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

Yi Zhongding couldn't help but laugh when he saw this.

Especially the little three-pound one, with its strong arms and legs, had climbed onto his lap and was clinging tightly to his arm.

"Sister-in-law, it's alright. Let them stay. I can't eat that much anyway. I'm already happy that Xiao Jiu and the others are so friendly with me."

"Back in the day, Zhong Ren and the others looked just like that. In the blink of an eye, they've all grown up."

"Now that Xiao Jiu and the others have filled in, I'm usually busy, but now that I have some free time, I'm spending more time with them."

Yi Zhongding said to his sister-in-law with a smile.

"You spoil your child since he was little. You'll have to let Xiaoyu take care of your child in the future. If you take care of him, he'll definitely be spoiled rotten."

As Tan Xiulian spoke, she put Xiao Jiuliang down.

"Haha, sister-in-law, Xiaoyu has to work and is busy, so you can take care of her. Whether you're herding one sheep or a flock, it's still the same."

Yi Zhongding laughed heartily.

"Okay, sister-in-law has taken good care of you."

Tan Xiulian smiled brightly upon hearing this.

Yi Zhongding happily drank porridge with his four nephews and nieces.

You take a bite, I take a bite, he takes a bite...

"I'll fry you two more eggs, these are to help you recover, but these four calves ate them all."

Tan Xiulian saw that both fried eggs had gone into the bellies of the four little ones and said something.

"Don't bother, sister-in-law, I'm not really hungry."

Yi Zhongding said with a smile.

The five men, uncle and nephews, all ate their fill.

The four little guys, Xiao Jiu and Liang, disappeared in a flash.

Yi Zhongding took out a stack of receipts and a wad of cash from his pocket, placed them on the table, and pushed them over.

"Sister-in-law, please keep this month's salary and living expenses."

Yi Zhongding began to speak.

Tan Xiulian glanced back, then, without any ceremony, wiped her hands, walked over, counted the items, and put them in her pocket.

"Okay, I'll put it in the tab."

"By the way, your older brother was just saying the other day that the jujube tree in the yard didn't produce many jujubes this year, so there aren't many left to dry."

"He asked Xu Damao to help with the harvest in the countryside, but he's worried it might not be enough. You should think of a way to make jujube cakes for the two children in the future."

After putting the money away, Tan Xiulian said something else.

"Okay, I'll ask someone to bring some dried dates back from the countryside later."

As Yi Zhongding spoke, he got up to go back inside.

Tan Xiulian sat down opposite him, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke up: "Zhongding, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Sister-in-law, you speak."

Seeing her troubled expression, Yi Zhongding sat down again.

"This afternoon, Aunt Zhou from the backyard came over for a visit and mentioned her third son to me."

"Her third child, as you know, had his ears damaged by a fever when he was little, and he couldn't find work for a long time."

"Aunt Zhou knows you have some influence now, so she'd like to ask if you could recommend a handyman job, even something as simple as sweeping or running errands."

Tan Xiulian lowered her voice and said.

Yi Zhongding pondered for a moment.

He knew about the Zhou family's situation in the backyard; seven or eight people were crammed into two small rooms, and they were living a very frugal life.

The third son, Zhou Zhiqiang, is nineteen years old this year. When he was a child, a high fever delayed his treatment, and he almost lost hearing in his left ear and his right ear was also severely damaged. His speech is somewhat unclear.

This kid is honest and hardworking, but he just can't find a stable job.

"His third child is receiving government subsidies, right?"

Yi Zhongding asked.

"Yes, five yuan a month is just enough for him to make a living, but the child doesn't want to just drift along like that and wants to find a job to help support the family."

Tan Xiulian nodded and said.

"Sister-in-law, since Aunt Zhou has asked, I have to help. Let me think about it."

"The number of general labor positions at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine is also limited, so I can't guarantee that it will work out."

"How about this, I'll go back to the hospital tomorrow and ask Section Chief Zhao in the logistics department to see if there are any vacancies."

"If there is one, let Zhiqiang try. If not, I'll think of another way, or I can go to Butcher Zhang and ask if he can take on an apprentice and what procedures are required."

"Zhou Zhiqiang is only deaf, so it's hard for him to get into factories, but chopping pork isn't a problem for him."

Yi Zhongding pondered for a moment and then spoke earnestly.

"Oh, that's great! I knew you'd have a solution. Aunt Zhou doesn't ask for favors easily; she only asked because she was really desperate."

Tan Xiulian smiled.

"He's a reliable neighbor, so I'll lend a hand whenever I can. Besides, since you've already asked, how could I refuse?"

Yi Zhongding said with a smile.

"Stop being so cheeky! Go back inside and keep Xiaoyu company. Leave the dishes there, I'll wash them."

Tan Xiulian smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"Alright."

Yi Zhongding stood up, stretched, and felt warm all over his body.

Yi Zhongding walked to the sink, washed his hands, dried them, and left the kitchen.

In the courtyard, the sun was already beginning to set, and golden rays were slanting across the "golden brick" ground.

Nine-Liang had long been tired of chasing the hen, and was now squatting in the corner with Six-Liang and Three-Liang, poking an insect that had crawled out of nowhere with a stick.

Sanjin was still sitting on the threshold, holding a straw stick shorter than her finger, intently drawing circles on the ground.

Yi Zhongyao and Yi Zhongmiao sat on a bench at the entrance of the west room, one making tiger-head shoes and the other sewing a small garment. They occasionally whispered to each other and sometimes let out a soft laugh.

Everything was peaceful and tranquil.

Yi Zhongding stood in the center of the courtyard, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

The air was filled with the unique scent of a winter evening in Beijing.

The rough winds carrying yellow sand, the dry, cold smell of grass and trees, the aroma of smoke from neighboring kitchens, and the faint scent of chicken soup wafting from my own kitchen.

Yi Zhongding suddenly thought, how wonderful it would be if life could continue like this forever.

But the thought only flashed through my mind.

He knew that in this era, peace was often fleeting.

The world outside is undergoing tremendous changes.

The place he stepped into today meant that he could not stay in this small courtyard and live a peaceful life forever.

The country is in a difficult period of climbing uphill.

Now that he has the good fortune to come back, he certainly cannot waste his life.

Yi Zhongding stood in the courtyard, his thoughts churning for a moment before he gently suppressed them.

Thinking too far ahead is useless; you have to take things one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time.

Yi Zhongding rubbed his face, temporarily putting those grand thoughts into his mind, and turned to walk towards the west room.

Pushing open the door, I found the lights were already on inside.

Under the dim light, Bai Yushu was lying on her side, feeding Sijin milk.

The little guy was eating the grain with his mouth, making smacking noises, while his little hand tightly gripped his mother's clothes, as if afraid someone would take it from him.

Erliang lay beside him, still fast asleep, completely unaware of any movement around him.