The Courtyard House: The story begins with He Yuzhu beating up the White Widow.

Yan Bugui glared at Yan Jiecheng with his already small eyes and said, "What's wrong with your father taking a few cigarette butts from you?!"

Yan Jiecheng held out his hand and said, "Give me the money!"

"Give me money?! Give me what money?!" Yan Jiecheng spoke of money as if it were the death knell for Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui stubbed out his cigarette and roared at Yan Jiecheng.

Yan Jiecheng said, "Do you think it's easy for me to collect so many cigarette butts?! These cigarette butts contain tobacco shreds inside. If you pick out these shreds, roll them back into cigarettes, you can buy three cigarettes for one cent outside. The cigarette butts you took could make at least fifty cigarettes. I won't ask for more from you. Just give me two cents, and this matter will be over."

How could Yan Bugui, who was as stingy as a man, possibly obediently give in and hand over money?! Yan Bugui said, "I'll give you money. Now that you're earning money, shouldn't you pay for your food and rent?!"

"What food money?! What rent?! You gave birth to me, so it's all my responsibility. Otherwise, why did you bring me into this world?! Since you don't want to pay, then forget it! I'll remember this debt. I'll settle it with you later when the interest has ballooned!" With that, Yan Jiecheng stormed out.

Watching Yan Jiecheng's retreating figure, Yang Ruihua asked, "Old Yan, who taught Jiecheng to say that?! He wasn't like this before."

"You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask?!" Then Yan Bugui changed the subject and continued, "But then again, Jie Cheng has learned to be shrewd now, at least he won't suffer losses outside."

The backyard, the Liu family's house.

Liu Haizhong had drunk two glasses of wine and was a little tipsy. Thinking about how He Daqing had treated him to a meal without inviting him, a nameless rage surged within him. Inadvertently, Liu Haizhong saw his second son, Liu Guangtian, secretly eating the splattered oil from the edge of the plate of scrambled eggs with his cornbread. This action became the fuse that ignited Liu Haizhong's rage. Liu Haizhong pulled out his belt and lashed it at Liu Guangtian. Liu Guangtian couldn't dodge in time and took the full force of the blow. Stunned and before Liu Guangtian could react, Liu Haizhong swung the belt again and lashed out at him.

After being hit twice, Liu Guangtian finally realized what was happening. Forgetting he wasn't full, he dashed out the door. Seeing the situation was dire, Liu Guangfu grabbed a cornbread bun from the table and ran after him.

Liu Haizhong yelled at his two sons' retreating figures, "Run! Run away and don't come back!"

Ma Cuilan advised, "Old Liu, why are you getting so angry for no reason?!"

Liu Haizhong said, "Eating is like being a person; you have to be proper and upright. That kid Guangtian, where is his uprightness at all?! What?! Can't I, as his father, discipline him?!"

Ma Cuilan sighed inwardly and said, "Old Liu, I didn't say that."

Liu Haizhong snorted and put his belt on the corner of the table, completely ignoring what had happened to him as an official. He continued drinking and eating his favorite scrambled eggs.

"Dad! Mom! I'm back!" Lou Xiao'e got out of the car, carrying a basket as she walked into the small villa.

Seeing what Lou Xiao'e was holding, Tan Lingya smiled and asked, "What did you bring back this time?!"

Lou Xiao'e said, "He Yuzhu built a shed on the open space behind his house. He grew a lot of vegetables inside. They're all ready to eat now."

Tan Lingya took the basket, looked at the contents, and said with a smile, "Oh my?! I never knew He Yuzhu had this skill!"

Lou Zhenhua put down his newspaper and asked, "What kind of things are these?!"

Tan Lingya said, "Cucumbers, persimmons, eggplants, and other similar fruits and vegetables."

Lou Zhenhua said with a smile, "These things aren't unusual in summer. But now, they're all considered good stuff."

Lou Xiao'e, looking pleased with herself, ran to Lou Zhenhua's side and said, "Dad! I've made arrangements with He Yuzhu. He'll be bringing us vegetables this winter."

Lou Zhenhua smiled and reached out to pat Lou Xiao'e's head, saying, "Thanks to our Xiao'e, we'll have a lot more dishes on the table this year."

Without Jia Zhangshi and Yi Zhonghai's courtyard house, things were relatively peaceful. Before they knew it, it was Qingming Festival. That day, He Yuzhu took leave, and together with He Yushui and Zhang Dabiao's belongings, they went out.

When He Yuzhu brought He Yushui to his mother's grave, Wang Xia was already waiting there.

"Aunt Wang!" He Yuzhu and He Yushui called out in unison, putting down what they were carrying and walking up to Wang Xia. He Yuzhu asked, "Aunt Wang, you must have been here for a long time!"

Wang Xia smiled and replied, "I just arrived too." Then she asked, "Is your uncle's tombstone ready yet?!"

"All done!" He Yuzhu walked to the bushes not far away, parted the bushes, and took out a tombstone and a wooden box shaped like a coffin.

He Yuzhu placed Zhang Dabiao's belongings into the wooden box. Then he picked up a hoe and began digging a pit. After working for about half an hour, He Yuzhu stopped when he saw that the digging was almost complete. He placed the wooden box into the pit, filled it with soil, erected the tombstone, lit incense and candles, and placed the offerings.

Wang Xia said, "Da Biao, your nephew buried you next to your sister. Your family can finally be reunited."

Wang Xia had barely finished speaking when Wu Yonghua and her husband arrived. He Yuzhu turned around at the sound, saw Wu Yonghua and Xing Zhiguo, and paused for a moment, thinking to himself, "Isn't that Deputy Regiment Commander Xing?!"

Xing Zhiguo walked past He Yuzhu to Zhang Dabiao's grave, bowed three times, glanced at He Yuzhu and his sister, and finally looked at Wang Xia, saying, "Old Wang, we meet again."

"Yes! We meet again!" Wang Xia unconsciously recalled some things from the past. Then she sighed.

Wu Yonghua comforted Wang Xia for a few moments, then looked at He Yuzhu and said, "You didn't expect this, did you?! We meet again."

He Yuzhu nodded and echoed, "That's really unexpected."

"Thank you for what happened last time. If you ever have any difficulties in the future, feel free to come to the District Women's Federation to find me." After saying that, Wu Yonghua took out a piece of paper with an address and phone number written on it from her pocket and handed it to He Yuzhu.

He Yuzhu put away the note, said "Thank you!" and then looked at Xing Zhiguo.

Xing Zhiguo sighed, hesitated for a moment, stared at He Yuzhu and his sister, and said, "I'm leaving now!"

After Xing Zhiguo and Wu Yonghua left, He Yuzhu pretended to be clueless and asked, "Aunt Wang, who are those two people?!"

Wang Xia said, "That man's name is Xing Zhiguo. He's your uncle's former comrade-in-arms. The other one is Wu Yonghua, Xing Zhiguo's wife. When you get back, come to my office."

"Yes!" He Yuzhu responded. After the candles had burned down to almost nothing, he burned some paper money, put away the offerings, and then left the cemetery with He Yushui and Wang Xia.