Aunt Wang’s eyes curved into a smile, “You, Aunt Li, want to buy some furniture.”

He Shuai replied, “Sure! Our factory happens to have a batch of furniture with some defects, and we need to sell them at low prices. The management even told us to encourage our relatives to buy.”

“Don’t mind the defects; they’re still perfectly usable, and the price is half the usual cost,” He Shuai said, looking at Old Lady Li.

Old Madam Li said, “That’s wonderful! I’m lucky to get such a bargain.”

“Come on, let’s go inside and pick.”

He Shuai led the two of them into the factory.

Old Madam Li chose a one-and-a-half-meter bunk bed, with the upper bed slightly narrower at 1.2 meters wide.

She also picked a double-door wardrobe, a set of tables and stools, a writing desk, a five-drawer chest, and a large wooden basin for bathing and washing clothes.

The bunk bed and wardrobe were a bit more expensive but still much cheaper than market prices. Altogether, it cost one hundred and twenty-five yuan.

Old Madam Li added five yuan more to pay for the factory’s truck to deliver everything to her home.

He Shuai also accompanied the delivery.

Old Madam Li and Aunt Wang squeezed into the truck and rode back together.

When the truck passed Yard No. 18, Old Madam Li asked to stop and got off with Aunt Wang.

They carried two large bundles out of the house and locked the door with a key.

“Aunt Shuiping, are you moving?” Aunt Zhao came out from her home and asked.

Old Madam Li nodded, “Yes.”

“Where are you moving to?” Aunt Zhao stepped forward.

Having lived together in the old home for decades, she really felt reluctant to see her leave.

“To Yard No. 23. Come visit me when you have time.”

Aunt Zhao frowned, “Why move there? I heard the people in that yard are quite mean.”

Old Madam Li said, “Housing is tight. Renting a place in that yard is already lucky for me.”

“If anyone bullies you there, come back to us. We’ll back you up,” Aunt Zhao said sincerely, patting her chest.

Old Madam Li felt warmth inside, “Alright.”

Aunt Zhao wanted to come help, but since the truck was full, she told Old Madam Li and Aunt Wang to go ahead and that she’d walk over.

The truck stopped at the entrance of Yard No. 23, drawing the attention of all the children and adults who weren’t working or studying—they all came out to watch.

“A big truck!”

“Furniture on it!”

“All new furniture!”

The children ran around the truck, chattering excitedly.

The adults looked on with curiosity and scrutiny; a few even with envy and jealousy.

“Miss, you’re moving in today?” The white-haired elderly woman who had spoken to Old Lady Li yesterday smiled and greeted her.

Old Madam Li smiled back and said to the other neighbors, “My surname is Li, I’m Li Shuiping. I have a daughter, Lin Xiaoyu, who is still in school. We’ll be living here from now on, so I hope everyone will kindly look after us.”

Even though she had just moved in today, she still wanted to greet the neighbors.

The neighbors of Yard No. 23 smiled back and exchanged polite greetings.

Old Madam Li also knew the names of her neighbors.

Old Madam Li and Aunt Wang carried the two big bundles off the truck and into the house.

He Shuai and the driver unloaded the furniture outside.

The neighbors stood watching but not a single person offered to help.

After placing the items down, Old Lady Li and Aunt Wang came out to help.

When they were halfway through unloading the furniture, Aunt Zhao arrived and joined them.

Old Madam Li and Aunt Wang carried the table inside while Aunt Zhao followed behind carrying two stools.

“Yard No. 23 really lives up to its reputation. You have so much heavy furniture, and none of these neighbors even lift a finger—they just stand and watch,” Aunt Zhao whispered, complaining.

Old Madam Li wasn’t bothered. “They have no relation to me. Helping is kindness; not helping is their right.”

She thought there was nothing to argue about.

Aunt Wang said, “That’s true, but distant relatives aren’t as good as neighbors. Neighbors should help each other. In our yard, whenever a newcomer moves in, everyone rushes over to see if they need help.”

“Exactly,” Aunt Zhao agreed, then looked at Old Madam Li. “You’re such a good person, with a soft heart. Once you move here, don’t always run over to help others whenever you see they need it. Be more careful, don’t get taken advantage of.”

Old Madam Li knew they meant well to say these things.

She really had been like that before—always the “nice person” in everyone’s eyes, afraid of offending anyone or having conflicts.

Whether with family, neighbors, or colleagues, she was always like this. In her past life, she was often taken advantage of and mistreated.

People spoke behind her back, calling her weak.

She used to believe “it’s a blessing to suffer losses,” but in her past life, she starved to death in a nursing home, her children unfilial, and no one to see her off.

Clearly, suffering losses was not a blessing.

Suffering losses meant others took away all her good fortune.

Now reborn, she would never live so meekly again!

“I know, I definitely won’t let anyone take advantage of me.”

Aunt Wang and Aunt Zhao didn’t quite believe her.

They had said this many times before, and each time she promised to be firm.

But last time, when Old Lady Lai asked her to take some tailored clothes to the factory for mending, she still took them there.

Her supervisor found out and scolded her. Before transferring the job to Lin Jianshe, she even lost a person in the factory.

“See, it’s all new furniture. That woman’s pretty rich,” said Wang Guixiang, a newlywed in Yard No. 23, leaning against the gateframe, cracking sunflower seeds and chatting with Liu Mingxiang.

Most families in Yard 23 don’t have dual-income workers; usually only one person works, and very few are permanent employees.

Wang Guixiang and Liu Mingxiang are both unemployed and do small jobs like packing matchboxes at home.

Liu Mingxiang spit out a sunflower seed shell with a gloomy face. “Don’t even know who she is. Tomorrow, I’ll ask around in Yard 18.”

The furniture was moved inside, the bunk bed was set up, and He Shuai and the driver prepared to leave.

Old Madam Li called after them, “Don’t go yet. Let’s all go to the state-run restaurant for lunch—Sister Zhao and Sister Wang, you’re coming too.”

“No need. We eat at the factory. The factory provides meals,” He Shuai smiled, trying not to let Aunt Li spend extra.

Old Madam Li said, “The factory meals can’t compare to the state-run restaurant.”

“We really don’t need to. We have to hurry back. The factory might still need the truck,” He Shuai said and left with the driver.

Aunt Li couldn’t persuade them, so she walked with them to the yard gate.

After the truck drove away, Old Madam Li looked at Aunt Wang and the others. “You guys come eat with me.”

Aunt Wang said, “Thanks for the offer, but you know, I have to go home and cook for my granddaughter.”

Her granddaughter was in school and needed lunch at home.

Aunt Zhao said, “You know I have to cook for my grandson too.”

Old Madam Li was left speechless.

No one went with her to the state-run restaurant, so she went alone and had a bowl of beef noodles.

After finishing, she went shopping—entering full “buy-buy-buy” mode.

Old Madam Li ran back and forth between home and the store three times before buying everything she needed.

Looking at the new quilt spread on the bed and the curtain hung to serve as a divider, Old Madam Li nodded in satisfaction.

From today on, this would be her and Xiaoyu’s new home.