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

"Hmph! Don't think I don't know what you're thinking." Bai Hongyan didn't stop, and the two rode side by side.

"Hey sis, let's be reasonable, okay? You can ask me, but I can't ask you?"

Bai Hongyan didn't say anything, just looked unhappy and rode her bike in silence.

Niu Dazhuang followed her through two alleys when Bai Hongyan suddenly got out of the car: "Take me all the way home!"

To show that he had no evil intentions, Niu Dazhuang said frankly, "I'm home now. I'll go see my brother-in-law. That way you won't accuse me of having ulterior motives!"

"Wait a moment, I see there's a supply and marketing cooperative over there. It's my first time visiting your home, how can I just leave without saying anything?"

After Niu Dazhuang finished speaking, he turned his bicycle around 180 degrees and, without giving Bai Hongyan a chance to speak, quickly went to the supply and marketing cooperative.

Bai Hongyan hesitated for a moment, then watched him enter the supply and marketing cooperative with a smile.

When they came out again, Niu Dazhuang had two bottles of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and two packets of snacks hanging on the handlebars of his bicycle.

"Let's go."

Bai Hongyan said seriously, "Have you thought it through? Are you coming home with me?"

Niu Dazhuang said nonchalantly, "Your house isn't a tiger's den, why are you even thinking about it? Unless you don't want me to go."

"You've followed me all the way to my doorstep. If I say no, will you turn back?"

"No, I've already bought everything; consider it a gift for the apprenticeship!"

Bai Hongyan glanced at the things hanging on Niu Dazhuang's handlebars and teased, "You think you can fool your master like this? This isn't enough to become my apprentice!"

"You've got quite the appetite. Just a token amount will do. Once I'm officially hired, I'll prepare a much bigger gift for you, okay?"

"That's more like it, let's go!"

It's another large courtyard with multiple households. It's rush hour now, and most families in the courtyard have a stove in front of their doors and are starting to cook.

A group of children were running and playing in the courtyard, making it even more lively than the large tenement where Niu Dazhuang lived.

Unlike the courtyard house where Niu Dazhuang lived, the people here didn't seem very friendly to Bai Hongyan.

Not a single person greeted him, and Niu Dazhuang even heard gossip behind his back.

"See, I told you so, you brought the men back."

"I knew all along that this little vixen was up to no good!"

The main house had five rooms; Bai Hongyan lived in one, and the adjacent side room served as her kitchen. Upon entering, she asked, "Did you hear that?"

Niu Dazhuang quickly glanced at the furnishings in the room and didn't find any men's belongings. There was only one set of bedding on the small earthen bed.

Against the east wall next to the earthen bed was a dressing table, and under the window was a desk. Behind the door was a wooden washbasin stand with a towel, typical of that era, draped over it, and two thermos flasks below.

The house is clean and tidy!

"Sister Bai, where is your wife?"

"Who told you I was married?"

"Ah!" Niu Dazhuang looked Bai Hongyan up and down again. Such a voluptuous figure shouldn't be like this!

Bai Hongyan felt embarrassed by his intense gaze and punched him.

"What are you looking at?"

"Wait a minute, how can someone who's not married have such a great figure?"

"So what if I'm naturally beautiful? Besides, does being unmarried mean I can't live without a man?"

Niu Dazhuang suddenly remembered the rumors circulating at work.

"Could those rumors at work be true? That shouldn't be the case! I think Sister Bai is a very upright person!"

"Go to hell. I'm a pretty upright person. I'll just tell you that Secretary Chen is my dad's old comrade-in-arms."

He's been very kind to me; if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have come to our workplace. Please, make yourself at home!

As he spoke, he poured half a teacup of boiled water for Niu Dazhuang.

The more Niu Dazhuang talked, the more confused he became.

Bai Hongyan noticed his confusion and pulled up a chair to sit at the desk as well: "Have you ever heard of war orphans?"

"I've heard of them, aren't they children who lost their parents during wartime?"

"Yes, I'm specifically referring to war orphans who were sent to the Soviet Union. Strictly speaking, some of them weren't orphans, some were from single-parent families, but most of them were orphans."

"Oh, I see. Sister Bai must be one of them, which is why she speaks Russian."

"I'm not stupid. I only returned to China in 1950. I wasn't used to living with them, so I rented a place by myself."

"Hehe, so you're a second-generation red too! I didn't know that!"

"What 'second-generation red'? That's a new term for you. You've already noticed, my relationship with him isn't good. Don't even think about getting preferential treatment through me!"

"I don't even know who your parents are. How could I possibly have gotten in through connections? You're probably a few years older than me. I'm married and about to have a child. Why are you still single?"

Bai Hongyan was displeased upon hearing this. Her pretty face immediately darkened: "Why don't you shut it down? Can't we have a proper conversation? If you don't want to talk, you can leave."

"Your face is like the weather in June, changing in an instant! Is this still the Sister Bai I know? At work, you're such a lovely and approachable older sister, how come you're like a completely different person after work!"

This woman's thought process is just different from a man's.

"How am I the eldest sister? I'm only a few years older than you. You're not allowed to call me eldest sister anymore. You can call me Sister Bai or Sister Yan'er."

"Okay, Sister Bai, I'll come to your house to learn Russian from now on!" Niu Dazhuang said, pressing his cheek against hers.

"That won't do. If you come here often, how am I supposed to find a partner?"

"You don't have a boyfriend yet? That shouldn't be the case. Sister Bai is so beautiful, and her figure is amazing. There's a whole line of guys chasing after you!"

Bai Hongyan sighed softly and said, "A few years ago, I couldn't let go of someone, so I didn't have the heart to look for someone. In the last two years, I've come to terms with it, and there are no more people trying to win me over."

"That can't be right, Sister Bai, there are plenty of guys at work who're trying to get your way!" Niu Dazhuang teased.

"Get lost! They're either married or slovenly. They all just want to take advantage of me without taking responsibility. Men are all the same. And you're no better!"

"Sister Bai, you're wronging me! I really want to learn Russian, and not only Russian, I also want to learn English!" Niu Dazhuang said sincerely.

"I can understand learning Russian, but why do you want to learn English too? Are you trying to betray your country?"

"How does wanting to learn English become treason? Sister Bai, you're really good at labeling people like that!"

"You want to learn from capitalist countries? Isn't that treason?"

"Sister Bai, you are a person from the Soviet Union, the big brother country. How can you be so narrow-minded? Language is just a tool for communication. It is neither capitalist nor socialist."

"So you're learning English so you can communicate with people from capitalist countries? Or do you want to secretly listen to radio broadcasts from capitalist countries?"

"I can't explain it to you. Let's talk about my Russian learning instead. Since you don't want me to come to your house, when are you going to teach me?"

"Um... why are you blaming me now!"

"Sister Bai, you promised, and it's only been a short while. You're already trying to renege on your promise. I've already bought you the apprenticeship gift."