He Daqing, do you know how I've lived these past years?

"Dongxu, hurry up and go to the subdistrict office to inquire about your household registration. Your uncle is coming tomorrow, and I'm going back with him to allocate land. When I come back, I'll transfer your household registration to the city. That way, we'll have both receipts and land."

Jia Zhangshi quietly pulled Jia Dongxu, who was on his way to work, and said something.

Jia Dongxu asked curiously:

"Mother, how did you know? I've never heard of this from my master."

"It's all over the neighborhood. Your uncle wrote a long time ago saying that the village is going to redistribute land, and that Yi Zhonghai is hoping we'll suffer. Don't forget to tell him after you get off work."

Madam Jia said to Dongxu with a mixture of disappointment and frustration.

Jia Dongxu smiled awkwardly, walked out of the courtyard, and headed towards the steel plant.

He had only gone halfway when a man walked towards him, startling Jia Dongxu so much that he stammered:

Uncle He

The man who had walked over was also taken aback for a moment and said:

"Young man, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not He Daqing, I'm his younger brother, my name is Cai Quanwu."

Jia Dongxu also took a breath and said:

"Hello Uncle Cai, are you here to see Uncle He?"

Cai Quanwu also took out a cigarette from his pocket and offered it to Jia Dongxu, saying:

"Yes, I'm here to see my brother. We haven't seen each other for several years. I have something to discuss with him this time."

Jia Dongxu shook his head and said:

"Uncle Cai, you don't know, Uncle He has been in Baocheng for three years now. His son and daughter live in the courtyard now. He Yuzhu works in the canteen, and his start time is a little later than ours."

Cai Quanwu hesitated for a moment before thanking him:

"Hmm, it's alright, I was just going to check on them anyway."

After saying goodbye, I went straight into courtyard number 95.

Yan Bugui, who was watering the flowers and wearing a straw hat, exclaimed with delight when he saw Cai Quanwu walk in:

"Great Qing, you're back! You've been away for a few years, catching the spring breeze and looking younger and younger."

Cai Quanwu chuckled and offered Yan Bugui a cigarette, saying:

“Brother, I’m not He Daqing, I’m his younger brother Cai Quanwu. I’ve come to visit my nephew and niece today. But your straw hat is covering most of your face, so you look kind of familiar to me.”

Yan Bugui was also stunned and said:

"Oh, oh, then hurry up and go, that silly Zhu hasn't left yet."

"No, He Yuzhu hasn't left yet, you need to hurry,"

Cai Quanwu nodded and walked towards the Intermediate People's Court.

As soon as he entered the central courtyard, a woman pulled him to a side room and then threw him into her arms.

"Waaah, Qing Dynasty, you're finally back! Take me with you, just give me a place to stay, I don't want to follow Yi Zhonghai anymore. You don't know he's also scheming against Zhu Zi and Yu Shui."

Cai looked awkwardly at the woman in his arms, unsure whether to hold her or put her down.

Sigh, my brother's womanizing ways are nothing compared to mine, where I'm always hooking up with pregnant women.

"Sister-in-law, I'm not He Daqing, I'm his younger brother Cai Quanwu."

Upon hearing this, Cuilan was so frightened that she hurriedly got out of Cai Quanwu's arms and stammered:

Don't tell anyone what I just said.

He then hurriedly ran away.

Cai Quanwu looked around and then headed straight for the He family's house.

"Damn it, He Daqing! You dare come back? I'll beat you to death!"

Just as Cai Quanwu was about to knock on the door, He Yuzhu, who had come out to wash up, saw him and angrily shouted loudly.

Before Cai Quanwu could speak, He Yuzhu hurriedly turned around, pulled out a rolling pin from behind the door, and struck Cai Quanwu directly.

"Ouch!"

"Ouch!"

Despite the pain, Cai Quanwu grabbed He Yuzhu's wrist and said:

"Zhu Zi, your uncle doesn't recognize you anymore. Take a good look."

He Yuzhu ignored him and started hitting the rolling pin wildly.

Cai Quanwu was immediately beaten until his head was covered in blood.

Hearing the screams, Yan Bugui rushed in and shouted:

"Shazhu, he's not your father, he's your uncle Cai Quanwu."

Having calmed down somewhat after the beating, He Yuzhu immediately knelt down and helped up Cai Quanwu, who was curled up on the ground screaming in pain, upon hearing the shouts.

"Uncle Cai, Uncle Cai"

Yan Bugui also hurriedly stepped forward to help Cai Quanwu up and said:

"Seeing how hard you hit him, what are you standing there for? Go find a cart and take him to Old Wei's place for a checkup."

He Yuzhu also ran out of the courtyard gate, saying "Oh, oh".

"You, aren't you the ragpicker Hou from Liulichang?"

"No, he doesn't have clothes that clean."

Cai Quanwu opened his drowsy eyes and looked at the man in front of him, speaking haltingly.

"You're that guy who likes to play the shadow puppeteer, thank you! Come to the tavern sometime, I'll treat you to a drink."

As he spoke, he fainted.

Yan Bugui struggled to support Cai Quanwu, unsure whether to walk or not, and could only grit his teeth and drag him towards the courtyard gate.

"This is ridiculous. Anyone can recognize my older brother and uncle, even though I've hidden myself in such a remote place."

"Oh well, what's meant to be will be. My older brother told me last time that he's having a hard time because of his family background, and my uncle is known as the 'Rag Collector' because he collects scraps all day, but nobody's giving him a hard time. It's just that I need to find a chance to get back the porcelain and other things I hid with him."

……

After an incense stick had burned a while, He Yuzhu, having learned of the situation, immediately kowtowed and admitted his mistake. He also learned the purpose of Cai Quanwu's visit.

He Yuzhu also explained his situation, saying he couldn't help, and could only suggest that in the future, if friends wanted to drink, they would go to the small tavern near Zhengyangmen.

When Cai Quanwu asked to see the rainwater, He Yuzhu shook his head and said:

"Uncle Cai, the eldest uncle in the courtyard took the lead, and the third uncle, the one who just helped you, helped Yushui get into school. He's still at school now."

Cai Quanwu could only nod and say he would visit them again next time.

After getting up from the needle prick, he paid a dollar, told He Yuzhu he still needed to take the wine back to the tavern, and then left.

That evening, He Yuzhu picked up Yushui and told her about it. The two siblings also decided to go to Zhengyangmen to see their uncle, whom they hadn't contacted in a long time.

The next morning, just as the He siblings stepped out, they encountered Yi Zhonghai, who was being driven home in a jeep.

Upon learning of the situation, Yi Zhonghai smiled and encouraged the two to go and see him, after all, they were family.

After watching the He siblings leave, Yi Zhonghai said coldly:

"You're all trapped under the Five Elements Mountain and you still want to run away? You're not getting out, you silly Zhu."

As he spoke, he touched his shaved head, where a white bandage stretched across it like an eye patch on a one-eyed man.

"Zhong Hai, Zhong Hai"

Upon hearing the sound, Yi Zhonghai hurriedly turned around to look at his little baby.

"What's wrong, Huairu?"

After looking around and not seeing anyone, Qin Huairu hurriedly stepped forward and whispered:

“Zhonghai, Banggeng’s hair is starting to curl. Jia Zhangshi is starting to have doubts because Dongxu’s hair wasn’t curly when he was little, but yours…”

Upon hearing this, Yi Zhonghai also felt that surviving a great calamity meant good fortune was on its way. His hair was naturally curly, so that meant Bang Geng really was his son.

This relieved Yi Zhonghai. He had returned from the hospital after being attacked from below, and the doctor had subtly hinted that it might affect his fertility.

Qin Huairu breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Yi Zhonghai, who was smiling but staring blankly without saying a word.

She had mentioned this curly hair to Jia Dongxu before; her father-in-law's hair used to be curly too, but it had become a bit unkempt over time, so it wasn't noticeable anymore.

After regaining his senses, Yi Zhonghai shakily and laboriously pulled a small wad of cash from his pocket and handed it to Huai Ru, saying:

"Take this money and buy yourself some necessities, and take good care of Banggeng."

However, neither of them noticed that by the wall...

Five-year-old Yan Jiefang was helping three-year-old Yan Jiekuang climb through a dog hole.

……