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

When Li Jing'an stepped into his parents' house, he was carrying a box filled with neatly arranged mooncake boxes, next to which were square loaves of bread wrapped in oil paper, emitting a faint sweet and milky aroma.

"Mom, Dad, I'm back." Li Jing'an's voice was filled with laughter as he placed the heavy cardboard box on the square table with a dull thud.

Li's mother looked around the table again and again, her fingers gently tracing the smooth print on the mooncake box. "Jing'an, this... so many? Twelve boxes of mooncakes? And... one, two, three... seventeen packs of bread? My goodness, where did you get all this? How much money did this cost? How many tickets did you get?" Her tone was full of surprise, even a little uneasy, and her brows furrowed slightly.

Mr. Li, who had been listening to Peking Opera on the radio while leaning back in his chair, turned off the music and strolled over with his hands behind his back. He first looked at the things, then at his son, his eyes questioning, but he didn't speak immediately.

Li Jing'an took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack behind the door, smiling easily, "These are just gifts from others, it's all social obligation. Mom, don't worry. I was thinking that when my sister comes, I'll have her take a few boxes back with her. As for the rest, you and Dad, see if there are any other relatives and friends we need to visit and give gifts to?"

Only then did Mr. Li speak, his voice steady and carrying the consideration of the head of the family: "Jing'an, these things aren't cheap, and it's a favor that they gave them to you. You've just transferred to a civilian job and are working in a factory, so the most important thing is to maintain good relationships. I think you should share some with your colleagues and superiors first. As for our own family, we can just have a taste." As he spoke, his gaze swept over the exquisite boxes and then landed on his son's face.

Li Jing'an took out his cigarette case, first handing one to his father, then lighting one for himself, taking a deep drag, and watching the smoke slowly rise in the beams of the setting sun.

"Dad, don't worry. I've already done all the necessary visits. These are the rest, which I brought back specifically for the family." His tone was firm, carrying a calmness born of experience and worldly wisdom, which brought a subtle hint of relief to Li's father's eyes.

"Talk is cheap, you two should try this bread first. I've heard it tastes pretty good," Li Jing'an said, deftly unwrapping two oil paper wrappers.

The bread was exposed, fluffy and soft, with a few sesame seeds dotting its golden-brown crust, and an even richer, sweet aroma immediately filled the air. I handed one to my mother first.

Li's mother quickly pulled her hand back to refuse, saying, "No, no, no, why would I try this? I don't like eating this."

Li Jing'an insisted on handing it forward, his voice gentle but leaving no room for refusal: "Mom, you haven't even tried it, how do you know you don't like it? Try it, just try it. It's good stuff." He gently placed the bread into his mother's hand.

Seeing the genuine smile in her son's eyes, Li's mother finally took it, muttering, "What a waste of such good stuff..."

She lowered her head and carefully took a small bite. The bread was soft and fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness. The aroma of milk and flour blended together, creating a delicate taste that was completely different from the cornbread and flatbread she usually ate.

She chewed slowly, without saying a word, her eyes gradually narrowing, a smile appearing in them. "Mmm..." she hummed softly, "It smells good, really good." After saying that, she took another bite, this time a bigger one.

Li's father, standing nearby, wasn't so polite. He took the bread his son offered and took a big bite. He chewed a few times, his Adam's apple bobbing, swallowed, then let out a long sigh, nodded to Li Jing'an, and smiled, "It's delicious! Soft and sweet. This is much better than white steamed buns. No wonder it's a rare treat."

Watching his parents enjoy the bread, Li Jing'an felt a warm glow in his heart. He leaned against the table, smoking a cigarette, and watched them finish before saying with a smile, "I'll take five of these breads back as a token gesture. When my sister comes, I'll give her a few. You two can keep the rest and enjoy them slowly, perhaps with a cup of tea in the morning as a snack."

"No way!" Li's mother immediately objected, as if she hadn't been the one enjoying the moment with her eyes half-closed. "Your father and I will just have a taste! There aren't many in total. Just take a couple for your sister as a token, and you can take the rest back!"

Mr. Li nodded in agreement, "Your mother is right, it's enough to know the taste of this stuff."

Li Jing'an shook his head, flicked off his cigarette ash, and said in a more serious tone, "Dad, Mom, this stuff is really nothing special to me. I can get it anytime I want, so you can eat it without worry." He spoke calmly, yet his words carried a certain persuasive power.

Upon hearing this, Mr. Li's smile broadened even more. He reached out and patted his son's shoulder, the pressure neither too light nor too heavy: "Good, good. Jing'an, you've really made something of yourself."

He turned to Li's mother and said, "Old woman, did you hear that? Your son is capable; if he tells you to eat, then eat! Don't always be so stingy. Go make dinner."

Li's mother finally smiled broadly, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes resembling blooming chrysanthemums: "Oh! I'm going right now! Jing'an, what would you like to eat? Mom will make it for you."

"Mom, anything will do. Didn't I bring back some braised beef? Cut up a plate, and Dad and I will have a couple of drinks today." Li Jing'an said, taking out a large piece of braised beef wrapped tightly in oil paper from the cardboard box. "I won't go back to the courtyard house tonight; I'll sleep at home."

"Okay, okay!" Li's mother happily took the beef, weighed it in her hand, and found it to be quite heavy, which made her even happier. She turned around and went into the small kitchen, where the sounds of washing and chopping vegetables soon filled the air.

Dinner was served quickly. A plate of thinly sliced, glossy red beef, a dish of smashed cucumber drizzled with sesame oil, a stew of cabbage, tofu, and glass noodles, and a dish of peanuts. The staple food was steaming hot steamed buns. Li Jing'an unscrewed a bottle of wine, first filling his father's wine cup, the clear liquid rippled slightly.

"Dad, try this beef. It's braised in-house at our factory canteen." Li Jing'an pointed with his chopsticks at the tempting plate of braised beef. "I heard this skill is He Yuzhu's specialty from our institute. Try it and see if it tastes right."

Mr. Li picked up a slice, examined its beautiful texture under the light, put it in his mouth and chewed slowly. His eyes lit up: "Mmm! Delicious, flavorful, the meat is tender yet doesn't fall apart, it's excellent cooking!" Mrs. Li also tried a slice and nodded repeatedly.

Li Jing'an smiled, poured himself a cup, and raised it: "Come on, Dad, let me toast you. I wish you and Mom good health."

"Good!" Father Li raised his glass readily, and the father and son clinked glasses lightly before each tilting their heads back and drinking it all down. A hot, warm current flowed from their throats straight into their stomachs, dispelling the slight chill of the autumn night.

The father and son chatted over a simple meal, one after the other. The father asked about the factory, and Li Jing'an answered with whatever he could and found interesting, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

Li's mother ate her meal slowly, watching her husband and son chat and drink, a satisfied smile on her face. But as she smiled, a hint of hesitation and worry gradually crept into her smile. She picked up a piece of cabbage with her chopsticks, stirred it a few times in her bowl, and finally put down her chopsticks. The sound was soft, but it made the father and son, who were clinking glasses, stop.

"Jing'an's father," Li's mother looked at her husband, then at her son, her tone somewhat cautious, "There's something... I've been thinking about it for days, but I haven't said anything yet. It's... it's about my family."

"In the past two years, when the harvest was at its worst, both the city and the countryside were struggling, so we saw Jing'an and his two uncles less often."

"Now that Jing'an has returned safely from the army and has found a job, our family's situation has finally improved. Shall we let Jing'an go visit his two uncles?"

Li's mother's family was from Huairou. Her two brothers were honest farmers, toiling in the fields. Her two sisters were also married in villages and towns on the outskirts of Beijing. Only she, through a series of coincidences, married into the city. In these past few years of hardship, their contact had indeed become sparse.

After listening, Li's father nodded slowly: "It's only right. One should not forget one's roots. In the past, when the harvest was good, Jing'an's uncle would always send some of the grain harvested at home. Now that Jing'an has returned, the family is better off, so it's time to go and see him. Jing'an, what do you think?" He turned his gaze to his son.

Li Jing'an replied almost without hesitation, "I'll go! Mom, I've been thinking about this even though you didn't say anything. It was my oversight; I was just busy with my own things when I got back. I definitely have to go to Uncle and Aunt's."

He quickly calculated in his mind that Huairou wasn't close, and carrying all those bags would be difficult. "Mom, don't worry, I'll find some time in the next couple of days to visit Uncle."

He remembered that he had treated Captain Shen of the motorcade to dinner a few days ago, and that Captain Shen had even given him a box of mooncakes today. He could borrow a car for the day. He couldn't let the favor go to waste; he had to use this relationship wisely.

Hearing her son's words, Li's mother's anxiety subsided. She didn't say anything more, but simply picked up her chopsticks and carefully placed the two largest, most beautifully marbled slices of braised beef into Li Jing'an's bowl.