Courtyard House: I'm an engineer, and a fairy godmother transferred me to a different position.

He stopped focusing solely on his daughter and reached out his other arm to firmly encircle his son in his embrace.

One left and one right.

Two warm little bodies nestled against him, their clothes still carrying the sweet scent of brown sugar cake, instantly dispelling the dust and chill that enveloped him.

Only then did Liu Guangqi raise his eyes, looking over the two children's fluffy hair and at the woman standing quietly in the room.

Zhao Mengyun stood there, her eyes instantly reddening.

But she didn't shed a tear, nor did she move an inch.

She simply gazed quietly at Liu Guangqi, at the man who had kept her on tenterhooks for three whole months.

then.

Her lips remained tightly pressed together—

It slowly, little by little, rose up.

This was the first truly relaxed and contented smile she had shown in months.

The sky has returned to our home.

She no longer needs to bear it all alone, nor does she need to feign composure in front of outsiders.

……

Then.

Liu Guangqi put down the child in his arms and strode over to Zhao Mengyun.

He is not slow-witted.

Judging from the atmosphere in the room, it's easy to understand what had just happened without even thinking about it.

With his father, Liu Pangpang's, personality...

Most likely, it was because he hadn't been seen by the end of the year that they couldn't suppress their anxiety and dragged their second aunt to their door to ask.

Thinking about this...

A warm feeling welled up in Liu Guangqi's heart, but also a deep sense of guilt.

He reached out and pulled Zhao Mengyun into a tight embrace, holding her firmly.

He didn't care about the restraint and modesty of this era, or that his parents were still in front of him. At this moment, he didn't care at all.

Liu Guangqi gently rested his chin on the top of his wife's head, inhaling the familiar, faint scent of soapberry in her hair.

His voice was hoarse, yet every word was clear and distinct:

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, I'm back."

Just these seven words.

It shattered the last wall that Zhao Mengyun was trying to hold up in her heart.

She didn't cry when she saw other families reuniting in the courtyard.

She didn't cry when Liu Haizhong and his wife came to inquire about her husband's whereabouts.

even--

Even the instant she saw her husband, travel-worn and looking tired, appear at the door.

She still held back her tears.

But it was precisely these seven words, especially the three words "I've suffered," that made her unable to hold back any longer.

The tears that had been welling up in her eyes finally burst forth.

It slid silently down his cheek, soaking the fabric of the man's shirt.

She didn't say anything, but stretched out her arms and hugged him tightly, as if if she let go, he would disappear again.

a long time.

Once the two had separated, Liu Haizhong walked over, raised his hand, and patted his son's shoulder hard.

Her words betrayed her concern: "You've lost all the weight in three months?"

"You must have suffered a lot out there, right?"

She spoke lightly, but her eyes scanned her son from head to toe several times, as if to examine in detail how much suffering he had endured.

Liu Guangqi simply smiled faintly:

"What hardship could I possibly endure? Dad, don't you know my own body?"

Just then, the second aunt handed Liu Guangqi a bowl of steaming hot water and stuffed it into his hands: "Quickly drink some hot water!"

"You silly child, you never even send a message home, making your father and me live in constant worry!"

Liu Guangqi's gaze fell on the silver strands that had quietly appeared at his parents' temples, then he turned to look at his wife beside him, whose eyes were still red. A wave of bittersweet emotions welled up in his heart.

He took a deep breath, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly: "Dad, Mom, your son is unfilial, I've made you worry."

"His return is the most important thing!"

He waved his hand forcefully in the bangs.

That usually tense face completely relaxed, revealing only undisguised relief: "With the end of the year approaching, how can someone stay away from home?"

The tension and oppressive atmosphere that had enveloped the room vanished instantly upon Liu Guangqi's arrival. It was as if an invisible wind had swept away all the gloom. With the pillar of the family back, a sense of security returned.

At this moment, Liu Guangqi was covered in dust and grime, his clothes still seeming to carry the scent of sand from his long journey. His immediate priority was to go to the bathhouse in the ministry compound and wash away his fatigue completely.

After a brief discussion, the family decided to skip preparing dinner and go directly to the cafeteria for convenience.

Before leaving, Liu Guangqi had intended to ask his father to come along, so the old man could also relax at the bathhouse. Unexpectedly—

Little Fengnian had very sharp ears. As soon as he heard that it was time to take a bath, he immediately rushed over and hugged his father's leg tightly, refusing to let go and insisting on going with him.

On the other side, Xiao Ruixue also started to complain, tugging at Zhao Mengyun's clothes and making a fuss about wanting her mother to take her and her father to the bathhouse.

"Wherever Dad goes, I'll go!"

The two little ones' reasons were straightforward yet childishly unreasonable.

Liu Guangqi shook his head and smiled helplessly.

In the end, they had no choice but to call Zhao Mengyun and her mother, and the whole family went to the bathhouse together.

It was only a few hundred meters from Building 5 to the bathhouse. Xiao Fengnian and Xiao Ruixue broke free from their parents' hands and hopped ahead like two cheerful little sparrows, their little heads brimming with endless questions. Liu Guangqi and Zhao Mengyun followed behind, answering each question with smiles, their steps leisurely.

"Dad! Was the place you went fun? Did you see any big tigers?"

"It wasn't exactly fun, but the work was important. And there were no big tigers involved."

"Could you take me with you next time? I'd like to go to important places too!"

"You'll have your chance when you're older."

"dad……"

Liu Haizhong, following behind, clutched a brand-new bar of Lighthouse brand soap tightly in his hand. Listening to the conversation between the father and son ahead, he felt a pang of unease in his heart. Several times he wanted to interject and steer the conversation toward the matter he was concerned about, but seeing his grandson's excited expression, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

This little guy really knows how to pick his timing!

Before he could even have a chance to talk to his son in detail, his grandson beat him to it. Little did he know that Liu Hai's innermost thoughts about his son's mysterious temporary transfer were already simmering with anticipation.

Amidst laughter and conversation, the small building housing the ministry's bathhouse, its roof emitting wisps of steam, came into view. Old Zhang, the bathhouse manager, happened to peek out from the doorway. Seeing the newcomers, his face lit up with a smile: "Oh, Director Liu's back? What perfect timing! The hot water was just changed, it's crystal clear!"

"Master Zhang, what a coincidence!" Liu Guangqi greeted him with a smile, taking out a few bath tickets from his pocket and handing them over.

Xiao Fengnian immediately stepped forward: "Grandpa Zhang, my dad came back from a very far place, and he brought back stones!"

Old Zhang laughed heartily: "Then you'll have to have your dad grind a little gadget for you!"

Liu Guangqi couldn't help but smile upon hearing this.

Pushing aside the heavy curtain of the bathhouse, a wave of warm steam rushed towards them. The hot water in the pool was steaming, and as expected, there weren't many people there. Feng Nian hurriedly took off his clothes and ran to the edge of the pool, but Liu Guangqi quickly grabbed him, saying, "Slow down, kid! Test the water first to see if it's hot."

Liu Haizhong sat down on the stone steps by the pool, watching his son and grandson play. A smile unconsciously crept onto his lips, but his hands were not idle either, as he wrung out a hot towel for Liu Guangqi.

Liu Guangqi carried Fengnian into the pool. The hot water washed over the child's calves, and the little guy squinted his eyes in comfort.

At this moment, the father also slowly stepped into the pool.

In the rising steam, the three generations of a family soaked in the warm pool. Fortunately, it was late, and there was no one else in the bathhouse except for the three of them. The water rippled gently, and white mist swirled around them.

He wiped the water droplets from his face with his bangs, his slightly cloudy eyes scrutinizing his son. His weathered and dusty appearance didn't seem like the result of a simple temporary transfer to a stable job.

Finally, the thought that had been lingering in his mind for so long could no longer be suppressed.

"Guangqi," Liu Haizhong said in a low voice.

The babbling water couldn't mask the cautious probing in his words.

In the steamy bathroom, Liu Haizhong wiped the water droplets from his face, his gaze falling on the indelible traces of travel on his son's body. The sound of water paused for a moment, then his voice, mingled with the steam, said, "These past few months... he's been nowhere to be seen, always covered in dust and dirt. Did he go west?"

Once the question was asked, the bathroom fell silent.

The decades of life haven't been wasted after all. Looking at his son's weathered appearance, Liu Haizhong understood perfectly well—the temporary transfer, the temporary assignment, were all just a pretext. That rough aura, those features honed by sunlight and sand, pointed to only one place.

"Dad, don't ask anymore."

Liu Guangqi cut him off.

Liu Haizhong grinned. If he hadn't guessed correctly, why would his son have stopped him? He nodded heavily, his eyes gleaming with barely suppressed light: "Good! Good lad!" He leaned back against the warm pool wall, exhaling a long breath, his voice carrying an almost proud sigh: "Alright, Dad understands. Dad knows the proper boundaries here!"

He gazed at his son's strong back, his eyes filled with admiration: "You've really got guts now, much better than your old man!"

Outsiders might only have a vague understanding of what happened in the Northwest, but these veteran workers who had toiled in the factory for years knew exactly what was going on. Back then, when top craftsmen were transferred to support the factory, many skilled workers left. If he hadn't been stuck at the sixth-grade worker level and hadn't had family responsibilities to manage, the fire burning in Liu Haizhong's heart would have been burning there long ago. Someone like Yi Zhonghai would probably be glad he got a peaceful life. But Liu Haizhong was different; what he wanted most in his life was a resounding reputation, achievements to be written on his resume and passed down to his descendants. What could be more glorious than that?

I never imagined that the dream I couldn't have back then would come true through my son.

*

Emerging from the spacious bathhouse of the ministry, the bone-deep exhaustion, along with the lingering dust and sand that had accumulated in the Gobi Desert for nearly three months, seemed to have been washed away by the scalding water. There, life was spent amidst yellow sand and gravel, and one inevitably became a bit rougher.

He changed into the clean clothes Zhao Mengyun had prepared beforehand, feeling refreshed. Outside the door, Xiao Ruixue and Zhao Mengyun had been waiting for quite some time. As soon as Xiao Ruixue saw him, she rushed over and hugged his leg, her voice drawn out, "Daddy, why did you take so long to come out? My tummy is growling!"

Not to be outdone, Xiao Fengnian squeezed in and grabbed his other hand: "I want Daddy to hold me too!"

Liu Guangqi smiled, bent down and embraced both children together, unusually showing no favoritism, holding one in each hand. Zhao Mengyun followed behind, carrying the dirty clothes she had changed out of, watching the three figures of the father and sons, her smile never fading—this was the reassuring sight a family should have.

We went home first to put the dirty clothes away. We have a washing machine at home, so the hassle of doing laundry in the dead of winter is avoided. Once everything was sorted out, the family leisurely headed to the ministry's canteen.

The sky was already dark, but the canteen next to the staff quarters was brightly lit, with voices and the aroma of food wafting out from under the door. This canteen was specifically for the cadres and their families to eat dinner, using internal food coupons. Cadres paid a few yuan each month for coupons, while family members and children bought their own. Because the coupons were for internal use, there was no expiration date, and many families were happy to stock up on extras.

Liu Guangqi is a senior engineer who receives a fixed monthly food allowance, so he almost never has to pay out of pocket. Therefore, he and his wife rarely cook, mostly eating at the canteen. This is different from the protagonists in those stories who live in seclusion, each possessing unique skills; they simply prefer convenience and ease. With such convenience, why not use it? They can eat freely and without worry.

Pushing open the heavy door of the cafeteria, a wave of heat, a mixture of the aroma of stewed meat, steaming rice, and the clamor of voices, hits you, instantly dispelling the lingering chill outside.

The long table in front of the cafeteria window was wiped until it shone.

Several deep iron basins were lined up along the edge of the table. The outermost basin of braised pork belly glistened slightly with oil, each piece coated in a glistening sauce, the fat showing an amber hue. In the basin next to it, thick spare ribs were half-submerged in a rich, brown broth, sprinkled with finely chopped green onions, and the aroma of meat wafted through the air.

Several stir-fried seasonal vegetables were placed to the side, and freshly steamed buns were piled up in a bamboo basket, snow-white and fluffy, with rising steam blurring the edges of the basket.

By this time, the years of food shortages were long gone, and the food in the government canteen had become visibly more plentiful.

"Director Liu, you've arrived!"

Master Liao, the cook, had sharp eyes and called out from afar, his face beaming with smiles. He weighed the large iron ladle in his hand and spoke in a loud voice:

"The braised pork is cooked to perfection today, and the spare ribs were delivered fresh this morning. Would you like one serving of each?"

He knew Liu Guangqi and his wife very well—the couple were outstanding in appearance and acted with dignity; everyone in the canteen knew them.