I feel right at home in the world of the courtyard house.

In his office, Li Jing'an glanced at his watch; it was nearly six o'clock. He closed the file in his hand, stood up, straightened his shirt, and headed towards the small private room in the cafeteria.

Pushing open the door to the small private room, he found it filled with smoke. Director Li and several factory leaders he was close to were sitting inside, chatting and drinking tea. Upon seeing him enter, Director Li immediately waved his hand: "Jing'an's here! Come, sit here."

Before long, several branch factory managers arrived. Director Li, beaming, personally led Li Jing'an to the group, introducing him one by one, his warmth and high regard evident in his tone. The branch factory managers, all shrewd individuals, noticed this and secretly considered the situation: This Li Jing'an looks young, yet Director Li speaks so highly of him; he must be someone important. One of them, taking advantage of the small talk, quietly inquired with a friend at the head office, receiving a vague but weighty reply: "He was just transferred here recently, and I heard… he has connections at higher levels."

Upon hearing his words, the smiles on everyone's faces deepened, and their words revealed a greater sense of intimacy and probing. Li Jing'an responded with a smile, speaking little but tactfully.

After chatting for a while, Director Li turned to Liu Lan, a canteen worker who was waiting nearby, and instructed her: "Go to the kitchen and tell Sha Zhu to prepare to start cooking."

Li Jing'an's heart skipped a beat. Whenever Sha Zhu cooked special meals, he always kept some for himself. It was fine if he ate it all, but he feared… Li Jing'an thought of the Jia family in the courtyard. Qin Huairu, with three children and a mother-in-law, lived a meager existence, relying on Sha Zhu's "fat" for a treat. But that family, accustomed to a diet of bland food, couldn't possibly handle such greasy and heavy meals suddenly. Sha Zhu wasn't helping; he was practically harming them.

With that thought in mind, he turned to Director Li and smiled, "Director, I know someone in the kitchen. I'll go say hello and check on how the food preparation is going."

Director Li, unsuspecting, waved his hand and said, "Go on, come back soon, we're waiting for you."

Li Jing'an went into the kitchen and, sure enough, saw Sha Zhu wearing an apron, busy at the stove. He went up to him and started chatting casually, asking about everything from the factory food to the latest movies, but his feet seemed rooted to the spot.

Sha Zhu was preoccupied with those lunchboxes, but Li Jing'an was standing there, engrossed in conversation. He tried several times to get rid of him, but swallowed his words back. He could only worry inwardly, but dared not slacken his efforts in the slightest.

As the last dish was finished cooking and plated, Li Jing'an took it from him and said with a smile, "Perfect, I'll take it over. Thank you for your hard work, Chef Zhu." With that, he carried the plate away steadily, leaving Sha Zhu staring at the empty lunchboxes and sighing in frustration.

Back in the private room, Director Li and the others had already finished their rounds of drinks. Seeing him return, they immediately started teasing, "Jing'an's late! You'd better drink three cups as punishment!"

Li Jing'an didn't refuse, his face smiling calmly: "He deserves the punishment." With that, he poured three cups, tilted his head back, and drank them down in one swift, decisive motion. The wine was clear and cool, sending a burning sensation down his throat. He finished without changing his expression, earning cheers from the entire table.

It was late at night when the banquet ended. Liu Lan helped the unsteady-footed Director Li, who was tightly gripping Li Jing'an's hand, his tongue slurring, "Brother, little brother... your drinking capacity, I... I'm impressed! I'm truly impressed!" Li Jing'an responded as he shook hands with everyone to say goodbye.

He didn't go home; instead, he turned and walked towards the guesthouse. The office on the third floor was silent. He pulled open the folding bed in the corner and dragged out the rolled-up bedding from the bottom of the filing cabinet. The thin blanket, carrying a musty smell of camphor, was spread out in the dim light. He lay down fully clothed, the cold moonlight streaming in through the window.

---

Meanwhile, the scene inside the courtyard house was quite different.

Inside the Jia family's house, dinner time had long passed, yet only a few empty bowls sat on the table. The family had heard that the canteen would be serving special meals that evening, and they were all eagerly waiting. Madam Jia sat by the bed, her needlework going on absentmindedly, but her ears were perked up, listening to the sounds outside. The three children—Xiao Dang, Huaihua, and Banggeng—sat around the table, their eyes frequently glancing towards the door, their stomachs rumbling loudly.

Finally, familiar footsteps came from the front yard. Qin Huairu immediately went to the window and, in the dim moonlight, saw Sha Zhu enter his room with his head down and his hands empty. Her heart sank, but she composed herself and pushed open the door to go out.

"Zhu Zi, you're back?" She lifted the curtain, her face now adorned with a gentle smile.

Sha Zhu was feeling annoyed when he saw Qin Huairu come in. His face immediately turned somewhat embarrassed, and he rubbed his hands, saying, "Sister Qin... today, sigh, something went wrong, it didn't work out. Next time, next time for sure..."

Qin Huairu's eyes dimmed slightly, but her smile remained: "It's alright, work is the priority. Have you eaten? If not, I still have half a cornbread..."

"I ate, I ate, I just grabbed a bite at the cafeteria." Sha Zhu waved his hand hastily, feeling even worse inside.

Qin Huairu comforted him a few more times before turning to go home. As soon as she entered, four pairs of eyes turned to look at her, and upon seeing her empty hands, disappointment washed over everyone's face like a tide.

"Mom, Uncle Shazhu didn't bring back any groceries?" Banggeng couldn't help but ask first.

Jia Zhangshi put down her needlework, sighed deeply, and without saying a word, got up and sat back down on the edge of the bed. She picked up the shoe sole and began sewing with much more force.

"Hungry..." Xiao Dang and Huaihua muttered softly, their voices trembling with tears.

Qin Huairu felt a pang in her heart, but she forced back the tears and said softly, "It's late, go to bed now. You won't be hungry when you're asleep." She coaxed and persuaded them until she finally settled the three children in bed. She hummed a few off-key tunes until they drifted off to sleep with tears in their eyes.

Under the dim light of the oil lamp, Qin Huairu walked to her mother-in-law's side and whispered, "Mom, tomorrow morning... I'll steam an extra cornbread to share with the children. I'm sorry about tonight..."

Madam Jia hummed in agreement, her needlework pausing for a moment. She lowered her voice even further and said, "You can't always rely on others; you have to rely on yourself. Go ask Li Jing'an again when you have time."

Qin Huairu didn't reply, silently blew out the lamp, and lay down in the darkness. Her mother-in-law's words seemed to still echo in her ears, but she just kept her eyes tightly closed, as if she had already fallen asleep. The moonlight outside the window was the same as that outside the window on the third floor of the guesthouse, yet it illuminated completely different human relationships, both cold and warm.