Zhuang Zhixi's return sparked a burst of excitement in the courtyard.
Life for ordinary people was monotonous, unlike modern times where a smartphone can keep you informed about the whole world. At this time, the biggest source of entertainment still came from the neighbors, and there weren't many televisions around either. A group of kids, including Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, arrived home from school and spotted their father as soon as they entered the courtyard.
Zhuang Zhixi first went to take a bath, a purely refreshing bath.
This wasn't one of those sleazy massage parlors; it was a proper mechanical factory bathhouse. But things were better now, as there were masseurs available. In the past, this service was prohibited, deemed as exploitation. What was once a pleasant luxury vanished, and masseurs found themselves unemployed.
