Courtyard House: Drunk and tipsy, the whole courtyard exposed at the start.

The courtyard at No. 95 Nanluoguxiang has been quite peaceful lately.

The reason for the calm is simple—everyone is hungry and has no energy to cause trouble.

In the autumn of 1961, food was still scarce. Each person's monthly ration was so small that it was just enough to fill their stomachs, mixed with wild vegetables, tree leaves, and cornmeal.

But as for profit, there really wasn't any.

Zhang Dabiao was able to exchange some grain through the Youth Mutual Aid Association, but it was only enough for him to eat. He didn't refuse when neighbors occasionally borrowed some, but he couldn't borrow too much.

Xu Damao and Liu Guangqi were different; both of them had connections. Xu Damao worked showing movies at the factory and knew many people, so he could always get something out of it. Liu Guangqi, needless to say, had connections through his father, Liu Haizhong.

Sha Zhu is a simpleton; he can eat his fill and his family isn't hungry. He can at least get a taste of the grease and oil in the canteen.

He Yushui now eats with Zhang Dabiao and the others, and has meat with every meal. Her complexion is much better than before.

The Jia family actually benefited the most.

Despite her constant cursing and swearing, Jia Zhangshi never missed a meal. With the various subsidies from the factory, the lunchboxes that Sha Zhu brought home every day, and Qin Huairu's meager salary, the family managed to stay neither hungry nor lacking in food.

Qin Huairu has lost some weight and her belly has grown bigger, but she's in good spirits. She still does her laundry and cooks every day, and goes about her business as usual.

"Mom, eat less, leave some for Banggeng." She couldn't help but say as she watched Jia Zhangshi stuff cornbread into her mouth.

Madam Jia glared at her: "This was earned by my son with his life! What's it to you if I eat a few more?"

"You shameless bastard, are you plotting something?"

"Let me tell you, once you married into the Jia family, you're a member of the Jia family, and you'll die a member of the Jia family. If you ever dare to even think about remarrying, see if I don't kill you!"

Actually, these words were directed at Sha Zhu, who was eavesdropping outside. Ever since Yi Zhonghai started manipulating him and sending him lunchboxes, Sha Zhu has become increasingly attentive.

That's a bit too over the top!

So, under the guise of a meal, Madam Jia subtly and overtly tried to give Sha Zhu a warning.

Qin Huairu remained silent.

Sha Zhu stood at the doorway, looking towards the Jia family's house, and sighed.

When will this ever end?

Doesn't your Jia Zhangshi live in the front yard? Does your Jia family have a house in the front yard?

Can't you give me a little more space to chat with Sister Qin?

Is it really necessary to be so strict?

------------

Yan Bugui has been quite busy lately.

The small vegetable garden he managed at the school was growing quite well.

This story begins with Zhang Dabiao.

At the beginning of the year, Zhang Dabiao set up a "vertical planting" system in his small courtyard—he built trellises to grow cucumbers, planted spinach under the trellises, and planted some scallions and garlic sprouts in the corners, making the most of that small piece of land.

Yan Bugui stared, his eyes wide with astonishment.

He sought out Zhang Dabiao and humbly asked for his advice.

Zhang Dabiao didn't hold back either, and told him the useful planting techniques commonly used in later generations, because the relevant information on vertical planting had already been compiled into a book and taught to the street office.

There's no point in hiding this thing.

Yan Bugui went back and tried it, and it worked!

He applied these methods to the school's vegetable garden, and the results were surprisingly good. While the vegetable gardens at other schools were withered and droopy, the one he tended was lush and green, growing more vibrantly than any of the others.

When the school leaders came to inspect, they were delighted at the sight of it.

"Old Yan, you're really something!"

Yan Bugui grinned from ear to ear: "Thanks to the leader, thanks to the leader."

The leader, with his hands behind his back, strolled around the vegetable garden and suddenly said, "Old Yan, do you want to go back to your teaching position?"

Yan Bugui was stunned.

"Sir, what...what did you say?"

The leader looked at him and said, "The school has seen your performance recently. You can make up for your mistakes by taking good care of this vegetable garden. Once the famine is over and the national food supply is normal, you can come back."

Yan Bugui's eyes welled up with tears.

He grabbed his boss's hand, his voice trembling, "Boss, I...I will definitely do my job well!"

------------

After being happy for only two days, Yan Bugui began to think about another matter.

He wanted to regain his status as "Third Uncle".

He used to be the senior figure in charge of the compound, someone whose words were heeded and who helped him with his affairs. Later, he was dismissed because of the incident where he accepted money from Yi Zhonghai to physically punish Zhang Dabiao.

Now that there's hope at the school, he also wants to compete for a spot in the college.

He gritted his teeth, picked out three of the best potted plants from the few he had grown, and delivered them to the school leaders' homes.

"Boss, these are the flowers I grew. Look how beautifully they're blooming."

The leader looked at it and nodded: "Not bad, Lao Yan, your skills are good."

Yan Bugui smiled ingratiatingly: "Sir, there's another favor I'd like to ask you for..."

He expressed his desire to reinstate the steward.

The leader's expression turned somewhat strange after hearing this.

"Old Yan, don't you know?"

Yan Bugui was stunned: "Know what?"

The leader sighed: "The system of 'big shots' in charge was abolished in 1958. The current 'Big Boss,' 'Second Big Boss,' and 'Third Big Boss' are just titles, just for show, they don't have any real power."

Yan Bugui's face gradually turned pale.

"Did you...cancel it?"

"It's been cancelled." The leader nodded. "The liaison officer system at the neighborhood office is long gone. Those old men in your compound were just figureheads."

Yan Bugui stood there, motionless for a long time.

He thought of his three potted plants, which he had cared for for over a year, tending to them meticulously, watering and fertilizing them with even more care than he had for his son.

And just like that... it was sent out.

Give it to someone who can't help at all.

"My flowers!" he yelled, startling the leader.

"Old Yan, what's wrong?"

Yan Bugui ignored him and turned to leave.

He walked very fast, muttering to himself, "My flowers! My jasmine! My roses! My clivia! It's been over a year! Over a year!"

People on the street would avoid him when they saw him.

"What's wrong with Uncle San?"

"I don't know, are you obsessed?"

When Yan Bugui got home, he collapsed onto the bed and covered his head with the blanket.

The three older women called from outside, "Husband, dinner's ready!"

Yan Bugui's muffled voice came from under the covers: "I'm not eating! My flowers are gone, what's the point of eating!"

The three women were stunned for a moment, then sighed.

This old man's life was ruined by the three words "taking advantage".

------------

Just as things calmed down on Yan Bugui's side, Yi Zhonghai started causing trouble again.

The story begins with a batch of urgently processed parts at the factory.

The Ministry of Metallurgy issued a strict order: a batch of workpieces was urgently needed, and not a single day could be wasted. But just then, the factory's only two level-eight workers collapsed from exhaustion.

Factory Director Yang was extremely anxious.

The workshop foreman cautiously suggested, "Factory manager, how about... we call Master Yi, Yi Zhonghai, to fill in?"

Factory Director Yang frowned: "Him? He's still in his punishment period."

The workshop foreman said, "These parts aren't classified, so he's definitely technically capable of handling them. Besides, there are two level-eight skilled workers overseeing them; there's no chance of anything going wrong."

Factory Director Yang thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Let's give it a try."

When Yi Zhonghai was called to the workshop, he was stunned for a long time.

"Factory manager, you...you want me to do it?"

Factory Director Yang looked at him with a complicated expression: "Old Yi, the factory really can't handle this batch of work. If you do it well, you'll be rewarded; if you mess it up, you'll be punished even more severely. Are you willing to do it?"

Yi Zhonghai remained silent for a few seconds.

Then he nodded.

"I'll do it."