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

The first thing Qin Yueru said to her older sister was, "You knew about this?"

"You must be half asleep. I don't know what's going on." Qin Huairu was bewildered by the question.

How could Qin Yueru, still a young woman, bring up such a thing? She looked to Xue Ru for help.

"It's about the letter you wrote to her asking her to come!" Qin Xueru said.

"Oh, about that? I know. What do you think, Yue Ru?" Qin Huairu didn't think there was anything wrong with it and readily admitted it.

"I..." Qin Yueru stammered, "I haven't decided yet!"

The absence of an explicit refusal implies acceptance.

"There are no outsiders here, so just say whatever your concerns are!" Qin Huairu said, sitting cross-legged on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Sis, did you really sleep with Dazhuang?"

Qin Huairu blushed when asked, "Why should I care about myself? We're talking about you now!"

Looking at her sister's expression, Qin Yueru understood that Xueru hadn't lied at all last night.

"Let me think about it some more!"

Xue Ru and Huai Ru exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. They instantly understood each other's thoughts; now, these cousins ​​were even closer than biological sisters.

"Okay, think about it. There's no rush. Dazhuang will be going to the countryside tomorrow. Once you've made up your mind, he can come back next time." Qin Xueru looked like she had everything under control.

As her own sister, Qin Huairu guessed what she was thinking: "You feel awkward because you're Xueru's older sister and married into the family later than her, right? Or do you have some other concerns?"

"Back in the day, when landlords and wealthy men had a first wife, all the women who came after her were concubines, and they even had to call the first wife 'sister'!"

"Hehe...Seventh brother, you're worried, aren't you? Our family isn't the old landlord family anymore. We sisters don't distinguish between elder and younger!" Qin Xueru said generously.

"Oh, I have one more request!"

"you say."

"I won't fight you for control of the household, but I want the same allowance you get every month!"

"You don't need to tell me, Dazhuang definitely won't show favoritism."

"I'm not selling myself here. If you're not comfortable here, you can leave anytime!"

"Seventh Brother, you're really cunning! I'm afraid you'll get a taste of the benefits and won't leave even if we chase you away! Do you have any other conditions?"

"It's gone!"

Qin Xueru wasn't as nonchalant as she appeared; she was still somewhat unhappy inside.

Cousins ​​are not as close as biological sisters. Ningru didn't discuss any conditions back then and completely trusted me.

What's done is done, there's no use regretting it now. Hopefully, we can get along harmoniously from now on!

After breakfast, the sisters started cutting and making clothes for Qin Yueru, chattering away noisily.

That evening, Niu Dazhuang went home for dinner, and Qin Yueru looked at him differently.

The result left Qin Yueru somewhat confused. After finishing his meal, Niu Dazhuang told Qin Xueru what was going on, then left with a cigarette in his mouth.

"Xueru, he's going on a business trip to the countryside tomorrow, why isn't he home tonight?"

"Didn't I tell you? He can't live without women every night. You heard it last night too. Ningru not only ate her fill, but she ate too much. She definitely can't stay with him tonight, so she went out to hunt some wild game."

"Is that really true? How come he has so much energy? I heard he last night went on for quite a while and still wasn't satisfied. He's such a beast. Ningru, you too, how come your body is so weak? You only work out sporadically."

"Seventh Sister, it's easy for you to say that when you're not in my shoes. You'll know once you experience it for yourself. You might not even be as resilient as me."

"Yueru, don't overthink it. Just stay home and relax. I'll make arrangements for you when he comes back."

Although Niu Dazhuang was unwilling, the situation was such that he still drove his big truck to the countryside.

There are some advantages, though; he can drive alone now. No, that's not true. A newcomer like him would have to wait at least another six months after becoming a full-fledged employee before he'd be eligible to drive alone.

Once outside of Beijing, the roads were entirely dirt tracks. The plains were a bit better, but he wasn't in the lead car, so he just followed behind, getting covered in dust.

"Sister Su, why don't you roll down your window? It's too hot, like a sauna."

The two women's clothes were clinging to their bodies as Niu Dazhuang kept his eyes glued to the road ahead while driving. Occasionally, when shifting gears, he would take the opportunity to accelerate a little.

The truck cab windows were all open, so some air was blowing in, but it was hot air; however, it was still more comfortable than being stuffy.

Upon arriving in Qinghe, at Bai Hongyan's request, Niu Dazhuang parked the car by the river.

The three of them took off their shoes and went into the river. They cupped their hands in the crystal-clear water, drank a few mouthfuls, and felt completely refreshed. Then they washed their faces. It was invigorating.

Niu Dazhuang took it a step further, plunging his head into the river to cool himself down...

After resting for about ten minutes, we set off again and arrived in Changping around 10 a.m. The county town was only about ten miles away from the construction site.

Although it doesn't look far, it's all mountain roads. And to call them mountain roads, they're all dirt roads built this year, barely wide enough for a single-row truck to pass through.

"Comrade Dazhuang, don't worry, we'll arrive before noon." Su Wan regretted listening to Bai Hongyan's advice and riding in Niu Dazhuang's car with her.

How can anyone feel at ease letting a novice driver go on a mountain road? It's not like there aren't experienced drivers.

Bai Hongyan was also worried, and she spoke more directly: "Dazhuang, are you sure you can handle it? If not, wait for them to come back and pick us up."

"Don't worry, I value my life more than you do. Just hold on tight. Make sure you don't bump into anything."

Su Wan was a little better off; she could grab the doorknob with both hands, but Bai Hongyan couldn't.

While making a 90-degree turn, he unconsciously grabbed Niu Dazhuang's thigh.

It was very hot, and Niu Dazhuang wasn't wearing long pants; he was wearing shorts that had been cropped out of his pants. He was also shirtless.

At that time, it was no longer considered uncivilized for a man to be shirtless. In the Xiantian era, all men with penises were shirtless, jokingly referred to as "shirtless men".

"Ouch! Why don't you scratch your own thigh!" Niu Dazhuang was hurt by the scratch.

"Hehehe..." Su Wan, sitting on the other side, was amused.

Niu Dazhuang is no novice; he even has the energy to glance at Vice President Su out of the corner of his eye!

Well, this leader is quite something; her chest is jiggling, not much less impressive than Bai Hongyan's.

"Who told you to drive so fast! You scared me to death just now."

"Big sister, this speed is only slightly faster than a donkey cart." As she spoke, she made another sharp turn. Niu Dazhuang didn't brake, but just swerved the steering wheel.

This was even more exaggerated. Due to inertia, Su Wan leaned her upper body against Bai Hongyan, while Bai Hongyan leaned her upper body against Niu Dazhuang.

"Niu Dazhuang, are you doing this on purpose?!" Bai Hongyan saw through his little scheme after being so obviously taken advantage of.

"You helped me up, but then you stopped and blamed me."

"Comrade Niu Dazhuang, could you slow down a bit more? If you keep driving like this, we'll really turn into lumps of coal," Su Wan said with a touch of humor.

"Yeah, you're treating us like lumps of coal! You'll regret this!"