Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Just as dawn broke, Lin Weidong stepped out of his house with two hot meat buns in his pocket. As soon as he reached the gate of the courtyard, he saw Su Wanqing also coming out with a canvas bag on her back.

She was wearing clean work clothes, and her short hair was neatly combed.

"Good morning, Chief Engineer Lin," Su Wanqing greeted with a smile.

"morning"

Lin Weidong handed over a meat bun, saying, "My mom steamed it this morning, it's still warm, have some on the way."

Su Wanqing accepted it without ceremony and thanked her.

The two walked side by side out of the courtyard. After taking only two steps, they heard a strange, gloomy muttering coming from the side.

Madam Jia was pasting matchboxes in front of her house, her hands covered in paste, but her eyes were fixed on Lin Weidong and Su Wanqing. She muttered under her breath, "Hmph, a lone man and a lone woman, getting together so early in the morning, who knows what kind of illicit affair they're having!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it was just enough for the two of them to hear.

Lin Weidong paused, glanced at the pebbles on the ground, bent down to pick one up, and flicked his wrist slightly.

"Ouch!"

Suddenly, Jia Zhangshi screamed, and the paste brush in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter," splattering all over her pants. The small pebble hit her hand holding the matchbox squarely, making her wince in pain.

The matchboxes on the table in front of me were scattered all over the floor, many of them covered in glue, and most of them were ruined instantly.

Jia Zhangshi jumped up, clutching the back of her hand. "Which scoundrel threw this at me?! Come out here if you dare! Was it you?! Lin Weidong! It must be you!"

"Did you see me hit her, Technician Su?"

Su Wanqing shook her head, suppressing a laugh, and said, "No, I didn't see anything."

"Oh, that's strange."

After saying that, Lin Weidong ignored her, exchanged a glance with Su Wanqing, a faint smile appeared on his lips, and turned to continue walking towards the steel rolling mill.

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Jia Zhangshi was furious, but dared not chase after them. She knew how formidable Lin Weidong was; she still vividly remembered the pain of having her arms and legs broken last time.

Just as she was getting into a tirade, Liu Haizhong came out of his house with his hands in his sleeves. He was on his way to work at the factory today, and he was caught red-handed by Jia Zhangshi as soon as he reached the door.

Jia Zhangshi grabbed his sleeve. "Liu Haizhong! You stop right there!" she yelled, throwing a tantrum. "You saw it! That brat Lin Weidong smashed me! He destroyed so many of my matchboxes! You have to pay me back! Otherwise, I'll go to the factory with you and make a scene, and you'll lose your job!"

Liu Haizhong frowned and shook off her hand: "What's it to me! What did I see!"

"I don't care! If I didn't see it, then you're the one who smashed it. You won't get up until you pay me five cents! My hand is swollen, and the matchbox is ruined. You're not going to work today unless you pay me!"

A few neighbors gradually gathered around to watch the commotion, pointing and whispering about Liu Haizhong.

Liu Haizhong was thin-skinned and felt extremely uncomfortable being stared at. Worried about being late for work, which would cost more than five cents, he gritted his teeth, pulled out five cents from his pocket, and threw it harshly in front of her: "Take the money and get out of here! Don't embarrass yourself!"

As soon as Jia Zhangshi saw the money, she quickly picked it up, stuffed it into her pocket, patted her bottom, stood up, and had a smug smile on her face.

Liu Haizhong was so angry that his face turned ashen. He snorted coldly and stormed off.

This scene was witnessed by an elderly deaf woman sitting not far away.

Leaning on her cane, she slowly made her way to Jia Zhangshi's house and said to her, "You're just too stupid. Going head-on with Lin Weidong will only make you suffer."

Madam Jia rubbed the back of her hand and snorted, "Then what do you suggest we do?"

The deaf old woman leaned close to her ear and said in a sinister tone, "That newcomer, Su Wanqing, isn't she close to Lin Weidong? She works at the weapons research institute, she must be rich."

"Wait for her to come home from get off work tonight, then go to her room and cry your heart out, saying your hand hurts, that you're struggling to make ends meet, and ask her to give you some money. She's new here, she'll probably be too embarrassed to refuse, and you might be able to get ten or eight yuan out of her!"

Madam Jia's eyes lit up instantly, and she slapped her thigh, saying, "That's right! How come I didn't think of that! You're so clever, Grandma!"

She started plotting in her mind. Su Wanqing looked so gentle and refined, she was definitely easier to bully than Lin Weidong. This money was a sure thing!

As evening approached, Su Wanqing had just returned to her residence in the courtyard house, put down her canvas bag, and was about to pour water when there was a loud knocking on the door.

When she opened the door, she saw Jia Zhangshi standing there, covering the back of her hand, with a pitiful look on her face.

"Comrade Su, you have to save me! This morning, that brat Lin Weidong smashed my hand, ruining my matchbox. Now my hand hurts so much I can't even eat! Look how miserable my life is!"

As she spoke, she tried to squeeze into the house, her eyes darting around furnishings with a sly look.

Su Wanqing frowned, took a step back, and said coldly, "I don't know you. Who hit you this morning? Who saw it?"

"You're in cahoots with him!" Seeing that she wouldn't back down, Madam Jia resorted to a tantrum.

"I'm not leaving until you give me twenty yuan today!" he said, lunging at Su Wanqing.

Su Wanqing grew up in a military compound and received professional military training.

Seeing Jia Zhangshi lunge at her, she dodged to the side, grabbed Jia Zhangshi's wrist with her other hand, and twisted it gently.

"Ah! It hurts! It hurts so much!" Jia Zhangshi screamed in pain, her arm twisted so tightly that she couldn't move it.

Su Wanqing tightened her grip and warned coldly, "If you dare to throw another tantrum, I'll send you to the police station!"

After saying that, she let go of her hand, and Jia Zhangshi lost her balance and fell to the ground with a thud.

Madam Jia lay on the ground, crying and shouting, "She's hitting me! Su Wanqing is hitting me! This is outrageous!"

Her outburst drew a crowd of neighbors.

Seeing that there were many people, Jia Zhangshi became even more excited and clamored for a general meeting of the entire hospital.

Upon seeing this, Yan Bugui, who had come to join in the fun, had no choice but to organize a hospital-wide meeting that very night.

At the meeting, Jia Zhangshi sat on the ground, crying and accusing Su Wanqing of hitting her, and insisted on paying twenty yuan in compensation.

Su Wanqing stood aside and said, "She came to our door first and started causing trouble, trying to rob us. I was just acting in self-defense."

Lin Weidong stepped forward and said calmly, "This morning you called me and Technician Su a pair of adulterers, and now you're here to rob me and extort money. You're clearly asking for a beating."

Upon hearing this, the neighbors immediately understood the whole story, and their eyes were filled with disdain as they looked at Jia Zhangshi.

Zhao Xiulan said angrily, "Jia Zhangshi! You have repeatedly thrown tantrums, spread rumors, and extorted money from the neighbors! I don't think you deserve to stay in the city at all. Tomorrow I will contact the commune in the countryside and send you back to the countryside!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhangshi turned pale with fright and repeatedly kowtowed, pleading, "I won't go to the countryside! I won't go! Director Zhao, please spare me!"

Seeing this, the deaf old woman knew she could no longer sit idly by.