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

Just as He Yuzhu finished setting off a string of firecrackers and was about to light a double-bang, several younger children rushed out of the yard, searching through the firecracker debris for any unexploded or duds. Seeing this, He Yuzhu hesitated for a moment, then took out a string of firecrackers and called out, "Liu Guangtian!"

Liu Guangtian was taken aback, looked up at He Yuzhu, and asked, "Brother Zhu, what's wrong?!"

"Come here!" He Yuzhu called Liu Guangtian over and said, "You guys take this string of firecrackers and divide it up."

"Hey! Thanks, Brother Zhu!" Liu Guangtian took the firecrackers from He Yuzhu and ran to the side to distribute them. He Yuzhu looked at Liu Guangtian's lively appearance and thought to himself, "This kid's resilience is really strong!" Then He Yuzhu set off another string of firecrackers, eighteen double-bang firecrackers, before going home looking like he hadn't had enough.

At two o'clock in the morning, He Yuzhu and He Daqing finished making dumplings. He Daqing said, "Zhuzi, I'm going to take a nap. You should also go and get some rest."

"Yes!" He Yuzhu responded and got up to leave the living room.

However, for He Yuzhu, tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. He returned to his room, made a cup of coffee, and sat down in a chair. Listening to the continuous sounds of firecrackers outside, he unconsciously drifted into a daze: "It's been over a year since I came to this world. I never imagined so many things would happen in this time. Yi Zhonghai is down. The deaf old lady is finished too. Jia Zhangshi is still in jail. Now, apart from Yan Bugui, the entire courtyard is relatively peaceful. Everyone says that coming to this world is for fighting beasts. But now it seems these beasts are nothing more than that. Without beasts, the courtyard loses its fun?! But there's still everyone's life. What should my life be like from now on?!" Thinking of this, He Yuzhu unconsciously picked up his teacup and took a sip of coffee. The bitter coffee stimulated his taste buds, pulling his thoughts back to reality.

Meanwhile, the Lou family.

Lou Zhenhua helped Lou Xiao'e set off some firecrackers in the courtyard before returning to the living room. Tan Lingya brought the bird's nest soup that had been warming on the stove to Lou Zhenhua. Lou Zhenhua took the porcelain bowl, stirred the contents with a spoon, and asked, "Guodong and Guoliang wrote letters?!"

"Hmm!" Tan Lingya responded, and said, "Guoliang graduated from university and joined Jardine Matheson. Guodong plans to leave HSBC and start his own company. Also, they mentioned some things about the first, second, and third wives in the letter." After hesitating for a moment, Tan Lingya took out the letter and handed it to Lou Zhenhua.

Lou Zhenhua put the bowl he was holding on the coffee table, took the envelope, and began to read the letters. After about ten minutes, Lou Zhenhua finished reading the letters from Lou Guodong and Lou Guoliang, sighed, and said, "It seems some people are really ambitious. They think I, Lou Zhenhua, will be trapped in the country for the rest of my life and can't leave, so they're in a hurry to find a backer." He then looked up at Tan Lingya and asked, "Do you regret staying in the country with me?!"

Tan Lingya said, "What's there to regret?! It's the path I chose, what's there to regret?! Besides, even though they were ahead of me in the marriage registration process, whether in the past or now, my name is always on the marriage certificate."

Lou Zhenhua laughed! His laughter was filled with pride, a touch of melancholy, and the loneliness of a fallen hero. Lou Xiao'e walked in from outside and asked, "Dad, what are you laughing at?! What's making you so happy?!"

Lou Zhenhua asked, "Xiao'e, are you willing to go to Hong Kong with your father?!"

Lou Xiao'e asked, "Are you and my mom going too?!"

Lou Zhenhua shook his head and replied, "Your mother and I aren't going."

Lou Xiao'e replied directly, "If you don't go, I won't go either. If I leave, you'll have no one left to rely on. Besides, what's so great about the outside world?!" As she said this, He Yuzhu's face involuntarily appeared in Lou Xiao'e's mind.

Lou Zhenhua beckoned Lou Xiao'e to his side, put his arm around her, and said, "You're such a thoughtful daughter!"

Lou Xiao'e couldn't help but smile when she heard the word "thoughtful." Tan Lingya asked curiously, "Xiao'e, what are you laughing at?!"

Lou Xiao'e came to her senses and said with a smile, "Mom, I was thinking about when I was playing with He Yushui, she inadvertently mentioned what her brother thought of her."

Tan Lingya asked, "What did her brother say about her?!"

Lou Xiao'e replied, "Thoughtful black-hearted cotton." Then Lou Xiao'e explained the origin of this nickname. After listening to Lou Xiao'e's explanation, Lou Zhenhua and Tan Lingya both laughed.

After the laughter subsided, Lou Zhenhua asked, "Master He's son is still working for the Military Control Commission?!"

"Yes!" Lou Xiao'e hesitated for a moment, then continued, "He said he wasn't suited to be a worker. Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen to work for the Military Control Commission. For the next twenty or thirty years, being a worker will be the safest profession."

"The next twenty or thirty years?!" Lou Zhenhua muttered, then said, "He Yuzhu is no simpleton! He's using your words to remind me. We should remember this favor."

Tan Lingya looked at Lou Zhenhua with a puzzled expression and asked, "You're planning to become a factory worker?!"

Lou Zhenhua said, "With my health, I'd better not be a factory worker!" Then, Lou Zhenhua looked around the living room and said, "Besides, too many people know me, Lou Zhenhua. Even if I were willing to give up, no one would believe me. Let's take it one step at a time! If it really doesn't work out, we'll leave. People thrive when they move, trees die when they're transplanted. We can come back later when we're able to." After saying that, Lou Zhenhua looked at Lou Xiao'e and said, "My daughter is so thoughtful."

Lou Xiao'e sat with her parents in the living room for a while before going back to her room to rest. Lou Zhenhua lit a cigar, took a couple of puffs, and said, "Lingya, you've really had a hard time these past few years."

Tan Lingya said, "We're an old married couple, what's so difficult about that?!"

Lou Zhenhua didn't say much, stared at Tan Lingya for a while, and then advised, "You should go back to your room and rest first! I'll sit for a while longer." After saying that, Lou Zhenhua changed to a more comfortable sitting position and leaned back on the sofa.

After Tan Lingya left, Butler Fu approached Lou Zhenhua. Lou Zhenhua asked, "Any news about Guoqiang and the others?!"

Butler Fu said, "Master, there's been no news from Young Master Guoqiang and the others. However, news has come from Aunt's side. The First Madam and the Second Madam have been in contact with Aunt. They seem to know that Aunt has some of your money."

Lou Zhenhua sighed and said, "Letting them out too soon has made them too wild. We can't touch our son and daughter, but we can manage them. Go and make the arrangements. After the New Year, we'll go to the port city."

"Yes!" Butler Fu replied and turned to leave.