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

Bai Hongyan was in a good mood, but Yu Haitang was not so happy.

The New Year's Eve dinner is the most important meal for family reunion. Yu Haitang spent a busy afternoon preparing six hearty dishes, including chicken and meat.

"Don't wait any longer, let's eat as soon as it's ready." Yu Li had a towel on her head, covering her head and forehead completely. And she's still in postpartum confinement?

"Sis, what's going on? Even if Dazhuang is busy, his company won't give him a holiday for Chinese New Year, will it?"

"I only told you half of it the day before yesterday; there's something even more important that I didn't tell you."

"Holy crap! Is there anything more important than him having affairs?"

"I'm just like them; he has a wife at home!"

Yu Haitang couldn't believe her ears and instinctively asked, "What did you say?"

"I said, I'm just like Sister Su and the others."

"No, sister, have you lost your mind? Not only are you soaking in the water yourself, but you also dragged me down with you. Now tell me, you're not his legal wife either!" Yu Haitang was so angry that she paced around the room.

"Aren't you usually so cunning? How come you managed to scheme against yourself? Now look what's happened, you've even schemed against your own sister! You really are my good sister!"

Yu Li wasn't angry, and this time she told everything she knew.

"I've told you everything I know, the choice is yours!"

"Why didn't you tell me before? What's the point of telling me now? No way, why should Qin Xueru be the boss? Don't you have any other ideas, sis?"

"Dazhuang hates this kind of fighting the most. I had this idea before, but he suppressed it with force."

"He hit you?"

"No, it's that kind of family discipline..."

"And family rules? Are you sure you're not talking about landlords or rich people?"

"Family rules are..." Yu Li explained the family rules to Yu Haitang again.

"Holy crap, that's insane. How could he even come up with that idea?"

"Yes, that's the kind of beast he is. He keeps all the women around him completely under his thumb, and none of them dare to cause trouble. Even Sister Su, who is the vice president of our company, is still controlled by Da Zhuang."

Later, I came to terms with it. I had enough to eat and drink, my standard of living was better than that of the average worker, and I could save the wages I earned, so I didn't bother with that kind of effort.

"Then what do you mean by dragging me into this?"

"It means two things. First, you're my own sister. Now that I'm doing well, why wouldn't I help you out?"

"Hey! Thanks a lot!"

"Don't talk to me like that. Just tell me how your food is compared to what we're eating at home now?"

"I paid a price for this too."

"How many people would pay the price to live the life you have now, but can't even find a way?"

For ten pounds of cornmeal, there are women willing to seek out reliable men. You admit that's a fact!

Hey, there's really no way to refute that. The People's Republic of China has only been established for a short time. After more than a hundred years of turmoil, especially during the War of Resistance Against Japan, how many able-bodied men died?

The current reality is that there are fewer men and more women.

"And what is the second meaning?"

"Haven't you noticed a pattern? Su Wan and Su Ting, Qin Xueru, Qin Huairu..." Ye Chunmei and Ye Chunlan, Yu Li didn't know.

After thinking for a moment, Yu Haitang said, "You mean they all have helpers, or they're sisters?"

"Yes, in that kind of situation, no one is closer than sisters. Every family has its own little schemes."

"Even between sisters, it's still pretty awkward to do that kind of thing together!"

"That's better than dealing with strangers, right? You'll get used to it. He's already being very gentle with you; think about the future..."

Yu Haitang nodded, forced to admit the truth: "That's pretty scary. There's no going back now, you've already had someone else's child."

"What, you want to turn back?"

"I don't feel any good about it right now. Let's talk about it again in a while."

"Alright, let's eat. Have you ever had such a lavish New Year's Eve dinner when you celebrated the New Year at our house?"

"Look at you, so smug. It's all your doing, okay? This is my first time stewing a whole chicken, I don't even know if it's cooked through!"

"You're so stubborn! Couldn't you chop it up a bit before stewing it?"

"Isn't it more satisfying to look at a whole chicken? It's also more satisfying to eat." He said, tearing off a chicken leg and handing it to Yu Li, while tearing off one for himself as well.

After taking a couple of bites of the chicken leg, Yu Haitang smacked her lips and said, "It's not quite there yet. I'll go get a pot of wine."

"You drink it yourself, I'm still breastfeeding!"

"I'll pour you a drink; just keep me company."

The Niu family had an exceptionally lively Spring Festival this year, especially Niu Youliang, who now has a wife and his grandson is also able to stand on his own two feet.

Look at Xiao Qijin's short legs, they're never idle, as strong as a calf.

The heated kang bed could no longer contain him; he ran all over the yard wearing his little diaper draped over his bottom. Even when he fell, he didn't cry; he just got up and kept running.

After Aunt Zhao arrived, her three old hens suffered terribly, being chased all over the yard with a small wooden stick.

At thirteen months old, the baby is in the babbling stage. He can already say "daddy" and "mommy," and today he learned to say "grandpa" and "grandma," which made Niu Youliang extremely happy.

According to Niu Dazhuang, since there are many people in the family, they should just set up a big pot in the yard and cook pork.

"Dazhuang, logically speaking, I shouldn't be in Shaoxing during the Spring Festival, but your usual lifestyle is already conspicuous enough..."

Niu Dazhuang listened to the advice and respected the old lady's opinion even more, so he turned on all four stoves at the same time in the front kitchen and the back kitchen.

Two tables were set up for the New Year's Eve dinner: one for Qin Xueru, one for Qin Ningru, and one for the aunt.

They were a group of grown men sitting at one table.

After a lively New Year's Eve dinner, Qin Xueru and Qin Ningru took their child and went home first.

The three brothers, Da Xiong and his brother, went to the backyard and found a broken radio that they had somehow acquired. They were now tinkering with it and trying to fix it themselves.

"Do you understand?" Niu Dazhuang also came over.

"I don't understand. Brother, do you even know what this thing is?"

"I don't understand either, but I know how to make you understand!"

"Big brother, tell us quickly, how can we understand?" Dayong asked eagerly.

"After the New Year, I'll go to Xinhua Bookstore and buy you some books about radio. You'll understand once you study them."

When the topic turned to learning from others, Da Yong shook his head vigorously, saying, "This person can't learn it. You should ask Da Zhi instead."

"It's okay if you can't learn it. After the New Year, put aside what you're doing and keep an eye on someone for me."

"Hehe, I like doing this job. Brother, who do you want to keep an eye on?"

"You wouldn't recognize him even if I told you now. Let me take you to meet him in a few days."

"Alright! I guarantee I'll get this done for you."

"Alright, you guys have fun. Remember to remind me after the Lantern Festival." With that, Niu Dazhuang returned to the front yard.