Siheyuan (traditional courtyard house): Don't touch my parents!

"That kid from the Jia family... wasn't he always your best friend?"

"Why are you talking so sarcastically today, like you've been hit by a firecracker?" Chen Shuxiang put down her needlework, raised an eyebrow slightly, and looked puzzled.

"His mother made such a fuss about me, I was already being lenient by not scolding him on the spot." He Yuzhu pouted, his tone revealing a hint of helplessness, like he had swallowed an unripe apricot.

"Jia Zhangshi's mouth is really foul, like a rock in a latrine, smelly and hard." Chen Shuxiang smiled, reached out and tidied the stray hairs on his forehead that had been blown by the wind. Her fingertips, calloused from sewing shoe soles, were as warm as a cotton quilt that had been sun-dried.

"Don't pay any attention to her anymore."

"Once Mother's postpartum period is over and she's stronger, I'll see how I deal with that sharp tongue of hers."

"It's nothing." He Yuzhu grinned, revealing two sharp canine teeth, like a little tiger that had stolen honey.

"She just mutters a few words, nothing serious."

"You're not really going to bite me, are you?"

"Hey," Chen Shuxiang was so amused by him that she couldn't straighten up. She gently tapped his forehead with her finger, like tapping a naughty little walnut.

"Did you learn your smooth talk from Old Zhang, the sugar figurine seller at the alley entrance?"

Last time Zhang Ruhua got really angry, she almost bit your arm, remember?

He Yuzhu was slightly taken aback, his eyes widening like a startled rabbit: "Huh? It really bit me? I don't remember?"

"Hahaha, Mother is just teasing you!" Chen Shuxiang laughed until tears streamed down her face. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "But from now on, stay away from Jia Zhangshi."

It's better to avoid getting into trouble and ending up angry; it's not worth it.

She did not completely reject the Jia family—

In her eyes, Jia Laonian was a quiet, honest man, not a bad person.

Jia Dongxu was just spoiled by his mother and liked to take advantage of others. He inherited his father's nature and had a kind of sly and simple-mindedness. He was not a bad person at heart.

"Oh, I know." He Yuzhu replied listlessly, like a kitten that hadn't woken up yet, and turned to walk towards the kitchen.

He tiptoed and scooped two bowls of hot water from the water vat, adding a full spoonful of brown sugar to one of them—it was something He Daqing had brought back from the construction site last month, and he treasured it like the back of his hand.

When it was placed in front of Chen Shuxiang, the rim of the bowl was still steaming, like a small cloud.

"You drink too." Chen Shuxiang looked at the bowl of warm water with the aroma of brown sugar, her tone tentative, as if coaxing a sensible child.

"Mom, I'm all grown up now, I don't drink sugar water anymore." He Yuzhu gently pushed the bowl to the side, her fingertips brushing against the warmth of the bowl's rim.

"Bullshit!" Chen Shuxiang laughed and cursed, her wrinkles at the corners of her eyes spreading into a warm smile, like a crushed sunset.

"You're barely up to your father's waist, you can't even reach the edge of the kang (heated brick bed), how can you call that grown up?"

"Brown sugar is precious. You haven't fully recovered yet. Keep it for yourself to nourish yourself." He Yuzhu insisted on handing the bowl back, his fingers gripping the bottom of the bowl tightly.

"My son is so filial." Chen Shuxiang felt as sweet as honey, her voice trembling with joy.

Without further ado, I picked up the bowl and took a sip with relish. The sweet aroma of brown sugar slid down my throat, warming my heart.

She was genuinely happy—

My son has finally grown up and knows how to care for others.

He Yuzhu watched her drink with relish, a soft smile curving his lips, and then turned to bring his own bowl of plain water.

He held his hands in his palms and sat quietly on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), like a little animal guarding a warm stove.

He wasn't actually thirsty; there wasn't even a hint of dryness in his throat.

I just wanted to warm my hands with the warmth of the bowl's rim.

I stood outside for half a day, and my fingertips were frozen like carrots. Now that I'm holding this bowl, I feel alive again.

The rim of the bowl was slightly hot, like a small piece of warm jade. A warm sensation gradually spread from my palm, traveling along my veins to my elbow.

His gaze seemed to drift towards the old locust tree outside the window, but he was actually checking the system panel in his mind—

That transparent film of light floated before my eyes, like a piece of glass embedded in the air.

I haven't had time to carefully check the rewards for the random task I received yesterday;

There was also something that automatically checked in after midnight. He was sleeping too soundly at the time and didn't even have a full dream, so he had no idea what kind of treasures he received.

My consciousness slowly sank into the system interface, like diving into a body of water glowing blue.

[Check-in successful]

[Received: 5 feet of cotton cloth, 10 urine rings, 1 can of malted milk powder]

He Yuzhu rolled his eyes inwardly, almost bursting out laughing—

This system... is truly determined to take the path of raising children to the extreme.

Just how much do they favor that little brat He Yushui? They even gave her ten diaper rings, are they stockpiling enough for her to use until she's three?

After venting his frustrations, he opened the task reward section, lightly tapping the light membrane with his fingertip as if touching a fragile piece of porcelain.

[Mission: Dispose of the body of soldier Xiao Rizi - Completed]

【奖励：白朗宁1911手枪×1（配弹匣×2，子弹50发）、手枪精通（初级）、任务线索×1】

He Yuzhu's eyes lit up suddenly, like a kerosene lamp suddenly lit in the dark, even his pupils reflected the light.

This is a million times more effective than those pig's trotters that promote lactation or crucian carp soup that stimulates milk production!

Pistols and bullets were truly life-saving tools in those chaotic times of war; carrying them in one's pocket was more reassuring than carrying a gold brick.

It also comes with the "Pistol Mastery" skill, saving you from half a year of hard work practicing against wooden stakes. It's like a windfall.

That's a good thing, the system didn't trick him this time.

But what exactly is this "clue"?

Like a fine needle hidden in candy, it made his heart itch.

He didn't rush to claim the "Pistol Mastery" certification—

Yesterday, while learning "Cooking Skills (Beginner)," he slept for half a day. When he woke up, his head was still dizzy, and he had a nightmare all night about being chased by Japanese soldiers. His pillow was soaked with cold sweat.

This time probably won't be much better; I might even end up crying into my blanket.

He forcefully suppressed the urge to immediately pull out his pistol and play with it—

What man wouldn't be tempted by a gleaming handgun? The metallic grip and the cold-shine barrel are an irresistible allure.

He silently said to himself: Check the details of the clues.

It's like whispering to the air.

A passage of text slowly surfaced in my mind, like ink characters written with a brush on rice paper, carrying a melancholic feel:

[At No. 25 Black Sesame Alley, Feng Qianxi, a traitor to the Rabbit Party, has hidden two boxes of penicillin and a radio (a Special Higher Police decoy). Valid for three days!]

He Yuzhu almost burst out laughing.

What exactly is the nature of this system?

The missions are all tough ones, requiring you to kill enemies and overcome obstacles, as dangerous as walking a tightrope.

The sign-in rewards are full of trivial matters related to raising and caring for children, as soft as coaxing a child.

On the one hand, they encouraged him to be swept up in the turbulent waves of the times, charging forward like a revolutionary;

On the one hand, he also had to work as a full-time stay-at-home dad, changing his sister's diapers and making formula.

So, he's got both the "warrior" and "dad" identities welded onto him?