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

That's right, Yang Dalin eats noodles by the pot.

Two or three bowls wouldn't be enough to fill him up.

Besides, their family doesn't actually lack food.

Aunt Qi, make more; don't worry about leaving any leftovers.

"Okay, sure, Auntie will make you some stir-fried noodles and add some meat."

Just wait, it'll be quick.

When Qi Yanhua saw Yang Dalin, she felt a little sorry for him and said, "You've gotten darker and thinner."

Yang Dalin explained, "The dark spots are normal, but she hasn't lost weight, she's grown taller. You can see for yourself, Sister Yan."

Xiaoning, come over here and let's compare heights.

Qi Xiaoning wasn't falling for Yang Dalin's trick: "No."

"There's a gift!"

"What gifts are there, and how many?"

"How about you get three instead of one if others only have one?"

"Hmm, that's so-so, not bad."

Qi Xiaoning loved it when Yang Dalin brought her gifts every time he came back.

When she was little, every time Yang Dalin came back, she would rummage through his bag.

After being disciplined by Aunt Qi several times, Qi Xiaoning became much more obedient.

I no longer dare to directly search through bags.

However, every time Yang Dalin returned from a business trip, she would look at him expectantly, hoping that he would take the initiative and bring out the gift himself.

Yang Dalin would deliberately tease her and drag things out until the little girl got impatient.

Qi Xiaoning and Yang Dalin compared their heights, and Qi Yanhua glanced at them and said, "It seems the difference isn't that much compared to last time?"

Yang Dalin smiled wryly and said, "Sister Yan, I've grown taller, and Xiaoning has grown taller too."

It's not like I'm the only one who grows like that.

I'll measure it next to the door frame, otherwise you won't be able to tell how tall I've grown.

After saying that, Yang Dalin stood on the door frame of his room and gestured.

As expected, the engraving lines are a little higher than last time.

Sister Yan was finally relieved.

Then I asked him, "Do you want your pants altered?"

Is it too short?

Yang Dalin said, "It's okay. The pants I made before were all too long, so my aunt sewed the hems shut. I can just let them hang down from now on."

Aunt Qi stood by the stove, watching the conversation between the two young people who hadn't yet explicitly told her anything. She felt a sense of harmony and warmth, as if they were a family born for each other.

Aunt Qi doesn't ask for much now; she just wants Dalinzi and her eldest daughter to live a happy and peaceful life in the future.

The noodles were cooked quickly, and Yang Dalin devoured them all.

He doesn't have to do anything himself, like washing pots and pans or dishes.

The gifts for several people have been sent out.

They chatted for a while about Yang Dalin's experiences on the road.

It was getting late, so Aunt Qi told everyone to go to sleep.

When I woke up, it was already broad daylight.

It's still more comfortable to sleep at home.

The main reason is that the weather is gradually getting warmer, so it naturally gets light earlier.

Yang Dalin, Qi Yanhua, and Ma San finished breakfast at home before going to the freight station together.

I didn't have time to go to the station last night to let them know I was back.

I absolutely had to come today.

Let the station know that I'm back.

Qi Desheng was promoted, but Yang Dalin still came to Station Chief Wang's office first.

I sat in Station Master Wang's office for a while, and he offered me a few packs of cigarettes and some southern fruit.

Station Master Wang said he could give him three days off to rest before returning to work.

The three-day holiday naturally includes today.

Yang Dalin didn't have to work today, so he went to see Tian Xueyi, Yuan Qiao, Gong Xuemei, and Captain Li of the motorcade.

He chatted with his younger brother Yuan Qiao for a while and learned that he and the policewoman were getting along well and were planning to get married this winter.

He also applied for a house, but he's still in the queue.

Yang Dalin promised her that if the unit's new house wasn't ready by winter, the young couple could temporarily continue living in the east wing of the courtyard where Yang Dalin was exchanging houses.

You can move out after you receive the house.

Actually, the freight station has been doing quite well in the past two years, and the collective housing for the unit is already under construction.

Yuan Qiao is quite capable, has a good position in the team, and has Yang Dalin as her backer, so she has a high chance of being allocated a house.

After chatting with his familiar colleagues for a while, Yang Dalin left the station to go and see Qi Desheng again.

This is the person I know best and have the most powerful backer. I can't just not go and see him after he gets promoted.

I absolutely have to go.

When Yang Dalin arrived at Qi Desheng's office in the Transportation Department of the Bureau, he gave Qi Desheng some more alcohol and cigarettes.

The two chatted for a while.

After Director Qi treated Yang Dalin to lunch at noon, Yang Dalin left again.

In the afternoon, Yang Dalin went to see his Korean language teacher, as well as other friends in the compound, and also visited some familiar uncles in the armored forces compound and the navy compound.

We also brought a few more bottles of tiger bone and tiger penis wine.

We reconnected.

Yang Dalin had just arrived at his large courtyard on Dongsi Shitiao Street.

When I came back this time, I saw that the new wall of this compound had been built, and the wall was more than three meters high.

As soon as I opened the door, I ran into the same foreman I had met last time.

When Yang Dalin entered, he saw that the inner circle of the wall had already been planted with many roses and thorny vines.

From now on, these plants can climb onto the top of the wall.

It serves several purposes: it keeps out thieves, it's aesthetically pleasing, and it prevents people from spying on the yard. It's quite good.

The foreman working at the entrance even asked Yang Dalin if he should notify their foreman, Captain Li Xiancai, who was working inside.

Yang Dalin said no need, he would find it himself after wandering around for a while.

The worker recognized him and knew he was the homeowner, so he stopped bothering him and focused on his work.

Yang Dalin saw that there were some fruit trees planted on both sides of the road further ahead.

Judging from their appearance, they were transplanted and are quite old.

The foundations for the area where the front yard and the middle yard were planned to be built have been redone, and the house is expected to be built soon.

When Yang Dalin arrived at the west courtyard, he saw that the vegetable garden in the west courtyard had also been prepared, and some vegetable seeds had been thoughtfully sown in several plots.

Some of the vegetables have already sprouted.

There was a hand pump well dug in the middle of the west courtyard.

Watering is also convenient.

Yang Dalin pressed out some water and tasted it. It was good; it wasn't bitter well water. In fact, the water even had a slightly sweet taste. It was quite nice.

If there's a well, the water pipes in the yard should also be connected, because we'll need to take baths and use the boiler for heating in the future, and we can't rely on the well water.

Some of the paths in the vegetable garden have been paved with bricks and stones.

It's convenient for walking on rainy days, which is a good design.

When Yang Dalin was about to go to the east courtyard, he ran into Captain Li.

"Oh, Dalinzi is back."

"Have you been so busy lately?"

"Master Li, I was away on a business trip recently and just got back last night."

"I knew it, it's been so long since I've seen you."

Come on, let me show you around and see what you're not satisfied with.

"It seems to be going well so far, Mr. Li. By the way, is the money I gave you last time enough? If not, I can get some more."

"That's enough, that's enough, it's not all spent yet, there's still a little bit left."

These didn't cost much; the main expense was in the fruit trees.

However, these are very cheap to buy in the countryside.

Come on, come on, I'll take you to see the east courtyard.

There are many fruit trees planted over there.

After showing the future house to everyone, Yang Dalin took his leave.

Before leaving, Yang Dalin told Master Li that he would bring some more meat later.

Let him distribute the portions to the masters.

Captain Li was naturally happy to hear that there would be more free meat.

Yang Dalin went out for a walk, carrying a large sack on the back of his bicycle.

A butchered wild boar was given to the workers.

Yang Dalin had just returned home. He planned to go back and tell his aunt and Sister Yan about the matter in the courtyard that evening.

Later, my aunt, Sister Yan, and a few of my sisters-in-law can come and grow vegetables.

To save them from constantly envying others who can dig for wild vegetables, since they have to work and don't have much free time.