Qin Huai Ru comforted herself, "At least Dong Xu has a job!"
This was Qin Huai Ru's only source of comfort.
"Little Qing is back! Little Qing is really successful, she built such a nice house for the family.
Hui Zhen, you are so lucky! The whole street knows about it. You found a treasure on a snowy day!"
Luo Hui Zhen smiled, "Little Qing is capable and filial. Everyone is looking for pretty girls to introduce to Little Qing. Now I just hope that Little Qing will start a family and have a career."
Amidst the envious looks of their neighbors in the courtyard, Luo Xiao Qing replaced all the old furniture in her home with new ones.
The old furniture wasn't discarded. Luo Xiao Qing took apart the wooden boards and built a three-tiered rabbit hutch and a pheasant cage.
This way, if they ever hunted and couldn't eat all the game, they could keep it at home for a few days.
Plus, Shen You Tian, Duo Duo, and Guo Guo were severely malnourished. Luo Xiao Qing planned to buy two old hens. When they laid eggs, the children could get some nourishment.
This would only be possible for the next few years. During the coming turmoil, rural households would be limited to raising no more than five chickens.
Raising chickens in the city would be completely forbidden, for fear of competition for food with people.
Soon, the end of the year arrived.
This was the first complete and healthy New Year that Luo Xiao Qing had spent in the Capital.
The previous three years had been spent in illness and hunger.
Only this year, the Luo family's life was becoming increasingly prosperous.
Duo Duo and Guo Guo's complexions were noticeably rosy.
Meanwhile, the courtyard was also buzzing with activity.
Yi Zhong Hai, after having been snubbed by Luo Xiao Qing the last time, never picked a fight again.
With the help of Director Wang, Shen You Tian's household registration was successfully added to Luo Hui Zhen's family's register.
This act caused many in the courtyard to gossip behind their backs, mainly about how Luo Xiao Qing was showing off with her money.
They said that she had money now, so she'd brought in another mouth to eat at her home.
When her hunting comes to an end and she doesn't have a job, the whole Luo family will be eating wind.
Xu Da Mao felt indignant, and spoke up for Luo Xiao Qing's family a few times. That day, a new rumor spread through the courtyard.
The rumor was that Xu Da Mao was born a bad seed, that he had always been a bad person from childhood.
Jia Zhang Shi was particularly enthusiastic in spreading this gossip. When Xu Da Mao went to confront her, Qin Huai Ru stepped in front of him.
This was witnessed by Sha Zhu, who had just returned home.
Ever since Qin Huai Ru had first moved into the courtyard, Sha Zhu had been smitten with her.
When Qin Huai Ru's engagement with Luo Xiao Qing fell through, Sha Zhu was overjoyed for a long time.
He was about to swoop in, but then Yi Zhong Hai intervened.
Sha Zhu could only bury his feelings in his heart.
As he watched Xu Da Mao bully his heartthrob, he could no longer stand it.
He kicked Xu Da Mao in the groin!
Xu Da Mao was still bedridden, unable to move.
Xu Fu Gui went to argue, but Yi Zhong Hai sided with Sha Zhu, saying that Xu Da Mao was bullying the widowed Jia family.
Sha Zhu had acted out of righteousness, and he was a good boy.
Xu Da Mao was the one who was born a bad seed.
From then on, Sha Zhu and Yi Zhong Hai became close.
He Yu Shui's life became even harder than before.
Luckily, Luo Hui Zhen would invite her over for dinner every now and then.
These little incidents were just like the everyday squabbles of neighborhood families in the courtyard. They didn't attract anyone's attention.
Only Luo Xiao Qing noticed that this was Yi Zhong Hai's official move to control the entire courtyard and start his retirement plan.
Jia Zhang Shi's existence made Yi Zhong Hai wary of placing all his eggs in Jia Dong Xu's basket.
So Yi Zhong Hai chose a backup, Sha Zhu.
It was New Year's Eve. Yi Zhong Hai went to the backyard. Luo Hui Zhen was putting away her New Year's supplies and preparing the New Year's Eve meal.
Yi Zhong Hai entered Deaf Old Lady's room with a dark expression. "Old Lady, let's discuss this. How about we spend New Year's at the Jia family this year?
They're a bit short on food, so the leftovers can help them out!"
Deaf Old Lady said, "I want to eat meat, I want to eat the meat that Zhu makes!"
"Alright, I'll go talk to Zhu later. This year for the New Year's Eve meal, I'll ask him to cook you a good one!"
Deaf Old Lady squinted her eyes, "Good!"
As Yi Zhong Hai left the room, Deaf Old Lady stood in the doorway and instructed, "Old Yi, you must make Zhu cook me some meat!"
"Alright, Zhu is spending New Year's with us this year!"
After Yi Zhong Hai left, Shen You Tian was curious, "This Yi Zhong Hai, he seems like a good person, but Xiao Qing, you say he is scheming.
I don't see how he's as scheming as the Third Uncle from the front yard!"
After arriving in the courtyard, Luo Hui Zhen told Shen You Tian about everyone in the courtyard one by one.
Shen You Tian was surprised, this small courtyard was much more lively than Qinjia Village.
Most people in the village just stayed inside their own homes.
Luo Hui Zhen chuckled, "That's Yi Zhong Hai's brilliance. Your Third Uncle, he's scheming, but he's only scheming for a little profit, a few decimal places.
But Yi Zhong Hai's schemes involve the entire courtyard, the biggest digits before the decimal point."
Shen You Tian still didn't understand.
Luo Hui Zhen, "Xiao Qing, explain to Sweetheart, why your Yi Zhong Hai wants to bring the Jia family, Zhu, and the Deaf Old Lady together to eat New Year's Eve dinner?"
Luo Xiao Qing knew that Luo Hui Zhen was worried he wouldn't be able to see through the courtyard's situation, so she wanted him to explain.
Luo Xiao Qing, "Cousin, come sit here. I'll tell you."
Luo Xiao Qing and Shen You Tian sat side by side at the eight-legged table.
Luo Xiao Qing, "First, let's talk about Yi Zhong Hai. He's an old machinist at the factory, with a high salary and good relationships.
The only thing he doesn't have is children to take care of him in his old age. So, Yi Zhong Hai started thinking about finding someone to take care of him in his later years."
Shen You Tian, "Why not adopt a child?"
Luo Xiao Qing, "Among the children in the front yard, Liu Hai Zhong, Yan Bu Gui, and Xu Fu Gui's family, do you think any of them are filial?"
Shen You Tian pursed her lips, "None of them seem filial."
"That's right. Yi Zhong Hai is also afraid that the adopted child wouldn't be filial, and he'd end up losing everything.
How could Yi Zhong Hai, this old fox who hides his intentions, do something that would lose him money?
So, he decided to find someone to take care of him in his later years from within the courtyard, because it's familiar and easier.
Anyone who would take care of him in his later years has to meet three conditions: first, they have to be a kind young person who respects the elderly and loves children.
Second, they need to have some financial means. Ideally, they would have a skill. That way, no matter how the situation changes, their standard of living won't decline.
Third, they should preferably have lost their parents early and have no elders to restrain them. Otherwise, what would Yi Zhong Hai and his wife do if their own parents were around?
There are almost no young people who meet all three conditions. If we lower the standards, there are only two young men in the courtyard who fit the bill.
First, Jia Dong Xu, Yi Zhong Hai's apprentice. His father died early and he is a widower with a child. A student is a student for life, regardless of the teacher's age.
Considering all these factors, he is Yi Zhong Hai's first choice.
Second, He Yu Zhu, known as Sha Zhu, is a chef. Although he doesn't earn much now, his future is promising.
His mother died early and his father ran away with another woman. He has two rooms, has a sense of justice, and is good at fighting.
Although Sha Zhu is kindhearted and respects the elderly and loves children, and enjoys fighting for justice.
But, Sha Zhu wouldn't take care of a neighbor in his later years for no reason.