Courtyard House: Starting with a 28-inch motorcycle

"I told him long ago: you can compete with Han Chunming openly and fairly. It's Su Meng's own decision who to choose. But he insists on using underhanded tricks instead of the right path. I don't bother with people like that."

Xiao Yao's voice deepened, and there was still lingering anger between his brows.

"Alright, let's not talk about him anymore. By the way, what was it about today that you asked me out for?"

Han Chunming then steered the conversation back to the main topic.

"It's still about the toy factory."

Xiao Yao leaned forward, his eyes lighting up.

"The orders are booked until next year, what's there to worry about?" Han Chunming waved his hand with a smile, full of confidence.

"You have such a narrow vision. If you don't innovate your products, even the hottest ones won't last more than a few years. This time, I want to promote a two-seater remote-controlled electric car—two kids can drive it together, and adults can steer it with a remote control; there are also remote-controlled airplanes and voice-activated bamboo dragonflies—when a child shouts 'take off,' it really buzzes and shoots upwards!"

"But we've never even touched a remote control module, let alone a car circuit board. We can't just try to figure it out ourselves, can we?"

Han Chunming immediately pointed out the crux of the matter.

"I've thought all of this through. There's a batch of graduate students now, but their advisors don't want to take them on, and their companies don't have any positions for them. Why not invite them to the factory to do R&D? They'll still get paid, but performance-based pay will be added, and bonuses will be linked to their results—talent should be put to good use, not just kept on a pedestal."

Xiao Yao spoke at a measured pace, each sentence grounded in reality.

"Technology is no longer a barrier to entry. Remote control chips are as cheap as candy, and electronic toys have long been an entry-level market."

"Alright!" Han Chunming slammed his hand on the table. "I'll do as you say."

"Furthermore, the most worthwhile bet right now is on real estate. Land prices in Kyoto are frighteningly high, so we might as well start by testing the waters in second- and third-tier cities, building buildings and paving roads, taking a steady and solid approach."

Xiao Yao then offered a new idea.

"What a coincidence, I was just thinking about that. I was planning to invest the cash flow from my toy factory and hotel. I recently met a developer from Guangdong province who's interested in acquiring land around Kyoto to build residential properties. The initial investment isn't much, but the profit margin is solid. I'll work for him for two years to learn the ropes, and then I'll go solo. I just bought a batch of steel from Shirokuma a couple of days ago, and after reselling it, I made a net profit of this much."

Han Chunming extended one finger, its knuckles clearly visible.

"One million?" Xiao Yao raised an eyebrow.

"That's enough for 40% of our profits from this project," Han Chunming said bluntly.

"Hey, what kind of unorthodox methods are you using?" Xiao Yao grinned.

"You and I both know this, don't pry—as long as the money's coming in, does it really matter whether the method is legitimate or not?"

Han Chunming blinked, a hint of cunning in his smile.

The two chatted until 7 p.m., and after several rounds of drinks, Han Chunming was already drunk and his speech became increasingly slow; Xiao Yao, however, remained sober, holding his glass steadily and speaking clearly.

After watching his assistant help Han Chunming into the car, Xiao Yao turned around and got into another car with Zhang Jie.

The phone rang as soon as I stepped into the house.

"Son! Quick, the military hospital! Manman is in the delivery room! I was too busy just now and forgot to call you right away—come over here quickly!" Lin Wan's voice was urgent and bright, filled with undisguised joy.

Xiao Yao grabbed her coat and rushed downstairs, while Zhang Jie stepped on the gas, and the car sped off to the hospital.

When he rushed upstairs, his family was already gathered around the hospital bed. Su Man was sleeping peacefully, with two little babies in her arms rising and falling gently.

"Look, look! Your daughter! Her eyes are round and bright, like two black grapes!" Lin Wan was overjoyed.

"How is Manman?"

Xiao Yao strode forward and gently stroked his wife's burning forehead with his fingertips.

"I was exhausted and just fell into a deep sleep. Don't worry, I've been delivering babies for over thirty years and this is the first time I've seen someone so efficient—the baby was only in the tucked-in wheel for five minutes before it was born with a 'waa,' without even a drop of sweat. These two little rascals are so considerate of their mother!" Lin Wan said cheerfully, her eyes crinkling with laughter.

Xiao Yao then looked down at the baby closely. The baby's face was wrinkled, and its eyes were tightly closed. There was no "black grape" at all. He chuckled to himself: Mom's mouth can make even closed eyes sound like open eyes.

"Take the baby to the next room to rest first, don't wake Manman. When she wakes up, bring her back to meet her family." Lin Wan said as she steadily took the child and walked out.

Xiao Yao nodded in agreement.

At this moment, Xiao Zhiyuan also rushed over, took his grandson and granddaughter from Lin Wan's arms, and grinned from ear to ear, his eyes disappearing from his smile.

Relatives then arrived one after another, and the corridor instantly became lively, with congratulations rising and falling as everyone surrounded Xiao Zhiyuan and Lin Wan, saying, "Congratulations on becoming grandparents!"

"The next ward is empty, let's move over there to chat, so as not to get in the way of the doctor's important business." Xiao Zhiyuan carried one in each arm and walked briskly to the next ward.

The nurse initially suggested sending her to the nursery, but Lin Wan immediately shook her head: "Nothing feels as secure as holding her in my arms. I don't trust anyone else."

More than thirty pairs of eyes fell on the two rosy little faces in her arms, and laughter filled the air. Xiao Zhiyuan held his grandson and granddaughter, laughing so hard that he couldn't straighten his back—this time, he had truly become a full-time grandfather.

Su Man opened her eyes in the middle of the night. Lin Wan and Xiao Zhiyuan had already taken the children and relatives home. The house was tidied up neatly and in the deep of night. Lin Wan advised everyone to go and rest—the full moon banquet was lively, but people needed to conserve their energy, as they would be busy again tomorrow.

"Xiao Yao, where's the child?"

As soon as Su Man woke up, she asked anxiously, her gaze sweeping over the empty headboard, only to see Xiao Yao standing guard beside her.

"Mom and Dad took the two babies away. They said the hospital is crowded and stuffy, and newborns are delicate, so it's not as quiet and peaceful as home. You should rest for two or three days before going back—Mom is the head of the obstetrics and gynecology department, so her words carry a lot of weight."

Xiao Yao answered softly.

Lin Wan's concerns were not unfounded. Recent accidents had caused widespread panic, so as soon as the baby was out of the delivery room, she followed Su's mother and took the swaddled baby, holding it in her arms the whole way, even breathing very softly, until Xiao Yao arrived at the hospital, the little body never left her arms.

……

During the three days Su Man was hospitalized, Lin Wanlei delivered meals to her door without fail, with the straightforward reason: "The food in the cafeteria is too bland, how can it compare to the delicious and fragrant food I cook?"

In the special care ward, Xiao Yao would help Su Man walk slowly for about an hour each day; they would chat about trivial old stories, and also talk about the clouds drifting by outside the window and the newly planted trees downstairs.

On the third day, Su Man finally stepped into her home and the first thing she saw was two little faces in swaddling clothes.

"The eldest is called Lanlan, and the second is called Hanhan." Lin Wan gently lifted the child in front of her, her eyes full of gentle smiles.

"The little one is very attached to people, so don't rush to take her with you. Otherwise, she'll cry her heart out when you leave for work." Xiao Zhiyuan said this while steadily supporting Hanhan in his arms—he didn't know where he got these words from.

Now the bookshelves at home are piled high with books like "The Complete Guide to Raising Children Aged 0-3", "The Sleep Code of Newborns", and "The Practical Manual of Scientific Feeding". As soon as the child falls asleep, the adults immediately gather around with the books. Su's father and Xiao Zhiyuan often flip through the pages and discuss the books, even forgetting to refill the water when making tea.

"Then I won't cause any more trouble. Thank you, Mom and Dad."

Su Man smiled and nodded. Before she finished speaking, her gaze gently swept over the four elderly people. This "Mom and Dad" was an open thank you to Lin Wan and Xiao Zhiyuan, but it also warmly enveloped Su's parents.

"We should be thanking you!" Xiao Zhiyuan laughed heartily. "You've brought us a pair of little lucky stars. From now on, our home will be filled with laughter and joy every day, and our lives will be brighter."

Su's father was holding Lanlan and rocking her gently, his wrinkles smoothing out as he hummed an old, off-key song—today, it was finally his turn to be the main stay-at-home dad.

To secure the "right" to care for the child, Su's father and Xiao Zhiyuan almost came to blows. A month-long rotation? Xiao Zhiyuan immediately shook his head: "Too long! Children grow up so fast; missing a day feels like missing a season of blooming flowers."

In the end, Lin Wan made the final decision: why don't the two families just move in together! Su Man's company-allocated apartment is right next to Su's. By exchanging apartment layouts with their neighbors and paying a little extra for renovations, it would be both convenient and intimate, and either of them could take the child to them immediately when they woke up.

Xiao Zhiyuan and Su's father then relented and quickly moved into the Chinese Language Community.

"Xiao Yao, take Su Man back to her room to rest for a while. It's too noisy here. She just got out of the hospital and needs to rest." Lin Wan noticed that Xiao Yao was still standing there dumbfounded, so she handed him the thermos.

"Oh." Xiao Yao responded a little slowly—he wanted to reach out and hug the child, but there were eager hands all over the room, so he couldn't get a chance. He could only take Su Man's hand and walk towards the bedroom.

As soon as she lay down, Su Man couldn't help but sigh: "Sigh... I can't even touch or hold my own baby. I really don't know whether to grin or pout."

With a slight upturn of his lips and a narrowing of his eyes, he looked like he was caught between a smile and a cry.

"If you like taking care of them, let's have two more," Xiao Yao casually replied.

"Judging by this situation, even if we had ten more, we wouldn't have a chance to change diapers ourselves," Su Man said with a laugh, turning over. "By the way, has the lab notified us to return to work yet?"

"Not yet. The old base is undergoing a complete relocation and reconstruction. Xu Wenxin and his team have refurbished all the equipment, and the old instruments are basically obsolete. They will be recalled once the new laboratory is delivered. Right now, we are focusing on materials science, so there's no rush. We have a lot of imported samples. After this batch of trainees graduates, I plan to apply to transfer back to a university to teach."

"Will it be approved?" Su Man asked with slight worry. She knew Xiao Yao's importance and was afraid that the higher-ups would be reluctant to let him go.

"It's 80% likely to succeed. Lin Siyue, Wang Yutong, and their group are now the backbone of scientific research, capable of handling all fronts. In the field of materials, I'm indispensable—Zhang Weidong works on high-temperature alloys, and Chen Yanzhi works on nano-coatings; they're both featured on the front pages of international journals."

Xiao Yao's tone was calm, yet it conveyed a sense of certainty.

Su Man nodded. The technological backbone of China over the years has indeed been supported by countless hands – steadfast, silent, and honed day by day, ultimately achieving its sharp edge.

"When will Yan Xudong and the others graduate?" she asked again.

"For the next project, I'll only give them the direction; the rest is up to them to figure out. Once they finish their papers, I'll help them connect with materials science institutes in various places for internships. Xu Dong's situation is special; I've already spoken with Lin Siyue, and she's agreed to personally mentor him."