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

"What do you mean?"

"You're looking at the facts, I'm looking at the person. Niu Dazhuang isn't the type to break up with you after just one argument."

You're his boss, and a stunning beauty. He got to sleep with you for free, and it even benefits his career. No wonder he's reluctant to let you go.

After thinking for a moment, Su Wan said seriously, "You're half right. Based on my understanding of him, he doesn't have much ambition."

It's true he wants to make more money, but I think it's also to help him find women.

Su Ting thought back to that day, to the way Niu Dazhuang stared at her.

"Isn't that a lecherous old man!"

"He's not only a lecherous scoundrel, but a reckless and audacious one! You should stay away from him in the future."

If he had any ambition to climb the social ladder, he would have already taken Bai Hongyan as his mistress. The Bai family is far more powerful than ours.

"What an interesting person!"

Well, this blow was powerful and completely changed Su Ting's opinion.

Su Wan shook her head helplessly and reminded him, "My brother-in-law is still undergoing re-education in Yanqing!"

"Sis, why are you such a spoilsport? Can't stand to see me doing well? I was feeling happy for a moment, why did you bring him up again?"

This younger sister is also spoiled by her family. She's already twenty-seven or twenty-eight, but she lives like a little girl.

"I'll wait for him for another year at most. If he's still like this, I'll break off all ties with him. Waiting for him for a year will be the least I can do for him," Su Ting said earnestly.

The two sisters were speaking in riddles, each harboring their own secrets.

The Niu family's backyard was also bustling with activity. Two heavily pregnant women had coaxed and tricked Qin Ningru and Qin Yueru back with them.

"Third sister, let's invite brother-in-law over tonight. We're all happy today, let's have dinner together." Qin Xueru, the hostess, spoke up.

After getting off work, Niu Dazhuang busied himself setting up a large bed for Ningru and her sister in the outer room, so that at least to outsiders, it would appear that they slept in separate rooms.

In the backyard, there are three main rooms. The Niu family occupies two of them on the west side, and there is also a side room that serves as a kitchen and storage room.

Xu Damao's family occupied three west wing rooms, while Liu Haizhong's family occupied three east wing rooms opposite them.

This is larger than the two side rooms in the west courtyard, and the kitchen is not inside the house, making it clean and spacious.

The Niu family had many women, so it was naturally lively. Xu Damao was also someone who loved to join in the fun. When he came home from get off work, he tiptoed and peeked inside. Goodness! All four of Qin's sisters were in the house.

He tugged at his clothes, stood outside the door, and just poked his head in: "Sisters-in-law, ladies, is Brother Niu back yet?"

Qin Ningru was displeased: "Xu Damao, you're being too easy with your words. You should be older than me, so why are you calling me 'sister'? I can't possibly accept that."

"You've come at the right time. Help me find some bricks and set up the bed board." Niu Dazhuang said.

"Alright! We may not have other things in our compound, but we have plenty of blue bricks."

Niu Dazhuang had no shortage of bricks and timber; he took quite a bit. His neighbors in the compound also brought in plenty of stuff.

The Tiananmen Square of later generations is so large, but it was all demolished in the present day.

With Xu Damao's help, it was much faster. After the two of them set up the bed, they squatted by the door and smoked.

"Brother Niu, how did you learn your kung fu? Teach me a few moves, I don't need many, just enough to deal with Sha Zhu."

Niu Dazhuang glanced at Xu Damao's thin frame and said, "If you want to learn, you can, but first you have to practice the horse stance for three months. When you can hold it for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, I'll teach you."

"Oh, is that so? Then let's forget about it. Is there a quicker way?"

"Dream on! Sha Zhu has been training for over ten years, and you think you can beat him after only a day or two?" Niu Dazhuang was also being malicious.

"However, it's not like there's no other way. Have you ever heard the saying, 'Even the best kung fu master is afraid of a kitchen knife'? If he hits you again, just hit him with the kitchen knife!"

"Brother Niu, you're really putting your brothers in a bad position. This kitchen knife is a knife too. Once a knife is involved, it won't be as simple as a fight. You might end up in jail for questioning."

"Then I can't help you." Niu Dazhuang glanced at the east wing, where Liu Haizhong's house was located, and casually asked, "Have you seen Liu Guangqi's girlfriend? What does she look like?"

Xu Damao shook his head. "That kid's cunning. He's afraid we'll sabotage him, so he's keeping it a secret. But when he gets married, he'll definitely have two tables set up in the courtyard. Then... hehe."

"What's so funny? You're so happy about eavesdropping."

"Brother Niu, I don't know what the wedding pranks are like in your village, but the wedding pranks in our compound are really interesting."

Niu Dazhuang became interested: "Tell me about it."

"On the wedding day, we'll make sure Liu Guangqi drinks a lot of alcohol, but not so much that he's unconscious. When we enter the bridal chamber, we'll tease the bride as much as we can."

It's a pity I was too young when Jia Dongxu got married; I couldn't even squeeze in. And Jin Fu's wife at the alley entrance, she only got married two years ago. I got to touch her twice, but sadly, Qin Huairu wasn't there…

"Brother Niu, let me tell you, with women, the first thing I look at is their looks. If they're pretty, I'm interested. If they're not pretty, even if they have a killer figure, I'm not interested."

Once the topic turns to women, Xu Damao can't stop talking. He goes on and on with fancy words, and it's hard to tell which of his statements are true and which are false.

"If that's the case, then every time a movie is shown in the countryside, we'll have something new to gain."

"Not entirely. Take Hongxing Township, for example. I've been there a few times, and each time I've come back with something. Last time, I even managed to get my hands on a pretty widow's bed. Don't let her rural background fool you; aside from some calluses on her hands, her body was completely smooth..."

"You're quite the ladies' man. Don't overdo it and ruin yourself."

"Hehe, no way. As they say, 'To die beneath a peony is to die a romantic death.'"

Niu Dazhuang knew his own limitations; he wasn't exactly a saint himself, so he didn't say anything more.

"Jia Dongxu is coming over tonight too, let's have a drink together," Niu Dazhuang invited.

"I'll have a drink if I want, but I won't be able to steal my dad's good wine this time."

Niu Dazhuang patted him on the shoulder: "Just bring your mouth tonight."

"How could I possibly do that?"

"I'll just come over for a meal next time."

"Let's wait a bit longer. After the New Year, my dad and his wife should move out, and then my brother and I can drink as much as we want."

Niu Dazhuang slapped his thigh. How could he have forgotten about this bourgeois young lady? If he hadn't caused trouble, wouldn't the good thing have been half ruined?

"So you have a boyfriend now?"

Xu Damao looked at Niu Dazhuang suspiciously. "It's just a drink, why are you so agitated?"

"Not yet. My parents just vacated the apartment to introduce me to potential partners. But I'm not in a hurry, buddy. I'm not short of women right now."

The two brothers were chatting when Jia Dongxu came over, carrying a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor).

Niu Dazhuang handed him a cigarette: "Wait a minute, let them fry a plate of peanuts first, then we can have some drinks."

"Da Mao is here too, I'll go buy another bottle."

Niu Dazhuang stopped him: "No need, I still have some loose liquor at home, enough for us to drink."