In the fiery red era of the heavens, refrigerators are refreshed daily.

Chapter 142, Section 141: New Housing, New Neighbors, A Complete Makeover

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, an unusual atmosphere of excitement filled the courtyard of the Shikumen.

Zhang Xiuying got up early, steamed the extra cornbread she had made the night before, and cooked a pot of rice porridge so thin you could see your reflection in it. A dish of pickled vegetables was placed in the middle; this was the family's breakfast.

"Eat quickly, eat quickly!" Zhang Xiuying urged incessantly, her eyes sparkling, as if today was not to look at houses, but to receive some enormous reward.

She clutched the brass key tightly in her hand, as if she hadn't let go all night.

As Yang Guangming calmly sipped his porridge, a warm feeling welled up inside him.

Yang Guanghui's kind face was full of smiles as he occasionally teased his son Zhuangzhuang, who was sitting in a small bamboo chair. Zhuangzhuang had just turned one year and three months old and was curious about everything. He waved his little hands to grab the small piece of steamed bun that his father handed him.

Li Guihua carefully fed Zhuangzhuang rice porridge, but her eyes kept glancing at the keys in her mother-in-law's hand, filled with undisguised envy and anticipation.

Yang Yongkang ate in silence, but his usually serious expression was relaxed today, with a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction.

Today is a day off.

Yang Yongkang and Yang Guanghui's workshops both have shift work hours, Li Guihua is unemployed and stays home to take care of her child, and Yang Guangming and Zhang Xiuying also do not need to work overtime.

The family's two beloved bicycles—one an old bike that Yang Guanghui had ridden for many years, and the other a new Forever bicycle that was a compensation from the neighborhood committee—were solemnly brought out.

"Mingming, you take care of Mom!" Zhang Xiuying arranged it as a matter of course, carefully putting the key into the pocket of her sturdiest blue cloth coat and pressing it down with her hand.

She nimbly turned sideways and sat in the back seat of Yang Guangming's "Forever" car.

"Huihui, take Guihua and Zhuangzhuang with you." Yang Yongkang spoke, his voice not loud, but carrying the authority of the head of the family.

Yang Guanghui responded, carefully picked up Zhuangzhuang, let Li Guihua sit in the back seat of the car first, and then handed Zhuangzhuang to her to hold securely.

“Father, then you…” Yang Guangming looked at his father.

“I’ll walk there.” Yang Yongkang waved his hand, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “It’s just a short walk, a good stretch of legs. You guys ride over first and wait for me at the entrance of the family quarters.” He was used to being down-to-earth and also used to giving convenience to his family.

"Alright, alright!" Zhang Xiuying knew her husband's temper, so she didn't say anything more and patted her son's back. "Mingming, let's go!"

Two bicycles, one in front of the other, their crisp bells breaking the tranquility of the Shikumen alleyway in the early morning, carrying the joy of the family and heading towards new hope.

Yang Guangming rode steadily, feeling his mother leaning slightly forward behind him in excitement.

Yang Guanghui rode with extra care, afraid that the bumpy ride would hurt his wife who was holding their child.

The residential area is indeed not far from the Shikumen (stone-gate houses), even closer than the Hongxing State-owned Cotton Mill. It only takes about ten minutes by bicycle to reach that familiar area consisting of several gray tenement buildings.

Yang Guangming and Yang Guanghui parked their car at the entrance of the "Hongxing State-owned Cotton Mill Family Area" sign and parked it. Zhang Xiuying jumped out of the car impatiently and stood on tiptoe to look back the way they had come.

"It's better for the old man to walk slowly, for his safety," she muttered, her eyes shining with an astonishing light.

Li Guihua, holding Zhuangzhuang, stood to the side, also unable to resist curiously observing the buildings standing in the morning light. Building No. 3, this is it.

After waiting for a while, Yang Yongkang's steady figure appeared at the intersection. He walked slowly but with great force. His dark blue work clothes were washed until they were slightly faded, and the top button was fastened meticulously.

"Father!" Yang Guangming greeted him.

"Okay." Yang Yongkang nodded, his gaze sweeping over his family's excited faces before finally settling on the entrance to Unit 2 of Building 3. "Let's go."

Once the family was together, they finally looked like a proper team and walked into the entrance of Unit 2.

The hallway was dimly lit. Because it was a day off, it wasn't as quiet as it is on weekdays. People were coming and going in the corridor, fetching water, emptying spittoons, and lighting stoves to prepare breakfast. It was quite lively.

Zhang Xiuying immediately got into the zone.

A smile she had never worn before, a smile that was both reserved and barely concealed, graced her face. Whenever she saw a familiar face, whether she knew the name or not, she greeted them warmly.

"Good morning, Mr. Wang! Heading off to buy groceries?"

"Oh, Sister Li, are you taking a break at home today and looking after your little one?"

"Good morning, Engineer Zhang!"

The other party is often taken aback at first, but then responds with a smile:
"Master Zhang? Good morning! Your whole family... Oh! You've come to see the new house, haven't you?"

Zhou Dayong from the security department had a loud voice. He was coming out of the first-floor restroom when he immediately recognized Yang Guangming in the crowd. "Comrade Guangming! Congratulations! I heard about it yesterday. A 26-square-meter suite! Amazing! Truly amazing!" He gave a thumbs up and exclaimed sincerely.

"Good morning, Brother Zhou! Thank you, thank you!" Yang Guangming smiled and nodded in response.

Zhou Dayong continued, "Your current apartment is across from mine. If you need anything, just let me know, and I'll be there for you!"

It turned out that this was their new neighbor. Yang Guangming's enthusiasm became more sincere. "Then I'd like to thank you first. I'll definitely need to trouble Brother Zhou a lot in the future."

"Aunt Zhang, congratulations on getting a great apartment!" A female factory worker named Xiao Liu, who was holding a child on the first floor, smiled gently and offered her congratulations.

"Xiuying, you're so lucky! Your son is so capable!" An auntie surnamed Sun from the first floor, who knew Zhang Xiuying, poked her head out, her face beaming with smiles, but a complex look quickly flashed across her eyes, her tone tinged with a sour envy, "So many people have been eyeing this house since it became vacant..."

"Not at all, it's all thanks to the factory leaders' care and the good policies," Zhang Xiuying said modestly, but her back straightened even more, and her smile was like a blooming chrysanthemum.

The envious glances and words from her new neighbors were like sweet rain, making her feel comfortable from the inside out.

Yang Yongkang simply nodded slightly and said nothing more.

Yang Guanghui smiled憨厚ly, while Li Guihua hugged Zhuangzhuang tightly. Her eyes swept over the faces of the neighbors, some sincere and some complicated, her heart filled with a mixture of envy for her brother-in-law and plans for her future home.

The family finally made their way through the scrutinizing corridor to the door of room 203.

Zhang Xiuying took a deep breath and pulled the warm brass key from her pocket. Her hands trembled slightly with excitement, and it took her several tries to insert the key into the lock.

With a soft "click", the door opened.

A smell mixed with dust and the lingering scent of years past wafted over.

Yang Guangming was the first to push open the door.

Just as Wei Hongyu had said, the house was empty, with all the furniture already moved out.

The original outer room was 18 square meters. After dividing it into two smaller rooms on the south side, there was still about 7 or 8 square meters of space remaining on the north side. For a family accustomed to living in a shikumen house, it seemed quite spacious.

Scattered on the ground were some discarded items: a few greasy wads of cotton yarn, a chipped enamel bowl, a few yellowed old newspapers, and a few pieces of broken wood whose purpose was unclear.

The doors to the two small cubicles were open, but the windows were closed, with a thick layer of grime covering the glass, making the light coming in somewhat dim.

But this did not dampen the family's high spirits in the slightest. Everyone filed in, curiously looking around at what would soon be Yang Guangming's "new home."

"Wow, this ground is quite flat!" Zhang Xiuying was the first to walk in, tapping the cement ground with her toes.

"The added partition makes the lighting a bit worse, but it'll be fine once the walls are painted white and the windows are cleaned." Li Guihua held Zhuangzhuang and looked around.

Yang Yongkang stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calmly sweeping over the entire space. Yang Guangming led everyone, focusing on introducing the "grand project" left by his predecessor in the outer room.

“Mom, brother, sister-in-law, look here.” Yang Guangming pointed to the small cubicle on the south side. “These are the two small cubicles that Section Chief Wei mentioned, which the previous family paid a lot of money to partition off.”

All eyes turned to that direction.

The space on the south side near the window was divided into two separate small spaces by thick cedar planks. Each compartment had a slightly rough but sturdy wooden door painted green.

Yang Guangming strode into a small cubicle.

The space inside is indeed not large, only about five or six square meters, a rectangular space, like a pigeon coop.

The walls were originally painted with whitewash, but they have turned yellowish and dull, and some parts have even peeled off.

The original large window in the outer room was now partially occupied by this small partition. Although the space was small, the room was very bright.

“This small cubicle can be used as a small study or a storage room,” Yang Guangming said.

He then stepped into another small cubicle. The two cubicles were basically the same, both having half a window from the original outer room for natural light, making them equally bright.

"This small cubicle can be used to put a small bed and make a small bedroom in the future."

"Tsk tsk tsk, the original owner really knows how to use her brain!" Zhang Xiuying nodded repeatedly, reaching out to touch the thick partition. "This material, this workmanship, it's worth the two hundred yuan! It saves so much trouble! Mingming, this place will be very useful after you get married and have children!"

Looking at the two small but functionally distinct cubicles, Li Guihua's mind raced even more.

This is so much more practical than a bare, open room! After her brother-in-law moves out, the space in the shikumen house will be empty... She could almost see the scene of making a small bed for Zhuangzhuang.

"Where's the inner room? Let's take a look!" Zhang Xiuying couldn't wait to go inside.

The inner room was much smaller than the outer room, only eight or nine square meters, and it also had a south-facing window, which was now gray and gloomy.

"It would be perfect to put a big bed here, a wardrobe opposite, and a desk too," Yang Guangming gestured.

"Great! Great! This layout is absolutely perfect!" Zhang Xiuying was extremely satisfied. "Twenty-six square meters, and they managed to partition it into three living spaces without it feeling cramped at all! The previous family was truly a good family when it came to managing their lives!"

Yang Yongkang nodded slightly, his eyes revealing approval. The layout of the house indeed far exceeded his expectations, especially the two practical partitions.

"The water room is just a few steps away in the middle of the west corridor!" Yang Guangming pointed outside the door. "There are public toilets on both the first and third floors, which is convenient."

Just then, footsteps and voices came from the doorway.

The security guard from across the street, Zhou Dayong, and his wife, Sister Yang, came over carrying their baby son, who was only a few months old.

Zhou Dayong's loud voice: "Guangming! Aunt Zhang! You're all in? Everything in this house was moved out a long time ago, the place looks nice!"

Immediately afterward, Chen Zhiqing, the technician from the neighboring house to the west, and his wife, Xiao Liu, also came over with their two-year-old son.

Chen Zhiqing pushed up his glasses somewhat shyly: "Guangming, congratulations. This house... has a rather unique layout." He had obviously also noticed the two cubicles, his eyes showing the keen observation typical of a technician.

Sun Baoquan, who lives next door to the east, and his wife, Sister-in-law Sun, are also crowding at the doorway, peering inside.

Aunt Sun was holding her three-year-old daughter in her arms, with her ten-year-old son and seven-year-old son following behind.

Aunt Sun's eyes darted around as she looked at the empty room: "Oh dear, it would be perfect if it were painted snow-white! Master Zhang, do you have enough manpower? Do you need any help? My eldest son can do some work too!"

Zhang Xiuying knew perfectly well that from Sun Sao's behavior, she guessed that she was someone who liked to take advantage of others and was afraid of being taken advantage of.

She immediately smiled and politely declined, "Thank you, and thank you everyone! No need, no need! Look at us, our whole family is here, the old and the young! This little bit of work isn't even enough for us to share!"
I'm just missing a few household items: a broom, dustpan, rags, and a bucket. I'd like to borrow some from my neighbors. I'll return them right away and make sure everything is spotless!

“What’s the big deal! Take it, take it!” Zhou Dayong was the most straightforward. “Xiao Yang, go and get our new brown broom and tin dustpan!”

"Zhiqing, bring our big enamel basin and rag too," said Xiao Liu, the woman next door, gently to her husband.

Chen Zhiqing nodded and turned to get it.

Seeing that she didn't have to exert any effort and was only borrowing tools, Aunt Sun hurriedly said, "We have an old water bucket at home, it leaks a bit, if you don't mind... I'll go get it right away!"

Soon, brooms, dustpans, rags, buckets, and even an old washbasin were borrowed.

The neighbors said a few more words of encouragement like "Let us know if you need anything," and then went home to get busy.

Before leaving, Aunt Sun gave a special reminder: "Master Zhang, that bucket leaks a little, so please be careful when you use it."

After seeing their neighbors off, the family immediately got to work.

Yang Yongkang and Yang Guanghui were responsible for cleaning up large pieces of trash and dust on the floor. Zhang Xiuying and Li Guihua were responsible for wiping down the door and window frames and other washable areas on the walls.

Yang Guangming took a large broom and swept away the cobwebs and dust from the corners and crevices of the ceiling.

Zhuangzhuang was placed on a small, cleaned open space, watching the adults busy at work with curiosity, waving his little hands and babbling.

With many hands making light work, and given that the room itself was small and already vacated, the entire suite was cleaned spotless in just over half an hour.

Although the walls were still grayish-yellow, the trash had been removed, the windows were now bright and clean, the floor was spotless, and the air seemed to be circulating much better.

Just as I finished tidying up and gathered the borrowed tools at the door, I heard footsteps and voices coming from the hallway.

The time was exactly eight o'clock.

Four workers, dressed in old work clothes stained with lime, carrying tool buckets and painting tools, arrived at the door.

The leader was a middle-aged man in his forties with dark skin, clearly a veteran craftsman. Behind him followed three younger men, their faces still showing signs of immaturity.

"Is this Comrade Yang Guangming's house?" The middle-aged painter had a loud voice with a slight out-of-town accent. "We were sent by the Housing Management Department to paint. Section Chief Wei instructed us to paint it snow-white!"

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you for your hard work, masters! Please come in!" Yang Guangming hurriedly greeted them.

Zhang Xiuying also enthusiastically offered, "Would you like a smoke, masters? Or a drink of water?" As she spoke, she went to borrow a thermos.

"Thank you, sister-in-law, but it's no trouble at all." The middle-aged worker waved his hand, very honestly, "We'll hurry up and get the job done by morning, so as not to delay your business."

Yang Guangming quickly took out a pack of cigarettes he had prepared in advance and gave one to each of the four masters.

The three young men looked like temporary workers, and they accepted the cigarettes somewhat awkwardly.

After finishing his cigarette, the old master craftsman waved his hand and said, "Let's get to work!"

The four of them immediately sprang into action.

One person was mixing the lime paste, while another was plastering the walls; their movements were swift and their teamwork was excellent.

Yang Yongkang and Yang Guanghui were also busy.

Yang Yongkang volunteered to help the experienced worker by handing him tools and carrying buckets of lime. Yang Guanghui, being strong, helped stir the thick, heavy lime paste.

Unable to get involved, Zhang Xiuying and Li Guihua watched as the white lime paste was stirred and smelled its fresh, alkaline aroma, their smiles widened.

"Mom, sister-in-law, it's so dusty here. Why don't you take Zhuangzhuang out to the corridor for some fresh air?" Yang Guangming said, looking at the rising dust.

“Alright.” Zhang Xiuying nodded, picked up Zhuangzhuang from the ground, and then picked up the pile of borrowed tools at the door. “Guihua, let’s go, let’s return these to their owners first, and chat with the neighbors while we’re at it.”

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, carrying the child and tools, walked out the door.

In the corridor, everyone was busy.

Across the street, Zhou Dayong's wife, Xiao Yang, was tidying up her room; next door to the east, Sun was picking vegetables in front of her house; and next door to the west, Chen Zhiqing was squatting on the ground in front of his house, drawing something with chalk, probably studying technical blueprints.

"Xiao Yang! Here's your broom and dustpan back, thank you! They're sparkling white!" Zhang Xiuying's voice was loud and clear.

"Aunt Zhang, you're too kind! You returned it so quickly?" Xiao Yang shook the water droplets off her hands and accepted it with a smile.

"With so many people, it was done in no time! The workers are quick too!" Zhang Xiuying said with pride.

"With this house in Guangming finished, your family has finally made it through!" Aunt Sun said as she picked the vegetable scraps, her eyes glancing at the lime dust drifting out of the open door of room 203. "After this coat of paint, it'll be so comfortable to live in. Unlike our house, where the paint was peeling so badly we didn't even dare touch it."

"It's all thanks to the factory," Zhang Xiuying replied with a smile, handing the bucket back to Aunt Sun. "Aunt Sun, here's the bucket back. It leaks a little, but it's not too serious."

Aunt Sun took the old bucket and said, "It's a broken bucket anyway, as long as you don't mind."

Li Guihua quietly followed behind her mother-in-law, returning the washbasin and rag to Sister Liu next door.

Holding the child, Xiao Liu thanked her gently, "It's done so quickly, no rush."

She looked at Zhuangzhuang, who was as cute as a porcelain doll, in Li Guihua's arms, and then at her own chubby son. She said softly, "Once Guangming's house is finished, your family will have more space after he moves in. Zhuangzhuang will have a spacious place to play."

Li Guihua's heart stirred, and she replied, "Yes, children always need a place to run and jump."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted with their neighbors in the corridor, and quickly became familiar with them.

Time flew by, and the painting work in the room progressed rapidly.

The experienced craftsman skillfully used a roller brush dipped in lime paste to roll evenly across the wall, removing the gray and yellow hues and leaving behind a refreshingly white expanse.

Two young men followed behind, checking for any omissions and fixing any corners. Another young man was in charge of the ceiling, standing on a stool, head tilted back, his movements a little clumsy but very hardworking.

With the help of Yang Yongkang and Yang Guanghui, two strong laborers, who carried buckets, handed over tools, and helped move heavy stools, efficiency was greatly improved.

The unique, fresh scent of lime grew stronger and stronger, overshadowing all the previous stale smells.

The light seemed much brighter, shining through the dust-free glass windows and onto the snow-white walls, making the whole room look brand new and full of hope.

It was not even 11:30 a.m. when the last wall was finished being painted.

The experienced craftsman stepped back a few paces, squinted as he surveyed the house, and nodded in satisfaction: "Alright! It's finished! The house has a good foundation, and the result is excellent!"

Looking at the bright, brand-new room with its white walls, Yang Guangming was overjoyed.

He repeatedly expressed his gratitude: "Thank you so much, masters! Your skills are impeccable!"

He took out the prepared "Daqianmen" cigarettes and handed a pack to each of the masters, saying, "It's just a small token, please don't mind."

After the workers were assigned housing, there was no regulation in the factory that the housing management department was obligated to repaint the rooms. Yang Guangming gave each worker a pack of cigarettes, which was some form of compensation.

The middle-aged foreman declined for a moment, but seeing Yang Guangming's sincerity, he smiled and accepted it: "Comrade Guangming, you're too kind. We've finished our work, so we should be going now." He then told the three young men to pack up their tools.

Yang Guangming quickly said, "The workers must be hungry after a busy morning. It's lunchtime anyway, why don't we go out and find a place to have a quick meal? It's on me!"

The middle-aged foreman waved his hand and said very honestly, "No, no, thank you for your kindness! We have to rush back to the department to report, and we might have other work this afternoon. You guys celebrate!"

He firmly rejected Yang Guangming's offer, then took the three young men, carrying their tool buckets, and left in a hurry.

After seeing the workers off, the family stood in their newly renovated house, looking left and right, unable to get enough of the sight.

The snow-white walls exuded a pleasant lime smell, sunlight streamed in through the clean glass windows, and the floor, though still cement, was spotless.

The two small cubicles, set against the white walls, looked exceptionally neat and tidy.

"It's so beautiful! Snow-white! Bright and clear!" Zhang Xiuying exclaimed repeatedly, her eyes welling up with tears.

Seeing the genuine joy on his family's faces, Yang Guangming felt a surge of pride: "Dad, Mom, Brother, Sister-in-law, today is a joyous occasion! Let's not go home to cook, I'll treat everyone to a meal at a restaurant! Let's celebrate!"

"Eating out?" Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiuying's thrifty instincts immediately took over. "Oh dear, why waste money like that? I'll just cook something at home, it'll be quick! We still have leftovers from yesterday..."

“Mom,” Yang Guangming interrupted her with a smile, “I’m so happy today! It’s a rare occasion! The new house is finished painting, it’s worth celebrating. Besides, everyone’s been busy all morning and is tired.” He looked at his father, “Dad, what do you say?”

Yang Yongkang stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze slowly sweeping across the snow-white wall before settling on his youngest son's expectant and joyful face.

He remained silent for a few seconds.

Eating out is an absolute luxury for families like theirs.

But today, looking at this brand-new house, at the fruits of the family's hard work, and at the glory his youngest son had earned through his own abilities... he slowly nodded and uttered a single word: "Good."

The head of the household made the decision, and although Zhang Xiuying still felt a little pained, her joy overshadowed her feelings. Li Guihua was secretly delighted, as she wouldn't have to go home to cook.

After locking their newly renovated home door, the family walked out of the residential area.

Yang Guang knew her parents were frugal and didn't plan to go to any fancy places. Just across the street from the residential area, there was a small restaurant called "Xinfeng Restaurant".

A red paper menu is pasted on the glass window, and a greasy blue cloth curtain hangs halfway at the door. It is a place where nearby workers and residents often go to have a "luxurious" meal.

As you step inside, an even stronger smell of cooking oil and a cacophony of noise hits you.

It was lunchtime, and the small hall was almost full of people, with seven or eight square tables set up. Most of the customers were men in work clothes, but there were also a few families with children.

The ground was cement, stained with oil and vegetable leaves.

A waitress wearing a white apron with shiny cuffs was impatiently calling out, "The braised ribbonfish for table number three is ready. Come and get it yourself."

When the Yang family of six entered, the waiter didn't even raise his eyelids, but pointed with his chin to a newly vacated table in the corner: "Sit there! Wipe it yourself with a cloth!" Sure enough, there were still oil stains and rice grains left by the previous customer on the table.

Yang Guanghui quickly grabbed a damp cloth from the table next to him, the color of which was indistinguishable, and vigorously wiped the tabletop.

The family finally sat down, the stools of which were dusty and grimy. Zhang Xiuying frowned but said nothing. Yang Yongkang, on the other hand, remained calm, clearly accustomed to such an environment.

An older male waiter strolled over slowly, carrying a small notebook, his fingers still stained with soy sauce: "What would you like to eat?" His tone was as flat as plain water.

Yang Guangming took the greasy handwritten menu and looked at it. It was mostly home-style dishes, a bit more expensive than the factory canteen, but still considered cheap for a restaurant.

He ordered several substantial dishes: a plate of braised pork, a steamed pomfret, a plate of shredded pork with eggs and vegetables, a plate of stir-fried greens, a large bowl of pickled mustard greens and shredded pork soup, plus eight bowls of white rice. The total came to three yuan and six mao, plus one jin and six liang of grain coupons.

Yang Guangming originally wanted a bottle of baijiu (Chinese liquor), but Yang Yongkang was a very frugal person and felt that since he had just drunk alcohol last night, there was no need for it at noon today.

The waiter scribbled in his notebook without looking up: "The braised pork will take a while, and the freshly killed fish will also take a while. Pay your money and food coupons first, then wait for your number to be called and serve yourself."

Yang Guangming counted out the money and food coupons and handed them over. The waiter took the money, tore off a small receipt with a number on it, threw it on the table, and then slowly shook it away.

The family waited. All around them were the sounds of drinking games, children crying, and the clatter of bowls and chopsticks.

Zhuangzhuang watched all of this with curiosity.

After waiting for about twenty minutes, I heard an impatient shout coming from the kitchen window: "Number seven! Braised pork, shredded pork with eggs!"

Yang Guangming and Yang Guanghui quickly got up to serve the dishes. Two steaming, glistening dishes were placed on the table, their aroma enticing. After a while, the fish, vegetables, and soup were served one after another. The rice was served in a coarse porcelain bowl, steaming hot.

Without much formality, the family picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

The braised pork belly was rich yet not greasy, melting in your mouth; the steamed pomfret, though small, was very fresh; the eggs in the shredded pork with eggs were golden brown, and the pork slices were tender; even the most ordinary stir-fried vegetables looked exceptionally vibrant and delicious because of the ample oil. The pickled mustard greens and shredded pork soup was hot, savory, and appetizing. The white rice was also incredibly fragrant.

While eating, Zhang Xiuying couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "If I made this at home, I wouldn't even need half the money..."

But seeing her old man engrossed in his meal, her smiling sons, and her grandson gnawing on a piece of meat, she ultimately said nothing more. She placed a large piece of fish into Mingming's bowl and said, "Mingming, eat more! You're the boss today!"

Yang Yongkang ate more slowly than usual, but very carefully, savoring each bite as if he were doing so.

He made an exception and added half a bowl of rice. Yang Guanghui ate with the most relish, his cheeks bulging. Li Guihua carefully picked out the fish bones for Zhuangzhuang, and ate her own meal with great satisfaction.

The meal was simple, even a bit noisy and greasy, but it was full of the lively atmosphere of the marketplace and the most unpretentious celebration.

On this early autumn noon, in this small and even somewhat shabby "New Breeze Restaurant," Yang Guangming and his family celebrated a new and hopeful beginning in their lives with a rare "luxury" lunch.

The delicious food, the smiles of his family, and the heavy key in his pocket all clearly told Yang Guangming: He truly had a home!

(End of this chapter)