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

"Lin An just reminded me that we should not only arrange for someone to teach them to read, but also find someone to teach the children martial arts. Is Chunlan adapting well to the winter in the countryside?"

"Even though I've lived in the city for over ten years, don't forget, I also come from the countryside!"

"You'll get used to it. I won't stay any longer. I'll come back tomorrow night. Chen Xia, why don't you sleep here tomorrow night too?"

"No way, I have my own family." Chen Xia was still embarrassed because she had never experienced playing ranked matches together before.

After finishing a cup of hot water and feeling warm, Niu Dazhuang left his bicycle there and walked to the old house.

The house had been renovated long ago, with five main rooms and three side rooms on each side. It looked quite large, but even more people moved in.

The houses were all built with neat stone slabs, and the stone walls were fifty centimeters thick.

To provide wind protection and insulation, the exterior walls were plastered with a layer of mud and straw about ten centimeters thick, while the interior walls were made of white lime, also known as slaked lime.

Qin Xueru and her sisters pasted a layer of newspaper on top of the lime. This way, when it came into contact with the lime on the wall, it wouldn't get covered in white lime.

The middle room is the main hall, and there are two rooms on each side.

There were six sisters, three on each side. The children were all in the east wing. The three west wing rooms served as the kitchen and storeroom.

The children have all run outside to play.

Each room has a stove; you could say it's warm as spring, but at the very least, it's freezing your hands and feet.

The women are preparing clothes for their children for the spring again...

The sisters were having a lively time together when they looked up and saw Niu Dazhuang returning.

Before he could even settle in, he was given a task: "You're back just in time. I was worried about how to knead that vat of flour. There are so many of us..."

"I'm cooking in the big pot outside, making steamed buns. I'll go mix the dough from the kang (heated brick bed) in the east room, and we'll make steamed buns in no time. It's my first time back home for the New Year, so it wouldn't be right not to visit my parents' home. I also bring steamed buns when visiting relatives."

"Sigh! How can there be such a big difference between women!" Niu Dazhuang treated Ye Chunmei like a king at the village entrance, but when he came to her own home, he became a farmhand.

"You're acting like you're being wronged? If you don't want to do it, why don't you go be a big shot at the village entrance!"

"Fine, I'll do it, but you already know?"

"I found out the day after I got back. I'm too lazy to argue with you anymore. I can't control it anyway. So many people are back in our hometown, and I'm the only one with land. How are we going to manage our food and drink from now on?"

"Of course it was bought with money. You don't need to worry about this. I've already told Deshui. If you need anything in the future, just let him know. I'll give you the money tonight."

"That's not what I meant. The sisters all have their own savings now, so even if we don't earn money for a year or two, we won't starve. What I mean is, could we cultivate some private plots on the back hill and plant some fruits and vegetables next spring? We can't afford to buy every vegetable we eat."

"Go ahead and do it if you want!"

"I'm just worried that the policies above won't allow it. Go ask Dashan, he's a squad leader now, he knows more about the policies than you do."

"Xueru, you wouldn't understand policy matters. If the people don't complain, the officials won't investigate. I think setting up a small plot of land and raising a few chickens won't be a big problem!"

"Will this work?"

"You haven't gone to the village since you came back, have you?"

"We live halfway up the mountain, and the sisters are too lazy to go out."

"Just do as I say, and don't make a fuss once you're out. It's something everyone understands without saying a word. You just mentioned visiting relatives during the New Year. I don't care what you bring, but Yue Ru, Xi Ru, Mei Ru..."

"Hehe, Brother Da Niu, to borrow what you just said, this is something everyone tacitly understands," Mei Ru interjected.

Niu Dazhuang thought about it and agreed. So many years had passed; surely the Qin family would have heard something. Since none of the three families had reacted, it was tantamount to tacit agreement.

"Hehe! Is a whole steamer of steamed buns enough? We don't have much else, but we eat a lot." Now, when Niu Dazhuang goes to pay his New Year's visit, he should be able to get a good welcome from his father-in-law.

Niu Dazhuang must have felt guilty after ruining all the Qin family's daughters. Otherwise, he would have only gone to visit his father-in-law for the New Year the year he got married.

"You don't need to worry about that. I see we still have quite a bit of smoked meat at home. Besides the steamed buns, let's get each of you a piece of smoked meat. You don't mind, do you?"

"Definitely not. Not only this year, but every time you go back to your parents' home for Chinese New Year, you have to do it this way."

"Alright, stop standing there like an idiot and go knead the dough."

To be honest, I learned the skill of kneading dough when I first started working at the company. Su Wan made me work in the kitchen for a few months as punishment.

The dough was only enough for two large steamers. Why do I say only? Well, these kids can really eat! Besides the youngest daughter, He Yang, born to Xiuru, even Ningru's daughter, He Xi, showed off a big steamed bun.

The eldest son, Niu Chengqun, ate five large steamed buns by himself; the second son, Niu Chengzhi, ate four; and the fourth son, Chengrui, who is only five years old this year, also ate more than one.

The sisters each had two buns on average, which was enough for one meal. Two steamers of large steamed buns were just enough for two meals.

Niu Dazhuang used to be a hands-off manager, and he didn't care about these household chores at all.

"You really are a half-baked kid, you've got to eat me alive. I'm so lucky to have the ability to support you guys, otherwise I really couldn't afford to raise you."

"Boss, from now on, you take them to see Grandpa Youcao and have him teach you a thing or two about farming."

They patted their chests confidently and said, "We guarantee to complete the mission."

"Alright, get out of here. Don't go out tonight. You can be the teacher and teach them to read."

Niu Chengqun awkwardly scratched his head: "Dad! This is a bit difficult."

"Aren't you in third grade already? You already know how to do addition and subtraction up to 100, right?"

"I can do that."

"I'll find you teachers later. Until then, you'll be in charge of teaching them to read and do math. Remember, you can go out and play during the day, but you have to study at home at night. These are my rules. Anyone who breaks them will get a beating."

"Dad, this is so unreasonable! My younger siblings made a mistake, why are you hitting me?!"

"You're their eldest brother. If they make mistakes, it's because you didn't guide them properly, so of course they'll beat you up!"

Niu Chengzhi chuckled and approached Niu Dazhuang: "Dad, does that mean I'll beat up my older brother every time I make a mistake?"

Niu Dazhuang kicked him in the butt: "I haven't finished what I was going to say yet. The person involved, the one who made the mistake, will not only get beaten, but twice as much as your big brother! Do you understand now?!"

"Haha... Second brother, you served you right for trying to be clever!"

The Qin sisters are both literate, so they can easily tutor children who haven't started learning yet.

"Alright, boss, take them to wash the dishes and tidy up. I'll be back to check in a bit."

"We're fine..." Ningru felt sorry for the children, but before she could finish speaking, Niu Dazhuang interrupted her.

"From now on, the children will be responsible for washing the dishes after meals. That's settled."