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

Niu Dazhuang was pulled over by Bai Hongyan to be the scorekeeper. Niu Dazhuang obediently took notes on the small blackboard, while she was having a great time.

"Director Bai, watch your appearance," Niu Dazhuang whispered a reminder.

Bai Hongyan looked down at her clothes but didn't find anything wrong: "What's wrong?"

"Ahem... If you keep jumping around like that, the comrades won't be able to watch the game anymore, they'll all be watching your performance!"

"What am I supposed to perform?"

"Let's perform a game of jumping rope with two basketballs!"

"Ugh! Your thoughts are filthy!"

"Haven't you noticed that all the gay men are staring at you?"

"They're always like this, what's so strange about it!"

"Fine, do as you please. I guess I was just being nosy!"

For some reason, Bai Hongyan suddenly leaned close to Niu Dazhuang and asked in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Little comrade, have you fallen for me?"

"I wouldn't dare!"

Bai Hongyan's expression changed: "Hmph! I bet you wouldn't dare."

After that, Bai Hongyan became much more well-behaved. When she saw a good shot, she would just clap and cheer, and she stopped jumping around.

The competition ended in the afternoon, and I got off work more than two hours earlier than usual. Most factories closed early today.

Sha Zhu gets off work early. After getting lunch and cleaning up the kitchen, the kitchen staff will close for the day.

These days, it's not his place to carry a lunchbox home. He walked to the gate of the courtyard house with his hands behind his back, humming a little tune.

"Hey! I'm talking to you, what are you doing?"

"Excuse me, is this No. 95 Nanluoguxiang?"

When he turned around, Shu was startled: "Holy crap! What's your name?"

The person in front of him, apart from being younger than his unreliable father, was practically a carbon copy of him.

Cai Quanwu grinned widely and said, "My name is Cai Quanwu, and I'm looking for a man named Niu Dazhuang. Does he live in your compound?"

"Put your job search aside for now. I need to talk to you. Let's go inside and talk." Sha Zhu didn't allow them to part ways and pulled him into the courtyard.

Sha Zhu pulled the person into his room and closed the door.

Cai Quanwu almost wanted to run away. "Brother, this is our first time meeting, right? Can we talk outside?"

Sha Zhu noticed his nervousness: "You're a grown man, are you afraid I'll eat you? Let me ask you first, what's your name?"

Cai Quanwu said with a wronged expression, "Didn't I just tell you that my name is Cai Quanwu?"

"Where's your dad?"

"I'm dead. I'm the only one left in my family."

"Dead? Then what was your father's name?"

"Cai Youde! Brother, are you a police officer? I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Are you sure your dad's name is Cai Youde?!"

"Comrade, that's going too far. Don't you remember your own father's name?"

Sha Zhu ignored him and changed the subject: "Do you know He Daqing?"

Cai Quanwu's expression changed at first, then he asked, "Who are you? Why are you asking me all sorts of questions right away!"

"I am He Yuzhu, He Daqing's son. Is you your father's only son?"

Cai Quanwu suddenly hugged Sha Zhu's neck and whispered, "Brother, you don't need to ask anymore. I know what you want to ask. Your parents aren't home?"

"My mother is dead, and He Daqing ran off with a widow. Are you really his son?"

"What a tragedy! I only found out before my own mother died that my father was addicted to opium and never had any children; he borrowed a woman."

"Holy crap! This is unbelievable! Does this mean we're half-brothers?"

"Probably! But this concerns the face of the older generation, so it's best if none of us tell anyone."

"I think that with your face, showing up in the yard is like showing your face in broad daylight."

"Do I really look that much like your father?"

"It's not just that they look alike, they're practically identical. The only difference is that you're a bit younger!"

"Damn it! I'd better hurry up and leave! Can you tell Niu Dazhuang from your compound that I'm marrying Xu Huizhen tomorrow, and that he absolutely has to come!"

"Wow, you've even managed to get a wife! You're much better off than me! How did you and Niu Dazhuang meet?"

"Let's talk somewhere else, let's go to my place, and we can have a good chat."

"Is it far?"

"It's not far, just east of Qianmen."

The two brothers quickly left the courtyard house and started chatting on the way.

Cai Quanwu explained his situation to Shazhu. Perhaps it was because of their blood ties, but the two felt so close even though it was their first time meeting.

"Wow, you really took after your father in that respect. He ran off with the widow, and you married into the widow's family."

"This isn't me marrying into the family. Huizhen and I have already discussed it; any children we have will take my surname!"

"Are you close to Niu Dazhuang from our compound?" Sha Zhu asked.

"Hmph! Not familiar at all, not only not familiar, but we also have a bit of a grudge. I came here specifically to inform him of my wedding, just to disgust him. Xu Huizhen and I are getting married. He's a defeated foe!" Cai Quanwu said smugly.

"Hehe, this is interesting. So you two are both vying for the same widow? I'll see what kind of fairy this Xu Huizhen is today."

"Zhu Zi, you can't call Xu Huizhen that anymore. You have to call her sister-in-law!"

"Cai Quanwu, when did you and Niu Dazhuang start arguing over Xu Huizhen?"

"Just this year, what's wrong?"

"That's not right. Niu Dazhuang is already married. And his wife is quite beautiful; she's one of only two beauties in our compound!"

Cai Quanwu was even angrier upon hearing this: "Well, you already have a wife, yet you're still having affairs outside."

Sha Zhu, always eager for a good show, never misses an opportunity to stir up trouble.

"I'm telling you, now that you mention it, Xu Huizhen isn't exactly a saint either. They're not even married yet, so if it doesn't work out, then forget it."

"What's so special about her? What do you know? You wouldn't say that to her. She has a small tavern and a courtyard. If I marry her, I'll never have to worry about food or clothing again!"

"So you had ulterior motives too!"

"Silly brother, most of the pure ones are still single. I'm from a bad background, and I'm almost thirty. I'm lucky to have found a wife like this! Besides, Xu Huizhen is quite good-looking, just my type."

"Tch, you all like any pretty woman."

"Don't just talk about me. Deep down, you don't like married women?" Cai Quanwu asked, posing a probing question.

Sha Zhu, with his neck stiff, said, "Even though the young married woman is beautiful, I'd still rather marry a virgin!"

Cai Quanwu patted Sha Zhu on the shoulder: "We're almost home. See that little tavern up ahead? It used to be your sister-in-law's business, but now it's a joint public-private enterprise. There are annual dividends, and there's a big courtyard in the back." Cai Quanwu said proudly.

Xu Huizhen was playing with little Jingli in the courtyard when she saw Cai Quanwu return with a tall man.

He still maintained a semblance of politeness: "Didn't you go to inform my cousin? And who is this comrade?"

Before Cai Quanwu could even speak, Sha Zhu bowed and scraped, his face beaming, and said, "Hello, sister-in-law, my name is He Yuzhu, and I hit it off with Brother Cai right away!"