At the beginning, he took his seven younger siblings to join Yi Zhonghai.

"real?"

Yi Zhonghai asked, his gaze fixed on the question.

"His dad is a high-ranking official. If he hadn't wanted to show off, we wouldn't have known about this."

"Moreover, given our country's system, it is imperative to bring these things under public ownership."

"I have studied the three major reform policies and can roughly guess the direction of national policy. The steel rolling mill is about to start reform."

"Besides, this is the capital city. As more and more people flock in, land and real estate will only become more and more expensive."

"So it's better to do it sooner rather than later, since we're both in the same boat."

Yi Zhongding nodded and said affirmatively.

"Alright, I'll listen to you this time. Anyway, you'll be in charge of this family in the future, so consider it a learning experience in advance."

Yi Zhonghai patted him on the shoulder and said solemnly.

"Let's work together, brothers, to make our home better and better."

Yi Zhongding grasped the hand on his shoulder and said with a smile.

"Alright, go and rest. I'll discuss it with your sister-in-law later. We have a day off tomorrow, so I'll go ask her."

Yi Zhonghai said with a smile.

Yi Zhongding didn't continue to persuade him, but instead went back into the house.

He still needs to check on the current state of Shennong Space.

He went back inside.

I saw a few little ones whispering to their older sister-in-law.

I'm not sleepy at all.

Meanwhile, Tan Xiulian smiled and responded to the children's chatter.

He held a palm-leaf fan to fan them.

The cold of winter in the north is dry cold, and the heat of summer is also dry heat.

It's like roasting a person alive over a fire until they're completely dry.

In the humid heat of the south, people feel sticky all over, and their clothes stick to their skin.

"You two brothers have finished chatting. These kids are waiting for you to tell them stories. Your sister-in-law is uneducated and can't tell them stories."

"Hurry up and finish your story so you can put them to sleep, or it will be too late."

Tan Xiulian saw him enter the room and quickly said something.

"Okay, leave it to me, sister-in-law. You should get some rest too."

Yi Zhongding smiled and nodded.

Tan Xiulian tucked each child in with a blanket before leaving the room.

He then walked to the rectangular ice tank in the corner and saw that the ice blocks made in the afternoon had almost melted.

Then they took out some saltpeter and added it to the water.

Then start stirring with a small wooden stick.

Repeat this action over and over again.

Until ice crystals appeared in the water.

Yeah, I learned this from a video I watched in my previous life.

He had to hold his nose and run to many outhouses to collect enough saltpeter.

Activated carbon was also produced.

After much hard work, they finally obtained saltpeter, which could be used to make ice.

Fortunately, this thing can be reused.

Otherwise, he would rather stay hot.

However, it's impractical to use it to make large blocks of ice.

It can only produce a mixture of ice and water.

But it's enough for this small room.

At least it should be a cool, shaded temperature.

This is why the children still need to be covered with blankets even in the middle of summer.

This thing really does absorb heat quite well.

Even at midday, the room temperature can be maintained at 26-7 degrees Celsius.

These little kids all learned how to use this ice trough to freeze sweet water without any instruction.

Yi Zhongding made a total of six such ice tanks.

One was also placed in the eldest brother and sister-in-law's room and the living room.

The other two were taken by He Yuzhu and his sister, one by Xu Damao, and some saltpeter was also given to them.

This is not because Yi Zhongding wants to curry favor with them.

It is more about mutual benefit.

The three of them called him Uncle Zhongding every time they saw him.

He Yuzhu will graduate from his culinary apprenticeship after the Lunar New Year and is now working at Fengzeyuan Restaurant with his master.

After completing his apprenticeship, he often came to his sister-in-law's house to help her cook and prepare dishes.

He Yushui also helps take care of the children every day, and especially enjoys playing with Yaoyao and Miaomiao.

He also often used his meager allowance to buy them fruit candies.

She herself couldn't bear to eat it.

Moreover, Yi Zhonghua was also fortunate to have been tipped off by He Yushui and Xu Xiaoqin last time.

Otherwise, if they hadn't escaped in time...

He'll at least get a beating.

Given his temperament and how much he loved his younger siblings.

Who knows what kind of big trouble this might cause.

So whenever something good happens, he naturally has to remember this favor and include the two pairs of siblings in it.

Of course, Xu Damao and He Yuzhu are still a bickering couple, constantly fighting every day.

That's beyond his control.

When Yi Zhongding saw that ice crystals were beginning to form in the ice trough, he put down the wooden stick and went to bed to coax the baby to sleep.

As usual, Yao Yao and Miao Miao were the first to snuggle into his arms.

However, the two little guys, Zhongxin and Zhongyan, are now also starting to fight over things.

He stumbled over with his short legs to join in the fun.

He was unwilling to let his two older sisters monopolize his brother.

The two girls each pushed and pulled their older sister, both wanting to lie on their brother's chest.

Yi Zhongding resumed his routine mediation.

No.

It should be said that it's just watching plays on a regular basis.

He wouldn't get involved if the little kids were pulling at him harmlessly.

He wouldn't dare to show favoritism to anyone.

Having many children is such a hassle.

Anyway, the two babies will obediently give way after being "suppressed" by their older sisters.

As for Zhong Ren and Zhong Min, they were coaxed by Zhong Hua to lie obediently on either side of him and watch the show.

Otherwise, Yi Zhongding will have an even bigger headache.

"Hehe, the kids are making a fuss again, probably fighting over seats."

Hearing the children's shouts coming from the next room, Tan Xiulian chuckled and said.

"Yes, Ding Ya is a good older brother. The children all like him and are happy to be close to him."

Yi Zhonghai listened attentively, a smile always on his face.

"Indeed, comparing the eldest son of the Liu family and the eldest son of the Yan family is like comparing heaven and earth. The eldest son of the Liu family is not even worthy of carrying the shoes of our Dingya."

Tan Xiulian said proudly.

"Ha, do they even deserve it? Those two are both selfish and self-serving, especially Liu Guangqi. He's a bit clever, but he's the worst kind of scoundrel."

"It's one thing for his parents to be biased, but he's also an incompetent older brother; he doesn't treat his two younger brothers like brothers at all."

"Yan Jiecheng isn't stupid, but he's been led astray by Yan Laoxi and has learned all of his family's scheming ways."

"He has no affection for his younger siblings whatsoever. The other day, his younger brother ate an extra bite of egg, and he was unhappy about it, insisting that he had lost out."

"If it were Ding Yazi, he would do everything he could to make sure his younger siblings could eat eggs, instead of taking their eggs."

"This is the difference between people. I often think about how my fourth uncle and aunt raised their children. They are so damn well-behaved and sensible."

"Let us feel that, if we were to say it out loud, it's all our fault."

Yi Zhonghai chuckled and offered his evaluation.

"That's right, Dingya is so sensible, how could he be wrong? It must be that we can't keep up with his thinking."

Tan Xiulian smiled happily and echoed the praise.

"By the way, I have something to tell you. Ding Ya just discussed it with me."

Yi Zhonghai said with a smile.

"you say."

Tan Xiulian nodded.

Yi Zhonghai then recounted the matter that the two brothers had just discussed: buying the wasteland in the east courtyard to build a house.