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

Before we knew it, it was December, and the New Year celebrations were rather dull. Not many people were even setting off firecrackers.

However, there was some good news: although it didn't snow heavily like in previous years, it still snowed lightly.

For farmers, this light snowfall at least ensures that their wheat can safely survive the winter.

Spring will still be dry, but much better than last year. Summer grain production will definitely decrease, but it won't be a total crop failure.

Before the drought could even catch its breath, on June 24, 1960, the US openly broke with its former big brother, the Soviet Union.

On July 16, the Soviet Union unilaterally recalled all its experts in China and tore up hundreds of cooperation agreements.

Well, to make matters worse, the entire nation has to tighten its belts to pay off the debt.

There's a rumor circulating that exported apples are categorized by size; too big or too small won't do. As long as they're edible and not spoiled, they're fine! Isn't that just making things difficult for people?

Later generations couldn't understand how people back then could have such thoughts.

During the three years of drought, Niu Dazhuang reaped great benefits. He not only emptied the Le family's house, but also had many more children.

Qin Yueru gave birth to a son in May 1960 and named him Niu Chengze.

In June of the same year, Ningru gave birth to a daughter, named Niu Hexi.

The sisters worked well together; the baby was just old enough to play with Niu Dazhuang. Qin Xueru became pregnant in September.

Qin Huairu has never been able to make up her mind about whether or not to have a child. She is a divorced woman who is currently working, and she suddenly became pregnant. She can't tell anyone about it.

Niu Dazhuang didn't care; he was already set on having children for the rest of his life.

Xu Huizhen and Chen Xueru both gave birth to children that year. Xu Huizhen was destined not to have a son; even with a different man, she still gave birth to a daughter, named Xu Jinghua.

Chen Xueru gave birth to a son, named Chen Chengdong.

The reason they all take their mother's surname is because of their reputation.

Chen Xia from my hometown also gave birth to a son in July of that year, whom she named Niu Chengye.

In August of the same year, Ye Chunmei gave birth to a daughter, named Ye Lin, thus completing her family with both a son and a daughter.

Yu Li gave birth to a daughter on February 2nd of the following year, 1962, and named her Niu Heran.

Judging from Yu Li's attitude, it seems she won't give up until she gives birth to a son.

In August of 62, Qin Xueru gave birth to another son, named Niu Chengrui.

Schools and factories have all returned to normal, and only then has this baby boom finally stopped!

In late August of 62, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the farmers could not say it was a bumper harvest, but at least they could eat their fill at one of their three meals a day.

The northwest wind has picked up, and you'll be covered in dust as soon as you step outside.

Niu Dazhuang had been quiet for almost two years, but his heart was restless again. This time, he didn't contact anyone.

He personally went to scout out the location; this is the second time he's done so. It saves him the trouble.

Lou Bancheng had divided his assets among three families. Da Chuan and the others had already found out the specific addresses. This time, Niu Dazhuang would go and check again to confirm if there were any other issues.

After surveying the site and planning his route, he envisioned wiping out all three businesses, including their main branch, overnight.

Niu Dazhuang didn't want to alert the enemy. He also had another thought in mind: if he didn't act soon, Lou Xiao'e, this beautiful cabbage, would be snatched up by Xu Damao.

Although I don't have a virginity complex, the temptation of taking the first bite is still quite strong.

Everything was ready, and I even checked if there was enough sleeping potion in the space.

In early September, on a dark and windy night, Niu Dazhuang, as usual, was scheduled to work the night shift. He changed shifts at midnight and rested at the office until after 3 a.m.

After waking up, he took a walk around the workplace, appearing very dedicated. He deliberately greeted the security guard and then sneaked to Lou Bancheng's villa in the dark.

First, I cleaned up the tire tracks from the bicycle I came in with a broom. Then I changed into my worn-out cloth shoes and put on gloves and a hood.

Take the ladder out of the space and prop it up...

This was also secretly photographed by Niu Dazhuang. The yard isn't big, and he keeps two German Shepherds.

Standing on the ladder, he threw the seasoned wild boar meat into the yard. The wolfhound heard the noise, barked a few times, and was then attracted by the wild boar meat.

After waiting a while, guessing that the drug had taken effect, he threw a small stone in the yard, but there was no response.

Niu Dazhuang then climbed onto the wall and lowered another ladder down the top of the wall.

The rest was easy. I gently pushed open the main door on the first floor, took a moment to adjust to the darkness inside.

They crept up to the second floor in the dark. Using a specially made iron sheet, they first cut open the room next to the corridor. They blew the prepared sleeping potion into the room through a bamboo tube, then moved on to the second room, and then to the dozen or so rooms in total; Niu Dazhuang didn't miss a single one.

After finishing up on the second floor, Niu Dazhuang went to the backyard and drugged the old woman's room with sleeping pills.

The first phase has been successfully completed.

The cat waited in the dark corner for another twenty minutes before Niu Dazhuang finally went into the kitchen, took out a flashlight, and started rummaging through the space.

Just like Ma Xingbang's family back then, all that was left was a slop bucket. Although both were capitalists, Lou Bancheng's kitchen reaped far more profits than Ma Xingbang's, especially peanut oil, which came in vats and jars, along with a considerable amount of snow-white lard.

There wasn't much grain, but plenty of cured meat and yellow wine. Niu Dazhuang silently counted as he put the food into his storage space.

There are twenty-pound wine jars, more than fifty jars, and two large jars of medicinal wine weighing two hundred pounds each.

After tidying up the backyard, we went to the living room on the first floor. The living room on the first floor was similar to Ma Xingbang's house, with a storage room under the stairs.

There was also plenty of good cigarettes and liquor, and Niu Dazhuang didn't care what they were, he put them all into his spatial storage.

The sofa in the living room, fold

Wine cabinet, storage

Bookshelf, storage

……

Even the carpet was stored away in the space.

"Damn, you old Deng, you're so cunning."

It turned out that after Niu Dazhuang put the carpet away, he discovered that there was a distinctly different red brick next to the door.

He tapped lightly twice, but only heard a hollow echo. He took out a machete and pried along the crack in the brick.

"Damn it, the red bricks in the romance film are a single piece, three feet square, all stuck to a cement slab underneath."

They moved the opening, shone a flashlight, and went down the steps into the cellar.

I shone a flashlight on it, and there weren't many antiques left on the neat wooden shelves.

Since we're here, we might as well take the wooden frame.

Holy crap, there's a big leather suitcase on the wooden shelf. It wasn't locked, so I opened it and took a look.

It was absolutely dazzling. The suitcase was covered with large gold bars, and on top of that were stacks of cash, roughly estimated to be over two hundred thousand. There were also two gold wristwatches and a gold pocket watch.

There were also bright green bills, which must be US dollars. I checked the denomination; they were $100.

Don't be fooled by the small number of US dollars; the face value is high, it must be tens of thousands.

I took out another large yellow croaker and tossed it around; it was quite heavy.

"Damn, there's only one layer!" Pack them all up and put them into the space.

"Why are there two more pistols and ten boxes of ammunition?!"

There were no porcelain pieces or calligraphy and paintings, but there were a few jade artifacts, though not the mutton fat jade bracelet that Lou Xiao'e had given to Sha Zhu.

The basement was cleaned up. Niu Dazhuang ran his hands along the walls and walked around the basement again, looking for any hidden compartments or the like.