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

"Can we not talk about this? Just thinking about it makes me irritable!"

"I'm just trying to be helpful, but what will you do when you're old without a child to rely on?"

"Sigh! What can you do? You brought this on yourself, so you have to suffer the consequences! You really don't want to live on Hong Kong Island? Look at this place, it has a bathroom and a toilet, so convenient, and there are people to wait on you!"

Zhao Xinmei was still unwilling to give up. She should have known that if she were the only one suggesting staying, Niu Dazhuang would most likely not agree.

If Qinling is involved, she won't suddenly appear. Even if Niu Dazhuang is unhappy, there's still Qinling to share the burden with him!

"Oh, your little courtyard, didn't Dazhuang renovate it for you?"

"I live in the north side of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs compound. That area belongs to other people's families, not our own homes, so there's no way to renovate it."

"You shouldn't think about this useless thing all day long. I think you should buy your own little courtyard in Yanjing, that's the right thing to do."

"Did you all buy them?"

"Buy if you have the chance. It's hard to buy a small courtyard house these days; either the property rights are unclear or someone is still living there."

"You really don't want to come to Hong Kong Island?" Zhao Xinmei brought the topic back.

"No, didn't I just say that? There's no place like home!"

"You have no ambition at all. You can rest now, I'll go find someone else."

After going around in circles, no one was willing to stay. Zhao Xinmei had just returned and hadn't even settled in when Niu Dazhuang heard the news and followed her over.

He went straight to the point as soon as he entered: "So, you want to stay on Hong Kong Island?"

Zhao Xinmei first observed Niu Dazhuang's expression, but couldn't tell that he was unhappy. Zhao Xinmei was still wondering to herself, "Who's been so quick to speak?"

"I do have that idea, so why don't you agree?"

Niu Dazhuang sat casually on the sofa in the living room, showing no signs of displeasure.

"You should be more sincere with your family. If you want to stay in Hong Kong Island, you can just tell me. Why bother looking for companions everywhere?"

"So you agree?"

"I disagree. I see you're just sitting around at home doing nothing. Once you go back, you won't need to go to work anymore. You'll just end up like Xiao Guan, following me around morning and night."

"Fine, I've wanted to quit this job for a long time. I'm always busy in the kitchen, there's no future in it."

"It's not easy to come to Hong Kong Island. You'll be going out and meeting people a lot with me from now on, so buy more clothes for formal occasions. Qinling, you should do the same. Don't try to save me money. Buying clothes doesn't cost much. I'll be staying here tonight."

Qin Ling and Zhao Xinmei had lived in Yanjing for so many years without ever meeting. If they hadn't come to Hong Kong together, they wouldn't even know each other.

Niu Dazhuang suddenly wanted to stay overnight, and the two of them were a little embarrassed. They exchanged a glance.

Qin Ling spoke up. "They're sending more people over tonight!"

"Xinmei, go tell them that I'll be staying here tonight, and they'll know what that means."

"They just don't want your kids to live here!"

"Nonsense, just go already."

After Zhao Xinmei left, Niu Dazhuang patted his thigh. Qin Ling didn't hesitate and sat down: "They all have their own agendas. What are your thoughts?"

"I don't have any particular thoughts. Things are alright at work, I heard there's going to be restructuring, but I don't know when that will happen. Anyway, with you backing me up, I'm not in a rush. Sigh..."

"You're practically part of the entertainment industry in Yanjing now, wouldn't you like to develop your career in that area?"

"How am I supposed to develop this career? You want me to make movies?"

"You like to sing, right? I can pay for a teacher..."

"Thank you, but I'm a mother of two now, I've long since lost interest in that kind of thing."

"Then I'll set up a small business for you, and remind me again in two years."

"I don't know how to do business."

Zhao Xinmei has a perpetually restless heart, while Qin Ling is the complete opposite. As long as they have enough to eat and wear, they are not very career-driven; their lives revolve around their children and family.

"Buy low, sell high!"

"I can do this. Does it pay more than a regular job or something?"

"In two years, companies like yours will have a hard time surviving. They'll either be merged or you'll be laid off. Instead of working for a company, you might as well start your own small business."

"Okay, I'll do as you say. Hmm..."

These past three days have turned into a shopping spree. Everything seems so amazing to us. The women have practically emptied the counters with their clothes.

The only two young boys were having a hard time keeping up.

"Second brother, this isn't about letting us broaden our horizons, it's about us becoming free labor for several stepmothers."

Niu Chengrui and Niu Chengzhi, two brothers, sat on a long bench on the first floor of Daimaru Department Store in Causeway Bay, with a stack of various bags beside them.

"Want one?"

"I don't dare to smoke, your mom will definitely tell my mom."

"You're eighteen already, and you're still so afraid of your mom."

"Aren't you afraid of your period?"

"Among her sisters, my mother was the one who could hit the most. I was traumatized by the beatings I received from a young age. The pain of being whipped with thin willow branches was excruciating."

"It's so tiring to talk to you. You're afraid of what's so embarrassing about your own mother."

"That's different. It's normal for us to be afraid of our own mothers when we're young, but we'll all be grown men in the future, so why should we be afraid of women?"

"You're so stubborn! Would you dare say that to your aunt's face?"

"To be honest, I'm not really afraid of her hitting me now. If she hits me, I'll run away. The main thing is, I have my unreliable father behind me!"

The children had already reached a consensus that Niu Dazhuang was unreliable.

The thought of his father beating people sent a chill down Niu Chengrui's spine.

Niu Dazhuang is often away from home for half the year, but he is also home for half the year. Whenever the child's biological mother complains, he doesn't ask for reasons or listen to her excuses.

Just one slap on the butt, not more than one, and the butt will swell up and leave five clear handprints... It will still hurt for ten days or eight months.

Niu Chengrui sighed and said, "Other families favor sons over daughters, and so does our family. But this 'favoritism' means that we beat them severely. My eldest sister and the others are all good. No matter what trouble they cause outside, they only get a scolding when they come back. Dad has never laid a finger on them."

"Alright, let's not talk about our painful childhood anymore. Let's talk about the present. It's been three days, and besides being porters, we haven't learned anything new!"

"Stop trying to trick me. If you have any ideas, just tell Dad directly. Don't drag me into it."

"I fought for it, and you benefited too, didn't you? You're not cut out for studying anyway, so what do you want to do if you're not going to continue?"

"Just muddle along. I don't want to work in a factory anyway."

"Look at you, so pathetic! Don't you ever think about making something of yourself and surpassing your good-for-nothing father?"

"I've always been there to cheer you on since I was little, and it's the same now. You and your older brother go ahead and make your moves, and I'll just follow along and have a taste of the good stuff."