The Fitter Master in the Courtyard: Surrounded by Dead Men

He couldn't help but sigh inwardly—Yang Ping must possess a magical power that makes people willingly follow him.

Wei Chengdong and the others did not just hear a few empty words of praise; they saw real results before their eyes—a commendation in black and red on the factory bulletin board, in which Cao Dayu and Song Zixu were both promoted to deputy directors.

These tangible fame and fortune are what they see as worth pursuing.

Even with a privileged background, and being called "Prince" behind his back...

However, if one fails to achieve anything significant over a long period, the cold words and sarcastic remarks from within and outside the family can be quite embarrassing.

Now that a shortcut with a clear finish line is right in front of them, who would be willing to give up halfway? This is the whole reason why they grit their teeth and persevere.

"Shall we go take a look?"

Cao Dayu turned his head to ask Song Zixu for his opinion.

"Walk."

Song Zixu answered decisively and took a step forward.

Cao Dayu followed immediately.

Both of them now had bulging shoulder bags on their shoulders, which they hadn't brought with them—they clearly contained some important items that they couldn't show to others.

In the blink of an eye, we arrived at Workshop 1.

Yang Ping was leaning over the machine tool, discussing something with several fitters, when the two walked straight over.

"Director Yang, is there anything we can do to lend a hand?"

Cao Dayu asked.

"No need."

Yang Ping straightened up and waved his hand.

He was surrounded by six or seven skilled fitters, so he was no longer short of manpower.

His gaze swept over the two of them. "Why are you two working in the workshop?"

"Since you weren't in the R&D department, I thought I'd drop by and come see you."

Cao Dayu laughed.

"yes,"

Song Zixu picked up the conversation, patted the bag on his shoulder, and said, "We also prepared a thank-you gift to express our gratitude for sharing the credit for your research and development."

The bag contained the gift intended for Yang Ping.

They came in a hurry for this very reason.

"No need."

Yang Ping shook his head, "You all contributed, so you should naturally receive what you deserve."

"Director Yang, don't worry."

Song Zixu took a half step forward and lowered his voice, "My father has given his approval to this matter."

Cao Dayu said sincerely.

Song Zixu then added, "I also obtained my grandfather's consent for this matter, and I even asked him to write a written permission and sign his name."

Would you like to take a look?

As he spoke, he handed over the consent form.

The paper was covered with neat ink marks, and a bright red stamp was clearly visible at the end.

Yang Ping couldn't help but laugh; she hadn't expected them to prepare such a formal process.

"Director Yang, please accept this."

As Song Zixu spoke, he handed over the bag and the small gift box together.

Cao Dayu followed closely behind, handing over his own copy.

"Then I'll accept it without further ado."

Yang Ping didn't examine the contents of the bag closely, but seeing their insistence, he readily accepted it.

Upon seeing this, Cao Dayu and Song Zixu politely took their leave.

Yang Ping casually put the things down beside her and quickly became engrossed in her work again, not taking the matter to heart.

Surrounded by familiar colleagues, with people coming and going, there's no need to worry about losing anything.

Time slips away quietly, the sun sets behind the window, and it's time to get off work in the evening.

That's all for today.

The remaining components will be assembled tomorrow, and then we can begin testing the overall stability.

Yang Ping glanced around at the progress of the work and addressed the group.

Only one final step remains. If the test goes smoothly, the task will be successfully completed.

"Understood, Director Yang."

Everyone responded enthusiastically.

Yang Ping tidied up and prepared to leave.

A staff member gently reminded him not to forget to take the gifts he received at noon. Only then did he remember the things that Cao Dayu and the other person had brought. He turned around, picked up the two bags from the wall, and walked out the door.

Back in the courtyard of his residence, Yang Ping became curious and wanted to see what was in the bag.

He opened one of the bags, and inside lay a dark red wooden box.

His fingertips brushed against the grain of the wooden box, and the intricate pattern gave him a jolt—it was Hainan rosewood.

In this day and age, such wood is a rare treasure, and ordinary people rarely even see it.

He recalled that in the years that followed, the wood could be sold by weight for the equivalent of half a lifetime's savings for an ordinary family, and if it was made into bracelets, it would be sought after and fetch an astronomical price.

If such wood is used to store objects, then the contents inside must be extraordinary.

He gently lifted the lid of the box.

A pair of porcelain cups rest quietly inside, each cup decorated with a colorful painting of a pair of roosters, their plumage vibrant and their spirits soaring.

The exquisite use of color and the vividness of the form are exactly the same as the Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup that he had once gazed at through the glass of a museum.

Yang Ping was stunned for a moment.

He never imagined that such a rare item, which only existed in records and legends, would end up in his hands.

He vaguely remembered that in a later auction, a single cup like this fetched an astonishingly high price, while the other one disappeared without a trace, becoming a regrettable loss.

But now, they're appearing in pairs right in front of me.

This value has long surpassed the mere accumulation of numbers.

The rarity of them existing in pairs adds to their legendary status.

"This gift... is far too much."

He sighed softly, and with the gentlest of movements, put the cup back into the wooden box, then sent it into the system space known only to himself.

Only there is a place where there is absolutely no chance of failure.

Perhaps they will see the light of day again when they need money in the future.

His gaze shifted to the other cloth bag.

Inside was also a box made of rosewood, but with an additional glass cover on top.

Through the clear glass, you can see two ginseng roots, each about the thickness of a thumb, lying overlapping each other, their roots twisted and intertwined, almost covering the entire bottom of the box.

"A thousand-year-old ginseng..."

Yang Ping unconsciously took a deep breath.

Song Zixu actually found the item; he had originally thought it was just a joke from the other party.

Both of these items were too precious, and the sentiment behind them weighed heavily on his heart, leaving him somewhat at a loss.

Just then, a faint yet incredibly pure wisp of innate inner energy quietly seeped out from the crack in the ginseng's wooden box.

Yang Ping's gaze suddenly narrowed.

Others might not have noticed it, but he clearly sensed the faint fluctuations—could this thousand-year-old ginseng root be the legendary spiritual object?

This thought gave him a jolt.

The original idea of ​​returning the items to Cao Dayu and Song Zixu was quietly abandoned at this moment.

This ginseng is of great significance to him. If he can absorb and refine the innate energy contained within it, it will surely benefit his physical foundation and prolong his life.

As for those two, we'll find another opportunity to make amends later.

……

106: The Splendor of That Time

Yang Ping pushed the old bicycle out of the courtyard gate.

He didn't intend to refine the inner energy of the ginseng here, but instead thought of Chen Xueru's place—her small courtyard was secluded and deserted, making it the perfect place to go.

Not long after, at the "Xue Ru Silk Shop" on Qianmen Street.

It then came into view.

"Hey, you little devil, I was just packing up my shop to go home, you've come at the perfect time."

When Chen Xueru saw it was him, a smile spread across her face.

Since we parted last time, I've been thinking about him constantly and hoping for his return. Today, I'm so glad he's finally here.

"I need to borrow your backyard room; I have some urgent business to attend to."

Yang Ping pushed the bicycle straight into the store, speaking in a casual tone.

"What's up? Are you going to take some girl out for a tryst?"

Chen Xueru smiled, but her voice betrayed a subtle tension.

This is her territory, and she won't allow anyone else to trespass on it.

"It's not that kind of thing."

Yang Ping shook her head. "It's something that absolutely must not be known to others."

Chen Xueru's expression softened slightly: "Then...do you want me to stay and keep you company?"

"If you wish to come, please come back in two hours."

Yang Ping responded.

According to the memories of Yan Hancheng regarding innate internal energy, it would normally only take half an hour to absorb the internal energy into the body, but out of caution, he deliberately extended the time.

"Alright, I'll go home first."

Chen Xueru nodded.

She also planned to go back and carefully dress and groom herself, which would take about two hours, and then return at the perfect time.

Yang Ping said no more. He returned to his room in the backyard, closed the door, and drew the curtains tightly to prevent anyone outside from seeing what was happening inside.

"This young man is acting all mysterious."

Chen Xueru muttered something to herself, closed the courtyard gate, moved lightly, and turned to leave.

After Yang Ping entered the room.

He focused his senses and confirmed that Chen Xueru had gone far away before taking out the thousand-year-old ginseng and slowly absorbing it according to the method taught by Yan Hancheng.

Strands of pure, innate internal energy rose from the ginseng, like smoke and mist, seeping into Yang Ping's meridians and circulating throughout his body.

This continued for more than an hour.

The innate internal energy contained in the ginseng was eventually completely drained.

Yang Ping felt his body filled with a powerful force. The internal energy was constantly nourishing and tempering his physique. Even if he did not consciously practice his cultivation, his cultivation level would slowly increase on its own.

He was quite satisfied with this.

He casually picked up a melon seed, and with a slight thought, infused it with his innate internal energy. With a flick of his finger, the melon seed shot towards the beams and pillars in the room like lightning.

Only a very faint "hiss" could be heard.

With a thud, the melon seed pierced through the pillar and disappeared into the brick wall behind it, leaving no trace.

"It has such power!"

Yang Ping was deeply shaken.

Such methods are no less powerful than some of the legendary weapons, and may even surpass them in terms of penetrating ability.

If this force were to strike a person, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Unexpectedly, my cultivation has improved so much. This thousand-year-old ginseng is indeed extraordinary. I must be extremely careful when using it in the future to avoid making a mistake that could lead to an irreparable situation.

His gaze fell back on the ginseng. At this moment, it looked no different from ordinary wild ginseng, and even showed a hint of withered stagnation. The lively vitality it had shown earlier had completely disappeared.

It seems that after that wisp of innate internal energy was absorbed, the ginseng lost its mystical power and returned to being an ordinary thing.

He put the wooden box into that mysterious place, thinking that he might be able to use it when making soup in the future. Even if it couldn't prolong his life, it would still be good to add some fresh and mellow flavor.

"My little rascal, I'm here!"

Chen Xueru's clear voice, tinged with laughter, came from outside.

"Why!"

Yang Ping responded and hurriedly got up to open the door.

Chen Xueru had clearly taken great care in preparing her appearance.

She wore a white cheongsam with dark ink-colored intertwined branches that fit her perfectly. A ruby ​​pendant hung around her neck, her black hair was tied up in a bun, and a ruby ​​hairpin was inserted diagonally. A strand of black hair hung loosely by her ear.

With a touch of bright red rouge on her lips, her eyes sparkled when she smiled, a vibrant and radiant beauty unique to that era.

"Sister Xue Ru, you look really beautiful today."

Yang Ping looked at her and praised her sincerely.

"You're so sweet-talking."

Chen Xueru glanced at him, then stepped into the house carrying a multi-tiered food box. "I guessed you came in a hurry and didn't have time for breakfast, so I brought you some. You can eat together."

She walked to the table and peeled back the layers of the food box.

Before long, a feast was laid out on the table: two meat dishes, two vegetable dishes, a large bowl of hot soup, and four steamed buns placed to the side. In those days, it was considered a very sumptuous meal.

"Here, eat it while it's hot."

"Then I won't be polite."

The two sat facing each other, eating and chatting about recent trivial matters.

The meal was quickly finished in a warm and cozy atmosphere.

After the meal, Yang Ping quickly washed up.

What followed was tender and affectionate, something that cannot be told to outsiders.

He felt that the woman at this moment possessed a unique, solid, and vibrant beauty that soothed his heart.

……

The next morning, Yang Ping went to work at the steel rolling mill as usual.

Instead of going to the research department, he went straight to the workshop and continued assembling the machinery.