My Mother-in-Law is Reborn [Seventies]-Chapter 162

The Zhuang family had a hearty meal at Donglaishun, feeling extremely satisfied.

Due to the price difference in the house, Zhuang Zhiyuan made a solid profit of seventy-six yuan. Combined with the money he had saved, he managed to pay off all the debts he had borrowed for purchasing his job. Although their family savings were wiped out, they now felt light-hearted without any debt weighing on them.

Both Zhuang Zhiyuan and Liang Meifen were overjoyed. The pressure of owing money was not a pleasant feeling. The Chen family was eager to move, so both parties drafted a clear and detailed exchange agreement, and preparations for the move began immediately.

The move itself mainly involved Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue leaving, as Zhuang Zhiyuan and his wife had nothing to move; their new place was already empty. So, they could easily accommodate the Chens' schedule, and Director Chen's family chose an auspicious day for the move.

Although such superstitions were no longer in vogue, some people still quietly followed such practices.

Choosing a good day for the move was, of course, essential for the joy of starting afresh.

The Chen family's chosen day happened to fall on a Sunday. Chen Yuan, staring at this date, was lost in deep thought, while Tao Yuyue, on the other hand, was giddy with excitement, urging: "Chen Yuan, let's go."

Chen Yuan replied irritably, "Don't I know to go? Do you have to keep nagging?"

Tao Yuyue, unusually unbothered by his demeanor, was too happy about moving into the new house to take offense. She said, "Well, I'll go downstairs first."

Chen Yuan frowned, displeased: "Can't you wait for me?"

Chen Yuan truly found Tao Yuyue insufferable, like someone who had never seen the world. As the couple descended the stairs together, they saw four young men waiting below. These were Chen Yuan's underlings, here to help him move. Despite being the only child in his family, both his grandparents and parents doted on him. However, none of the elders were involved in the moving process.

This wasn't because his grandparents didn't want to help, but because Director Chen forbade it. Director Chen was a man who valued face above all, and his wife was no different. Both of them considered themselves leaders and would never stoop to doing such menial tasks.

Chen Yuan's grandparents did want to help, but Director Chen couldn't bear the thought of elderly people helping the young move; he believed it would tarnish his reputation. So, he didn't allow it.

After all, his wife was a deputy factory director, and he was a powerful logistics director of a large factory. Many people were eager to curry favor with them. There would always be someone willing to help Chen Yuan with such tasks. As a result, none of the older family members stepped up.

Chen Yuan had recruited four underlings, two of whom were old friends, and the other two were employees from the food factory. The latter two had quickly ingratiated themselves with Chen Yuan, becoming his subordinates by flattering him.

Since Chen Yuan was moving, his mother had also loaned him the food factory's tricycle. The group piled onto the tricycle and sped toward the courtyard.

Speaking of this courtyard, it was quite the gathering place for eccentric characters. Even Chen Yuan's four underlings felt a bit uneasy.

Rumor had it that someone in the courtyard had a peculiar habit of slapping men's buttocks, which was rather unsettling.

The tricycle moved faster than a bicycle, and it soon arrived at the alley. Zhuang Zhixi was just stepping out to use the restroom. It was a lovely Sunday, and his mother, wife, and sister-in-law had all gone to the countryside to climb a mountain.

Accompanying them were Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhou. Aunt Zhou had managed to join the group through some skillful maneuvering. Wang Zizhen, who usually went along, couldn't this time due to her pregnancy. Recently, there had been wild boars in the mountains, making the area unsafe. But after some time had passed, they decided to venture there in search of fresh mushrooms.

Zhuang Zhixi imagined a dish of chicken stewed with mushrooms, his mouth watering at the thought.

With the women away, Old Man Zhuang and Zhuang Zhiyuan weren't at home either. They had packed some dry rations and gone fishing. This time, with Wang Zizhen accompanying them, she and her husband, Da Qiang, also joined in. The four of them left early in the morning together.

Regardless of other families, on this fine Sunday, the Zhuang household was left with only Zhuang Zhixi, who was tasked with looking after four children—quite an unusual situation.

Fortunately, there were Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, two kids in the courtyard who could help out. Zhuang Zhixi entrusted his own two little ones to them while he went to the restroom. In this era, it was quite common for older children to take care of younger ones, but Zhuang Zhixi still felt a bit uneasy and hurried through his business.

However, before he could enter the restroom, he saw a tricycle approaching, and seated on it was his acquaintance, Chen Yuan. Chen Yuan spotted Zhuang Zhixi and immediately called out, "Stop here."

The tricycle pulled up next to Zhuang Zhixi, who smiled and asked, "Are you moving today?"

Chen Yuan grunted in acknowledgment. He looked at Zhuang Zhixi and suddenly came up with a plan. He said, "Zhuang, come here, I have something to tell you."

Zhuang Zhixi: "???"

He looked at Chen Yuan in disbelief, thinking, Who do you think you are? Telling me what to do?

However, despite his thoughts, he masked his feelings and merely smiled without comment.

Chen Yuan repeated, "Come here."

Through the house deal, Chen Yuan had realized that Zhuang Zhixi had some capability when it came to speaking and handling affairs. He was willing to give him a chance to follow him, mainly because Zhuang Zhixi knew how to play the role of a faithful dog. If he performed well, Chen Yuan didn't mind putting in a good word for him with his father.

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "Just say what you have to say. I'm in a hurry to use the restroom."

Chen Yuan furrowed his brow, feeling that this guy was a bit too uppity.

Zhuang Zhixi continued, "Just say it directly. If not, I'm leaving. I still have to go back and take care of the kids."

He spoke with complete assurance, showing no hint of embarrassment. Yet, Chen Yuan looked down on Zhuang Zhixi, sneering at him for being a man who actually took care of children. What kind of man was that? It was utterly disgraceful.

Chen Yuan said disdainfully, "You're really something."

Zhuang Zhixi shrugged and replied, "I don't have time to chitchat with you."

With that, he turned and headed into the restroom, completely dismissing Chen Yuan's request.

As a joke, did he fear Chen Yuan? Bring on his revenge—Zhuang Zhixi was ready.

Zhuang Zhixi's departure left Chen Yuan fuming. He felt that Zhuang Zhixi was utterly disrespectful. Who was he? He was Chen Yuan, and his father was the logistics director. Yet, a mere common worker like Zhuang Zhixi wouldn't even give him face? What a disgrace.

He glared at Zhuang Zhixi's retreating back, mentally cursing him to filth.

However, after a moment of reflection, he thought, This kind of person is just a petty, worthless individual. All he can do is stay home and take care of kids—tasks fit only for women. Chen Yuan felt that there was nothing about Zhuang Zhixi worth respecting. Since he was so uppity, there was no point in giving him opportunities to fawn over him.

Without such opportunities, and without his good graces, see how he could ever hope to climb the ladder.

He might as well remain a lowly worker for life. Pfft!

Having arrived at this conclusion, Chen Yuan decided not to recruit Zhuang Zhixi. However, even if he didn't plan to recruit him, there were still things he could make him do. After all, the guy seemed to be money-motivated. With that in mind, Chen Yuan also entered the restroom. To his surprise, it was empty; Zhuang Zhixi had already finished and was heading out. Seeing Chen Yuan follow him, Zhuang Zhixi was momentarily speechless.

Chen Yuan looked down on Zhuang Zhixi with contempt, lighting a cigarette and taking a puff before blowing out a ring of smoke. With one hand in his pocket and the other holding the cigarette, he exuded an air of superiority.

He said, "Help me get Zhou Qun out of the courtyard. I don't want to see him."

Zhuang Zhixi innocently replied, "How can I do that? Zhou Qun is a living person, not something I can just put in my pocket and walk away with. Besides, our relationship is just so-so. If I ask him to leave, he won't listen to me."

Chen Yuan chuckled coldly, saying, "I'll give you ten yuan."

Zhuang Zhixi's eyes lit up: "!!!"

Now that you mention money, I'm all ears.

Ten yuan, you know, ten yuan is quite a lot. Generally speaking, a worker's monthly salary is about thirty yuan, and ten yuan is equivalent to one-third of that salary. That's really quite a lot. If you don't consider the meat ration, pork costs about eight-five jiao per jin, and in the black market, where no ration tickets are required, you could buy ten jin of pork, seeing how much ten yuan can buy. When people seek help from others, they usually give out one or two yuan at most.

Ten yuan, that could make a significant difference.

He immediately laughed out loud, his smile very bright. He said, "You see, although I'm not very familiar with Zhou Qun, we're all neighbors in the same compound. As the best of neighbors, I can't just watch him hinder others from moving. Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on him for you, and he won't disrupt your move. Just wait and see."

Ten yuan, Zhou Qun is quite valuable.

Chen Yuan looked even more disdainful at Zhuang Zhixi, feeling that this man was truly a loser who couldn't be helped. He had a great opportunity to cling to his influence, but he failed to see it and was instead just greedy for that measly ten yuan.

Clearly, this man has some small cleverness, but lacks big wisdom and far-sightedness.

He can be used for money, but there's no need to recruit him.

Chen Yuan nodded arrogantly and said, "That's fine. You can go back now. I'll give you fifteen minutes to deal with him."

Zhuang Zhixi ignored Chen Yuan's arrogance and blinked innocently, asking, "And the money? When will I get it?"

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I'm not just about money. In fact, I care the least about money. I'm doing this for the sake of our neighborly friendship. However, fifteen minutes is a bit short. I always..."

He blinked, leaving some meaning unspoken.

Chen Yuan snorted, disdainfully taking out ten yuan and said, "Here, take it."

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He wasn't worried that Zhuang Zhixi would take the money and not do the job. His father was the logistics director at the machinery factory, a leader, and if Zhuang Zhixi dared to take the money and not do the job, his father wouldn't let him off. So, he wasn't at all concerned about this man being greedy.

Zhuang Zhixi took the money cheerfully and said, "Just wait and see. I'll get him out of your way right away."

He pocketed the money, feeling quite satisfied with himself. Going out to the toilet and earning some extra cash. If this happened a few more times, it would be equivalent to his monthly salary. No wonder there were magpies chirping this morning.

Turns out, there was a big blessing.

He smiled and said, "I'll go take care of Zhou Qun right away."

He immediately walked out, and when he reached the toilet entrance, he thought of something and turned back to ask, "It's just Zhou Qun, right?"

Chen Yuan was stunned, and Zhuang Zhixi, seeing his hesitation, said, "I thought you might not want to see Bai Fendou either."

Chen Yuan: "!!!"

He instantly thought, right, there's not just Zhou Qun in this compound, but also Bai Fendou. His innocence is at risk because of these perverts. He quickly said, "Add Bai Fendou too!"

Zhuang Zhixi's smile became even brighter, like a blooming trumpet flower.

He laughed happily but then said, "Adding another person... this is quite difficult! Zhou Qun is worth ten yuan. Bai Fendou isn't easy to deal with either; he's a ladies' man..."

His voice trailed off.

Chen Yuan decisively said, "It's just ten yuan? Do I look like I'm short on money?"

He casually took out another ten yuan and handed it to Zhuang Zhixi, "This one's for Bai Fendou."

Zhuang Zhixi took the money joyfully and said, "You can rest assured. Whether it's Zhou Qun or Bai Fendou, I'll make sure to take care of both of them, leaving you with no worries at all. I'll definitely live up to their ten yuan value. I'll be right back."

Oh, twenty yuan, in hand!

Zhuang Zhixi trotted back, while Chen Yuan disdainfully snorted, saying, "What a shallow-minded person."

He returned to the car, and Tao Yuyue asked, "What were you talking about with Zhuang Zhixi?"

Chen Yuan: "Men's talk, what's it to you, woman?"

Tao Yuyue held her breath, but with outsiders present, she didn't say anything and just lowered her head, cursing in her heart.

Chen Yuan instructed the tricycle attendant, saying, "Take the cart into the alley next to us, and wait for a bit before going back."

"Got it."

The attendant was just an attendant, quite observant, doing whatever he was told.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Zhixi hurried back home. When Hutou and Xiao Yanzi saw their uncle running back, they both stood up and said, "Uncle, we've been taking good care of Tuantuan and Yuanyuan."

Zhuang Zhixi nodded and said, "I know you're good kids. I'll take you all to Beihai Park to play later."

"Ah!"

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi were shocked.

The two kids stared at their uncle in surprise, asking, "Really, Uncle? Is it true?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "I swear, or I'm a dog. Wait here, I'll go get the others."

He decisively went to the Bai household. It was still quite early, and Bai Fendou's family had just finished breakfast. Zhuang Zhixi stood at the door and called out, "Bai Fendou, Fendou brother."

Bai Fendou: "What is it?"

Zhuang Zhixi stepped inside, greeted He Lan, and then said, "I'm planning to take our family's kids to Beihai Park to have some fun and see the sights. What about you? Has little Qingqing been out yet? Want to come along?"

Bai Fendou instantly felt he couldn't fall behind Zhuang Zhixi upon hearing this. He had married the latest in the entire compound, so he absolutely couldn't let his child fall behind too. He immediately said, "Of course, I'll go."

He added, "But with so many kids, can you handle them?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "What's there to handle? Hutou and Xiao Yanzi are kids, but they won't run off. Besides, when we go, we won't be wandering around aimlessly; we'll stop and look around, so it's not a problem."

Bai Fendou: "What about lunch..."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Just buy something outside. Since we're going, why not eat out a bit?"

Bai Fendou thought that made sense and said, "Then I'll prepare, we'll gather in the courtyard later."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Alright, hurry up. I'll ask Zhou Qun and Yang Lixin."

He smiled and said, "It's rare for us dads in the compound to have an outing together."

Bai Fendou: "They might not be as caring and loving as I am with my child."

Zhuang Zhixi laughed: "Just asking."

He then went to Zhou Qun's place. Aunt Zhou had already gone out, leaving Zhou Qun and his wife at home. Zhuang Zhixi explained his plan and added, "Bai Fendou and I are going too. He just said that you may not join..."

Zhou Qun, upon hearing, was unconvinced and said, "How can it be that he loves his child more than I do? My precious Qijin is my heart's treasure. Alright, count me in for today's activities. My life is way better than yours, how can I fall behind?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "That would be great. Jiang Lu can also take a break then."

Jiang Lu: "That's true, but when you're out, take good care of the kids, be careful of human traffickers, and don't let them eat random things. Also..."

As a mother, she was more meticulous, giving a lot of instructions.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "You get ready, I'll go ask Yang Lixin."

Despite all of them being workers with Sundays off, Sundays are generally even more hectic for families, especially dual-income households, who have even more to do. At the Yang household, only the couple and their three children were left.

Aunt Wang had gone to the mountain, and Li the Cook went out to help with cooking for a small gathering, so Yang Lixin was also home. Li Fang was more than happy for Yang Lixin to take the three rascals out, handing him five yuan and saying, "Go ahead, the remaining money needs to be handed over when you return."

Yang Lixin: "You..."

Pausing for a moment, he said, "Alright."

Li Fang breathed a sigh of relief, very grateful to Zhuang Zhixi for taking these men and their kids out, allowing her family to have a good rest. Taking care of kids all day, she was exhausted. Yang Lixin was practically kicked out by Li Fang.

However, Li Junjun and Li Weiwei were delighted, hopping and jumping towards the front yard, joining Hutou and Xiao Yanzi, saying, "Are you going too?"

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi both nodded, their happy little faces flushed with excitement.

"This is really great."

"Exactly."

"We're going to Beihai Park this time. There are little boats there. I wonder if we can row a boat."

Don't think that kids are just little fools. Children can be quite cunning too. While speaking, they secretly glanced at the adults, trying to gauge their reactions. However, the adults didn't seem to pay much attention to them.

Zhuang Zhixi packed the milk bottles, handkerchiefs, and diapers into the stroller before locking the door and heading out. To lighten the load, he also took the ugly, large stuffed caterpillar that the children had been clinging to. YuanYuan grumbled unhappily for a moment but, sensing that they were about to go out, didn't cry.

Four baby strollers were lined up together, and five little infants babbled to each other in "infant language," their big round eyes wide with curiosity. Baby or not, whether they were cute or not, they were all adorable.

The little ones were often placed together by the adults, so they were all quite familiar with each other. They babbled away, and Zhuang Zhixi said, "Is everyone here? Shall we go?"

"Sure!"

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Then, let's head out!"

The group marched out in a lively fashion, attracting the attention of neighbors in the alleyway. "What are you all doing? Why are all the kids out?"

Zhuang Zhixi replied with a smile, "We're planning to take the kids to the park. The weather is quite nice now, but it'll get colder soon, so we won't be able to go then. It's a rare weekend, and the weather is good too."

"You've really put thought into it."

Typically, it's the women who take care of the kids, but in their compound, it's the men pushing the strollers, which was rather puzzling. However, Zhuang Zhixi didn't mind what others thought. The group left the alley and headed to the bus stop. Zhuang Zhixi reminded the children, "You mustn't run around. If you get lost, you won't be able to find your way home, okay?"

The kids nodded seriously.

The four men were all first-time caretakers, each a bit nervous. However, Hutou, Xiao Yanzi, and the other two kids were completely unafraid, excited instead. When the bus arrived, they boarded one after another. There were still seats available.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "You kids go sit down."

He steadied the stroller with one hand and held onto the handle with the other. TuanTuan and YuanYuan were out for the first time, their big eyes darting around, not knowing where to look. Their chubby little bodies wriggled from side to side, looking left and right, their big round eyes wide open, and their little mouths babbling away in their own language.

Zhuang Zhixi had a large stroller with two babies inside, so he was even more nervous. He secured one side of the stroller with his leg and added extra support for himself. Luckily, the bus wasn't crowded today, or it would have been inconvenient.

The bus driver, glancing at them through the rearview mirror, started the bus more gently than usual.

In those days, the "Eight Big Workers" were very respected. Places like the supply and marketing cooperatives or state-owned restaurants even had signs saying "No unreasonable beating of customers." This showed the respect for these iron rice bowls and their service attitude. The bus drivers were no exception. However, with several babies on board, the driver wasn't too reckless.

After all, the kids were too young. If something went wrong, these men could just mob him. So the driver drove slowly and steadily. Zhuang Zhixi breathed a sigh of relief.

The bus stopped at several stations. Each time the bus stopped or started, the little ones giggled happily, seeming to enjoy the bumpy ride, unaware of the beads of sweat dripping down their fathers' brows.

The men were under a lot of pressure.

Kids didn't understand. Not only infants, but even Hutou and the others didn't get it. They pressed their faces against the window, looking outside and chatting excitedly. Fortunately, despite the tension, they finally arrived at their destination.

As they got off the bus, Zhou Qun commented, "Zhuang Zhixi, your back is soaked with sweat."

Zhuang Zhixi replied, "I was just so nervous. I was afraid the kids would fly out if the bus swayed."

He wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "This is really not easy."

The other men nodded in agreement, their hearts aching for Zhuang Zhixi. Xiao Yanzi looked puzzled at the adults and tilted her head, saying, "But grandma always takes care of the kids, and she never says it's hard."

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Little girl, you're really throwing shade, you know?"

Xiao Yanzi softly muttered, "But I'm just telling the truth!"

She just didn't understand. Grandma never complained.

Zhuang Zhixi pretended not to hear the little girl's words and said, "Let's go, let's buy the tickets."

The kids, being all under the age of buying tickets, didn't need to pay. These days, there wasn't strict enforcement, so a little extra didn't matter. Each ticket cost two mao, and they each bought their tickets.

In Beijing, there were several parks, some of which didn't require tickets, while others did. However, there was a reason for the ticketed ones.

After all, making a living was hard those days. So, if a place required a ticket, it must be better than the free ones. For example, Hutou's school would have spring outings every year, but they would choose free parks. Places like this, which required tickets, were rarely visited.

So, the kids were also quite unfamiliar with this place.

They held hands, looking around curiously. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let's go in."

Bai Fendou also looked curious and said, "I've actually never been here a few times in my life."

Truthfully, it wasn't about money, but once you grew up, who would visit a park alone? These days, parks were mostly for young couples dating or families with kids. Other scenarios were quite rare.

So, despite looking like they were fleeing from a famine, this was actually quite normal.

Bai Fendou said, "This place looks pretty good. Next time, I'll bring my wife here."

It was quite rare for Bai Fendou to say something like that.

Yang Lixin said, "This is my first time here."

He was from the countryside, and even after moving to the city to work as an apprentice and later becoming a son-in-law who lives with his wife's family, he never had much money. He never thought of coming here to play. Two cents could buy enough flour to make plenty of steamed buns.

Weren't buns delicious?

At this moment, Zhou Qun spoke with a hint of pride, "When I was dating and newly married, I often came here." Jiang Lu had a good background, so to win her over, he had to spend quite a bit.

Bai Fendou couldn't stand Zhou Qun's flaunting and snorted heavily.

The kids jumped around happily. Zhuang Zhixi said, "Let's go and have a look around."

The unfamiliar environment excited both the older and younger kids. Watching their children's excitement, Zhuang Zhixi felt they had made the right decision. TuanTuan wore a little monk's outfit with a short shirt and chubby open-crotch pants, his little wrinkled pants full of folds.

But the little guy still wasn't satisfied, his little feet kicking and kicking, ready to run off at any moment if he could.

YuanYuan beside him was even more excessive. The little girl had stood up on the stroller, her little body wriggling.

Zhuang Zhixi said, "Do the babies like this place?"

He squatted down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped the kids' drool. The two little ones babbled along the way, their drool oozing out. After cleaning their faces, YuanYuan immediately reached out her little arms, asking for a hug. Zhuang Zhixi shook his head, "Can't hold you, I'm just one person, it's not convenient to hold both of you."

YuanYuan puffed out her little cheeks, grumbling and turning away from Zhuang Zhixi. He pinched her chubby little arm and said, "You little rascal, you're really flipping your mood."

"Aww, baba baba..."

YuanYuan waved her little hands, trying to explain herself.

Zhuang Zhixi was stunned, then overjoyed, saying, "YuanYuan, what did you just say? Did you call 'Daddy'? Repeat it for me, baby. Come on, say 'Daddy'."

The little girl's big round eyes sparkled like black grapes, dark and bright. She tilted her head, seeming unable to understand what her dad had said. But even a little baby could sense the emotions of the adults around her. With a touch of pride, she raised her chin slightly, clearly revealing her double chin.

Zhuang Zhixi poked her and said, "Yuanyuan, call me 'Papa.' Just like you did earlier—Papa, Papa, Pa—you did call, didn't you?"

Yuanyuan: "???"

At this moment, Tuantuan, the older brother, grew impatient. His dad was always fawning over his sister, and the little boy wanted attention too. With a swift kick, he planted his tiny foot on Zhuang Zhixi's arm. His little hands flailed so fast they almost left behind blurry shadows. He let out a series of sounds—"Ao ao ao wu wu"—nobody could quite make out what he was trying to say, but his saliva splattered all over Zhuang Zhixi's face...

Zhuang Zhixi: "Oh, come on!"

He exclaimed, "You little rascal, you're like a little spray bottle!"

Undeterred, he repeated, "Call me 'Papa,' Papa~"

Tuantuan and Yuanyuan: "A wu a wu!"

"Pfft!" The onlookers burst out laughing. Bai Fendou teased Zhuang Zhixi, saying, "The kids are just babbling. They're not actually calling you 'Papa.' What makes you think so much into it? Such young babies can't possibly say words yet."

Zhou Qun chimed in, "Exactly, they're too young for that."

It's an unspoken rule: if it's my kid, they're a prodigy. If it's yours, you're just being delusional.

Funny how Bai Fendou and Yang Lixin think the same way.

Hutou and his friends were playing nearby, watching the adults act like children, and proclaimed, "My brother and sister are the cutest!"

But Li Junjun and Li Weiwei disagreed. They had their own sister, Zhenzhen, and she was adorable too.

"My sister is the cutest."

"No, it's my sister!"

"Mine!"

The debate was escalating, and punches might start flying soon.

Xiao Yanzi dashed over to the baby carriage. She looked at the twins carefully and then said to the boys, "Come here."

She pulled the three boys over and shouted, "Who is the whitest?"

"Uh..."

Li Junjun, Li Weiwei, and Hutou all pointed, "Tuantuan and Yuanyuan."

Xiao Yanzi puffed her chest out and asked even louder, "Who has the biggest eyes?"

The three boys: "Uh, Tuantuan and Yuanyuan again."

Xiao Yanzi shouted even louder, "Who loves to smile the most?"

"Tuantuan."

Though they looked identical, Yuanyuan had a bit of a temper, while Tuantuan was always sweet and smiley. He rarely cried and was a true little cutie.

"Yuanyuan smiles a lot too," someone added quietly.

Xiao Yanzi put her hands on her hips and declared, "So, who's the cutest? It's definitely Tuantuan and Yuanyuan—white, big-eyed, and smiley!"

But Li Junjun and Li Weiwei weren't convinced. "We think Zhenzhen is still the cutest."

They had to defend their sister's reputation.

Xiao Yanzi wasn't pleased and huffed. Li Junjun looked at her thoughtfully and suddenly said, "Okay, if Xiao Yanzi says who's the cutest, then that's the answer."

Li Weiwei: "????????"

What? How did you switch sides so quickly?

Xiao Yanzi immediately cheered up. "Li Junjun, you've got good taste!"

Li Weiwei: "?????????"

Hutou: "?"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Hahahahaha!"

He laughed so loud that everyone was puzzled. Zhuang Zhixi patted Li Junjun on the shoulder and said, "Kid, you've got potential."

Li Junjun scratched his head shyly.

Yang Lixin teased, "You little rascal."

Zhuang Zhixi retorted, "Why are you picking on the kid? That's not very adult of you."

Yang Lixin: "Oh, please. Your manners aren’t any better!"

A childish spat between grown-ups.

"Sister's drooling." Hutou noticed little Yuanyuan smacking her lips and letting out a trickle of saliva. He looked up and said, "Uncle, wipe her mouth."

Zhuang Zhixi: "Now I'm being bossed around by a kid."

He glanced down at his daughter, who was staring at a passing little boy. Not because the boy was especially cute, but because he was holding a popsicle and happily licking it.

Uh... Yuanyuan's drool increased dramatically.

Little glutton.

Zhuang Zhixi: "You're too young for that."

Yuanyuan frowned, her sparse little eyebrows knitting together. Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "Papa will get you some milk, sweetie. We'll have a bottle of milk. You’re still a little one who needs milk."

As he stood up to fetch the bottle, he noticed Hutou and the others staring longingly at the popsicle in the boy's hand. Yet, neither Hutou nor Xiao Yanzi asked for one. Li Junjun and Li Weiwei refrained as well.

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "If you all agree that Tuantuan and Yuanyuan are the cutest, I’ll buy each of you a popsicle."

Hutou and Xiao Yanzi's eyes lit up. Even Li Junjun and Li Weiwei were immediately tempted.

Yang Lixin protested, "You don't need to buy them; I'll take care of my kids. You two, stand firm—your sister is the cutest! Don't let a popsicle buy your loyalty!"

Li Junjun and Li Weiwei: "But... there are two of us, so it’s two popsicles."

Yang Lixin: "Fine, I'll buy you two! Just tell me: who's the cutest?"

"Zhenzhen."

Yang Lixin: "That’s right. Don’t side with outsiders."

Bai Fendou chimed in, "The cutest is definitely my Qingqing."

"Nonsense! It’s my Qijin! Look at him, such a handsome little man!"

"Nonsense!"

Zhou Qun: "By the way, have you guys named your kids yet? I went to register yesterday, and my son's full name is Zhou Hang, after the word for 'voyage.' His nickname is Qijin."

He was quite proud of that name.

After debating cuteness, they moved on to names.

Zhuang Zhixi: "I've already registered ours. The boy's name is Zhuang Xing, and the girl's is Zhuang Chen. Together, it's 'Star and Planet.' Such a cute pair of sibling names."

"I still think my Zhenzhen's name is better. Li Zhenzhen, like 'treasure.'"

Bai Fendou: "No, Bai Qingqing is the best."

Though each parent had their favorites, they all found themselves at the popsicle stand. Popsicles didn't require tickets and cost five cents each. There were also milkshakes, which cost a dime and had a creamy flavor, but both Zhuang Zhixi and Yang Lixin opted for popsicles.

Kids could have fun with those. Why splurge on milkshakes?

The adults didn't buy anything themselves. They weren't being stingy; they just didn't want to set off the little gluttons. Those babies would get jealous if they started eating in front of them. Zhuang Zhixi warned, "You kids, don’t eat in front of your siblings. Go play somewhere else."

He added, "But don’t run off. Stay where we can see you, got it?"

"Got it."

The kids happily licked their popsicles as they wandered around the park, feeling like this was the happiest day ever. Xiao Yanzi asked sweetly, "Uncle, will we come again?"

Zhuang Zhixi smiled and said, "Next time, ask your parents to take you. I need to focus on looking after Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, so I can’t really take care of you all."

"We’re big kids! We don’t need looking after."

Zhuang Zhixi chuckled, "You’re just little ones. You still need care."

Xiao Yanzi didn’t know why, but she felt a warm feeling hearing that.

Zhuang Zhixi added, "At noon, I’ll treat you all to big meat buns."

"Wow!"

Zhuang Zhixi: "Have fun!"

"Okay!" The answer was loud and enthusiastic.

Zhuang Zhixi and the others were having a lively time, but Chen Yuan watched from afar, satisfied that Zhuang Zhixi had managed to get everyone out of the way. Though, seeing the group of four men and their chaotic brood, Chen Yuan found it a bit hard to watch. He muttered under his breath before waving his hand and declaring, "Let’s move."

Tao Yuyue, on the other hand, had a different perspective. While Chen Yuan and the other men found the scene embarrassing, she secretly envied the camaraderie. If she ever had kids, she couldn’t rely on Chen Yuan for anything. Seeing how even someone with a questionable reputation like Zhuang Zhixi could be devoted to his children gave her a bit of hope.

A group of people entered the courtyard. At the moment, He Lan and Jiang Lu were washing clothes in the water trough in the middle of the yard. Upon seeing such a large group of people, they were startled and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

Upon closer inspection, they recognized them.

"Xiao Tao, what are you all doing here?"

Tao Yuyue replied, "We're here to move."

Jiang Lu: "Huh?"

He Lan whispered, "They swapped houses with Zhuang Zhiyuan."

He Lan, who was always in the courtyard, knew a bit more than Jiang Lu, who was working, as she had heard Aunt Wang mention it.

Jiang Lu was surprised: "You swapped houses with Zhuang Zhiyuan?"

Tao Yuyue: "Yes. Well, we'll go ahead and start moving."

"Sure, go ahead."

With a few strong men helping, the move was swift. The family quickly got to work with a clattering of noises. Everyone who was home and not out on this Sunday gathered to watch the commotion. Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue weren't well-acquainted with the people in the courtyard and seldom greeted anyone. Now that they were leaving, Chen Yuan was even more arrogant, practically looking down his nose at people.

Seeing his attitude, everyone grimaced.

Jiang Lu finally caught on: "No wonder Zhuang Zhixi asked our Zhou Qun to go out with him. It was to make room for Chen Yuan."

She knew how much Chen Yuan resented Zhou Qun, to the point of even changing his workplace. It was truly astounding.

He Lan: "Since they swapped houses, they probably wanted to avoid any conflicts by having Old Bai and Zhou Qun leave. It's better than getting into a fight."

Thinking about Chen Yuan's haughty demeanor, Jiang Lu figured a scuffle was indeed possible.

She said, "That's probably for the best."

"Indeed."

Jiang Lu: "What did Zhuang Zhiyuan get in the swap?"

He Lan: "I heard it's an apartment. I’m not sure why they decided to swap."

In everyone's eyes, an apartment was always better.

Jiang Lu mused, "Perhaps it was for the kids. The place they were assigned was too small, and they couldn't bear to separate from their children."

"Probably."

Jiang Lu watched the scene and remarked, "Hey, I noticed that our front courtyard now only has us two left. Wang Xiangxiu and her kids aren't home either."

He Lan: "They went mushroom picking early this morning. I saw them leave."

Wang Xiangxiu didn’t have a bicycle, so they couldn’t go to the outskirts, but there were closer places in the city. Early in the morning, Wang Xiangxiu locked the door and took her two sons out. Yinlai could now go outside, though he wasn’t very strong.

This task wasn’t much trouble.

Jiang Lu was silent for a moment, not saying anything. She hadn’t expected that since Aunt Su passed away, Wang Xiangxiu had started fending for herself. Even Yinlai and Tonglai had calmed down and stopped running around like before.

However, she and Wang Xiangxiu definitely wouldn’t get along.

People were just different.

He Lan: "I didn’t notice when Grandpa Lan’s family left, though."

Jiang Lu: "Oh, their family? You’ll find out over time. Grandpa Lan and Aunt Luo must have gone out to play. They always have activities every weekend—watching movies, shopping, strolling in the park, dining out, all in one go."

He Lan's eyes widened in surprise.

Jiang Lu: "Isn’t it impressive?"

He Lan nodded: "I’ve never seen anything like it."

Her family was somewhat affluent, with a few shops, but her father was always frugal and wouldn’t live like Grandpa Lan.

Jiang Lu: "They’re moving pretty fast."

Jiang Lu’s words brought He Lan back to reality. She peeked out and saw that the family had indeed finished moving. The reason it was so quick was that Chen Yuan and Tao Yuyue hadn’t lived here long, so they didn’t have much stuff. The longer one lived somewhere, the more things accumulated. In their case, it was easier.

He Lan: "They’re moving out already."

"It's a good thing," Jiang Lu chuckled. "Otherwise, with Chen Yuan’s bad habit of beating his wife, he might corrupt others."

The others looked at Jiang Lu with mixed expressions, thinking that her husband Zhou Qun didn’t need anyone else to corrupt him—he was already no good. Chen Yuan beat his wife, but her husband... well...

Jiang Lu didn’t care about others’ expressions and said, "Ah, it’s rare to have a quiet weekend. I think I’ll go take a nap."

He Lan laughed, saying, "I’ll go rest at home too."

A rare moment of relaxation.

Everyone went to rest, while Chen Yuan and his group, with a confident stride, carried everything out and loaded it into the car. With a wave of his hand, they left for their new home.

Chen Yuan felt that driving out of this alleyway lightened his life. From now on, he wouldn’t have to see the "man-killer" Bai Fendou or the eccentric Zhou Qun. Chen Yuan felt his heart soaring freely. With more helpers, their move and settling in went quickly. By midday, everything was neatly arranged.

Chen Yuan, not short on money, said, "Let’s go, I’ll treat you guys to a meal."

He glanced at Tao Yuyue and said, "You, a woman, don’t come. Stay at home and tidy up the bedding. Can’t make others do everything, can we? Oh, you said your mom would come to help, right? Where is she?"

He sneered, "You stay at home."

Tao Yuyue suppressed her anger but didn’t argue with this fool, especially in front of others. She gave him face and said, "Alright, I’ll tidy up at home. My mom should be here soon. I’ll wait for her to help me."

Chen Yuan gave a cold laugh and left with the others.

As soon as they were gone, Tao Yuyue flopped onto the bed, let out a deep breath, and softly laughed. The laughter grew louder and more unrestrained. After laughing enough, she stretched and got up to boil some water. Carefully surveying the room, she could see that it was very cozy despite being newly moved in. Even the cabinet Zhuang Zhixi had mentioned was already installed, and there was a leather sofa in the living room.

She lazed onto the sofa, brewed herself a pot of tea.

Life should be this comfortable. She, Tao Yuyue, now had her own home.

"Knock knock knock."

A knock sounded at the door. Tao Yuyue got up to open it and saw a middle-aged woman covered in dust. It was none other than Tao Yuyue’s mother. Upon seeing her daughter, she sighed in relief: "I’m glad I didn’t get lost."

She wasn’t from the area and had come just in time for her niece’s wedding. Unexpectedly, she also caught her daughter moving houses.

Her niece, Doctor Wang’s daughter, was her sister’s child. Despite being sisters, they didn’t look alike at all. Doctor Wang seemed well-off and refined, while she appeared more ordinary.

As soon as she entered, she looked around and said, "This place is pretty good."

Tao Yuyue proudly smiled: "Of course. I wouldn’t take anything less. Look at this sofa, it’s real leather. Look at these curtains, they’re a rare bright red, and..."

Although the place wasn’t large, there was plenty to show off.

Tao's Mother happily said: "Not bad. Your in-laws treat you well. You said they weren’t good people before, but look at this?"

She felt her daughter had misled her.

Tao Yuyue gave a cold laugh: "These good things are all thanks to my schemes. If not for seducing my father-in-law, how would I have gotten all this?"

Tao's Mother was shocked, her brows knitting together: "You, girl, what are you saying? How could you do such a despicable thing? You..."

Though she was also calculating, she was a moral person and couldn’t stand this.

Tao Yuyue stopped her mother: "I was just acting, not really."

Tao's Mother frowned: "What?" She didn’t understand at all.

Tao Yuyue didn't hide anything from her own mother. She was so proud that she could almost dance with delight. She said, "My in-laws only have Chen Yuan as their son, so I guess they wouldn't do anything to harm him. That's why I took the initiative to show my affection. I gave them loving looks, I was utterly devoted, and I expressed my admiration for them. Ha, can you imagine how scared they were? If it wasn't to avoid me, do you think they would have been in such a hurry to find a house? They wouldn't have been in a rush; after all, they could still all live together comfortably. And they thought I didn't know, they wanted Chen Yuan's grandparents to move to the siheyuan while we lived with my in-laws. I didn't want to live with my mother-in-law; I've already made one wrong choice, why would I want to suffer under her temper again? You don't know my mother-in-law, she's the most finicky person in the world. She's also very fake and just plain bad. If I didn't come up with a way to move out, I'd go crazy. If we had lived together, I might have been schemed against until I was dead. Did they really think I had no way out? Ha, now everything is so much better! Chen Yuan's father must be scared, right? He's scared that I'll fall even deeper in love with him and confess my feelings. That's why he quickly came up with a plan to swap houses and arrange a place for us. If it weren't for my cleverness, we wouldn't have this living situation now. Having a separate place of our own? That would have been too hard! But now, things are different. I took the initiative, and Chen Yuan's father was so afraid of what I might do that he practically pushed us out of the house as soon as possible."

As she said this, she felt very satisfied with her own cleverness.

Tao's Mother, however, didn't relax her brows. Instead, she said, "Aren't you afraid he might actually have ulterior motives? There are people like that."

Tao Yuyue: "I've inquired about him. He's been in the factory for so many years without any issues concerning men and women. Even if there were, he wouldn't dare to make a move on his own daughter-in-law. Don't forget, he only has Chen Yuan as his son. Plus, such a person values power above all else. He wouldn't dare to face the consequences if things went south. So I think there's no problem. Even if I'm wrong, what can happen? I can drag my poisonous mother-in-law into the fray! And look, I was right. To avoid living under the same roof as me, he quickly arranged for us to have a place to live."

Tao Yuyue was extremely proud. She said, "And men, they're all weak-willed. Even if they don't like a woman, knowing that she's deeply in love with them makes them care a bit more. Chen Yuan's father clearly tried to avoid me, but seeing me upset, he'd take my side. When I first married into the family and had an argument with Chen Yuan, he wouldn't have helped me, but now, things are different. And~"

She grew more and more proud as she continued, "When I cried in front of him, I said I liked the sofa, the cabinets, and the people in the family. Even though I emphasized the former, he always thought I was talking about the latter. He thought I was saying I liked him and was terrified, so he quickly prepared many nice things for me to leave. See? This is how he arranged everything for us. Whenever I want something, I just cry a little, not saying it too clearly, and he'll prepare it for me. Because in his mind, I love him more than I love Chen Yuan. He doesn't love me, but I can satisfy his male vanity. So for him, these minor matters are easy to fulfill. Men, they're so easy to manipulate!"

Tao's Mother: "You're a young bride, don't go around talking about love all the time."

Tao Yuyue: "What's the big deal? What I gain is way more than what I give. I haven't lost anything; it's just pretending to like him a bit, what's so hard about that? Even if one day things don't work out, this marriage has already gotten me a steady job and this house... Even though the house isn't mine yet, I and Chen Yuan are husband and wife. I'm determined to live here, and with a bit of reverse psychology, Chen Yuan, that self-important idiot, will give it to me."

She felt that this was the part of the marriage that made her the most satisfied.

Tao's Mother took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, saying, "This, you must never tell anyone else, and never do such things again. If the Chen family finds out you've been scheming against them, they definitely won't let you off. Can't we just live a peaceful life?"

Tao Yuyue sneered, "They were the ones who didn't want to live peacefully, it was Chen Yuan who tricked me! I'm just taking what's rightfully mine!"

She continued without politeness, "One day, I'll throw Chen Yuan out!"

Thank you everyone for your help, happy~

Tuantuan ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‍and Yuanyuan adopted the name "Youchi" given by the fairy, thank you again!