Courtyard House: A Veteran Returns Home and Becomes a Father

As evening fell, a rich aroma of fish wafted through the Su family's courtyard.

Under the personal supervision and command of "Fishing Master" Su Hanlin, this all-fish feast was a resounding success.

"Zhenbang, the heat is too high! Steamed fish needs to be cooked over a low flame to lock in the freshness!"

"Wanqing, the belly of that catfish needs to be stewed a little longer to extract the collagen!"

Su Hanlin paced back and forth by the stove with his hands behind his back, looking like a general inspecting troops, every word he uttered filled with unquestionable authority.

Su Mo was reduced to a menial job, adding firewood to the stove while secretly enjoying the smug look on the advisor's face.

The meal was enjoyed by everyone in a pleasant and harmonious manner.

The braised carp is rich and flavorful, the steamed bream is tender and smooth, and the catfish soup is milky white and mellow.

Niannian ate with gusto, her little mouth drooling, her hands almost unable to hold the chopsticks, constantly exclaiming, "Delicious! Great-Grandpa's fish is the best!"

This flattery struck a chord with Su Hanlin.

The old man was so happy that his beard stood on end. He then put a large piece of boneless fish belly meat on the little girl's plate, and his face crinkled with laughter.

After a satisfying meal, Xia Wanqing and her teacher's wife quickly cleared away the dishes.

Su Mo rubbed his round belly, leaned back in his chair, and felt that he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

However, he hadn't been enjoying himself for long when he saw Xia Wanqing dry her hands and walk towards him with a meaningful smile on her face.

Su Mo's heart skipped a beat.

A bad feeling crept into my heart.

"Daddy! Daddy! Will you tell me the story of fighting the big bad wolf again today?"

Our savior has arrived!

Niannian rushed over like a little cannonball, grabbed Su Mo's leg, and looked up at him with her eyes full of anticipation.

Su Mo was overjoyed and quickly hugged his daughter into his arms. He looked at Xia Wanqing with a desperate look and spoke first: "Wanqing, look how well-behaved Niannian is today. Let her sleep with me tonight. I can tell her about the origin of the whole fish banquet."

He tried to use the power of knowledge to ensure his safety tonight.

To his surprise, Xia Wanqing didn't fall for his act this time.

She walked up to Su Mo, gently patted her daughter's head, then turned her gaze to Su Mo's face. Her smile remained, but her tone became unusually firm.

"no."

Two words, concise and powerful, leaving no room for negotiation.

"Niannian is already five years old, she should learn to sleep alone. It's not good for her to always follow her father around." Xia Wanqing's tone was gentle, but her attitude was unquestionable.

Su Mo's smile froze on his face.

"But……"

"No! I want to sleep with Daddy!"

Seeing that things were not going well, Niannian immediately used her trump card.

The little girl pouted, her eyes instantly reddening. She clung tightly to Su Mo's neck with her tiny hands and began to throw a tantrum: "I don't want to sleep alone! I want Daddy! I want Qingtian! I want Zhuzi! Waaah—"

A loud cry instantly echoed throughout the entire courtyard.

Su Mo was immediately at her wits' end, frantically trying to soothe her daughter while casting a pleading glance at Xia Wanqing.

However, Xia Wanqing was determined this time.

She crossed her arms and watched quietly, showing no intention of compromising.

"Throwing a tantrum won't work." Xia Wanqing's voice turned cold. "Su Nian, if you cry again, you won't be allowed to eat candied hawthorns tomorrow."

The crying stopped abruptly.

Niannian sobbed, looking at her mother with teary eyes, then at her father who looked troubled. Her little mouth was so pursed that it could hold an oil bottle.

Ultimately, under the threat of the candied hawthorns, the little guy's will to resist was completely broken.

Xia Wanqing stepped forward, took her daughter from Su Mo's arms without a word, and carried her towards the small house that had been prepared long ago.

"My husband, get some rest."

As she reached the door, Xia Wanqing turned back and gave Su Mo a charming smile, a smile that carried a hint of victorious slyness.

Su Mo looked at his empty arms, listened to his daughter's gradually calming sobs in the next room, and then looked at his daughter-in-law's "kind" smile, feeling a chill run down his spine.

That's it, tonight's "Great Wall" has collapsed.

……

The next day, as the first rays of morning light shone through the window, Su Mo struggled to sit up in bed.

He slowly exhaled a breath of stale air, feeling as if he had been repeatedly run over by a dozen trucks, with a soreness permeating every bone in his body.

My lower back, in particular, feels like it's been stripped of its backbone; the slightest movement sends a deep, bone-chilling pain through me.

He leaned against the wall, grimacing as he put on his clothes; every movement seemed so difficult.

Pushing open the door, the cool morning air invigorated him, but his physical fatigue did not diminish at all.

He supported his aching back and slowly walked into the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard, Master Su Hanlin had finished a set of boxing moves and was sitting by the stone table, leisurely sipping a cup of hot tea.

Hearing the noise, Su Hanlin didn't even lift his eyelids, only glancing indifferently at Su Mo's walking posture.

"Um?"

The old man uttered a meaningful syllable from his nose, picked up his teacup, gently blew on the steam, and began to speak slowly and deliberately.

"Young people, you must learn to be moderate. Health is the foundation of everything; you can't squander it just because you're young."

Su Mo's face flushed red. He wanted to say something in his defense, but when he strained his waist, he felt another wave of soreness and numbness. The words that came out of his mouth turned into a suppressed groan of pain.

"Looks like last night's whole fish feast wasn't enough to nourish you." Su Hanlin put down his teacup, a half-smile playing on his lips. "Especially that pot of fish soup. It was my mistake not to leave you a couple more bowls."

Su Mo wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.

Just then, Xia Wanqing also came out of the house.

She was radiant, with a rosy complexion, and walked with a brisk pace, a stark contrast to Su Mo, who was supporting his back beside her.

"Husband, you're awake?" Xia Wanqing walked to Su Mo's side, casually smoothing his slightly wrinkled collar, her eyes full of concern. "Did you sleep well last night? You don't look well; are you tired?"

Su Mo's lips twitched slightly.

This isn't just tired, it's clearly about to break down.

Looking at Xia Wanqing's radiant face and feeling his own waist, which seemed not to belong to him, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Five years have passed, and in the end, I've wasted my time.