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

The next day was the third day of the Lunar New Year. Following Qin's mother's instructions, Niu Dazhuang did not visit his father-in-law's family to offer New Year's greetings on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

After breakfast, Qin Ningru pestered Niu Dazhuang to teach her how to shoot.

"You really want to learn? Wait until the weather gets warmer."

"No! It's cold outside, I can stay inside."

Qin Ningru's simple "No!" melted Niu Dazhuang's bones.

Qin Xueru was delighted to see the two interacting, and secretly pleased: "Little girl, come and enjoy the good life with me."

"Okay. I'll go get you the gun. Let's practice your stance first..."

"Stand up straight, open your eyes, aim at the target with one eye, and don't close the other eye..."

"Ah, brother-in-law, how can you aim accurately if you don't close one eye..."

Niu Dazhuang was happily teaching his sister-in-law, Qin Ningru, how to aim.

Jia Dongxu stood in Changping County, looking at the mountains to the north, sighing. He had promised to pick up his wife on the third day of the Lunar New Year, but seeing the heavy snow in the northern mountains, he simply didn't have the courage and decided to walk up the mountain instead.

I turned around, took the bus, and came back to the courtyard house.

"Dongxu, I told you the snow was too heavy this year and you couldn't get into the mountains, but you wouldn't listen. Now you've spent two cents on the bus fare, are you feeling better?"

"Mom, stop making sarcastic remarks. Huai Ru has been staying at her parents' house for over a month, and Bang Geng'er misses his mom."

"My dear child, I'd rather not think about our family and just stay in the inner room for a couple more nights after Huai Ru comes back."

"Mom, I've made up my mind. When Huairu comes back, I'll move into the inner room. I'm already so old, why do you still interfere in everything I do?"

Upon hearing her son's words, Jia Zhangshi became displeased. She took off her shoe and struck Jia Dongxu on the head, all the while hurling insults.

"Just like your deadbeat father, you won't be satisfied until you've ruined yourself!"

Jia Dongxu shrank his neck and ran outside, saying, "Even if you hit me, I'm going to the inner room too."

While Jia Zhangshi was still angry inside, Jia Dongxu called Yi Zhonghai over.

"Master, tell me about my mother."

Yi Zhonghai didn't treat himself as an outsider. He entered the room and sat on the bed with an air of nonchalance.

Madam Jia was still full of grievances: "Old Yi, you're his master, and Dongxu is practically your son. You remember when he got married, right?"

"It's only been a few years, of course I remember."

"You're not an outsider either. Dongxu isn't ashamed, so I'll tell you. When we first got married, we'd spend every spare moment, day or night, making love on the kang (heated brick bed)."

Within half a month, Dongxu's eyes became dark-rimmed, and his legs were unsteady when he walked. I couldn't bear to watch anymore, and for Dongxu's health, I forcibly moved him to sleep in the outer room.

"During that period, Dongxu wasn't very attentive at work."

"See, Dongxu, even your master noticed!"

"Sister-in-law, I understand young people. Everyone has been young once."

"Exactly, Mom, you said it yourself, that was right after we got married. Now Banggeng is four years old! Don't you want to have a grandson?"

"It's not like I didn't let you sleep in the inner room. Once a week won't stop me from having another grandson."

"Master, did you hear that? I have to report when I sleep with my wife? What kind of nonsense is this?!"

"Dongxu, your mother is only thinking about your health. How can you not exercise restraint?"

Sister-in-law, you're right. Dongxu isn't a child anymore; he should know better. We can't interfere in everything!

Seeing that Jia Zhangshi remained silent, Yi Zhonghai continued, "How about we find a middle ground? Dongxu won't have to sleep in the inner room anymore. How about we add one more night a week besides Saturday night?"

"Master, just one night? No, at least two more nights."

"Fine, I'll listen to your master. If you nag again, I'll beat you up." Jia Dongxu was suppressed by the two of them again.

"Go to work on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Once the roads are open, won't your wife come back on her own? She's not a new bride anymore. You don't have to go pick her up. She doesn't know how to manage a household at all."

"Alright then. I'm going out to play!" With that, Jia Dongxu turned and left.

"Hey! Old Yi, look at you, you're such a grown man, and you don't care about anything at home, all you think about is playing all day!"

"Since you're in charge of things at home, Dongxu doesn't have to worry about anything. Dongxu is a good boy, very filial."

After saying that, Yi Zhonghai turned to leave.

"Old Yi, are you just leaving like this?"

"Sister-in-law, now that the children are all grown up, you're a grandmother, and we're getting old. I've raised Dongxu to adulthood, and we're finally together!"

"Hmph, let's go, let's go!"

Yi Zhonghai quickly came out, thinking to himself, "My old back can't take it anymore, but it seems to be getting stronger as I get older!"

Spring arrives at the beginning of the sixth nine-day period, after the Lantern Festival (the 15th day of the first lunar month), and the snow on the roads only begins to melt slowly.

On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, the troops, along with the militia, went into the mountains. This was a joint operation, involving not only Changping, but also Mentougou to the west, Yanqing to the north, Miyun and Pinggu to the east. They all mobilized together.

The plan is to resolve the wolf problem around the capital in one fell swoop.

These had nothing to do with Niu Dazhuang; the militia of Qinjiawa were led by Niu Deshui.

Qin Ningru is not Qin Huairu; she is still a virgin. Niu Dazhuang couldn't get his way at night and even missed Ye Chunmei a little.

During the day, when there was nothing to do, I would take out the trees from the space, chop them into sections of dry firewood, and arrange them neatly. This was in preparation for opening the road to enter Beijing.

He occasionally teases his sister-in-law, and he lives a comfortable life.

Just after the Lantern Festival, Ningru went back home, and Qin Huairu came uninvited.

"Dazhuang, I see the road is open now. When are you going to Beijing, please take me with you."

"Tomorrow, I'll drive the donkey cart, take Deshui and you with me, and we'll leave."

"Sis, why are you in such a hurry to go back? Missing your husband?" Qin Xueru joked.

"I don't miss your brother-in-law, but it's not right for him to always stay at his parents' house. Both of your sisters-in-law have their opinions about it."

"Hehe, of course I miss my brother-in-law! If I hadn't seen Dazhuang for so long, I couldn't stand it!"

"You little slut, are you enjoying yourself now?"

As she spoke, Qin Xueru took Huairu's arm and went into the inner room.

The thought that her husband would be leaving for Beijing tomorrow and wouldn't be back for at least ten days to two weeks made Qin Xueru exceptionally eager that evening...

As for Qin Huairu, she also didn't have such a good opportunity once she arrived in Beijing, as her mother-in-law was keeping a close eye on her.

The unspoken understanding we had before was broken tonight...

Early in the morning, Niu Dazhuang went to hitch up the car. The two sisters were still chatting: "Sister, I feel at ease knowing you're in Beijing keeping an eye on him. Don't bring me back with another illness!"

"Xue Ru, that was in the past. Now all the brothels in the Eight Great Hutongs are closed, and all the women there have been reformed!"

"Oh! Sis, it's not just this aspect that I'm worried about. The two of them live together, and without a woman to take care of them, they can't even get a hot meal."