Love in the Courtyard: Starting with Engineers

In the slums of New York City, USA, garbage is everywhere and sewage flows freely.

Jimmy, a former middle-class man, pushed a worn-out stroller with his young son, who was running a high fever, and hurried toward the community clinic.

The stroller wheels rattled and squeaked, their noises mingling with the coughs of the homeless and the shouts of the drunkards around them.

"Hang in there, baby, we're almost there."

Jimmy whispered words of comfort to his son, his eyes red-rimmed.

Just six months ago, he lived in a detached villa in the suburbs, had a stable job, a generous salary, and his whole family had complete medical insurance.

However, a stock market crash wiped out all the stocks he held, and he was one of the laid-off employees when the company laid off staff.

To pay off his debts, he sold his villa and moved into this slum with his family, at least to have a place to shelter from the wind and rain.

"Doctor, please save my child!" In the clinic, Jimmy gripped the doctor's white coat tightly, his voice pleading.

The doctor glanced at the medical record and shook his head helplessly: "Mr. Jimmy, your medical insurance has been suspended for three months, so you are no longer eligible for free treatment."

My child has a high fever and needs to be hospitalized for observation. The cost is approximately $5000. How would you like to know how to pay for it?

"$5000?"

Jimmy was struck dumb and staggered back a step.

"I have no money, I really have no money!" He works two jobs every day, working during the day and washing dishes at a restaurant at night. The money he earns is just enough to feed his family, and he simply can't afford the medical expenses.

Jimmy felt a pang of heartache seeing his son's flushed face.

He thought of his former colleague Mark, the man he used to drink coffee with in the office building.

The stock market crash caused Mark to lose his house and job, and his wife left him with their children.

The last time I met Mark on the street, he was wearing tattered clothes, huddled next to a trash can, clutching a bottle of painkillers, his eyes vacant.

"Jimmy, want one? It'll help you forget all your troubles." Mark handed over the pill, his voice muffled.

Jimmy shook his head. He remembered that Mark used to despise drug dependence, but now, painkillers had become his only source of emotional support.

Mark said he didn't know if he could make it through the winter, as winters in the slums are particularly cold and many homeless people don't survive.

"I'll think of something else." Jimmy thanked the doctor and carried his son out of the clinic.

At this moment, he hated stocks and this economic crisis.

At the same time, a biting wind was blowing through the streets of Tokyo, Japan.

The homeless man, Sato, wrapped his thin, tattered coat tighter around himself, his eyes fixed on the beautiful apartment building not far away.

That used to be his home, where his wife and children lived, and where there was a cozy sofa and bright lights.

In order to speculate on real estate, he not only emptied all his savings, but also took out huge mortgage loans from banks and even mortgaged his house to loan sharks.

He once thought that housing prices would keep rising, and that once he made money, he could give his family a better life.

But the bubble burst unexpectedly, housing prices plummeted, and the value of his property instantly became zero. Banks and loan sharks came knocking, took away his house, and blacklisted him.

Now, he can't find any work and can only survive by begging.

He stared at the apartment building's entrance, his heart filled with regret and resentment.

Just then, a familiar figure walked out from the building next door—it was his ex-wife, accompanied by an elderly man with gray hair.

The ex-wife, dressed in a smart coat, wore a long-lost smile as she walked side by side with the old man, seemingly doing well.

Sato instinctively shrank back, turned around and quickly left, afraid of being recognized by his ex-wife.

He could imagine what his ex-wife's expression would be if she saw him like this—perhaps contempt, perhaps pity—but he didn't need any of that.

"That person... seems a little familiar." The woman who had just gone out to buy groceries muttered to herself as she watched Sato's departing figure.

She frowned, then suddenly remembered something, her eyes filled with complex emotions. But that back view really resembled her useless and incompetent husband.

The man who lost everything in his real estate speculation and then disappeared without a trace.

She sighed, shook her head, and strode towards the market.

Prices in Tokyo are skyrocketing; if we don't hurry, we won't even be able to buy the cheapest vegetables.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ocean in China, in a hutong (alley) in Beijing.

"Silly Pillar Restaurant" was bustling with noise and filled with enticing aromas.

Sha Zhu, with half-gray hair, was wearing a clean chef's uniform and watching his apprentices cook, a satisfied smile on his face.

Since the reform and opening-up policy was implemented ahead of schedule, he opened this restaurant with several apprentices. With his excellent cooking skills, the business became more and more prosperous, and he was busy every day.

"Shazhu, another bottle of Erguotou!" In the corner, Liu Haizhong and Yan Bugui were drinking enthusiastically.

Both of them are now retired, and with their retirement pensions and the money their sons send them from time to time, their lives are getting better and better.

Sha Zhu carried the wine over with both arms, put it down with a smile, and said, "Second Uncle, Teacher Yan, drink slowly, call me again if you want more."

"Shazhu, sit down for a bit and have a couple of drinks with us!" Liu Haizhong pulled him down to sit and poured drinks for himself and Shazhu.

"You know, our lives are getting better and better! We never dared to imagine before that we could have wine and meat every day, and even run such a big restaurant!"

Yan Bugui nodded and picked up a bite of food: "We have to thank the country for this! Now that the country is becoming stronger and stronger, we ordinary people can enjoy the benefits."

"Look at the news, they say the US and Japan are in such chaos, while we here enjoy peace and prosperity. That's the difference!"

Liu Haizhong had drunk a bit too much; his face was flushed red, and he began to talk at length about the international situation:

"Let me tell you, who dares to look down on China now?"

"Over in the South China Sea, we utterly defeated the United States and Japan."

"Economically, our goods are sold all over the world! This was unthinkable before!"

After taking a sip of wine, Sha Zhu used the spoon tied to his hand to scoop up a peanut and put it in his mouth without saying a word.

As he listened to Liu Haizhong's words, he thought of one person: Li Yu.

He knew that it was Li Yu's suggestion of reform and opening up that gave him the opportunity to open this restaurant and change his destiny.

But looking at his crippled hands and feeling the emptiness in his lower body...

He hated Li Yu so much that he wished he could throw him into a frying pan.

This hatred will never disappear in this lifetime.

But he also hopes that Li Yu can lead China to go further.

The restaurant was still bustling with activity, as guests chatted and laughed, discussing family matters, the prosperity of their businesses, and the excellent situation of the country.

Outside the window, the streetlights were just coming on, and the streets were bustling with traffic, a scene of prosperity.