The Life of a Son-in-Law in a Courtyard House

Dean Zhang first led everyone to an empty room, and Yang Dalin realized that this should be the teachers' office where they graded homework.

Several tables were supported by bricks, and there were also newly repaired table legs.

Many of the assignments on the desks still had cigarette boxes on them.

The stove isn't getting hot at all; there might be a coal shortage.

There were even children's clothes that hadn't been mended yet.

It's a very simple yet highly functional teacher's studio.

Yang Dalin planned to give them some good timber, some coal, and some paper later.

This orphanage is desperately lacking in all kinds of supplies.

A teacher quickly called the two sisters over.

The older little girl was very polite; she and her younger sister bowed deeply and said together, "Hello, Uncle Dean."

Yang Dalin also noticed that the two sisters were not dressed warmly at all, and both of them had frostbite on their hands.

Her face was red from the cold.

But they seem to have gotten used to it.

Dean Zhang didn't say much else and went straight to the point: "Okay, hello Xiaohong, hello Xiaotong, I'll just get straight to the point."

This elderly couple has no children and wants to adopt you two. Xiaohong and Xiaotong, would you like to go with them?

The slightly older little girl, Xiaohong, asked somewhat uneasily, "Are you taking both of us with you?"

"I don't want to take only me; Xiaotong must be taken with me."

Wen Xiumei quickly spoke up: "Yes, it's the two of you together."

You're not the only one.

The older girl, Xiaohong, continued, "For the first two years, my younger sister Xiaotong can't do any work. She can do it when she's older."

It's clear that the two children had a very difficult past.

Wen Xiumei shook her head repeatedly and said, "No, no, your name is Xiao Hong, right? Your sister's name is Xiao Tong?"

We definitely won't let your little sister do chores at such a young age.

Even you wouldn't be asked to do any work.

Don't worry.

Xiao Hong tilted her head and looked at her cousin, asking, "Tongtong, would you like to go home with the elderly folks?"

Xiaotong stood to the side, carefully tugging at her older sister Xiaohong's clothes, and whispered with her bright eyes, "Can I eat an extra sweet potato with you every day, sister?"

Two sweet potatoes a day for one person is a bit filling.

Those who heard it were speechless, while those who heard it wept.

The little girl was terrified of hunger. Were they only allowed two sweet potatoes a day?

When Dean Zhang heard Xiaotong say this, his eyes also turned a little red. With red eyes, he said, "The country has only recently recovered a bit, and the higher-ups don't have much food."

We have too many children, so we have to plan our meals. Right now, we have sweet potatoes, and later potatoes. If we can have some cornbread during the Lunar New Year, that's already a blessing.

Last year, we often ate tree roots and grass roots.

I have to thank Comrade Qi Yulan for this; she would often bring us meat from home to make us children a meat soup to supplement our nutrition.

There's not much that can be done about these things.

The country has been experiencing food shortages for some time now.

Every household is short of food.

An orphanage is lucky if it can keep a single child from starving to death.

Yang Dalin had no idea that Aunt Qi often brought meat from home. If he had known earlier, he would have definitely given her his full support.

However, you need to pay attention to the methods and approaches.

After all, there are so many children here, and if a family can produce a lot of meat, it will attract a lot of attention.

Upon hearing this, Wen Xiumei burst into tears.

She pulled the two children over and hugged them, saying, "That's great! Our family not only has sweet potatoes, but also big white steamed buns."

"You children will be well-fed."

Regarding the quantitative issue, Yi Zhonghai had learned that when he adopted children from an orphanage, the neighborhood would provide them with an additional quota of children.

Otherwise, Yi Zhonghai wouldn't have dared to make the decision to adopt a child.

If he didn't have enough food stamps, wouldn't it be suicide for him to adopt four children?

The two little girls were held in Wen Xiumei's arms.

Perhaps the two little girls felt a long-lost maternal love, because they both cried.

It took a while for them to calm down.

Yi Zhonghai was quite excited, but he wasn't in a position to hug a bigger girl right now.

People nowadays express their feelings very subtly.

Yi Zhonghai's eyes also seemed to be red.

Wait until they calm down.

Yi Zhonghai then asked, "Xiao Hong, right? Are there any other boys in your class who are close to you? I want to adopt two more boys, one big and one small."

Do you have any recommendations?

Upon hearing this, Yang Dalin thought, "Yi Zhonghai's move is quite impressive."

If you ask Xiaohong for recommendations, she'll definitely recommend someone she's close to.

Furthermore, I wouldn't recommend particularly mischievous boys, because girls of this age don't like overly naughty boys.

If anyone bullies her, she's even less likely to recommend them.

This is actually quite good. These children won't feel unfamiliar with each other when they go back with Yi Zhonghai, and they can get along better, which is also good.

Xiao Hong looked up, wiped away her tears, and said incredulously, "Really, Grandpa? Yes, there really is! Our classmate Xiao Rui is a good one."

He would also protect me from being bullied. He was only one year older than me.

He was in the same class as me.

They often take care of me.

As for younger ones, Xiaopeng in my sister's class is also quite good.

Xiaopeng is already six years old, which is a year older than my sister.

He's very sensible and doesn't bully my sister.

Yi Zhonghai patted Xiao Hong's head: "Okay, okay, Dean Zhang, why don't you bring those two children that Xiao Hong mentioned to us so we can take a look?"

If the children are willing, we will adopt them together.

If you don't want to, we won't force you.

Dean Zhang was very happy to see that four children could be adopted today.

After all, his circumstances are really limited, and it's good that his four children can enter into a normal life.

He immediately had the teacher from before call the two little boys over.

The older boy, Xiao Rui, was as thin as a stick, but his eyes were determined, and he was clearly more opinionated and had his own ideas.

The younger child is named Xiaopeng, and he looks a bit timid.

She felt a little uneasy after coming in and hid tightly behind Xiao Rui.

Naturally, she was also pitifully thin.

Before the two could even greet each other, Dean Zhang spoke up: "Xiao Rui, Xiao Peng, this is Master Yi and his wife. They don't have any children yet, and they've decided to take Hong and Xiao Tong home. They also want to have two more boys."

Xiao Hong mentioned your two names.

"Xiao Rui, would you like to go home with Master Yi and become his son?"

Xiao Rui glanced at the people in the room, and Xiao Hong looked at him excitedly.

Instead of answering the dean's question directly, Xiao Rui asked Yi Zhonghai, "Master Yi, now that I'm living in your household, do I need to change my surname to Yi?"

Yi Zhonghai nodded: "Yes, don't you want to?"

Unable to bear looking at Xiao Hong's expectant eyes any longer, Xiao Rui said firmly, "Yes, then I don't want to."