Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

He Yubing's eyes sparkled: "It's a deal!"

He Yuzhu nodded with a smile: "It's settled. You can spend the profits from the two shops however you like; keep an eye on the news about the courtyard house. Aunt Peng Mei has a lot of connections, so have her keep an eye on where it's being put up for sale. Your mother and I will be taking up our posts in Dongli County in a few months."

He Yubing replied earnestly, "Understood!"

We talked all the way, and before we knew it, we were at our doorstep.

Pushing open the living room door, one could see He Aijun lounging on the sofa, eagerly waiting for Lou Xiao'e to enter.

He Aijun: "Mom, give me ten yuan!"

Lou Xiao'e rolled her eyes: "Do you think I own a money printing factory? You guys are all so good at taking advantage of people!" She cursed as she deftly pulled out some money and handed it over.

Lou Xiaosi quickly raised his hand: "Mom, I earned the money delivering newspapers, I really didn't ask you for it!"

Lou Xiao'e snorted: "I didn't name you! I was talking about your eldest brother, second brother, and fifth sister!"

He Aidang looked innocent yet expectant, his mouth just opened but before he could utter a sound—

He Aidang: "Dad, give me five yuan, let's go to the movies tomorrow!"

He Yuzhu took out the pocket money that Sister Ping had given him from his pocket, five yuan each, and neatly divided it up: "So that Lao Wu won't make a fuss again and say that I don't give her a single coin all year round."

Lou Xiao'e: "What a terrible thing! Did I dig up your ancestral graves in my past life or owe you a debt from three lifetimes ago? Whatever my family owes you, just settle the score—I'll gather it all up right away, not a penny less, and we'll be even!"

The three of them were already tired of their mother's thunderous tone. As soon as she opened her mouth, they turned and ran to their own rooms, afraid of hearing another word of her nagging.

He Yuzhu raised his hand to stop him: "Don't rush to hide, we have important business to discuss—in a few months, your mother and I will be going to live in Dongli County. We'll only be able to come back once a year at the end of the year. You'll all get your allowance from the third brother, twenty yuan each; the fifth brother will be moving to his aunt's house from now on."

Upon hearing this, the fifth child jumped half a foot high and spun around three times, almost hitting the door frame; the other children only raised their eyes, without stopping their chopsticks.

As soon as he finished speaking, He Yuzhu turned and went upstairs, ignoring everyone. He took a shower, washed his face, and went straight to sleep—he had to rush to Tan's Private Kitchen to cook the next morning. Having neglected his cooking skills for so long, his arms felt heavy, his back was stiff, and he felt like all the muscle in his body had been removed.

The next day, as soon as it was light, he arrived at the shop as usual. While helping at the stove, he taught Ma Hua the proper control of heat, and then broke down Liu Hu's knife skills in detail—these two apprentices, one steady and the other quick-witted, were now capable of working independently, so he focused on the details: at what point the sauce should boil to release its aroma, and at what point the green peppers should be stir-fried until they were just cooked through but not wilted…

Most of the customers coming in now are acquaintances brought by former factory leaders. The restaurant hasn't really made a name for itself yet, and He Yuzhu knows this perfectly well: a restaurant isn't a gambling den; it has to be built up slowly, spoonful by spoonful, three meals a day. Seeing Zhou Xue sitting idly by the window flipping through magazines, he didn't say anything—when she's busy, she even times her water breaks and bathroom breaks precisely, so taking a break now is perfectly reasonable.

As the lunch market was winding down, everyone crowded into the front hall, bowls in hand, to eat their lunch. Just then, Aunt Yi burst in, grabbing He Yuzhu's arm and Lou Xiao'e's wrist, urgently saying as she pulled them towards the door, "Quick! Come back to the courtyard with me! I just finished my check-up at the hospital today, and as I reached the front door, I suddenly saw someone squatting there—so thin he was unrecognizable, covered in dirt, I didn't even dare recognize him! But upon closer inspection, it was your father, He Daqing!"

Originally, this house was allocated to He Daqing, but He Yuzhu moved out and transferred the ownership to his own name. Now that the rightful owner has suddenly appeared, Aunt Yi dares not make a decision, and is even more afraid that if word gets out, it will give people something to talk about—how can a son pretend to be deaf and dumb when his own father has traveled thousands of miles to find him? Taking care of him in his old age and seeing him off in his final days will be an unavoidable responsibility.

The three hurried through the alley. He Yuzhu didn't say a word the whole way. His heart felt like it was stuffed with a wet cotton ball: he had taken over someone else's son's body, and he had to repay this debt of gratitude; but how could he face the father he had "replaced" for a lifetime? He really hadn't figured it out.

Stepping into the courtyard, one immediately sees a hunched figure huddled on the bluestone steps. The old man's head is covered in white snow, his eyelids droop, and his eyes seem veiled by a thin mist. He clutches a faded old cloth bag tightly in his hand, his clothes are patched, and the cuffs are frayed. His face is etched with the weariness etched by the years.

Yes, in old age, one is often left with no relatives or friends. The moment that widow from Baoding left, her stepsons turned on him faster than turning the pages of a book, taking his last few dollars and even throwing his bedding out the door. Desperate, he finally remembered the son he had pushed away—but he didn't know if the son would even acknowledge him, and he feared that if he stood at the door, he wouldn't even have the strength to knock.

Clutching at this broken hope, he hopped on a slow train for two days, eating cold steamed buns and drinking chilly water from the station's water dispenser, and finally made it to Kyoto. Before entering the courtyard house, he squatted down against the wall, tidied his hair in front of a broken mirror, and wiped his face repeatedly with his sleeve, but tears still streamed down his face uncontrollably.

He Yuzhu stood three steps away, his Adam's apple bobbing, before finally speaking, "Dad, you...you're home."

Before he could finish speaking, He Daqing's shoulders trembled violently, and two streams of tears burst forth, rolling down his deeply lined cheeks, but he gritted his teeth and didn't utter a sound.

Aunt Yi's eyes reddened, and she quickly stepped forward to help him up: "Brother Daqing! It's good to be back! Come inside, have something to eat, and we'll chat while we eat!"

Lou Xiao'e quickly stepped forward, reached out to support the old man's arm, softly called out "Dad," and helped him slowly stand up, walking towards Aunt Yi's room.

He Yuzhu followed behind, his voice very slow: "Let's not talk about the past. I just hope you can move back home soon. Yushui talks about you every day, and so do I... Let's have a hot meal at Auntie's house today, and after we finish eating, I'll take you home. After you've washed up, I'll go with you to see Yushui."

He Daqing nodded, choking back tears, ate a few mouthfuls of noodles, and then followed He Yuzhu to the barbershop. A few snips of the clippers neatly shortened his gray hair by an inch; back at the villa, the hot water soaked him to the bone, and he changed into He Yuzhu's crisply starched Zhongshan suit, instantly feeling much more energetic.

The three of them also bought a can of milk powder, two boxes of pastries, and a string of firecrackers along the way—a grandfather seeing his grandson always needs something to look forward to. By the time they arrived at He Yushui's house, the streetlights were already on.

As soon as He Yushui stepped into the courtyard, she caught sight of her father. The vegetable basket in her hand crashed to the ground, and she rushed over, hugging the old man's neck tightly. She burst into tears, her shoulders heaving violently. All the grievances, longing, and bitterness accumulated over the past twenty years turned into hot tears, soaking through He Dashen's thin clothes.

She asked, sobbing, "Dad...have you been eating well all these years?"

He Daqing raised his withered hand and gently patted his daughter's back: "After your Aunt Bai left, they... kicked me out. No money, no bedding. I figured, in this world, only you would still tolerate an old man like me..."

He Yushui wiped away her tears: "Dad! What do you mean by 'can't' or 'can't'! Your coming home is the greatest joy of all! I've been waiting for this day for half my life!"

He Yuzhu handed the gift to Liu's mother. Liu's mother took it, her eyes crinkling with smiles: "It's good that my father-in-law is back! Yushui often tells me that life is getting better and better, but what he misses most is not being able to bring you a bowl of hot soup."

He Yuzhu waved his hand: "Don't mention that. The fact that everyone's back is more important than anything. Look at you, seven or eight grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all gathered around in a lively circle—that's what you call a blessing!"

He Yushui took her father's arm and walked into the house: "Dad, I'll have you measured and made a few new clothes. I've prepared all the fabric, and I'll have the tailor come to the door tomorrow."

He Yuzhu added, "Yushui, your sister-in-law and I are going to take up our posts in Dongli County in a few months. Dad and Xiao Wu will settle in here with you for now. I'll send you living expenses every month."

He Yushui glared at him: "What money?! Dad and Xiao Wu will just stay at my house! The whole family will be together for the New Year, and the stove needs to be burning brightly!"

He Daqing suddenly looked up, his voice trembling: "Shangdongli County?... In the capital, is there no way for me to survive?"

He Yuzhu laughed: "Don't worry, old man—our family has opened Tan Family Private Kitchen. When you have free time, you can go and give your two grand-apprentices some pointers; your granddaughter is also learning accounting and customer service at the restaurant."

He Daqing nodded, his voice hoarse: "If I can help, I will definitely go."

He Yushui quickly said, "You should rest at home for a few days. I'll look after the shop for you, so you can catch your breath and I can focus on being a dutiful son."

Mother Liu brought over three bowls of steaming hot boiled eggs, with egg whites floating on the clear broth: "Father-in-law, eat them while they're hot! Look how thin you are, you must have suffered on the way... But now it's all good, you have children, no one will let you starve anymore!"

As night deepened, He Yuzhu got up to say goodbye.

He Yushui tugged at his sleeve: "Dad, stay here tonight and go back tomorrow morning."

He Yuzhu shook his head: "The younger ones in the family haven't met their grandfather yet, let him get acquainted with him first. I'll pick him up tomorrow morning."

He Yushui could only nod: "Then please drive slowly and be careful on the road."

The three returned to the villa's living room, where several children were eating around the dining table. The stir-fries that He Yubing had brought back from the restaurant were still steaming.

Seeing their parents lead an elderly stranger into the house, the children put down their chopsticks, treating him as an ordinary visitor, and casually got up to greet him.

He Yuzhu strode to the table, his voice deep and steady: "Come here, kneel down and kowtow—this is your grandfather. We haven't seen each other for over twenty years; today, you are returning to your ancestral home."

He Yuzhu stuffed the carefully wrapped gift box into He Daqing's hands. It was his first visit, and he was afraid that if he didn't bring a little something, the old man would feel guilty and lose face.

The eldest son trotted forward, respectfully kowtowed three times, and received a heavy sandalwood food box. His eyes crinkled into crescents with joy as he stepped back to the wall. Only after the fifth son had finished kowtowing did He Daqing raise his hand to signal the children to start eating. Looking at the steaming food on the table and the children's shiny foreheads as they ate, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up, and the wrinkles around his eyes smoothed out.