Courtyard House: Initial Donation of 50 Million

Ever since the wedding date with Sha Zhu was officially set, Yu Li seemed to be infused with a vibrant and radiant energy, radiating a light and joyful aura from her very core. Every day, she went to work at the street office printing factory with light steps and a natural smile on her face. Even the tedious and repetitive tasks of typesetting, checking type, and drying ink seemed to have gained a certain rhythm. That sweetness overflowing from the bottom of her heart couldn't be hidden; it was clearly written on her face and reflected in her eyes.

"Hey, Lily, have you struck gold these past few days? Or have you been eating honey? Look at your rosy cheeks, your eyes are all smiles!" At lunchtime in the simple break room, Zhang Guifang, the eldest sister in the group with whom she had the best relationship, came over with her lunchbox, nudged Yu Li with her shoulder, and teased her with a smile.

Yu Li was carefully breaking apart the steamed buns she had brought, eating them with her homemade pickled vegetable shreds. Upon hearing this, her face flushed even more, but she didn't hesitate and readily admitted, "Sister Guifang, it's good news. I... I've decided, we're getting married at the end of September."

"Oh my! Really!" Zhang Guifang's voice suddenly rose, attracting the attention of several female workers who were eating with their heads down. "That's wonderful! This is fantastic news! Congratulations! Which company does your boyfriend work for? How old is he? Is he handsome?"

Yu Li was a little embarrassed by the question, but her eyes shone even brighter: "He's from our area, No. 95 Nanluoguxiang, named He Yuzhu. He works in the canteen of the Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill."

"He Yuzhu? That name sounds unfamiliar... Wait, the canteen at the main plant of Hongxing Steel Rolling Mill?" A slightly older female worker interjected, "Is that... the canteen manager who's been making quite a stir lately, building a new house and acquiring rare imported items, 'Silly Zhu'?"

"Sha Zhu?" Zhang Guifang was taken aback. "You mean He Yuzhu, the one who... looks a bit older than his age, but is an excellent cook, and very loyal to the people in the courtyard, the one who recently got a car?"

"Yes, it's him." Yu Li nodded, her face filled with pride. "He's the canteen manager, a government employee, and his monthly salary is 75. He built the house for our wedding, so I could live more comfortably."

"75?!" The moment that number was uttered, a collective gasp filled the break room. These temporary workers at the street printing factory toiled away, earning ten or twenty yuan a month on busy days, and barely ten yuan on slow days, plus some cornmeal to tide them over. 75 yuan—that was an astronomical figure they couldn't even dream of! Not to mention their cadre status and the cars they'd ride in!

"My God! Lily, you're so lucky!" Zhang Guifang exclaimed, her eyes filled with genuine envy. "You found such a capable man! The canteen manager, the profits... tsk tsk, you're going to be living the high life from now on! You won't have to stay in this crappy factory, barely making ends meet anymore."

These words struck a chord with all the female workers. The street-run printing factory, ostensibly a job creation solution, was really just a stopgap measure to make ends meet. Its profitability depended entirely on whether Director Wang of the street office could bring in work. Printing factory newspapers for factories and textbooks and exam papers for schools were all sporadic, piecemeal jobs. Last month, the factory received hardly any decent orders. On payday, Director Wang ran himself ragged, begging and pleading, before finally managing to get ten yuan per person plus twenty jin of cornmeal from the district. Even that was only after Director Wang swallowed his pride and scraped by. Nobody knew if the factory would still be able to stay open next month, or the month after, or if they would even have that ten yuan and cornmeal.

It wasn't that there weren't suitable young men in the factory who were interested in Yu Li. Yu Li was pretty, gentle, and efficient; she was the factory's undisputed beauty. Some bolder men had tried, either asking around or directly approaching her, wanting to "date." But Yu Li knew perfectly well what was going on. Those young men were either temporary workers like her with uncertain futures, or they had large families with heavy burdens. What would she agree to? Would she agree to stay with them at this printing factory that might close down at any time, worrying about a meager ten or eight yuan a month? Would she agree to live together in her parents' house, or in a leaky, drafty rented room, arguing and bickering over every penny? She wasn't materialistic; she just understood. Marriage wasn't a game; it was about real life. Without a stable financial foundation, even the best feelings would be worn down by the daily grind. She didn't want to get married and still have to rely on her parents' meager retirement pension, and she didn't want her child to suffer from birth.

So, when He Yuzhu, who was indeed a bit "premature" in appearance but honest, had a proper job, was responsible, and most importantly, genuinely cared for her and was willing to give her everything (Yu Li had witnessed Sha Zhu's actions of building a house and promising to buy her things), appeared, Yu Li, after observing and getting to know him for a period of time, decisively seized the opportunity. In her eyes, Sha Zhu's maturity was a reliability honed by life's trials; his "foolishness" and "stubbornness" were, in her eyes, a genuine lack of ulterior motives. As for the fact that he only had a younger sister about to enter high school and his father had another family far away in Baoding, Yu Li saw these as advantages—simple relationships, no troublesome mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflicts, and she could take charge of the household immediately after marriage. As for the father-in-law who had run away, it was better that he didn't come back; it saved so much trouble.

Yu Li's "clear-headedness" allowed her to remain calm and composed amidst the envious, sour, and genuinely congratulatory gazes and discussions. She knew what she was doing and what she wanted. Marrying Sha Zhu might lack romantic flair, but it offered a stable and secure future, caring companionship, and the confidence to not have to worry about making a living tomorrow. That was enough.

The get off work bell rang, Yu Li packed her things, said goodbye to her coworkers, and walked briskly out of the somewhat worn gate of the printing factory. Instead of going straight home, she turned and headed towards No. 95 Nanluoguxiang. The wedding date was set, and the new house was under construction. The shyness and anticipation of a woman about to be married made her want to see what the place that would soon become her "home" looked like.

The setting sun cast a warm golden glow on the ancient alleyway. Yu Li, preoccupied with her own thoughts, walked with a mixture of eagerness and excitement. Just as she reached the familiar, bright gate of courtyard number 95 and was about to step inside, a young man's voice suddenly came from beside her, carrying a deliberately feigned seriousness and inquiry:

"This lady looks unfamiliar. Who are you looking for in our compound?"

Yu Li paused, turning to look in the direction of the sound. Beside the stone stool by the door stood a young man in blue overalls, somewhat thin, with a tired face but bright eyes. He looked to be in his early twenties, with a fairly decent appearance, but a shrewdness in his eyes, eager to impress, ruined his overall impression. Yu Li recognized him; he was Yan Jiecheng, the eldest son of Yan Fugui, the third uncle from the front courtyard. She had occasionally seen him when he came to the courtyard to look for Sha Zhu before, but they had never spoken. She had heard that he had recently started working as an apprentice at the Hongxing Motorcycle Factory.

"Hello, I'm looking for He Yuzhu from the Intermediate People's Court," Yu Li nodded politely in response. Not wanting to cause any further trouble, she prepared to go inside after speaking.

"He Yuzhu? Sha Zhu?" Yan Jiecheng raised an eyebrow and stepped forward, seemingly wanting to block Yu Li's path, but then stopped. His tone was filled with more suspicion. "You're looking for him? Who are you to him? Enemy activities are still rampant. Our compound is under construction recently, so there are many people around. I need to find out the truth." He adopted a posture of "high vigilance and responsibility," but his eyes swept over Yu Li's delicate face and slender figure.

Yu Li was a little unhappy, but she still patiently explained, "I am his fiancée, my name is Yu Li. We are getting married soon, and I came to see how the house is being built."

"Fiancée?" Yan Jiecheng was clearly taken aback, his eyes widening instantly as he sized Yu Li up and down, as if he were seeing her for the first time. Lately, he'd been working tirelessly at the factory, studying from dawn till dusk for his fitter certification exam. After work, he'd practice on scrap materials, then collapse into bed as soon as he got home, having neither the inclination nor the time to follow the gossip in the neighborhood. He'd vaguely heard his parents mention that Sha Zhu was getting married to a printing factory worker, but he hadn't taken it seriously and had never met Yu Li in person. Now, suddenly seeing such a beautiful and elegant girl who claimed to be Sha Zhu's fiancée, Yan Jiecheng's heart skipped a beat, and a strange, indescribable feeling welled up inside him.

Sha Zhu? That Sha Zhu who looks ten years older than him, with a simple, honest face, and who's only good at cooking? What makes him so special? Just because he's a cook? Earning only a few dozen yuan a month? Yan Jiecheng felt a sudden surge of resentment. He looked at Yu Li more closely, and the more he looked, the more he felt that this girl had gentle features, a well-proportioned figure, and spoke logically. She was pleasing to the eye no matter how he looked at her. How... how could she be a match for Sha Zhu? A strange thought, like a poisonous weed, sprouted in his heart—this girl should be his wife! He was an apprentice at the Hongxing Motorcycle Factory, about to become a full-fledged employee! His future was limitless! What was Sha Zhu, a cook?

"Oh... it's Comrade Yu Li." Yan Jiecheng suppressed the turmoil in his heart, forcing a smile that he thought was very gentlemanly, but his tone involuntarily carried a hint of disdain and provocation. "So you're Zhu Zi's girlfriend. Zhu Zi, well... how should I put it, he's not a bad person, it's just..." He deliberately paused, lowered his voice, looked around mysteriously, and said, "I'm telling you this for your own good, but he's a bit clueless. He gets a little too close to some of the married women in the neighborhood. He even got into quite a few fights over a married woman surnamed Qin before, his reputation... hehe, you know. I'm only reminding you because we might be neighbors in the future. Marriage is a big deal, you have to choose your partner carefully."

Yu Li's face instantly darkened. Yan Jiecheng's words were not only slandering Sha Zhu, but also implying that she, Yu Li, had poor judgment, choosing someone of questionable character. A surge of anger rose within her, but years of upbringing prevented her from immediately lashing out; her voice merely turned colder: "Comrade Yan Jiecheng, thank you for your 'kindness.' However, I know better than you what kind of person Yu Zhu is. Our affairs are none of your concern. Please make way, I need to go in."

Seeing that his "heart-to-heart" words had not only failed to resonate with Yu Li or arouse her suspicion, but had instead displeased her, Yan Jiecheng felt even worse. Instead of stepping aside, he took a small step forward, his face beaming with an even more enthusiastic smile, and his speech quickened: "Comrade Yu Li, don't misunderstand, I didn't mean anything by it, it's just... I just think you're a really good girl, and you deserve someone even better, someone with a brighter future. Look at Sha Zhu, he's just a cook, a servant's job, he doesn't amount to much. I'm a full-fledged apprentice at the Hongxing Motorcycle Factory! Our factory is amazing now, we sell motorcycles abroad, earning foreign exchange for the country! My master said that as long as I pass the Level 2 fitter exam next month, I'll be a full-fledged employee! After that, my monthly salary will be this much!"

Yan Jiecheng held up three fingers, then bent one, gesturing "thirty-five," his face beaming with undisguised pride and boastfulness: "Thirty-five yuan! That's the same price as a level three worker in other factories! And our factory has great benefits; after five years, you can get on the waiting list for housing! Not the old, dilapidated kind like in our compound, but the newly built buildings with elevators, balconies, and separate kitchens and toilets! That's what you call a decent life!"

He became increasingly excited as he spoke, as if he could already see himself moving into a spacious, bright new apartment and marrying the beautiful woman before him. His gaze towards Yu Li grew more ardent and undisguised: "Comrade Yu Li, I feel an instant connection with you, really! Look at you, working in a printing factory, what future do you have? It might close down any day. Why not... why not consider me? I, Yan Jiecheng, am young, skilled, and have a bright future. I'm definitely better than that old codger, Sha Zhu! If you come with me, you'll be a worker's family member, living in a new apartment, eating government-subsidized food—isn't that a hundred times better than working for a cook?"

These blatant, almost shameless attempts to poach her boyfriend completely stunned and enraged Yu Li. She never imagined that Yan Fugui's scheming son could utter such morally bankrupt, self-righteous, and utterly disgusting words! Was she, Yu Li, the kind of person who was fickle, easily swayed, and only concerned with immediate gains? If she were, she would have accepted those young men at the factory who seemed more promising than Sha Zhu when they pursued her! Why wait until now?

"Comrade Yan Jiecheng!" Yu Li's voice trembled slightly with anger. She took a step back, distancing herself from this disgusting man, her clear eyes filled with contempt and coldness. "Please have some self-respect! He Yuzhu and I are engaged and getting married soon! So what if he's a cook? Cooks earn their living with their skills, that's honorable! He's a cadre, earns a high salary, is good to his family, and was willing to spend a fortune building a new house for our wedding. That shows he's responsible and sincere! And you? You're just an apprentice who hasn't even been officially hired yet, and you're here shamelessly slandering others, flaunting your 'future' which is still far from certain, and even openly trying to steal someone else's partner. Don't you feel ashamed? The Hongxing Factory pays you a high salary and provides housing because of good national policies and the factory's good performance, not because you, Yan Jiecheng, are particularly capable! Without the Hongxing Factory and the high standards set by Chief Engineer Wang, would you be where you are today? Don't use the factory's glory as your capital to boast!"

Yu Li finished speaking in one breath, her chest heaving, her face pale with anger. She wasn't usually aggressive, but when her bottom line was crossed, she was absolutely resolute. "Who I, Yu Li, choose is none of your business! Even if I work a day in a printing factory, I'll do it honestly, without stealing, robbing, or resorting to underhanded methods! I'm attracted to He Yuzhu because he's reliable, honest, and good to me! Not because he's some official or how much money he has! I can't accept your 'kindness,' and I don't want to accept it! Get out of my way!"

After saying that, Yu Li couldn't be bothered to look at Yan Jiecheng's pale and grotesque face anymore. She turned to walk past him and headed into the courtyard.

"Hey! Wait a minute!" Yan Jiecheng was rendered speechless by Yu Li's sharp and incisive rebuke, his face burning with embarrassment. Especially Yu Li's last sentence, "not through crooked means," felt like a needle piercing his most hidden vanity and inferiority complex. He was indeed desperately learning the technology and genuinely wanted to earn a permanent position through his own abilities, but deep down, didn't he also harbor a burning desire to use the Hongxing Factory as a stepping stone to escape his father Yan Fugui's suffocating scheming and control, and then finally achieve success, marry a beautiful wife, and live a good life? Yu Li's clarity and sharpness were like a mirror, reflecting his shameful little thoughts.

Seeing Yu Li about to leave, the string of "reason" in Yan Jiecheng's mind snapped instantly. A ridiculous obsession with "how can the duck that's already in my mouth fly away?" and "she should clearly be my wife," mixed with intense resentment and the shame and anger of being exposed, overwhelmed him. He subconsciously reached out and grabbed Yu Li's arm!

"What are you doing?! Let go!" Yu Li was both shocked and angry, and struggled desperately. But Yan Jiecheng's hand was like an iron clamp, gripping her painfully.

"Yu Li! Listen to me! Sha Zhu is really not good enough for you! He's just a boor! You'll definitely regret it if you follow him! I..." Yan Jiecheng was incoherent and wanted to continue his "persuasion".

"Yan Jiecheng! You fucking let go of me!"

Just as the chaotic stalemate reached its peak, a thunderous roar erupted from the courtyard gate. There stood Sha Zhu, wearing an apron and wielding a spatula, like a furious lion, charging forward in a few strides, his face ashen and eyes bloodshot. He had just been preparing nutritious meals for Lou Xiao'e during her pregnancy in the kitchen when he faintly heard arguing at the front gate, and it sounded like Yu Li's voice. Worried, he went out to investigate, only to stumble upon Yan Jiecheng entangled with Yu Li's arm!

Sha Zhu's anger flared up instantly! The thing he hated most in his life was being bullied by someone he cared about! Yu Li was the apple of his eye, his soon-to-be wife! How dare Yan Jiecheng, that brat, lay a hand on his wife in broad daylight, right in front of his house, and spew such foul language?!

Sha Zhu rushed forward without saying a word, swung the greasy spatula, and slammed the back of the spatula down hard on the arm that Yan Jiecheng was holding Shou Li's arm!

"Ouch!" Yan Jiecheng cried out in pain and subconsciously let go of her hand.

Sha Zhu pulled Yu Li behind him to protect her, pointing the spatula at Yan Jiecheng's nose. His voice trembled slightly with extreme anger, yet carried a terrifying ferocity: "Yan Jiecheng! You bastard! You're tired of living, aren't you? You dare touch my wife? Believe me, I'll cripple your hand today!"

He was already taller and stronger than Yan Jiecheng. At this moment, he was furious, his eyes were fierce, and he exuded the fierce aura that a master chef in the cafeteria had honed by flipping a wok and cooking. Yan Jiecheng was so frightened that he retreated repeatedly, his face turning pale. The impulse and obsession he had just felt had long been scared away, leaving only fear.

"Brother Zhu... Brother Zhu, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! I... I just said a few words to Comrade Yu Li, I didn't... I didn't mean anything else!" Yan Jiecheng stammered, his legs trembling. He knew Zhu's temper; when he got angry, he was really capable of killing! His own small frame was no match for him.

"Say a few words? Does saying a few words require physical violence? I'm not deaf! I heard everything you said!" Sha Zhu pressed closer, the spatula almost stabbing Yan Jiecheng in the face. "Trying to steal my girlfriend? Slandering me? You still have the nerve to say that? Yan Jiecheng, let me tell you, Yu Li is my lawfully wedded wife, He Yuzhu's soon-to-be bride! If you dare lay a finger on her, say another bad word about her, I don't care if you're from the Red Star Factory or not, I'll beat the shit out of you! Try me!"

The commotion had already alerted the people in the courtyard. Yan Fugui and the Third Aunt from the front yard, Yi Zhonghai and the First Aunt from the middle yard, Liu Haizhong and the Second Aunt from the back yard, and many neighbors all came out upon hearing the noise and gathered at the door to watch the spectacle.

When Yan Fugui saw his son being pointed at with a spatula by Sha Zhu, he was terrified. He rushed over and stood between the two, bowing repeatedly to Sha Zhu: "Zhu Zi! Zhu Zi! Calm down! Please calm down! Jie Cheng is just a child and doesn't know any better. He offended Miss Yu Li. I apologize on his behalf! You're a magnanimous person, please don't hold it against him!"

He turned back and glared fiercely at Yan Jiecheng, who was cowering in fear, and cursed, "You bastard! Apologize to Zhuzi and Miss Yu Li right now! You're always causing trouble for me!"

Under the combined pressure from his father and Sha Zhu, Yan Jiecheng completely deflated. With his head down, he mumbled in a barely audible voice, "Brother Zhu, Comrade Yu Li, I...I'm sorry, I was wrong, I'll never dare to do it again."

Sha Zhu's chest heaved violently as he glared at Yan Jiecheng, then at the anxious Yan Fugui. He snorted coldly, put down the spatula, but the warning in his eyes remained undiminished. He turned to Yu Li behind him, his fierce expression instantly transforming into tension and concern, his voice softening: "Lili, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

Yu Li shook her head, straightened her rumpled sleeves, and regained her composure, but her gaze towards Yan Jiecheng remained icy. She gently shook her head at Sha Zhu, indicating that she was alright.

"It's good that you're alright." Sha Zhu breathed a sigh of relief, took Yu Li's hand, and without glancing at the Yan family father and son again, loudly proclaimed to the surrounding neighbors, especially Yi Zhonghai and Liu Haizhong, "Uncle, Uncle, everyone, young and old, you all saw and heard it! I, He Yuzhu, will marry Yu Li at the end of September! Yu Li is my wife. If anyone dares to gossip behind my back again, or acts as blindly as I did today, don't blame me, He Yuzhu, for turning my back on them!"

After saying this, he held Yu Li's hand tightly and, amidst the sympathetic, knowing, or amused gazes of the crowd, strode towards his new house in the central courtyard, which was still under construction but already showed signs of grandeur. The setting sun cast long shadows of the two of them, and their clasped hands appeared so firm and powerful.

Dragged and pulled by his father, Yan Jiecheng slunk back into his house. The farce ended with his utter humiliation and Sha Zhu's fierce defense of his wife. But this incident deeply etched Yu Li's clarity and decisiveness, Sha Zhu's fierceness and protectiveness, and the undeniable affection between them into everyone's hearts in the No. 95 compound. Yan Jiecheng's absurd obsession and newly ignited vanity for a "bright future" were shattered by Sha Zhu's spatula and Yu Li's sharp words, leaving only fear and embarrassment. He knew that from this day forward, in Yu Li's eyes, he, Yan Jiecheng, was probably less than a stranger. His dream of "living in an apartment and marrying a beautiful wife" seemed so laughable and fragile in the face of reality. As the sun sank completely into the western hills, twilight enveloped the courtyard, but in the nearly completed new house in the central courtyard, the lights were still on, and the clanging and banging of construction sounds continued, as if telling a story of unwavering dedication, of protection, and of new life.