Xu Damao left his house and swayed as he walked towards the front yard.

There's no lock at home, and we don't usually lock the door. Right now, the men are at work, and there are quite a few women and children in the compound, so it's relatively safe. Most importantly, the "Thief Saint" is still a little kid, and nothing has ever been stolen.

But Xu Damao still wasn't used to the soul from the future; whenever he went out, he felt like there was something missing.

When we arrived at the front yard, Uncle Yan Fugui was tending to his potted plants.

"Uncle, you treat these potted plants like treasures every day. Do they provide you with food or drink? I suggest you plant some scallions and garlic instead; they might be lifesavers in a pinch. Or, if all else fails, you could spend more time fishing."

This Yan Fugui, who considers himself a scholar from the compound, retains a touch of intellectual temperament amidst his shrewdness and calculation.

"Da Mao, you're alright now. Honestly, why did you have to get involved with Sha Zhu and the others? After all these years, you've never gotten anything out of it."

Yan Fugui didn't take Xu Damao's teasing to heart, and instead tried to advise him. This stingy old man Yan remembered how Xu Damao always brought him little gifts after showing movies, so he was giving him a friendly reminder. As for the effect, they'd been bickering for over a decade, and Xu Damao always seemed to forget the lessons learned.

"Uncle, thank you for reminding me. I have a bottle of good wine over there; I'll treat you next time."

This time I was framed by a villain, but I meant well by warning the Jia family. They didn't listen, and they'll regret it later.

Xu Damao wasn't exaggerating. Jia Dongxu only lasted a few years, and then Qin Huairu became a target for many.

After saying that, Xu Damao waved to Yan Fugui and sauntered out the door.

Once outside, Xu Damao wasn't in a hurry; he focused on experiencing the new era. Xu Damao was a local celebrity, and many people greeted him as soon as he stepped outside.

Looking at these simple, honest citizens and the hardships of survival in this era, Xu Damao felt powerless and could only take care of his own small family. Then, when he had extra resources, he could secretly help some people.

Everyone's life has been alright these past few years, but the three years of natural disasters that began in 1959 are not far off, and Xu Damao needs to make preparations early.

There's no system that can automatically produce food, vegetables, and meat, but at least there's space to store them. From now on, we need to collect and store them using various methods to ensure that at least we and our families won't go hungry.

When he arrived at the public-private joint venture restaurant at the entrance of the alley, he bought three meat buns and ate them. After wandering around the neighborhood for a while, Xu Damao still felt uneasy.

"Yes, we should go to the hospital for a checkup." Xu Damao was worried about his little brother's condition, and since he had been beaten yesterday, he also needed to get him checked out.

He didn't go back to ride his bicycle; instead, he took a bus and arrived at the hospital.

After several tedious tests, the doctor gave the report to Xu Damao.

"Young man, you're in excellent health, and your little brother is developing exceptionally well, so don't worry unnecessarily. Live a good life from now on, be mindful of moderation, and don't let your female companions overwork themselves." (This is a scene from a novel; I wonder if such examination technology existed in this era.)

Seeing the doctor's envious gaze, Xu Damao felt incredibly pleased. Although he hadn't considered having multiple wives and concubines, his substantial wealth naturally made him very happy.

"Doctor, I was hit on the head yesterday and I'm still very dizzy. I also often feel short of breath and I might fall down at any time while walking."

It's good that there's nothing wrong, but how can there be no record of being beaten yesterday? Only after Xu Damao's persistent prompting did the doctor write down symptoms of a mild concussion. With this record, Xu Damao could proceed with his subsequent treatment.

In the TV series, Xu Damao is sick. It's probably because Sha Zhu hasn't beaten him too badly yet, or maybe Xu Damao has just started working and hasn't caused much trouble outside. Of course, it could also be a perk for a time traveler.

Xu Damao was beaten yesterday and considered seeking help from the police, but decided against it considering the special circumstances of this era. This era has just transitioned from chaos to peace, and there are still many places where fighting exists; therefore, the general work style is rather brutal.

The government generally doesn't pay much attention to fights that don't cause any damage, and in some rural areas, large-scale brawls even occur between villages. However, in other areas, such as theft of public property, misconduct between men and women, and feudal superstition, the government is more strict in its crackdown.

In terms of management, those in charge of the courtyard had more connections with the street offices and police stations, and their words carried more weight than those of ordinary people. For thousands of years, China has been a society based on personal connections; having acquaintances made things easier, which was the source of Yi Zhonghai and others' prestige in the courtyard.

Therefore, Xu Damao didn't intend to challenge Yi Zhonghai and the others in this regard. However, in adapting to and utilizing the rules, Xu Damao naturally couldn't simply let Sha Zhu and the others get away with it.

Without the burden in his heart, Xu Damao felt that the sky was bluer and the air was sweeter.

Back at the courtyard house, Yan Fugui was not guarding the gate; no one knew where he had gone.

"Uncle, are you home? I need to talk to you about something." Xu Damao knocked on the door frame.

"Hey, Da Mao, come in quickly. Your third uncle is reading in the inner room. Old Yan, Da Mao is looking for you."

The three aunties had lived with Yan Fugui their whole lives, and the two were almost in perfect sync. The first thing they did was check if Xu Damao had anything in his hand. When they saw that Xu Damao had come empty-handed, they were a little annoyed.

"Da Mao, what brings you here? Is something the matter?" Yan Fugui came out from the inner room.

"Uncle, I was beaten up by Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu yesterday, and today I felt like my brain wasn't working properly, so I went to the hospital. The doctor said I have a concussion and need to rest."

"You know I live alone in this compound, my parents aren't around, I'm counting on you, Uncle, to uphold justice." Xu Damao explained his purpose, then showed Yan Fugui the doctor's records.

"Da Mao, are you really that badly injured? I've never seen you leave the house without a care in the world." Yan Fugui wasn't very trusting of Xu Da Mao. This guy had been swindling and cheating since he was a child, just like his father.

"Uncle, you still don't believe me? Besides, you have to trust the doctor's prescriptions." Xu Damao was speechless. His reputation was on the verge of bankruptcy.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. But you also know that Sha Zhu is a scoundrel, and no one’s words carry any weight. Jia Dongxu is also a victim; it’s understandable that he’s angry because his wife was seen by someone else. Plus, there’s that old man, you know what he’s like.”

“I think the First Uncle is capable of handling things fairly and justly. With the Third Uncle, a cultured person, here, and the Second Uncle, I think Sha Zhu and Jia Dongxu will give me justice.”