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

This two-courtyard house had long been tidied up perfectly, and a plot of land in the backyard had been specially cleared out and fenced off, which was perfect for raising chickens.

Mu Wanqing spoke to Zhang Dabiao, asking him to help buy a few if he went to the countryside.

That afternoon, Zhang Dabiao rode his tricycle, chugging along, and brought three spirited old hens and a fluffy wolfhound puppy.

It goes without saying that the wife and mother-in-law want to raise chickens and ducks.

arrangement!

"Auntie, this chicken isn't your average breed. I asked someone to get it from the countryside. It lays big eggs with really yellow yolks, and they're very nutritious," Zhang Dabiao said as he herded the chicken into the coop.

Actually, they're just free-range chickens from Agongyan Village. You can just go there and ask Axiang and Uncle Chen to buy a few. It's so convenient, you can do it right away. Why would you need to go to the countryside?

That puppy was no ordinary dog; it was the offspring of the dog king of Agongyan Village. Although it looked small, its eyes already revealed a sense of alertness and ferocity, making it an excellent guard dog.

Besides chickens and dogs, Zhang Dabiao also unloaded two tanned wolf-skin rugs from the car. These were some of the supplies that the old hunter from Qinjiatun had given him in exchange for his previous goods.

"Auntie, your legs aren't very strong, and they easily ache when it gets cold. This wolfskin rug is very warm; if you put it on your bed in winter, I guarantee your legs won't hurt all winter long."

Aunt Mu looked at the chickens jumping around in the yard, at the cute puppies circling at her feet, and then touched the thick, soft wolf skin in her hand. Her eyes immediately reddened.

She held Zhang Dabiao's hand, stroking the calluses on his skin—from painting—and her voice choked with emotion: "Dabiao, you child... really..."

"Auntie," Zhang Dabiao said, a little embarrassed, scratching his head, "Wanqing is my fiancée, and you're her mother. It's only right that I take care of you; we're all family."

Standing to the side, Mu Wanqing watched this scene with a shy yet happy smile on her face.

She knew in her heart that the greatest blessing of her life was meeting Zhang Dabiao.

Unfortunately, Zhang Dabiao is not yet of legal marriage age, so their marriage will have to wait a while longer.

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

After returning from Sesame Alley, Zhang Dabiao didn't rest either.

His own east wing is spacious enough to easily house several chickens and ducks.

He discussed it with He Yushui. Yushui would be considered one household, Zhang Dabiao would be considered another household, and Qin Jingru would be a temporary resident and student, with her household registration in the countryside. Therefore, they could only support her according to the standard of two households.

Zhang Dabiao got six more chickens and ducks, built a shed in the corner of the yard to raise them, and also brought back a wolfhound puppy that was about the same size as Aunt Mu's dog, which he named "Erhei".

Now, the east courtyard became even more lively.

Every morning, accompanied by the crowing of roosters and the barking of dogs, Qin Jingru and He Yushui get up and busy themselves, feeding the chickens and ducks, cleaning the yard, and living a fulfilling and lively life.

Especially the little wolfhound named Erhei, who was incredibly clever and quickly became familiar with everyone in the courtyard. Every day, it would wag its tail and follow Zhang Dabiao around, becoming the new darling of the east courtyard.

The other residents in the courtyard were envious and began to have their own ideas.

But they didn't have Zhang Dabiao's connections, so they could only buy ordinary chicks from the market to raise, and whether they could even survive was another matter.

For a time, the entire courtyard was filled with the smell of chicken manure. In addition, there was the previous vertical planting and everyone used large vats to compost... Anyway, you get used to the smell in this courtyard.

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

While families in Beijing were busy tending to their chickens, a cultural storm was quietly brewing in Hong Kong, thousands of miles away.

Wuxia World Magazine

Editor-in-Chief Luo Bing held the latest sales report in her hand, her mouth agape in a wide smile.

Since they started serializing the novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", their magazine's sales have skyrocketed.

Today, it has firmly surpassed its old rival, Ming Pao, and become the top martial arts magazine in Hong Kong.

All of this is thanks to the boss, Zhang Yaoyang, pen name "Qiqi Zongjiang Feifanqie".

Of course, outsiders wouldn't know that the magazine owner wrote it himself.

"Old Cha, want to come out for afternoon tea?" Luo Bing was in a great mood and made a call to Mr. Jin, the founder of Ming Pao.

The Peninsula Hotel's afternoon tea is as exquisite and elegant as ever.

Teacher Jin held his coffee cup, a wry smile on his face: "Old Luo, are you trying to sabotage me? I'm already overwhelmed by your 'Seven Rise and Flying Tomatoes' incident, and you, on the other hand, have the leisure to invite me for coffee."

The sudden emergence of "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" certainly put enormous pressure on Mr. Jin.

Its grand worldview, intricate and bizarre plot, vivid and full-bodied characters, and especially its unprecedented writing style, completely subverted the existing model of martial arts novels.

Eight out of ten letters from Ming Pao readers ask when they can read a novel as exciting as "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils".

"Haha, Lao Cha, what are you saying? We're friends, so let's exchange experiences." Luo Bing took a sip of red tea with a smug look on his face and said slowly, "But seriously, who exactly is this treasure you've unearthed? His writing is seasoned, and his ideas are ingenious; he doesn't seem like a newcomer at all. But I've searched through the literary circles of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, and I can't find anyone like him."

Teacher Jin was genuinely curious.

This "Seven Rise Across the River to Fly Tomatoes" seems to have appeared out of nowhere, it's incredibly mysterious.

"Hehe." Luo Bing put down his teacup, smiled mysteriously, and said, "It's a trade secret, no comment."

Looking at Luo Bing's smug expression, Teacher Jin shook his head helplessly.

After leaving the hotel, Teacher Jin did not go home, but went straight back to the newspaper office.

He locked himself in his office, spread out his manuscript paper, lit a cigarette, and began to work through the night to develop the outline for his new serial novel.

The pressure is unprecedented.

He knew that if he couldn't come up with a work that could rival "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils", then Ming Pao's position in the martial arts novel field would probably be completely replaced by "Martial Arts World".

That night, the light in Teacher Jin's office stayed on until dawn.

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

Zhang Dabiao, far away in Beijing, was completely unaware of this.

He was hunched over the table, looking at a pile of bottles and jars, studying how to secretly prepare eggs for his newly raised chickens and ducks, and what ratio would be needed to induce egg production.

For him, getting his chickens to lay more eggs was far more tangible than stirring up a storm in Hong Kong's literary scene.

August 5th was the day the results of the Beijing middle school entrance examination were released.

For countless families, this day is a fate-determining day.

The atmosphere at Liu Haizhong's house was so heavy it seemed like it could drip water.

Liu Guangfu sat dejectedly on a small stool, clutching a crumpled report card in his hand, his head almost buried in his crotch.

He failed the exam.