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

Zhang Dabiao hadn't really thought about this issue in detail.

He felt that his current life was pretty good, but if he really wanted to go to a place like the Ministry of Foreign Trade...

Anyway, he went there often, so Director Zhao naturally treated him well. But others felt that Zhang Dabiao's actions violated regulations; how could a private individual entrust someone to register a patent in Hong Kong?

How can a private individual take so much foreign exchange? This should belong to the state. Why should it be converted into RMB for you, and you've taken it all?

Your design should belong to the nation, to the Ministry of Foreign Trade, not to you personally!

That's what everyone else in the department thinks now. It's just that when he applied for the first time, the department promised to allow him to apply on his own, and that it was his personal matter, and the department wouldn't pay the registration fee—let's just treat it as a joke. Let Zhang Dabiao, who was still a "junior high school student" at the time, do it himself. He'll turn back after hitting a wall.

But unexpectedly, Zhang Dabiao's fortunes spiraled out of control, and he made so much money.

That's over a million RMB! And there's more to come!

In the 60s, who wouldn't be envious of so much money?

However, Zhang Dabiao had not graduated, was not a formal employee of the Ministry of Foreign Trade, and initially the ministry agreed that he could pay someone to apply for a patent himself.

So, even though everyone was envious of him for not getting into the Ministry of Foreign Trade, that was all they could do. But what if he had gotten into the Ministry of Foreign Trade?

That's hard to say, isn't it?

This is why Zhang Dabiao has been hesitant: if he were someone's subordinate, would he be able to register a patent without going through his employer...?

It's a bit hard to say about its nature. For example, later generations distinguish between personal works and works created for hire, which makes it difficult to clarify.

Zhang Dabiao was still hesitant about where to go after graduation.

Teacher Zhou patted Zhang Dabiao on the shoulder and said in a low voice, "Your internship credits are already full because you have two national-level awards. You got the maximum score."

"Just come and pick up your graduation certificate at the end of June. Director Zhao from the Ministry of Foreign Trade has already spoken to our school. Just focus on getting better, and report for duty when you're all better. You'll start with the deputy section chief's salary; work your way up for a few years, and then you'll be promoted to deputy section chief!"

Zhang Dabiao thought for a while, then said to Teacher Zhou, "Teacher Zhou, let's not rush into the assignment. I haven't decided where to go yet."

"Given my situation, going to the Ministry of Foreign Trade... might not be a good thing."

"Let me think about it first. Once I've thought it through, I'll discuss it with you."

Teacher Zhou was stunned, but he quickly realized that it was about those patents and foreign exchange.

Upon closer examination, he realized that once this thing entered the workplace, things really became complicated, and he couldn't think of any way to break the deadlock.

He could only nod for now, and wait for Zhang Dabiao to think it through before discussing it with him.

However, Teacher Zhou was not worried about Zhang Dabiao's job situation.

Zhang Dabiao has an exceptional talent for commercial design; his factories, products, and foreign exchange holdings speak for themselves.

Not to mention that Zhang Dabiao also holds two national-level comic book awards, and Factory Director Tewei even approached him about copyright issues.

Therefore, Zhang Dabiao had many options; if all else failed, he could find a publishing house or go to the Shanghai Animation Film Studio.

After saying a few more words, Teacher Zhou left the courtyard.

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

After Teacher Zhou left, Zhang Dabiao finally felt completely at ease and lay down.

Graduation is settled, and there's no rush to find a job. The most important task now is to fully recover from this body that I've ruined.

It'll probably take another two or three days for him to fully recover, but Zhang Dabiao plans to feign illness for at least a month.

He was seriously injured at the time, coughing up blood—three liters of it!

You've revealed a secret!

You have to act convincingly.

The east courtyard had become his cozy nest.

A rattan rocking chair, specially sourced from the supply and marketing cooperative, sits under the grape trellis in the center of the courtyard, next to a brand-new Huasheng electric fan whirring loudly.

Zhang Dabiao lay sprawled on the rocking chair, his eyes half-open and half-closed, as leisurely as a landlord from the old society.

"Da Biao, open your mouth."

Mu Wanqing held a small bowl of sliced ​​apples, picked up a piece with a toothpick, and carefully fed it to his mouth.

The apples are crisp, sweet, and juicy.

"Mmm, sweet." Zhang Dabiao mumbled his evaluation as he chewed on the apple.

"Eat more sweets, the doctor said you need to take more vitamins." Mu Wanqing picked up another piece, her heartache still lingering in her eyes.

In the small kitchen not far away, Qin Jingru was busy with something, making a clanging sound.

"Brother Da Biao, Sister Wan Qing, I'll make you some old hen soup for lunch. I specially asked my dad to get it from the village; I guarantee it'll be glistening with oil!"

She poked her little head out, her face covered in dust, but her smile was dazzlingly bright.

He Yushui moved a small stool and sat down next to the rocking chair, holding a copy of the "Sijiu City Daily" in her hand. She read the news word by word in her clear and melodious voice.

"...In response to the national call, Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill has launched a production competition, with all workers working with great enthusiasm to strive to exceed the production target for this quarter..."

"Clang! Clang! Clang, clang, clang..."

From the direction of the Jia family in the central courtyard came a continuous banging sound, interspersed with Jia Zhangshi's unique curses, which sounded like a broken gong.

"Damn it! They smashed the door! I can't live like this anymore!"

"Old Jia, open your eyes and see what kind of people are bullying us, a widow and her children..."

Zhang Dabiao picked at his ear, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his face.

The commotion, coupled with He Yushui's voice reading the newspaper, was a perfect blend of seriousness and humor, even more enjoyable than a storytelling performance on the radio.

He squinted, looking at the dappled sunlight cast by the grape trellis overhead, feeling the cool breeze from the electric fan, the sweet taste of apples in his mouth, and the aroma of chicken soup wafting from the kitchen.

This kind of life is something I wouldn't trade for even a god.

As for the Jia family?

Deserve it.

If we don't beat them into submission, these people will never know the meaning of "fear".

No, Jia Jiayi Zhonghai, a beating will only work for a few days. You have to keep giving them a good talking to. They're all just cheapskates.

If you don't discipline them for a long time, they'll think the sun is shining again and the rain has stopped, and they'll feel like they're back to normal.

Although the actions of the relatives from Qinjiatun and Zhangjiatun were brutal, they were remarkably effective.

A beating with belts and fists not only shattered the Jia family's doors and windows and broke Bang Geng's teeth, but also shattered Yi Zhonghai's remaining authority as an old man, along with Yi Zhonghai himself.

Now, the courtyard can be peaceful for a while longer.

No one dared to come over and gossip anymore, and no one dared to utter any nonsense about "eating up the family fortune".

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

After dinner, around seven or eight o'clock, some neighbors were chatting and relaxing in the yard, and the chirping of crickets could be heard from the corner of the wall.

Suddenly, the sound of a car engine came from outside.

Someone has arrived in the alley.