The Gu family’s yard is spacious, with two large main rooms made of rammed yellow mud and a tiled roof. The layout of the entire yard is actually similar to that of the Li family, except that there is one less main room, and it is not a blue brick and tile house, and the side house is also on one side.

　　However, such a courtyard is considered decent in the village. At least there is a courtyard wall and the roof is covered with tiles. Houses covered with blue bricks are rare.

　　At that time, the Gu brothers separated, and their father was tight-fisted and built what was short, leaving some room, so the entire yard was empty, making it convenient for adding to it later.

　　Six-year-old Hutou was playing with a group of other children in the open space outside their home. The child was sharp-eyed and saw from a distance that it was his elder brother. He sniffed his nose and said, “It seems my elder brother is back.” He stopped playing and turned around to run home, shouting, “Mom, mom, my elder brother is back.”

　　”What are you arguing about?” Li Guihua didn’t hear clearly. She was seven months pregnant and it was inconvenient to carry such a big belly. She was also in a bad mood recently. She got annoyed when she saw Hu Tou’s dirty body. “Where did you go again? You are so dirty–“

　　”Mother, it’s my eldest brother. My eldest brother is back.” Hu Tou ran away, afraid that his mother would twist his ears.

　　Li Guihua held her hands in the air and said, “I thought it was Tiedan.”

　　Tiedan is the eldest child of Li Guihua, who is eight years old. He was missing this morning and was said to have gone to fetch water and hasn’t come back yet. Who knows where he went to have fun.

　　”Come back if you want to. There are one more mouths to feed. You’re already married, why do you come back? The Li family doesn’t want you to stay here anymore…” Li Guihua muttered. In her opinion, the first child was really lazy and did nothing. He was also sharp-tongued and only knew how to waste money.

　　The boy from the Li family is really a fool. So what if Gu Zhao is good-looking? Farmers live a life of luxury. Gu Zhao is so lazy that he can’t even carry a sack, yet he still spends 18 taels of silver to marry him. He will regret it in a few days.

　　”Don’t really want to return the goods.” Li Guihua muttered, “The money will never be returned.”

　　Hu Tou couldn’t hear what A Niang^[1]mother said, so he held his finger in his mouth and said greedily, “A Niang, my eldest brother came with his brother, and he brought some meat with him. I saw it.”

　　”You brought meat? You brought something?” Li Guihua patted Hu Tou’s head, “Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

　　She remembered, could it be that he was coming back home?

　　As they were talking, there was a noise at the courtyard gate. Li Guihua looked and it was indeed Gu Zhao and his brother Li Zhouzhou. She glanced down and saw Li Zhouzhou holding two pounds of meat strung together with a straw rope, a jar of wine, and a basket. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she greeted him with a warm smile on her face.

　　”Oh, are you back home? I said I haven’t seen you for three days and I was still thinking about you. Today is finally the day I’m looking forward to seeing you.” Li Guihua took the meat first.

　　Li Zhouzhou said: “I was delayed by some things in the morning. Yesterday I went to the town to buy some wine, sugar, meat, some melon seeds, peanuts and maltose. I also picked up some eggs from the chickens at home.”

　　Nowadays, there are three things that are necessary for a man to bring back the girl’s parents’ home. If the man asks for an extra pound of meat, more sugar, or brings some eggs, it means he values ​​the girl.

　　Li Zhouzhou thought that it was a few days late and was afraid that it would affect his husband, so he prepared a few more things. He had melon seeds and peanuts at home, and eggs were also laid at home. He gave some maltose when he bought it from the buyer, so he had two more things, which could be considered a valuable gift. Of course, you have to carry the things outside and report them carefully, so that the villagers know what you have taken.

　　The courtyard wall was low, and while Li Zhouzhou was talking, the neighbors came to join in the fun from across the wall.

　　”Gu Shulang and Li Ge’er are back?”

　　”Guihua, why are you still standing there? Why don’t you boil water and cook for the new wife? This is very heavy.”

　　Someone patted the person who was joking and said, “What’s the opposite? What new daughter-in-law? Have you forgotten that Gu Shulang was the one who married into the family?”

　　Several people laughed, and Li Zhouzhou turned his head to look at his husband, afraid that he would lose face. Gu Zhao didn’t feel embarrassed at all, and even took Zhouzhou’s hand and said, “Zhouzhou, this is my mother, you should call her mother-in-law.”

　　Those who climb over the wall to watch the fun: …

　　Li Guihua happily carried the meat: …

　　Li Zhouzhou knew that his husband was teasing him on purpose, but he always obeyed him, especially now in front of outsiders, so he really obeyed him and called out, “Hello, mother-in-law.”

　　Li Guihua could no longer maintain her smile.

　　Someone on the other side of the wall chuckled. Li Guihua glared at him, wanting to curse but not knowing what to say. She had to hold back her anger and said, “Come on, come on, let’s talk inside. Don’t stand in the yard.”