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

Seeing Qin Huai's pitiful, tear-streaked face, Li Jing'an decided to help her, thinking to himself: I really am a good person, my heart is too soft.

Li Jing'an stood up and sat down next to Qin Huairu. Qin Huairu stiffened and instinctively tried to move away. Li Jing'an wouldn't let her, and grabbed her hand.

"Sigh, I know you don't have a man in your family, so you must be having a hard time. I never imagined you were suffering so much." Li Jing'an said with a look of sympathy and pity in his voice.

Qin Huairu tried to pull her hand away in a panic, but Li Jing'an gripped it even tighter.

"Look at these hands, your fingers are calloused, your skin is like sandpaper, and your knuckles have gotten bigger," Li Jing'an said as he touched her hands, as if his heart was bleeding.

Qin Huairu finally pulled her hand out of Li Jing'an's grasp. "Brother Li, don't do this." As she spoke, she moved her entire body to the very edge of the sofa. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her eyes looked to the side.

"Hehe." Seeing Qin Huairu's expression, but not turning hostile on the spot, one could tell that she was still somewhat unwilling.

Li Jing'an took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and leaned back against the sofa. He took a deep drag, holding the smoke in his lungs for a long time before finally exhaling two plumes of smoke from his nose. He was preparing to confront her.

"Qin Huairu, I heard you're not even a first-level worker yet. If we transfer you here, it'll be like promoting you another level. That's no small feat." Li Jing'an flicked his cigarette ash, looking at her with a half-smile. He was about to get straight to the point.

"Do you know why someone was transferred? It's because I need to replace one of my people. If I can't find a suitable replacement, that position will remain vacant." He emphasized the words "my people."

Qin Huairu felt uneasy upon hearing this.

"I see it's getting late, the kids should be asleep, I should go." Qin Huairu got up and walked towards the door, but she stumbled and almost fell. Just as she was about to walk out the door, Li Jing'an called her back.

"Qin Huairu, wait a minute. I'll say one last thing to you." After saying that, Li Jing'an took another puff of his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray.

He then stood up, walked to Qin Huairu's side, and said to her, "I hope you go back and think it over carefully. Do you want to continue relying on others for help, or even borrowing food everywhere to make ends meet, or do you want to change your way of life? Think more about the children. When they are older and more sensible, seeing their mother begging and pleading for food every day, and fawning over others just to get a few leftovers, will they still be able to hold their heads high in the courtyard?"

As he spoke, he put his hand on Qin Huairu's shoulder, watching her reaction.

Qin Huairu's body only trembled slightly, without any other movement, indicating that she had a chance. So she continued, "It's not that I absolutely need you. Many people have approached me for this spot recently, but I just think you're a good daughter-in-law and a good mother, and I want to give you this opportunity."

Li Jing'an leaned closer to Qin Huairu, his lips close to her ear: "I'll give you a week to think it over. Let me know when you've made up your mind. Oh, and take a shower before you come, don't disappoint me. Hehe."

After saying that, he slid his right hand down her shoulder and back to her waist and gave her a gentle push.

"Please close the door behind you, thank you."

Watching Qin Huairu's staggering figure gradually disappear into the twilight, Li Jing'an put his right hand to his nose, took a deep breath, and unconsciously chuckled, "Tsk, not bad."

At the Jia family home, Jia Zhangshi, who was reclining on the edge of the bed, saw Qin Huairu enter and immediately asked, "How did it go? Did you find out anything? Can he help?"

A series of questions jolted Qin Huairu awake; she had no idea how she had gotten back.

She went into the inner room, sat on the edge of the bed, looked at her three sleeping children, and whispered, "Not good."

"Sigh, I knew it. We're not related, who would help us? I sent you to ask just to give it a try, there's not much hope. If only we could get a different job, our lives would be a little better." This was Jia Zhangshi's idea, sending Qin Huairu to sound out the situation.

Qin Huairu glanced at her disappointed mother-in-law, then at the child, and blurted out, "Not necessarily. He said he would help ask around." As soon as she said it, she regretted it and immediately shut her mouth.

But Madam Jia perked up, putting down the shoe sole in her hand: "Really? Then he really is a good person." Her tone was filled with joy.

"Mom, go to sleep."

"Okay, sure."

The lights in the room went out, and all was quiet except for the barely perceptible sound of breathing.

After an unknown amount of time, a soft whisper from Madam Jia was heard.

"If only Dongxu were still here."