Siheyuan Great Craftsmen

"Okay, since our little Zhiming likes it, then grandma will let your dad make it for you in the future!"

Grandma's face was full of love. Looking at her great-grandchildren who were eating happily, the wrinkles on her face became even deeper with her smile, and her eyes were full of doting.

For the grandmother, her eldest grandson had fulfilled the important task of carrying on the family line, and from now on, the family would depend on these little guys to bring new vitality and hope. Naturally, part of her love for her eldest grandson quietly shifted to her great-grandson.

"Eat, just eat! If you don't study well in the future, forget about eating anything delicious. If you keep being greedy, I'll give you a slap in the face. Do you want this 'eating'?"

In stark contrast to grandma's doting, Shen Yulin had no intention of spoiling the five little ones. Her face darkened, and she glanced at the children and said seriously.

At this, the five little guys were so scared that they shrank their necks, their faces changed color instantly, and they waved their hands hurriedly, saying in unison: "Mom, no, no, we are studying well, don't worry!"

Zhou Zhiyi’s third child hurriedly forced a flattering smile towards his mother. He looked so funny and cute that the whole family couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

"Okay, you silly girl, stop scaring my grandson. Don't worry, from now on, just tell grandma what you want to eat and I'll ask your dad to make it for you. If it really doesn't work, grandma will go out and buy it for you!"

Mother-in-law Li Yuling couldn't bear to see her daughter scaring her grandson. She felt so distressed that she quickly spoke in a soft voice to defend her.

As soon as these words came out, Shen Yulin's beautiful eyes flashed with a different look. Zhou Tian was quick-witted and saw that something was wrong, so he quickly picked up a piece of wild goose meat and gently put it into his wife's mouth. Shen Yulin couldn't help but glare at him, but she probably understood her husband's intention, so she suppressed the displeasure in her heart.

After dinner, grandpa and father-in-law played chess at home with great interest.

Zhou Tian and his second brother walked out of the main room, leaving the women in the house to clean up the dishes.

The two walked side by side in the yard, and Zhou Tian casually asked about his second brother Zhou Hao's situation at school.

When Zhou Hao heard this, he started talking and shared all the interesting things in school with his elder brother.

But Zhou Tian was so perceptive that he caught a hint of hesitation in his second brother's words.

He couldn't help but ask, "Xiaohao, you've grown up now, it's normal to have your own ideas. If you have anything on your mind, don't hide it, just tell me. What's the matter that makes you so embarrassed?"

Zhou Hao was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect that his elder brother saw through his thoughts before he even opened his mouth. But since that was the case, he no longer concealed it and said frankly: "Brother, Yaning wants me to move to the house in Houhai with her. It's close to Tsinghua University, which is convenient for me to go to school."

After hearing what his second brother said, Zhou Tian paused, subconsciously took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it and took a deep breath.

After a long while, his expression gradually calmed down, and he asked in a calm but slightly strange tone, "What do you think?"

"Brother, can you give me one?"

Who would have thought that after hearing Zhou Tian's words, Zhou Hao did not answer immediately, but stared at the cigarette in his brother's hand with his sharp eyes.

Zhou Tian didn't hesitate, he took out a cigarette and handed it to his second brother, then lit it for him. After all, his second brother was almost eighteen years old, so it was normal for him to learn to smoke.

Watching his second brother puffing smoke expertly, Zhou Tian asked curiously, "When did you learn to smoke?"

"It's been so long, I can't even remember. I think I learned it when I was in the first year of high school."

Zhou Hao took a deep puff of the cigarette and exhaled the smoke slowly. His expression was calm, but his eyes revealed complex emotions.

"Brother, I have always loved you, envied you, and respected you from the bottom of my heart. You have sacrificed so much for this family. You had the best grades in school, but you resolutely dropped out to support this family. To be honest, I even thought about dropping out of school to work at that time, and I didn't want you to drop out. But I knew you would definitely not agree. From that day on, I made up my mind to go to college with you and bring your dream with me."

As he spoke, a hint of sadness flashed in his eyes, especially when he thought of the helplessness of his family in the past years, and how they relied on his eldest brother to get through it step by step. His heart couldn't help but bleed.

"To achieve this goal, I studied very hard, thinking that one day I would become the pillar of this family and the pride of the family. But I never expected that our family would become better and better with your support. You started as an apprentice in a steel mill, and gradually became a master chef, engineer, factory manager, and finally the dean. In just a few years, your achievements far surpassed many university graduates, even many professors. Every time I mentioned your name at school, the instructors and professors praised you highly."

"This makes me both proud and envious. I am proud that I have a big brother like you who is famous throughout the city and well-known in the university. But I envy you. They all say that I am talented, but I know in my heart that your talent is much stronger than mine."

"So if I want to surpass you, I have to work harder. I don't want to embarrass you, and I don't want people to think that your brother is not as good as you."

"Brother, you know what? Being with you puts me under a lot of pressure, but I am also very motivated. I hope that one day I can achieve more than you, but I also understand that this goal is too difficult to achieve."

"So I listened to you and chose liberal arts, hoping that I could achieve the same remarkable results in this field as you did in science and engineering."

"When Yaning suggested that I move out of the courtyard and move to the second courtyard in Houhai, I refused at first. But then I figured it out. I've lived under your protection for so many years, and it's time for me to go out and find my own way. I also want to give back to my family. I don't want to continue to see you make sacrifices. Most importantly, I want to train myself. I don't want to hide under your wings after graduating from college. That would make me look useless."

Zhou Hao said a lot in a discontinuous manner, and Zhou Tian listened carefully and understood his intentions. Although he was inevitably a little reluctant, he also knew that every word his second brother said made sense.

After this year, my second brother will be 18 years old. In ancient times, he would have been able to support the backbone of a family. If he is still protected by me, it will not be good for his growth or for this family.

Young eagles must always learn to soar into the sky, and people must eventually learn to face life independently. Even if they are reluctant, they must learn to let go.

"Forget it! Since Xiaohao chooses to leave, then go ahead!"

After thinking this through, Zhou Tian turned to look at his second brother. Unconsciously, his second brother had grown taller, and before he knew it, he was taller than himself.

"Xiaohao, since you have decided to go out, I will not stop you. But I hope you will remember that there will always be someone in this family who loves you the most and someone who treats you completely without reservation."

"Big brother!"

Zhou Hao didn't expect that his elder brother was not angry about his plan to move out, but also said such heartfelt words. A warm feeling surged in his heart and his eyes gradually became moist.