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

Before long, Li's mother and Li Hongying brought the dishes to the table one after another.

A plate of stir-fried garlic sprouts with pork, a plate of stir-fried green beans with pork, a plate of stir-fried cabbage with vinegar, a plate of braised eggplant, and finally a steaming pot of stewed chicken.

"Why did you make so much food?" Li Jing'an said, looking at the table full of dishes.

"I was only planning to make four dishes, but who knew you would buy a chicken." Li's mother complained, but a trace of sadness flashed in her eyes. "Sigh, I haven't eaten these for the New Year for the past few years. I'm so glad we made it through." As she spoke, she raised her hand and gently wiped the corner of her eye.

"Hey, what are you doing? Why are you saying all this?" Mr. Li tapped the table with his finger, his tone tinged with displeasure. "Our son is doing well now, and things will only get better from here on out. Go, get two cups."

Li's mother got up to get the cup.

Looking at his father's "head of the family" demeanor, Li Jing'an chuckled inwardly: This air of authority will surely make countless men in future generations envious.

The hierarchy in his family was very clear: Li Jing was first, Li's father second, Li's mother third, and Li Hongying last. There was no way around it; they only had one son.

"Please sit down. Sister, get the kids a bowl; they can't reach it," Li Jing'an said, then turned to his father, "Dad, which one should we drink today?"

"Drink Fenjiu liquor, and have your sister take Xifeng liquor back with you," said Mr. Li.

"Alright, I'll have less then, I have to go back this afternoon," Li Jing'an said as he opened the bottle.

"Then drink less. Everyone, start eating," said Mr. Li.

The two children had been itching to eat and immediately reached for their chopsticks. Li Jing'an put a chicken leg on each of their plates.

"Come on, let's have a toast, you and me." Li's father raised his glass and gently clinked it with Li Jing'an's. He first looked at the wine in his glass, then carefully took a sip, closed his eyes, frowned, and swallowed in one smooth motion. Finally, he clicked his tongue and smacked his lips as if savoring the taste.

"This wine sells for over four yuan at the department store, it's really good! It doesn't burn your throat," Mr. Li exclaimed.

"Dad, the cigarettes I brought you don't hurt your throat. I still have some, I'll get you more next time," Li Jing'an replied with a smile.

Mr. Li took another sip, then waved his hand, "Don't take any more, just taste it. Giving me such good food is a waste."

"Haha, Dad, your son will never lack these things in the future. Isn't it only right that I take care of you two?" Li Jing'an said cheerfully. "Besides, if you two eat well, dress well, and drink well, I'll have face when I go out, won't I?"

That made everyone laugh.

Li Jing'an knew perfectly well that these days, there was no need to be afraid of this or hide from that, like in novels. In his memory, the people here weren't like that.

The people here believe in "not losing their dignity even when they're down on their luck." Even if they're on the verge of starvation, they'll still put some oil on their mouths before going out—so as not to be looked down upon.

Because most people, to some extent, flatter the powerful and belittle the weak. If you're poor, others may not take you seriously and might even kick you while you're down; if you live a respectable life, others will think you're capable, be willing to flatter you, and dare not easily offend you. In this way, there will be fewer troubles.

The more you try to hide something, the more attention it will attract.

Some might ask: Aren't you afraid of being reported?

Li Jing'an smiled inwardly: What's the big deal? There are plenty of reasons—it was issued by the factory, exchanged with someone, or stored up before. Besides, he has the resources; what is there to be afraid of?

At the dinner table, Li's father brought up another matter: "Xiao An, your cousin's second son is getting married after the holiday. It's not far from your factory. Go visit him when you have time, and help out if you can." He paused, "We don't have many relatives, so we need to keep in touch."

That's true. The Li family has had only one son for two generations, and their closest relatives are Li's father's two uncles. The eldest of them went to the south before the liberation, and now this is the only family they keep in close contact with.

"Okay, I'll go when I have time," Li Jing'an replied.

Li's mother then interjected, "Xiao An, you're 29 now. You didn't come home often before because of the war. But now you're home and have been assigned a job. Shouldn't it be time to settle down and start a family?"

Li's mother's words made Li's father and Li Hongying stop what they were doing and want to hear what Li Jing'an had to say.

"Mom, I don't want to get married right now. I just got back and I want to focus on my work first. Don't worry, I promise I'll get married in three years at most, no matter what I achieve." Li Jing'an quickly assured him.

"Alright, Xiao An can make his own decisions. Let's not talk about this again." Mr. Li interrupted Mrs. Li as soon as he saw that she wanted to say something more.

The father and sons drank and chatted, while Li's mother and Li Hongying ate and served food to their two children. The two little ones practically buried their heads in their bowls and didn't look up once.

The child ran out to play after finishing his meal. Li's mother and Li Hongying cleared away the dishes and went inside to chat.

Li Jing'an accompanied his father and finished the bottle of Fenjiu. He only drank three liang (150ml), and the rest went into his father's stomach.

Mr. Li had drunk a bit too much; his tongue was slurred.

These days, liquor generally has a high alcohol content. The Fenjiu we're drinking today, for example, is a full 65 degrees.

Li Jing'an helped him into the inner room to lie down, and Li's mother and the others came out to tidy up the table.

"Xiao An, why don't you go and rest in the next room? You've had quite a bit to drink," Li's mother said with concern, and her sister nodded in agreement.

Li Jing'an then went to the next room. The bed and bedding were always kept there for him to stay in when he occasionally came back.

I didn't feel sleepy at first, but as soon as I lay down, I fell asleep in no time.

He didn't know how much time had passed before his mother gently woke him up.

"Xiao An, it's getting late. Let's hurry back before it gets dark."

Li Jing'an responded and got up to leave.

Li's mother called Li Hongying over, packed everything she had prepared one by one, and handed her a lunchbox: "Inside are the chicken and two steamed buns left over from lunch. Take them home for dinner."

"Come on, hang them all on my handlebars, I'll take you to the station," Li Jing'an said quickly upon seeing this.

"Yes, that's perfect, let your brother deliver it. Take this chicken with you too." Li's mother brought over another chicken.

Li Hongying quickly declined, "Mom, please keep it. How can I eat and take what Xiao An brought... people will gossip."

"Your dad hasn't finished the meat he bought today. Besides, your little one and his dad didn't get any today either," Li's mother insisted.

"Sister, just take it. I'll buy more next time I come back. You come to help Mom and Dad with chores every week, this little bit is nothing." Li Jing'an said, taking the chicken from his mother's hand.

Li Hongying couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to accept it.

After saying goodbye to his mother, Li Jing'an pushed his bicycle—his young nephew sitting on the front crossbar and his older brother on the back—and walked with his sister toward the bus stop.

My sister lives in Chaoyang District, which is right next to what we now call the East Third Ring Road. They take the bus home, which is faster than Li Jing'an riding his bike.

At the station, after watching the mother and her two children board the train, Li Jing'an then got on his own vehicle and headed towards the courtyard house.