After the new year, he had a basket of plans, especially those related to tangible matters, which were pressing.
However, there wasn't much his own family could help with these things, and Yu Zhou knew this well. He would give them a surprise later.
Back in his hometown, Yu Zhou naturally slept with his wife and daughter.
Feeling his wife's warmth and his restless daughter, Yu Zhou had a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before, which slowly filled him.
He wasn't a sentimental person, but he couldn't deny that the warmth of home always tugged at his heart.
In his previous life, no matter what he did, he found it difficult to gain recognition from others. This had always been a hidden worry for him, and in this life, he naturally wouldn't make such a foolish mistake again.
The next day was New Year's Eve. Yu Zhou woke up early and began pasting couplets with his parents.
The festive atmosphere of the new year in this era was much stronger than in later generations.
Yu Zhou's family had three children in total. His eldest brother, Yu Huai, was currently a deputy town mayor in the suburbs and was rarely seen. He was expected to return today with his elder sister-in-law.
Of course, his elder brother's son had always been living with them, that brat who used to protect Xiao Yu.
There was also a second sister, who had married and moved to the capital three years ago. Except for a visit in the first lunar month, she wouldn't return for the rest of the year.
While they were pasting couplets, his elder brother and sister-in-law finally arrived with their luggage.
"Not bad, you're much more diligent this year!"
Seeing Yu Zhou busy around, his elder sister-in-law, Lin Ruoyue, who had a good relationship with her younger brother-in-law, teased him.
In the past, this sister-in-law had somewhat looked down on her younger brother-in-law.
After all, Yu Zhou back then was just a loafer, always messing around and doing nothing with his life. Even his job was obtained through his father-in-law asking a favor from a leader to get him a replacement position.
Compared to her husband, Yu Huai, it was like comparing heaven and earth.
Yu Huai had gotten his position through his own efforts and had become a formal cadre at the deputy section level.
Coupled with his university degree, even as a deputy town mayor in a small rural town, his future was still bright.
But Yu Zhou, the son born to the same mother, was accomplished in nothing.
It was only this year, after receiving the news, that Lin Ruoyue felt somewhat relieved. Her younger brother-in-law was finally no longer messing around like he used to.
Of course, although she had some reservations about Yu Zhou, it didn't mean she didn't care about her sister-in-law.
On the contrary, the relationship between the sisters-in-law was very good. Jiang Jie was not the type to fight for favor, and Lin Ruoyue herself felt some guilt for not being around her in-laws, so she treated her sister-in-law even better.
"Sister-in-law! Brother! You're finally back."
"If you didn't come back soon, Nian Nian would have gone to find you herself."
Seeing her brother and sister-in-law return, Jiang Jie's face lit up with joy.
Although she hadn't spent much time with her sister-in-law, they were both sensible people, and Lin Ruoyue didn't mind that her parents favored her younger son.
So, as they spent time together, they truly became a family.
Recalling his past life, Yu Zhou's hesitation to visit his brother and sister-in-law was partly due to his fear of his sister-in-law.
After all, Jiang Jie's incident had deeply hurt the entire family.
"Brother!"
After carefully pasting the couplets, Yu Zhou also called out.
Regarding his elder brother, well, Yu Zhou respected him immensely, both in his past life and this one.
For no other reason than the fact that he had always lived in his brother's shadow since childhood.
From childhood to adulthood, whether in studies or other aspects, Yu Zhou couldn't catch up to his own biological brother.
Not only himself, but even his second sister couldn't.
This guy, how to put it, seemed quiet and honest on the surface.
But he was the cunning type. He was more scheming than himself, his second sister, or even the entire family combined. He was simply no match for him.
Recalling his past life, his eldest brother had climbed to the high position of deputy department level without any background, which showed how formidable he was.
Truly! Yu Zhou's childhood nightmare.
"You're doing well, kid. You're finally doing something productive. Being laid off isn't scary. What's scary is getting disheartened by being laid off and becoming a useless freeloader who can't do anything."
"If that were the case, I would suggest to Dad that he give you a good thrashing."
Yu Huai patted his younger brother's shoulder, expressing his relief.
As the saying goes, "An elder brother is like a father, and an elder sister-in-law is like a mother."
Although this situation was rare in later generations, with brothers fighting over inheritance to the point of bloodshed, even murder, in this era of widespread poverty, this saying was not just empty words.
Didn't Lin Ruoyue, even though she hadn't interacted with her younger brother and sister-in-law much, still worry about their affairs?
After all, Jiang Jie had tried everything she could but had never called her brother, sister-in-law, or sister.
She always felt that her parents favored their small family too much, and if they encountered difficulties, asking her brother, sister-in-law, or sister for help would be unfair to them.
"Finally, you've made some progress, but it's still not enough for the whole family to live well."
Yu Zhou smiled brightly, like a child showing off to his parents, eager for praise.
"Yes! It's not enough... It's not that you haven't earned enough money, but that you haven't been beaten enough."
Suddenly, just as Yu Zhou was about to take credit, Yu Huai's expression changed.
Ignoring the gazes of everyone in the courtyard, he picked up a broom and fiercely brought it down on Yu Zhou.
"You think you're great now, huh? Your wings have hardened, and you think you're capable."
"Before you were laid off, such a huge commotion, and you didn't even tell your brother?"
"By the time I heard about it and everything was dealt with, you call that dealing with it? Is that how you offend people?"
"If something major happened in the family, you hid it and didn't tell me? Do you even have me as your elder brother in your eyes?"
He showed no restraint at all.
The broom struck Yu Zhou fiercely, and he immediately scrambled around the room.
For a moment, it was chaos.
"Sister-in-law..."
Jiang Jie, being a woman who doted on her husband, immediately looked at Lin Ruoyue with a pleading gaze.
"He deserves it. Not only does your man deserve a beating, but you do too..."
"Are we divided? I don't remember us being divided, do I?"
"Even if we were divided, aren't we your biological brother and sister-in-law? It's one thing if you don't want us to worry about small matters, but you dared to hide such a big event from us."
"Tell me, do you two deserve a beating?"
Lin Ruoyue said angrily, raising an eyebrow.
It was New Year's Eve today, so there was an opportunity. Tomorrow would be too late.
No one beats their younger brother on the first day of the new year.