Courtyard House: Starting as an engineer, crushing a yard full of poultry

As a transmigrator from the future who has seen all kinds of beautiful women, how could he not understand the thoughts of this little girl in front of him?

Li Xiangdong found it somewhat amusing to think about the little girl's little scheme.

"What wedding? I just started working. I bought it for work." Li Xiangdong said with a smile, "I'm out of coupons, can you find me a Plum Blossom watch? Something in good condition."

Titoni watches are renowned timepieces produced in the country of Armour.

"I have one that's 90% new, but it costs 120 yuan," the saleswoman said with a pained expression. "Why don't you try to get a watch voucher and buy it..."

"Alright, just give me that plum blossom watch." Li Xiangdong's eyes lit up.

Li Xiangdong owns a Longines eight-hand moon phase watch, but he can't wear it out. As for those watches given out as part of a red envelope giveaway, he doesn't want to wear them either.

While those watches were cheap in later times, they're high-tech in modern times. Wearing one makes you feel awkward and unsure of its origin. You might as well buy a watch here and be more presentable.

After putting on his watch and thanking him, Li Xiangdong turned to leave.

"Um, my name is Long Xiaoxiao. What's your name? Where do you work?"

The saleswoman's voice trembled.

“Li Xiangdong, Level 8 Engineer at Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill.” Li Xiangdong turned around and smiled, revealing eight clean, even teeth.

Seeing Li Xiangdong's smile, Long Xiaoxiao's heart pounded. She lowered her head shyly.

By the time she looked up, Li Xiangdong had already ridden away.

"A little tempted, aren't you? This young man is quite something."

A woman in her thirties said with a smile, "Tsk tsk, so young and already an eighth-level engineer! You must earn over a hundred a month."

"Sister Zhang, you don't know. Don't talk nonsense..." Long Xiaoxiao said shyly.

"Tsk tsk, I was thinking of asking my second sister to inquire about this Li Xiangdong. If you don't mean it, then forget it. My second sister works in the finance department of the steel rolling mill," the woman said with a smile.

"Okay!" Long Xiaoxiao said shyly.

Li Xiangdong rode his bicycle to the shore of Shichahai Lake, where fishing was permitted in those days. Many people were breaking through the ice to fish.

Li Xiangdong chose a spot and used an axe to cut a hole about one square meter in size in the ice. He then prepared to prepare groundbait and bait.

It was around nine o'clock, and the sun had just risen and wasn't very high in the sky.

Li Xiangdong arrived at a very deep place, where fishing requires fishing in deeper water. Li Xiangdong's predecessor loved fishing, and his skills were top-notch.

Just as I poured bait into the newly bought small basin, I heard a voice say with delight, "Hey, Li Xiangdong, you're fishing here too! Perfect, give me this ice hole, and you can break one next to it yourself..."

Before Yan Bugui could finish his sentence, he saw Li Xiangdong look up at him. This made Yan Bugui shudder, and he remembered who this person was.

"Uh, just kidding, just kidding," Yan Bugui said hastily.

Yan Bugui was used to ordering around the young people in the courtyard. He was trying to show off his status as the third uncle, but Li Xiangdong completely ignored him.

Li Xiangdong bent down and stirred the bait. After stirring it well, he placed it on the coat rack in the back of the car. Otherwise, if he put it on the ice, it would freeze in no time! By placing it on the coat rack and letting it dry in the sun, it would soon be able to be kneaded into a ball.

Yan Bugui has now also smashed a hole in the ice. It's about five meters away from Li Xiangdong. His small frame was so tired from smashing the ice that he was practically farting.

When Yan Bugui was tidying up his fishing rod, he saw Li Xiangdong casting his line.

Li Xiangdong only pulled out one section of his fishing rod, standing right next to the ice hole. This was different from fishing by the river before.

Put an egg-sized amount of bait on the hook and lower it into the river. After twenty seconds, regardless of whether there is any movement, pull it up and re-bait it.

Yan Bugui stared intently, watching Li Xiangdong for more than three minutes.

"Li Xiangdong, are you here to fish or to feed the fish?" Yan Bugui asked in surprise. "So you don't know how to fish? How about I teach you? You can pay me five yuan for tuition later."

Li Xiangdong sneered. Just then, the float bobbed, and he yanked the rod to hook the fish. Then, sensing that the fish wasn't big, he simply lifted it out of the water.

This is a carp weighing over a pound. Li Xiangdong shook his head; he came to fish for silver carp and bighead carp, and he was afraid the carp would swarm the bait!

Chapter Fifteen: Yi Zhonghai Schemes Against Li Xiangdong Once Again (Seeking flowers, monthly tickets, and ratings!)

Yan Bugui's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. His eyes were red with envy!

"Tsk tsk. You're so lucky to have come across such a thing..." Yan Bugui said with envy and jealousy.

If only he had caught that fish! Fish are much more expensive in this freezing weather; a carp like that could easily sell for fifty cents.

Li Xiangdong completely ignored Yan Bugui, removed the carp from its shell, and placed it in the tin bucket. Soon the carp became still, and after a while, it stood stiff and rigid—it had frozen solid.

Li Xiangdong thought to himself, "I didn't expect there to be so many fish here. That makes sense; although fishing isn't prohibited here, you can't use nets. The big fish all hide in the deep water. In this day and age, fishing bait isn't very advanced; catching big fish is just a matter of luck!"

As he was pondering this, the float suddenly dipped sharply to the bottom. Li Xiangdong jerked the fishing rod, and the fishing line tightened, making a hissing sound.

"A big fish! It's a big fish!"

Yan Bugui shouted.

Li Xiangdong's body was not only incredibly strong, but he also possessed martial arts skills. Dissolving and neutralizing force was a piece of cake for him, and he quickly managed to get the fish onto the ice.

This was a one-meter-long bighead carp, weighing about fifteen or sixteen pounds. It was still thrashing about on the ice. Li Xiangdong hit it on the head with an axe, and it immediately lay still on the ice.

After throwing them into the bucket, they continued fishing. Over the next few days, large fish were continuously being pulled up, filling the tin bucket to the brim, with some left on the ice.

The tin bucket only contained four large fish, plus a carp weighing over a pound.

With his bait running out and twelve large fish caught, Li Xiangdong prepared to pack up and head home.

At this point, a crowd had gathered around, watching the spectacle.

"Li Xiangdong, here you go!" Yan Bugui came over with his fishing rod.

Yan Bugui had been planning this for a long time.

Li Xiangdong ignored Yan Bugui and tied the fish to the cart. He pushed the cart towards the shore, where Yan Bugui was already fishing in the ice hole Li Xiangdong had thrown in.

"Young man, young man, sell me two of these fish if you can."

An old man followed.

“Sell? No way. Speculation is out of the question.” Li Xiangdong shook his head. “Unless it’s a government acquisition. I don’t want to take the risk!”

"Well, never mind then." The old man looked disappointed.

The other fishermen who followed probably had the same idea. Seeing that it wasn't working, they all looked disappointed.

When Li Xiangdong returned to the courtyard house, the threshold was a bit of a hindrance.

Li Xiangdong could only lift the wheel first and then lift the rear wheel. The rear wheel contained over 150 pounds of fish.

"I'll help! I'll help!"

Xu Damao arrived just in time and helped push the car inside.

"Thank you!" Li Xiangdong said politely.

Xu Damao is a real scoundrel, but people like him are actually quite easy to get along with.

"You're too kind! Did you catch this fish? Tsk tsk, your skills... are amazing." Xu Damao said with a grin.

Just then, Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong walked in, each carrying a small piece of pork. They were going to have meat on Sunday, so they bought some pork to make dumplings or something.

When Liu Haizhong saw so many big fish in Li Xiangdong's car, he immediately got excited.

"Li Xiangdong, where did you get these fish?"

Liu Haizhong said sternly, "Our compound doesn't tolerate speculators."

"Liu Haizhong, did you eat shit? Otherwise, why would your mouth smell so bad?" Li Xiangdong said coldly, "Who the hell do you think you are? Trying to control everything?"

"You suspect me of speculation and profiteering? Fine, then go ahead and report me. What are you doing making a fuss here?"

Yi Zhonghai hurriedly pulled Liu Haizhong away.

Even after entering the Intermediate People's Court, Liu Haizhong was still shouting, "Old Yi, why did you pull me away? Li Xiangdong brought in so many big fish. It definitely wasn't for anything good..."

"Forget it," Yi Zhonghai said helplessly. "If it weren't for the benefits, would he let you report him? He's a twenty-year-old level eight engineer. With that kind of brain, would he do something like this, letting you find something to use against him?"

"Uh, this..." Liu Haizhong was speechless.

"Tsk tsk, no wonder you're suspicious. A dozen or so big fish weighing fourteen or fifteen pounds each," Yi Zhonghai said with envy. "We'll be eating them until spring."

Jia Zhangshi stood at the door, her eyes initially fixed on the half-pound of pork in Yi Zhonghai's hand. But upon hearing about the big fish, her attention immediately shifted.

This is only half a pound of pork; Yi Zhonghai would be lucky to give them an ounce or two. That's only enough for a small stir-fry. But if they could get one of those fourteen or fifteen-pound fish, that would be enough to last them for a while.

“This old man has so many fish. Why don’t you let each family take one? He didn’t bring them for free anyway,” Jia Zhangshi suggested. “There are only about twenty days left until the New Year, everyone…”

These words stirred something in Yi Zhonghai's heart. He wanted to use someone else's gifts to do a favor, to make everyone remember his kindness. This was something Yi Zhonghai loved to do.

"But...but...Li Xiangdong might not agree." Yi Zhonghai clicked his tongue and hesitated.

Last night, the deaf old woman told him not to provoke Li Xiangdong. Besides, Yi Zhonghai knew without asking that Li Xiangdong would never agree.

"If he doesn't agree, he'll offend everyone in the hospital," Liu Haizhong said menacingly.

Liu Haizhong was furious; he couldn't understand it. How did a twenty-year-old who had just graduated this spring become the head of the technical department?

He works diligently with bangs; he's a veteran worker. Now he's not even a team leader. Why is that?

Yi Zhonghai thought it made sense; he was in a position of great moral high ground. If Li Xiangdong refused, the entire hospital would resent him. He could still salvage some face. Last night, Li Xiangdong had humiliated him utterly.

If we can get it back, then everyone will only remember his good deeds!

"Okay, I'll put the meat down and then go talk to Li Xiangdong about it." Yi Zhonghai nodded.

After returning home, Li Xiangdong tossed a large fish into warm water to thaw. "We'll eat it for lunch today." He then saw Xu Damao follow him in and said with a smile: