Courtyard houses: Those who are capable are rewarded, and many children bring many blessings.

"Aunt Wang, this is the new China now! Your thinking is so outdated. Women can hold up half the sky now!" Yu Li retorted.

"I don't understand all those big principles, I just know that widows' lives aren't as good as ours. You should find a good man who can be the best man in the house!"

Aunt Liu, who had been watching the commotion from across from Yu Li, suddenly remarked, "It's a pity Comrade Niu Dazhuang got married, otherwise I think you two would have been a perfect match!"

This sparked a huge discussion, with many women joining in the commotion: "Hey! Sister Liu has such great taste! I think they look like a couple."

Yu Li wanted to argue back, but she didn't know who to argue with. Everyone was saying that, so she got angry, picked up her rice bowl, and angrily moved away.

Niu Dazhuang quickly lowered his head to eat, tilted his head back to drink the last mouthful of soup, and hurriedly left this place of trouble.

There was a half-hour break at noon, and most employees went home for dinner. Since there was no need for help, Niu Dazhuang returned to the garage.

The drivers who weren't on business trips were all busy, either maintaining their vehicles, attending meetings and training sessions, or helping with loading and unloading.

In the afternoon, Niu Dazhuang copied the rules and regulations in the team leader's office.

Although I don't sleep at night, I have to eat dinner at home, otherwise I won't see anyone all day.

Niu Dazhuang was a heartbreaker, and he was also afraid of his home being robbed. There were quite a few unmarried young men in their early twenties living in the courtyard.

Especially Xu Damao, that kid is not honest, and Sha Zhu won't do either. He has similar tastes to me, he likes young married women, and Liu Guangqi won't do either...

Over the years, there hasn't been a single good person among them.

As Niu Dazhuang entered the alley, a wicker basket was attached to the handlebars of his bicycle, containing the dozen or so eggs he had bought on the black market.

"Hey, Xue Ru is so lucky to have married such a caring man," Auntie San said enviously, looking at the eggs in Niu Dazhuang's basket.

"Of course, Dazhuang is quite capable, these eggs aren't cheap!" Jia Zhangshi echoed.

"It's not cheap at all, it's almost as expensive as pork." Niu Dazhuang replied casually before entering the west courtyard.

Madam Jia, quick-witted as ever, called Xiaobanggeng into the room: "My dear grandson, go to your uncle's house and find your mother. Tell her you want to eat scrambled eggs."

Bang Geng'er, who was born in 1957, is now five years old (by Chinese reckoning) and has some things to do. Since last winter, he has been staying with his grandmother, so little Bang Geng'er listens to Jia Zhangshi very well now.

"Grandma, should I eat over there, or bring it back so we can eat together?" Even as a child, Banggeng was very sensible.

"Of course we'll bring it back and eat it together. Grandma hasn't had scrambled eggs in years!"

"Oh, what if Mom won't make it?"

"Just sit on the floor and cry!"

After hearing what Jia Zhangshi said, Xiaobanggeng ran to the west courtyard.

Upon seeing Qin Huairu, he immediately pounced on her, grabbed her leg, and looked up at her, saying, "Mom, I want to eat scrambled eggs."

Qin Huairu looked at Niu Dazhuang awkwardly.

Qin Xueru's affection for Xiaobanggeng stemmed from her close relationship with her third sister.

He pulled the little stick closer and said kindly, "Little stick, don't worry, let's eat together after I've finished cooking, okay?"

Niu Dazhuang didn't think so, but he still had to give Qin Huairu face, so he squatted down next to Qin Xueru and tried to keep his tone as gentle as possible: "Bang Geng'er, who told you to come over? Tell me so you can have scrambled eggs!"

"Grandma called me over!" Little Banggeng said in his childish voice.

"What else did your grandma tell you?" Niu Dazhuang continued to ask.

"Grandma said that if my mom doesn't give me scrambled eggs, I should cry!"

"Anything else?"

Little Banggeng tilted his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Grandma also told me to take the scrambled eggs back with her to eat together!"

At this point, Niu Dazhuang stood up.

"Third sister, it's not a problem that the child is greedy, after all, Banggeng'er is still young, but your way of educating the child is wrong."

Embarrassed, Qin Huairu grabbed the stick and went home.

Not long after, they heard arguing next door. Niu Dazhuang lit a fire and even put a bowl upside down on the east wall to listen to the commotion.

The Jia family lived in the west wing of the central courtyard, while Niu Dazhuang and his family lived in the east wing of the west courtyard. In other words, their two families were separated by only one wall.

"Dazhuang, you're not usually a stingy person, what's wrong with you today?" Qin Xueru was a little confused.

"Xueru, we can't open this door. You're pregnant, so you'll definitely need to increase your nutrition. It's fine to let your sister eat it, after all... ah!"

Add to that the scoundrel, and then there's that shameless Jia Zhangshi—what a huge hole this is! I can't possibly fill it!

Qin Xueru understood what Niu Dazhuang meant; after all, resources were scarce in those days, and everyone acted this way. When there was good food, it was always given to pregnant women and babies.

Meanwhile, Qin Huairu, having just arrived home with Banggeng, glared at Jia Zhangshi. "Mom! I can eat two meals a day at Xueru's house, but why did you make Banggeng go and ask for scrambled eggs!" Ever since last winter, when Jia Zhangshi forced her to return to her parents' home, she hadn't called her "Mom" again.

Today, he called her "Mom" so that Jia Zhangshi would listen to him.

"I saw it just now, Niu Dazhuang brought back a basket of eggs, so what if I asked Banggeng'er to have some?" Jia Zhangshi said shamelessly.

"What's wrong! What's wrong with you? I'm pregnant now, and to get more nutrition, I've been shamelessly mooching meals at my sister's house, and you're still not satisfied! You even want Banggeng to go over and ask for scrambled eggs!"

"I might as well remarry and change Banggeng's surname!" Hearing Jia Zhangshi say such shameless things, he was so angry that his voice unconsciously became louder.

Jia Zhangshi quickly pulled the small stick over, as if it were about to be snatched away.

"Qin Huairu, did you have this intention all along? How come you look down on our Jia family now!" Jia Zhangshi's voice also grew louder.

"You look down on the Jia family? Whose child am I carrying now? You can't be too greedy!" Qin Huairu was now full of confidence, no longer the submissive wife she once was.

At this moment, Jia Dongxu, who had just finished get off work, stood outside the door and hesitated for a long time before lifting the curtain to come in.

"Jia Dongxu, can you afford to support me and the child? If not, I'm going to the hospital right now to get rid of the baby!"

"Huai Ru, don't be angry. Getting angry is bad for the child and for you. Let's calm down first," Jia Dongxu quickly comforted her.

When Jia Zhangshi saw how much her son doted on his wife, she became even angrier!

"Dongxu, you silly boy who's forgotten your mother after getting married! You didn't even ask what happened before you started trying to coax her!"

Jia Dongxu knew this would be the outcome. Every time they argued, he was like a rat in a bellows, getting angry on both sides.