Courtyard House: In this life, I have a new home!

171

The cured pork rendered its fat, and the bamboo shoots absorbed the meat juices, resulting in an enticing reddish-brown color.

The stewed beef brisket with tomatoes is bubbling away, the sweet and sour broth coating the tender chunks of meat, making it look incredibly appetizing.

And then there's the beggar's chicken; the moment the mud is broken open, the aroma of chicken mixed with the refreshing scent of lotus leaves wafts out.

Dozens of people sat in a circle, their throats bobbing involuntarily, the sound of swallowing rising and falling.

This taste is absolutely amazing!

Zhou Qingxian is pulling the same old stunt again.

The little girl, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, insisted on trying to catch fish in the stream like the adults, but she slipped and fell with a "plop."

With a thud, he plunged into the water.

My pants were soaked and stuck to my legs, it was so uncomfortable.

The little goldfish next to it was also splashed with water droplets and was shaking the water off its head.

"Go change your clothes."

Zhou Jimin shouted angrily.

The little goldfish, who had just finished cleaning up, took off running back as soon as it heard this.

Her short legs moved incredibly fast, and Zhou Qingxian was so anxious that she stomped her feet and called out "Auntie" as she chased after her.

"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."

Zhou Jimin was both amused and exasperated, glancing at Ding Qiunan beside him as he spoke.

Ding Qiunan rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed that he had stirred up trouble earlier.

After the food was distributed, Li Yuzhu and the others also brought over their plates.

Dozens of people gathered together for a meal, creating a lively and spectacular scene.

After spending this time together, Ding Qiunan's attitude towards Li Yuzhu softened considerably.

As long as the other party doesn't get close to Zhou Jimin, she won't bother to argue.

After all, her position in the Zhou family is very secure now. Her husband dotes on her, and her children surround her. She has nothing to fear from those little schemes.

Just be a little careful and don't give the other party any opportunity to take advantage.

At the dinner table, Li Yuzhu suddenly spoke up, her tone gentle: "Brother Jimin, 'Song of Youth' is showing at the cinema tomorrow night. Would you like to go see it?"

As she spoke, she took two bills out of her pocket and handed them over.

They were sitting on a rock by the stream, with Zhou Qingxian nestled in Zhou Jimin's arms.

The little guy stared at the pieces of meat in the bowl, his mouth watering, and he smacked his lips.

Zhou Jimin didn't even glance at the ticket, simply waving his hand and saying, "No time, I'm busy."

"You won't even give me face once? I've invited you so many times."

Li Yuzhu was a little unwilling and explained, "It's not like it's a date alone. Let's all go and see together. What are you afraid of?"

What are you afraid of?

Of course, I'm afraid you, you vixen, will cause me trouble.

He thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

Firstly, I wanted to see what this woman was really up to; secondly, I wanted to take this opportunity to make things clear and make her give up on the idea completely.

Although Li Yuzhu was a top student at Peking University, Zhou Jimin did not believe that she was unaware of the fact that he and Ding Qiunan had already registered their marriage.

There are plenty of excellent men around, why hang yourself on this one tree?

Seeing that Zhou Jimin had given in, Li Yuzhu's face instantly lit up with a smile.

She put away the money, turned and left with a happy heart, her steps much lighter.

"Dad, I want to watch a movie too."

Zhou Qingxian, who was gnawing on a bone, suddenly interrupted and said something indistinctly.

Zhou Jimin put down his chopsticks, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Do you know what 'The Song of Youth' is about?"

"have no idea."

The little girl answered honestly.

"I don't know what you're looking at. You don't even know the words, so it's a waste of your time."

Zhou Jimin smiled and ruffled her hair, his tone softening: "When you grow up and learn to read, Daddy will take you again, okay?"

"it is good."

The children's voices were clear and melodious.

Hearing the child's response, Zhou Jimin felt a warmth in his heart.

Watching these little ones grow up little by little every day, from the first time they heard someone call them "Dad," to standing up unsteadily, and then learning to walk and run...

Every moment filled him with a great sense of accomplishment.

Isn't life made up of these trivial yet heartwarming little things?

Night falls.

The group dragged their weary bodies back to their lodgings.

Today's trip was really exhausting.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

Zhou Jimin dried his hair, pulled on his pajamas, and without even turning on the TV, crawled into bed, closed his eyes, and pretended to be dead.

I've long forgotten about binge-watching TV series, which is a brain-draining activity.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhou Jimin got ready and headed straight for Yan Garden.

Duan Xuefu's office door was ajar.

A registered letter lay alone on the table, the envelope bearing the inscription "Square Root of Seventeen".

Those four words are glaringly obvious.

Duan Xuefu was holding the letter tightly, not even lifting his eyelids, his voice as cold as ice:

"How can you be so lazy?"

"It's been months, and you've only submitted three articles?"

Zhou Jimin pushed open the door and entered, then stopped in his tracks.

Looking at Lao Duan's face, which was full of disappointment, his lips twitched, unsure of what expression to make.

high yield?

Does this word even apply to him?

Including the quotas imposed by Lao Hua, I've been working on this since March, for more than two months, and I have five papers piled up on my desk. What more do you want?

Are you trying to force him to his death?

"Teacher, your standards are way too outrageous."

Zhou Jimin spread his hands, looking completely innocent: "I've been writing until I'm spitting blood, and you're still not satisfied?"

"Why don't you tell me, how many articles did Senior Brother Ren write back then?"

Duan Xuefu finally raised his eyelids, looked him up and down, and sneered:

"Comparing you to someone like Ren?"

"You're smart, and you don't teach classes, so being stricter with you is for your own good, isn't it?"

"But I need to catch my breath too!"

Zhou Jimin immediately protested, clasping his hands together in a gesture of respect: "You just talk, but I'm losing a lot of my life."

"Do you really think you can write without using your brain?"

"How much effort does it take to get all those words out one by one? And then there's the typesetting and proofreading. Do you think it's easy for me?"

Duan Xuefu couldn't help but chuckle.

Happy.

He pointed out the window, his tone mocking:

"Who took their wife and kids on a picnic yesterday?"

"I spend all day at home playing with the kids, don't think I haven't seen the joys of being a dad."

The two bickered and argued for a while before the atmosphere calmed down.

After the small talk, let's get down to business.

There is an international mathematics conference in June.

Old Hua secured a spot and specifically requested it be given to Zhou Jimin.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jimin shook his head vigorously, resolutely refuting the order:

"I'm not going."

"Even if I had to write ten more papers, I wouldn't go abroad."

To outsiders, it was a gilded opportunity, but to him, it brought him trouble.

Academic exchanges may sound prestigious, but they are actually quite complex and murky.

Even the slightest mistake in saying something, or the slightest hint of weakness, can become a weapon for others to attack.

Rather than going abroad and being made a fool of, I'd rather stay in the country and focus on writing.

"Why are you so stubborn, kid!"

Duan Xuefu was so angry that his beard trembled, and he glared at him with a look of utter disappointment:

"Such a great opportunity is right in front of you, why aren't you seizing it?"

"Are you trying to drive me crazy so you can inherit my Alipay Huabei account?"

Faced with the furious Old Duan, Zhou Jimin gritted his teeth and refused to give in.

go with?

dream!

However, reality often likes to slap people hard when they are at their most triumphant.

No sooner had he stepped out of the office than he was blocked at the intersection before he even left the gates of Peking University.

"Hey, big boss, you look even more impressive than before!"

Zhou Jimin smiled broadly and bowed, saying, "I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm truly sorry."

Old Lin gave him a cold glance, completely unmoved by his charm.

His smile vanished, his expression turned as solemn as iron.

"Get in the car."

"We'll talk about it on the way."

Zhou Jimin was stunned for a moment, and before he could react, Lao Lin had already turned around and walked towards the car.

After walking a few steps, there was no more sound behind me.

Old Lin turned around, his brows furrowed:

"What are you dawdling for? Keep up!"

Zhou Jimin gave an awkward smile, quickly followed, opened the car door, and sat in the passenger seat.

Before the seatbelt was even fastened, Lao Lin's voice came from the driver's seat, deep and suppressed:

"I'm going to meet a very important person later."

"Remember all the rules clearly."

"Etiquette is essential, and attitude must be proper."

"Stop with that grinning face, or don't blame me for being rude."

The air inside the carriage instantly froze.

Zhou Jimin was sweating profusely, and his heart was pounding.

What level is Lao Lin?

That's the kind of person who can exaggerate to the extreme.

Even he took it so seriously, even with a hint of awe…

How terrifying must this important person be?

OK.

Don't overthink it.

Take a deep breath.

Adjust your mindset.

However, my heart was still pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of my throat.

No matter how hard you try, you can't suppress it.

"What are you shaking for?"

Old Lin glanced at his pale face through the rearview mirror, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

Zhou Jimin swallowed hard, his neck stiffening, and stubbornly said:

"Who's shaking?"

"I'm just excited."

"A normal physiological reaction before meeting your idol."

Old Lin gave a soft hum, turned the steering wheel, and the car merged into the traffic:

"Excited?"

"Is there a difference between this and being afraid?"

Zhou Jimin's lips curled slightly, but a hint of cunning shone in his eyes.

"How can that be the same?"

He straightened his back, his tone full of respect, "My respect for leaders comes from the bottom of my heart. After all, they have the country and the people in their hearts and have made outstanding contributions."

The person opposite him raised an eyebrow and glanced at him with a half-smile.

"So you're this casual in front of me?"

"Look at what you're saying!"

Zhou Jimin quickly waved his hand, grinning from ear to ear, "When I first met you, I was so excited I almost jumped up."

"You only know how to sweet-talk me."

The other person gave a soft hum, but their expression softened. "Alright, stop being so cheeky."

Remember what I just told you, don't embarrass me when we go out, understand?

"clear!"

Zhou Jimin nodded emphatically.

The wheels rolled smoothly and quietly over the stone slabs of Chang'an Avenue.

The convoy turned onto a secluded alleyway with tight security.

Even Lao Lin's car was thoroughly inspected.

Time flew by in this atmosphere of tension and anticipation.

Until a heavy wooden door was pushed open.

The interior was minimalist, with only walls covered in books and mountains of documents, exuding a solemn atmosphere.

When that familiar figure came into view, Zhou Jimin's breath hitched.

Her cheeks flushed instantly, and her heart pounded like a drum.

Is this what they call witnessing history?

These are not black-and-white photos from yellowed pages, but real, flesh-and-blood figures of great men.

Even as a time traveler, this shock still struck my soul.

The elder had a kind face and spoke in a gentle tone, revealing his kindness and wisdom.

After exchanging pleasantries, the conversation naturally turned to his studies and work.

Next comes the main event of the day.

There will be an important overseas visit soon.

The objectives are threefold: to seek a breakthrough, to exchange product information, and to conduct academic discussions.

Zhou Jimin considered himself to be fairly competent in the first two points.