Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

The news spread through the courtyard faster than a northwest wind.

"Da Mao, what about Lou Xiao'e?"

"After getting the results, she went back to her parents' home to tell them the news, and then went straight to work."

Liu Guangqi happened to be in the small courtyard looking for Zhang Dabiao to hand over some factory matters. He overheard a bit of the conversation, was taken aback at first, then laughed: "Da Mao is going to be a father? Come on, come on, let's go congratulate him!"

Tiger, Big Head, and Six Root, having heard the news, gathered around one after another, some patting him on the shoulder, others shaking his hand. Tiger, the most honest of them all, grabbed Xu Damao's hand and shook it vigorously: "Brother Damao, this is wonderful news! I'll get the baby a rattle drum later!"

Big Head rolled his eyes and said, "With your skill, you probably wouldn't even be able to make a rattle drum spin."

Liu Gen chimed in, "That's still better than you. The rocking horse you made for Master Liu's kid last time had crooked legs."

The young men laughed and joked for a while, and Xu Damao, surrounded by them, couldn't stop smiling. For the first time in his life, he found these rascals quite pleasing to the eye.

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When the news reached the Intermediate Court, Sha Zhu had just come out of the kitchen.

He was carrying a clay pot, preparing to deliver food to Qin Huairu's family. There wasn't anything fancy to eat today, just a section of pork bone and some radish, but it was Sha Zhu's kind gesture. Besides, these days, Sha Zhu's meager salary couldn't buy anything good.

Hearing a burst of laughter outside, he poked his head out and asked a question.

Yan Jiecheng relayed what he had said.

Sha Zhu paused for a moment while holding the casserole.

I paused for two seconds.

Then he let out a long breath, the kind of breath that had been held in for a long time and was finally released.

He was genuinely scared. That kick back then was indeed hard, and although he spoke tough afterward, he was actually constantly worried. Xu Damao might be a scoundrel, but if he really crippled someone and cut off their offspring because of He Yuzhu's kick, he would carry that burden for the rest of his life.

He Yuzhu wouldn't do something so despicable.

Most importantly, Zhang Dabiao brought this matter to light, including not only Xu Damao but also Yan Jiecheng. After the investigation, these two were indeed greatly affected, and Sha Zhu couldn't escape this responsibility.

As it turns out, Zhang Dabiao's words (retelling what Zhang Banxian had calculated before) have all been verified.

Sha Zhu thought for a moment, put the casserole back on the stove, wiped his hands, and left the kitchen.

Xu Damao was standing in the courtyard talking to a few people when he saw Shazhu walking over with a serious expression. He subconsciously took a half step back—this kind of instinctive reaction was ingrained in Xu Damao's bones.

Sha Zhu walked up to him and stopped.

The two looked at each other.

The courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Congratulations, Da Mao!

Three words, no beating around the bush, no sarcastic remarks, just a straightforward "Congratulations."

Xu Damao's lips twitched twice, and he swallowed back the few sarcastic remarks he had prepared. He glanced at Sha Zhu and nodded.

"Okay, received."

The two didn't shake hands, hug, or exchange a single word. But several onlookers in the courtyard felt that the knot between them, which had been twisted for years, had loosened slightly, though it hadn't been untied.

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Madam Jia overheard the gist of it at the door of the west wing.

She was sewing shoe soles with her hands, her needlework never stopping, but her mouth started moving first.

He lowered his voice and muttered to Qin Huairu beside him, "It's definitely a girl, a money-losing brat."

After saying that, she glanced at Qin Huairu's slightly protruding belly, changed her tone, and reached out to touch it lightly: "This one of ours must be a big grandson. Look at this pointed belly, it's exactly the same as when I was pregnant with Dongxu."

Qin Huairu didn't reply, her hand resting on her stomach, her head bowed.

In truth, she knew perfectly well that you couldn't tell a boy or a girl just by looking at the shape of the belly, but she couldn't refute Jia Zhangshi's words, nor did she want to. As long as her mother-in-law was happy, that was enough to avoid any trouble.

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On the east side of the Intermediate Court, Liu Cuilan (formerly known as Aunt Yi, Yi Zhonghai's wife, and He Yushui's godmother) came out of the house with a smile on her face, a smile that came from the bottom of her heart.

She had never given birth to a child in her life, and this knot in her heart had bound her for most of her life. She was happy whenever someone in the neighborhood had a new baby, and she loved all the children, no matter whose they were.

"Xiao'e is pregnant? What wonderful news!" She walked up to Xu Damao, her tone sincere. "I'll make two pairs of tiger-head shoes for the baby, one for a boy and one for a girl."

Xu Damao was always polite to Liu Cuilan, and nodded his thanks.

Yi Zhonghai stood at his own door, hands behind his back, a smile on his face, saying "Good news, good news."

But deep down he was filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment. He was childless and couldn't have children, so he plotted to have Jia Dongxu support him in his old age, but then Jia Dongxu died.

Now they're scheming to provide for the Jia family and Sha Zhu in their old age.

Originally, Xu Damao and Yan Jiecheng were also childless (because they were kicked by Sha Zhu), and the deaf old lady was also childless. Since there were many childless people in the courtyard, he no longer felt that "childless" referred to him alone. Since everyone was childless, it didn't matter, right?

But you, Xu Damao, cured yourself without a word and even got pregnant—how the hell can that be allowed?!

But as an old man about to "take over," he has to appear happy and magnanimous—this is absolutely heartbreaking!

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backyard.

The old deaf woman sat in her tattered rattan chair, her cotton-padded coat wrapped tightly around her, holding an enamel teacup in her hands; the tea had long since gone cold.

The news drifted over from the other side of the courtyard wall. She could hear bits and pieces of laughter and conversation through the wall, but she caught the key words: "Xiao'e" and "pregnant".

The deaf old man placed the teacup on his lap, rested his hands on either side of the cup, and remained seated.

In her original plan, Lou Xiao'e and Sha Zhu were a perfect match. The Lou family was wealthy, and Sha Zhu was honest and skilled. If they got together, and she acted as a go-between, wouldn't their retirement be secure?

But Zhang Dabiao interfered, revealing the whole story and ruining the whole thing. Besides, at that time, the old deaf man didn't even know Lou Xiao'e and hadn't yet plotted against her. In the end, Xu Damao not only still married Lou Xiao'e, but she's now pregnant.

What's worse, Xu Damao guarded against her like a thief. Not in an open, confrontational way, but by silently blocking all avenues of communication—Xu Damao followed Lou Xiao'e wherever she went, and when she was home, the door was locked, not even giving her a chance to visit. When Xu Damao had to go on business trips to the countryside to show movies, he made Lou Xiao'e go back to her parents' house. For the deaf old man to want to speak to Lou Xiao'e alone was harder than climbing to heaven.

This game is essentially over.

The old deaf man sighed deeply. What else could he do? This was all he could do.

If she dares to cause trouble now, not only will the Xu family retaliate, but the Lou family will definitely not let her go. This old deaf woman wants to live a few more years.

Since Zhang Dabiao regained consciousness, everything has been exposed one by one, and he can no longer scheme against him.