The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

"That's right. Liu Guangqi told me himself that he's going to work in Shimen City, and he's bringing his girlfriend with him. They're taking the train first thing tomorrow morning."

Yang Ping went along with it, even making up the exact time of departure on the spot.

He didn't care how many flaws there were in his words, as long as he could stop Liu Guangqi—let's see if that kid dares to smear him again.

Incidentally, it can also cause some trouble between Liu Guangqi and Xu Banxia.

If Liu Guangqi stands them up, the two will definitely have a falling out, and they might even break up.

...Thinking like that doesn't seem very kind.

Yang Ping coughed lightly, correcting himself in his mind: He was doing this for Liu Haizhong's sake, so that the old Liu could have someone to rely on in his old age.

"cough--!"

When Yan Fugui heard Liu Guangqi's name, he almost choked on his own saliva.

It turns out the person in question leaked the information themselves! They almost gave themselves away, but luckily Yang Ping didn't notice, and they ended up getting a free tip.

Yan Fugui was secretly pleased with himself, feeling that he had finally managed to entangle Yang Ping this time.

"Uncle, I can't chat with you any longer, I have to go back and prepare dinner."

Yang Ping turned and walked home.

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"Okay!"

Yan Fugui responded with a smile, his face beaming with undisguised joy.

At this moment, Liu Haizhong entered the courtyard carrying a piece of pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat. His face was beaming, clearly indicating that there was a happy occasion in his family.

Yan Fugui spotted Liu Haizhong from afar and greeted him with a smile, repeatedly offering his congratulations: "Old Liu, great news! Guangqi's job is settled, congratulations!"

Liu Haizhong, who was originally planning to have pork for dinner tonight, was stunned when he heard this.

He frowned, completely bewildered—Guangqi found a job? When did that happen? How come he, as her father, hadn't heard a thing?

"With Guangqi's job assignment, your family will now have two working parents. Your future is truly prosperous."

Yan Fugui rubbed his hands together, his tone revealing undisguised envy.

He couldn't help but think of his eldest son, Yan Jiecheng. If he could also get a stable job sooner, the burden on the family would be lighter, and he could relax a bit.

"Wait, Lao Yan,"

Liu Haizhong interrupted him, his tone full of doubt, "Where did you hear that Guangqi found a job?"

"Huh? Didn't Guangqi say that himself?"

Yan Fugui blurted out, "They said I was assigned to Shimen City, and I have to catch the train to report for duty first thing tomorrow morning."

As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly remembered the source of the news—it was spread by that kid Yang Ping from the front yard. He had only overheard it once and taken it seriously.

"Is that really true?!"

Liu Haizhong's voice suddenly rose, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.

His eldest son was his greatest hope, the only child in the family to finish high school.

Since graduation, he has only been able to do odd jobs here and there. Whenever he thinks about this, Liu Haizhong feels a tightness in his chest.

Now we've finally made it through the tough times, and the government has assigned us a job! As a high school graduate, at least I'll be sitting in an office, living a leisurely life, which is much more respectable than working in a factory handling wrenches and wielding hammers.

If my son is successful and becomes an official in the future, he might be able to help his father out and let him experience what it's like to be in charge and give orders.

Thinking about it this way, he felt a surge of heat rush from his heart to his head, and he could almost see himself standing with his hands behind his back, giving a speech to dozens or even hundreds of people.

"Old Yan!"

Liu Haizhong patted Yan Fugui's shoulder heavily, his face beaming with undisguised joy. "When I host a banquet later, you absolutely have to come and have a drink!"

After saying that, he didn't bother with any more pleasantries and turned around to rush to the backyard, his steps quick and heavy.

"I'll definitely be there! I'll definitely be there!"

Yan Fugui responded repeatedly behind him, grinning from ear to ear.

This is a truly wonderful thing – getting a good meal and drinks for free.

Thanks to his cleverness, he managed to extract information about Liu Guangqi from Yang Ping, which allowed him to gain some benefits.

Yang Ping walked out of the front yard.

He walked steadily, heading straight for the backyard.

This time, he no longer worried about Ma Xiaoling suddenly appearing.

Since we're bound to run into each other sooner or later, we might as well greet each other openly and avoid feeling guilty.

"Yang Ping, you're back?"

As soon as I stepped into the backyard, Ma Xiaoling's voice drifted over.

"Yeah, just got off work."

Yang Ping responded.

Ma Xiaoling came out of the house to greet him. Seeing that his attitude was no longer as evasive as before, a smile spread across her face, and she asked:

"Why haven't you moved those two pots of daffodils out yet? The weather's nice today, perfect for letting them soak up some sun."

"I was too busy and forgot."

Yang Ping answered, glancing around the room and catching sight of Xu Damao's wrinkled, miserable face, which made him chuckle.

It seems that Ma Xiaoling has subdued this man, and now he can only watch helplessly as his wife talks to others, not daring to utter a single word.

"Then remember to move out tomorrow. I'll take care of it for you, and I guarantee your daffodils will bloom profusely and brightly during the New Year."

Ma Xiaoling spoke enthusiastically.

"Okay, I'll do as you say."

Yang Ping nodded.

As someone once said, if you can't avoid a kind offer, you might as well accept it and accept it.

He couldn't avoid Ma Xiaoling getting so close now, so he went along with it.

He didn't care at all what others were gossiping about.

Unlike the others in the courtyard, for him, finding a wife was a piece of cake, very easy.

If he really wanted to get married, he could get his marriage certificate first thing tomorrow morning, hold a banquet in the evening, and start preparing to continue the family line that night.

Everything can be done within a day.

Yang Ping knew perfectly well that this was no exaggeration.

As long as he speaks, Gao Yue will always nod in agreement.

Unlike his neighbor, Sha Zhu, who was always surrounded by gossip and had several people in the courtyard who openly and secretly tried to stop him from getting married, he was different.

"You two have such a good relationship."

Ma Xiaoling smiled, her eyes crinkling.

"Bring me the clothes you need to wash later, and I'll wash them for you while I'm at it."

If the house gets messy and needs tidying up, please let me know.

She said warmly.

"Okay, then I'll trouble you, Sister Xiaoling."

Yang Ping readily agreed, and continued, "From now on, you'll be my dear older sister. If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask."

—Of course, some of them are "busy".

He can't help; he's probably too overwhelmed for himself.

He only thought these words to himself.

"Okay, then you'll be my good little brother from now on."

Ma Xiaoling's smile grew even brighter.

But in the blink of an eye, a trace of regret flashed across her face, and she sighed, "What a pity. If I had met you a few years earlier, I might have lived with you instead of marrying that useless Xu Damao."

"Sister is right."

Yang Ping verbally agreed, but secretly rejoiced: Luckily, he hadn't run into Ma Xiaoling so early, otherwise he would probably be the one suffering now.

"Sis, I'll go back to my room now."

"Go ahead, go ahead!"

Ma Xiaoling turned and walked towards her own home.

Before Yang Ping even stepped across the threshold, he heard a commotion coming from the Xu family.

"What are you doing, Xu Damao! I was just talking to my brother for a bit, what are you muttering about? Looking for a beating?"

"No, I didn't say anything... I really didn't!"

Hearing Ma Xiaoling and Xu Damao arguing, Yang Ping felt a chill run down her spine.

Good heavens, if I had a tigress like that in my house, I probably wouldn't even want to step inside.

Thankfully, that's someone else's life after all.

Upon returning home, Yang Ping started a fire and cooked a meal.

The flickering firelight in the stove illuminated his calm face.

Before long, the courtyard gate creaked open. He looked up and saw Liu Haizhong carrying a piece of pork belly, striding into the courtyard with a light and cheerful air.

Yang Ping's lips curled slightly, his mind clear: Judging from this, Liu Haizhong had received news that Liu Guangqi had found a job.

When his precious eldest son returns, the old man will inevitably interrogate him, and once he does, it's likely that Liu Guangqi's secret trip to Shimen will be exposed.

At that time, it might just be another "deep father-son bond" scene.

What a show!

Given Liu Haizhong's biased nature, his anger would mostly not be directed at his eldest son.

But those two younger ones, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, are probably going to suffer again.

Since childhood, these two brothers have been Liu Haizhong's ready-made punching bags. This time, the eldest brother caused such a scene, so who else can the old man vent his anger on if not them?

When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer the consequences.

Yang Ping felt no sympathy whatsoever.

Those two brothers used to bully the original owner of this body quite a bit, and just a few days ago they even came to take the house.

If they could get a good beating now, he'd be happy to watch the show and vent his anger.

"Dinner's ready!"

The meal was ready in no time.

Yang Ping sat down alone and began to eat slowly and deliberately.

By the time the dishes were all cleared away, it was already getting dark.

Only then did he hear the noise. Liu Guangqi, wearing cloth shoes and leisurely picking his teeth, strolled into the backyard.

The show is about to begin.

A bright smile appeared on Yang Ping's face as he waited for the next part to continue.

"You bastard!"

Liu Guangqi passed by his door and spat in a low voice.

Yang Ping pretended not to hear and let him curse.

He thought to himself, "Let this brat be arrogant for a while longer. Later, he'll be left with nothing to cry about."

"Guangqi, you're back!"

The third aunt's voice came from the opposite room, full of obsequiousness.

"Come on, Guangqi, sit down quickly."

I specially boiled two eggs for you today and cut up a small dish of meat. Try them!

The bangs were unusually lively.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, standing to the side, stared longingly at the eggs and meat slices on the table, their faces showing a mixture of envy and a suppressed sense of humiliation.

Who could be happy with such blatant favoritism?

"ah……?"

Liu Guangqi was stunned by the scene before him.

Liu Guangqi stared at the food on the table, momentarily speechless.

This is truly unusual; there are two eggs and a plate of meat in the bowl. Such a good thing never happens.

At home, he was only slightly better off than his two younger brothers, getting a steamed bun mixed with coarse grains and occasionally a small bite of an egg.

Right now, we have meat and eggs, and even double portions! It's like a dream come true.

"What are you standing for? Come and sit down!"

Liu Haizhong grabbed his eldest son's arm and pressed him down onto the bench next to the dining table.

Our future depends on this child; he has to take good care of Guangqi.

"Let's all start eating."

He gestured towards the table.

The second aunt sat down next to her son, picked up her bowl and chopsticks, and began to eat.

Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu silently picked up their steamed buns as well, neither of them reaching for the plate of meat and eggs—they knew that if they dared to touch them, they would surely get a good scolding from their father, which would be a real loss.

Liu Haizhong, however, did not rush to eat.

He first placed a whole egg into Liu Guangqi's bowl, then scooped a few slices of glistening meat over, and finally stuffed a steamed bun into his son's hand, his actions almost like serving him.

Liu Guangqi felt completely helpless.

"Eat more, you'll have more energy to go to work."

Liu Haizhong had a big smile on his face.

"What his father said..."

The second aunt's lips curled into a wide smile. "Guangqi only does clerical work, why would he need to exert himself? Eating well will give him plenty of energy, which will help him become a high-ranking leader in the future."

She was overjoyed to learn that her son had been assigned a job.

If she hadn't been busy preparing the meal, she would have already gone around the yard spreading the news.

But there's no rush. We can talk about it after we finish eating. Anyway, the neighbors aren't going anywhere.

"That makes sense; I hadn't considered that."

He even threw in a literary phrase in his bangs, trying his best to appear refined.

After saying that, he turned to his son and asked somewhat worriedly, "Guangqi, did I use the right words?"

He kept thinking about the joke he made when he criticized Xu Damao last time.