Courtyard House: The Road to an Industrial Power

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate.

Smelling the aroma of fish filling the courtyard, Jia Zhangshi couldn't resist any longer. She grabbed the family's heirloom large bowl and ran over, hoping to get some fish to eat.

But as soon as she arrived at He Daqing's door, she saw that the house was full of people, including an old deaf woman and Zhao Xiulan.

Jia Zhangshi's heart skipped a beat, and she stood sullenly at the door, not daring to go in.

When Widow Li saw her, she deliberately raised her voice and said, "Aunt Jia, you've come too? Come in and have a seat, let's eat something together."

Jia Zhangshi quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I'm just passing by, you guys eat."

After saying that, he picked up his empty bowl and slunk back home, cursing inwardly, "What bad luck! It's so hard to even get a bite of fish!"

Unlike Jia Zhangshi, Yan Bugui was much more shrewd.

He had smelled the aroma of fish long ago, so he specially found a bottle of liquor that had been diluted with a lot of water, and then, carrying the liquor, walked into He Daqing's house with a beaming smile:

"Da Qing, I heard you caught a big fish, I've come to congratulate you! Try this bottle of wine, I've been treasuring it for a long time."

He Daqing knew what Yan Bugui was thinking, but he couldn't refuse, so he could only ask him to sit down and eat with him.

Yan Bugui didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up his chopsticks and started eating, and he kept toasting He Daqing and Lin Weidong. He managed to get a lavish dinner by relying on a bottle of watered-down liquor.

All of this was observed by an elderly woman sitting in her own house.

An older woman saw He Daqing and Widow Li going out fishing together in the morning, and the two immediately felt something was wrong.

That evening, seeing He Daqing's family holding a grand banquet, with Widow Li and the deaf old woman singing in unison, she understood the situation even more clearly.

After dinner, Su Wanqing from the west courtyard couldn't help but say, "That widow Li seems to have a thing for Uncle He, and the deaf old lady has been trying to set them up."

Lin Weidong put down the blueprints in his hand and said, "Their deliberate actions must have a purpose."

Su Wanqing also said thoughtfully, "I feel that the deaf old woman and this widow Li are obviously plotting against Uncle He."

"Don't worry, Uncle He knows what he's doing," Lin Weidong said with a smile.

"Besides, even if we get tricked, there's still Sha Zhu."

The He family.

"Brother He, thank you for your hard work today. I've finished tidying up the rest of the work. You should get some rest," Widow Li said to He Daqing as she packed her things.

He Daqing still smelled of alcohol, and felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, so he quickly said, "Then I'll trouble you to pack up with me."

As for He Yuzhu and Qin Huairu, they had long been sent back to sleep by Widow Li under the pretext of taking care of the children.

"Um."

Immediately afterward, Widow Li put down the rag she was holding and came to He Daqing, saying, "Brother He, was the fish delicious today? I'll go fishing with you again next time, okay?"

As she spoke, her fingers inadvertently brushed against He Daqing's arm, instantly causing He Daqing to stiffen.

"Okay...okay."

He Daqing stammered in response, and then went to fetch water to wash the dishes.

Watching He Daqing's disheveled figure, Widow Li's lips curled into a smug smile.

While washing the dishes, Widow Li would often unintentionally touch He Daqing's hand, and He Daqing remained bewildered until Widow Li left.

Pushing open the door to the deaf old woman's house, I saw her sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed) smoking a pipe.

When the deaf old woman saw Widow Li come in, she raised her eyelids slightly, signaling her to close the door.

"How is it?" the deaf old woman asked first.

Widow Li closed the door, walked to the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), sat down, poured herself a cup of tea, took a sip, and then said, "What else can I do?"

"That old bastard He Daqing is so naive. A few sweet words and a few glances and he's completely bewitched. In less than a month, I guarantee he'll be completely obedient to me."

The deaf old woman tapped her pipe and said, "Everyone in the courtyard saw that family come to apologize yesterday. I asked around about Lin Weidong today, and guess what?"

Widow Li's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly asked, "What's wrong? Does he have powerful connections?"

"It's not just hard, it's extremely hard."

The deaf old woman sighed, "He's a top student from Harbin Institute of Technology, a core researcher in a key national military project, and has Su Zhenbang from the weapons research institute backing him up."

Even Liu Jie from the Ministry of Industry had to give him some face.

"Moreover, Su Zhenbang is Su Wanqing's father."

Widow Li's expression changed instantly. She hadn't expected that Lin Weidong, who seemed so unassuming, would have such a powerful background.

Moreover, even Su Wanqing, the technician, has such a powerful background.

She had previously thought that if Lin Weidong got in her way, she would find an opportunity to trip him up, but now it seems that her idea was too naive.

"Then... what do we do?"

"Are we just going to let it go like this?"

"never mind?"

The deaf old woman sneered, "How can we let it go? However, we need to be more careful in our actions."

She paused for a moment and then said, "Lin Weidong doesn't like to meddle in other people's business in the yard; he's focused entirely on his work. As long as we don't provoke him or interfere with his affairs, he probably won't hold it against us."

Widow Li nodded: "You're right. From now on, I'll focus on dealing with He Daqing. Once we take him down, we'll have completed our plan."

The moment Widow Li thought of Sha Zhu, she instantly realized a fact.

Sha Zhu was the person the deaf old woman had chosen to care for her in her old age and see her off in her final days. As long as she could control Sha Zhu, the deaf old woman could enjoy her later years in peace and tranquility.

If I could control the He family, then the deaf old lady's wealth would all be mine.

Just as Widow Li was in a daze, the deaf old woman said, "From now on, we should try our best to avoid conflicts with the Lin family, and deal with other matters as they come."

"As for Lin Weidong, we certainly can't afford to offend him right now, but we can't let our guard down either."

"Keep your distance for now and don't provoke him."

"But we have to keep a close eye on him, and once we find something to use against him, we absolutely cannot give him a chance to recover!"

"I understand," Widow Li said, taking a deep breath.

Meanwhile, after returning home, Jia Zhangshi also tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

"Pah! What is that?!"

Madam Jia spat on the ground and muttered a curse, "That widow Li, that jinx, that shameless, unfaithful woman!"

"She's only been in the hospital a short time, and she's already started seducing He Daqing! I used to think she was generous, but now it seems she's just a vixen, only good at hooking up with men!"

The more she thought about it, the more resentful she became: "Why is it that Widow Li gets to seduce He Daqing?"

"Although He Daqing is a bit old, he works at the restaurant and has savings. He's much better off than those poor bastards in the courtyard!"

"When I, Jia Zhangshi, was thin, I was no less beautiful than her. Why should I have to live a life of hardship?"

Suddenly, a bold idea sprouted in her mind: "No, I can't just watch Widow Li get her way!"

"We can't let her snatch He Daqing away! I have to give it a try; maybe He Daqing will take a liking to me?"

"What Widow Li can do, I can do too!"