The entire courtyard is full of villains

Upon hearing this, Madam Guan nodded quickly: "Yes, yes, the son-in-law is so thoughtful. I'll go and prepare right away."

Zhang Erhe took out some more things from a cloth bag: "Mom, here are some red dates and goji berries. Put them in when you make soup to replenish your qi and blood."

Madam Guan took it, "This is wonderful! I was just wondering where to find some of these things, and my son-in-law is so thoughtful!"

Guan Xue called Zhang Erhe to the bedside, held his hand, and asked softly, "Erhe, I've been so busy at the hospital these past few days that I haven't had a chance to ask... Have you thought about our son's name yet? What should you call him?"

"Uh, this..." Zhang Erhe scratched his head. He had never been a father in his previous life, and this was the first time he had to name his child. He was really having a hard time. "Who came up with Jiaojiao's name back then?"

“My parents asked an old gentleman to name it,” Guan Xue replied.

"How about this," Zhang Erhe thought for a moment, "our father-in-law is an educated man, after all, and he's quite knowledgeable. We can ask him to give our grandson a proper name; it will definitely be more refined and meaningful than anything we could come up with ourselves. What do you think?"

Guan Xue thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you. Well... Dad will choose the formal name, but as the father, you should at least give me a nickname, right? We'll call you that for now."

"A nickname..." Zhang Erhe chuckled, looking at his sleeping son on the bed, and blurted out, "How about 'Dog Egg'? A humble name is easier to raise!"

"Get lost!" Guan Xue was both annoyed and amused, and pinched his waist. "What kind of father are you? Naming your son Gou Dan (Dog Egg)! It's awful!"

"Look at you, you make me get up, and then you complain about it." Zhang Erhe laughed and dodged. "I think Gou Dan is fine, he's tough!"

"No way! My son isn't called Gou Dan!" Guan Xue retorted.

The couple were laughing and joking in hushed tones when Zhang Jiao led an elderly woman with gray hair and a kind face through the curtain and into the room.

P.S.: It's the end of the year, and I'm super busy. I'll write a bit more in this afternoon's chapter! Please keep updating! Please keep updating! Please keep updating!

Chapter 176 Easy to say, easy to say

"Master's wife, what brings you here?" As soon as Zhang Erhe saw the old lady, he hurriedly went to greet her, took the cloth bag from her hand, helped her arm, pulled out a stool and helped her sit down. "You've only just recovered, why did you come alone? My master is really something, he didn't even offer to see you off."

"Erhe, don't blame your master." The old lady waved her hand, her tone very gentle. "The factory has been busy lately, and he's been working from dawn till dusk. I thought our two houses weren't far apart, so I just strolled over here myself."

Zhang Erhe turned and went into the house, grabbed a handful of brown sugar, put it in a cup, added hot water, and brought it out: "Master's wife, please have some hot water to warm yourself up. What about my junior brother? He's such a grown man, doesn't he know how to come back and take care of things more often? He's always running off to his father-in-law's house, isn't he?"

"No, no," the old lady said, holding the warm bowl of sweet soup. "He's been studying hard lately, preparing for his certification exam. The factory might send him on a business trip. Don't worry about me, the doctor said it's good for me to get some exercise."

The old lady took a sip of her sweet soup, sighing inwardly. When her husband first took Zhang Erhe as his apprentice, she had been somewhat worried, but the boy turned out to be a dutiful son. Although he had been a bit of a troublemaker at the factory a few years ago, he never missed a single proper gift for his master and mistress during holidays. After her surgery before the New Year, the boy had brought her meat and noodles, showing his concern and care. From that moment on, she knew that Erhe was a truly kind and honest young man.

After sitting for a while, the old lady finally came closer to the bedside and looked at Zhang Erhe's son. The little guy had taken a nap on the way and was now wide awake, his bright, dark eyes wide open.

"Oh, what a lovely little thing!" The old lady's face lit up with a smile. "What's your name?"

Zhang Erhe leaned closer: "The formal name hasn't been decided yet; my father-in-law is figuring it out. As for the nickname, we'll call him Gou Dan (Dog Egg)."

"Dog Egg? Good, a humble name is easier to raise!" The old lady chuckled and gently touched the baby's chin with her finger. "Isn't that right, Dog Egg?"

Strangely enough, when the child heard this, he let out a "ee-yah" sound and grinned, revealing his toothless mouth.

Zhang Erhe chuckled and turned to Guan Xue, "See? I told you our son liked this name! He smiles whenever we call him 'Dog Egg.' So it's settled then, from now on you'll be called Dog Egg!"

Guan Xue, inside the bed, angrily punched Zhang Erhe hard on the back.

“Master’s wife, since you’re here today, please have dinner here tonight,” Zhang Erhe said.

"No, no, I have to go back. Your master needs to have dinner tonight."

“That’s easy. I’ll have my brother-in-law go over there and tell your neighbor that my cook can come over right after get off work tonight. It’s just a matter of adding two pairs of chopsticks. We don’t need any more, so please don’t refuse.”

The old lady couldn't refuse, so she smiled and agreed, "Well... alright then."

Seeing that the old lady and Guan Xue were chatting happily, Zhang Erhe got up and went outside, intending to tell Guan Baishi to prepare more food for dinner. Just as he stepped out of the house, he saw Ma Qianli leading Qiqige and Ma Yunduo into the yard, carrying two cans of food and a can of malted milk powder.

"Hey!" Zhang Erhe joked, "Did the sun rise in the west today? You, Ma Qianli, are actually willing to 'bleed'? Let me see, canned food, malted milk powder... you must have spent a lot of money, right? You won't be able to sleep tonight because you're heartbroken over the expense?"

“That’s right!” Ma Qianli, being the lively one he was, immediately chimed in with a bitter face. “I told her I could just come empty-handed and take a look, but Qiqige insisted on buying something. I suggested buying something cheap, but she wouldn’t have it and insisted on buying this! Second brother, let me make this clear beforehand: if we don’t eat well tonight, I’ll stay at your house. I’ll only go back when I’ve ‘eaten back’ the money for the canned food and malted milk powder!”

"Look at your stingy face!" Zhang Erhe laughed and scolded. "Alright, perfect, I'll go out and get some ingredients. You guys come in and get your own water, don't be shy."

"Alright, Second Brother, you go ahead with your work."

Zhang Erhe punched him on the shoulder, then turned and went to the kitchen to tell Guan Baishi to steam more buns while he went out to get some vegetables. Guan Baishi nodded in agreement.

Zhang Erhe went out, "arranged" some meat and a fish in the car. After thinking for a while, he went to his father-in-law's place and brought the old man over as well—it wouldn't be good for his brother-in-law and mother-in-law to have fun while his father-in-law was left alone at home with a cold stove and empty pots.

After picking up Lao Guan, he realized it was almost time to get off work, so he simply drove to his master's neighborhood to wait for him. Sure enough, he saw his master approaching with a lunchbox shortly after. So, the master and apprentice rode back to the courtyard house together.

In the courtyard, Qin Huairu had been dawdling at work again this afternoon. As soon as the bell rang, she was the first to rush out of the workshop. As soon as she entered the courtyard, a rich aroma of chicken soup wafted over. She instinctively looked towards the east wing, and sure enough, a clay pot was bubbling away on the small coal stove by the door. Following old custom, a red cloth symbolizing celebration was still hanging on the lintel, and Zhang Jiao and Xiao Yu were playing hopscotch in the open space by the door.

Qin Huairu couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Guan Xue, on the other hand, had chicken soup as soon as she was discharged from the hospital, was driven around all the time, and had a very attentive husband. And what about herself? She'd only ever eaten a chicken leg when she gave birth to Bang Geng. When she gave birth to Xiao Dang, she hadn't even finished her postpartum confinement period; on the sixth or seventh day, her mother-in-law, Jia Zhangshi, had already made her do laundry. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder… what if she had been the one to marry into the Zhang family? Guan Xue, she felt, wasn't any less capable than her.

With a sigh, Qin Huairu lowered her eyes, resignedly turned and went into the Jia family's house, starting to prepare dinner for the whole family.

When Zhang Erhe returned home with his master and father-in-law, he found that the red cloth had already been hung up. He slapped his forehead and said, "Hey, I almost forgot about this."

Upon entering the next room, Ma Qianli was sitting there listlessly. "Second Brother, aren't the eldest and third brothers coming over tonight?"

“I’m not coming. The third brother went out to help me with some things, and the eldest brother… he had another fight with his wife and is still fuming. I told them to come back when we have the baby’s full moon celebration.”

"Alright then." Ma Qianli stood up and stretched.

"Hey Fourth Brother, I haven't seen you in the security department these past few days. What mission have you been up to this time?"

“No,” Ma Qianli mumbled, pointing upwards, “I just helped… with some small things over there.”

"Alright then." Zhang Erhe didn't delve into it further, but simply advised, "Anyway, you're about to become a father, so be careful with everything and don't be reckless."

"Second Brother, don't you know me?" Ma Qianli patted his chest nonchalantly.

"Alright, alright, I guess I was just rambling." Zhang Erhe shook his head with a smile.

The two chatted about other things for a while. Meanwhile, Guan Linpeng was helping Guan Baishi with the cooking, and soon the aroma of the food filled the air. Guan Baishi divided the food into two portions—one for the men in the outer room and one for the women in the inner room, since Guan Xue was still in her postpartum period and they needed to avoid each other.

Zhang Erhe looked at the dishes laid out on the table, turned around and walked to the cabinet in the inner room, taking out two bottles of Fenjiu liquor. "Master, father-in-law, you're in a good mood today, shall we have some?"

Old Guan was the kind of guy who couldn't resist alcohol, and Ma Qianli was an even bigger drinker; their eyes lit up. Zhang Erhe brought out two bottles of Fenjiu, and the group chatted and drank with the food. Before they knew it, the two bottles were empty. Zhang Erhe got up to get more, but the chef waved his hand.

"Erhe, that's enough, I'm done drinking. I have to go to work tomorrow. If you want to drink, let's wait until the baby's one-month celebration, then we'll have a proper drink!" The master said, looking at Old Guan beside him, "Brother, you absolutely have to come then!"

"I absolutely have to come!" Old Guan's face flushed slightly as he patted his chest. "My great-grandson is celebrating his one-month birthday, how could I, as his grandfather, not come? I have to come even if no one else does!"

“By the way, father-in-law,” Zhang Erhe continued, “I have another favor to ask of you.”

“Oh, son-in-law, why are you using the word ‘asking’ between us? It’s too formal. Just say what you need.”

“Alright,” Zhang Erhe nodded, “we would like to ask you to give your ‘eldest grandson’ a proper name. We parents are not very educated, so we need you, an old scholar, to help us.”

"Your full name?" Old Guan narrowed his eyes, tapping his fingers lightly on the table as he pondered. "Your surname... Zhang, is a common surname. For common surnames, the key to a good name is simplicity... I've got it!"

He slapped his thigh, his eyes lighting up: "Let's name our great grandson 'Jue'! Zhang Jue!"

"Which 'jade'?" Zhang Erhe asked.

"It's the '珏' character, which combines two jade pieces. It has the '王' radical and a '玉' character. It signifies that this child is a rare and precious piece of jade, gentle and valuable, destined for greatness!"

"Zhang Jue... Zhang Jue..." Zhang Erhe repeated it a few times in a low voice, and the more he said it, the smoother and louder it sounded. He couldn't help but give a thumbs up. "Father-in-law, you're really good! I didn't know you were so talented!" He gave a thumbs up.

Old Guan's face revealed a hint of reserved pride, and he straightened his back a bit: "Of course! Your father-in-law here has at least been to school and studied the classics. If it weren't for... cough, if the imperial examinations hadn't been abolished back then, I could have easily passed the provincial examination!"

"Uncle!" Ma Qianli quickly came over and poured some tea for Old Guan with a smile. "Then we have to make this clear in advance! After my wife gives birth, whether it's a boy or a girl, the glorious task of naming her will be in your hands! You can't refuse!"

"Hahaha, no problem, no problem!" Old Guan stroked his non-existent beard, grinning from ear to ear, and readily agreed.

P.S.: 2025 is over. The biggest beneficiaries this year are my readers. I wish all my readers a prosperous and healthy new year! May all the men be full of vigor and all the women be as beautiful as flowers! (By the way, I do have female readers, though). This is the last time I'm asking for updates in 2025!

Chapter 177 Shocking News

Zhang Erhe had initially thought that Gou Dan would have trouble adjusting to the new environment, but in the following days, the child was surprisingly well-behaved. During the day, he would only whimper a few times when eating, sleeping, or urinating; at night, he was almost completely silent except when he woke up hungry to nurse. This amazed Guan Baishi and Guan Xue, who were taking care of the new mother, and they both laughed and said that the child was incredibly clever.

Guan Xue couldn't help but get annoyed at the mention of his name: such a nice child, yet his nickname was "Dog Egg." Strangely enough, he wouldn't react to anything else, but he would immediately respond when called "Dog Egg."

That evening, Zhang Erhe insisted that his mother-in-law rest next door while he took care of the child. He solemnly prepared a thermos and a baby bottle. Guan Xue, seeing his expression, couldn't help but laugh: "Erhe, why don't I take care of the child tonight?"

“No, I have to take good care of my son. The child has been so kind to me, I can’t let him look down on me as his father,” Zhang Erhe insisted.

Guan Xue looked at the man in front of her. He was clearly in his twenties, but he still had a childlike seriousness about him.

Around 1 a.m., Gou Dan whimpered a few times. Zhang Erhe jumped up, hurriedly prepared formula, and picked up the baby to feed him. Fortunately, Gou Dan cooperated and fell into a deep sleep again after drinking the milk.

Looking at his flustered state, Guan Xue asked softly, "Why weren't you this attentive when Jiao Jiao was born?"

“I was still young back then,” Zhang Erhe argued.

"Virtue."

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Zhang Erhe frowned: "Who could it be in the middle of the night?"

Upon opening the door, Zhang Erhe was surprised to see Dayong from the security department. His heart skipped a beat: "Dayong, what are you doing here?"

Da Yong's lips trembled: "Section Chief Zhang, you need to go to the hospital quickly... Our captain, he... he's dying."

"What?" Zhang Erhe's mind went blank. "What happened to Ma Qianli?"

“Captain… the captain was helping the police catch spies. Those two spies couldn’t escape, so they pulled the pin on a grenade… the captain, in order to save the people at the police station, then…” Da Yong couldn’t continue.

Zhang Erhe turned and went back into the house with a livid face. He said to Guan Xue, "There's something urgent at the factory. I have to go."

Guan Xue vaguely heard crying outside and asked worriedly, "Erhe, what happened?"

"It's nothing, the leaders are in an emergency meeting," Zhang Erhe said, unwilling to elaborate.

Guan Xue knew his temper, so she didn't ask any more questions. She just got out of bed and helped him tie his scarf, saying, "Be careful."

Zhang Erhe forced a smile: "Don't worry."

He then hurriedly followed Dayong out the door, got into a sidecar motorcycle, and rushed to the hospital without saying a word.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the head of the security department was already there. Seeing Zhang Erhe, his lips moved, but he hesitated. Zhang Erhe didn't stop, barging straight in—the red light above the operating room door was glaringly bright.

Several disheveled policemen stood at the door, led by Zhang Guowei. Zhang Erhe felt a surge of blood rush to his head, and without warning, he rushed over, grabbed Zhang Guowei, who was squatting on the ground, and pulled him up by the back of his collar.

"You surnamed Zhang! Did you kill the fourth brother?!"

Zhang Guowei was pulled so hard he stumbled, but he just kept his head down and didn't say a word. The instructor next to him wanted to step forward: "Section Chief Zhang..." but before he could finish speaking, he was forced back by Zhang Erhe's cold gaze.

"Zhang Guowei! You fucking tell me! What the hell is going on with Fourth Brother?!"

"Section Chief Zhang." Hearing the commotion, Section Chief Zhou from the Security Section rushed in from outside the corridor. "Calm down first."

"Calm down my ass! The person lying in there isn't your brother!"

“Alright… Lao Zhou, stop trying to persuade me,” Zhang Guowei finally raised his head, his face revealing undisguised exhaustion and dejection. “This… is my fault. I should have reported this to my superiors, but I… but I always thought I could play the long game and catch a big fish, so I kept it from being reported, only secretly asking Comrade Ma Qianli to accompany me. I never expected… to…”

"Zhang Guowei! You son of a bitch!" Veins bulged on Zhang Erhe's forehead, like a lion that had been completely enraged. Section Chief Zhou and the police station instructor beside him couldn't even get a word in edgewise. "You want to take credit for yourself? Then go and take it for yourself! Why did you let Lao Si go in? Why didn't you go yourself?! Huh?!"