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

Upon arriving at the central courtyard, although the crowd had dispersed, several women who had nothing to do remained standing in front of the screen wall, craning their necks to listen for any sounds.

Niu Dazhuang pretended not to see them and went straight out the gate.

On the way back, Qin Huairu accompanied him, and the two chatted and laughed, so the journey didn't seem so long.

It's so late at night, and I've been walking for half an hour already before I can finally see the building in front of me.

"It's so inconvenient not having a bicycle. Why do we all have to walk? That's why people say shoes go through so much trouble these days."

There are differences between people in every era, even now. You need two ounces of wine, a small dish, and a seat.

He was all dry, just standing in the corner.

Although Niu Dazhuang was wearing a padded jacket and no outer garment, he was not timid.

He walked straight to the counter and said, "Sister Huizhen, two ounces and a plate of peanuts, please."

"Hey, brother, you're here! Please have a seat." Xu Huizhen was exceptionally warm.

"Hey, boss lady, where did this 'brother' come from? You're so enthusiastic! I have 'brothers' here too, but I haven't seen you being so enthusiastic!"

Xu Huizhen wasn't annoyed, and still retorted with a smile, "You have a big brother too, tsk tsk, I didn't notice all these years. I thought you just came out of the palace!"

"Ha ha……"

Wo Bo, who had been watching the commotion from the corner, was grabbed by the collar by Cai Quanwu, who stood up and said, "Cheng Erhuai, come on, let's have a chat, brother."

"You little brat, how come you stand out? No matter how much you lick, no one will be interested in you! Oh, are you serious?" Cai Quanwu dragged the person out.

Xu Huizhen's little tavern is so popular for two reasons: firstly, she sells undiluted liquor, and secondly, she's beautiful and occasionally tells dirty jokes, but no one gets angry.

At Qianmen Station, single men carrying heavy bags, having nothing else to do in the evenings, would come over to join the fun. What man doesn't love looking at beautiful women!

The tavern was also a place where people gossiped.

Niu Dazhuang carried his small wine pot and a plate of peanuts, found a quiet table, sat down, and slowly savored them without saying a word...

It was probably around nine o'clock, and there were only a few people left in the store. Cai Quanwu started helping with the cleaning.

Xu Huizhen rolled up her sleeves, revealing her lotus-root-like arms, and walked over, carrying a pot of wine and a plate of sausages, swaying her hips.

"Brother Dazhuang, you actually came?"

"Why don't you believe I can help you?"

"Whether I can help or not is another matter, but I'll give you a toast for your kind intentions!" he said, filling Niu Dazhuang's wine jug to the brim.

"Sister Huizhen, you really know how to talk! No wonder your little bar is doing so well!"

"Sigh! What's so great about it? There's nothing I can do! I also want to take care of the children peacefully, but..." Xu Huizhen said, her face showing difficulty.

Niu Dazhuang pretended not to know anything and asked, "What's wrong? Is there any difficulty? I will do my best to help if it's within my power."

"Sigh! I divorced that heartless man before the New Year!"

"Divorced? How could that be? He wouldn't want such a capable and beautiful wife? Is he out of his mind?!"

Xu Huizhen poured herself another drink: "Whether he's here or not, I'll live my life the same way. Let's not talk about it anymore! Brother Dazhuang, can you see through the current situation?"

"I don't have that ability, but I have a relative." He said, giving Xu Huizhen a knowing look.

Xu Huizhen leaned forward slightly. "Oh, you have inside information?"

"Yes, whether it's a factory or a small business, joint ventures are essential. Think about it, nowadays you need ration coupons to buy everything. If you don't go into joint ventures, you won't have anywhere to source your goods in the future. How can you operate like that?"

Xu Huizhen was a smart woman; she understood as soon as Niu Dazhuang pointed it out.

Niu Dazhuang continued, "Although you can buy them on the black market now, they can't be sold in the open. The government can easily find out if they investigate."

Xu Huizhen filled Niu Dazhuang's cup: "Brother Dazhuang, thanks, I won't hesitate any longer." After finishing the cup...

"Brother Dazhuang, when are you going back?"

"I'm not going back. I'm going to settle down in Beijing from now on."

"Great! You're a capable person; you'll do well anywhere!"

"You flatter me, isn't there a market nearby tonight?" This was Niu Dazhuang's real purpose for coming out at night. He also wanted to get to know this young woman. Opportunities arise from repeated encounters.

"Oh! Aren't you looking for a job?"

"Of course I'm looking, but I need to find a way to make a living before I find a formal job."

"Oh, right. But I'm just reminding you, don't get scammed. Be careful."

"Understood. If you need anything in the future, just tell me and I'll get it for you."

"That's great." Xu Huizhen blinked her big eyes, then whispered, "This is a good way. Once you're familiar with this path, I can introduce you to a few friends. They're all people who can't easily go to the Ghost Market."

Niu Dazhuang took Xu Huizhen's glass and filled it for her: "Hehe, Sister Huizhen, let me toast you with your wine. Let's see each other in the future."

They both downed their drinks in one gulp.

"I'll go check out the ghost market first."

"Well, Brother Dazhuang, there are not only those outside, but also Zhushikou, Dongzhimen... there are quite a few ghost markets there. You should check them out; the prices will definitely be different each time."

"Understood. It's getting late, I'll be going now. I'll come back tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, if no one's at my shop this afternoon, just come find me in the backyard."

As he was leaving, Niu Dazhuang glanced at Cai Quanwu, who was dawdling. He thought to himself, "This Xu Huizhen is too shrewd; she's not easy to deal with. She's not as good as her best friend Chen Xueru. Hehe, two Xuerus, one with one in her arms, how wonderful..."

After Niu Dazhuang left, Cai Quanwu walked over and asked in a low voice, "Who is this person? I've never seen him before?"

"The guy who used to deliver wine to my shop is an old acquaintance. Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Wait, didn't we always buy liquor from Niulanshan? Where did this kid come from?"

"Is this all over? It's getting late, you should go home!"

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it, I just think this kid isn't behaving himself, so you'd better watch out."

Xu Huizhen knew exactly what he was thinking. After the divorce, she was indeed too busy to manage everything on her own. Her child was still young and needed care, and the small tavern in front of her also needed someone to help.

Cai Quan was an honest man who didn't talk much. So he accepted his help.

What's wrong with me today? Why am I suddenly getting so hung up on things?

Not only women are perceptive, but men are as well. When Cai Quanwu saw his beloved's attitude towards Niu Dazhuang today, he realized that things were different, and he couldn't help but feel anxious.

"I know, you can go back now, I'm closing up shop."

After closing the tavern door, I went back to the backyard, locked the front door, and returned to the house, where Jingli was fast asleep.

After washing up, she took off her shoes, climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed), lay down on her side next to Xiao Jingli, and looked at her daughter.

Xu Huizhen was lost in thought...