Zhangbei Ping City

Zhao Fengnian held the large, rough porcelain bowl, put the last piece of braised pork hock into his mouth, chewed it carefully for a while, and then put down his chopsticks with satisfaction.

Wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, he joked to Sha Zhu, who was cleaning the pots and pans in front of the stove, "Sha Zhu, your cooking skills are amazing! You've spoiled my palate. When I get back to the Military Control Commission, I'll be eating cabbage and potatoes every day. I won't be able to live like that."

Sha Zhu was vigorously scrubbing the iron pot with a loofah, the pot still lingering with the aroma of food. Hearing this, he turned his head, a hearty smile on his face, his hands still moving, the water gushing out.

"Uncle Zhao, you must be kidding me. It's the Lunar New Year, what kind of place is the Military Control Commission? How could it possibly lack your good food and wine? If you like it, feel free to come anytime. I've specially prepared a lot of extra ingredients for the New Year. Even if three or five more people come, my little shoddy house will have enough for you, let alone an extra pair of chopsticks!"

"No, no, I can't keep coming here to freeload. It would be bad if word got out."

Zhao Fengnian quickly waved his hands, leaned back on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), and declined repeatedly with a somewhat embarrassed expression on his face.

Sha Zhu wiped his hands clean, walked over from the stove, sat down opposite Zhao Fengnian, and his expression became more serious.

"Uncle Zhao, let's not talk about the meal. When can we get the letters of introduction for Aunt Wang and Xiaoman done? The sooner we get them done, the more at ease we'll feel."

Zhao Fengnian pondered for a moment, then looked up at Sha Zhu, and glanced at Wang Cuiping and Qiao Lingyi sitting next to him.

He said decisively, "How about this, the three of you come with me to the Military Control Commission later. It'll be a good opportunity for you to get acquainted with the place. If you encounter any problems in Tianjin in the future, you can come directly to me. With me here, no one will dare to make things difficult for you."

Upon hearing this, Wang Cuiping turned to look at Aunt Wang, who had come with her, her eyes filled with inquiry.

Aunt Wang nodded gently, her tone calm yet firm: "Then let's listen to Lao Zhao. The sooner we get the paperwork done, the sooner we can save ourselves the trouble and avoid any unforeseen complications."

Sha Zhu slapped his thigh and stood up.

"Okay! Let's go now! By the way, Uncle Zhao, what do we need to prepare for this? We can go back and get it."

"No need, you don't need to prepare anything. Just have the person arrive. With me, the deputy director, guaranteeing it, everything will be easy."

Zhao Fengnian stood up, straightened his old cotton-padded coat, and spoke with great confidence.

On a winter's day in Tianjin, the cold wind whips up snowflakes that sting your face like tiny knives. Few pedestrians are on the road, and everyone is bundled up in their cotton-padded coats, hunching their shoulders as they hurry along.

Sha Zhu walked at the front, shielding Wang Cuiping and Qiao Lingyi from the cold wind. Zhao Fengnian and Aunt Wang walked side by side in the middle. The four of them trudged through the snow and hurried toward the direction of the Military Control Commission.

The gate of the Military Control Commission was solemn and imposing, with armed soldiers standing at the entrance. Upon seeing Zhao Fengnian, they immediately stood at attention and saluted, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.

Zhao Fengnian waved his hand and led the three of them directly into the office hall, which was warm and cozy, a stark contrast to the freezing cold outside.

With Deputy Director Zhao Fengnian as their guarantor, the process of obtaining the letter of introduction went exceptionally smoothly. The clerk dared not delay in the slightest and handed the letter of introduction, stamped with the red seal, to Sha Zhu and Wang Cuiping in just fifteen minutes.

Moreover, Zhao Fengnian even asked the clerk to bring out paper and pen, and personally wrote out the supporting documents.

He meticulously recorded the good deeds and contributions that Sha Zhu and Wang Cuiping had made in Tianjin, and after finishing writing, he solemnly affixed his personal seal and handed the materials to the two of them respectively.

"With this in hand, you can hold your head high wherever you go."

Afterwards, Zhao Fengnian asked Sha Zhu to wait with Qiao Lingyi in the nearby lounge, while he led Wang Cuiping back to the director's office.

In the lounge, Sha Zhu sat on a bench, glancing at the door from time to time, while Qiao Lingyi clutched the hem of her clothes, sitting quietly in the corner, her eyes full of unease.

About half an hour later, Zhao Fengnian came out first, followed by Wang Cuiping, whose eyes were red and still had wet tear stains at the corners of her eyes, clearly indicating that she had just been crying.

Zhao Fengnian walked up to Sha Zhu, patted him on the shoulder, and solemnly instructed him, "Sha Zhu, I trust your skills. Now you must protect Wang Cuiping and Qiao Lingyi and get them back safely. Although no one dares to openly use guns on the street right now, there are all sorts of people around, and it's hard to guarantee that there won't be any unscrupulous scoundrels who want to take advantage of them. You must not be careless."

Sha Zhu straightened his back and nodded emphatically: "Uncle Zhao, don't worry, with me here, I guarantee they'll be unharmed!"

Before we knew it, it was New Year's Eve. Red lanterns were hung on the streets of Tianjin, and the aroma of New Year's Eve dinner wafted from every household.

Sha Zhu had been waiting outside the Military Control Commission for a while, and he dragged Zhao Fengnian, who had finished his work, into his little house to have New Year's Eve dinner.

In the small house, Sha Zhu, Wang Cuiping, Qiao Lingyi, and Zhao Fengnian, four people from different families, gathered together to celebrate a lively yet special New Year. The warmth of the house and the human touch dispelled the winter chill.

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, just as dawn was breaking, Sha Zhu got up.

He took out fresh live fish, tender pork belly, and fresh eggplants, cucumbers with blossoms and thorns, and bright red tomatoes from his secret space. He carefully packed them into a coarse cloth bag and carried it towards Yuan Taihong's house.

Yuan Taihong opened the door and saw the fish in Sha Zhu's hand. He showed no surprise, as it was common to give such gifts during the holidays.

But when Sha Zhu opened the cloth bag, revealing the fresh, out-of-season vegetables inside, Yuan Taihong's eyes widened instantly, and his mouth formed an "O".

He reached out and picked up a cucumber, his fingertips touching its cool, tender flesh. He glanced at the lingering snow outside the window, then, with an incredulous look on his face, quietly pulled Sha Zhu aside and asked in a low voice.

"Shazhu, where did you get all this stuff? In the dead of winter, you can't find such fresh vegetables anywhere, not just in Tianjin, but throughout North China!"

Sha Zhu smiled and subtly changed the subject, saying vaguely, "Brother Yuan, I recently met a capable friend, and he helped me get all of these. I can't ask too many questions about the specifics."

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Yuan Taihong stopped asking and quickly welcomed Sha Zhu into the house, insisting that he stay for lunch before letting him go.

In the afternoon, Sha Zhu carried the exact same fish and fresh vegetables to Li Bao's house again.

Li Baoguo was much more meticulous than Yuan Taihong. He stared at the off-season vegetables, examining them over and over, asking about every little detail, from the origin of the vegetables to the identities of the people who knew them. He wouldn't let any detail slip by.

Sha Zhu was well-prepared and dealt with the situation by telling nine lies and one truth. His words were so convincing that even if Li Baoguo had doubts, he had no way to ask further questions. He could only pat Sha Zhu on the shoulder and give him serious instructions.

"Shazhu, the world is not peaceful now, there are many bad people outside, you must be careful and cautious in what you do, and don't give yourself away and get into unnecessary trouble."

Sha Zhu nodded, keeping Li Baoguo's instructions in mind.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang in Beijing, the He family spent the New Year in gloom and despair, without any festive cheer.

With their breadwinner, Sha Zhu, still not home and news of war coming from Tianjin, the whole family was on tenterhooks, living in constant fear.

Starting in the twelfth lunar month, Chen Lanxiang would sit on a small stool at the entrance of the courtyard every day, muttering to herself with her eyes fixed on the direction of the alley entrance.

"When is Zhu Zi coming back? The fighting in Tianjin is so fierce, I hope nothing bad happens to him..."

At first, He Daqing would patiently offer some words of advice: "Mother, don't worry. Zhuzi is a tough kid. Good people are always protected by heaven. He'll be fine."

But as he tried to persuade him, he lost his confidence and spent his days smoking in silence, one cigarette after another, his brows furrowed and the worry in his eyes impossible to hide.

At first, the old lady of the He family pretended to be calm and told everyone she met that her grandson was very lucky.

But as news of the battle in Tianjin spread more and more fiercely, the old lady stopped mentioning it. Instead, she would sit on the kang (a heated brick bed) every day, silently twirling her prayer beads and praying for Sha Zhu, afraid of hearing any bad news.

The family had prepared plenty of New Year's goods, with chicken, duck, fish and meat all available, but the empty house lacked Sha Zhu's presence, and even the most sumptuous meals tasted bland.

At the New Year's Eve dinner table, the family sat in silence, barely touching their chopsticks.

Looking at the braised pork that Sha Zhu loved to eat on the table, Chen Lanxiang could no longer hold back her tears, which fell like beads from a broken string. She covered her mouth and sobbed softly.

Seeing her mother cry, He Yushui also wiped away her tears, her little face full of longing.

Finally, the old lady couldn't hold back anymore, and cloudy tears slid down her cheeks, plunging everyone in the room into grief.

Xu Damao was at home during winter vacation. At first, he would run to Lao He's house every day, grabbing Chen Lanxiang's arm and asking her questions.

"Master's wife, when is my brother Zhuzi coming back? I miss him so much."

After asking twice, he was severely scolded by his father, Xu Fugui.

"You tactless idiot! Can't you see your master's wife is upset? Stop asking unnecessary questions and making things worse!"

From then on, Xu Damao never dared to mention Sha Zhu again, only occasionally hiding in a corner and peering towards the alley entrance.

Of all the people in the compound, only Jia Zhangshi in the front yard was secretly delighted.

With Sha Zhu gone, the He family looked worried and sad, which made her feel better. She even ate an extra steamed bun during her meal.

She thought to herself that it would be best if Sha Zhu never came back, so that her son Jia Dongxu could hold his head high in the compound and no longer be overshadowed by Sha Zhu.

Time flies, and it's already the last day of January.

On that day, radio broadcasts and loudspeakers blared throughout the streets and alleys of Tianjin, repeatedly broadcasting the momentous news of the peaceful liberation of the city.

The entire city of Tianjin instantly erupted in excitement. People flooded the streets, cheering and jumping for joy. Firecrackers crackled and popped incessantly, and everyone's face was filled with excited smiles.

Upon hearing the news, Sha Zhu immediately sprinted towards the train station, with only one thought in his mind.

"Go home!" But the train station staff shook their heads and told him.

"Comrade, the train service will not be available for another two days. The railway has not yet been taken over, so trains cannot depart for the time being."

Sha Zhu's heart sank instantly, but he did not give up.

From that day on, he went to the train station almost every day to ask about the opening time of the train, rain or shine.

On February 5th, the staff finally told him with a smile.

"Comrade, the train service officially starts tomorrow!"

Sha Zhu jumped for joy, thanked him repeatedly, and turned to run home, his steps as light as the wind.

Back home, he held up the letter of introduction and shouted, "Aunt Wang, Xiaoman, we can go back to Beijing tomorrow! I'll go buy the tickets right now!"

After saying that, he grabbed the letter of introduction and rushed out of his house, heading straight to the train station ticket window, where he bought three tickets to Beijing.

While Sha Zhu went to buy tickets, Wang Cuiping at home immediately started packing luggage with Xiao Man.

Xiaoman looked at the familiar objects in the room, touching them with her little hands, tears streaming down her face, and choked out.

"Aunt Wang, I really don't want to throw these things away, but there are just too many, I can't take them all with me..."

Seeing the child's sad expression, Wang Cuiping felt bad.

She knelt down, gently wiped away Xiaoman's tears, and softly comforted her, "Xiaoman, be good. We'll leave the things we can't take with us and come back for them later. Let's pack the important things first so we don't miss tomorrow's train."

As she spoke, she began to carefully pack her clothes and dry food, trying to bring as many usable items as possible.

After packing his luggage, Sha Zhu returned. He went to Yuan Taihong's house first and handed him the house key.

"Brother Yuan, we're heading back to Beijing tomorrow. Could you please look after this house and the things we can't take with us? Thank you."

Yuan Taihong quickly said, "Silly Zhu, don't be so polite with me. Leave the house to me. I'll see you off at the train station tomorrow!"

Sha Zhu waved his hand, firmly refusing.

"No need, Brother Yuan, we can walk by ourselves, don't bother."

Afterwards, Sha Zhu went to Li Baoguo's house and said as soon as he entered, "Master Li, I'm going back to Beijing tomorrow."

Li Baoguo paused for a moment, then asked in confusion.

"Why the rush? Why not stay a few more days?"

"I haven't spent the New Year at home, so I have to go back to reunite with my family on the fifteenth of the first lunar month," Sha Zhu replied with a smile.

Li Baoguo also offered to see him off at the station, but Sha Zhu politely declined.

After leaving Li Baoguo's country, Sha Zhu did not go home, but went straight to the Military Control Commission. He wanted to say goodbye to Zhao Fengnian so that the kind deputy director wouldn't worry about not being able to find anyone.

Upon learning that Sha Zhu was leaving the next day, Zhao Fengnian immediately told him to wait a moment. He then turned around and went inside the Military Control Commission to inquire if there were any colleagues traveling to Beijing on the same train, hoping to ask them to take good care of him on the way.

A short while later, Zhao Fengnian led over a cadre named Zhou, who was dressed in an official uniform. He pointed to Sha Zhu and introduced him, saying, "Old Zhou, this is Sha Zhu, my nephew. He'll be on the same train back to Beijing with you tomorrow. Please take good care of him."

Then he made Sha Zhu recognize Zhou's face, explained their seating positions in the car, and repeatedly reminded Sha Zhu.

"Shazhu, no matter what happens on the road, don't hesitate to go directly to Officer Zhou. Don't try to handle it all by yourself."

Zhou patted his chest and said heartily, "Don't worry, Deputy Director Zhao, and don't worry, brother. If anything happens on the bus, just come find me!"

Sha Zhu bowed repeatedly to the two men, his gratitude overflowing. After seeing Zhou off, Zhao Fengnian pulled Sha Zhu aside and gave him a long, detailed explanation, also telling him the names of several people from the Beijing Military Control Commission.

"These people are all my old comrades-in-arms and acquaintances. If you encounter trouble when you return to Beijing, go to the Military Control Commission and try to find them. In particular, my wife, Wang Hongxia, will definitely help you."

Sha Zhu memorized these names. This was the backup plan Zhao Fengnian had laid out for him, and he would naturally not let this kindness go to waste.

The next morning, just as dawn broke, Sha Zhu, Wang Cuiping, and Xiao Man left home carrying large and small bags of luggage.

To their surprise, Yuan Taihong, Li Baoguo, and Zhao Fengnian all came to the train station to see them off. In the cold wind, the three stood by the platform, their faces full of reluctance.

"Shazhu, be sure to write to let us know you're safe when you get home. And when you have time, remember to come back to Tianjin and visit us old friends." Yuan Taihong patted Shazhu's shoulder, his eyes slightly red.

"Yes, write often, think things through carefully, and don't act impulsively," Li Baoguo added.

Zhao Fengnian said with a smile.

"Write to me when you get home. When I am transferred back to Beijing, I will definitely visit you at No. 95 Courtyard and try your mother's cooking."

Sha Zhu nodded vigorously, agreeing to each and every one of them, feeling a warm glow in his heart.

The train sounded its whistle and started moving. The three of them boarded with their luggage and found their seats. As the train slowly pulled away, the scenery outside the window rushed past, and the three of them experienced completely different feelings.

Sha Zhu leaned against the car window, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, his heart filled with longing for his family. He wished he could fly to Beijing immediately and be with his parents and sister.

Looking at the fleeting scenery outside the window, Wang Cuiping was filled with mixed emotions. She had finally left Tianjin, this place of heartbreak, but she had no idea what the road ahead would hold, and she was filled with confusion and unease about the future.

Qiao Lingyi sat in her seat, her hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She worried that she wouldn't be able to adapt to her new life in Beijing, that the He family wouldn't accept her, and that she would never have the chance to pay respects to her deceased mother again. All these thoughts weighed on her mind, making it hard for her to breathe.

The train had been moving for a long time, and a silent atmosphere filled the carriage; no one spoke.

Finally, Sha Zhu broke the silence first. He took out some dry food and water from his luggage and handed them to Wang Cuiping, Qiao Lingyi, and Xiaoman, smiling as he spoke.

"Stop overthinking. Eat something to fill your stomachs first. I'll tell you some interesting stories about Beijing. Our courtyard house is so lively; I guarantee you'll feel comfortable there."

Under Sha Zhu's teasing, the group gradually relaxed. The youngest, Xiao Man, was completely at ease. She had never ridden a train before and had always traveled to and from Tianjin by boat with her mother. Now, looking at the novel scenery outside the window, she chattered incessantly with questions.

"Brother Zhu, the train is going so fast! Does the city of Beijing have very high city walls? Does a courtyard house have a lot of houses?" Silly Zhu patiently answered all the questions, and the carriage was finally filled with laughter.

There's absolutely no need to worry about safety on this train. The security on board isn't maintained by ordinary train police, but by fully armed People's Liberation Army soldiers. Every few minutes, a patrol team of soldiers takes over. There are no thieves or even loud noises along the way; it's very safe and peaceful.

Wang Cuiping secretly slipped the handgun she was carrying into her luggage and brought it onto the train because there was no security check at the time. After getting on the train, she immediately took out the handgun and put it into a small bag she was holding close to her body, so that she could use it at any time and feel more at ease.

The three-hour journey passed in the blink of an eye, and the train slowly pulled into the Beijing Railway Station.

As the train doors opened, a huge crowd surged off the train. Sha Zhu, protecting Wang Cuiping and Xiao Man, followed the flow of people out of the station. They immediately saw rows of People's Liberation Army soldiers patrolling the train station square. Their upright posture and solemn expressions gave people a sense of security.

There weren't many people waiting for the bus in the square. Sha Zhu quickly hailed two rickshaws and instructed them, "Aunt Wang, Xiao Man, you two take one, and I'll take the other. We're going to No. 95 Nanluoguxiang."

The two rickshaw pullers responded and started running towards Nanluoguxiang.

On the rickshaw, Xiaoman looked at the unfamiliar streets and gray-tiled buildings of Beijing and her heart began to pound. She clung tightly to Wang Cuiping's arm and her voice was trembling with tears.

"Aunt Wang, I'm scared..."

Wang Cuiping gently patted her back and softly comforted her, "What are you afraid of? Aunt Wang is here, no one will dare to bully you."

"I'm afraid Brother Zhu's family won't like me and won't want me..."

Xiaoman lowered her head and said softly, her little face full of fear.

Wang Cuiping smiled and reassured him, "It's alright. Your brother Zhu's parents are kind-hearted and honest people, very easy to get along with, and they definitely won't make things difficult for you."

But she was secretly thinking: at worst, I'll just adopt this girl, so that when she marries Zhuzi in the future, she'll have a proper title.

However, the practice of raising child brides is no longer popular in the new society, so we can't let the children be raised in the He family and give them cause for gossip.

Wang Cuiping's confidence stemmed entirely from the gold bars left behind by Yu Zecheng and the certificate bearing Zhao Fengnian's personal seal.

Xiaoman gave a soft "oh," her little head drooping, clearly still worried.

The rickshaw quickly drove into Nanluoguxiang. Looking at the familiar alley entrance, Shazhu was overjoyed. After being away from home for so long, he was finally going to see his family!

When the rickshaw stopped at the gate of No. 95 courtyard, Sha Zhu jumped off first. Just as he helped Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman down, he saw a group of children setting off firecrackers at the gate. The leader was Xu Damao.

Xu Damao looked up and saw Sha Zhu getting off the bus. His eyes lit up instantly. He cheered and ran over as fast as he could, shouting.

"Brother Zhu! Brother Zhu, you're finally back! I missed you so much!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he pounced on Sha Zhu and hugged Sha Zhu tightly around the waist.

Sha Zhu laughed heartily, bent down, picked up Xu Damao, spun him around several times, and shouted, "Xu Damao, you've gotten fatter again!"

After being put down, Xu Damao shook his dizzy head, steadied himself, and then took off running into the yard, shouting at the top of his lungs as he ran.

"Master! Mistress! Madam! My brother Zhuzi is back! My brother Zhuzi is back safe and sound!"

The shout was like a thunderclap, instantly spreading throughout the entire courtyard. Hearing the commotion, the residents came out of their homes and gathered at the gate.

As soon as Sha Zhu led Wang Cuiping and Xiao Man through the courtyard gate, Jia Zhangshi from the front yard rushed over like a gust of wind. Seeing Sha Zhu alive and well, her face instantly turned ashen, her lips curled into a sneer, and she muttered under her breath, "What bad luck! That little brat actually came back! How come he didn't die on the battlefield in Tianjin!"

After scolding Sha Zhu, her gaze fell on Wang Cuiping behind him. She paused for a moment, then said in a sarcastic, shrill voice, "Oh, isn't this the Wang family girl who married into Tianjin back then? What's wrong? Kicked out by your in-laws? They don't want you anymore? This isn't your family home, what are you doing back here? Looking for your runaway cousin? Let me tell you, your cousin is long gone, you can search your head and you won't find him!"

Jia Zhangshi's mouth was fast and sharp; she rattled off a long string of words, each one piercing the heart and leaving no room for embarrassment.

Wang Cuiping was already furious, and upon hearing this, she instantly became enraged. Before Jia Zhangshi could continue speaking, she raised her hand and delivered a resounding slap. The crisp sound echoed through the courtyard.

Jia Zhangshi was stunned by the beating. She covered her face and stood there dumbfounded for a long time. Then, she lowered her head and tried to bump into Wang Cuiping while shouting.

"You dare hit me? What did I say wrong? I'll fight you to the death!"

Seeing this, Sha Zhu reacted quickly, stepping in front of Wang Cuiping to block her path. He knew that Wang Cuiping was pregnant, so he couldn't let her bump into him.

He stretched out a large hand and firmly pressed down on Jia Zhangshi's head. No matter how much Jia Zhangshi flailed her arms and legs, she couldn't even touch the hem of Wang Cuiping's clothes.

"Silly Zhu! Let go of me! I'm not done with her today!" Jia Zhangshi struggled desperately, cursing under her breath.

Wang Cuiping turned pale with anger, pointing at Jia Zhangshi and shouting, "Zhuzi, let her go! I'm going to teach this foul-mouthed shrew a lesson today, so she'll know what she should and shouldn't say!"

Just then, Jia Laoyan rushed over, covered Jia Zhangshi's mouth, and pulled her back forcefully. With a fawning smile on his face, he apologized repeatedly to Shazhu and Wang Cuiping.

"Zhu Zi, Wang family girl, I'm so sorry, please don't take it to heart. That woman just has a sharp tongue. I'll definitely teach her a lesson when we get back!"

Old Jia was truly afraid. Every time he provoked the He family before, his family would get beaten and lose money. It wasn't worth it just for Jia Zhangshi to feel good verbally.

Immediately afterwards, Jia Dongxu also ran over, first glaring fiercely at Sha Zhu, full of resentment.

But when his gaze swept over Xiaoman behind Wang Cuiping, his eyes lit up instantly. His lecherous eyes stared straight at Xiaoman, unable to look away. Xiaoman trembled in fright at his lewd look and quickly hid behind Wang Cuiping, clutching her clothes tightly.

Seeing this, Sha Zhu was furious and pointed at Jia Dongxu, shouting angrily.

"Where are you looking, you scoundrel! If you dare look away again, believe me, I'll gouge your eyes out and stomp on them!"

Jia Dongxu's face flushed red, and he retorted stubbornly, "My name is Jia Dongxu! Not Chuan Dang Xu! Don't give me random nicknames!"

"I'll call you 'Crawler Xu,' what? Keep your thieving eyes to yourself, or I'll never forgive you!" Sha Zhu took a step forward, his aura intimidating.

Startled, Jia Dongxu shrank back and hid behind Jia Laoyan, craning his neck and shouting, "She's nobody to you, what right do you have to tell me what to do?"

"Useless!" Sha Zhu cursed disdainfully, too lazy to argue with him anymore, and walked into the courtyard with Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman.

Seeing that her son had been wronged, Jia Zhangshi struggled to break free from Jia Laoyan's grasp and was about to curse, but when she saw the group of people coming out of the hanging flower gate, she immediately swallowed her words, her face turned pale, and she dared not utter another sound.

He Daqing and Xu Fugui were seen supporting the old lady of the He family on either side, Chen Lanxiang was carrying He Yushui, and Zhao Cuifeng was carrying Xu Xiaohui. The whole family came out, and their eyes all fell on Shazhu.

The old lady, leaning on her cane, slammed it heavily on the ground and said in a loud voice, "Old Jia, my eldest grandson Zhuzi is back today, and I'm in a good mood. I don't want to argue with your family! Quickly take your shrewish wife and ignorant son back home, and stop bothering people and getting in their way!"

"Yes, yes, the old lady is right. We'll leave now, we'll leave now!"

Old Master Jia dared not refute, and dragged Jia Zhangshi and Jia Dongxu back to the front yard in a sorry state.

Having dealt with the Jia family, Sha Zhu could no longer contain his excitement. He ran towards his family, shouting, "Father! Mother! Madam! Uncle Xu! Aunt Xu! Yu Shui! I'm back! I'm back safe and sound!"

"Oh! My pillar! My good son!"

Chen Lanxiang's eyes instantly reddened. She let go of He Yushui, opened her arms and rushed over, hugging Shazhu tightly. Tears streamed down her face, and she choked up, unable to speak.

"Mom, don't cry, I'm back now!" Sha Zhu gently patted his mother's back, comforting her softly.

He Yushui ran to her mother's side, stood on tiptoe to wipe away Chen Lanxiang's tears, and said in her little voice, "Mommy, don't cry, brother, hold me!"

Sha Zhu smiled and picked up He Yushui with one hand, rubbing his little sister's head, his heart filled with warmth.

At this moment, the old lady tapped her cane again and said, "Why are you crying during the New Year! It's a joyous occasion that Zhu Zi is back safe and sound! Don't just focus on your own family reunion; have you forgotten that there are two guests standing at the door?"

The old lady's reminder brought everyone back to their senses, and they looked at Wang Cuiping and Xiaoman at the door.

Chen Lanxiang wiped away her tears, stepped forward, and saw Wang Cuiping, her face full of surprise: "Wang family sister? Why did you come back with Zhuzi?"

Wang Cuiping smiled and said politely, "We met in Tianjin. I couldn't stay there any longer, so I came back to Beijing with Zhuzi. I would be grateful if you could give me a place to stay."

Chen Lanxiang's gaze then fell on Xiaoman. Looking at the pretty girl, she couldn't help but praise, "This girl is really beautiful. Is she your daughter?"

Wang Cuiping deliberately kept everyone in suspense: "As for this one, you should go back and ask Zhu Zi."

The old lady waved her hand and said, "Alright, alright, it's freezing cold! You're not cold, but I'm freezing! Daqing, Fugui, what are you all standing there for? Hurry up and help with the luggage! Zhuzi, come and help me!"

"Yes!" they all responded in unison and sprang into action.

Sha Zhu put He Yushui down, quickly walked to the old lady's side, and carefully supported her arm.

Chen Lanxiang's gaze fell on Wang Cuiping's lower abdomen, and she could tell at a glance that she was pregnant. She quickly stepped forward to support her arm and said nervously.

"Girl, you're pregnant, don't catch a cold! By the way, where's your husband? Why isn't he with you?"

Wang Cuiping sighed and said, "Sister-in-law He, this is a long story. Let's go inside and talk about it slowly."

"Okay, okay, let's go inside and talk. Hurry home, don't catch a cold outside."

Chen Lanxiang nodded quickly and helped Wang Cuiping walk into the courtyard.

Xiaoman stood there, watching everyone busy talking and no one paying attention to her, her little face full of disappointment.

Wang Cuiping noticed and took Xiaoman's small hand gently, saying, "Xiaoman, don't be afraid. This is your home from now on. Why are you afraid to go in now that we're home?"

Xiaoman raised her head, looked into Wang Cuiping's gentle eyes, and nodded slightly.

The group chatted and laughed as they passed through the moon gate and entered the central courtyard. As soon as they entered, they saw the door to the Yi family's house slam shut with a "bang".

Just now, Yi Zhonghai's wife, Li Guihua, wanted to come out and say hello, but Yi Zhonghai, with a dark face, forcibly dragged her back.

It turned out that while Sha Zhu was out there, his fate unknown, Yi Zhonghai, like Jia Zhangshi, harbored a gloating attitude.

Jia Zhangshi was jealous that Sha Zhu was more outstanding than her son, while Yi Zhonghai had always wanted to adopt Sha Zhu as his son, hoping that he would take care of him in his old age and see him off in his final days. If Sha Zhu were gone, his hopes would be completely dashed.

Now that Sha Zhu has returned safely, and the He family is living happily with both a son and a daughter, he feels both jealous and disappointed, so his expression is naturally not pleasant.