Courtyard Check-in: Starting with a Small World of Cultivation

At five o'clock on Wednesday morning, before dawn, Chen Yu had already completed two hours of cultivation in the small world.

The spiritual energy of the "Tai Xuan True Scripture" surged through his meridians like a river, and the bottleneck of the second level of Qi Refining was already as thin as a cicada's wing, ready to be broken at any moment. Chen Yu could clearly sense that all he needed was a trigger to step into the third level of Qi Refining—at that time, his strength would experience a qualitative leap.

But he didn't force it. Cultivation is about letting things take their natural course; deliberately pushing might backfire. He slowly finished his practice, exhaling a breath of stale air. The spiritual energy beside the spring had been completely absorbed and needed time to recover.

"System, check-in for today," Chen Yu thought to himself. Today was a special day—moving day; perhaps there would be a surprise.

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: 3 industrial vouchers, 2 jin of meat coupons, basic storage space expansion (small), 10 yuan cash]

Expanded storage space? Chen Yu's eyes lit up! This is much more practical than cash and vouchers!

According to the system instructions, this check-in expanded his personal storage space from 1 cubic meter to 2 cubic meters—although it is still small, it is enough to hold many important items, and it is more convenient to access them.

Chen Yu immediately put it to the test. With a thought, some miscellaneous items in his small world—the alchemy furnace, the remaining medicinal herbs, and the bound volume of the journal *Science*—were easily stored in his expanded storage space. With another thought, he took them out and put them back in their original places. The whole process was smooth and natural, as simple as breathing.

"This makes moving much easier," Chen Yu nodded in satisfaction. He had been worried about how to move those things that weren't suitable for public display, but now that was all taken care of.

Exiting the miniature world, it was only six o'clock in real time. Chen Yu began packing his luggage. Actually, he didn't have much—a few clothes, bedding, toiletries, books, and some daily necessities. Most of it was packed into the storage space, leaving only two canvas bags outside as decoration.

At 6:30, there was a knock on the door.

When the door opened, it was He Yuzhu and Zhang Xiulan. He Yuzhu was pushing a borrowed flatbed cart, and Zhang Xiulan was carrying a cloth bag.

"Xiaoyu, are you ready? Brother Zhu will help you move it!" He Yuzhu's voice was loud and clear.

"Aunt Zhang steamed some buns and boiled some eggs for you to eat on your journey." Zhang Xiulan handed the cloth bag to Chen Yu, her eyes a little red. "Xiao Yu, come back and visit often after you move out. Although there are many people and gossips in this courtyard, Aunt Zhang will always be your elder."

"Thank you, Brother Zhu, thank you, Aunt Zhang." Chen Yu felt a warmth in his heart. In this unfamiliar era, to meet people who genuinely cared for him was a rare and precious fate.

As the three were talking, Yan Bugui came out, holding a small notebook: "Little Chen, your third uncle doesn't have anything good to give you, but take this notebook. You'll find it useful for recording work and life."

"Thank you, Uncle San."

People from the other households in the courtyard also came out one after another. An old man named Yi Zhonghai walked over with his hands behind his back: "Xiao Chen, moving out is a good thing. Beixinqiao is close to the factory, making it convenient for commuting. If there's anything in the courtyard in the future, we'll be counting on you to come back and help out often."

"It must be an old man."

To Chen Yu's surprise, Jia Dongxu also came out, carrying a small stool: "Chen Yu, this... is for your new home. Xiulan said there's an old locust tree in your yard, and you need someone to sit under it."

It was a small, handmade stool; though rough, it was very sturdy.

"Thank you, Master Jia."

Jia Zhangshi didn't come out of the house, but Chen Yu could hear her muttering, "It's good that they moved away, so they're not in the way anymore..."

Chen Yu didn't bother with it. He took one last look at the room where he had lived for several months—the mottled walls, the windows covered with old newspapers, the hard bed, the broken wooden cabinet... Although it was simple, it was the first place he had settled down after transmigrating.

"Let's go." He locked the door and handed the key to Yi Zhonghai. "Uncle, here's the key back to you."

"Okay, I'll talk to the neighborhood office." Yi Zhonghai took the keys. "Be careful on the road."

The flatbed cart carried only two canvas bags and a quilt, and looked very light. He Yuzhu pushed the cart, with Chen Yu and Zhang Xiulan following beside him, and the three of them left the courtyard.

The alley was quiet in the early morning, with only a few women emptying chamber pots. The morning mist hadn't dissipated, the bluestone pavement was damp, and the air was filled with the smells of coal smoke and the aroma of breakfast stalls.

"Xiaoyu, is everything ready at the new house?" Zhang Xiulan asked.

"It's almost done. I cleaned it again yesterday," Chen Yu said. "Huai Ru will be over today too, and we'll decorate together."

"That's good. Xiaoyu, Aunt Zhang has something to tell you." Zhang Xiulan lowered her voice, "After you get married, you're an adult, so you need to be more mature in your actions. You have a good job now, and your future is bright, so please... please don't get involved in any shady things."

She was referring to the police station's investigation and the beating of Xu Damao.

"Don't worry, Aunt Zhang, I know what I'm doing."

"I know you know what you're doing, but I'm still worried," Zhang Xiulan sighed. "In this world, people's hearts are unpredictable. You're young and promising, so it's inevitable that some people will be envious and jealous. Remember, you shouldn't have the heart to harm others, but you can't be without the heart to guard against them."

"I've got it."

He Yuzhu interjected, "Xiao Chen, if anyone causes you trouble, tell Brother Zhu! I may just be a cook, but I have many friends and I'm loyal!"

"Thank you, Brother Zhu."

Half an hour later, the three arrived at Beixinqiao's courtyard. Qin Huairu was already there, sweeping the yard. Seeing them arrive, she quickly put down her broom and came out to greet them.

"Aunt Zhang, Brother Zhu, you're here." Qin Huairu blushed slightly as she took the cloth bag from Zhang Xiulan's hand. "Come in and sit down, I've boiled some water."

"Huai Ru is so diligent." Zhang Xiulan nodded in satisfaction and took Qin Huai Ru's hand as she entered the house.

He Yuzhu helped Chen Yu carry his things into the house, then looked around and said, "This yard is nice! It faces south and is bright! Little Chen, you got a good deal on the rent!"

"Thanks to Sister Liu's help," Chen Yu said. Liu Yuhua had to work today and couldn't come to help with the move.

Zhang Xiulan walked around the house, checking the doors, windows, stove, and well, nodding repeatedly: "Not bad, not bad. The house is old but sturdy. With a little tidying up, it'll be a cozy home. Xiaoyu, Huairu, you're so lucky!"

"Aunt Zhang, let's have lunch here. I'll go buy groceries," Chen Yu said.

"No, no, you two can pack your things yourselves. We won't bother you any longer." Zhang Xiulan waved her hand. "Aunt Zhang will come to the wedding banquet on the wedding day."

After seeing He Yuzhu and Zhang Xiulan off, only Chen Yu and Qin Huairu remained in the courtyard. The two exchanged a smile, both feeling a sense of relief that "we finally have our own home."

"Huai Ru, thank you for your hard work." Chen Yu looked at the clean and tidy yard.

"It's not hard work," Qin Huairu said softly. "Chen Yu, we... really have our own home now."

"Yes, really." Chen Yu took her hand. "Come on, let's see how to decorate."

The two began decorating their new home. Chen Yu quietly took out the things they had bought earlier from the storage space: a red double happiness basin, a new quilt cover, kitchen utensils... and laid them out one by one, gradually giving the room a sense of life.

Qin Huairu was skillful and made several curtains out of scraps of cloth, and cut out several "囍" (double happiness) characters from red paper to stick on the windows. Chen Yu, on the other hand, made the bed, arranged the table and chairs, and put books on the bookshelf.

Around noon, the setup was basically complete. The two sat on a stone bench in the courtyard to rest, and Qin Huairu brought out warmed steamed buns and eggs, as well as a dish of pickled vegetables, from the kitchen.

A simple lunch, yet it tasted exceptionally delicious.

"Chen Yu," Qin Huairu suddenly said, "there's something I want to tell you."

"What is it?"

"I...I might be pregnant." Qin Huairu's face was flushed, and her voice was as low as a mosquito's buzz.

Chen Yu was stunned: "You've got it? You mean..."

"Hmm." Qin Huairu lowered her head. "My period is more than ten days late, and I've been feeling nauseous lately... My mother said it might be..."

Chen Yu's mind went blank, followed by immense joy! He was going to be a father! In this unfamiliar era, he was going to have his own child!

"Really? Huai Ru, are you sure?" He grabbed Qin Huai Ru's hand, his voice trembling with excitement.

"I haven't gone to the hospital for a checkup yet, but my mother said there's an 80% chance." Qin Huairu looked up, her eyes filled with both joy and worry. "Chen Yu, we're not married yet, if this gets out..."

"I'm not afraid!" Chen Yu said firmly. "We'll get our marriage certificate next weekend and have the wedding on the fifteenth of next month. There's plenty of time, and no one will gossip."

He quickly calculated in his mind: Today is August 23rd, we'll get our marriage certificate next weekend on August 30th, and the wedding is on September 15th... Even if she really is pregnant, it won't be obvious by then. As long as the wedding is grand, no one will say a word.

"Huai Ru, you'll stay here from today onwards and take good care of yourself," Chen Yu said earnestly. "Don't go back to the courtyard house. I'll talk to Aunt Zhang about it. Just tell me what you need and I'll buy it for you."

"Hmm..." Qin Huairu leaned on Chen Yu's shoulder, "Chen Yu, I'm a little scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid I won't be a good mother, I'm afraid..."

"Don't be afraid." Chen Yu hugged her. "With me here, everything will be alright. I promise you, our child will have a good life, better than anyone else's."

The two embraced under the old locust tree in the courtyard, the autumn sunlight filtering through the branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows. At that moment, Chen Yu felt an unprecedented sense of responsibility—he not only had to live for himself, but also for Qin Huairu and for their unborn child, to provide for them.

In the afternoon, Chen Yu went to the hospital and registered for a gynecological appointment. Although medical conditions were limited in those days, basic pregnancy tests were still available.

The test results came back—she was indeed pregnant, about six weeks along.

Holding the thin medical report, Chen Yu's hands trembled. He was really going to be a father! In the autumn of 1962, a brand new life was being conceived, and he was the father of that life!

"Congratulations, comrade," the older female doctor said with a smile. "Your husband is in good health, and the fetus is developing normally. Make sure to get enough nutrition, avoid overexertion, and come for regular checkups."

"Thank you, doctor! Thank you!" Chen Yu thanked him repeatedly, taking out five yuan from his pocket to try and give it to the doctor—this was the custom in this era.

The doctor waved his hand: "No need, no need, it's what we should do. Comrade, take good care of your wife. We advocate for eugenics and good parenting now. You are young people of the new era, and you should raise healthy offspring for the country."

"Definitely! Definitely!"

After leaving the hospital, Chen Yu went straight to the department store. He bought malted milk powder, milk powder, brown sugar, red dates... he bought a whole set of all the nutritional supplements available in that era. He also went to the fabric store and bought several yards of soft cotton cloth to make clothes for his future child.

It was already evening when they returned to the Beixinqiao courtyard. Qin Huairu was cooking in the kitchen, a simple stew of cabbage and vermicelli, but the aroma was enticing.

"Huai Ru, stop busy, sit down." Chen Yu put down his bags and took out a diagnosis report from his pocket. "Look, the doctor has confirmed it. Six weeks, everything is normal."

Qin Huairu took the diagnosis report, her fingers gently tracing the words on it, tears welling in her eyes: "It's really...it's really happening..."

"Yes, really." Chen Yu hugged her. "From today onwards, you are the most important treasure in our family. You are not allowed to do any chores, just take good care of yourself."

"That won't do, we still have to cook..."

"I'll cook!" Chen Yu patted his chest. "My cooking skills aren't great, but I learn quickly. Starting today, I'll learn to cook!"

Qin Huairu burst into laughter through her tears: "Oh, right, someone knocked on the door this afternoon."

Chen Yu's heart tightened: "Who is it?"

"I didn't recognize him. He said he was from the neighborhood committee checking household registrations. But I thought something was off about his eyes, so I didn't open the door," Qin Huairu said. "He loitered around the door for a while and then left."

The neighborhood committee is checking household registrations? Chen Yu frowned. He'd just moved today; even if the neighborhood committee wanted to check, they wouldn't be here so quickly. Someone must be impersonating him!

"Huai Ru, you did the right thing. From now on, don't open the door for anyone when I'm not home," Chen Yu instructed. "Especially strangers, don't open the door at all."

"Okay, I've got it."

After dinner, Chen Yu contacted Pseudo-Man No. 1: "Find out who came to the Beixinqiao compound this afternoon."

"Yes, Master. Also, Zhao Tieying has urgent news—Boss Li's men tested an explosive device on the back of Xiangshan Mountain this afternoon, and it was quite powerful. He suspects that Chongyang Ye and his group want to blow up the entrance so that no one can get in, and then dig it out slowly afterward."

The entrance was blown up! Chen Yu's heart sank. This move was too vicious! If the entrance was blown up, even with three pocket watches, they wouldn't be able to get into the secret vault!

"Can it be demolished?"

"It's very difficult. The explosives are buried very deep and have a triggering device. Zhao Tieying said that unless there are professional engineers, the risk of dismantling them is too great."

Chen Yu pondered. It seemed he needed to adjust his plan. Originally, he had planned to set up a fog array at the entrance to buy time, but now it appeared he needed to find a way to stop the explosives from detonating, or... enter the secret vault before they exploded.

"Tell Zhao Tieying to continue surveillance and find out the exact location and detonation method of all the explosives. Also, find out where Boss Li is staying in Beijing."

"clear."

After ending the contact, Chen Yu entered the small world. He needed to calmly think things through and formulate a new strategy.

Three spirit-patterned pocket watches glowed faintly beside the spirit spring. On the night of the Double Ninth Festival, the three watches merged, and the cave entrance opened by itself... But what if the cave entrance was destroyed? Would the legacy be buried forever?

"We can't let them succeed." Chen Yu's eyes were resolute. This wasn't just about passing on the legacy, but also about proving that in this era, he, Chen Yu, was not a pushover!

He took out the three simple array bases and then flipped through "Introduction to Basic Weapon Refining." The book described a more complex array—the "Diamond Protection Array." Although his current cultivation level wasn't high enough to set up a true Diamond Protection Array, he might be able to try the simplified version...

At 1.2 times the time flow rate, Chen Yu began his research and experiments. Time passed second by second; the sky in the small world darkened and brightened repeatedly...

When Chen Yu exited the small world, it was already three in the morning. His eyes were bloodshot, but his gaze was bright—he had succeeded!

Three improved array bases were laid out before them: still the combination of copper bells, mist bombs, and herbal powder, but with the addition of a new element—simple protective runes inscribed with spiritual energy. Although the protective power was weak, it could at least withstand the shockwave of an explosion.

"Plus this..." Chen Yu took out three immobilization talismans from his storage space. These were the highest-level talismans he could currently make; although their effects only lasted three seconds, they could be lifesavers in critical moments.

With everything prepared, Chen Yu began his cultivation for the evening. He circulated the *Tai Xuan Zhen Jing* at full power, spiritual energy surging through his meridians. Suddenly, a soft "pop" sounded from a certain acupoint—the bottleneck had broken!

[Successfully broke through to the third level of the "Tai Xuan Zhen Jing"]

[Cultivation level advanced to the third level of Qi Refining Stage]

[The range of spiritual awareness has been expanded to twenty zhang.]

[Overall physical improvement, with a 50% increase in strength, speed, and endurance]

[Unlock new spells: Object Manipulation (Beginner), Fireball (Beginner)]

Breakthrough! Qi Refining Stage 3!

Chen Yu felt the surging power within his body, nearly twice as strong as when he was on the second level! His spiritual sense range expanded to twenty zhang, covering most of the courtyard! His object manipulation technique could control small objects, and although his fireball technique wasn't very powerful, it was already an extraordinary ability in this era!

"Great!" Chen Yu exclaimed with delight. His strength had increased, giving him a much better chance of success!

When he exited the small world, it was almost dawn. Chen Yu was wide awake and walked into the courtyard, watching the pale light of dawn appear in the east.

Today is the first day of my new life.

Sixteen days later, a decisive battle will take place.

Chen Yu clenched his fist, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

No matter how many difficulties and obstacles lie ahead, he will overcome them one by one.

For himself, for Qin Huairu, and for the unborn child.

And also so that, in this era, we can forge our own path.