Reborn in 78, I made my fortune by working in the mountains, supporting three families on my own.

Even though her loved ones were far away, she felt at ease and had a strong sense of security as long as Zhao Lei was by her side.

On a whim, she couldn't help but stretch out her arms and wrap them around Zhao Lei's waist from behind, gently pressing her body against his back.

A warm, soft sensation came from behind Zhao Lei, and his heart fluttered. He subconsciously straightened his back and pedaled the bike with even more force.

They strolled back to the Heping Brigade and went straight to Zhang Sanpo's house next door to pick up their child.

Granny Zhang was somewhat surprised to see them return.

"You're back already? I thought you were going to be gone forever. How come you got home in just three or four hours?"

Zhao Lei glanced at the old wall clock hanging on the wall of Zhang Sanpo's main room; the hour hand pointed exactly to noon. A rich aroma of food wafted from the kitchen next door, and the firewood crackled and popped.

Granny Zhang smiled kindly: "It's perfect timing, Lei Zi. Dinner is about to start, why don't you just eat in my room?"

"Oh, Auntie, this is so embarrassing. Let's just go back to our own kitchen and get something to eat."

"You silly child, don't be so polite with me. Isn't it a waste of time to go home, start a fire, and cook? Besides, both kids are here with me. Today I'm making all their favorite dishes, and there's also that pheasant you brought over last time. I'll stew it and let them try my cooking."

The couple couldn't refuse any longer, so they had no choice but to agree.

"Alright, Third Aunt, then we'll get to enjoy this delicious food today."

As soon as the words were spoken, two small figures came running out of the mud house. It was Zhao Yuyuan and Zhao Yufeng. When the two children saw Zhao Lei and Jiang Xinyue, their faces lit up, and they happily ran over.

"Dad! Second Mom!"

Zhao Lei bent down and reached out to pat the head of one of the children. Jiang Xinyue also squatted down and reached out to straighten the slightly crooked collars of the two little ones. The children chattered and circled around the two of them.

Granny Zhang shouted towards the back mountain, and soon after, the two brothers, Zhang Lin and Zhang Sen, came running home from the back mountain. When they saw Zhao Lei, they quickly greeted him.

A table of food was already set on the wooden table. A large pot of stewed pheasant was bubbling with oil and the meat was thick. There was also a bowl of stir-fried cured meat, a dish of pickled dried radish, and a large pot of steamed sweet potatoes. It was a steaming and plentiful meal.

Everyone sat down around the wooden table, picked up their bowls and chopsticks, and ate and chatted.

Zhao Lei picked up a piece of pheasant meat with his chopsticks and looked at Zhang Lin beside him: "Linzi, didn't you say you were going out to work these days?"

Zhang Lin rummaged through the rice in his bowl, nodded, and replied, "Yes, Boss Deng helped set up the line. My dad, my brother, and I will set off first thing tomorrow morning."

"How long will you be gone on this trip? Will you be leaving Auntie alone at home? By the way, where's your wife? I haven't seen her anywhere."

"Sigh, my wife is staying at her parents' house. As soon as she gets home, she keeps arguing with my mother. Plus, she's pregnant now, and I'm worried that arguing with both sides will harm the baby, and I also want to reduce my mother's worries, so I decided to let her go back to her parents' house to rest for a while."

Jiang Xinyue smiled and said, "Then congratulations to you, Linzi, you're finally going to be a father."

Zhang Lin scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed on his face: "That's right, Lei Zi and I are about the same age, I'm only a few months younger than him. Your eldest child is already in first grade, and I'm only now having a child. It would be a lie to say I'm not anxious."

Granny Zhang sat to the side, holding a rough porcelain bowl, laughing heartily.

Suddenly, the smile on Granny Zhang's face vanished, and she turned to scold Zhang Lin.

"You brat, don't wash your dirty linen in public! When have I ever deliberately argued with your wife? I'm just hoping you two will have a baby soon. You've been married for three or four years, and this is the first time she's pregnant. How can I, as her mother, not be anxious?"

Zhang Lin looked helpless as he picked at the rice in his bowl.

"Mother, we young people know our limits. It's just that you keep nagging her every day, which is what annoys her."

Granny Zhang gently tapped the chopsticks in her hand against the rim of the bowl.

"Alright, alright, I won't pressure her anymore. I'm about to become a grandmother, why would I hold a grudge against her? I'll cherish her like a precious gem from now on!"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Zhang Sangong cleared his throat.

"Ahem, honey, you're such a chatterbox. Young people have their own way of living. It won't hurt if you nag a little less. Do you think they don't know how to manage their lives?"

Granny Zhang glared at him sideways.

"Yes, you're so considerate of the younger generation, you say all the nice things, and I end up being the bad guy."

The elderly couple bickered back and forth, making the dinner table even more lively, filled with the warmth of everyday life.

Zhao Yuyuan looked up at Granny Zhang with bright, sparkling eyes and asked, "Grandma Zhang, did you just say that a little brother is coming to the family?"

Grandma Zhang reached out and lovingly patted the little guy's head.

"Oh, little Yuanyuan, it's still uncertain whether it's a boy or a girl. I'm hoping it's a boy, so that the Zhang family line can continue."

Changing the subject, Granny Zhang's gaze fell directly on Zhang Sen, who was standing to the side. Twenty-four or twenty-five-year-old Zhang Sen stiffened abruptly when his mother stared at him.

Granny Zhang's voice turned stern: "Zhang Sen, all you do is bury your head in your food!"

"Mother, can't I even eat? There's an old saying that the Thunder God doesn't strike people who are eating."

"What's wrong with me saying a few words to you? How old are you, and there's not a single sign of marriage! Wang Zhongbao, who's younger than you, is getting married this year, Qin Bowen is also looking for a partner everywhere, and even Qin Dajun, who's the same age as you, is about to become a father. And look at you!"

Zhang Sen was tongue-tied and, after being scolded by his mother, couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal. He could only bury his head and keep shoveling rice into his mouth.

Zhang Sangong couldn't stand it anymore and tried to smooth things over.

"Honey, say less. We're eating right now. Lei is here. Don't you know your place? The child is old enough to have some self-respect."

Zhang Sen nodded repeatedly, "Yes, yes, Dad is right."

Zhao Lei sat at the table watching the Zhang family bicker and argue, and secretly sighed, "This is the warmth of an ordinary family." Their squabbles were all about trivial matters, but beneath the arguments lay genuine harmony.

Zhao Lei looked at Zhang Sen and said, "Xiao Sen, what Aunt San said is also true."

"You're not young anymore. When I was your age, I was already remarried."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Sangong's family burst into laughter. Jiang Xinyue's cheeks flushed red; it was during the time when she and Zhao Lei were dating and discussing marriage, making the remark particularly embarrassing.

The meal was lively and bustling, with the table filled with the aroma of cooking.

After dinner, Zhao Lei, Zhang Sangong, Zhang Lin, Zhang Sen, and a few other men went to the courtyard to light cigarettes and chat.

Jiang Xinyue followed Granny Zhang into the kitchen to clean up the dishes and wash them. The two children, left unattended, ran around and played on the courtyard ground.

Zhao Lei took a drag of his cigarette and suddenly remembered something.

"Where are Zhang Li and Zhang Ting, the two sisters? I haven't seen them for a month or two this summer."