I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

The car drove smoothly along the tree-lined avenue in the municipal party committee's residential area. Li Jing'an sat by the window, his gaze slowly sweeping across the scenery. This place was completely different from the steel mill's staff dormitories and ordinary courtyards. The roads were wide and clean, and the tall plane trees on both sides were lush and leafy. Even in winter, when the leaves had fallen, they still exuded a solemn and orderly atmosphere. Rows of courtyard walls stood neatly arranged, built of blue bricks, with exquisite iron gates. Inside the courtyards, one could vaguely see neatly trimmed flowers and trees and spacious courtyards. Occasionally, well-dressed officials would stroll by slowly. Even the air seemed quieter than outside, and everything exuded the weight of status and position.

Li Jing'an clicked his tongue inwardly in amazement. This was truly a high-rise residential area, a place ordinary people could never set foot in their entire lives. Wei Jialing, standing beside him, gently took his arm, resting her head slightly on his shoulder, her tone soft yet teasing: "My dad will be home in a little while. He just wants to see you and have a meal together. Don't be nervous."

Li Jing'an glanced down at the hand linked with his, a composed smile playing on his lips. He gently patted the back of her hand, his confidence unwavering: "Nervous? When have I, Li Jing'an, ever been nervous? In terms of ability, in terms of handling affairs, in terms of appearance, what do I lack? I'm perfectly composed when meeting elders."

Wei Jialing was amused by his confident demeanor and hugged his arm, saying, "You're just being vain."

The car slowly came to a stop in front of a two-story detached villa with an attic. Li Jing'an opened the car door, stood up with the box of snacks he had prepared in advance, and looked up at the building in front of him.

The small building features off-white walls with dark brown wooden frames, an elegant pointed roof, bright and airy floor-to-ceiling windows, and clean and tidy bluestone steps in front of the door. Two pots of hardy green plants are placed on either side, giving the building an overall impression of grandeur without being ostentatious.

Li Jing'an's gaze darkened slightly, a thought flashing through his mind: He could be replaced. One day, he too would possess such a residence, such a status.

Unaware of his thoughts, Wei Jialing reached out and grabbed his wrist, her steps light and quick: "Come on, let's go inside."

The two pushed open the door and entered, greeted by a spacious and bright living room. In the center stood a set of dark brown genuine leather sofas, with a heavy feel. Opposite was a wooden TV cabinet, on which sat a rare black and white television. On the wall hung a calligraphy work with bold strokes, and in the corner stood an exquisite floor lamp. A plain-colored carpet was laid on the floor. Every piece of furniture exuded a simple yet high-end feel. There were no unnecessary clutters, and the place was neat and elegant.

Seated on the sofa was a dignified-looking, composed middle-aged man—Wei's father. Wei Jialing immediately released Li Jing'an's hand, stepped forward, and called out crisply, "Dad!" Then she turned and pointed to Li Jing'an, "This is Li Jing'an."

Li Jing'an immediately composed himself, stepped forward, and greeted the man respectfully with a straight posture: "Hello, Uncle."

Mr. Wei slowly raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over him indifferently. He nodded slightly and pointed to the single sofa beside him: "Sit down. You're already here. Why bring anything? It's too formal."

"It's my first time visiting, so I can't come empty-handed. Here's a small token of my appreciation." Li Jing'an placed the box of pastries on the coffee table beside him before sitting down as instructed.

Wei Jialing plopped down next to him, looked around, and asked, "Dad, where's Mom?"

"They're preparing fruit in the kitchen." Just as Mr. Wei finished speaking, footsteps came from the direction of the kitchen, and Mrs. Wei came out carrying a white porcelain fruit plate, followed by a neatly dressed nanny.

Li Jing'an immediately stood up and politely greeted, "Hello, Auntie."

"Oh, please sit down, please sit down, don't be shy." Mother Wei smiled gently, her eyes filled with kindness. She placed a fruit plate in front of the two of them, which contained apples, pears, and oranges, all of which were carefully selected fresh fruits. Then she sat down next to Father Wei, her gaze gently falling on Li Jing'an, full of scrutiny.

Wei Jialing picked up a pear and skillfully began peeling it with a fruit knife.

Looking at Li Jing'an, Wei's father smiled faintly and spoke first: "Little Li, I know a little about your situation. You just transferred from the army not long ago. You were also commended for your bravery and were elected as a representative of the district people's congress. Not bad, young people have a sense of responsibility."

"Uncle, you flatter me. It was just a coincidence. Anyone would have lent a hand in that situation." Li Jing'an was humble and unassuming.

"Dad, what's that? Why don't you pull some strings for Jing'an and make him a municipal people's congress representative?" Wei Jialing interjected without looking up as she peeled a pear.

Li Jing'an quickly reached out and gently tugged at her sleeve, giving her a meaningful look.

Wei's father immediately glared at Wei Jialing, then turned to Li Jing'an and softened his tone: "Don't take it to heart. Her brother is in the army and rarely comes home. She's their only daughter, and she's been spoiled since she was little. She's very outspoken and doesn't know how to hold her tongue. You should be more tolerant of her in the future."

"Uncle, don't worry, I think Jialing is fine this way. She's genuine and unpretentious, and she doesn't have any bad intentions," Li Jing'an quickly said, giving face to Wei's father while also appeasing Wei Jialing.

Wei Jialing immediately beamed with joy, handed the peeled pear to Li Jing'an, and even glared at her father triumphantly, looking completely unconcerned.

At this moment, Wei's mother spoke up with a smile, her tone friendly: "Little Li, I haven't asked about your family situation yet. Tell me about it, Auntie?"

Li Jing'an held the pear, not in a hurry to eat it, and sat up straight to answer seriously: "Auntie, there are four people in my family: my parents, my sister and me. My sister is already married. My father is a factory worker, and my mother stays at home to take care of the housework. Our family is of average means."

Mother Wei nodded gently, secretly calculating in her heart: the family background is simple, there are no complicated relatives, and the parents are honest and law-abiding, which will save a lot of trouble in the future. She was even more satisfied with Li Jing'an.

Mr. Wei then asked, "So, how's your work at the steel rolling mill going? Is it going smoothly?"

"It went quite smoothly. The factory leaders and colleagues took good care of me, and I got along well with them in all aspects," Li Jing'an replied steadily, neither exaggerating nor being humble.

Mr. Wei nodded in satisfaction, and then learned more about Li Jing'an.

The nanny came out of the kitchen and quietly announced, "Madam, dinner is ready. We can eat now."

Mother Wei looked at Father Wei, who nodded slightly and waved his hand: "Okay, let's eat."

The group rose and headed towards the dining room, which was spacious and bright. A large round table was placed in the center, covered with a clean tablecloth and already laden with dishes—braised fish with a glossy red color, roast chicken with an enticing aroma, and rare hearty dishes such as lobster and crab. The food was a perfect mix of meat and vegetables, plentiful and dazzling to the eye. A dedicated wine cabinet stood against the wall, with several bottles of fine wine displayed behind glass doors, and a wooden sideboard in the corner. The overall ambiance was both grand and warm.

"Xiao Li, I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I just made something simple. Please don't be shy," Mother Wei said warmly, inviting everyone to sit down.

"Auntie, this is too much of a feast, it's really too much trouble," Li Jing'an said quickly, knowing that this showed how much the Wei family valued him.

"Oh, it's her first time visiting, we can't just let her be like this." Mr. Wei looked at the nanny and said, "Go and get the wine. We're happy today, let's have a drink."

The nanny opened the liquor cabinet in response, and Mr. Wei immediately added, "Get me Moutai."

"It's okay to drink a little, but not too much, too much will hurt your health," Mother Wei immediately instructed, watching Father Wei's hand as he poured the wine.

"Today is different; this is Xiao Li's first visit," Mr. Wei explained with a smile.

"Then you can only have two cups," Mother Wei insisted, not giving an inch.

"Two cups aren't enough... Alright, alright, two cups it is." Unable to persuade his wife, Mr. Wei had no choice but to compromise.

Li Jing'an quickly stood up, took the wine cup handed to him by Wei's father with both hands, filled the two-ounce cup to the brim, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Uncle."

The meal was enjoyed in a harmonious atmosphere. Wei's mother kept serving food to Li Jing'an, while Wei's father would occasionally clink glasses with him and chat. Wei Jialing chimed in from the side, creating a pleasant ambiance.