Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

On the way back to courtyard number 95, Yi Zhonghai pushed his bicycle, a small bundle hanging from the handlebars containing the few meager old clothes his brother and sister owned. An older woman carried Yi Aiguo, while Yi Aijia held tightly to Yi Zhonghai's rough hand, following step by step. The child's small hand was icy cold, yet it gave Yi Zhonghai a long-lost, heavy sense of responsibility and warmth.

He looked at his thin niece beside him, then at his nephew, who was drowsy in the arms of an older woman, and his heart was filled with mixed emotions. He thought of his younger brother, Yi Zhonghe, the snotty-nosed "little tail" who always followed him around when they were little. Fragments of memories kept surfacing: fishing together in the river, climbing trees to raid bird nests, enduring hunger and cold together... finally settling on that bloody twilight when their parents died tragically and their brothers were separated. An overwhelming sense of guilt overwhelmed him: if only he had been stronger back then, if only he could have found his brother... perhaps his brother wouldn't have suffered so much, perhaps he could have survived... But on the other hand, an almost atoning determination rose up: thank goodness! Thank goodness God sent Zhonghe's children back to him! This was a chance for Yi Zhonghai to make amends and continue the Yi family line! He must raise these two children to be successful, so that his brother could rest in peace in the afterlife!

He even started planning: Aijia is nine years old, it's time for her to go to school, and she should go to the best school! Aiguo is weak, he needs to be well-nourished, eggs and milk are a must! In the future, it would be best if Aijia could get into university, and Aiguo… if he could take over his job as a technician at the Hongxing Factory, that would be good too… A long-lost hope for the future rekindled in his heart, which had been dormant for many years. As for his obsession with retirement, it seemed to have been diluted by this sudden blood ties. Having his own nephews and nieces was a hundred times better than adopting strangers he didn't know!

The woman's emotions were like a rollercoaster. From despair to seeing hope, and now truly holding her husband's nephew and holding his niece's hand, it felt like a dream. Seeing the renewed radiance on Yi Zhonghai's face, and the children's loving eyes, her heart, frozen for years, began to thaw. Perhaps, this family truly could be saved. She secretly vowed to love these two unfortunate children as if they were her own.

However, this hard-won warmth was instantly shattered upon returning to the entrance of Courtyard No. 95 by the various inquisitive, curious, and even malicious gazes from the residents.

Yan Bugui was rinsing his mouth at the sink with a teacup when he saw Yi Zhonghai and his family of four enter. His eyes widened instantly, especially when he saw the two children Yi Zhonghai was holding and the older woman was carrying – he almost spat out his water! He quickly swallowed, leaned forward, and plastered an exaggerated smile on his face: "Oh! Old Yi! This…this is…where did these two children come from? They're so…so lively!" His mind raced: Had Yi Zhonghai really adopted two children? How much must that have cost? It seemed Old Yi was truly at his wit's end! But these two children looked unfamiliar; they didn't seem to belong to anyone nearby…

Liu Haizhong, his belly bulging, came out of the house. Seeing the scene, he was first stunned, then a barely perceptible sneer appeared on his lips. "Hmph! Yi Zhonghai, oh Yi Zhonghai, he's still a 'childless' son, resorting to picking up unwanted children to save face! Two at once? Truly, he's suffering for the sake of saving face!" He deliberately raised his voice: "Old Yi, you're back? This is… arranged by the neighborhood committee? Adopting two at once? You really have… a high style!" The sourness in his tone could be smelled from afar.

Several children playing in the yard gathered around, looking at Yi Aijia and Yi Aiguo with curiosity, pointing and whispering. Yi Aijia nervously shrank behind Yi Zhonghai, while Yi Aiguo buried his face in the arms of an older woman.

Faced with these gazes and inquiries, Yi Zhonghai's face darkened. In the past, he might have felt incredibly embarrassed and angry. But at this moment, his heart was filled with longing for his younger brother, a protective instinct towards his nephew and niece, and a sense of confidence that "I have descendants now!" He coldly glanced at Yan Bugui and Liu Haizhong, not offering his usual perfunctory response or outburst, but speaking with unusual calmness, yet with an undeniable tone: "My dear nephew and niece. From today onwards, they will live here."

After saying that, ignoring the dumbfounded Yan Bugui and the ever-changing Liu Haizhong, Yi Zhonghai held Yi Aijia's hand tightly, while the old woman hugged Yi Aiguo, and headed straight for their own house in the central courtyard.

"Dear...dear nephew and niece?" Yan Bugui stood there, stunned, unable to react for a long time.

Liu Haizhong was also taken aback: "Where did Yi Zhonghai get these nephews and nieces? Wasn't his family destroyed long ago, leaving him all alone?"

The news spread like wildfire, instantly reaching every corner of the courtyard house! Everyone was shocked! Yi Zhonghai had actually found his long-lost younger brother's child? This... how could this be?! Those who were waiting to see the Yi family's adoption fail, or even those who wanted to see the Yi family completely fall apart, were all dumbfounded!

Yi Zhonghai slammed the door shut, shutting out the noise and prying eyes outside. Inside, though simple, the house felt strangely warm and welcoming, like never before. Looking at his niece standing timidly in the center and his sleeping nephew, he took a deep breath and said to the older woman, "Clean up a bit, make room in the inner room for the children. Tomorrow, I'll go buy some fabric to make new clothes for Aijia and Aiguo. And buy some good food to nourish the children."

His tone was no longer the calculating and gloomy one of the past, but carried the responsibility and determination of a head of the family. The older woman, her eyes red, nodded vigorously. Yi Aijia looked up at this uncle who had suddenly appeared, supposedly her father's older brother, and saw the complex care in his eyes that she had never seen in anyone else's eyes before. For the first time, she felt a faint sense of security in her little heart.

Meanwhile, outside the Yi family's gate, the beasts in the courtyard were caught in a chaotic frenzy of speculation, jealousy, and disbelief. This drama unfolding in the Yi family had far exceeded their expectations.