Er Niu finished speaking and paid no further attention to Mrs. He, continuing to walk forward. Mrs. He followed behind, glaring at Er Niu and Mrs. Zhao with gnashing teeth. Song Yue-mei followed Mrs. He with her children, feeling that Mrs. He had simply brought the humiliation upon herself. Hadn't she realized that Uncle Er’s family was no longer what they used to be—no longer the easy targets for bullying and taking advantage? Yet, she still couldn't grasp this fact, constantly saying the wrong things at the wrong time. Even if they needed to renovate the courtyard, this wasn't the moment for it. Song Yue-mei shook her head and continued walking forward.

Lin He’s property occupied a wide area, enclosed by walls nearly two people high. The house had both a front and a back door; the front entrance was vast enough for two carriages to pass side-by-side. The large courtyard was divided into four wings, with a spacious central area partitioned into several sections. The surrounding area held the living quarters. Directly facing the center of the courtyard was the main hall, which itself contained several additional rooms.

Lin He had initially intended to build a complex structure with multiple small courtyards and sequential entrances, but Er Niu and Huang Shi disagreed, arguing that separate courtyards would feel too lonely for such a small household; sufficient space for living was all they needed. Thus, the house was built in its current configuration.

In essence, the overall layout somewhat resembled a traditional siheyuan (courtyard house), but it was much more detailed and extended significantly inward in all four cardinal directions, effectively creating East, South, West, and North wings, with each wing containing several rooms.

Dabao and Xiaobao currently shared the East Wing with Er Niu and Huang Shi. The wing had numerous rooms; it was spacious enough to house the entire family if necessary.

Lin He and Chen'er occupied the West Wing. Lin He designed their space based on modern suite concepts, though with slight modifications. It featured two separate entrances. The main hall there was split into two sections, and each section led into three rooms. Inside those rooms, there were two smaller chambers, and then an exterior, small side room—an erfang—large enough for a single bed and a small desk. The inner room served as the primary living space and included a washing area, modeled after the washrooms in Lin He’s previous dwelling.

Although only Lin He and Lin Chen lived there, Lin He ensured the division was meticulous, anticipating the accommodation needs of future maids; there was ample space even if their staff grew larger.

Furthermore, behind the main residence, Lin He specially constructed a smaller, separate courtyard divided into two halves, intended for the future use of household servants.

Outsiders viewing only the exterior walls could not fathom the sheer size within. Those who had followed to look were startled by the scale, clearly realizing the immense expense involved.

Since the construction had just been completed, no furniture or fixtures had been moved in. Beyond the structural layout, Lin He herself didn't find it particularly stunning yet. However, the onlookers stood slack-jawed in astonishment. Lin He privately chuckled, imagining their potential reaction—perhaps fainting—once the furnishings were placed and the courtyards were fully landscaped.

After the tour, the group emerged. Mrs. Zhao instructed Hongxia and the others to return and start packing, planning to finish by evening so construction could commence the next day. Mrs. He’s resentment towards Er Niu’s family intensified; Er Niu’s family clearly possessed great wealth, and building such a manor must have cost a fortune, yet he had refused to help renovate her own courtyard. It was truly infuriating.

Once Mrs. Zhao departed, Dasheng also hurried back to pack. Mrs. He’s family returned to their own place, and Er Niu and Huang Shi went back to the old house. Moving into the new residence would have to wait until the furniture arrived, likely close to the New Year. In any case, there was no rush; they planned to wait until Huang Shi had delivered the baby and completed her confinement period before relocating.

On the way back, Er Niu mentioned to Huang Shi, “Wife, you don’t mind building a house for my parents, do you? I had intended to discuss this with you in the coming days, but after seeing how things were with them today, I decided it’s best to get it done for them now so they can have a new home before the New Year.”

Huang Shi smiled and replied, “What objection could I have? Building a house for our parents is the right thing to do. Why don't you go over there now? Since we’re building for them anyway, perhaps make the house a bit wider? Then Hongyun will have a place to stay when she visits her family later. Since it has to be built regardless, a little extra space won't cost much more.”

Er Niu considered her words sensible and went over to his parents' place to look. He finalized arrangements with the masons resting in the laborers' quarters, informing them he had work for them the next day as well. The masons were all familiar faces; working for Er Niu’s family meant better wages and superior food compared to other employers, so they were eager to be there. Many masons looked on with deep envy at the quality of life afforded to Er Niu’s long-term laborers, wishing they had signed on permanently instead.

As the New Year approached, Huang Shi’s belly grew larger, remarkably so—significantly bigger than average. Every day, besides preparing specialized meals for Huang Shi, Lin He insisted she walk around the courtyard for a set period, believing it would ease the labor later on. Huang Shi had always managed previous births quite actively, which naturally led to smoother deliveries.

For this pregnancy, however, Huang Shi had barely cooked since conception, spending most of her time sitting. She had also gained considerable weight. Lin He varied her diet daily. Though Lin He had never given birth in her previous life, she understood the basic necessities. Seeing that Huang Shi was only months away from delivery, Lin He began preparing lighter meals and ensured she walked regularly in the courtyard.

Honestly, every time Lin He looked at Huang Shi’s swollen abdomen, she worried intensely about the delivery. Huang Shi was no longer young, and combined with the excellent nutrition, Lin He feared she might be carrying a very large boy, which could complicate a difficult labor.

Moreover, Lin He had calculated that the baby would likely arrive around the New Year. Lin He planned to hire a reliable midwife from town in a few days; if the birth occurred during the holiday period, finding emergency help would be impossible, although doctors were slightly easier to secure.

Lin He also recalled the situation during Song Yue-mei’s delivery. She had consulted a doctor at the Xingren Hall, who advised that in such critical circumstances, administering high-quality ginseng was the most effective remedy. Consequently, Lin He spent a significant amount of silver purchasing a small ginseng root, just in case.

Seeing Lin He’s anxious demeanor, Huang Shi found it somewhat amusing. “He’er, you’re worrying too much. I’ve given birth three or four times already. What’s so difficult about childbirth? I was walking around doing chores the day after I delivered. I’m not that delicate.”

Despite Huang Shi’s reassurances, Lin He dared not relax. Everything necessary had been prepared well in advance. She strictly limited Huang Shi’s movements to the courtyard, fearful of a recurrence of the situation Song Yu-mei had faced previously.