Chapter 360: Sweeping Snow from One's Own Doorstep

Living close to one's parents' home has this benefit: it's convenient to go back and forth.

At this moment, the moon had already risen high, and the cold wind, unique to early spring, blew against the fading spring couplets on the door frame, making them flap with a fluttering sound.

Perhaps because it was windy tonight, the moonlight was sometimes obscured by dark clouds, and the courtyard was somewhat dark when Li Li Xuewu walked back.

The pale yellow light from each household in the courtyard cast silhouettes onto the windows.

Through the window, Qin Qin Huairu saw a tall figure enter from the front courtyard and head toward the back courtyard.

Without needing to see the face, she knew from the walking posture that Li Li Xuewu had returned.

"Eat well, and go to sleep right after you finish."

After instructing the three children who were eating, Qin Qin Huairu said to her mother-in-law, "Li Li Xuewu should be back; I'm going over for a moment."

Jia Jia Zhangshi glanced at Qin Qin Huairu and said, "It's already getting late."

"I need to discuss something; I'll be back in a while."

Seeing that his mother was going to the back courtyard, Bang Geng looked up and said, "Mom, I want to go too! I want to watch TV!"

Xiao Dang hadn't seen the television her brother mentioned last time, so she wanted to go too.

Huai Hua was even more direct; whatever her brother and sister wanted, she wanted too.

Qin Qin Huairu stood up, walked to the door, put on her coat, and said over her shoulder, "Your Wu Shu has been tired all day. Mom is just going there to talk about something; I'll be back very soon."

As she spoke, she had already opened the door and left.

Jia Jia Zhangshi glanced at Qin Qin Huairu's retreating back and said to the three children, "Eat. What's so good about that TV? Grandma will play the radio for you in a bit."

Bang Geng pouted and said, "There are people in the TV. Are there people in the radio too?"

"How could there not be?"

Jia Jia Zhangshi said, "If there weren't people, how could they talk?"

Bang Geng lowered his head and muttered, "Ugh, I can't explain it to you."

Jia Jia Zhangshi understood, of course, but since Qin Qin Huairu wouldn't let them go, what could she say?

Now, because of Qin Qin Huairu's progress, the situation in this household had undergone a fundamental change.

A few days ago, hearing that Qin Qin Huairu had advanced again, Jia Jia Zhangshi had been flattered and had smiled for two days.

After thinking it over these past few days, she realized that this progress might not necessarily be a good thing.

Because of Qin Qin Huairu's advancement, some people had actually started inquiring about the Jia family's situation.

Yesterday, while Jia Jia Zhangshi was on duty at the gatehouse, she saw someone from the neighborhood committee asking at the courtyard entrance about Qin Qin Huairu's children and mother-in-law.

What did this mean?

Based on Jia Jia Zhangshi's years of experience as a gossip, wasn't this clearly about setting Qin Qin Huairu up with a partner?

This terrified Jia Jia Zhangshi. With Qin Qin Huairu's current status and conditions, she could find anyone she wanted.

Even with a mother-in-law and children in tow, given Qin Qin Huairu's waistline and that face that looked like it could drip water, wouldn't people be fighting to have her?

If it were before, Jia Jia Zhangshi would have started making a scene, insisting on making Qin Qin Huairu's life miserable.

But now she didn't dare. Even without her making a scene, people were already trying to set her up; if she made a scene, wouldn't they have even more reason to do so?

So, for the past two days, Jia Jia Zhangshi had done all the chores she could, just to gauge Qin Qin Huairu's mood.

Now seeing Qin Qin Huairu leave, she was actually hoping Qin Qin Huairu would go to the back courtyard; it would be better if she didn't come back at all.

She had thought it through: Li Li Xuewu had such a standard partner, how could he possibly want Qin Qin Huairu? It was just a bit of fun.

If Qin Qin Huairu was with Li Li Xuewu, she wouldn't look for anyone else, and she wouldn't abandon them.

Jia Jia Zhangshi was such a shrewd person; she considered herself the sharpest in this alley, and no one dared to compete with her!

So now she thought, rather than living in fear, it was better to support Qin Qin Huairu in going to find Li Li Xuewu.

Qin Qin Huairu had actually sensed these things; thinking about the things the neighbors had said openly or covertly these past few days, and looking at her mother-in-law's behavior,

although she had no intention of looking for anyone else, she was happy to pretend she didn't know.

"Tired?"

When Qin Qin Huairu entered the room, she saw Li Li Xuewu lying on the sofa, his clothes thrown all over the floor.

"Yeah, I didn't even rest after coming back this afternoon."

Seeing Qin Qin Huairu go to pick up the clothes on the floor, Li Li Xuewu reminded her, "They're dirty, all covered in dust; I threw them there on purpose."

Hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, Qin Qin Huairu still picked up the clothes, and as she walked toward the bathroom, she said, "If they're dirty, soak them in water. Can they get clean by themselves just lying there?"

After scolding Li Li Xuewu, Qin Qin Huairu found a large basin in the bathroom and emptied the pockets of the clothes.

She placed the money, tickets, and a small notebook she took out to one side, drew hot water from the hot water tap, and added laundry detergent.

"There were still things in the pockets; you're so messy."

Qin Qin Huairu walked back and placed the items on the tea cabinet against the wall in the entryway.

"The clothes are soaking; let Yu Li wash them when she comes."

As she spoke, she walked over to the long sofa and sat down, squeezing in beside Li Li Xuewu's waist.

Watching Li Li Xuewu lying on the armrest with his eyes closed, she reached out, pulled his arm over, placed it on her lap, and began kneading his arm.

"So busy right after coming back?"

Li Li Xuewu wasn't asleep; he had been listening to Qin Qin Huairu walking around the room talking.

Feeling Qin Qin Huairu kneading his arm and shoulder, he opened his eyes.

"Not busy, just trivial matters."

Looking at Qin Qin Huairu's chubby face, Li Li Xuewu smiled and asked, "Eating well lately? Let me see if you've gained weight."

As he spoke, he reached his hand under her clothes.

"Stop it!"

Qin Qin Huairu playfully slapped Li Li Xuewu and said, "I felt sorry for you because you were tired, why are you being naughty?"

Although she said that, her hands didn't stop Li Li Xuewu, letting his large hand do as it pleased.

"You've gained weight."

"Of course."

Qin Qin Huairu looked down at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Eating in the small cafeteria every day, how could I not gain weight?"

As she spoke, she lowered her head, her face facing Li Li Xuewu's, and after examining him carefully for a while, she said, "You've actually lost weight."

"Oh, give me a break~"

Li Li Xuewu pulled his hand out, rested his arm casually on Qin Qin Huairu's lap, patted it, and laughed, "Eating until full and playing, playing until tired and eating, eating until tired and sleeping—how could I lose weight?"

"Is your training just playing?"

Qin Qin Huairu glared at Li Li Xuewu playfully, then reached out to knead his right shoulder.

Watching Qin Qin Huairu, who was about to "bump into him with her balls," Li Li Xuewu squinted and laughed, "For me, it is just playing."

"Stop bragging!"

She had been a bit stirred up by the kneading just now, but she knew it wasn't the right time, fearing that if this bad guy started being naughty, she wouldn't be able to stop him, so she stopped teasing Li Li Xuewu.

She sat up straight, helped Li Li Xuewu knead his fingers, and asked, "Are you going to the unit tomorrow?"

"Why?"

Li Li Xuewu opened his eyes, then squinted them again; the light from the ceiling was a bit dazzling.

"It's Sunday, why go to the unit?"

"Once you start working, you'll be busy enough!"

Knowing Li Li Xuewu had his own plans, Qin Qin Huairu smiled and scolded him, then said no more.

Li Li Xuewu smiled and said, "Does this work ever end? You're busy whenever you go."

After saying this, he asked Qin Qin Huairu, "What about you? Busy?"

"Busy!"

Qin Qin Huairu held Li Li Xuewu's large hand, feeling very secure in her heart.

"Once Director Xu left, the burden was all on me. It took me many days to get things sorted out."

As she spoke, she glanced at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Thanks to Zhang Songying's help."

Mentioning Zhang Zhang Songying, Li Li Xuewu glared at Qin Qin Huairu and asked, "Playing 'openly repair the plank road, secretly cross the Chencang' with me, are you?"

"Hahahaha."

Qin Qin Huairu covered her mouth and laughed, "Still remembering that?"

Seeing that Li Li Xuewu wasn't angry, she leaned down and whispered in Li Li Xuewu's ear, "She's still thinking about you even now."

"Asking for a beating, are you?"

Li Li Xuewu reached out and slapped Qin Qin Huairu on her raised buttocks.

"Ah!"

Qin Qin Huairu pinched Li Li Xuewu in anger and said, "You really used force!"

"If I don't hit you hard, you won't remember."

Hearing Li Li Xuewu say that, Qin Qin Huairu widened her eyes and laughed, "You're quite bold, aren't you? Master Yang Er at you, you're not even as bold as Li Li Huai De, who dared to let that person go upstairs in broad daylight."

As she spoke, she looked at Li Li Xuewu and asked, "Tell me, a deputy factory director, in the middle of the day, what kind of work could he be discussing with the catering section chief of the guesthouse?"

Li Li Xuewu smiled indifferently and said, "Maybe discussing eating seafood."

"What?"

Qin Qin Huairu didn't understand what Li Li Xuewu meant, but seeing Li Li Xuewu's expression, she knew he was being naughty.

Li Li Xuewu patted Qin Qin Huairu, letting her help him stand up.

"What's wrong?"

"I'll get you something."

As he spoke, he walked into the inner room and came out carrying a bag.

"Take it home, soak it, and cook it yourself."

"What's this?"

"Seafood."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu hand her the bag and then sit in the single chair, Qin Qin Huairu opened the bag on the coffee table.

Dried shrimp, shrimp meat, small yellow croaker—it wasn't until she saw the dried abalone that she remembered the joke Li Li Xuewu had just made.

"Where did you get so much seafood?"

Qin Qin Huairu understood the meaning, but she didn't say anything else, instead asking, "Is there a seafood market where you were training?"

"Yeah."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Bought some; it's not that great, just for the sake of freshness."

He said it casually, then reminded her, "Be careful about the influence."

Although he only gave Qin Qin Huairu a few common items, he still had to guard against greedy people.

Qin Qin Huairu smiled and said, "Yeah, thanks."

Li Li Xuewu smiled indifferently and asked, "Has the appointment been announced?"

"Yeah."

She was looking at the dried small yellow croaker without heads; hearing Li Li Xuewu's words, she packed up the bag in her hand and placed it on the edge of the coffee table.

Then, leaning back on the sofa, she replied, "The results were announced a few days ago. Zhang Zhang Songying was so excited she cried, and she said she wanted to thank you."

Li Li Xuewu didn't pick up on Qin Qin Huairu's words, nodded, and said, "Stay away from Liu Lan; don't provoke her. Catering is under her management; don't let her interfere with anything else."

"Got it."

Li Li Xuewu looked at Qin Qin Huairu and reminded her again, "Remember, rumors can come from the outside, but you can't have a single word of gossip from within. The guesthouse is not a place for spreading rumors."

"Yeah."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu remind her twice, Qin Qin Huairu knew the severity of the situation and asked Li Li Xuewu, "Do you have any arrangements for the guesthouse?"

Li Li Xuewu glanced at Qin Qin Huairu and said, "Just do your job as the guesthouse director well; don't get involved in factory affairs."

Qin Qin Huairu saw that Li Li Xuewu was serious and asked hesitantly, "Is... is there something going on?"

"Nothing."

Li Li Xuewu squinted and shook his head, saying, "When you can run the guesthouse like an iron bucket, that's when you'll be secure. When you encounter things, think more, ask more, and be more attentive. I have big uses for the guesthouse."

"Oh!"

She didn't know what Li Li Xuewu was using the factory guesthouse for, but Li Li Xuewu saying he had big uses made her cautious.

"The investigation team has already withdrawn from the guesthouse. It seems the people were taken away by the municipal bureau. I saw them get into the car, and now it has resumed business."

Speaking of the guesthouse, Qin Qin Huairu gave a brief introduction.

"Because the environment is better, more people are staying here. Looking at the stadium over there, it's also been cleaned up, and many people are looking forward to it."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and asked, "Has Master Dou started working on the greenery around Tuanjie Lake?"

"He's done more than half."

Qin Qin Huairu nodded and said, "The ground has been re-leveled, the paths have been paved, and they are laying irrigation pipes where they plan to plant trees and grass. They say they'll start planting trees in the middle of next month, and it won't be fully finished until June or July."

"Yeah."

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "You know Master Dou too; take care of him where you can, but don't have any financial dealings. Have the accounting section handle these things with Master Dou."

"Okay, got it."

Qin Qin Huairu had just agreed when she heard movement at the door; looking up, she saw Yu Li push the door open and walk in.

"Finished?"

"Yeah."

Yu Li entered the room, looked at Li Li Xuewu, and seeing Qin Qin Huairu sitting there, nodded and said, "There were many people today, and everyone helped out. Just now, He Yu Shui, Chen Xiaoyan, and I were delayed for a while mending clothes for those children."

Li Li Xuewu turned his head and asked, "Have they all gone back?"

Knowing Li Li Xuewu was asking about Chen Xiaoyan, Yu Li nodded and said, "Shen Guodong sent Chen Xiaoyan back, and the third uncle went back by himself."

After speaking, she said to Li Li Xuewu, "Go into the room and change your clothes; I'll wash them for you."

"Okay."

Li Li Xuewu stood up, supporting himself on the armrest, and walked toward the inner room; Qin Qin Huairu followed him and stood up as well.

"You go ahead, I'm going back."

Yu Li glanced at the things Qin Qin Huairu was carrying and walked toward the bathroom, saying as she walked, "Stay a while longer; it's not like you're busy at home."

"How could I not be busy?"

Qin Qin Huairu smiled and said, "There are three children. Oh, right!"

Seeing Yu Li enter the bathroom, Qin Qin Huairu added, "The clothes he wore this afternoon are dirty; I soaked them in laundry detergent."

"Got it, I'll wash them for him in a bit."

Yu Li agreed, opened the bathtub valve, came out, and walked toward the inner room, preparing to tidy up the luggage Li Li Xuewu had brought back.

Qin Qin Huairu glanced at Yu Li walking toward the inner room, curled her lip, and left.

When she reached the window of the inner room, she saw Yu Li pull the curtains shut, and she couldn't help but mutter, "They don't even hide it from people anymore; why are they so..."

And Yu Li, standing in the inner room tidying up the luggage bag Li Li Xuewu had brought back, also muttered, "She knows how to soak them but doesn't know how to wash them; she just knows how to sit there, but she's quite proactive when it comes to taking things."

Li Li Xuewu looked at the pajamas in his hand, thinking about how dirty he was, so he put the pajamas aside and walked straight to the bathroom.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu's state, Yu Li laughed, "You didn't even lock the door; what if someone sees you?"

Li Li Xuewu said indifferently, "At this time, who would come?"

As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and turned his head, laughing, "This door is only walked through by you two without even calling out."

"Go!"

Yu Li scolded him playfully and said, "Hurry up and take a bath; don't catch a cold."

When Li Li Xuewu entered the bathtub, Yu Li took the clothes and a small stool, sat by the bathroom, and talked while washing Li Li Xuewu's clothes.

"I heard Qin Qin Huairu became the guesthouse director?"

"Yeah."

Li Li Xuewu closed his eyes and responded, then asked, "Did people in the courtyard say so?"

"Yeah."

Yu Li scrubbed Li Li Xuewu's uniform with a washboard and said, "There's also talk about you, saying you became the deputy director of the security department."

"Yeah."

Li Li Xuewu nodded to show he understood, but didn't continue on that topic, instead saying, "This week I'm calling Master Dou to come and look at the site; spring is almost here."

"Okay."

"Don't just say okay; you should think about how to build this house. Tomorrow, let Xuecai bring his partner over to talk about the house."

Yu Li didn't look up and said, "The house will be just like that; what else could it be?"

Now she wasn't thinking much about the house; ever since Yan Brother Jiecheng left, this house had become an obsession for her.

Once this house was built, she would be living in it alone; how good it would be, even if it was just a place to shelter from the wind and rain.

Li Li Xuewu knew Yu Li's thoughts, so he said, "Tomorrow, let's see what Xuecai and the others think. If not, you two families can build the same one."

"Whatever, you decide."

As she spoke, she looked up at Li Li Xuewu and said, "Didn't you say you'd cover it all? Anyway, I don't have any money."

"Trying to play a trick, are you?"

Li Li Xuewu laughed and said, "You wouldn't build the house and then not pay me, would you?"

Hearing Li Li Xuewu joking, Yu Li laughed along.

"Master Yang Er at how stingy you are; people who don't know might think you're a rich landlord!"

"Hahahaha."

The two joked for a while, Yu Li finished washing the clothes, and Li Li Xuewu also stepped out of the bathtub.

He took a bath towel, wiped himself, wrapped it around his waist, and returned to the inner room.

After changing into pajamas, he saw Yu Li bring in a cup of warm water and place it on the chest cabinet.

"The clothes are hanging in the living room; be careful of the water on the floor if you get up at night."

After reminding Li Li Xuewu, she spread the quilt for him.

After taking a sip of water and checking the time, Li Li Xuewu adjusted the volume of the small monster (radio), took out the manuscript he had been reading from his bag, and sat down at the desk.

"Click."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu turn on the desk lamp, Yu Li asked softly, "Still working?"

"Yeah, some manuscripts to look over."

Li Li Xuewu replied, letting Yu Li find the clothes he would wear tomorrow morning from the walk-in closet and place them by the kang.

"Is the training environment bad? Why are you still reading after coming back?"

Listening to Yu Li walking around the room in her slippers with a "tap-tap" sound, Li Li Xuewu laughed and said, "It's quite good, just too many people, so I couldn't read carefully."

Yu Li walked over to the small monster and turned the volume down a bit.

"Reading while listening to this?"

"It's fine."

Li Li Xuewu turned his head to look and said, "I'm used to it; having some sound makes my brain more active."

Watching Li Li Xuewu take a pencil from the drawer to read, Yu Li refilled the water cup and placed it on the desk.

She leaned over to look at the book Li Li Xuewu was reading and saw that it was all handwritten text.

There was Li Li Xuewu's flowing handwriting, as well as small, elegant notes in the margins.

She didn't understand much of what was here, so she walked behind Li Li Xuewu and kneaded his shoulders with her hands.

"You've been tired all day; get some rest early."

Li Li Xuewu felt Yu Li behind him and advised her.

"Okay."

Although Yu Li agreed, she still kneaded for more than ten minutes before tidying up and leaving the room.

When she returned to the upper room, she saw that He Yu Shui had already spread the quilt.

"Finished tidying up?"

"Yeah."

Yu Li nodded and said with a smile, "I don't know what he did this afternoon; he was as dirty as a gray monkey, and I had to scrub hard to get it clean."

He He Yu Shui had also seen the clothes Li Li Xuewu wore this afternoon; as she applied cream to her face, she said, "Just wash them when you have time tomorrow."

Yu Li washed her hands in the washbasin at the door, drew a pot of cold water, and placed it on the stove.

"That's his uniform; you never know when he'll need it, so I didn't dare delay."

"You're really attentive."

He He Yu Shui put on her sweater, walked to the door, and latched it. As she walked toward the bed, she said, "Not to mention the three meals a day for the side-room, there's also the stove in the back courtyard, his clothes, and the shop that still needs looking after."

Yu Li laughed and said, "It's not bad to have a job that earns money. For someone like me, where else could I find a business right at my doorstep?"

He He Yu Shui waited for Yu Li to get into the quilt, looked at Yu Li, who was sitting on the bed waiting for the water in the kettle to heat up, and asked, "How much does he pay you a month?"

Having lived with He Yu Shui for so long, Yu Li knew she was a straightforward girl with no hidden agendas.

"The gatehouse rooms and the recycling shop are one job, and he gives an extra portion for tidying up the back courtyard."

He He Yu Shui was quite curious about this and asked, hugging Yu Li's waist, "So how much is that?"

"So curious, are you?"

Yu Li laughed and said, "What, you want to do it too?"

"Just asking."

He He Yu Shui laughed and lay on the pillow, saying, "Busy back and forth like this, it wouldn't be worth it if the pay was low."

Yu Li laughed, tucked the quilt for He He Yu Shui, and explained, "How much work can there be? They say three meals, but I'd be cooking at home anyway. Besides, your brother cooks dinner."

Seeing the kettle on the stove steaming, Yu Li got out of bed, walked to the cabinet, took a thermos, and placed it by the stove.

"The only real work is braising the pig offal at noon. At the recycling shop, I just use my mouth. Knowing I have a lot to do in the morning, Chen Xiaoyan comes early to help me clean up."

He He Yu Shui gestured toward the back courtyard and asked, "What about the back courtyard?"

"How much work can there be in the back courtyard?"

Seeing the water boil, Yu Li picked up the kettle, removed the wooden stopper of the thermos, and poured the boiling water in.

This was the hot water for the two of them to wash up tomorrow morning. Yu Li went to work during the day and didn't come back, and He He Yu Shui also left in the morning and came back in the evening.

So they didn't light the stove in the morning, and the room was quite clean.

Sha Zhu basically ate in the gatehouse rooms, so the oil, salt, sauce, and vinegar in this room were all put away or taken to the gatehouse rooms.

After putting the thermos away, Yu Li shoveled a scoop of coal into the stove.

"Sometimes he doesn't even come home, busy here and there. Just like now, he just got back from the Northeast and is running off to Jinmen again; he hasn't been around for almost a month."

She walked to the bed, got into the quilt, lay down, and pulled the light cord; the room went dark instantly.

Only the moonlight from outside the window shone on the curtains, casting faint light into the room.

Then there was the stove at the door of the room; the coal fire was intense, making the furnace chamber glow a deep, hot red.

"Yu Jie."

He He Yu Shui looked at the outline of Yu Li's face in the darkness. Ever since Yu Li mentioned her divorce last time, she had changed how she addressed her, no longer calling her "sister-in-law," but "Yu Jie."

She felt she might be the only person in this courtyard who knew about Yu Li's divorce.

So, feeling a sense of shared misfortune at this moment, she asked, "Do you not plan on looking for someone else?"

"Looking for whom?"

Yu Li smiled and said, "To find another one to make me angry? Living alone is so much better."

He He Yu Shui pursed her lips, but still urged, "You're so young, how can you live alone?"

"I'm not looking anymore."

Yu Li lay on the pillow, looking into the void, and said, "I'm different from you. It's not that easy for a divorced woman to find someone."

"Someone with a good temper, someone capable, someone in good health—would they even look at me?"

"So what if you're a divorced woman?"

He He Yu Shui said, "You have your own job now, and your own house. Wouldn't you have your pick of partners?"

As she spoke, she raised her head to look at Yu Li's face and added, "Besides, you're so young and pretty, how could you not find someone you like?"

"Hahaha."

Hearing He He Yu Shui call her pretty, Yu Li laughed and said, "You think a man you like is a soybean? Just there for the picking."

After the joke, she sighed and said, "How many divorced women part on peaceful terms? It's all a mess, with resentment in our hearts and everyone holding a grudge."

She reached out to touch the hand He Yu Shui had extended to pull her own, and said, "Don't look at how clearly I speak now; if I were to marry again, I'd be muddled. I'd always be comparing him to the past, always making excessive demands, and I just can't trust men anymore. Sigh~"

Finally, she sighed again and said, "Rather than finding trouble for myself, it's better to live like this. I'll live however I'm comfortable, earn my own money, and spend it myself. Who could say anything about that?"

Hearing Yu Li's words, He He Yu Shui didn't speak for a long time. Finally, she said with a choked voice, "I really understand you, Sister."

Yu Li sensed the change in He He Yu Shui's emotions, turned over, and touched He Yu Shui's face; her hand was already wet.

"What's wrong? Didn't I say you're different from me?"

"What's different about it?"

He He Yu Shui sniffled and said, "Although people at work don't say it to my face, I've heard what they say behind my back."

Yu Li wiped He He Yu Shui's tears and comforted her, "Don't pay attention to them wagging their tongues."

Actually, Yu Li knew what those people were saying without He He Yu Shui having to tell her.

It wasn't just at He He Yu Shui's workplace; the neighbors in the courtyard also gossiped. Yu Li had encountered people talking about He He Yu Shui several times.

No one knew who started it, but they said the He family ancestors lacked virtue, and He Great Qing didn't act like a human, leaving behind these two children.

He Yu Shui had grown up like a wild child, so it wasn't easy for her to find a husband's family.

Then, after the incident with Jing Jing Yongjie, they were already engaged and on the verge of getting their marriage certificate and holding the wedding, but the reputation of being a "widow-to-be" had already spread.

Although it was already the new society at this time, the old people were still around.

As long as these people were around, the old thoughts, old perspectives, and old customs could not be eliminated.

Just as Yu Li said, when people hear about a divorced woman, the first thing they think is: Is Yu Li infertile? Did she do something wrong? Is her character bad?

In any case, the first thing they think of is always the woman's fault.

Regardless of the reason, when she wants to find someone again, she can only look for older men, men in poor health, or men who are also divorced.

She can't even hope for good conditions; those with good conditions wouldn't look for someone like her.

This kind of old thinking didn't change until the end of the family planning era in later generations, coupled with more social work opportunities opening up for women.

Yu Li's situation was like this, let alone He He Yu Shui's situation.

Some families would rather choose Yu Li than He He Yu Shui; they looked down on her.

Only Seeing Sha Zhu was thick-skinned, still happy all day long, not taking his sister's affairs to heart.

If there were a father and mother around, they would have been worried long ago.

He He Yu Shui was also used to it. Li Li Xuewu had thought she would be sad for a long time, but she went to work normally after the New Year.

Yu Li was also able to continue busy with her own work.

But Yu Li knew that He He Yu Shui had swallowed her bitterness; sometimes at night, she could hear He He Yu Shui crying secretly.

Even if people in the courtyard and colleagues at work were cautious, the discriminatory looks in people's eyes could not be hidden.

When Seeing Sha Zhu found a cart from the west courtyard to pull back the furniture He He Yu Shui had prepared for her marriage, people in the courtyard talked about it privately for a while.

The CBD business center at the courtyard entrance—the gatehouse—was even more attentive to such domestic trifles.

Because the old men and women on duty during the day had nothing to do, they felt uncomfortable if they didn't gossip.

"Only those without ability pick this; we wouldn't even give it to those who are poor and pretentious."

Yu Li urged her, saying, "When the weather gets warmer, I'll ask Li Li Xuewu in the back courtyard to help you see if there's anyone suitable. He has many friends and broad connections."

"Mm."

He He Yu Shui knew Yu Li was comforting her and didn't want Yu Li to worry about her, so she nodded along with Yu Li's suggestion.

The sun rose from the same place every day, and every snowstorm was always so sudden and overbearing.

Waking up in the morning, Li Li Xuewu sat up, looked at the dim room, and reached out to pull open the curtains.

He saw that it was snowing heavily outside, and there was already half a foot of snow on the ground.

He folded the quilt on the kang, put on the clothes Yu Li had prepared for him, filled the stove with coal balls, and only then put on his leather shoes and went out.

The fire in the room didn't go out during the day because the heating in the room couldn't be turned off.

Another reason was that the old lady from the front courtyard and Li Shu would come to the back courtyard to stay during the day.

Sometimes when guests came to the house, Li Xue would also bring her books to the back courtyard to study.

"Patta."

Just as Li Li Xuewu stepped out of the room, his foot landed on the snow, and slush was squeezed out.

"Wu Shu."

Li Li Xuewu turned his head and saw Bang Geng wearing a cotton hat, standing at the chicken coop entrance looking this way.

"Wu Shu, this snow is fluffy; it's already melted underneath."

"Got it."

Li Li Xuewu replied, picked up the broom leaning against the door, and swept the snow away from the entrance.

After sweeping the snow from his own entrance, he glanced at the Deaf Old Lady's entrance in the back courtyard, then swung the broom to sweep her entrance as well.

Although it was still snowing, as long as it was swept away, the slush would melt once the sun came out from behind the clouds in a while.

The courtyard was paved with blue bricks, which absorbed water.

After he finished, he just raised his head and saw the Deaf Old Lady standing behind the window watching him.

Seeing Li Li Xuewu look up, the Deaf Old Lady smiled and nodded.

Li Li Xuewu also smiled, turned around, and swept along his own doorway toward the moon gate.

While Second Aunt was cooking, she saw Li Li Xuewu sweeping the snow in the courtyard, but she didn't pay much attention to it at first.

But seeing Li Li Xuewu also sweep the Deaf Old Lady's entrance, she curled her lips, placed the meal on the table, and said to Liu Liu Haizhong, who had gotten up early, "Master Yang Er at that, the awareness of a cadre is just different. He's even doing good deeds, though I don't know who he's doing it for."

Liu Liu Haizhong didn't quite understand, but seeing his wife gesturing toward the door, he stood up and leaned against the glass to look outside.

He saw that Li Li Xuewu's doorway and the old lady's doorway were swept, but other places were not.

"Heh, that's truly 'everyone sweeps the snow from their own door, don't worry about the frost on others' tiles'."

He muttered a sentence, then turned and entered the inner room. Seeing that Liu Liu Guangtian and Liu Liu Guangfu were still snoring on the bed, he kicked the bed.

"Get up, all of you get up."

"What's wrong? Dad!"

"What's wrong? It's snowing!"

Liu Liu Guangtian squinted his eyes to look outside, then said, "Let it snow. It's not easy to have a Sunday."

Liu Liu Haizhong stood with his hands behind his back, gesturing toward the window with his chin, and said, "Get up and sweep the snow. Our side is in the shade; if we don't sweep it, it will freeze once the snow melts in the afternoon."

"Oh my~"

Liu Liu Guangtian widened his eyes, just wanting to ask why he didn't sweep it himself, but his brain was clear now. He reached out and knocked on Liu Liu Guangfu's upper bunk, saying, "Third brother, get up quickly."

This quick reaction saved the brothers a beating.

Liu Liu Haizhong walked out with his hands behind his back, cursing, "Can't do anything right, never get enough to eat."

Liu Liu Guangfu lay on the upper bunk, watching his second brother make a fierce expression behind their father's back. He smiled, put on his clothes, and jumped down from the upper bunk.

When the brothers went out, they saw that Li Li Xuewu had already finished sweeping the snow up to the moon gate and was walking back carrying the broom.

"Deputy Section Chief Li, you're back!"

"Morning, Deputy Section Chief Li!"

Li Li Xuewu also saw the brothers and greeted them with a smile, "Hey, morning."

As he spoke, he nodded, placed the broom under the window, and asked Bang Geng, who was walking over, "Finished feeding?"

"Mm."

Bang Geng's face was red from the cold. He was carrying an empty bucket and said, "I cleared the snow in the chicken coop before I fed them."

As he spoke, he looked at the soles of his shoes and said, "The chicken droppings are really smelly. If it weren't for the slush, I really wouldn't have been able to get it off."

Li Li Xuewu reached out and patted Bang Geng on the shoulder, hugging the big-faced cat and walking toward the moon gate while asking, "Is the food ready at home?"

He was just making small talk to avoid the two brothers across the way.

Liu Liu Guangtian had originally wanted to chat with Li Li Xuewu, but seeing Li Li Xuewu talking to Bang Geng, he smacked his lips and went to sweep the snow with his younger brother.

After passing the moon gate, the snow here was all swept clean. Because the water underneath was exposed, the snow melted as it fell.

"Wu Shu, I'm going home!"

"Good."

Releasing Bang Geng, Li Li Xuewu glanced at the Jia family and walked toward the third gate.

Just as he turned around, he saw He He Yu Shui coming out of the upper room.

"Finished cleaning up?"

"Mm."

He He Yu Shui no longer looked sad like she had last night; she smiled and walked to Li Li Xuewu's side as he waited for her.

"You're up early enough. Why not sleep in a bit more on a Sunday?"

Hearing He He Yu Shui ask him, Li Li Xuewu smiled and walked outside with her, saying, "I have things to do today; I have to be busy."

"You're really tired. I've never seen you have a time to rest."

He He Yu Shui looked at the energetic Li Li Xuewu, thinking of his dominance last night, and couldn't help but sigh.

"That's because you haven't seen me slacking off, hahaha."

Laughing and talking, they entered the front courtyard and saw Yan Yan Fugui standing on the steps of his house, directing his three children to sweep the snow in the courtyard.

"Here, here, don't leave any blind spots."

As he spoke, he hung his book bag and said, "A day's plan starts in the morning; Sunday should be spent well."

Seeing Li Li Xuewu and He He Yu Shui coming from behind, he cast his gaze over.

He He Yu Shui was polite and greeted him first, "Third Uncle, you're busy."

"Hey."

Yan Yan Fugui nodded and said, "What kind of busy is this? Everyone sweeps the snow from their own door."

As he spoke, he looked at the entrance of the Li family across the way and said, "We aren't officials, so no one provides door-to-door service; we have to sweep it ourselves."

Li Li Xuewu ignored him, took a look, and walked toward the side room.

Seeing Third Uncle use her words to talk about Li Li Xuewu, He He Yu Shui looked at Li Li Xuewu's expression and followed him out of the second gate with her head down in embarrassment.

The side room was lively right now; more than a dozen boys were putting tables on the kang and picking up bowls.

In the past, they would just put a table in the kitchen and eat breakfast.

But that wouldn't work now; there were almost twenty people in this room, and the kitchen couldn't fit them.

"Brother Wu."

"Hey."

Li Li Xuewu replied, washed his hands at the door, and sat on the kang.

He still wasn't used to eating breakfast on the kang.

"Since it's snowing, finish eating and then tidy up the east room. Move whatever isn't needed to the warehouse in the west courtyard."

"Aye!"

Hearing Li Li Xuewu say this, Old Lao Biaozi replied, "I was just thinking the same thing. This morning, I already took them to move the bricks to the east room. I was afraid of making a mess, so I used bags to transport the dirt to the east room from outside."

At this moment, Yu Li served Li Li Xuewu a bowl of porridge and said, "Just put my furniture in the warehouse; I'll have to trouble you to help me move it."

"No problem."

Old Lao Biaozi smiled and said, "We have plenty of labor here now."

Breakfast was cornmeal pancakes, cornmeal porridge, and the pickled vegetables they had made earlier.

Li Li Xuewu nodded and said, "Go buy the stove pipes quickly. Build the fire kang and the stove first; it'll be easier to work once it's warm."

"Yes, there's not much work, it's easy to do."

Old Lao Biaozi replied, "Grandpa knows how to leave the vents for this kang; we can just connect the flue to the fire wall here."

Old Lao Biaozi's idea was to place the kang against the south wall, running east-west, which would facilitate heating circulation once the windows were opened on the south side later.

"Mm, you handle it."

Li Li Xuewu finished his meal in a few bites and asked, "Is the car ready?"

"Mm-hmm."

Old Lao Biaozi took a sip of porridge and said, "The hot water is already added, and I've put the things you wanted in the back trunk."

It was cold, and Li Li Xuewu really didn't want to drive that Willys, so he used the GAZ-69 instead.

"You guys eat."

Li Li Xuewu put on his clothes, waved to the few people who were about to get off the kang, and went out the door.

It was only when eating that he realized what Yan Yan Fugui's sour remark meant; it turned out the boys here had swept the snow from their doorway.

Afraid that Li Li Xuewu would misunderstand, he specifically explained that they hadn't gone to the back courtyard because they were afraid of disturbing Li Li Xuewu's sleep.

Old Lao Biaozi looked at the somewhat nervous Huo Huo Yongfang and explained to Li Li Xuewu that these boys were afraid of Li Li Xuewu and didn't dare to go.