Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

"Okay, I know, old man."

She readily agreed and buried her head in her rice. Her efforts to please Yi Zhonghai weren't just empty gestures—the dozen or so meal tickets she received each month were enough to save the Jia family a considerable amount of money. Now that she was in charge, every penny had to be carefully managed. By conveniently "splitting" one ticket from him each day, she could save at least four or five yuan a month.

You should know that the cafeteria only deducts meal tickets from the food price and you don't have to pay. Although there is no staple food, the two large lunch boxes of vegetables and tofu are enough for five people to eat hot and full around the table.

After the meal, Qin Huairu immediately gathered the two lunchboxes together, washed them clean, and then carefully put them into a mesh bag with the handle facing outwards for easy carrying.

Yi Zhonghai found this diligence pleasing and paid extra attention when teaching fitter work in the afternoon.

His skills are indeed quite solid—to reach the level of a seventh or eighth-grade fitter, one cannot stand firm without a bit of talent; but he has never formally studied, and all his skills are the result of learning from various masters and dabbling in his early years.

When it comes to teaching apprentices, he's no match for Wang Aiying. Not to mention, his old ways are deeply ingrained—even when teaching the most basic level one fitter work, he subconsciously holds back a bit, always feeling that the apprentice must first endure loneliness, hone both skills and character, and ultimately remember the master's kindness.

That's how he himself persevered back then.

After getting off work in the evening, He Yuzhu carried a shopping basket into the house, buying all of Lou Xiao'e's favorite foods—nowadays it's just the two of them and their child at home, and he has an easy-going appetite, so he naturally caters to her tastes.

Just as the food was served, Lou Xiao'e returned with her child.

Upon glancing at the steaming dishes on the table, her lips immediately curled into a smile. But then she remembered her colleague's teasing about her rounder waist during the day, and she glanced down at her slightly protruding belly, secretly gritting her teeth.

While others are tightening their belts these days, she has quietly gained weight, which shows how prosperous her family is – every meal is fresh and different, and there are rarely any leftovers.

"What are you standing there for? Go wash your hands and eat! I'll hold the baby."

Seeing her standing frozen by the door, He Yuzhu smiled and urged her on, then lifted He Xiao up high to catch her.

Now he's a pro at taking care of his baby: changing diapers, burping, and putting him to sleep are all done smoothly; he basically doesn't wash the diapers he takes off, and just puts on new ones directly, using only two or three a day.

Lou Xiao'e returned after washing her hands and sat down at the table. She said softly, "Yuzhu, let's cook two fewer dishes from now on. My stomach... is really getting a bit bloated."

"Haha, sure! But if you want to lose weight, just eating less isn't enough, you have to get moving—let's exercise more in the evening, it'll be even more effective."

After He Yuzhu finished speaking with a smile, Lou Xiao'e blushed and gently slapped him.

Even though they've been married for a long time, these words still made her heart skip a beat and her ears burn.

Halfway through the meal, He Yuzhu suddenly put down his chopsticks and said seriously, "Xiao'e, three academicians from the Chinese Academy of Sciences came today to discuss a project with me. It's quite important..."

He couldn't go into details about what he was doing; it was a classified mission. Before leaving, the academicians repeatedly instructed him not to divulge a single word.

Lou Xiao'e was taken aback and quickly asked, "Where is he? Can he come back in the meantime?"

After a moment's thought, He Yuzhu replied, "I guess it's in Heilongjiang Province. The factories there are old and have a strong technical foundation, so it's convenient for research... As for going home, I'm afraid it will be difficult. I might be able to come back for the New Year, but it will probably take one or two years in total."

"It's been so long..."

Lou Xiao'e pursed her lips and lowered her voice. The last time she went to Hong Kong Island, it felt like half a lifetime had passed, and her parents were there to take care of her. This time, she was far away in Heilongjiang Province, and it was a hassle to go back and forth. She could only see them once a year, and even that was a very short time.

Seeing Lou Xiao'e's brow furrowed slightly and her fingers unconsciously circling the rim of the bowl, He Yuzhu softened his tone: "I'm actually quite hesitant too. Should we just give up? Even without me, the blueprints can still be drawn, and the plan can still be implemented..."

"That won't do! How can we let the country's affairs be hindered by me alone? You should go!"

That's what she said, but she didn't even touch her favorite sweet and sour pork ribs. She just poked at the rice with the tip of her chopsticks, the grains scattering and then gathering again. Her eyes were fixed on the bowl, as if something was pressing down on her breath...

Back then, the motto was to shoulder responsibilities and keep the public in mind. Lou Xiao'e ran around the subdistrict office every day, getting a head start on policy trends than others. For her, dedication was not just a slogan, but something ingrained in her daily life.

She could have stayed home and taken care of the child, but she insisted on taking He Xiao with her and starting her job—coaxing her to sleep while keeping track of the accounts; patting her back while filling out forms.

"Sigh, let me think about it some more... How about I prepare a technical summary and send it over first? Or we could call each other every few days."

"Stop thinking about it, Rain Pillar."

Lou Xiao'e suddenly looked up, her gaze clear and resolute, meeting his eyes directly: "At worst, I'll just delay my promotion by two years. Temporary workers can take leave as easily as drinking water. I often bring my son to visit you; surely family visits are allowed over there?"

"It should work... If they're blocking it, I'll personally negotiate; there's always a way."

When He Yuzhu saw that she had relented, the pent-up frustration in his chest dissipated instantly. He had never been sure of what to do; whether to go or stay, it was like walking on cotton, uncertain and unpredictable. He needed someone to make the decision for him, and that person had to be Lou Xiao'e.

If she really shook her head with a straight face, he would probably really refuse—but what would happen after he refused? If things got stuck at a critical moment, he was afraid he would sit up in the middle of the night, grab his toolbox, and rush to the Northeast.

Lou Xiao'e stared at him, her voice soft but firm: "You can go, but you need to find out clearly: can your family members be transferred with you? If you really don't see each other for two years, when your son starts calling out to you, the first thing he'll probably say is 'Uncle,' not 'Dad!'"

"That won't do! At worst, I'll rent a room in Northeast China and head back whenever I'm on my days off—even if the roads are congested, people can't stop them, can they?"

He Yuzhu laughed out loud, feeling a weight lift from his shoulders, as if half a burden had been lifted.

I need to find some time to see Chen Xueru and Bai Danyu later and have a proper talk with them.

Lou Xiao'e can always manage to meet up a few times a year; but those two, I'm afraid they'll really have to count the days until they reunite in two years. Thinking about it like that, my heart really feels like it's being pulled by a thin thread, tightening slightly.

He was always attached to his family, but now the work he was in was something that others couldn't handle or replace—people came to him for help, and he couldn't bring himself to refuse or be ruthless.

That evening, at the Jia family's residence.

Jia Zhangshi lifted the lid of the lunchbox and saw the bland stir-fried green beans and cold spinach salad. She slammed her chopsticks on the table, spitting as she spoke: "No meat again? Even the Kitchen God doesn't eat vegetarian food during festivals, yet we're eating green leafy vegetables every day!"

"Mom, there really isn't any meat in the factory canteen today. You can ask Dongxu if you don't believe me. Besides, the braised pork you made last week still has oil dripping from your mouth."

Qin Huairu sighed, but her hands didn't stop—she picked up two green beans for Banggeng, scooped a spoonful of egg drop soup for Xiaodang, and took a few bites herself, her chopsticks moving as fast as if she were rushing to a market.

The family has five members, including two gourmets. If she's even a fraction of a second slower, the bottom of the bowl will make a loud scraping sound.

"Why does the He family always seem to have oil in their food? Are they involved in the black market? I'm going to report them right now!"

Jia Zhangshi sniffed, humming at the aroma of stir-fried mutton wafting from next door. Before she could finish speaking, Qin Huairu hurriedly stopped her: "Mom! You'd better watch yourself—if you anger the He family, my job at the factory might be smashed on the spot!"

She was cursing him in her heart: Xu Damao's miserable state is still hanging on the wall, and you still want to run into it?

After the meal, Qin Huairu had just finished wiping the dishes when Jia Zhangshi, picking her teeth, glanced sideways and said, "Buy a pound of meat tomorrow! He's all skin and bones, and my own grandson is going to school on an empty stomach—what kind of behavior is this!"

"We only have two taels of silver left. Let's save it for the end of the month."

Qin Huairu frowned slightly. Actually, she didn't plan to buy it even if it was delayed until the end of the month—right now, Yang Yang was seeing a doctor and getting medicine, and one pound of meat could be exchanged for three pounds of wheat flour and nine pounds of cornmeal, enough for one person to eat for ten days.

Banggeng's school expenses are considerable; her monthly salary of over twenty yuan is quickly depleted if she relaxes her belt even slightly.

She now makes every penny count: with careful budgeting and subsidies, she manages to save a full ten yuan out of an income of twenty-seven yuan.

This was the reality of ordinary working-class families at that time: four or five people, all supported by their own two hands; after all, Jia Dongxu was strong, and Jia Zhangshi was also quick-witted, so taking on odd jobs such as pasting paper boxes and sewing patches was not a problem for them.

But Jia Zhangshi was so lazy that no amount of persuasion could change her mind.

"The cafeteria will be serving stewed pork ribs for lunch the day after tomorrow. I'll pack some and bring it back."

Qin Huairu said this, picked up the thermos and walked out, intending to ask an old man on the way if he wanted to fill a thermos with hot water.

As soon as she stepped out, Jia Zhangshi immediately leaned close to Dongxu and whispered, "Son, keep a close eye on your wife! She's been going to Yi Zhonghai's house a lot these past few days; she'll embarrass herself sooner or later!"

Jia Dongxu frowned: "Mom, that's my master!"

"You foolish son, don't you believe your own mother? I've been neighbors with Yi Zhonghai for twenty years. Your father was already on friendly terms with him back then. I know exactly what's going on in his head!"

Madam Jia wrung her hands anxiously, glancing again at Banggeng and Xiaodang before leaning closer: "If you don't believe me, you'll be crying your eyes out sooner or later! She's out in public every day, seeing more men than you've ever seen a penis—and look at yourself!"

These words were like a needle chilled to the bone, piercing Jia Dongxu's heart. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he didn't react; he simply clenched his fists quietly.

But then I thought about it again. It really wasn't right for Qin Huairu to go to her master's house in the middle of the night. Next time, I'll have to talk to her properly. It would be more appropriate for Mom to handle these kinds of errands.

He had to protect his relationship with his master, but his mother's words had planted a seed of doubt in his heart.

After all, he was bedridden and needed help with everything, from urinating to defecating; while Qin Huairu, despite having given birth to two children, was still considered one of the prettiest girls in Nanluoguxiang.

If you can't prevent it, you might really wake up one day to find your neighbor pointing at you and laughing: "Look, that cuckolded cripple..."

The more Jia Dongxu thought about it, the angrier he became. The anger in his chest surged, and finally a ruthless thought popped into his head—if Qin Huairu really dared to cuckold him, then he would simply overturn the whole thing and make sure no one had a moment's peace!