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

"I'm not taking it to heart at all. Even if he gets married, he'll still be just a young boy! Anyway, I'm leaving."

Well! Having gotten the truth out of Xu Huizhen, Chen Xueru didn't even go home; she went straight to the neighborhood committee.

After leaving Xu Huizhen's house, Niu Dazhuang strolled around, visiting herbal medicine shops three or four times before finally buying all the medicine he needed.

I got home, closed the door, and started fiddling with things. The thirty-odd yuan I'd just earned was gone in a flash, with over five yuan gone in no time.

Now I won't need to go to the pharmacy for the next two or three years.

It was already dark outside when Niu Dazhuang started cooking dinner.

When Niu Youliang arrived home, he smelled the stench: "Dazhuang, this is Beijing, be careful, don't leave a trail!"

It's a family secret recipe; Niu Youliang can tell what medicine Niu Dazhuang is preparing just by smelling it.

"Well, I don't have a specific goal, I'm just preparing to go out and do something."

Niu Youliang glanced at the bag and sat down on the kang (a heated brick bed): "Don't worry about finding a job. I've already asked someone for help today."

"Uncle, I've only been here for a day, why am I in such a hurry? There's a temple fair at Ditan Park tomorrow, I'll go check it out."

"Okay, go ahead and pack up the money. There are so many people at the temple fair, and plenty of people will buy Buddha's Hand citron!"

After dinner, Niu Youliang went out to chat idly. Niu Dazhuang, having nothing else to do and not being familiar with the people in the courtyard, also went out for a stroll.

Before I knew it, I was outside the tavern again.

Since you're here, let's have a drink.

"Two ounces, and a dish of peanuts."

"Oh! My cousin's here. I thought you were angry!" Xu Huizhen greeted him with a smile.

"Now that I'm in the capital, I'm not familiar with other places, so I just come here to hang out for a while after dinner since I have nothing else to do."

"My sister's treating today. We agreed that if you give me some ideas, I'll treat you."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Upon seeing a somewhat familiar face, Niu Dazhuang moved closer to a table.

Pian'erye was chatting excitedly: "Let me tell you, I met a deity on the overpass today. I wasn't the only one who saw it; many people saw it too."

"Old man, you're just bragging! There aren't even ghosts in broad daylight, let alone gods."

"Really, you should believe me. Why don't we go to the overpass and see? I bet there are people there kowtowing and burning incense right now."

Seeing how confident he was, the people around him all gathered around.

"Tell me, what's going on?"

After having a drink, Pian'er said, "At the beginning, it was just a regular magic trick. It was exciting, but it was nothing special. Guess what?"

"What's wrong?"

"The magician brought out a young man, but this man doesn't look like a celestial being at all..."

Hearing this, Niu Dazhuang quickly tried to hide when no one was looking. But then he thought, wait a minute, if the man had seen me today, he couldn't possibly not recognize me. This guy is really good at fooling people.

Niu Dazhuang sat comfortingly to the side and listened to his rambling.

Niu Dazhuang pondered to himself, "It seems best not to show up at the Ditan Temple Fair tomorrow. Although I can put on makeup, there's no guarantee that someone with ulterior motives won't take my place."

Even though I can't perform on stage, I still have to make it clear to them that I promised them something.

"Master Pian, Master Pian... Whether we can get through those three years safely depends on you." Niu Dazhuang thought of Master Pian from the original story.

This guy gets cocky once he has a little money, especially after a couple of drinks. He starts rambling on and on. I need to be careful about that when we do business together in the future...

"Come on, old man, have a drink!" Niu Dazhuang greeted him.

"Please go ahead! You don't look like anyone here!"

"I just arrived in Beijing. Xu Huizhen is my cousin."

"Oh, with this relationship, we're not outsiders." Pian'erye drank a cup of his own wine, and Niu Dazhuang refilled it for him with his own wine pot.

"You're too kind!"

"You said we're on the same side, one more!"

After the two drank another cup, Niu Dazhuang poured himself a cup; it wouldn't be appropriate to be too attentive on a first meeting.

Just like last night, when I got back to the courtyard house, it was already past nine o'clock, and there were still those same few figures squatting under the window of Jia Dongxu's house.

Niu Dazhuang smiled. It was a matter of no one interfering with anyone else. Just as Qin Huairu said, he was both bad at it and loved to play.

"Dongxu, not tonight. It's not easy for your mom to let us sleep together, but you're still the same as before. In less than half a month, you'll be sleeping outside again."

Just once!

Qin Huairu pushed away his outstretched hand: "Not even once. If you keep bothering me, I'll call you Mom."

"No, can't I just hold you?"

"No, if I keep hugging you, you'll get naughty." With that, Qin Huairu stood up and simply placed the small stick in the middle.

"Hmph! This is boring." Jia Dongxu continued.

"You can't be angry, it's all for your own good. What should I buy you at the temple fair tomorrow?"

"You have everything you need at home, why are you going to the temple fair?"

"Since I have nothing to do at home anyway, I might as well go out for a walk and see what's going on. It's not like I'm spending any money. Everyone in our compound who has nothing to do at home goes out."

"Whatever you want, just don't take Banggeng'er. Let Mom stay home and watch over her. Anyway, the Ditan Temple Fair isn't a one-day event."

"Okay, fine. Grandma Banggeng and I will take turns watching the kids at home, okay? Go to sleep."

Qin Huairu thought for a moment, since there were hardly any people left in the courtyard, then there was an opportunity...

The four people eavesdropping outside heard this and knew that there was no chance for them tonight, so they all quietly went to He Yuzhu's house.

"This isn't like Jia Dongxu at all!" Liu Guangqi spoke first.

"Hehe, isn't this great? Listening to it continuously gets boring," Yan Jiecheng said cheekily.

"Let's stop, let's stop, this is boring," He Yuzhu began to coax people.

The next morning, Qin Huairu got dressed and looked outside. When she saw a familiar figure go out, she quickly got off the kang (a heated brick bed), picked up the chamber pot, and went out.

I quickened my pace and caught up with Niu Dazhuang ahead of me.

"Ahem..." Please cough twice to remind Niu Dazhuang.

After the two of them had left the gate.

Qin Huairu said softly, "They all went to the temple fair today, I'm staying home to look after the kids." After saying that, she quickly passed Niu Dazhuang.

"Hey, this sister-in-law is really something!"

Before Niu Youliang even left the house, Niu Dazhuang went out, running and stumbling to the inn where Wang Baoguo and the others were staying.

Upon meeting the person, I cut to the chase and said, "I'm not going. The rumors about yesterday are getting even more outrageous!"

Just as Niu Dazhuang was about to turn around, Wang Baoguo grabbed his arm: "Brother, don't misunderstand. If you don't want to go, then don't go. I saw that you were quite interested in disguise yesterday. Er Ya, give that beard and the potion to Brother Dazhuang, let's make a good connection."

Niu Dazhuang really liked it, so he didn't stand on ceremony: "Then I won't be polite."

After collecting his belongings, Niu Dazhuang headed back. When he returned, the bustling scene of the servants was still just as lively.

Although there are fewer women doing housework, there are still plenty of children.

The neighbors were also afraid that their children would get lost if they took them to the temple fair.

When Qin Huairu saw Niu Dazhuang return, she said loudly, "Dazhuang, the fabric you asked me to buy for you yesterday is back. Do you like it? If you don't, we can return it."