My happy life in a courtyard house with triplets.

Chapter 238: Entertaining Distinguished Guests

Seeing Ding Qiunan's dazed expression, Zhang Lei smiled and asked, "Ding Qiunan, who are the people who came to the main factory for training this time?"

Ding Qiunan paused for a moment before responding, "We only have two people from our machine repair shop. But this batch coming to the main factory has about thirty people."

Zhang Lei looked puzzled: "How come I didn't know about this?"

Ye Shuqi rolled her eyes at him: "Honey, what's so strange about that? You're out there all the time, only going to the factory once a month. I bet you don't even know all your colleagues in the purchasing department anymore, do you?"

Hearing Ye Shuqi's teasing, Zhang Lei scratched his head and laughed awkwardly, "It's for work, it's for work."

These words immediately drew eye rolls from Ye Shuqi and Ye Shuhua.

Ye Shuqin, Ye Shuqi, and Ye Shuhua knew perfectly well that Zhang Lei wasn't running around for work every day; he just stayed at home and only went out occasionally.

Ding Qiunan, unaware of Zhang Lei's actual situation, smiled and said after hearing Ye Shuqi's words, "Comrade Zhang Lei has really worked hard."

Zhang Lei quickly waved his hand: "It's not hard work, it's all for the factory."

After saying that, he glared at Ye Shuqi and Ye Shuhua, his eyes full of warning, as if afraid that the two would give themselves away.

The two of them couldn't help but laugh at his appearance.

Seeing this, Zhang Lei asked again, "Why are you two looking at me like that?"

Ye Shuhua immediately changed the subject, looking at Ding Qiunan: "Ding Qiunan, who is this other colleague you mentioned?"

Ding Qiunan thought for a moment: "She's a welder from our factory, named Liang Ladi."

Ye Shuqi looked surprised: "Liang Ladi? Isn't that a woman's name? How could she be a welder?"

Ding Qiunan explained with a smile, "Liang Ladi is a woman, and a widow with four children. But she's incredibly ambitious; in the factory, most men can't compare to her."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lei's mind went blank for a moment, and he immediately asked, "Liang Ladi, four children, what are their children's names?"

Ding Qiunan replied, "I don't know his full name. Everyone calls him Da Mao, Er Mao, San Mao, and Xiu'er."

Once he was certain this was the Liang Ladi he knew, Zhang Lei quickly asked, "Is there another cook named Nan Yi in your factory?"

Ding Qiunan looked puzzled: "You know Nan Yi?"

Zhang Lei waved his hand: "I don't know him, I've only heard of him. I heard he's an excellent cook."

Ding Qiunan nodded, "Oh, is that so? Our factory does have someone named Nan Yi."

Zhang Lei smiled and asked again, "Ding Qiunan, is that Nan Yi pursuing you?"

The question was so direct that Ding Qiunan was momentarily at a loss for words.

Ye Shuqi glanced at Zhang Lei as well: "Honey, how can you ask that?"

Zhang Lei laughed awkwardly: "Just chatting, nothing more."

Ding Qiunan looked at him but wasn't angry. She said softly, "No, Nan Yi is just a cook at our factory. I only know him."

Zhang Lei understood perfectly; he figured that the plot of "People Are Iron, Rice Is Steel" had only just begun.

He looked at Ding Qiunan, whose eyes and brows exuded a scholarly air. No wonder Nan Yi, Cui Dake, and so many workers in the factory liked her.

However, Zhang Lei admired Liang Ladi, who had four children, even more, and admired her passionate and decisive nature in her love for Nan Yi.

As he pondered this, a thought suddenly struck him: If he changed the life trajectories of Ding Qiunan and Liang Ladi, would the system give him more energy to raise his level by one more stage?

Thinking of this, Zhang Lei immediately felt that his opportunity had arrived.

But seeing that Ding Qiunan still looked a little nervous, he suppressed his thoughts. After all, it was their first meeting, and Ding Qiunan was bound to be on guard. It was better to proceed step by step.

Zhang Lei composed himself and asked Ding Qiunan, half-jokingly, "Ding Qiunan, with your stunning beauty, you must have had many suitors at the factory, right?"

Ding Qiunan smiled sheepishly: "It's not as good as you say. We're just familiar colleagues who occasionally joke around."

Ye Shuhua, who was standing nearby, immediately said, "Ding Qiunan, don't underestimate yourself. You are really beautiful. I don't believe it if you say no one pursues you."

Ding Qiunan was even more embarrassed and quickly waved her hands: "No matter how pretty you are, you're not as pretty as me. You're triplets, anyone would like you."

Ye Shuhua replied with a smile, "We don't like other people. We have our own men now."

Hearing this, Zhang Lei felt a sweet warmth in his heart and wished he could immediately go forward, hug Ye Shuhua, and kiss her. This girl really knew how to flatter him.

At noon, Zhang Lei's family of five sat around the dining table eating and chatting. Ye Shuqin, Ye Shuqi, Ye Shuhua, and Ding Qiunan chatted enthusiastically, from clothing matching to shopping plans, while Zhang Lei ate his meal in silence, listening to their conversation, feeling a headache coming on.

After dinner, Ye Shuhua pulled Zhang Lei aside and said, "Honey, we're not going fishing today. We've decided to go shopping. Will you come with us?"

Zhang Lei quickly shook his head: "I won't go. You guys have fun. It'll be uncomfortable for you to follow me around, being the only guy there."

Ye Shuqi gave Ye Shuqin a wink, and Ye Shuqin walked up to Zhang Lei: "Honey, don't say that. There are only four bicycles at home, and the three of us are all pregnant, so we can't carry anyone. Could you do me a favor and give Qiu Nan a ride? Besides, shouldn't you pay for shopping?"

Zhang Lei thought for a moment, not finding anything amiss, and agreed. Ding Qiunan, standing to the side, was extremely embarrassed and quickly said, "Shuqi, how about I give you a ride?"

Ye Shuqi waved her hand in refusal: "No, if you give me a ride, what will I do if I can't sit steadily while I'm pregnant?"

Ding Qiunan had no choice but to nod in agreement after hearing Ye Shuqi's words.

The five men pushed their bicycles out of the house and, just as they reached the front yard, they bumped into He Daqing, Liu Haizhong, and Yan Fugui arguing. Zhang Lei stepped forward and asked, "Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Uncle He, you're all respected figures in the neighborhood, what are you doing arguing here?"

He Daqing immediately said, "Zhang Lei, you be the judge. The neighborhood committee allocated me a house, but Liu Haizhong insists on finding fault, saying that I am occupying public property."

Liu Haizhong also stepped forward: "Zhang Lei, He Daqing has his own house, yet he's occupying the deaf old lady's house. This house should be given to someone who needs it more."

Yan Fugui chimed in, "That's right. His family has many rooms, while our family has many children and only two rooms. This house should be allocated to us."

Zhang Lei instantly understood the reason, but before he could speak, Ye Shuhua urged, "Honey, let's stop chatting, it's time to go."

Zhang Lei responded and said to the three of them, "I can't judge this matter. If you can't get through to him, go find Director Wang of the Subdistrict Office. He'll definitely be able to give you an explanation."

Upon hearing this, Liu Haizhong and Yan Fugui immediately deflated, not daring to confront Director Wang. Seeing this, Zhang Lei quickly said he had something to do, pushed his bicycle, and walked out, leaving the three of them standing there dumbfounded.