Upon hearing this, Old Lady Liu stood up and explained to Lin Lishan, "This little Liu is very quick and nimble, and she usually takes care of us. She's a calm person, and doesn't have much work to do. She lives in the courtyard in front, so please sit down and wait for a moment."

Old Man Liu watched his wife leave and refilled everyone's tea. "This Liu girl and her daughter are honest and quiet people. They're considered members of our clan. When we live there, they take care of us. They cook, wash clothes, and take care of the yard. They're very efficient and have learned to maintain the furniture over time. They don't charge money, just some food rations. We have too many children at home, and relying on the two men working to support the family isn't enough to even provide for our family. When they're done, just give them 2-3 jin of food coupons, that's enough."

Lin Lishan nodded and asked him, "Grandpa, do you usually buy firewood on the street or do you have it delivered to you?"

Old Master Liu smiled and said, "When Miss Liu comes over later, ask her everything. She knows more than I do, so ask her all the details of our life. She's the one who collects everything in our supply book. For example, she knows how to use the earthen stove in the living room. It's a good opportunity for her to show you around and familiarize yourself with it."

Zhao Dashan saw Zhou Xiao looking at the tables and chairs in the living room and asked curiously, "Brother Zheng, do you see what's going on?"

Zhou Xiaozheng looked at Old Man Liu and, seeing that he didn't stop him, said, "I can't tell the details, but I know these are from the Ming Dynasty. They're all red sandalwood, very rare and well-maintained. Old Man, are your ancestors from the south?"

Old Man Liu stroked the armrest and recalled, "Yes, my ancestors were from the south, and my grandfather's generation started to stay in the capital for a long time. Gradually, all the clansmen moved inland, and after several generations, they were all in the northeast. The younger generations forgot that their ancestral land was still in the beautiful Jiangnan water town with its clear waters, singing birds and fragrant flowers. As they got older, our branch also moved here, and the ancestors probably couldn't find any land. My wife is also from Suzhou. After moving to the capital, she also gradually moved north. Now there are not many people left in the ancestral land."

After saying this, he laughed first. "None of your ancestors were really from the Northeast. Most of them went in and out of the border. Especially the old patriarch of your Zhoujia Village, who often said he was from the capital. He also said he wanted to go back and take a look, but he left after saying that."

Zhou Xiaozheng knew the old clan leader he was talking about was probably the old man who often leaned on his head and sighed when he was a child. Thinking of that old man, he paused, "Is the old man an old acquaintance of our clan leader? I still remember him. He was a good man, a good elder. It's a pity that he left without even saying a word. Now it's hard to know his preferences."

"He often came to inquire about the news in the capital, and that's how we met. He's a really nice guy. He loves to listen to gossip. Haha, he loves to hear gossip about everything from all over the world."

Zhou Xiaozheng lowered his head in thought for a moment. Looking up, he saw that even though the old man was smiling, his weathered eyes still revealed a trace of nostalgia. Worried that the old man might be sad, he abruptly changed the subject, "Old man, was it popular for girls to have bunk beds when you were young?"

Old Man Liu smiled and said, "Yes, just like bicycles, sewing machines, and watches are popular nowadays. Back then, any well-off family would make a bed for their daughter as a dowry. Richer families would spend a lot of money on the material and craftsmanship. Do you think it's strange that my wife didn't have a canopy bed as her dowry? When we first returned to Northeast China, we slept on a kang (a heated bed) to adapt to local conditions, and the bed didn't break down due to poor maintenance. Now that my grandson is getting married, let alone a canopy bed, he's just got a kang with a few broken boxes on it, and he thinks it looks nice."

Old Master Liu said with emotion, "You don't know yet, but young people nowadays value simplicity and convenience. Getting married is like child's play. Back then, we had to go through three matchmakers and six betrothals, and everything was necessary. If things went wrong, you'd end up becoming a concubine. Who would want that?"

His words made everyone laugh. Zhou Xiaozheng smiled slightly. This old man was really interesting. He just loved to mess around and couldn't take good care of himself.

Lin Lishan asked curiously, "Grandpa, I see you've prepared a living room, but there's a long pipe and tobacco leaves on the kang in the room on the right side of the courtyard. Isn't that room for entertaining guests?"

"It's really for entertaining guests. There's no other way. When you come here, you have to have a kang to entertain the locals. When guests come, they sit on the kang, when they eat, they sit on the kang. If you don't let them sit on the kang, they will feel that you don't value them. That long pipe, sitting on the kang and chatting is also a custom. They don't like the living room, so I cleared out that room specifically for entertaining guests. That is, when you come, I ask you to sit here. If fellow villagers come, they go to the front and chat on the kang. If you ask them to sit here, they will feel uncomfortable."

Lin Lishan nodded and agreed: "That room is well prepared. We should always adapt to local customs."

Hearing this, Old Man Liu nodded and said, "Just keep that room. Some folks like to smoke and chat on the kang. If they take their tobacco there, they won't wander into the master bedroom. People here don't have the habit of not entering the master bedroom, which is bad. I specially placed a study outside when arranging the rooms to prevent people from wandering in."

Lin Lishan smiled and said to him, "Your master bedroom is the same as our Jiaojiao's room. Xiaowu also deliberately connected the two rooms to make a small living room outside and put a small kang on it to prevent the villagers from entering his bedroom. This way he has better privacy."

Old Lady Liu brought a woman and a little girl into the house and said with a smile, "You seem to be chatting happily. Are you talking about happy things? This is Liu Xiaoya and her mother. I told them everything on the way. They know the place very well. If Shanshan has any questions, just ask her. This girl often helps me get the things on the supply list, so she knows the family well too."

Lin Lishan quickly stood up and thanked the old lady. "Auntie, you are so kind. I was worried about being in an unfamiliar place. Let's go back and pack up first. We'll come back to visit you when we're done."

Old Master Liu led the old lady to see everyone off to the door. He watched Lin Lishan tidy up the back seat, and Liu Xiaoya and her daughter got in. He returned to his room only after the car drove away.

Zhou Xiaozheng was driving the car. Seeing that Liu Xiaoya and her daughter were a little nervous, he comforted them, "Don't be nervous. Xiaoya, right? Tell me where's the best place to buy this wooden bed? And do you need to order firewood from someone else?"

Liu Xiaoya looked ahead and replied, "Uncle, you can buy wooden beds at the woodworking factory in the city. They have everything there. You pay them and they'll deliver it. There's also someone who'll come to our house and ask if you want firewood. If you see one, you can buy it from them. They're all ready-made, or you can tell them how many days it'll be delivered."

"Okay, thank you, Xiaoya. You and your mother will follow your aunt to the yard to figure out how to clean up. Shanshan, I'll unload the things at the door and then go buy a bed and coal briquettes. You and the others will help clean up. If you can't finish it today, you can do it tomorrow. There's no rush. Remember to ask Xiaoya to teach you how to use the fire wall and see if there's anything else you need to pay attention to inside."

Lin Lishan patted Liu Xiaoya's hand and said, "It's okay, don't be nervous. Brother Zheng, go ahead and do your work. Lao Zhao, do you still need to go to the office after get off work?"

"No need to go to the company. I'd better accompany Brother Zheng to the woodworking factory to check out the beds and find someone to help haul the coal. This truck can't fit it all. Brother Zheng, why don't you drive to the Women's Federation and I'll let Hongli accompany my sister-in-law. They have more women, so they can clean up faster."

Zhou Xiaozheng looked at the time and it was really late. "Okay, then you show me the way and pick up your wife first. Don't cook tonight, let's go out to eat. Shanshan, you can take the curtain fabrics to Hongli and ask her for help."

Following Zhao Dashan's instructions, the car quickly drove to the Women's Federation, which was also the County Public Security Bureau. Now the Women's Federation and the Public Security Bureau were concentrated together. Zhao Dashan didn't let him buy the car, but went upstairs to call for help. After a while, he and Cheng Hongli came down.