Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

The thirtieth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The air in Linjia Village is filled with the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year.

As soon as it was light, the Lin family's old house was bustling with activity.

Lin Weidong stood on a stool to paste the Spring Festival couplets, saying, "Higher, lower, yes, yes, just like that."

Lin Jianjun, who was chopping wood with Lin Dashan, said to Lin Weidong.

The bright red Spring Festival couplets against the backdrop of the snow-covered courtyard create a festive and lively atmosphere.

Zhao Xiulan, her grandmother, and her aunt gathered around the kang table to make dumplings.

My hands were covered in flour, and the aroma of the filling filled the room.

After putting up the Spring Festival couplets, Lin Weidong went to the gate of the courtyard and hung up lanterns.

The green jeep parked to the side became the most eye-catching sight in the village.

Grandpa and Grandma sat on the kang (a heated brick bed).

Looking at the busy group, he couldn't stop smiling.

The teacup that Grandpa was holding contained tea that Lin Weidong had brought.

She kept repeating, "My grandson has made something of himself; he still remembers to bring me good tea."

Grandma looked at Zhao Xiulan and said, "Our family is going to have another baby, that's wonderful."

At noon, steaming hot dumplings were served, with pork and cabbage filling and chive and egg filling, filling a large plateful.

Lin Weidong poured wine for his elders.

The family raised their glasses in a toast, their laughter mingling with the aroma of the food.

Outside the window, the sound of firecrackers echoed throughout the village.

The sounds of children playing drifted in, filling the air with the warmth of everyday life.

In the evening, firecrackers went off in the courtyard, and bright red paper scraps fell all over the ground.

The Lin family's New Year's Eve dinner was a feast, with stewed chicken, braised fish, braised pork, and pickles and pastries that Lin Weidong had brought back.

The whole family sat together.

However, the Red Star Courtyard in Beijing presents a completely different picture.

In Zhang's small house, the wood-fired stove was burning brightly, and she was cooking around the stove, planning to spend the New Year simply by herself.

Just as I put the food into the pot, there was a gentle knock on the door.

Zhang opened the door, and He Daqing stood at the door carrying a fish and a piece of pork belly.

With a shy smile, she said, "Zhang, it's too lonely to spend the New Year alone. Come to my house. Zhu Zi, Qin Huai Ru, and the children are all here. It'll be lively and fun."

Zhang was taken aback for a moment, then quickly waved her hand, "No, Brother He, I can just eat whatever I want, don't trouble yourself."

"It's no trouble at all, just one more person means one more pair of chopsticks."

He Daqing quickly pulled Zhang Shi away, saying, "It's so lonely spending the New Year alone."

"The children are also looking forward to your visit."

"This... isn't quite appropriate? If the people in the courtyard see this, they'll gossip." Zhang hesitated.

"What are you afraid of? We've done nothing wrong, we're aboveboard."

He Daqing spoke sincerely.

"I really want you to spend the New Year with us, so please don't refuse."

Seeing the earnestness in He Daqing's eyes, Zhang felt a warmth in her heart and finally nodded: "Then...then I'll turn off the stove and go with you."

The two had just turned around when they heard a sarcastic, cold snort.

Yi Zhonghai leaned against his doorframe, his face full of disdain: "Ha, shameless. He just got divorced and he's already trying to get back together with her. Doesn't he feel ashamed during the New Year?"

Zhang's face darkened, and she retorted directly, "Who I spend the New Year with is none of your business!"

"Mind your own business and stop barking like a dog!"

"You!" Yi Zhonghai was speechless, his face turning ashen.

Just then, Jia Zhangshi, who was standing at the door, swayed her hips and came closer.

She grabbed Yi Zhonghai's arm and said in a sweet, coquettish voice, "Old Yi, don't take it to heart. If she doesn't want to be with you, I will!"

"Come to my house for Chinese New Year, I've made something delicious!"

Yi Zhonghai glanced at Jia Zhangshi, then deliberately gave He Daqing and Zhangshi a provocative look, and called out, "Let's go!"

But after taking only two steps, Yi Zhonghai looked at the neighbors coming and going in the courtyard.

Suddenly, he had second thoughts. He didn't want to get entangled with Jia Zhangshi and become a laughingstock in the whole courtyard.

He abruptly shook off Jia Zhangshi's hand and said dismissively, "I just remembered, I have to spend the New Year with the deaf old lady this year, so I won't be going to your house."

Jia Zhangshi immediately clung to him, grabbing his arm and refusing to let go:

"I can keep the old lady company. I'm not afraid of what people in the neighborhood will say. We can live together!"

Yi Zhonghai cursed inwardly: You may not be afraid, but I am.

He said impatiently, "No need, you can go back yourself!"

After saying that, he turned around and walked into the deaf old woman's house, with Jia Zhangshi following closely behind.

This whole farce was witnessed by Liu Haizhong, who was standing at the back gate.

He was watching with great interest, arms crossed, when he suddenly saw the brothers Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu.

Carrying roast duck, braised meat, fruits and snacks, they walked straight into the west courtyard.

Liu Haizhong's face instantly darkened, turning as black as the bottom of a pot. He felt a mixture of bitterness and hatred, but couldn't utter a single word.

The scene at Yan Bugui's house next door was quite different.

The whole family was gathered around the table making dumplings, with Yan Bugui holding a ruler.

He measured the size of each dumpling, muttering to himself:

"Twelve per person, no more, no less, thin skin and generous filling, just right. No one should make more than that, it'll be a waste of dough!"

The children watched longingly, not daring to make even one more dumpling; the atmosphere was very tense.

As dusk fell, the sound of firecrackers echoed from the courtyard house.

Inside the deaf old woman's house, Yi Zhonghai, the deaf old woman, and Jia Zhangshi sat around the table.

The table was laden with chicken, duck, fish, and meat, but there was no festive atmosphere whatsoever.

The deaf old woman, with a gloomy face, ate a couple of mouthfuls of rice and then put down her chopsticks.

Yi Zhonghai felt a tightness in his chest and lost his appetite as he thought about the lively scene involving Zhang Shi and He Daqing.

Only Jia Zhangshi ignored everything, eating with gusto and ravenous gusto.

"Mmm, delicious. Mmm, this is good."

Looking at Jia Zhangshi's appearance, which resembled a reincarnated starving ghost, Yi Zhonghai and the deaf old woman exchanged a glance.

Now the two of them really wish they could throw her out.

At this moment, Yi Zhonghai suddenly remembered that the deaf old woman had mentioned that Jia Zhangshi and that widow Li had fought over He Daqing.

Widow Li almost lost the robbery.

Yi Zhonghai planned to let Jia Zhangshi try it first, and if that didn't work, he planned to use his own plan.

At Liu Haizhong's home, the couple had no appetite even though there was a table full of dishes.

Liu Haizhong, who usually finds even fried eggs delicious, now has a tight throat and can't swallow a single bite of food.

Looking at the empty house, I felt a deep sense of loneliness.

Meanwhile, Sha Zhu's family was filled with laughter and joy.

He Daqing and Zhang Shi sat in the main seats, while Sha Zhu and Qin Huairu busied themselves, and He Xiao and He Nannan ran around the table.

The table was laden with stew, dumplings, and braised pork.

Looking at the lively scene, Zhang's eyes reddened slightly. This was the most comfortable New Year she had ever had in so many years.

The old Lin family house in Linjia Village is a place of even greater happiness and reunion.

The whole family sat together, eating New Year's Eve dinner, watching the fireworks outside the window, talking and laughing, creating a strong festive atmosphere.

Lin Dashan raised his glass, looked at everyone, and said, "This year is the most harmonious year for our family in the past two years."

"Wei Dong is a cadre now, and our family can be considered to have some standing up."

Seeing Lin Dashan's incessant chatter, Grandpa Lin Weidong said, "Besides, everyone's starving. Let's eat."

Lin Dashan chuckled awkwardly and said, "I wasn't paying attention for a moment. Come on, everyone, let's eat."

He then drank a glass of wine first.