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

Then he turned to Matchmaker Wang: "Aunt Wang, please start eating too, eat while it's hot."

These days, being able to eat meat is a very difficult thing.

Today, Wang, the matchmaker, not only tasted bananas she had never eaten before at the Jia family's house, but also enjoyed a truly sumptuous meal of meat dishes—a first in all her years of matchmaking.

After putting down her rice bowl, she tentatively suggested, "Qiuyue, why don't you let Dongming accompany you for a walk? He can give you a ride home later."

Madam Jia's eyes lit up, and she immediately chimed in, "Yes, yes, Dongming, why don't you ride your bike and take Miss Qiuyue to Beihai Park for a stroll? The scenery there is beautiful."

Upon hearing this, Bang Geng immediately exclaimed, "I want to go too! Uncle, take me!"

Little Dang parroted along, calling out, "Uncle, take Little Dang to play!"

Seeing the two children start making a fuss, Qin Huairu immediately put on a stern face: "Bang Geng! Xiao Dang! Stop fooling around."

Uncle and Aunt have important business to attend to; you two stay home quietly.

When Jia Zhangshi saw her grandson pouting, she quickly pulled him over and coaxed him, "My dear grandson, it won't work today."

"When your uncle has a day off, I'll have him take you to the park, okay?"

Bang Geng pouted, looking unwilling, but after listening to Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi's persuasion, he finally turned his head and muttered to Jia Dongming, "Then...then I'll play with my sister at home this week."

But Uncle, you promised you'd take us boating at Beihai Park next Monday.

Jia Dongming smiled and patted his head: "Don't worry, we'll go next weekend."

After saying that, he pushed the old-fashioned bicycle and walked out of the courtyard with Lin Qiuyue one after the other.

He stopped beside the car, strode onto the seat, and turned to Lin Qiuyue with a smile, saying, "Comrade Qiuyue, get in, let's head to Beihai now."

Lin Qiuyue had worked at the counter of the supply and marketing cooperative for several years and had seen all sorts of people. As a result, she was more poised and graceful than the average girl.

Without any hesitation, she gently placed her hand on Jia Dongming's waist and sat down smoothly on the back seat.

The sound of wheels rolling over the ground was soft and even, and the wind brushed past my ears.

Jia Dongming pedaled steadily, then suddenly spoke, his voice carried clearly by the wind: "Qiuyue, what do you think of me...?"

Lin Qiuyue's face flushed slightly; she understood perfectly what he meant.

She pursed her lips, her voice soft but clear: "I think you're a good person, honest, and reliable... I'd be happy to date you."

However, there's something I need to tell you first.

She paused for a moment, then said, "My job is to take over my mother's position, so if I get married in the future, I will have to give my mother twenty yuan every month to help support the family until my younger sister can also work and earn money."

Twenty yuan is a heavy sum for many families, but it didn't stir any emotion in Jia Dongming's heart.

His monthly salary is a little over one hundred yuan, and with other income, it's really not much.

Without hesitation, he replied, "My salary is 135 yuan, and I can also occasionally bring some wild game from the mountains to the factory, so I get about 200 yuan a month."

Once you're married, you can keep your own money, and I'll take care of the household expenses.

but……"

He paused for a moment, then said, "I also have something to tell you."

Hearing that he didn't mind her supporting her family, Lin Qiuyue felt relieved at first, and then felt a warmth in her heart.

Men like Jia Dongming, who are both well-off and have a straightforward personality, are truly rare.

She was no young woman, and she wasn't without her own concerns, so she immediately asked, "Tell me, what's going on?"

Jia Dongming gazed at the long alley ahead, his voice steady: "My younger brother had an accident at the factory last year and passed away."

He left behind his wife and three young children.

I'm the eldest, I can't just ignore them.

If you have no objections, I, Mingtian, will find someone to tidy up the house, and then... we'll get things done.

As Lin Qiuyue listened, the weight that had been weighing on her heart finally lifted.

She even let out a soft sigh of relief, her tone softening slightly: "Brother Dongming, this is only right."

As the eldest brother, taking care of your younger siblings, nephews, and nieces is both a matter of affection and your duty.

I have no objection.

Jia Dongming's lips curled up, and he stomped his feet more lightly: "Alright, it's settled then! I'll have my mom go find Matchmaker Wang later, and we'll formally propose marriage and discuss the proper etiquette at your house."

Lin Qiuyue quickly said, "Brother Dongming, the bride price is enough. Ten yuan is more than enough. There's no need to spend too much on anything else."

Jia Dongming laughed heartily, his voice filled with certainty: "No way! Marriage is the most important thing in life, and I have to marry you in a grand and glorious way. I can't let you suffer."

These words warmed Lin Qiuyue's heart. She lowered her head and whispered, "Mmm... I'll do whatever you say."

That afternoon, Jia Dongming accompanied Lin Qiuyue on a boat ride on Beihai Lake, enjoying the shimmering water and willow shadows until the sun began to set, before riding his bicycle to take her home.

***

After dropping Lin Qiuyue off at home, Jia Dongming turned the car around and headed straight for the neighborhood office.

Upon entering the courtyard, an elderly man in the guardhouse was drinking tea from an enamel mug.

Jia Dongming took out a cigarette from his pocket, pulled one out and handed it to him: "Grandpa, I'm busy."

I'd like to ask which department I should contact to complete the paperwork for house repairs?

The old man recognized him—this young man, who had only been back from military service for a few days, had already come several times.

He took the cigarette, sniffed it, and then slowly said, "Comrade Jia, the housing repair is under the jurisdiction of the Housing Management Department."

However, they are not working today.

You can just go inside and find Director Wang; it's the same thing.

Jia Dongming thanked him and turned to walk towards Director Wang's office.

The afternoon sun slanted through the glass windows of the street office, casting quiet patches of light on the concrete floor.

Jia Dongming stood in front of the half-closed door and knocked lightly twice.

"Director Wang, are you still busy?"

The person behind the desk looked up at the sound, a familiar smile immediately spreading across their face. "Oh, Section Chief Jia! Come in and have a seat."

"What brings you here on your day off?"

Jia Dongming walked into the house, sat down on a long wooden bench against the wall, and rubbed his hands together. "It's about the house."

The elders in my family have arranged a marriage for me, and I think it's time to tidy up the old house so that the newlyweds can move in.

Therefore, I'm troubling you to approve the repair permit.

"That's great news!"

Director Wang opened a drawer, took out a receipt book with red checkered lines, unscrewed the pen cap, and said, "I'll issue you a certificate right now."

The pen tip scratched across the paper, and then solemnly pressed a bright red official seal on top.

He handed over the thin piece of paper, saying, "Keep it safe."

"The rules are strict in this area. Without this order, you can't move a single brick or tile."

Thank you so much.

Jia Dongming carefully folded the approval slip, put it into the inner bag, and then tentatively asked, "Director, you are very knowledgeable. Do you know which craftsman is reliable? Repairing a house is a big deal, and we can't just hire anyone."

Director Wang leaned back, squinted, and thought for a moment. "Now that you mention it, there really is a suitable person."

In courtyard number thirty-six lives Master Lei, whose craftsmanship is passed down from his ancestors. His grandfather once served in the construction of the imperial palace.

"Whenever someone in this neighborhood needs someone with delicate skills, he's the first person they think of."

"Master Lei..."

Jia Dongming repeated in a low voice, a vague impression forming in his mind.

He got up, thanked them again, and without lingering any longer, turned and left.

The bicycle chain made a regular, soft creaking sound as it carried him through several alleys and stopped in front of a courtyard with blue bricks and gray tiles.

As soon as I stepped into the courtyard, I came face to face with a lean old man who was about to go out.

The old man stopped, his gaze scrutinizing him as he looked him up and down. "Comrade, which house are you looking for?"

Jia Dongming quickly pulled out a cigarette case from his pocket and offered one to the old man. "Sorry to bother you, sir."

I'm looking for Master Lei. He was recommended by Director Wang from the neighborhood office. I'd like to ask him for advice on some house repairs.

The old man's guard lowered. He took the cigarette, lit it with the light Jia Dongming offered, and took a deep drag. "What a coincidence, that's me."

He exhaled a wisp of smoke, his gaze softening. "Which department are you from? You look unfamiliar."

"I live in the winter courtyard of No. 95. I just moved here not long ago."

Jia Dongming quickly explained, "I'm preparing to get married, so I was thinking of renovating the house."

"Number 95 Winter Crossing..."

Master Lei squinted and looked into the distance, as if searching through old memories. "I remember that courtyard."

An engineer used to live in the steel rolling mill, but he was transferred away, leaving the place vacant for a while.

The factory even sent people to repair it once, and they even tidied up the toilets and shower rooms.

Jia Dongming was somewhat surprised. "You're absolutely right."

The factory has now assigned me that yard, and they're planning to renovate it inside and out.

"become."

Master Lei nodded readily, stubbed out his cigarette, and said, "Wait here for a moment, I'll grab my tools and go take a look with you."

Before long, he came out carrying a heavy old canvas bag.

Jia Dongming stepped on the kickstand, let the old master sit sideways in the back seat, and the wheels rolled over the stone road, heading back the way they came.

In just a few minutes, they were back in the courtyard house.

In the front yard, the three older women were squatting on the ground picking vegetables. When they saw them come in, they straightened up and wiped their hands on their aprons.

"Section Chief Jia, you're back? Oh, isn't this Master Lei?"

She greeted him with a smile, a hint of curiosity in her eyes, "Is there any progress on the matter of finding a girl?"

Jia Dongming propped up his bicycle, a smile appearing on his face. "Auntie, I was just about to tell you something."

The girl is a nice person, and we're both happy to be with her.

So, we quickly asked Master Lei to come and take a look at the house. Once it's all fixed up, we can rest assured that things will be done properly.

As he spoke, he led Master Lei toward the central courtyard.

As soon as they entered through the moon gate, Madam Jia Zhang heard the noise and came out from inside the house, lifting the curtain. Her hands were still wet, and she hurriedly wiped them on her clothes.

"Dongming, you saw him? How was it?"

She asked eagerly, her gaze shifting between her son and the old master craftsman.

"Mom, it's done."

Jia Dongming's voice was light and cheerful. "Qiuyue has no objections either."

"Let's ask Master Lei to take a look at our house first, and fix or repair anything that needs fixing."

Madam Jia was taken aback at first, then her eyes and brows relaxed, and she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. "Oh, this is wonderful! It's good that it's done, it's good that it's done!"

She kept muttering to herself, so happy she was almost flustered. Then she suddenly remembered something, "Then I'll go to Matchmaker Wang's place early this morning and ask her to go to Qiuyue's house to finalize everything."

Jia Dongming listened to Jia Zhangshi's words, glanced at the people present, and turned to Master Lei beside him to ask, "Master Lei, is this also my house?"

"Look at the height, could you partition it into two levels from the inside?"

Master Lei looked up and examined the old house, then replied, "Dong family, the ceiling of your house is indeed high enough, about six or seven meters high, so it's no problem to have two floors."

However, the specific layout needs to be determined after we go inside and check the dimensions.

Jia Dongming nodded: "Then let's go in and take a look."

The two went inside.

Master Lei pulled out a measuring tape from his tool bag, measured around, then took out a small notebook and scribbled for a moment before looking up and saying, "Downstairs, we can partition off a living room and two small bedrooms, while upstairs, we can arrange two more spacious bedrooms."

He then handed over a sheet of paper with a simple drawing on it.

Jia Dongming took the blueprints and glanced at them, then said with satisfaction, "Thank you for your hard work, Master Lei."

Let's go take a look over in my yard.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Xiao Dang, who was playing by the stone table, rushed over like a sparrow and hugged Jia Dongming's leg: "Uncle! Why did you take so long to come back? Xiao Dang missed you so much!"

Jia Dongming bent down and picked up the little girl, smiled at Master Lei, and then pointed to the courtyard and said, "I plan to build a small pavilion where this stone table is, so that there will be a cool place to rest in the summer."

Two jujube trees were planted on either side of the courtyard gate, and two grapevines were planted next to the pavilion near the old house.

Master Lei quickly bent down and wrote it down.

Jia Dongming led him toward the main house and then said, "I want to connect all five rooms from the inside."

The windows were all replaced with double-glazed windows, which are both bright and insulated from the cold.

The entire room has a suspended ceiling, but I need to leave a staircase entrance; I want to use the space upstairs as a storage room.