Siheyuan: A master brewer starts with a jar of bone-strengthening wine!

She looked up at him, tears welling up in her eyes:

"How about... we give it a try? Just consider it helping me out... I'll lend you the seeds... okay?" Qin Huairu looked up, her eyes seemed to be filled with moonlight, but it was too dark to see her face clearly.

Liu Dong thought to himself, "His face must be completely red."

"No..." He chuckled awkwardly, a little flustered. "Huai Ru, I really can't resist your gaze... Let me tell you the truth, I'm married!"

"I know," Qin Huairu replied softly, her voice steady. "Don't worry, Brother Liu Dong, I won't hold you responsible. This is something I did willingly. From now on, you and Xueru can live happily together; I won't interfere."

A gentle night breeze blew, and a distant, mournful bark of a dog drifted over, sounding as desolate as if someone were crying.

Half an hour later, Liu Dong dropped her off at the village entrance and rode his bike back the way he came.

A thought suddenly popped into his head on the way, making him laugh:

If Qin Huairu really gets pregnant, will the baby still be named "Banggeng"?

Then...wouldn't my son be called that too?

Snap—my brain went blank on the spot.

impossible!

With a whoosh, he stopped his bicycle, touched the ground with his toes, and silently floated up, gliding in the dark low air.

This time I didn't dare to go to such an outrageous speed—what, 989 meters per second?

It's just a scary thing.

This way, it's only two or three times faster than a fast car, without creating a sonic boom or being detected by radar in the sky.

Quiet and secure, I slipped back to the courtyard house in just over ten minutes.

"Hey, Liu Dong's back?"

As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi immediately greeted them with a smile.

Liu Dong paused.

what's going on?

Did Jia Zhangshi take the wrong medicine today?

Why are you being so enthusiastic towards me?

Alarm bells were ringing in his mind.

There's always something fishy going on behind unusual events.

Sure enough, she said, "Liu Dong, you've been away from home a lot lately. I heard you've gone for training?"

"Yes, I went."

"What a coincidence!" Madam Jia exclaimed, beaming. "Your brother Dongxu got married a couple of days ago, and none of your family members were there! But guess what? Teacher Yan, the Xu family, the Liu family, and the Yi family all sent gifts!"

"Especially Master Yi, he spent 50,000 yuan in one go, so generous!"

"We live in the same courtyard, how can we favor one over the other, don't you think?"

Liu Dong understood immediately:

Good heavens, after going through all that trouble, it turns out they just came to collect money as a gift!

No wonder you look so kind today, did the sun rise in the west?

The people in the courtyard were all staring at him, waiting to see what would happen.

"Liu Dong," Madam Jia continued, "you're the wealthiest person around here now, so this red envelope should be befit your status, right?"

Liu Dong grinned and asked, "Aunt Jia, how much did your family give as a wedding gift when I got married last month?"

One sentence froze the smile on Jia Zhangshi's face.

Their family didn't contribute a single penny at that time.

"Not going to say anything?" Liu Dong sneered. "It's a matter of reciprocity. If you don't give it to me, why should I give it to you? If word gets out, people will think I'm licking your boots, which will damage my reputation."

After saying that, he pushed the cart towards the backyard without looking back.

Madam Jia Zhang was so angry her face turned pale. She blurted out, "You heartless wretch! What good is your marriage? It's been over a month and your wife still hasn't conceived! Ha, we'll see who gets pregnant first. My Huai Ru will definitely be faster than you!"

The first thing Liu Dong did after entering the house was to clean up the mess.

First, wipe the bicycle clean—especially the back seat area, which was wet and covered in traces left by Qin Huairu.

The eighteen-year-old girl's body was soft and supple enough.

But we can't leave any evidence of this; we can't leave even the slightest clue.

After cleaning the car, I thoroughly cleaned every nook and cranny of the house.

At nine o'clock sharp, I went out to pick up Chen Xueru from get off work.

As he rode his bike, he exclaimed: "The way I've arranged my time is nothing short of an art."

"How was work today?" When they arrived, he massaged Chen Xueru's shoulders and back. "Was it less busy than before?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Chen Xueru's eyes sparkled. "It was so fulfilling!"

"What's the situation at the shop now?" he asked again. "Is Fan Jinyou still insisting on opening a stir-fry service?"

"Yes!" Chen Xueru nodded. "He said that now the support from above is more, more people have come, and we still have to pay salaries and share profits. If we don't expand our operations, we simply can't survive; we can't even pay salaries!"

"I think he has a point."

Liu Dong stared at her: "You're not on his side too, are you?"

"Of course not!" Chen Xueru shook her head. "Even if half of what he said is true, I still support Xu Huizhen. She's my best friend, and I have to rely on her in times like this."

"What do you think, honey?" she asked, turning to look at him.

Liu Dong sat down and said calmly, "Fan Jinyou is right, but if we really listen to him and start offering stir-fry services, then this tavern won't be far from closing down."

"Why?" Chen Xueru was stunned.

"I'm asking you," Liu Dong said, "what kind of people go to your tavern for drinks?"

"Neighbors," she said. "Uncle Niu, Teacher Xu, Qiangzi, Uncle Pian'er... they're all long-time residents of the neighborhood."

"Would these people go there specifically to eat?"

"No way," Chen Xueru shook her head. "We all eat at home before going over. Who would have nothing better to do than go out for a couple of drinks and order food? Are they out of their mind?"

"That's right," Liu Dong said. "What a tavern sells is the atmosphere, a place where acquaintances gather and chat, and the everyday life of people talking about family matters."

"Think about it, you're drinking, and the people at the next table start eating, their food steaming hot, chopsticks clattering everywhere. Would you still feel comfortable?"

"Besides, the bills don't add up—two ounces of liquor costs five or six hundred. But a meal would easily cost two thousand or more. It immediately divides the guests into different classes."

"The bonds between the old neighbors have been broken, and no one wants to come anymore."

Chen Xueru nodded repeatedly, "Yes...that's exactly right. Honey, you're amazing!"

But then she frowned: "But... with our current income, we really can't support so many people."

"In the past, Xu Huizhen ran the tavern by herself, with Lao He as a side partner at most."

Things are different now; there are two managers—Fan Jinyou from the public side and Xu Huizhen from the private side.

The staff included herself, accountant Zhao Yali, and two waitresses.

"Too many people, the costs can't be controlled..." There's also an old chef named Ma who's in charge of cooking.

In this way, including him, there are now seven people.

With seven mouths to feed, the wages are a considerable sum, not to mention the dividends that Xu Huizhen has to receive.

Losing money is a foregone conclusion.

So many people rely on the tavern for their livelihood; even if business is booming, it can't keep up with the expenses.

"Actually, it's not like we have no options!" Liu Dong suddenly said.

Chen Xueru's eyes lit up: "What idea? Tell me quickly!"