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

Three days until the Double Ninth Festival.

In the darkest hour before dawn, Qin Huairu suddenly awoke from her sleep. She sat up and gently placed her hand on her lower abdomen—just now, a strange feeling had flowed through her body, as if something was calling to her, or as if her baby had gently kicked her from inside her belly, but that feeling... was very peculiar.

"What's wrong?" Chen Yu woke up immediately, his spiritual sense instantly covering the entire room.

"The baby... seems to have moved," Qin Huairu said softly, "but it doesn't quite feel like it... It feels strange, like a voice is calling me."

Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately activated his Spiritual Eye Technique to look at Qin Huairu's lower abdomen. In the vision of the Spiritual Eye Technique, the fetus in Qin Huairu's womb emitted a soft white spiritual light, brighter than that of an ordinary fetus. What surprised him even more was that there were faint, subtle runes flowing within that spiritual light, which were somewhat similar to the patterns on the spirit-patterned pocket watch he had deciphered yesterday.

"The legacy of Xuanzhen Daoist... could it be related to bloodline?" A bold guess surged in Chen Yu's mind. Perhaps the descendants of Xuanzhen Daoist are born with an affinity for the legacy?

"Chen Yu?" Qin Huairu called softly when she saw him in a daze.

"It's nothing." Chen Yu pulled himself out of his thoughts and gently hugged her. "Maybe the baby misses its father. Sleep a little longer, it's not dawn yet."

After calming Qin Huairu down to sleep, Chen Yu quietly entered the small world. He had to verify his guess.

He took out the three spirit-patterned pocket watches and placed them beside the spirit spring. Chen Yu bit his fingertip and dripped a drop of blood onto one of the pocket watches—no reaction. He then tried to infuse it with spiritual energy; the patterns on the pocket watch lit up, but there were no other unusual phenomena.

"Does it require the blood of the Qin family?" Chen Yu frowned. But Qin Huairu was pregnant, and he could never let her take that risk.

Just as I was pondering this, a system notification sounded – it was already six in the morning.

"System, check-in for today."

[Ding! Japanese visa successfully obtained]

[Received: 10 jin of national grain coupons, 3 chi of cloth coupons, a small basic escape technique experience pack, and 30 yuan in cash]

"Escape Techniques!" Chen Yu's eyes lit up, and he immediately used them. The basic principles and introductory techniques of Earth Release, Water Release, and Wood Release flooded his mind. Although with his current cultivation level he could only use the most basic Earth Release technique, and the escape distance was no more than ten zhang, it would definitely be of great use in a critical moment!

As I exited the small world, He Yuzhu's voice came from the courtyard: "Xiao Chen! Are you up yet? It's time to arrange the seating for the wine tasting today!"

Chen Yu pushed open the door and went out, only to see He Yuzhu and his two apprentices carrying tables and chairs into the courtyard. They had agreed yesterday to simulate the seating arrangement for a six-table banquet today to confirm the procedures.

"Brother Zhu, so early?"

"It's getting late, tomorrow's the big day, we need to finalize all the details today." He Yuzhu wiped his sweat. "I asked Ma Hua and Xiao Pang to borrow tables and chairs, they'll be there in a bit. Oh, by the way, this is the final version of the banquet menu, take a look."

Chen Yu took the menu: six cold dishes, eight hot dishes, two soups, and four staple foods—a luxurious menu for that era.

"Brother Zhu, this must cost a lot of money, right? Tell me honestly, how much will it cost in total?"

He Yuzhu hesitated for a moment: "The material cost is about eighty yuan, but thirty yuan of that was charged to me by the canteen, as a benefit for the factory employees. The remaining fifty yuan... Xiao Chen, I'll pay for that; consider it a wedding gift from your brother!"

"How can that be!" Chen Yu immediately objected. "Brother Zhu, you've helped so much, how can I let you pay again? I have to give you this fifty yuan."

After arguing for a long time, the two finally compromised – Chen Yu would contribute thirty yuan and He Yuzhu would contribute twenty yuan, which would be considered as the two of them jointly hosting the banquet.

"Alright, alright, you decide," He Yuzhu laughed. "But Xiao Chen, let me tell you, when I get married, you'll have to pay me back double!"

"Definitely!" Chen Yu solemnly promised.

At nine o'clock in the morning, the tables and chairs arrived one after another, and six tables were set up in the courtyard. He Yuzhu took the list and began to arrange the seating.

"At the main table, sit you, Huai Ru, Qin's parents, Director Wang from the neighborhood office, Section Chief Li from the factory, me, Uncle Yi, and Uncle Er." He Yuzhu wrote as he spoke, "The other five tables are: two tables for Qin's relatives, one table for our neighbors in the courtyard, one table for your colleagues from the factory, and one table for occasional guests."

"Where is Xu Damao's house..." Chen Yu asked.

"Lou Xiao'e came alone, and she was seated at the table next to mine." He Yuzhu paused, "Xiao Chen, there's something I need to remind you—although we didn't invite Jia Zhangshi, I suspect she might come and cause trouble."

Chen Yu's eyes turned cold: "If she dares to cause trouble, I'll kick her out."

"I'm relieved to hear that." He Yuzhu nodded. "By the way, Liu Yuhua's husband, Wang Jianjun, sent word yesterday that he will be bringing a friend to the wedding. He's the director of the Mechanical Research Institute and would like to get to know you."

"Director?" Chen Yu was somewhat surprised.

"They said they saw your waste recycling plan and were very interested." He Yuzhu patted him on the shoulder. "Xiao Chen, you're on your way to great success!"

After arranging the seats, Chen Yu made an excuse to go out on some errands and went to the hideout on Gulou Back Street. Zhao Tieying's injuries had healed by about 70%, and although his left arm was still wrapped in bandages, he could move around without any problems.

"Chen Yu, the explosives are ready," Zhao Tieying said in a low voice. "Twenty pounds of gunpowder and ten detonators. I've hidden them in a cave in the western mountains. This is the detonation device, the simplest pull-type."

Chen Yu took the rudimentary device—a wooden stick with a thin rope and a detonator connector wrapped around it. "Good, that's enough as a backup plan. How are you and your men?"

"Everything is ready." A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Tieying's eyes. "There are four of us, including my three fellow disciples. We've discussed it, and we don't want any reward for this operation. We just want to obtain clues about our sect's inheritance."

"Don't worry, as long as it's in the secret vault, I'll definitely give it to you," Chen Yu promised. "But there's a new development—Jia Zhangshi might be colluding with the Hongmen."

Zhao Tieying's expression changed: "That old hag? How could she..."

"It's not certain yet, but we must be on guard," Chen Yu said. "On the night of the Double Ninth Festival, send someone to keep watch near my house. If Jia Zhangshi or anyone she's colluding with makes any unusual moves, deal with them immediately."

"Understood!" Zhao Tieying replied. "By the way, we went to Xiangshan to scout again yesterday and found that the enemy has increased to twenty-five men and has also brought two light machine guns."

Light machine gun! Chen Yu's heart skipped a beat. In this era, light machine guns were deadly weapons, indicating that the enemy was determined to win.

"It seems they're preparing for a full-scale attack," Chen Yu mused. "We need to adjust our plans again."

The two spent two full hours at the base, finally finalizing a detailed action plan:

At midnight on the Double Ninth Festival, Zhao Tieying led his men to create explosions on the outer perimeter, drawing most of the firepower. Chen Yu used an invisibility talisman to infiltrate, then used earth-遁术 (earth-遁术, a type of magic that allows one to escape from the main defenses) to bypass the frontal defenses and enter the secret vault through the backup entrance marked on the map. After succeeding, they withdrew through the designated exit, with Zhao Tieying waiting to provide backup on the outside.

"What if we get trapped inside?" Zhao Tieying asked.

"I have these." Chen Yu took out three Earth Escape Talismans. "Each one can travel ten zhang underground, which should be enough to escape dangerous areas."

Zhao Tieying looked at the talisman, hesitant to speak. He clearly had many questions, but ultimately didn't ask them—everyone has their own secrets.

Around noon, Chen Yu returned to Beixinqiao. In the courtyard, Qin Huairu and several neighboring women were decorating the new house—big red "double happiness" characters were pasted on the windows, red silk was hung on the lintel, and newly bought quilts and thermos flasks were placed inside, creating a festive scene.

"Chen Yu's back!" an older woman exclaimed with a smile. "Look how capable your wife is, she's decorated the new house so beautifully!"

Looking at Qin Huairu bustling about, Chen Yu felt a surge of warmth in his heart: "Thank you all for your help, aunties. Please stay for dinner later!"

"No need, no need, you two are busy, we're just here to lend a hand," the women said with smiles as they took their leave.

Lunch was a simple bowl of noodles with soybean paste, but the two ate it with relish. After lunch, Qin Huairu took out a small notebook: "Chen Yu, this is the wedding agenda. Please take a look and see if there are any problems."

Chen Yu took the notebook, which was filled with dense writing:

5:00 AM: Get up and wash

6:00 AM: The wedding procession departs (led by He Yuzhu).

7:30 AM: Arrive at Qinjiacun Village to pick up the bride

9:00 AM: Return to Beixinqiao

10:00 AM: Wedding Ceremony (officiated by Director Wang)

12:00: The banquet begins

3 PM: Seeing guests off

Evening: ... (Qin Huairu drew a heart shape here)

Chen Yu looked at the heart shape and smiled: "What happened tonight?"

Qin Huairu blushed: "You're asking a question you already know the answer to..."

After joking around for a while, Chen Yu suddenly became serious and said, "Huai Ru, I'm going to Shanghai the day after the wedding, so I'll be leaving the house in your care."

"Don't worry, I can take care of myself." Qin Huairu leaned on his shoulder. "You must study hard in Shanghai so that our children can have a good life in the future."

"Definitely." Chen Yu hugged her tighter. "By the way, I've thought of a name for the baby. If it's a boy, we'll name him Chen Jixuan; if it's a girl, we'll name her Chen Nianzhen."

"Ji Xuan? Nian Zhen?" Qin Huairu murmured softly, "Does it have any meaning?"

"Inheriting the wisdom of our ancestors and remembering their sincere feelings." Chen Yu didn't finish his sentence—the two names contained the characters "Xuanzhen," which was a way of commemorating the Taoist he had never met.

In the afternoon, Chen Yu entered the small world again and began drawing an Earth Escape Talisman. This type of talisman was more difficult to draw than an Explosion Talisman, requiring precise control of earth-attribute spiritual energy. He failed more than ten times before successfully drawing his first one.

The talisman was earthen yellow with thick, solid lines. Chen Yu activated the talisman, and his body instantly merged into the ground. Darkness enveloped him, and he could only rely on his spiritual sense to orient himself. He controlled himself to travel about eight zhang (approximately 33 meters) through the earth before feeling his spiritual energy waning, and quickly returned to the surface.

"Eight zhang... two zhang less than the theoretical value." Chen Yu gasped for breath. "It seems we need to leave some room for maneuver in actual combat."

He drew six Earth Escape Talismans in one go, making sure he had enough. Then he began drawing Invisibility Talismans—a key part of the plan.

Creating invisibility talismans requires knowledge of light manipulation. Chen Yu combined his understanding of light through his Spirit Eye Technique to improve the method of drawing the runes. The newly drawn invisibility talismans were more effective, with their duration extended from five minutes to eight minutes.

"That should be enough." Chen Yu sorted and put away all the talismans.

As I exited the small world, False Man Number One sent a message: "Master, we've found out. The southerner who met with Jia Zhangshi is named Huang Wenbin, a manager under Boss Li. Before Boss Li was expelled, he arranged for him to stay in Beijing to handle the follow-up matters."

"What is Huang Wenbin plotting?"

"He instructed Jia Zhangshi to create chaos on your wedding day, but the specific plan is still unclear. However, we overheard him mentioning 'luring the tiger away from the mountain' and 'taking advantage of the chaos.'"

A diversionary tactic? Chen Yu frowned. Did Huang Wenbin intend to harm him on the wedding day? Or...?

Suddenly, a possibility occurred to him—Huang Wenbin's target might not be him, but Qin Huairu! Or rather, the child in Qin Huairu's womb! If the Xuanzhen Daoist's legacy is truly related to bloodline, then the descendants of the Qin family are the key!

"Immediately strengthen surveillance at Beixinqiao!" Chen Yu ordered. "On the wedding day, I want you to protect Qin Huairu every step of the way!"

"yes!"

As night fell, Chen Yu sat in the courtyard, gazing up at the starry sky. The wedding was in two days, also the Double Ninth Festival. These two momentous events clashed, allowing no room for error.

Qin Huairu came out and draped a coat over him: "What are you thinking about?"

"Think about our future." Chen Yu held her hand. "Huai Ru, when we get back from Shanghai, I'll try to transfer your household registration to the city. Our children will go to school in the city and receive the best education."

"Hmm..." Qin Huairu responded softly, "Chen Yu, actually, I'm sometimes scared."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid all of this is too beautiful, like a dream." Qin Huairu leaned on his shoulder. "I'm afraid that when I wake up, I'll find that I'm still that old maid in Qin Family Village who can't get married, and you're still that orphan living in the corner of the courtyard..."

"It's not a dream," Chen Yu said earnestly. "It's all real. And we'll always be happy like this. I promise."

The two nestled together until late at night.

The next morning, Chen Yu was awakened by the system's weekly sign-in notification sound—the countdown was on, and it was time for the weekly sign-in again.

"System, weekly sign-in."

[Ding! Weekly check-in successful]

【获得：中级炼丹术经验包×1、微型录音机（间谍型，附磁带两盘）×1、1963年《自然》期刊合订本（已翻译适配）×1、初级防御阵盘×1、现金200元】

This reward invigorated Chen Yu! After using the intermediate alchemy experience pack, dozens of pill formulas and more exquisite refining techniques flooded his mind; the miniature recorder, only the size of a matchbox, could record four hours of audio; the journal *Nature* contained the world's most cutting-edge scientific research; and the basic defensive array plate was the most practical—a palm-sized copper plate that, when activated, could form a small protective shield that lasted for an hour!

"With this, Huai Ru's safety is more assured." Chen Yu felt a little relieved.

He stepped out of his little world and began making final preparations for tomorrow's wedding. Everything was in place, the schedule was confirmed, and all the guests had been notified...

All is ready except for the opportunity.

And that favorable wind will arrive tomorrow.

At that time, he will marry the girl he loves and face the biggest challenge of his life.

But he was fearless.

Because there are people to protect behind me, and a path to pursue ahead.

This is his choice, and this is his path.