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

Niu Dazhuang went to the old man's room in the front yard. Although the old man now has a warm bed at night, it's still essential for the younger generation to keep him company and chat.

"Did you go back to your hometown to visit?"

"They went, and brought back a whole truckload of cornmeal!"

"Have you seen our old house? This year during Qingming Festival, go back and add some soil to Grandpa's and your parents' graves!"

"Oh, sir, we have an old house, but what about our family's ancestral graves?"

"I don't know. I only heard your grandfather say that our family moved here from outside the Great Wall. As for our ancestors, your grandfather never mentioned them."

The older woman chimed in, "Dazhuang, you've been pregnant for over a week and you're already seven pounds. Aren't you thinking of having a few more?"

"Don't rush, you'll have more later. Why not have four or five?"

Seeing his nephew's attitude, Niu Youliang was very pleased. He chatted with the two elders for a while longer, and the sun had already set in the west before Niu Dazhuang returned to the courtyard house.

One advantage of living in a large courtyard is that it's easy to visit other people's homes. I could just grab a bite at my own place and then come over to the Su family's house.

As soon as he entered the Su family's house, Xiao Qinling grabbed his arm: "I wish you, big brother, a new year with a fresh start and even greater success in your career."

Niu Dazhuang affectionately brushed her nose with his index finger, then handed her the prepared red envelope.

"Wow, five yuan!" Upon seeing five yuan in the red envelope, Xiao Qinling pressed her smiling face against Niu Dazhuang's arm and began to whine and plead again.

Su Ting smiled and pulled Xiao Qinling over: "Alright, stop bothering your big brother Niu. You've taken the red envelope, go outside and play!"

Little Qinling pouted, clearly unhappy: "Every time my older brother comes, he makes me go out to play. Auntie, tell me about my mom, she's so domineering."

"You can go wherever you want during the Chinese New Year this year."

Xiao Qinling made a face at his mother, then turned around and hugged Niu Dazhuang's arm.

"Xiaoling, you're always clinging to your older brother's arm like that. How can he sit? He can't stand when guests come!"

"Oh, then I'll go get a stool for the big brother."

The four sat around the stove, and Niu Dazhuang asked Xiao Qinling about his studies.

Little Qinling was pleased with the praise and even sang two songs for everyone. But kids like him don't stay long; he only sat for half an hour before his friends in the yard called him out to play jump rope.

"Xiaoling sings really well, whatever you want. Since the child has this talent and likes to sing, I think he should join your song and dance troupe after finishing junior high school." Niu Dazhuang was worried that, according to the original script, Qinling would go to the countryside and be ruined by that bad boy.

Su Ting smiled and said, "I'm also thinking about that, but not to our dance troupe. We'll see how it goes."

Little did they know that plans can't keep up with changes. Niu Dazhuang knew that according to the original script, Qin Ling didn't join the song and dance troupe but went to work in the countryside instead. Niu Dazhuang didn't know why.

The courtyard is bustling now, and people might come at any time. In this environment, no matter how envious Su Ting is, there's nothing she can do.

Niu Dazhuang tried his best to take care of every woman around him. After leaving the Su family, he went to the Ye family.

The Ye family didn't have so many concerns; they lived in a detached house.

When Ye Chunmei saw that Niu Dazhuang had come in the evening, she quickly carried Xiao Lin'an to the heated kang and coaxed him to sleep.

Ye Chunlan today is no longer the shy, coy person she once was.

With the nourishment of a man, her figure and skin became even more alluring. Her eight of bamboo was also neatly trimmed…

I was planning to visit Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru again, but we ended up spending a bit too much time at the Ye family's house, and it was already past ten o'clock when we left.

The four Qin sisters should have gathered long ago; how could they miss the New Year's feast?

This year, unlike previous years, there wasn't a hectic six or seven days of travel and activities. It was the third day of the Lunar New Year when I went back to my parents' home.

If there were no other reason, it would be because Qin Ningru and Qin Yueru hadn't been back since they entered the city.

The letters from home have been talking about this matter.

There happened to be three bicycles at home, and Niu Dazhuang was going back to his hometown for some business. Qin Yueru and Qin Ningru were each carrying thirty jin of flour on the back of a bicycle. Candy and cakes they had bought at the supply and marketing cooperative were also hanging on the handlebars.

Qin Huairu and Qin Xueru did not go back this time because their child was too young.

Once outside Beijing, the three of them rode side by side. While there were certainly pedestrians on the mainland, it was rare to encounter one for half a day.

They chatted and laughed all the way, making it quite lively.

"Hey, I have something important to tell you two!"

"Go ahead and say it, I didn't shut you up." Qin Yueru always spoke like this, and Niu Dazhuang was already used to it.

"Brother Da Niu, you can make the decisions for me!" Qin Ningru was as comforting as ever.

After checking that no one was in front of him or behind him, Niu Dazhuang finally spoke up: "During the New Year, Auntie mentioned again that someone wrote a smear letter reporting us. I've come up with a plan to discuss with you two."

"Who's so idle as to keep suing us? Even though we've moved out, it doesn't mean we can't!"

"We still have Ningru at home, so I think we should get married together, so we won't have any leverage against us later."

"Tell me, what's your solution?"

"Green gloves!"

"What green gloves? Speak like a human being!"

"It's just that I'll find two old bachelors in my hometown to register with you..."

Before Niu Dazhuang could finish speaking, Qin Yueru shook her head: "How could you even think of that? I could never do it."

"Only in name only."

"Not even in name."

"Ningru, what do you mean?"

"I...I didn't want to either."

"Fine, never mind."

The three of them weren't riding very fast, and by the time they reached Changping it was already past 11 a.m. They wanted to have lunch in the county town, but it was only the third day of the Lunar New Year, and no restaurants were open.

Niu Dazhuang's biggest secret is his personal space; he doesn't even intend to reveal it to his own woman.

Hungry, we continued on.

Around 2 PM, we arrived at the fork in the road: "Are you staying for a few days until your workplace reopens, or are you coming back with me tomorrow?"

"It's been almost two years since we've been back, we want to stay home a few more days."

"Alright, I'll head back first then. Be careful on your way back." With that, Niu Dazhuang walked towards Niujiazhuang.

After parting ways with the two sisters, several packets of brown sugar and cakes appeared on the handlebars of Niu Dazhuang's bicycle.

First, we went to the home of the squad leader, Niu Youcao.

No one was home yet, so I put my things down and pushed my bicycle to the threshing ground.

It's lively here; almost everyone in the village is here, basking in the sun. Some are playing cards, some are playing dominoes, and some are even playing tag...

The children split into two groups to fight...

When the children saw Niu Dazhuang arrive pushing his bicycle, they stopped playing and gathered around.

Niu Dazhuang opened the candy bag and began handing out candies one by one.

The children, having received their candy, dispersed, and Niu Dazhuang propped up his bicycle. He then joined the group playing dominoes.