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

As soon as Yan Jiecheng and Liu Guangqi saw Zhang Dabiao return to the courtyard, they immediately came over and, in low voices with excited expressions, recounted what had just happened, embellishing the details.

"...You didn't see it, He Daqing looked so pathetic, there were only two dry steamed buns in his net bag! When Sha Zhu saw his father, his face turned as black as the bottom of a pot."

"The two of them started arguing as soon as they got back."

Upon hearing this, Yu Shui quickly ran over. Although his older brother was a bit unreliable, he was still family, and it wouldn't be good if he accidentally hurt him.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Dabiao raised an eyebrow slightly.

Did He Daqing come back with only two dry steamed buns in his net bag?

Was he kicked out by the White Widow and fled back home?

That doesn't make sense either.

Isn't it a bit too early? So many years ahead of schedule?

This butterfly effect is getting more and more outrageous.

I'll find out more about it tomorrow and then decide.

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February 5th, 1962 (Gregorian calendar), the first day of the Lunar New Year, Beijing was covered in snow. The courtyard of No. 95 was unusually lively, even more so than in previous years. The air was filled with the sulfurous smell of firecrackers and the aroma of stewed meat from every household—the lingering scent of the previous night's New Year's Eve dinner.

Before the people in the courtyard had even finished their breakfast, they grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and squeezed into the covered walkway in the middle courtyard. Everyone's eyes darted around, they whispered among themselves, and their gazes were all fixed on the doorway of the house belonging to the old man, Yi Zhonghai.

He Daqing is back. Yi Zhonghai caused a lot of trouble last year. Will He Daqing come after him?

Yi Zhonghai went back to his house last night and hasn't opened the door yet. Isn't he going to come out to pay New Year's visits or organize any kind of New Year's gathering on the first day of the Lunar New Year?

It's unreasonable that a newly appointed old man doesn't hold a New Year's gathering!

—Creak—

He Daqing finally came out of the room. Without looking at the young people, he walked straight towards Yi Zhonghai's house with his hands behind his back and a cloth bag in his hand.

He beat up Sha Zhu last night, then drank some alcohol and went to bed early. He just woke up now.

Among the young people, Xu Damao was the most enthusiastic. He didn't even eat breakfast before coming to sit in the covered walkway, eating sunflower seeds while nudging Liu Guangqi with his elbow.

"Hey, do you think Yi Zhonghai and He Daqing will fight?" Xu Damao lowered his voice, winking and gloating. He came back this morning and heard about what happened in the yard, especially how Shazhu got a beating from He Daqing last night. He was so regretful—regretful that he went to his father Xu Fugui's for the New Year yesterday and missed the show!

Liu Guangqi spat the sunflower seed shells on the ground and shook his head. "It's hard to say. If it were me, I would beat up Lao Yi every time I see him, given what he did to Sha Zhu and Yu Shui. But after all, they made up before."

"He Daqing will not be in the right if he takes action again, but we don't know what happened to He Daqing that led to his sudden return."

"Let's just watch and see. At most, we'll help send whoever loses to the hospital later."

Everyone nodded – Guangqi is right!

Zhang Dabiao also went out to watch the excitement. Listening to Guang Qi's "wild and lewd words"... he fell silent. Why are these guys getting more and more into the direction of entertaining people?

Have they all gone astray?

Inside, Yi Zhonghai sat at the table, his forehead covered in sweat. He dared not go out, for fear of running into He Daqing, the ruthless man who dared to break his legs. Regardless of whether he was responsible or had broken the law, the pain was unbearable!

So he tried to avoid it as much as possible, and kept thinking about whether he had done anything to wrong Shazhu and Yushui last year.

No?

He did two things: he brought Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu together, which was at Sha Zhu's own request.

Setting up a blind date for Sha Zhu is a really good intention; the woman's father is an 8th-grade worker!

I really didn't do anything shameful.

Before he could figure it out, the creaking wooden door was kicked open, revealing He Daqing's long-unseen face.

Yi Zhonghai quickly stood up, his hands trembling. "Old, Old He? What, what are you doing?"

He Daqing strode in, carrying a cloth bag in his hand, a half-smile on his face. Yi Zhonghai subconsciously took two steps back, afraid that the old man would punch him right away, after all, He Daqing had harbored deep resentment towards him when he left.

The onlookers in the courtyard held their breath, and even that kid Banggeng came out, craning their necks to watch.

There was a crisp "snap" sound.

He Daqing slapped Yi Zhonghai on the shoulder with such force that Yi Zhonghai staggered and almost sat back down in his chair.

"Old Yi!" He Daqing's voice boomed, "I really have to thank you!"

The onlookers in the courtyard were stunned. Xu Damao dropped the melon seeds he was holding onto the ground.

"Huh?" Yi Zhonghai was stunned. "Thank...thank me?"

"If I don't thank you, who should I thank?" He Daqing slumped into a chair with an air of superiority, poured himself a bowl of hot tea, and said, "I heard that you introduced that Liu Yuhua to Shazhu the other day, the daughter of Liu Cheng, an eighth-grade worker! That girl has big hips, she's fertile, and you can tell she'll give birth to a son! You've really gone to great lengths for the He family!"

Upon hearing this, everyone who had been expecting a full-blown fight was stunned. This wasn't how the story was going to turn out! Shouldn't it be a scene of intense hatred between enemies? How did it become so harmonious?

Why should He Daqing thank Yi Zhonghai?

Did they pick up the wrong script?

Even Qin Huairu and Jia Zhangshi, who were eavesdropping under their own window, were dumbfounded. The cornbread in Jia Zhangshi's hand fell to the ground, and she didn't come to her senses for a long time.

Yi Zhonghai was stunned for a moment, his lips twitched a few times, and he forced out an awkward smile: "Ah, yes, yes... I'm doing this for Sha Zhu's own good."

"Let's not talk about the past, it's all in the past! But this matter—"

"I really need to thank you!"

"You, Yi Zhonghai, did the right thing!"

He Daqing laughed heartily, completely ignoring the stares from those around him as if they were looking at an alien. "That Liu Yuhua is so wonderful! Strong and healthy! She's the daughter of Liu Cheng, an eighth-grade worker, and her family is well-off!"

"That silly boy, Zhu, doesn't know how lucky he is. If it were me, I would have married her and treated her like a goddess long ago!"

Xu Damao's face was almost contorted from listening at the door. He looked at Yi Zhonghai and then at He Daqing, wondering if these two old foxes had lost their minds.

Yi Zhonghai was also puzzled at this moment, but since He Daqing didn't cause any trouble, he went along with it and quickly refilled He Daqing's tea.

"Old He, now that you're back, what about Sha Zhu finding a wife, and what about the Jia family before..." Yi Zhonghai lowered his voice. He needed to get some information from He Daqing. Not only Liu Yuhua, but also Qin Huairu.

If Liu Yuhua's situation wasn't my fault, then what about Qin Huairu's?

He Daqing took a sip of tea, his gaze deep. "It's not your fault about Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu's affair. He confessed everything to me; it was his idea."

"Let me tell you, this kid takes after me, but he hasn't grasped the essence! What kind of quirk is it to like widows? Even Prime Minister Cao has that taste! The key is whether he can leave any heirs!"

"Look at me, I have sons and daughters, I married a widow, the He family has descendants, and our ancestral home is still here."

"Why would that foolish Zhu marry a widow? Even Dorgon couldn't handle it, so how could he possibly manage?"

"If he has a child, or if Qin Huairu can have another son with him and have him take the surname He, then I will accept this."

"Otherwise, I, He Daqing, will handle this matter—"

At this moment, He Daqing turned around and looked coldly in the direction of the Jia family, then raised his voice and shouted.

"Absolutely disagree!"