Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Lin Weidong had just stepped into his home carrying large and small bags of New Year's goods.

Zhao Xiulan and Lin Jianjun came to greet them.

The two of them stared in astonishment at the pile of rice, noodles, pastries, tea, and pickles on the ground.

"My goodness, Weidong, have you emptied the entire department store?" Lin Jianjun squatted down and rummaged through it.

He bought half a carcass of pork, along with flour, brown sugar, various pastries, and two large bags of Longjing tea, which left him speechless.

"How much money and tickets would it cost to buy so many things?"

"We're going back to the village for the New Year, a small token is enough. Yours is far too extravagant!"

Zhao Xiulan chimed in, "That's right, you have no sense of proportion when it comes to spending money."

"For ordinary families like ours, having meat and dumplings to eat during the Lunar New Year is enough. Buying so much tea and pastries is such a waste."

Lin Weidong smiled as he put the things away.

He poured hot water for his parents and said, "Dad, Mom, we haven't been back to the village to celebrate the New Year with Grandpa and Grandma for several years. Bringing some extra things is a token of our appreciation."

"This tea is for Grandpa, he loves it. The pastries are for Grandma, and these meats and pickles will keep the house lively when we bring them back to the village."

"My salary is high now, so this little bit of money is nothing to me. Don't worry about it."

Hearing their son's words, Zhao Xiulan and Lin Jianjun stopped nagging and looked at the house full of New Year's goods, their faces filled with satisfaction.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lin Weidong lowered his voice and recounted in detail how Yi Zhonghai had abused an older woman and left her with bruises all over her arms.

Zhao Xiulan's face instantly darkened, and she slammed the enamel mug she was holding onto the table.

"That Yi Zhonghai is truly heartless!"

"This old woman has served him for so many years, and he actually treated her so cruelly! And that deaf old woman, always stirring up trouble, none of them are good people!"

"Don't worry, if that old lady comes to the neighborhood office tomorrow, I'll definitely stand up for her."

"This matter absolutely cannot be left like this!"

Meanwhile, in the east wing of the courtyard house, the home of Yan Bugui.

The three women were mending old clothes, while Yan Bugui sat on a stool, counting on his fingers as he planned out the New Year's goods.

"Honey, the New Year is just around the corner, we should get some New Year's supplies ready."

Yan Bugui squinted, carefully calculating.

"I think we should buy half a pound of sunflower seeds, cut a pound of pork, and make some dumplings."

"Buy two blocks of tofu and stew them with cabbage."

"Fry a plate of peanuts last, and the year will be over. It's both economical and lively."

The three women stopped what they were doing, sighed, and said, "Let's do it your way."

The Yan brothers standing nearby were practically drooling when they heard they could eat dumplings this year.

Yan Bugui suddenly remembered the scene he had just witnessed.

"You didn't see what Lin Weidong bought today, he bought so much stuff!"

"The bags and packages were piled up like a small mountain, and everything was high-quality stuff. It must have cost several hundred yuan!"

"How much money will this cost?" Yan Bugui said, patting his chest.

It's like they're spending their own money.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Yi Zhonghai went out to shovel snow with a broom.

He hummed a little tune as he swept the snow, then excitedly went to buy New Year's goods with his money in his pocket.

He didn't even notice that as soon as he left his house, an older woman wrapped her cotton-padded coat tightly and walked quickly toward the neighborhood office.

In the subdistrict office, Director Wang was processing documents.

As soon as the old lady entered the door, tears began to fall.

She rolled up her sleeves, revealing her bruised arms, and choked back tears as she recounted Yi Zhonghai's domestic violence.

"Director Wang, I really can't go on like this anymore."

He sent me to a labor camp and I waited for him, but he came back and treated me like this.

"I want a divorce, please, neighborhood committee, help me!"

Director Wang, seeing the injuries on the old woman's body and listening to her sobs, slammed his fist on the table in anger.

"This is outrageous! Yi Zhonghai's actions constitute domestic violence and are illegal!"

"Don't worry, our neighborhood committee will definitely stand up for you."

Around noon, Yi Zhonghai returned home excitedly with New Year's goods, including pork, peanuts, and melon seeds, and laid them out on the table.

Seeing an older woman return from outside, he frowned and asked, "Where did you go so early this morning?"

"He doesn't do any housework, just runs around all day!"

An older woman gave him a cold glance, said nothing, and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed).

Yi Zhonghai was annoyed by her cold attitude, but he didn't intend to argue with her now.

Around 5 p.m., every household started cooking, and the aroma of food filled the courtyard.

Just then, Director Wang led the street office staff into the courtyard.

He shouted loudly, "All residents of the compound, come out! We're having a compound-wide meeting!"

Upon hearing the noise, the people in the courtyard put down what they were doing and came out.

Director Wang stood in the center of the courtyard and cleared his throat: "I'm here today to deal with Yi Zhonghai's domestic violence case and the elderly woman's divorce application!"

"Our verification confirms that Yi Zhonghai has a long history of domestic violence against his wife."

"The neighborhood committee has now mediated and ruled in favor of the couple, granting their divorce!"

These words were like a thunderclap, leaving everyone in the hospital stunned!

"What? Yi Zhonghai is getting a divorce?"

"My goodness, it was actually an older woman who brought it up first!"

"No wonder that old lady had injuries; it was Yi Zhonghai who beat her!"

"He's such a scoundrel! How could he do that to such a kind old woman!"

Amidst the murmurs, Yi Zhonghai instantly lost his temper, pointing at the middle-aged woman and roaring, "You're the one who wants a divorce?"

"I haven't even mentioned it to you, and you dare to bring up divorce first!"

"If you hadn't been flirting with He Daqing first, would I have hit you?"

The woman was stunned. When did she start having an affair with He Daqing?

He Yuzhu looked at his father with a puzzled expression.

He Daqing quickly explained, "I didn't flirt with that old lady. At most, I just fetched water with her once or twice before."

He looked at the people in the courtyard and continued, "It's normal for everyone to help each other out from time to time, isn't it?"

The surrounding neighbors all chimed in.

"Yeah, it's okay to carry some water, right?"

"Besides, we didn't see the two of them interacting at all in the yard."

Seeing He Daqing's attempt to evade responsibility, Yi Zhonghai looked at the older woman and said, "Zhang, then tell me, where did your money come from these past two years?"

An older woman said with a sob in her voice, "At first, it was you who left the money, and then for a while, it was the deaf old lady who gave me ten yuan a month."

"Later, Qin Huairu's mother came to the courtyard to take care of Qin Huairu, and I rented a room to her."

"Five yuan a month, that's how the money came about."

After listening to Yi Zhonghai, I realized that this was all part of the old lady's scheme.

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

The middle-aged woman wiped away her tears and said, "Tell me? Did you even ask?"

"I, I..."

After hesitating for a while, Yi Zhonghai said, "How about we don't separate? I was wrong before."

The older woman shook her head and said, "No! I want a divorce!"

Seeing this, Yi Zhonghai gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! You'll regret it!"