Luo Xiao Qing's family was having a lively fish feast.
Yi Zhong Hai's face was cold: "Huai Ru, you go back first. I'll go to Old Lady's room."
Qin Huai Ru returned home with an empty bowl.
Seeing no fish, Jia Zhang Shi was furious: "Where's the fish?"
"It wasn't Xu Da Mao's family who cooked fish. It was Luo Xiao Qing's!"
Jia Zhang Shi gnashed her teeth: "This wretch! They're feasting while we're struggling. Don't they even know to help us orphans and widows?"
She continued: "Serves him right! He'll never find a wife. He'll be childless!"
The middle courtyard was filled with curses. Yi Zhong Hai entered Old Lady's room with a grave expression:
"Old Lady, Luo Xiao Qing's house... I'm afraid it's hopeless."
Old Lady said: "I knew it all along. When Luo Xiao Qing first arrived at the courtyard, I knew he was no ordinary person."
She continued: "Old Yi, I've got to say, the best person to take care of us in our old age isn't the Jia family."
She said: "With Jia Zhang Shi around, Jia Dong Xu can't provide for you."
She continued: "The best option is Luo Xiao Qing. Look how devoted he is to Luo Widow. Even a son wouldn't be more caring!"
Yi Zhong Hai said: "Old Lady, Luo Xiao Qing and I don't get along. I can't control him."
Old Lady said: "Then there's Zhu Zi. He might have a sharp tongue, but he's not a bad person. He's not really stupid either. He values loyalty, and he's a better choice than Jia Dong Xu!"
Yi Zhong Hai remained silent. He had invested so much in the Jia family, he couldn't just switch sides.
"Old Lady, I'll think about it some more!"
Yi Zhong Hai took a deep look at Luo Xiao Qing's house and turned to leave.
Luo Xiao Qing was unaware of Yi Zhong Hai and Old Lady's scheme to take over his house.
He was busy picking fish bones for Duo Duo and Guo Guo.
Seeing Luo Xiao Qing's meticulous care, Luo Hui Zhen sighed: "Xiao Qing will be a good husband and father someday."
She continued: "That Qin Huai Ru is shortsighted. She'll regret it someday."
Luo Xiao Qing said: "Whether she regrets it or not doesn't concern me. I just want our family to be happy."
He continued: "Mom, it's almost New Year's. Should we go to the department store tomorrow to buy new clothes for everyone?"
He said: "It's so cold. Adults can handle it, but Duo Duo and Guo Guo can't!"
Luo Hui Zhen said: "Why waste money? I'll go to the supply and marketing cooperative tomorrow and buy some fabric and new cotton. I'll make them for you."
"Okay!"
Hearing about new clothes, Duo Duo and Guo Guo jumped for joy.
This meal left Duo Duo and Guo Guo with greasy mouths.
Even Luo Hui Zhen rarely ate to her heart's content.
After dinner, Luo Xiao Qing returned to his room, followed by Duo Duo and Guo Guo:
"Brother, we want to sleep with you!"
Luo Hui Zhen said: "Duo Duo, Guo Guo, don't bother your brother. He's just recovered!"
"Mom, it's okay. Let Duo Duo and Guo Guo sleep with me. It's warmer with more people!"
Luo Hui Zhen said: "Alright. Duo Duo, Guo Guo, you can't kick your brother's quilt!"
"We know!"
The room was filled with laughter.
After Duo Duo and Guo Guo played tired and fell asleep, Luo Xiao Qing slipped into his space.
The space was still empty.
Luo Xiao Qing thought: "It's 1952 now. By November 1953, the supply system will be implemented."
He continued: "Without tickets, you won't be able to buy many things. So before that, I must accumulate enough capital. Ideally, I should buy a bicycle for the family."
He continued: "I guess I'll have to go hunting in the mountains."
He thought: "Fortunately, buying and selling is legal now. If I can hunt enough, I should be able to accumulate my first pot of gold."
He thought: "As for the space rewards, making Qin Huai Ru regret her actions and achieving a life of success... there's a precondition, which is that my life must be better than the Jia family's."
He continued: "Otherwise, why would Qin Huai Ru regret it?"
Luo Xiao Qing began practicing the Immortal Art in the space. The spiritual energy from the surrounding spirit spring slowly flowed into him.
Luo Xiao Qing felt himself transcending from mortal to the Qi Condensation Realm!
Anyone who enters the Qi Condensation Realm can be called a cultivator or a practitioner.
Qi Condensation is the process of condensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. This is a prerequisite for cultivation.
In other words, Luo Xiao Qing had already stepped into the threshold of cultivation.
Luo Xiao Qing felt a surge of excitement: "Continue cultivating. See if I can become stronger!"
As long as he keeps getting stronger, his hunting skills will also improve!
He truly had an extraordinary aptitude!
Bai Xiao Chun took several days to reach the third level of Qi Condensation, but Luo Xiao Qing only took six hours.
After finishing his practice, Luo Xiao Qing left the space and went to sleep, hugging Duo Duo and Guo Guo.
Xu Da Mao said: "Watch your tongue next time. Got it? I'm telling you, Sha Zhu, I, Xu Da Mao, am going to be a projectionist at the steel mill!"
Sha Zhu said: "You're a damn projectionist! Why are you showing off to me early in the morning? Are you looking for trouble?"
Luo Xiao Qing woke up to a commotion outside.
Judging by the sounds, it was the courtyard's war god He Yu Zhu and Old Lady's urinal-throwing nemesis Xu Da Mao, quarreling over something again.
Luo Xiao Qing got dressed. Luo Hui Zhen had already taken the washed clothes to the neighborhood office.
On the table was a bowl of rice and a large bowl of sour fish soup. It was obviously left by Luo Hui Zhen last night for Luo Xiao Qing.
Duo Duo and Guo Guo stood beside him, their eyes wide: "Brother, you're awake?"
Luo Xiao Qing hugged the two little girls: "Come, have breakfast with your brother!"
Duo Duo and Guo Guo shook their heads like little drums.
"No, no! Mom said brother just recovered. He has to eat breakfast!"
They said: "Duo Duo and Guo Guo ate a lot last night. We can't eat breakfast today!"
No matter what Luo Xiao Qing said, Duo Duo and Guo Guo refused to eat.
At the age of seven, if they were in a later era, this pair of twins would certainly be spoiled into little princesses.
However, living in this era of scarcity, they were precocious.
Luo Xiao Qing ate breakfast in silence and said to Duo Duo: "Duo Duo, you and Guo Guo stay home and play. Don't wander off."
He continued: "When Mom comes back, tell her I went hunting."
Duo Duo said: "But Mom doesn't allow brother to go hunting. Brother isn't well!"
"Brother is fine now. Otherwise, how could I catch so many fish, right? Brother is going to hunt two white rabbits for you to keep, okay?"
"Okay!"