Courtyard House: I, the eldest son of the Jia family, have returned from the battlefield.

If anything happens to Father, please remember to call the doctor.

It was late at night, almost eleven o'clock. Jia Dongming was riding his bicycle with Qin Huairu sitting on the back.

The oxcart followed slowly behind, carrying the three members of the Qin family—uncle and nephew—back to the courtyard gate.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed.

Jia Dongming stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out, "Third Uncle, please open the door."

Yan Bugui had anticipated that they would return late, so he waited by the headboard, fully clothed.

Hearing a noise in his drowsy state, he snapped awake, grabbed his flashlight, and rushed outside, calling out, "Coming, coming! Section Chief Jia, please wait a moment!"

The latch was pulled down, and the courtyard gate creaked open.

Yan Bugui leaned forward and asked with concern, "Section Chief Jia, how did Huairu's father's surgery go?"

Jia Dongming casually pulled a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes from his pocket, stuffed it into Yan Bugui's arms, and said with a smile, "Thanks to you, the surgery went very smoothly."

Yan Bugui, clutching the pack of cigarettes, immediately beamed with a smile, repeatedly saying, "That's good, that's good!"

Jia Dongming turned to Qin Huairu and instructed her: "Push the cart in first, go to the kitchen to boil some water, make a few bowls of noodles for Second Uncle and the others, and heat up that can of beef so everyone can have something to eat."

I helped bring the oxcart in.

Qin Huairu knew in her heart that Jia Dongming was trying to save face for her in front of her family.

She wasn't ungrateful, so without saying a word, she deftly pushed her bicycle into the yard.

Yan Bugui, who was standing nearby, heard "canned beef".

And "noodles"

His eyes lit up, and he quickly stuffed the cigarette into his pocket, then warmly stepped forward: "Section Chief Jia, it's just a small favor, I'll help lift the car too."

Seeing Yan Bugui reach out to help lift the oxcart, Jia Dongming saw through his intentions but didn't point it out. He simply said, "Thank you for your trouble, Uncle. I'll thank you another day."

The oxcart wheels rolled over the threshold and into the courtyard. Jia Dongming turned to Yan Bugui and called out, "There's some noodles cooking on the stove, Third Uncle. If you don't mind the lateness, why don't you have some?"

In the dead of night, if Yan Bugui could get a pack of cigarettes and a bowl of hot soup noodles, he would be overjoyed.

He rubbed his hands together, a slightly embarrassed smile on his face: "Since Section Chief Jia has said so, then I'll take the liberty of bothering you."

After the second son of the Qin family tied up the ox securely, the group entered the main room.

The soft clatter of spatulas against the stove came from the kitchen, where Qin Huairu was busy at work.

Jia Dongming glanced into the inner room and ordered loudly, "Huairu, besides that can of beef, heat up the can of pork as well."

"Fry some eggs, grab a handful of peanuts, and today I have to have a couple of drinks with my second and third uncles and your brother."

Hearing her uncle's warm greeting to her family, Qin Huairu felt a surge of warmth in her heart and worked even faster: "The noodles will be ready soon, you can have some before drinking."

"become."

Jia Dongming nodded and added, "Pour the meat and juice from the can onto the noodles."

Oh, and Uncle San is here too, so make an extra bowl of noodles.

Upon hearing Yan Bugui's name, Qin Huairu's lips curled slightly, and she muttered under her breath, "That old Yan has a sharp nose."

Upon hearing this, Jia Dongming simply smiled and shook his head: "It's just a little food."

They've been guarding the door for most of the night, don't make a fuss about it."

After saying that, he turned and walked outside, then smiled at the people inside and said, "The wine is inside, I'll go get it."

Let's sit for a while and have a few drinks to relax.

Yan Bugui squeezed the pack of cigarettes in his pocket, and thinking of the food and wine he was about to eat, the smile lines at the corners of his eyes deepened.

Upon hearing the word "wine," the Qin family members...

As he spoke, his throat bobbed involuntarily, and a simple, honest smile spread across his face.

The second son of the Qin family rubbed his hands and said repeatedly, "It's too much trouble. Just make something simple. Don't make Huairu too busy."

Jia Dongming went into the inner room and came out in the blink of an eye carrying two bottles of Xifeng liquor.

When I returned to the main room, a bowl of noodles was already set on the table—thin noodles mixed with lard, topped with piles of dark brown beef chunks, the steam and meaty aroma wafting straight into my nose.

Yan Bugui stared at the snow-white noodles, mentally calculating: "This fine white flour... I haven't seen it for a while."

It was worth it to guard the gate tonight.

Jia Dongming put the bottle of wine on the table: "Eat the noodles while they're hot first, then we can drink slowly."

Before long, Qin Huairu brought in two dishes: one dish of glistening peanuts and the other of golden scrambled eggs.

She smiled and said to her uncles and aunts, "It's late, and there's not much good food. Please make do with what you have."

Such a scene is rare even in the countryside during the Lunar New Year, let alone on ordinary days.

The second son of the Qin family stared at the table, then smelled the aroma of the wine spreading, and suddenly sighed, "Huairu, it's been years since your second uncle has had such a good meal."

The third brother picked up his wine glass, squinted at it, and said, "This wine... is a first for us too."

Jia Dongming raised his glass and gestured to the Qin family members: "You all heard what the doctor said at the hospital during the day."

If you hadn't delivered it in time, Huairu's father might have been in danger.

This first glass is for everyone.

Upon hearing this, the second son of the Qin family hurriedly stood up, holding his cup with both hands: "What Uncle Bang Geng said is outrageous! Our eldest brother is sick, how can we brothers not care? It's our duty, our duty."

After Qin's second son finished speaking, Jia Dongming simply smiled slightly, picked up his glass of wine and gently clinked it with everyone at the table before saying in a low voice, "Second Uncle is too kind."

Now that Huairu has entered my family, we are family.

This is a family matter; there's no need to distinguish between "yours" and "mine." Come, let's all drink this toast together.

When Qin Huairu first married into the city, she was filled with anticipation for a better life.

But once she stepped into the Jia family's house, she gradually realized that life in the city was not much easier than in the countryside.

The hardest time was the three years of famine, when the Jia family barely had anything to eat.

Her mother-in-law was mean-spirited and lazy, and she wouldn't let go of the money in her hands. Even if Qin Huairu wanted to send some winter treats to her family, she was always powerless to do so.

I remember in 1961, her father came to the city in the dark to find his daughter because his family had run out of food.

At that time, the Jia family relied entirely on Jia Dongming's ration and had to rely on the help of neighbors to barely survive.

Not only did Qin's father fail to borrow a single grain of rice on this trip, but he was also scolded by Jia Zhangshi. He didn't even get a sip of hot water before turning around and returning to Qin Family Village.

This time, my father was seriously ill. If we hadn't really run out of options, my parents would never have come to our door in the middle of the night to beg for help, given their temperaments.

Qin Huairu knew in her heart that if Jia Dongming hadn't happened to come back, she wouldn't have been able to raise enough money for medical treatment, no matter how anxious she was.

These past few days have felt like a dream.

Her gaze quietly fell on Jia Dongming, who was drinking with someone, and a slight stirring rose in her heart, a warmth she couldn't quite explain.

The wine was finished and the guests had left; it was nearly midnight.

The dishes on the table were spotless; Yan Bugui and the Qin family had eaten everything.

Yan Bugui bid farewell with satisfaction, humming an off-key tune as he returned to his house.

The three women had already gone to bed, but were awakened by the aroma of meat mixed with the smell of alcohol. They groggily opened their eyes, looked at Yan Bugui standing by the bed, and mumbled, "Where have you been drinking in the middle of the night?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's face immediately lit up with smugness. He lowered his voice and said, "Xu Damao used to be the most generous person in the courtyard, but now it's a different story! Guess how Jia Dongming thanked me when I opened the door for the Jia family tonight?"

The old woman sniffed and replied without thinking, "Judging from your smell, you must have gone to the Jia family for drinks."

Yan Bugui became even more smug, sat down on the edge of the bed, and said in detail: "As soon as Jia Dongming came back, he stuffed a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes into my hand. It cost 36 cents! Later, I heard that he was going to invite Qin Huairu's family members, so I pretended to help carry the winter groceries, and he casually invited me."

Hey, you wouldn't believe it, their noodles are made with refined white flour, they're generous with the lard, and they even top it with slices of beef—the taste is absolutely amazing!

Hearing this, the third aunt's stomach growled, and she quickly asked, "Didn't you bring anything back?"

Recalling the way the Qin family members had been ravenously eating, Yan Bugui snorted irritably, "Those guys had their eyes glued to the bowls, licking them clean better than if they'd been washed. There wasn't a single thing left!"

Upon hearing this, the three women rubbed their stomachs in disappointment and complained, "You've made me even hungrier... Quick, get me a cornbread to tide me over."

Yan Bugui frowned: "It's already past midnight, just bear with it and it will be dawn soon."

"If we eat it all together when we cook breakfast, we can save one!"

The auntie paused for a moment, then realized what she meant and nodded, turning over to say, "That's true, I'll sleep a little longer then."

The next morning at seven o'clock, a crisp "ding" sounded.

The sound echoed in Jia Dongming's mind, as if an invisible bell had awakened him from his slumber.

"Daily check-in is ready. Would you like to check in?"

Jia Dongming opened his eyes, his mind not yet fully awake, but his inner voice instinctively responded: "Sign in."

The moment Jia Dongming confirmed receiving the item in his mind, the ordinary sounds around him suddenly shed their veil and became exceptionally clear.

The slight fluttering of sparrows' wings under the eaves, the whispering chatter of the neighbor's wife, and even the rustling of insects crawling across withered leaves at the base of the courtyard wall—all these sounds entered my ears in distinct layers.

The world of sound and breath within a radius of fifty meters was now completely open to him.

While he was still on the couch, savoring the strange change in his hearing, a clear, bright child's voice rang out from the courtyard: "Uncle! Breakfast is ready!"

Jia Dongming stood up in response, put on his clothes and went out. He saw Bang Geng standing in the yard next to a yellow ox, holding Qin Huairen's sleeve.

The ox slowly chewed on the vegetable scraps, while Banggeng tilted his little face up, his eyes shining: "Uncle, can I ride this ox to school?"

Qin Huairen couldn't help but chuckle, patting the dried mud off the ox's back: "Silly child, look how dirty you are. Riding on you will ruin your new clothes."

Upon hearing this, Bang Geng's face immediately fell, and he said dejectedly, "Then...then I'll just ride in Uncle's car."

At this moment, the second son of the Qin family saw Jia Dongming and greeted him with a smile, "Brother Dongming, did you rest well?"

"Thanks to you, I slept soundly all night."

Jia Dongming responded with a smile, but at the same time he caught the crisp sound of bowls and chopsticks clinking in the kitchen, the crackling of firewood in the stove, and the faint crowing of roosters at the village entrance in the distance.

The cacophony of sounds did not distract him; he felt he had everything under control.

The second son of the Qin family savored the wine from last night, smacked his lips, and said, "I've lived half my life, and this is the first time I've had a couple of sips so late at night. I fell asleep as soon as I lay down. It was truly fragrant and delicious."

Just then, Qin Huairu poked her head out from the main room: "Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, the porridge is getting cold!"

Jia Dongming nodded to the second son of the Qin family: "Please take your seats first, I'll wash my face and be right there."

Breakfast was a light rice porridge, cooked until thick and soft, served with golden cornbread and two dishes of dark-colored pickled vegetables.

Because Qin's father disliked oily and fishy foods, there was not a single piece of meat on the table.

When Jia Dongming stepped into the main room, he saw that no one at the table had touched their chopsticks, and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you all waiting? Weren't we supposed to eat first?"

Bang Geng quickly replied, "Second Uncle said that you are the head of the household and must wait for you."

Jia Dongming ruffled the child's hair, gesturing for everyone to start eating.

As the Qin family members drank the smooth rice porridge and ate simple cornbread, their eyes couldn't help but reveal their longing for city life.

The porridge was fragrant and the cornbread was substantial; though simple, it conveyed a rare sense of peace and security at that moment.

Jia Dongming slowly sipped his porridge, his gaze sweeping over everyone, and said to Qin Huairu, "You'll be bringing meals to the hospital these days, so you can ride my bicycle; it'll be more convenient."

Qin Huairu quickly waved her hand: "How can that be! You have to run errands every day, you can keep the car yourself."

The hospital isn't far; I can walk there.

"If we walk there and back, we'll be late for the factory work."

Jia Dongming's tone was gentle but left no room for argument: "We need to make another delivery at noon. Without a vehicle, how can we keep up with the schedule?"

Qin Huairu pondered for a moment, then, realizing she would have to return at noon, she stopped refusing: "Then... lend it to me for a few days."

"I'll return it to you as soon as my father is discharged from the hospital and recovers at home."

Upon hearing this, Bang Geng quickly swallowed the porridge in his mouth, looked up, and asked, "Uncle, Mom rode the bike, what am I going to do?"

Jia Dongming glanced at him, deliberately putting on a stern face: "When I wasn't back, did you fly to school? I only gave you a ride for a few days, and your legs have already gotten lazy?"

Bang Geng shrank back and muttered softly, "That's not what I meant... I meant, should I go with you or with Mom's car...?"