Chapter 275: Warm Room

Xu Damao got a noseful of dust in the cafeteria, like a frost‑hit eggplant, drooping and listless for several days, even couldn't summon spirit when showing movies, fearing others' pointing and gossip.

After this episode, Qin Huairu's image among the Steel Rolling Mill's rank‑and‑file workers became even more "steadfast" and "pitiful"; her strategy of advancing by retreating and keeping herself as pure as jade actually went much smoother. Things in this world are sometimes just so ironic.

Days are like the old water‑spraying truck at Hu Tong Kou, creak‑clank, yet they keep rolling forward. Early summer sun grew hotter, the Old Locust Tree in the courtyard finally blossomed, clusters of milky‑white flowers hidden among emerald leaves, emitting bursts of sweet fragrance that temporarily masked the slight foulness born of cramped space and scheming in the yard.

This upward vitality is most evident in sister Li Pingle. She has finished her double‑month confinement, her health is good, her complexion rosy, and her eyes now hold a sparkle.

The three courtyard houses allocated by the factory have been tidied, and on a chosen weekend, Chen Jianghe borrowed a handcart and began moving.

Calling it moving, there really wasn't much household. Two old wooden crates, a few bedding sets, pots and pans, plus two precious bundles—Chen Anbang and Li An Ning's cradles and potty chairs—were everything.

But the joy of moving from a crowded big communal yard to an independent home was genuine.

Li Ping'an arrived early in the morning with Lin Xueqing and the bouncing Li Yaozong. Lin Xueqing cradled some fresh home‑grown scallions and greens, a gift for warming the pot. Li Ping'an carried a heavy cloth sack that looked unremarkable.

"Brother, sister‑in‑law, you're here!" Li Pingle was arranging things in the courtyard; seeing brother and sister‑in‑law, she hurried over, her face unable to hide her joy.

"Come take a look, see if anything needs a hand." Li Ping'an said with a smile, handing her the sack, "a bit of grain and a piece of meat for tonight's warm‑room meal."

Li Pingle took the sack, felt its weight, opened it, and found a little less than half a sack of top‑grade millet and a piece of pork belly weighing three to four jin, fat and lean interlaced! Such generosity in these days is truly substantial!

"Brother! This… this is too precious!" Li Pingle exclaimed, both startled and delighted, and a little uneasy.

"Take it, just keep it." Li Ping'an said unambiguously, "Tonight's warm‑room, it has to be proper. What about Jianghe?"

"He's inside arranging the bed!" Li Pingle hurriedly replied.

Hearing the voice, Chen Jianghe also came out of the house; seeing Li Ping'an, his simple face full of gratitude, "Brother, you came, and brought so many things…"

"Family, no need to mention it." Li Ping'an waved his hand, surveyed the small courtyard. The yard was modest but tidy, a little patch of ground in the corner seemed set for planting vegetables. Though the three houses were old, the windows were bright and the floors clean; compared with the previous massive communal yard that was hard to turn around, it was a world apart. He felt happy for his sister.

"Alright, you handle yours, I'll see where I can lend a hand." Li Ping'an rolled up his sleeves and naturally began helping lift heavy items. Lin Xueqing, cradling Yaozong, joined Li Pingle to arrange the evening warm‑room meal.

Taking advantage of the moving, Li Ping'an slipped a small bag of about ten jin of plump rice and a small jar of gleaming lard into the sister's new home's rice jar and deep cabinet, silently.

These, of course, were taken from the Spiritual Spring Space, of quality far surpassing the outside world, and could silently supplement the sister's family's nutrition.

With Li Ping'an's meat and rice oil, the warm‑room meal's level instantly rose by more than one notch. Li Pingle and Lin Xueqing busied themselves in the kitchen, slicing meat and washing vegetables; the scent of rice mingled with meat rose in gentle curls from the brand‑new chimney, drifting over the courtyard, prompting neighbors to peek out.

Chen Jianghe specifically invited Sha Zhu to take the stove. Upon hearing it was Li Ping'an's sister's warm‑room and there was ready meat, Sha Zhu grabbed a big ladle without hesitation, shouting, "Watch this, okay! I guarantee this meat will smell ten li away!"

At dusk, a table was set in the tiny courtyard. The main dish was Sha Zhu's signature Red Braised Pork, glossy red, soft and savory; stir‑fried greens were emerald and tempting; golden millet porridge was thick and fragrant; and a plate of pickled vegetables that Lin Xueqing brought. For those who had endured a long famine, this spread was richer than any New Year feast.

Li Ping'an's family, Chen Jianghe's family (cradling two sleeping infants), plus Sha Zhu the contributor, sat around one table. No outsiders, only close kin and friends; the atmosphere was relaxed and warm.

"Come, Jianghe, Pingle," Li Ping'an raised a bowl of chilled plain tea used in place of wine, "congratulations on your new home! May the days ahead be like this Red Braised Pork—flourishing, ever better!"

"Thank you, brother!" Chen Jianghe and Li Pingle quickly stood, their eyes slightly reddened. This friendship was too heavy.

"Eat, eat, eat! Everyone dig in!" Sha Zhu shouted, first grabbing a huge piece of meat and shoving it into his mouth, squinting contentedly, "Mmm! fragrant! Brother, this skill is unbeatable!"

Little Li Yaozong sat on his own small stool, clutching a tiny bowl, eating with a greasy mouth, babbling for more. Lin Xueqing, while tending to her son, chatted with Li Pingle about personal matters, sharing the hardships and joys of raising twins.

The sunset's afterglow dyed the courtyard a warm orange‑red; the aromas of food, children's babble, adults' chatter wove into an ordinary yet profoundly moving tableau. In this moment there was no scheming, no famine, only the warmth and hope belonging to home.

Li Ping'an watched his sister's genuine, satisfied smile, watched An Bang and An Ning sleeping peacefully in their swaddles, and felt a calm inside. All his effort and protection were simply to let the ones he cared for enjoy such tranquil, well‑fed moments, weren't they?

This simple warm‑room meal was not just food, but also a hope and blessing for the new life.

Sister's family finally put down real roots in this city, gaining a nest that can shelter from wind and rain and bear hope.

And this also made Li Ping'an more resolute in his path. No matter the outside storms, he will do his utmost to guard this small, warm world beside him. As night deepened, the courtyard lights, under the brand‑new eaves, shone especially bright and steadfast.