Father Zhou sighed softly, "I used to feel aggrieved and wanted to be transferred back. I wanted to let the people who caused me to go to the market town see that I, Old Zhou, am still capable.

Now, I am less concerned about it. I think it is pretty good here, especially since I am so capable. It is the same everywhere. The level is just the same. You will only get a few more dollars in salary if you are a few levels higher.

Even if their salary is hundreds or thousands of levels higher than mine, it still can't match what you spend in one trip.

Money! I used to worry about it, but now I don’t. My salary did go up this year, but it’s only 42 yuan after adding everything up. What can you buy with that?”

"Oh, that's not bad! It's increased by more than ten yuan at a time!"

"Go ahead, you're making fun of me, aren't you?"

"Okay! Seriously, if the company plans to transfer you back, will you go back?"

Father Zhou shook his head and said, "I won't go back. Although it's a place where people bully newcomers, the environment is pretty simple. Besides, now that we have you and Zhu Hang, others won't bully us anymore. We can live comfortably."

There are many complexities in the county town, and at my age, adapting to the new environment feels a bit overwhelming."

Zhou Xiang glanced sideways at his mother, who was sitting next to him, listening to him and his father chatting. "Mom, what's your decision?"

Mother Zhou shook her head and said, "I don't want to move anymore. I'll just live here and retire!"

"Since you've made the decision, let me share my thoughts. The house is small, so we can only keep it small for now. We have to wait and see. They don't bully newcomers now because they see that our family is gradually getting better.

Also, my two competitions gave them some ideas. What if they bullied us too much? What if I became successful in the future and held a grudge against them and refused to acknowledge that I was from this town? Then they wouldn't be able to benefit from it.

We'll wait until the surrounding villages are used to being on equal terms with us before we build a building. For now, we'll slowly find excuses to buy some land in front and behind, and build a three-story building on the north and south sides, with a courtyard in the middle.

Zhou's parents were stunned. So they had two buildings? Bigger than Zhu Hang's?

Father Zhou came back to his senses and nodded, "Okay, buy the land slowly. Don't be too hasty. If others get interested and drive up the price, you'll end up losing money."

"Do fathers nowadays still care about those trivial things?" Zhou wanted to joke.

"Of course I care. Why would I spend thousands of dollars on land that could be bought for a few hundred? By the way, how much did you pay for the land at the door?"

"One thousand and two."

"Do you think it's a good deal? Zhu Hang's yard is only 1,200 yuan."

"It's not about the price. I'm asking you, if I let you live in a new house outside, would you be willing?"

Father Zhou shook his head and said, "It's better to live in the company. It will make you feel at ease."

"That's right! You're used to living in the office, and you feel uneasy living outside, so I don't plan to buy any other houses in town."

"I've never asked you how you make money or how much money you have. Now that you've revealed everything to me, I feel reassured."

"Don't worry! All you have to do is work diligently with my mom and wait until retirement. You don't have to worry about anything else or help me. Just don't cause any trouble for me, that's the biggest help you can give me."

Father Zhou nodded, "I understand. I will pay attention. Things are different now than before."

Zhu Hang brought the dishes to this room, and Zhou Xiang and his mother went to the pot room.

There are dishes left on the small dining table.

"Auntie, think about the girls, do you have enough food?" Zhong Xiong asked.

Zhou's mother nodded and said, "That's enough, you've worked hard."

"It's not hard at all. We come here and it feels like home. We love coming here!"

"Okay, come often in the future. It's lively here, and your Uncle Zhou and I both like it."

"Okay! I will definitely come here often." Zhong Xiong said without hesitation.

"Go away, I come here often." Ma Zhao started to protest.

Mother Zhou watched them playfully and said with a smile, "Okay, okay, come often, come often."

Several people went to the main hall, and Zhou wanted to ask his mother, "Have they come for the New Year?"

"I didn't come. I was too embarrassed to come. But I came on the fifth and fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Zhu Hang came every day."

"It's okay, let them be! Even though they appear cheerful on the outside, they all have scars on the inside."

"Yeah! Don't force them, but they should be closer to you."

"Of course. I pulled them out of the mire. They should be grateful to me for the rest of their lives and repay me by working like slaves."

"Go away, you're talking nonsense, and you start a dyeing factory as soon as you're given some color."

Zhou wanted to sit next to his eldest brother, "Mom asked me to go aside, so I can only squeeze in for you."

Zhou Niao looked at Rangrang and said, "Okay, sit next to me."

Zhou's mother glared at her, ignored her and continued eating.

Zhou Xiang thought about something important, "Mom, Tang Min, who lives next door to the Water Conservancy Bureau, said she has a cousin who wants to... Who do you think is a good match for someone with this personality?"

"I can't really say that. Why don't you just tell them directly in front of them? Whoever likes this kind of personality can go, and if they don't like it, don't force it."

"Okay, you're right. I'll go over and talk to him later. Dad got a raise. Did you get one?"

"It's increased. 36, plus the bonus of 5, a total of 41."

"You have one dollar less than dad?"

"Your dad's subsidy is for getting up early."

"Only one dollar a month for sleep deprivation allowance is too stingy."

"You only made money this year. Before, you wanted to make every penny count."

"Okay, let's not discuss this. I can earn enough to spend. By the way, second sister, have you applied for a dormitory?"

"I got the application, but Zhu Hang won't let me stay there. He picks me up and drops me off every time."

"If the company has no objection, you can occupy the dormitory first. If he leaves the town in the future, you will still have to stay in the dormitory during the night shift."

"Yeah! I know."

Putting down his bowl, Zhou Xiang went to the main room. The seven of them drank with great enthusiasm and even started playing rock-paper-scissors.

Seeing Zhou Xiang coming in, he invited her to eat with him.

"I've eaten, you guys eat first, I have something to say." After saying that, he sat down next to his father.

"If you have something to say, just say it."

"Okay." Zhou Xiang told everyone about Tang Min's matchmaking. Everyone was silent except Zhu Hang.

"If you don't want to, you can refuse. I don't know what kind of person he is. I just heard it from the neighbors."

Wu Haotian waved his hand. "It's not that they don't want to, they just don't know how to say it. They're afraid that some of the brothers will also like this kind of personality, which will hurt the harmony among the brothers."

"You all seem so carefree at other times, but why do you lose interest at the critical moment? Don't worry, there will be plenty of beauties waiting for you to choose from!

Tang Min was from the village, so who wouldn't want to marry out? As long as she could support the family, household registration wasn't important. Money, not household registration, would matter. Now, you could buy food without food stamps.

Do you think urban hukou will still have advantages in the future? If you say that urban hukou gives priority in finding jobs, then my dad's salary isn't even enough to buy me a set of clothes. It's just useless."