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

“It’s not true,” Li Xiangdong said with a smile. “Since this guy came all the way here, we can’t let Liu Guangqi collect the money for him.”

Just as Li Xiangdong was about to leave with Yu Li, Li Huaide rushed over, opened the back door of the jeep, and got in.

"Director Li, is there something you need me to do?" Li Xiangdong said with a smile.

"Yes, there's something I need to say, Chief Engineer Li. I'll get straight to the point. That pig you got last time was really good," Li Huaide said. "Do you think you could get us 10,000 jin of pork?"

"What did you say? Ten thousand catties of pork?" Li Xiangdong's eyes widened as he shook his head. "Where am I supposed to get that for you?"

“I can go to the village down there and get you one or two. Ten thousand catties, what do you think?”

Li Xiangdong had originally planned to sell 10,000 jin of pork. But then he remembered that this era was different from later generations. In later generations, 10,000 jin of pork would be nothing.

But in those times of scarcity, you couldn't say where those 10,000 jin of pork came from.

If he were to be targeted, Li Xiangdong would have no choice but to flee. After all, time had stopped passing for the pork in the warehouse.

We'll ship them out gradually later. Just make more trips to the black market.

Li Huaide said with some disappointment, "That's true, 0 jin of pork. Unless it's a meat processing plant..."

"Yeah, why didn't you get the goods from the meat processing plant?" Li Xiangdong asked.

"They gave it to us, just 1 jin. I was just thinking of getting more benefits for the employees," Li Huaide said dejectedly. "Looks like there's no hope."

Providing employees with some benefits—that's Li Huaide's achievement. ⑥

“There’s no other way. I can get you a few dozen chickens,” Li Xiangdong said. “That’s all I have.”

"Alright, alright, a few dozen kilograms is not bad." Li Huaide sighed and said, "By the way, tomorrow's Sunday, how about you go and get some more fish?"

"Let's find a place to go fishing. Everything's tense during the New Year."

"Then we might as well go hunting. We both have cars anyway," Li Xiangdong said. "How about borrowing a couple of guns from the security department?"

"This... will do," Li Huaide sighed.

Li Xiangdong drove Yu Li back to the courtyard house, where he took out a large piece of pork belly, weighing about five or six pounds, from the trunk of the car. He also took out another five or six pounds of chives.

Yu Li no longer asks where these things come from. After all, Li Xiangdong is the deputy factory director, so it's normal for him to have some special supply channels.

"Dong-ge, you have so much meat! Just cut off a little to make dumplings," Yu Li said sweetly. "The rest won't spoil..."

"No need to be stingy, call your whole family over," Li Xiangdong said. "Make dumplings with pork and chives."

"If we can't finish it, it will freeze quickly if we leave it outside. We'll just take it out and cook it when we want to eat it."

Because it was a holiday, Yu Dajiang brought his family over. Yu Dajiang went to chop meat, while Huang Guihua kneaded dough.

Li Xiangdong went to the main room on the east side and began to tidy up the furniture.

Li Xiangdong recognized the furniture left behind by the deaf old woman at a glance. Most of it was made of mahogany. These pieces could be used to make furniture, and even a single table leg could be used to make beads.

"It wouldn't be good to throw them into the mysterious space," Li Xiangdong muttered to himself, stroking his chin. "If so many things suddenly disappear, we won't be able to explain it to Yu Li."

"We'll just have to take it one step at a time."

"By the way, the deaf old lady wants to come in and move furniture all morning. It seems like she has some purpose. It's not reasonable for her to just want this furniture."

"These things are not valued by anyone now. Although there aren't many of them, they are worthless."

"Then there must be something in this house, something that the deaf old lady collected."

"As for where it's hidden? It's definitely under the bed."

Thinking of this, Li Xiangdong immediately moved it aside. He stomped his foot around on the ground and quickly realized something was wrong.

This is certainly related to the keen senses brought about by Li Xiangdong's powerful mental strength.

"I'll come over and dig tonight," Li Xiangdong thought to himself.

Over there, Yu Dajiang put in a lot of effort to make the filling. Meanwhile, Yu Li and Huang Guihua were making dumplings, along with Yu Li's three younger brothers.

Li Xiangdong took out canned yellow croaker, braised chicken legs, peanuts, and cucumbers, and prepared four dishes. He then prepared to have a drink with Yu Dajiang.

"By the way, Yu Bin, light these firecrackers." Li Xiangdong took out a tray of firecrackers. He had just bought them at the supply and marketing cooperative.

Yu Wu and Yu Wen also jumped out, and the three of them busied themselves hanging up the firecrackers.

"Xiangdong, we owe it all to you. Otherwise, our family wouldn't be doing so well," Yu Dajiang said with emotion.

"This is nothing. Once they're all old enough, I'll get them into the factory," Li Xiangdong said with a smile. "Yu Wen will be ready around the New Year."

Just then, firecrackers went off with a crackling sound. Huang Guihua then dragged Yu Wen and his two brothers back to make dumplings.

It's only about 5:30 pm now, so Li Xiangdong is considered to have eaten early.

Just then, He Yushui and another beautiful woman of similar age walked into the backyard.

"Chief Engineer Li, I'm here to repay the money you lent me last time..."

He Yushui said with a hint of nervousness on her face.

Before He Yushui could finish speaking, the girl with rather striking features suddenly exclaimed, "Uncle and Aunt, what are you doing here? Sister Lili, you're here too? And you three brothers?"

Yu Li and the others were also surprised. Yu Li asked in surprise, "Haitang, what brings you here?"

“He Yushui and I are classmates and good friends.” Yu Haitang looked at Yu Li curiously and said, “What’s your family doing here? By the way, Sister Lili, your clothes are really nice.”

However, Yu Li and the others didn't seem very enthusiastic.

Li Xiangdong accepted the money He Yushui returned and said, "Yushui, let's make dumplings together. You can't count on Shazhu."

"Chief Engineer Li, I'm sorry..." He Yushui was a little embarrassed.

"Don't be so polite, this is my cousin's house," Yu Haitang said excitedly. She could tell how much dumpling filling was in that big bowl, and how much meat was in it.

As Yu Haitang spoke, she pulled He Yushui's arm and led her into the house: "Anyway, you don't have anything to eat tonight."

Li Xiangdong and Yu Dajiang ate at the octagonal table, while Yu Li and the others made dumplings at a small table.

“Haitang, this isn’t our house. This is your sister Yu Li’s house,” Huang Guihua said. “Our house is in the back yard?”

"Sister Lily and this Li something..." Yu Haitang was somewhat surprised.

“Chief Engineer Li is the chief engineer and deputy director of the steel rolling mill.” He Yushui hurriedly said, “Sister Lili is his fiancée.”

"Wow, so young and already a high-ranking official?" Yu Haitang exclaimed, her eyes shining.

"Haitang is now working as a purchasing agent in the logistics department of a steel rolling mill," Yu Li said with some pride. "I earned over thirty yuan this month."

"Your brother-in-law earned a little over two hundred this month! Hehe, that's considered a bonus."

"Yu Li!" Yu Dajiang gave Yu Li a disapproving look.

From their expressions and Yu Li's reaction, Li Xiangdong knew that things weren't so simple.

There are kids outside picking up firecrackers. They're the ones from that string that didn't go off. There are always some that don't explode in a string of firecrackers.

Banggeng was one of them, and now, smelling the chives, his mouth was watering. He didn't even bother picking up the firecrackers; he turned and ran home.

Just as Banggeng arrived at his front door, he bumped into someone. Without even looking at what he'd hit, Banggeng immediately started cursing, "That damn bastard, does he have eyes to compensate for his lack of vision? He bumped into me and it hurts... Pay up, pay up!"

Bang Geng looked up and saw Yi Zhonghai, which startled him.

"Bang Geng, watch your words from now on. You're not a child anymore." Yi Zhonghai held a bottle of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor) and something wrapped in dried lotus leaves.

The stem confirmed that the dried lotus leaf contained pork head meat. The aroma of the pork head meat was already wafting out.

Bang Geng nodded and hurriedly slipped home. Yi Zhonghai shook his head and left.

"Mommy, Mommy, I want pork and chive dumplings. Your cabbage dumplings aren't good!" Banggeng cried out.

"Don't be silly, is this the kind of leek we can afford at this time of year?" Qin Huairu said with a headache, "You even put meat in this cabbage."

"No, no! I want dumplings with chives and pork filling!" Banggeng threw himself on the ground and rolled around. "That little bastard in the back has some. Go get two big bowls!"

Seeing Banggeng rolling around on the ground, Qin Huairu was furious. Banggeng had completely copied Jia Zhangshi. How could Banggeng possibly amount to anything when he grew up like this?

"You, Bang Geng, get up right now, or I'll beat you half to death!" Qin Huairu said sternly, "How can a man like you act like your grandmother?"

Seeing Qin Huairu pick up the feather duster, Bang Geng hurriedly stood up from the ground. He also knew that Jia Zhangshi was now in prison and could no longer support him.

After Yi Zhonghai returned home, he had just put down the wine bottle when the deaf old lady came over. They now lived in a row of houses, making it very convenient for the deaf old lady to come over for meals.

"Why didn't Zhuzi celebrate the festival?" the deaf old woman asked Sha Zhu as soon as she opened her mouth.

“He has a banquet to attend to tonight. We don’t know when he’ll be back. Anyway, let’s save some dumplings for him,” Yi Zhonghai said.

Neither of them mentioned He Yushui, as if she didn't exist.

“Alright, go and see what Jia Zhangshi has to say?” the deaf old woman asked.

"What else can I say? I'll try to appease her." Yi Zhonghai said bitterly, "She wants five hundred yuan, so I can only agree to it and give her the money as soon as she comes out."

"Give her to me, and I won't include her in anything anymore. Also, find a chance to send her to the countryside!" the deaf old woman said viciously.

Li Xiangdong opened the bottle and started drinking with Yu Dajiang. After just two drinks, Yu Haitang couldn't hold back any longer. She said excitedly, "Brother-in-law, you have to get me a job at the steel rolling mill in the future!"

"You should focus on your studies and get into university later," Li Xiangdong said, raising an eyebrow. "We can talk about things later; I definitely can't promise you anything right now!"

Yu Wen couldn't hold back any longer and retorted to Yu Haitang, "Yu Haitang, our family and your family have no connection whatsoever, so don't think about these things."

"How can Yu Wen speak like that! If you can't speak properly, then don't open your mouth." Huang Guihua hurriedly said, "Haitang, don't lower yourself to his level."

Yu Haitang showed no embarrassment whatsoever, and continued to chat with Li Xiangdong with a smile.