"Directors, I can go back myself, it’s not that far."

After Jiang Cheng spoke, Director Lu quickly ended the banter.

"Go back yourself? No way! We came to find you!"

Director Lu said with a grin, "We’re here to bring you some benefits."

Benefits?

Jiang Cheng wasn’t quite sure, but since it was on the way, why be polite.

In the end, no one knew how it happened, but Leader Song, who didn’t participate in the banter, was the one cycling back.

Leader Song: "How did it come to this?"

Leader Song, who couldn’t figure it out, followed behind the car on his bicycle, arriving at the vicinity of the courtyard.

Jiang Cheng led the trio into the courtyard and went to the Shen Family’s main room.

Grandma Shen, seeing guests arrive, quickly got up to make tea and pour water.

Director Lu and the others politely accepted, and after some small talk, Director Lu finally revealed his intention.

He took out a property certificate that had a classic feel from his bag.

Calling it a certificate was an exaggeration, as it was just a piece of paper.

Director Lu placed the property certificate on the table and said, "Mr. Jiang, this is a house allocated to you by Sea City. All the procedures are done, and it’s in your name."

"The house is right next door; we’ll go take a look later."

"This is a bonus awarded to you by the city. Although you don’t hold an official position, we’ve all seen the effort and contributions you’ve made."

Director Lu pushed over an envelope as well.

Jiang Cheng was a bit surprised, yet not completely; Director Lu had mentioned the house when he was in Sea City, but wasn’t this a bit too quick to be implemented?

Regardless, Jiang Cheng expressed his gratitude.

The main matter was discussed very quickly.

Director Lu returned to his usual self and asked Jiang Cheng, "Shall we go check out the house?"

"Sure!"

Jiang Cheng put on a coat, followed the three leaders, and casually brought Grandma Shen out of the courtyard.

Walking left no more than twenty meters from the courtyard, they arrived.

A single brown wooden door.

Director Lu handed a key to Jiang Cheng and said, "It’s your house, you open it."

"Thank you!"

Jiang Cheng took the key and opened the wooden door.

With a creak, a small yard came into view.

Not too big, but not too small, about a forty square meter yard, with two and a half rooms facing the door.

Passing through the wooden door was a path made of blue stone slabs, and on the right side of the path stood a very tall and thick jujube tree, occupying nearly a third of the yard’s sky. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The path led to the door, which opened to a kitchen.

To the left of the kitchen was a room, about thirty-five square meters, entirely sufficient for Jiang Cheng to live alone.

"Jiang Cheng, the left wall of this yard is adjoining the house you currently live in. You could open a door or something."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Cheng caught the key point and asked, "Open a back door? The house I live in is rented."

"Not anymore."

Factory Director Fang squeezed in front of Director Lu and said, "The house belongs to our textile factory, and we’ve decided to allocate it to you!"

Jiang Cheng was quite surprised.

He didn’t expect an unexpected reward.

However, he was quite pleased with such an arrangement.

After checking out the house, the group returned to the courtyard area again, with Jiang Cheng accompanying them for some chat and small talk.

"Director Lu, are you planning to go to the greenhouse soon?"

"Yes, do you need something?"

Jiang Cheng nodded.

"My household registration hasn’t been transferred yet; I was planning to handle it."

Upon hearing this, Factory Director Fang immediately asked, "Jiang Cheng, have you found a place for your household registration? The door of our textile factory is always open for you."

Leader Song, who had been silent, was unwilling to be left out.

"Mr. Jiang, although we’re not very familiar, our foreign trade is your home, you can come anytime!"

Director Lu, not wanting to be outdone, said, "Register at the food factory, we’re comrades in arms!"

"Comrades in arms, you say? We, the textile factory, were the first to fight alongside Mr. Jiang."

"No, no, our foreign trade was, wasn’t it?"

The three of them started arguing.

Jiang Cheng, who hadn’t slept well for several days, suddenly felt his brain buzz from the noise.

"Gentlemen..."

After a technically deliberate pause by Jiang Cheng, the three finally stopped, each looking at Jiang Cheng expectantly.

"I’ll register in the neighborhood."

Although a bit disappointed, they thought as long as it was within Sea City, it was fine.

Jiang Cheng arranged with Director Lu about going to the countryside, and the three then left.

After changing clothes, Jiang Cheng went next door to chat with Grandma Shen.

Grandma Shen was kneading dough, preparing to make dumplings for Jiang Cheng to take to the hospital.

Jiang Cheng washed his hands to help out.

Before long, it was time for Shen Xing and Shen Yue to return from school, and Shen Xing rushed into the house without a word.

Jiang Cheng and Grandma Shen exchanged a glance: something’s up!

Jiang Cheng pulled Shen Yue aside and asked softly, "What’s wrong with your brother? Is someone bullying you?"

Shen Yue shook her head.

"No one’s bullying us, they’re all afraid of sister!"

Jiang Cheng was puzzled.

"Afraid of me? Why?"

She hadn’t gone to the school to intimidate any kids, had she?

"It’s that Zhu Xiaopang, he said you’re more formidable than a kidnapper, and that you can push a train with one hand and kick several people away with one foot!"

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but laugh.

"I didn’t know I was so powerful, it seems Zhu Xiaopang really admires me!"

Grandma Shen rolled her eyes; only Jiang Cheng could hear admiration in that.

"Yes, yes! They all envy me for having a sister like you!"

Shen Yue’s admiring eyes sparkled.

Grandma Shen: She was mistaken, there’s another one.

Jiang Cheng, unable to get any clarity, simply went to knock on the door.

"Shen Xing—"

"Don’t—don’t come in!"

Shen Xing’s panicked voice came through.

Jiang Cheng pressed her ear against the door, hearing a chaos of footsteps inside, sensing Shen Xing’s franticness.

"I won’t come in, don’t worry."

"I’ll wait for you outside."

Stepping back, Jiang Cheng and Grandma Shen exchanged glances, while Shen Yue looked back and forth between the two, trying to decode the situation.

"Creak—"

Shen Xing opened the door.

Grandma Shen immediately lowered her head, pretended to stir a spatula in the empty pan.

Jiang Cheng turned around, staring at the ground, "The floor’s quite dirty, Yue, grab a broom and sweep."

Confused, Shen Yue got up to sweep.

How did she end up sweeping?

"Sis—Aunt—"

Shen Xing lowered his head, an unspeakable embarrassment on his face.

Shen Xing mumbled, finally gritting his teeth, "I accidentally wet my padded pants."

The room fell silent.

Grandma Shen followed up logically, "Did you pee?"

Shen Xing blushed, shaking in frustration as he cried, "I didn’t mean to!"

"The teacher kept us late, and I was already desperate to go. The bathroom was far, across the big playground, and when I finally got there, the buttons on the padded pants got stuck and wouldn’t come undone!"

"Just then, the class bell rang—"

"My classmates found out!"

Shen Xing cried bitterly, and Jiang Cheng struggled to suppress her laughter.

Because it was genuinely funny!

Usually acting all grown-up, Shen Xing finally showed some childishness.

Though, not in the best way.

Just as Jiang Cheng was thinking of how to comfort him, Shen Xing took a determined sniff and said, "I’ve decided!"

"If anyone laughs at me, I’ll tell the teacher to give more homework!"

"The teacher likes me, I like doing homework, they don’t!"

Jiang Cheng gave a thumbs up in admiration.

"That’s a deft use of borrowing one force to strike another! Impressive!"

"Glad to have been positively influenced by me!"

"Influenced in what way?"

Shen Que walked in.

Shen Xing jumped, his eyes flickering to the three inside: don’t mention it!

Shen Que: That signal was clear... visible from two miles away.