sharing a bed with Vice President Su. Judging from Niu Dazhuang's expression when he came out of the east room yesterday morning, this is clearly not the first time.

Today it went even further. Bai Hongyan, this woman who claims to be a young lady, actually took the initiative to sneak into the west wing where Niu Dazhuang lived.

This isn't the first time this has happened; it seems she's just a naive and innocent fool.

That's how women think. They don't realize how good the man is until they see him with another woman.

Even married men.

I can choose not to have it, but I have to keep it; it's not okay if someone else wants it.

What was Niu Dazhuang thinking?

The reason he gave Su Wan yesterday was one thing, but more importantly, he didn't mention that if he didn't drag Yu Li into this, there was no guarantee she wouldn't gossip.

We're all on the same side now, so why are you still criticizing others?

Yu Li rolled her eyes at Bai Hongyan, who was lying motionless on the kang (heated brick bed): "I'm fine sleeping by myself, you can sleep in his room tonight!"

Bai Hongyan squinted, trying to regain her composure: "You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"How can I not understand? You've slept with a man now, even though I haven't..."

"Stop. You've heard a lot about it, but you haven't experienced it firsthand. You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Besides, can the men in your tenement compare to Dazhuang? Let me put it this way: if I don't come back, I'll have to take sick leave again tomorrow."

Besides, Dazhuang isn't just me.

"Wow! This is about selfless dedication? This is the first time I've heard of such a thing."

"If I don't give selflessly, what can I do? I also want Dazhuang to be mine alone, but my strength doesn't allow it! If I let him work himself to the bone, I'll be dead in less than a month."

"Oh, so you offered it up willingly?"

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you. That kind of ecstasy is indescribable. It feels so good and refreshing all over, a joy that goes straight to the depths of your soul."

"Is it really that exaggerated?"

After thinking for a moment, Bai Hongyan said, "For example, if you get bitten on the back by a big mosquito and it's incredibly itchy, you can't reach it with your hands no matter what you do."

If someone scratches your back with a back scratcher, doesn't that feel incredibly comforting?

"I'll definitely take it."

"That feeling is a hundred times more comfortable than this, don't you want to experience it!"

"Oh! Is that so? Then wouldn't it be addictive?"

"Absolutely! Now I understand how difficult it was for those widowed women in the past! It's like opening a door to a wonderful world for you..." Bai Hongyan said, reminiscing as she spoke.

Niu Dazhuang arrived at the main house, first going to the east room, which was Su Wan's room, to ask her what she wanted to eat that evening, before coming over.

"Sister Su wants some rice porridge, what about you?" Niu Dazhuang asked as he entered.

"I don't care, I didn't eat much after dinner. But you two, you've been up for so long, you must be hungry!" Yu Li teased.

"Long time? I don't feel it. I do want to have a couple of sips. Did you buy the peanuts?"

"I bought everything you mentioned last night, and nothing else. Everything is in the east wing."

Niu Dazhuang got busy. In the west room, he cooked rice porridge and had Yu Li watch the pot. In the east room, which was Su Wan's room, Niu Dazhuang started preparing snacks to go with the drinks.

Su Wan wanted to lend a hand, but Niu Dazhuang told her to go and stay with them, "I can manage on my own."

Su Wan didn't move. She sat back in her chair, resting her arms on the back and her chin on her arms, her large eyes gazing affectionately at Niu Dazhuang as he busied himself.

I felt both satisfied and regretful. How come I never met such a good man before...?

First, shred the mustard tubers, then rinse them several times with cold water to reduce their saltiness. Garnish with chopped green onions, then add soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Mix it all together, and you have a side dish to accompany your porridge.

Stir-fried eggs with scallions are a must-have snack to accompany drinks.

Use the same pan you use to fry eggs to fry peanuts; not a drop of oil will be wasted.

When the peanuts are fresh out of the pan, still hot, sprinkle some salt on them—perfect.

"Let's go, let's go to their room for a couple of drinks."

With a small kang table placed on it, it's just right for four people.

Niu Dazhuang filled their cups one by one.

It was Yu Li's turn: "Would you like a drink?"

"Fill it up! This wine was bought with everyone's money, why shouldn't we drink it?"

"Oh, right. I'll run my own bar from now on!"

"That's not what I meant. Why are you being so petty?"

"Yu Li, we've only had a little bit to drink. If he wants to drink in the future, let him buy it himself." On the surface, she was speaking up for Yu Li, but in reality, she didn't treat Niu Dazhuang as an outsider.

Su Wan paid special attention to Niu Dazhuang's movements as he poured the wine; it was this guy who had played tricks at Su Ting's house last time.

Although Su Ting didn't pursue the matter afterward, Su Wan was still curious about how this bad guy had tampered with the wine.

Su Wan underestimated Niu Dazhuang's shamelessness. She only paid attention to the way he poured wine for Yu Li. Little did she know that all three women had fallen for his tricks.

Halfway through her rice porridge, Su Wan's eyelids began to droop. She thought to herself, "Oh no, I've fallen for that rascal's tricks again."

Bai Hongyan and Yu Li had never experienced anything like this before, so they just thought they were sleepy. Bai Hongyan simply tilted her head to the side, pressed her face against the kang table, and fell asleep.

Yu Li was a little better; she didn't lie on the kang table, but her body tilted and she fell onto the kang.