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

Before we knew it, it was New Year's Eve in 1962.

The entire city of Beijing was filled with the crackling sound of firecrackers, and smoke was billowing from the chimneys of every household. The air was thick with the festive atmosphere and the aroma of food.

But in courtyard number 95, the festive atmosphere was divided into several distinct layers.

The Liu family's house in the east wing of the backyard was bustling with activity; the Liu family has many members. Xu Damao, in the west wing, had taken Lou Xiao'e to his father's house for the New Year. The two rooms facing east belonged to Liu Gen's family; their house was also very lively. He was about to start his second year of university, and in a few more years he could graduate and become a teacher. The two rooms facing west belonged to Fang Youcai's family; their children, who lived away from home, had also returned for the New Year, making it very lively.

The three rooms in the middle, facing backwards, belonged to the old deaf man, and they were quite lively today. Yi Zhonghai and Liu Cuilan were having their New Year's Eve dinner at the old man's place, and they had also brought over the Jia family of five, along with Sha Zhu. Several plates of dumplings were on the table, mostly filled with cabbage, with hardly any meat. Aunt Liu Cuilan and Qin Huairu were busy serving, while Sha Zhu was preparing the dishes.

Although Sha Zhu felt a little embarrassed, he had no reason to refuse when Yi Zhonghai invited him to spend the New Year at the old lady's house, not to mention that Sister Qin was also there.

The central courtyard was quiet. The side room door and the main gate of the east courtyard were both closed and locked. Zhang Dabiao didn't spend the New Year here at all. He took Qin Jingru and Yushui to Sesame Alley to spend the New Year with Mu Wanqing and Aunt Mu.

Sha Zhu wanted to take Yu Shui to Old Deaf's place, but Yu Shui wouldn't give him face—Old Deaf calls you his grandson, but what does that have to do with me? Besides, the whole Jia family is there, how can we eat properly?

If you, silly Zhu, want to embarrass yourself, that's your business, don't drag me into it. I don't want to be humiliated during the New Year, so I'm going to eat at my sister's house with Jingru.

Therefore, the Intermediate Court was completely dark.

Yi Zhonghai was calculating his options. Sha Zhu had been beaten up by the Liu family and was being ostracized at the factory; he was at the lowest point in his life. At this time, what he needed most was the warmth of family.

If everyone gets together to celebrate the New Year and their relationships warm up, he can then act as a go-between and get Sha Zhu to take over the Jia family's responsibilities again, thus continuing the plan for their old age.

As for whether he could marry Qin Huairu, Yi Zhonghai didn't have any hope. As long as Sha Zhu could lend a hand by bringing him a boxed lunch or lending him money, his pressure would be much less.

As for whether Sha Zhu will be able to get married...

We'll see.

Besides the Jia family's house, there were also six other families in the front yard, including Yan Qichang, Zhao Zhangzhong, and others, making for a large household. It was quite lively during the New Year. Uncle Yan Bugui, the third uncle, was standing at the door smelling the meat from each family's house, wondering which one he could go to for a drink or a bite of meat, when he saw a thin old man carrying a tattered net bag walk directly into the yard.

"Hey, who are you?"

"You barged in without even saying hello? Who are you and what are you doing here?" Yan Bugui pushed up his glasses.

The old man exuded a sense of destitution, but his eyes were shrewd. He grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth: "Hey, Old Yan, it's been over a year, and your eyesight has gotten even worse?"

"Look who I am!"

Yan Bugui was stunned for a moment, then looked more closely before realizing, "You are... He Daqing?"

"Oh my, Great Qing, what brings you back?"

"Oh, what are you saying? My son and daughter both live in this courtyard, and the He family's old house is also here. Do I have to submit a report and apply to you before I can go back to my own home?" He Daqing complained for a moment, then walked into the courtyard on his own.

That shout was like pouring a bucket of cold water into a calm pan of oil, and the whole courtyard instantly erupted!

He Daqing is back!

Yi Zhonghai, who was in the backyard, heard it, and Sha Zhu heard it too. He put down the spatula and ran out.

The old deaf man's dumplings fell to the table with a "thud," and his face instantly turned ashen.

He Daqing? Why would he come back at this time?

Madam Jia also perked up her ears, her triangular eyes darting around, and muttered under her breath, "He Daqing's back? That old fellow came back without a word during the New Year... Did that widow Bai kick him out?"

Qin Huairu tightened her grip on the child, remaining silent. She was only worried about one thing: would He Daqing come back for the New Year or for work? What about Sha Zhu's house and salary...?

And Yi Zhonghai...

I'm a little panicked—[He Daqing beat me up last time he came back, he even broke my legs!]

"That was my scheme against the He family. I've already fought them and paid them compensation. Shouldn't that be considered the end of it?"

But recently I've been trying to set up Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu, and I've also taken Liu Yuhua on a blind date with Sha Zhu...

Will he hit me again?

Yi Zhonghai is really panicking!

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In Sesame Alley, in Mu Wanqing's courtyard, a completely different scene unfolds.

A pot of fragrant pickled cabbage and pork stew was simmering on the sizzling coal stove, and the small square table was piled high with various hearty dishes, such as roast chicken, braised pork knuckle, and four-happiness meatballs, all glistening with oil, making one's mouth water.

Zhang Dabiao provided all the ingredients; if he didn't have enough, he would buy them from Hong Kong. Then, the young cooks Qin Jingru and He Yushui cooked them fresh together, and they were busy all afternoon.

Zhang Dabiao, Mu Wanqing, and Aunt Mu were sitting together making dumplings.

Although Zhang Dabiao's "little nest" has frozen dumplings, he still has to eat freshly made ones for the New Year.

"Here, Yushui, try this, freshly fried lotus root sandwich." Aunt Mu smiled and placed a golden lotus root sandwich into He Yushui's bowl.

"Thank you, Aunt Mu." He Yushui smiled sweetly, her gloomy expression vanishing. Although it was a little awkward for her to come with Da Biao for the New Year, Aunt Mu was a very kind person. She treated her and Qin Jingru equally and never said anything sarcastic or sarcastic.

Enjoying a hot New Year's Eve dinner and listening to crosstalk on the radio, the Mu family's courtyard was very warm. Life... well, since meeting Zhang Dabiao, they haven't had any hard times. They cherish their current life.

But Aunt Mu, or rather Mu Wanqing, only had one thing on her mind.

Da Biao is still unable to get married.

大彪是9月15号的生日，也就是说到明年，63年的9月15号才满20岁，才可以娶媳妇。沐婉晴今年10月满20岁，她比大彪大一岁。

The Marriage Law stipulates that men must be 20 and women must be 18.

In this era, the social atmosphere is conservative. If premarital pregnancy were to happen to students like them, especially given that Mu Wanqing's family background has some flaws, the consequences would be unimaginable; expulsion would be the least of their worries.

In addition, Zhang Dabiao is no ordinary person now; he's a prospective cadre, so we have to be careful about the impact he might have.

So, we can only wait.

As for how to deal with getting angry?

That's a question for Zhang Dabiao himself; it's not something to be discussed with outsiders.

------------

Around 9 p.m., after finishing their New Year's Eve dinner, Zhang Dabiao took He Yushui and Qin Jingru back to No. 95 Courtyard on his sidecar motorcycle.

As soon as I entered the courtyard, I sensed that something was wrong.

Every household's door was ajar, and countless eyes were fixed on the direction of Sha Zhu's house in the central courtyard.

The lights were on in Sha Zhu's house, and the faint sounds of a heated argument could be heard coming from inside.

"You still have the nerve to come back! You might as well die out there!" This was Sha Zhu's roar, suppressing his anger.

"I'm your father! I've come back to see how my son and daughter are doing!" A hoarse, somewhat roguish voice rang out.

"Father? I don't have a father like you!"

"Hey, you think you can mess with me? If I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll never know who's boss!"

"Oh my god?!"

Then, Sha Zhu and He Daqing started fighting like soldiers—or rather, He Daqing beat Sha Zhu on one side.

Sha Zhu looked indignant and grief-stricken—Liu Cheng and Liu Yuhua beat me, the factory security guard beat me, and my dad even beat me during the New Year.

I'll be 27 after the New Year, can you please give me some face?!