Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

In the stillness of the night, the last few lights in the courtyard of No. 95 Nanluoguxiang were gradually extinguished. However, the Yan family in the west wing of the front courtyard and the Liu family in the east wing of the back courtyard were still immersed in an irrepressible excitement and restlessness.

The backyard, the Liu family's house.

As soon as he pushed open the door and entered the room, Liu Haizhong's deliberately maintained "Second Uncle" serious expression crumbled. His mouth broke into a wide grin, his face glowed, and even his slightly protruding belly seemed to stick out even more. Inside, Second Aunt was mending clothes by the dim light. Her eldest son, Liu Guangqi, was already asleep, while her younger sons, Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu, were still whispering to each other in the corner of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Honey!" Liu Haizhong's voice was much louder than usual, tinged with alcohol and excitement.

Aunt Er looked up at him, puzzled, and asked, "Dad, did you... have a good time at He Damin's? You look so happy."

"It's more than just having a good time!" Liu Haizhong plopped down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), took off his shoes, crossed his legs, and looked more smug than ever before. "It's done! A great thing!"

"What's wrong?" Auntie Er put down her needlework and came over. The two boys in the corner of the kang (a heated brick bed) also perked up their ears.

Liu Haizhong cleared his throat, as if giving an important report: "Isn't He Damin's 'Red Star' business going to be a joint public-private enterprise? It will belong to the state from now on! Tonight, Lao Yan and I went over to talk to Damin about this. Damin is a good friend; remembering we're old neighbors, he agreed to help!"

He paused deliberately, basking in the expectant gazes of his wife and sons.

"Da Min said that once the new leadership takes office after the joint venture, he'll recommend me to be a deputy director in the 'Red Star' repair workshop!" Liu Haizhong emphasized the words "deputy director," sitting up straight. "That's a proper state cadre! Managing a large workshop with dozens of people! The salary and benefits will be no less than my current level seven forging worker position!"

"Deputy Director?!" The second aunt's eyes lit up instantly, her voice rising eight octaves. "His dad, really? You're going to be a cadre?" In her simple understanding, there was a world of difference between a worker and a cadre. A worker, no matter how good, was still just doing the work; a cadre was someone who managed people and sat in an office! That was real respectability!

"How could it be false? He Damin promised it himself!" Liu Haizhong slapped his thigh. "He said the director will definitely be sent by the government, but he has the right to recommend the deputy. I, Old Liu, have the skills and experience, I've trained apprentices and managed teams, so being a deputy director is more than enough for me! Damin also said I can command respect!"

"Oh my! This is truly a blessing from our ancestors!" Auntie Er clasped her hands together, overjoyed. "Her husband, you've really achieved a great leap forward! From now on, our family is a cadre family!"

In the corner of the kang (heated brick bed), Liu Guangtian and Liu Guangfu understood what was happening and nudged each other. Liu Guangtian whispered, "Dad became an official?" Liu Guangfu was more direct: "Then can we benefit from it too?"

Hearing his sons' words, Liu Haizhong became even more smug, waving his hand and saying, "Of course! Now that I'm a leader, you're the leaders' children! At school, you'd better hold your heads high! Let's see who dares to look down on our family!"

He could almost see the scene: himself, wearing a cadre uniform with four pockets, inspecting the spacious repair workshop with his hands behind his back, the workers respectfully calling him "Director Liu"; his sons at school, because they had a father who was the workshop director, were looked up to by their teachers and classmates; even those people in the compound who didn't usually take him, their "second uncle," seriously had to treat him with courtesy...

"And another thing," Liu Haizhong lowered his voice, but his smugness deepened, "once I've established myself and gotten the hang of things, Guangqi will graduate from junior high next year, right? Guangtian and Guangfu will be older in a few years too. Then, I'll find a way to get them into 'Red Star' too! I'm the deputy workshop director; getting my sons a permanent position is a piece of cake, isn't it? Other leaders will have to give me, an old comrade, some face, right? Then our whole family will be in state-owned enterprises, with secure jobs! Life will be..."

His description of the future was so rosy that the second aunt and her two teenagers were stunned, and a hopeful smile involuntarily appeared on their faces. It was as if good days were already within reach.

"Dad, He Damin has helped us so much, shouldn't we show our appreciation?" Auntie Er remembered the proper etiquette. "How about I buy some nice things tomorrow and you deliver them?"

Liu Haizhong waved his hand, looking confident: "No rush! This matter is still in its early stages. We can thank you after the transfer order is officially issued. Besides, we're old neighbors. Damin recommended me because he values ​​my abilities, so there's no need to be so formal!" What he was really thinking was, how much money would that cost in a gift? Once he became the deputy director and had power, he wouldn't be worried about not having other ways to express his gratitude. He should save money where he could now.

That night, the Liu family's house was filled with dreams of the future and suppressed laughter. Liu Haizhong even dreamed that he was already sitting in the deputy director's office.

Meanwhile, in the west wing of the front yard, the Yan family...

When Yan Bugui returned home, the joy on his face was much more subtle than Liu Haizhong's, but the gleam in his eyes behind his glasses betrayed his inner excitement. His aunt was still awake, checking the month's household accounts under the lamp, while the children had just finished their homework and were preparing to rest.

"You're back? How did the talk go?" the third aunt asked, looking up. She knew the purpose of her husband's visit that evening.

Yan Bugui took off his glasses, carefully wiped them with a handkerchief, put them back on, and then slowly spoke, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement: "It's done. He Damin agreed and recommended me to the newly formed 'Red Star' to work in the finance department as deputy head."

"Deputy section chief?" The third aunt was taken aback, then exclaimed with delight, "The one in charge of money? Oh my, this is a powerful department! Old Yan, you're really something!" She knew her husband too well. He was calculating and stingy, but that was precisely why he was so sensitive and meticulous about money and things. Managing accounts was a perfect fit for him.

"Shh, keep your voice down!" Yan Bugui gestured to her, then glanced into the room. The children didn't seem to be paying attention. "This matter isn't completely settled yet. We have to wait until the joint venture procedures are completed, the new leader arrives, He Damin makes the recommendation, and there's an interview process. But, there shouldn't be any major problems." He said "no major problems," but in his heart, he was already absolutely certain it was a done deal. How could something that a big boss like He Damin had personally promised change his mind?

"Deputy section chief...how much does he/she earn?" The third aunt immediately got into the practical part.

"I don't know the specifics, but it's definitely much better than my current teaching job." Yan Bugui's eyes gleamed with calculation. "He Damin's 'Red Star' treatment has always been notoriously high. Even according to state-owned enterprise standards after the merger, a section-level cadre should earn at least a hundred yuan, right? And if there's anything else... like managing warehouse supplies or something..." He didn't finish, but the meaning was clear. Managing accounts and supplies—the "flexibility" involved—wasn't he, with his shrewd calculations, aware of it?

The curtain to the inner room was lifted, and the eldest son, Yan Jiecheng, poked his head out: "Dad, are you going to become an official in 'Red Star'?" He had vaguely heard it earlier.

Yan Bugui nodded, a reserved smile on his face: "Yes, more or less. Deputy head of the finance department, in charge of the accounts."

"That's great!" Yan Jiecheng exclaimed excitedly. "Then I can say my dad is the section chief at school!" The boy was just a teenager, at an age where he cared a lot about his reputation.

The youngest daughter, Yan Jiedi, also ran out and tugged at Yan Bugui's sleeve: "Dad, does being a section chief mean there are lots of good things to eat?"

"Go away, what does a child know!" the third aunt said with a laugh, but her eyes were also filled with joy. For this family that had been carefully managing their finances and struggling to make ends meet, her husband's promotion to a cadre position was undoubtedly a huge leap forward.

Yan Bugui adjusted his glasses and began to plan: "Once I get there, my job will be stable and I'll be familiar with the situation. Jiecheng, you should study hard and try to get into a vocational school. When you graduate, Dad will try to see if we can get you into 'Red Star' too. Even if you're just a clerk or a purchasing agent, that's a good job. Jiekuang and Jiedi, the same goes for you. Study hard, and you'll both have opportunities in the future."

He could almost see the future: sitting in the finance department office, typing away on his abacus, checking off each payment and inventory list, everyone calling him "Section Chief Yan"; his son and daughter, thanks to this connection, would also get stable jobs; the family would be well-off, and they would no longer have to stretch every penny...

"Old Yan, He Damin has helped us so much, shouldn't we show our appreciation?" Auntie San raised the same question as Liu's daughter-in-law. "We still have some flour at home, how about we make some dumplings and send them over tomorrow? Or, how about buying a couple of packs of better cigarettes?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui's brows immediately furrowed in his habitual manner, a standard expression he wore when calculating. He pondered, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the table, as if manipulating invisible abacus beads.

"Gifts... well," he said slowly, "it's not that I don't give gifts, but it depends on how and when I give them."

"They've already agreed to help, shouldn't we deliver it?" the third aunt asked, puzzled.

"What do you know?" Yan Bugui said with a shrewd air. "The matter hasn't been settled yet, and you're already rushing to give gifts. It makes us look too hasty, and it makes it seem like He Damin is only helping us for our money. That doesn't look good. Besides, if the gift is too small, it's not presentable; if it's too big, we can't afford it right now."

He paused, then continued calculating: "Wait! Let's wait until my transfer order comes through and my work is arranged before we express our gratitude. That way, it'll seem like we remember our feelings without being abrupt. What should we send... Eggs? Too ordinary. Pastries? Not practical. Or... wait until I'm in the finance department, see if there's any cheap, good stuff being disposed of internally, or scrap materials... Then we can get something useful to send over, saving money and showing we have connections..."

The old woman was stunned, thinking to herself: Isn't he still trying to get something for nothing, or take advantage of public resources? But knowing her husband's temperament, she didn't insist any further.

"Alright, I understand the situation," Yan Bugui concluded decisively. "The key right now is to keep this matter quiet in the courtyard. Although He Damin has agreed, it's not finalized yet. We'll wait until things are settled before we..."

A smile, a mixture of smugness and shrewd calculation, spread across his face. In his mind, the matter was practically a done deal. With Yan Bugui's education, his calculating abilities, and He Damin's recommendation, becoming a deputy head of the finance department was a piece of cake. As for why He Damin was helping him? Well, it was because he saw Yan Bugui's capabilities and talent! Of course, there was also some consideration from their old neighborly relationship. He automatically ignored the ambiguity in He Damin's words about "interviews" and "procedures," and selectively forgot that, apart from using an abacus and managing household finances, he had no practical experience in corporate financial management.

That night, the Yan family was also immersed in wonderful dreams. Yan Bugui had even begun to mentally rehearse how, in his new position, he could not only manage the public accounts clearly but also cleverly seek some "reasonable" benefits for his own family.

Two families, two fathers about to "become leaders," and a group of children and wives dreaming of becoming "leader's spouses." They were all immersed in the joy and anticipation brought by the "pie in the sky" drawn by He Damin.