Ji Yanchen squatted in front of the earthen wall of the new house, carefully pasting a large red "double happiness" character on the wall.

Light streamed through the newly pasted window paper, casting dappled shadows on his sharply defined profile.

"Oops, you pasted it crookedly!"

Zi Xi's voice came from the kitchen, accompanied by the bubbling sound of water boiling noodles.

Ji Yanchen immediately stopped what he was doing and gently peeled off the "double happiness" character and re-pasted it, as if defusing a bomb.

His rough fingers held the thin paper cutout tightly, as if afraid of tearing it accidentally.

The "double happiness" character was cut by Zi Xi herself, and she even carefully cut out the pattern of twin lotus flowers along the edges.

"Just stick it on however you like."

Zi Xi leaned against the door frame, holding a bowl of noodles, and smiled. The steam made her cheeks flush, and the stray hairs on her forehead were stuck to her temples with sweat.

Ji Yanchen shook his head, stubbornly insisting on pasting the "double happiness" character neatly and squarely.

This is their home, and every detail must be perfect.

Although Ji Yanchen and Zi Xi's new home was just a small courtyard rented for thirty yuan, it was much better than the Ji family's drafty old house and Zi Xi's patched-up temporary residence.

Moreover, their move out will allow those in the village who still covet the Ji family's gold to search the place to their heart's content.

Anyway, the old house had already been sold to the village chief privately. His son was getting married in the spring, and the bride specifically requested a large courtyard. The village chief bought it and then demolished and rebuilt it.

Before the news spread, everyone in the village thought that Ji Yanchen was just moving out temporarily and that Zi Xi was paying for the house.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Captain Li Youcai stood at the door with his hands behind his back, his face as gloomy as the bottom of a pot.

He wore a slightly worn Zhongshan suit today, with a pen clipped to his chest, clearly indicating that he had just returned from a meeting at the commune.

"Young Ji!"

"I'm asking you, did Lin, the educated youth, buy this house?"

Li Youcai cleared his throat and glanced around the courtyard.

"Yes, she paid for it."

Ji Yanchen was still squatting on the ground putting up the "double happiness" character when he heard this, so he looked up and answered.

Li Youcai's expression immediately became complicated.

He rubbed his hands together, as if unsure where to begin, and finally lowered his voice, his tone tinged with exasperation: "You're such a grown man... how can you spend a woman's money? Aren't you ashamed? Now everyone in the village is saying you're..."

"I know people will say I'm a kept man, but so what?"

"How have I survived all these years? Haven't I been smeared enough with dirt on me?"

Ji Yanchen straightened up and dusted off his hands.

Li Youcai choked.

He originally thought Ji Yanchen would be furious, after all, in Willow Valley, it was a huge joke for a man to be supported by a woman.

But the once gloomy young man in front of me now looks calm and even has a smile on his lips.

"So even if you think I'm marrying into the family, so what?"

Ji Yanchen's voice was soft, but every word was clear.

“I’m happy that she’s willing to marry me. Say whatever you want, but one thing: you can talk about me, but you can’t talk about my wife.”

He paused, then his eyes suddenly sharpened.

In the kitchen, Zi Xi was putting noodles into the pot when she heard this. Her chopsticks paused, and the corners of her mouth unconsciously turned up.

This idiot is getting better and better at talking.

Li Youcai's face darkened further; he hadn't expected Ji Yanchen to be so stubborn.

He was in a meeting at the commune today, and Captain Wang from the next brigade teased him about it, saying that the men of Liushugou are all successful and have learned to live off women.